Rognvald ("the Wise") Eysteinsson

• General Notes
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    Marriage 1 Ragnhild (Hilda) Hrolfsdatter [Countess of More] b: ABT 0848 in Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland
    Married: ABT 0853 in, Maer, Nord Trondelag, Norway
    Children
    Einar Ragnvaldsson b: ABT 0858 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
    Thordis Ragnvaldsson b: ABT 0862 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
    Ivar Ragnvaldsson b: ABT 0868 in Maer, Nord Trondelag, Norway
    Rollo (Hrolf) "the Ganger" Rognvaldsson [Duke of Normandy] b: ABT 0870 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
    Thorir "The Silent" Ragnvaldsson [Earl of More] b: ABT 0872 in Maer, Nord Trondelag, Norway
    
    Marriage 2 Emina
    Children
    Hrollager (Hrollaug) Ragnvaldsson b: ABT 0860/0874 in Maer, Nord-Trondelag, Norway
    
    Marriage 3 Groa, Princess of TRONDHEIM
    Married: NOT MARRIED
    Children
    Turf-Einar Ragnvaldsson [Earl of Orkney] b: ABT 0852 in Maer, More og Romsdal, Norway
    Hallad Ragnvaldsson [Earl of Orkney] b: ABT 0856 in Maer, Norway
    
    Marriage 4 Ragnhild Hrolfsson b: ABT 0848 in Norway
    Children
    Ivar Rognvaldsson b: ABT 0868 in Maer, Norway
    Thorer "the Silent" Rognvaldsson b: ABT 0872 in Maer, Norway
    
    The jarl or earl of More on the west coast of Norway, who fought alongside the future king Harald Finehair in establishing a united Norway. Harald married Ragnald's sister Swanhilda. During this civil war many Norwegians were driven out of Norway and settled in the Shetlands and Orkney, called the Nordreys by the Norse (as distinct from the Sudreys, or Hebrides and Man), which they used as a base to attack Norway and Norse ships. The traditional view is that around 874 Harald sent Ragnald to the Hebrides to bring these islands under his authority. During the expedition Ragnald's son, Ivar, was killed. As a consequence, once Ragnald had conquered the islands, Harald granted them back to him in recompense for his son. The more recent view is that Ragnald may have set out earlier on the expedition to conquer the Nordrey pirates himself and worked in league with OLAF THE WHITE, who was the Norse king of Dublin. According to this view Olaf granted Ragnald the Orkneys around the year 871 or earlier. However, Ragnald had no desire to remain in the isles so in 875 (or earlier) Ragnald gave the islands to his brother SIGURD, and returned to Norway where he continued to fight on behalf of the king. This created enemies and around the year 894 he was burned alive in his hall by two of Harald's sons by another wife. Ragnald had three children by his wife Ragnhild. In addition to Ivar, who died, there was Rolf, who became the first Duke of Normandy, and Thori, who succeeded him as Jarl of More. He also had several illegitimate sons two of whom, HALLAD and EINAR (i) became later Earls of Orkney.