Þórkell Þórmóðarson

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Þórkell Þórmóðarson
Diedc. 1230
Vestrajǫrðr, near the
patronym

Þórkell Þórmóðarson is a character from the mediaeval

Skye. The exact location of Vestrajǫrðr is unknown, although Loch Bracadale, Loch Dunvegan, and Loch Snizort, all located on the western coast of Skye, have been proposed as possible locations. According to the saga, Þórkell and two of his sons were slain in the encounter, however a third son, named Þórmóðr, managed to escape with his life. Early the next year, the fleet headed northwards through the Hebrides back home. When it approached the Isle of Lewis
, a man named Þórmóðr Þórkelson fled for his life, leaving behind his wife and possessions to be taken by the marauding fleet.

In the late 19th century, it was suggested that the Þórmóðr Þórkelsson that fled Lewis in 1231, was the same Þórmóðr Þórkelsson who survived the battle at Vestrajǫrðr, in 1230. It is uncertain why Þórkell, and Þórmóðr, were singled out by the marauding fleet. One of the noted members of the fleet was

Guðrøðr Rögnvaldsson
. One theory, put forward in the 19th century, asserts that Þórkell and Þórmóðr, had backed the side of Guðrøðr, and were killed by adherents of Óláfr.

It has also proposed that Þórkell and Þórmóðr could be descendants of another saga-character,

MacNicols
.

Sources

Þórkell Þórmóðarson is recorded in the mediaeval

kings' saga Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar ("Hakon Hakon's son's Saga"). The saga was composed by Sturla Þórðarson, sometime around 1263–1284. Sturla based it on both written sources and oral traditions. The saga is preserved in several manuscripts that slightly differ from each other—these are: Eirspennill, the Flateyjarbók, the Frisbók, and the Skálholtsbók. According to twentieth-century historian Alan Orr Anderson, although the Eirspennill version may be of a later date than the others, it is the most authoritative, and likely represents an early form of the saga.[1]

Historical background

Locations mentioned in article

In the early 12th century, the

castrated
by one of Óláfr's accomplices.

In the early 13th century,

G.W.S. Barrow, possibly Argyll and Kintyre as well.[8] Both Óláfr, and his nephew, Guðrøðr, accompanied the fleet as it sailed down through the Hebrides in the spring of 1230.[9]

If the saga accounts are to be believed, the fleet totalled eighty ships, and according to historian Richard Oram, this likely equates to a force of over three thousand men. When the fleet reached the southern Hebrides, several grandsons of Somairle, who had sided with Alan, were captured and taken prisoner. The fleet likely entered the Firth of Clyde in early June, and the force attacked the Isle of Bute. Although the Norwegian-Hebridean force was successful in its attack, word of Alan's approach with over 200 ships forced the invading fleet to retreat into the Hebrides. Óspakr later died, more than likely due to wounds received on Bute. Command of the fleet then fell to Óláfr, who used the force to suit his own needs, and regained control of the Isle of Man. The fleet overwintered on the island, and the following spring sailed northwards home. On the way, the forced attacked a contingent of Scots on Kintyre, suffering heavy casualties.[9] Guðrøðr was slain in 1231 on the Isle of Lewis; Óláfr died in 1237.

Saga narrative

A view looking east across Loch Snizort; the loch may be site of Vestrajǫrðr, "the western firth".

The Eirspennill version of the saga relates that towards the end of winter, the Norwegian king, Hákon, summoned an

cask which floated beside the ship, and was driven along the shore to Hattarskot.[note 3] After their victory, Óttarr Snækollr and Bálki 'the Young' sailed to meet Uspak and the fleet.[12]

After the death of Þórkell, the whole fleet sailed to the Sound of Islay, and was further strengthened by Hebrideans and grew to a size of eighty ships. The fleet sailed on to the Bute, where the force invaded the island and took the castle while suffering heavy casualties. The fleet then sailed to Kintyre, and Uspak fell ill and died. Óláfr then took control of the expedition, and they sailed south to the Isle of Man. The Norwegians left in the Spring, and sailed north to Kintyre; here they encountered a strong force of Scots and both sides lost many men during the ensuing battle. Following this, the fleet sailed north to Lewis and came upon Þórmóðr Þórkelsson. Þórmóðr fled, his wife was taken as a captive of war, and all his treasure was seized.[note 4] The Norwegians then travelled to Orkney, and most of the fleet sailed back to Norway. Páll, however, remained behind in the Hebrides, where he was slain several weeks later.[14]

Commentary

Loch Dunvegan, another possible location of Vestrajǫrðr.
A view looking north-west across Loch Bracadale, possibly Vestrajǫrðr.

There have been several proposed locations for Vestrajǫrðr, which translates from

F.W.L Thomas stated that Hattarskot specifically refers to Applecross, and theorised that Hattarskot was a Norse attempt to render Aporcrosan—an early form of the placename.[19][20][note 5] Gammeltoft suggested that Hattarskot referred to Gairloch.[22]

Thomas considered that Þórmóðr Þórkelsson was the surviving son of Þórkell;

mutilated him years before. W.C. Mackenzie stated that it appears that Guðrøðr was seated on Lewis, and noted that Guðrøðr killed Páll on Skye, before being slain himself on Lewis days later.[5]

Proposed connection with Ljótólfr, and Clan MacLeod

Thomas proposed that Þórmóðr Þórkelsson, and Þórkell Þórmóðarson, were ancestors of

Late Middle Ages to the end of the 16th century.[25] Sìol Thormoid has held lands in western Skye since the Late Middle Ages,[19] and descendants (in the female line) of the original chiefly line are still seated on the shores of Loch Dunvegan.[26] According to clan tradition, the two branches take their names from two brothers who were sons of the clan's founder—Torcall and Tormod, sons of Leod. However, the current understanding of the origin of these branches is that these two men were not brothers, but one was a grandson of the other—Torcall was the grandson of Tormod, who was the son of Leod.[27] Leod and his son, Tormod, do not appear in contemporaneous historical records; although Torcall does, in the mid 14th century.[28][29]

Thomas' proposed connection between Þórkell and Ljótólfr.

Thomas believed that the eponymous ancestor of the clan was

nobleman from Lewis.[31] The currently accepted understanding of the clan's origin is that the clan's eponym was another man, named Leod (a name derived from the Old Norse Ljótr), who is thought to have flourished about a century after the time of Ljótólfr.[27] While the current understanding of Leod's ancestry does not include a man named Ljótólfr,[27] the 20th-century clan historian Alick Morrison considered it possible that Ljótólfr could be an ancestor, albeit on his distaff side.[30]

Thomas proposed that Þórmóðr Þórkelsson was the surviving son of Þórkell Þórmóðarson; and that Þórkell Þórmóðarson was in turn the grandson of Ljótólfr. Thomas pointed out that, since the saga states that Þórkell left behind his wife and possessions on Lewis when he fled the returning fleet, the saga shows that Þórkell was a resident on that island.

flourished on Lewis.[19]

In the 20th century, Gaelic scholar William Matheson suggested that Þórkell may have been related to the Skye

MacNicols. Matheson noted that the name Torquil is found within MacNicol pedigrees, and that according to tradition, the clan possessed Lewis and Assynt before a MacLeod married a MacNicol heiress and gained the clan's lands. Matheson believed that the first MacLeod to bear the name, Torquil MacLeod, was the son of the MacNicol heiress of tradition, and that it was through her that the MacLeods of Lewis (Sìol Thorcaill) gained the name.[28]

Notes

  1. ^ The exact identity of Óspakr is unknown,[6] although several historians have stated he was a son of Dubgall mac Somairle.[7]
  2. ^ According to the Frisbók, the men that sailed to Skye were: Páll Bálki, son of the young king, and Óttarr Snækollr. The Flateyjarbók gives: Óttarr Snækollr, and Bálki the Young Pálsson. The Skálholtsbók gives: Bálki the Young, and Óttarr Snækollr.[10]
  3. ^ The Flateyjarbók states that Þórmóðr leapt onto a rock, and floated by a ship.[11]
  4. ^ The Frisbók, Flateyjarbók and Skálholtsbók, state that Þórmóðr was chased out of the islands, some of his retainers were slain, his baggage was taken, and his wife was taken as a captive of war.[13]
  5. diminutive suffix -an, which together mean "little cross".[21]

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ Anderson 1922: pp. lxi–lxii.
  2. ^ Stringer 1998: p. 96.
  3. ^ Barrow 1981: pp. 113–114.
  4. ^ Sellar 2000: p. 192.
  5. ^ a b c Mackenzie 1905: pp. 36–38.
  6. ^ McDonald 2007: p. 158.
  7. ^ McDonald 1997: p. 89.
  8. ^ Barrow 1981: p. 110–111.
  9. ^ a b Forte; Oram; Pedersen 2005: pp. 250–252.
  10. ^ Anderson 1922: p. 474.
  11. ^ a b Anderson 1922: p. 475.
  12. ^ Anderson 1922: pp. 473–475.
  13. ^ Anderson 1922: p. 478.
  14. ^ Anderson 1922: pp. 475–478.
  15. ^ Cameron 1871: p. 14.
  16. ^ Mackenzie 1886: p. 50.
  17. ^ Gammeltoft 2007: p. 486.
  18. ^ Johnstone 1780: p. 27.
  19. ^ a b c d Thomas 1874–76: pp. 506–507.
  20. ^ a b c d e Vigfusson 1887: v. 1. pp. xxxvii–xxxviii.
  21. ^ Applecross, Encyclopedia.com, retrieved 24 February 2011. This webpage is a partial transcription of Mills, A. D. (2003), A Dictionary of British Place-Names, Oxford University Press.
  22. ^ Gammeltoft 2007: p. 484.
  23. ^ Munch 1860: pp. 193–194.
  24. ^ Hanks; Hodges 2006: pp. 207, 263, 397, 410.
  25. ^ a b Thomas 1879–80: pp. 369–370, 379.
  26. ^ Chief Hugh MacLeod of MacLeod, Associated Clan MacLeod Societies (www.clanmacleod.org), retrieved 23 February 2011
  27. ^ a b c The Ancestry of the MacLeods Reconsidered, Associated Clan MacLeod Societies Genealogical Resources Center (www.macleodgenealogy.org), retrieved 8 December 2009. This webpage is a transcription of: Sellar, W. David H. (1997–1998), "The Ancestry of the MacLeods Reconsidered", Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, 60, Inverness: 233–258.
  28. ^ a b The MacLeods of Lewis, Associated Clan MacLeod Societies Genealogical Resources Center (www.macleodgenealogy.org), retrieved 30 December 2009. This webpage is a transcription of: Matheson, William (1978–80), "The MacLeods of Lewis", Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, 51, Inverness: 320–337.
  29. ^ Robertson 1798: p. 48.
  30. ^ a b The Origin of Leod, Associated Clan MacLeod Societies Genealogical Resources Center (www.macleodgenealogy.org), retrieved 17 January 2010. This webpage is a transcription of: Morrison, Alick (1986), The Chiefs of Clan MacLeod, Edinburgh: Associated Clan MacLeod Societies, pp. 1–20.
  31. ^ Anderson 1873: p. 106.
Bibliography
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