Ragnvald Brusesson, Earl of Orkney

Male 1011 - 1046  (35 years)


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  • Name Ragnvald Brusesson 
    Suffix Earl of Orkney 
    Birth 1011  Orkney, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Residence Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Residence Norway Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Death 0Dec 1046  Orkney, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    Person ID I51030  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 1 Apr 2018 

    Father Brusi Sigurdsson Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney,   b. 0980, Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Aug 1030, Clontarf, Dublin North, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 50 years) 
    Mother Ostrida Regenwaldsdottir,   b. 0990, Gothland, Sweden Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1011, Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 20 years) 
    Marriage Y  [1, 4
    Family ID F18996  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Arlogia of Orkney, Countess of Orkney,   b. 1015, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Dec 1046, Orkney Islands, Orkney, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 31 years) 
    Marriage 1034  Russia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5
    Children 
     1. Sir Robert Brus, Earl of Annandale,   b. 1030-1036, Carrick, Argyllshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1080-1098, Dumfries, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 62 years)
    Family ID F18995  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1011 - Orkney, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - Kiev, Ukraine Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - Norway Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1034 - Russia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 0Dec 1046 - Orkney, Scotland Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Rognvald Brusason (died 1046), son of Brusi Sigurdsson, was Earl of Orkney jointly with Thorfinn Sigurdsson from about 1037 onwards. His life is recorded in the Orkneyinga Saga.

      Rognvald was taken by his father to Norway, to the court of Olaf Haraldsson, when Brusi and Thorfinn went there to have the inheritance of Einar Wry-mouth's third-share of the Earldom settled. Olaf kept Einar's share for himself, appointing Brusi to administer it, and kept Rognvald at his court.[1]

      The Orkneyinga Saga says of Rognvald:

      Rognvald was one of the handsomest of men, with a fine head of golden hair, smooth as silk. At an early age he grew to be tall and strong, earning a great reputation for his shrewdness and courtesy ...[2]

      Rognvald was a supporter of Olaf Haraldsson, later Saint Olaf, sharing his exile in Kievan Rus, and helping his brother Harald Sigurdsson, better known as Harald Hardraade, escape after the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. While Harald went on to Constantinople, Rognvald and other exiles remained in Rus, in the service of Yaroslav the Wise. Rognvald returned to Norway with Olaf's son Magnus the Good in 1035.[3]

      While Rognvald was abroad, his father had died and Thorfinn Sigurdsson was ruling all of the Earldom of Orkney. Rognvald asked King Magnus for his third part of the Earldom, and Magnus agreed, giving him three ships and granting him the stewardship of Magnus's own third share. When Rognvald arrived in Orkney, he sent to his uncle Thorfinn asking him for the two thirds of the Earldom which Magnus had given him. Thorfinn agreed to give Rognvald his father's third, and the third which Magnus claimed into the bargain, although he claimed not to recognise Magnus's claim and presented this as a gift in return for Rognvald's assistance. and Rognvald worked closely together for eight years, fighting against enemies in the Hebrides and raiding Scotland and England.[4]

      However, the Earls eventually fell out. The proximate cause of their quarrel, according to the saga, was the arrival of Kalf Arnesson, the uncle of Thorfinn's wife Ingibiorg Finnsdottir.

      Kalf had a large following which placed a heavy burden on the Earl's finances. Plenty of people told him that he shouldn't let Rognvald have two-thirds of the islands, considering his heavy outlay.[5]

      Rognvald and Kalf Arnesson were not friends. The Orkneyinga Saga reports that Rognvald, a staunch supporter of Saint Olaf, came close to attacking Kalf in Rus, who alone among the Arnessons had betrayed Olaf, when he came to pledge his support to Magnus.[6] For that reason, if for no other, Rognvald refused to hand over the third which Thorfinn asked for. From then onwards, relations deteriorated. Rognvald was defeated in a sea-battle and sought refuge in Norway with Magnus while Thorfinn took control of the earldom.[7]

      With a single ship, and a crew of picked men, Rognvald returned to Orkney hoping that surprise would enable him to retake the earldom. He succeeded, but not entirely as Thorfinn was able to flee to Caithness. However, soon afterwards, Rognvald was surprised in his turn, but was killed by Thorkell the Fosterer while escaping, given away by the barking of his lap dog.[8]

      Rognvald was buried on Papa Westray. The Orkneyinga Saga offers this assessment of Rognvald:

      Everyone agrees that of all the Earls of Orkney he was the most popular and gifted, and his death was mourned by many.[9]

      Twelfth-century Earl Kali Kolsson was given the name Rognvald "because Kali's mother claimed that Rognvald Brusason had been the most able of all the Earls of Orkney, and people saw this as a sign of good luck."[10]

      end of biography [3]
    • Ragnvald Brusesson
      Born 1011 in Orkney, Scotland
      ANCESTORS ancestors
      Son of Brusi Sigurdsson (Sigurdsson) Sunderland and Ostrida Regenwaldsdottir
      Brother of Ingreda Brusisdottir, Margarita Brusisdottir and Olaf (Brusison) Brusisson
      Husband of Emma Bretagne — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
      Husband of Unknown (UNKNOWN) Unknown — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
      Husband of Felicia (Normandy) Normandie — married 1029 in God˛y, More og Romsdal, Norway
      Husband of Arlogia (Orkney) of Orkney — married 1034 in Russia

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      Profile last modified 23 Apr 2017 | Created 7 May 2011
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      DESCENDANTS descendants

      Father of Arne Robert Ragnvaldsson (dORCADES) Orcades, UNKNOWN Robert, Duvnjall Ragnvaldsson, Eilif Ragnvaldsson, Waldemar Orkney, Robert (Brus) Bruce, Hamiliana Orkney, Arlogia of Orkney UNKNOWN and Tora (Ragnvaldsdatter) d'Orcades
      Died Dec 1046 in Islands, Orkney, Scotlandmap

      Relationships between historical figures could have been simplified or even fabricated in the text to give the impression that succession remained within the same family….Precise chronology is also difficult to assess from the Sagas….The conclusion must be that the tight family network described in the Sagas is unlikely to be correct and that the relationships shown below should be treated with considerable caution. http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORWEGIAN%20NOBILITY.htm

      TRANSLATED FROM NORWEGIAN; Ragnvald Brusesson Orken˛yjarl married unknown. Ragnvald died in 1045 . Peace-loving , shared power with 2 other contenders, his only brothers.

      Buried Olav Church in Kirkwall ( Kirkwall ) in memory of his foster father , King Olav . Attended 19 years antique? D. at the Battle of Stiklestad .

      end of profile [2]

  • Sources 
    1. [S12420] "Robert (Brus) de Brus", Ancestors, Descendants & Biography, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brus-141, revisited or retrie.

    2. [S12478] "Ragnvald Brusesson (1011 - 1046)", Ancestors & Descendants, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brusesson-4, abstracted by Da.

    3. [S12477] "Rčognvald Brusason", Biography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6gnvald_Brusason, abstracted by David A. Hennessee,.

    4. [S12550] "Brusse (Earl) of CAITHNESS", Pedigree, https://fabpedigree.com/s088/f641082.htm, by David A. Hennessee, info@classroomf.

    5. [S12484] "Arlogia of Orkney", Ancestors & Descendants, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Orkney-8, abstracted by David A. Hennessee,.