Rognvald I Eysteinsson Earl of More and Romsdal

Rognvald I "The Wise" Eysteinsson Earl of More and Romsdal (830 AD – 890AD)

Rognvald was the son of Eystein Glumra Ivarsson Earl Of Upland and Ascrida Aseda Rognvaldsdatter Countess Of Oppland. He was born in Norway and died in Scotland.

With his wife, Rognvald Eysteinsson Concubine #2 Of Orkney, they had at least one son, Einar Turf Rognvaldsson Earl Of Orkney.

The Wise’s father was Eystein (The Noisy, Glumra) Ivarsson and his mother was Ascrida (Aseda) Rognvaldsdottir. His paternal grandparents were Jarl of Upland Ivar Oplaendinge Halfdansson and Hilda Eysteinsdottir. His one known maternal grandparent was Rognvald Olafsson. He had a brother and a sister, named Malahule and Svanhilda. He was the second oldest of the three children. He died at the age of 38 in 890 on the Isle Of Orkney, Scotland.

NOTE 1
Rogenwald was a supporter of King Harold Harfagr and assisted him in obtaining the mastery over the other independent Norwegian chiefs, as well as, establishing himself as King of all Norway. He was Earl of More and Raumdahl in Norway. In 888, he obtained from King Harold a grant of the Orkney and Shetland islands. One of his sons, Rollo, conquered Neustria, founded the line of sovereign Dukes of Normandy, and was ancestor to William the Conqueror.

NOTE 2
RAGNVALD I the Wise, called the Morejarl, son of Eystein Glumra, Jarl of the Uplanders in Norway, grandson of Ivar son of Halfdan the Old, was made Jarl of North and South More and of Raumsdal in Norway by King Harald Haarfagri after his victory of Solskiel circa 869 over Hunthiof, King of More, and Nokve, King of Raumsdal. In that year, he surprised Vermund, King of Fiordeland, at Notsdal and burned him in his hall with 90 men. Later King Harald married his sister Swanhilda and had issue. Around 874, King Harald made an expedition to the Nordreys (Orkney and Shetland) to enforce his authority over those who had fled thither in order to escape from it in Norway. Either during this expedition or previously at the battle of Hafrsfiord circa 872, Ivar, the eldest son of Ragnvald, was killed and the King gave the Orkneys and Shetlands to Ragnvald as compensation. When the King started home for Norway, during the spring of 875, Ragnvald, who went with him, gave the islands to his brother Sigurd, and the King confirmed the transfer. Ragnvald was surprised in his hall and burned alive circa 894 by Halfdan Haaleg and Gudred Liomi, King Harald’s sons by Snaefrid, dau. of Swasi.

By his wife Ragnhild, dau. of Hrolf Nefia, he had 3 sons: Ivar, who was killed in battle ut supra, Rolf the Ganger, afterwards 1st Duke of Normandy, and Thori the Silent, who was made Jarl of More in succession to his father by Ring Harald Haarfagri circa 894, after Gudred Liomi, who had seized More on the death of Jarl Ragnvald, had been dispossessed by the King. By an earlier union with a nameless girl, whose kindred were all slave-born, Ragnvald had 3 sons, described as bastards: Hallad, 4th Earl of Orkney, Turf-Einar, 5th Earl of Orkney, and Hrollaug, an unwarlike man, who settled at Eyiafiord in Iceland and had issue.

He was burned alive with his bodyguards.

* Notes from the Skaggs Files.

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