Thorstein the Red

Thorstein the Red or Thorstein Olafsson was a viking chieftain who flourished in late ninth-century Scotland.

Biography[edit]

He was born around 850 AD and was the son of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, and Aud the Deep-minded, who was the daughter of Ketil Flatnose.^[1] After the death of Olaf, Aud and Thorstein went to live in the Hebrides, then under Ketil's rule.^[2] Thorstein eventually became a warlord and allied with the Jarl of Orkney, Sigurd Eysteinsson.^[1] Together Thorstein and Sigurd waged a series of campaigns in Caithness, Sutherland, Ross, Moray, and a number of other regions, eventually receiving tribute from half of Scotland.^[3] However, the Scottish chieftains plotted against Thorstein, and he was killed; the exact nature of his death is unknown but it probably took place around 880 or 890. After Thorstein's death Aud left Caithness, sojourning for a while in Orkney before settling with other members of her clan in Iceland.^[4]

Thorstein married Thurid, the daughter of Eyvind the Easterner. Thorstein and Thurid had a son, Olaf Feilan, and a number of daughters, including Groa, Thorgerd, Olof, Osk, Thorhild, and Vigdis.^[5]

A woman named Unn, wife of Thorolf Mostur-beard, claimed to be the daughter of Thorstein, but this claim was viewed by other Icelanders with scepticism.^[6]

Ancestry[edit]

Ancestors of Thorstein the Red

Olaf Guðrǫðrsson "Geirstad-Alf"

Helgi Olafsson of Dublin

Ingjald "Hviti" Helgasson

Sigurðr "ormr í auga" Ragnarsson

Thora/Tora Sigurdsdotter

Heluna "Blaeja"

Olaf "Hviti" Ingjaldsson

Thorstein "the Red" Olafsson

Grimm/Grim Hjallrsson/Hjallsson/Hjaldursson

Bjorn "Buna" Grimmsson/Grimsson

Hervor Helgasdatter

Ketil/Ketill "Flatnefr" Bjǫrnsson

Viking "Skaanoyskjelmer"

Velaug Vikingsdatter

Auðr "djúpúðga" Ketilsdóttir

Ketil/Ketill "Wether"

Ingveld/Yngvid Ketilsdóttir

Notes[edit]

^ ^a ^b Eirik the Red's Saga § 1 (Jones 126); Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 51).
^ According to some, Olaf repudiated Aud and sent her back to her father's court c. 857. Forte 86.
^ Id.; Harald Finehair's Saga § 22 (Snorri 22); Orkneyinga Saga § 9 (Palsson 27).
^ Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 51-52).
^ Eirik the Red's Saga § 1 (Jones 127); Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 52); Njal's Saga § 1 (Cook 3); Grettir's Saga § 26 (Thorsson 62); Landnámabók passim.
^ Eyrbyggja Saga § 7 (Palsson 32).

References[edit]

Ari the Learned. The Book of the Settlement of Iceland (Landnámabók). Ellwood, T., transl. Kendal: T. Wilson, Printer and Publisher, 1898.
Cook, Robert, transl. Njal's Saga. Penguin Classics, 2002.
Forte, Angelo, Richard Oram and Frederik Pedersen. Viking Empires. Cambridge University Press, 2005 ISBN 0-521-82992-5.
Jones, Gwyn, transl. Eirik the Red and other Icelandic Sagas. Oxford Univ. Press, USA, 1999.
Magnusson, Magnus and Hermann Palsson, transl. Laxdaela Saga. Penguin Classics, 1969.
Palsson, Hermann, et al., transl. Eyrbyggja Saga. Penguin Classics, 1989.
Palsson, Hermann, et al., transl. Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney. Penguin Classics, 1981.
Snorri Sturluson. Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway. Hard Press, 2006.
Thorsson, Ornolfur, et al., transl. The Saga of Grettir the Strong. Penguin Classics, 2005.

External links[edit]

Stirnet: Viking03(subscription required) (mentions Thorstein (as "Thorstun 'the Red'"))

[:0-1] Eirik the Red's Saga § 1 (Jones 126); Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 51).

[2] According to some, Olaf repudiated Aud and sent her back to her father's court c. 857. Forte 86.

[3] Id.; Harald Finehair's Saga § 22 (Snorri 22); Orkneyinga Saga § 9 (Palsson 27).

[4] Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 51-52).

[5] Eirik the Red's Saga § 1 (Jones 127); Laxdaela Saga § 4 (Magnusson 52); Njal's Saga § 1 (Cook 3); Grettir's Saga § 26 (Thorsson 62); Landnámabók passim.

[6] Eyrbyggja Saga § 7 (Palsson 32).

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