Brodir and Ospak of Man
Bróðir and Óspak of Man were two
Life
Bróðir
From the Isle of Man to Ireland
Hún sagði að víkingar tveir lágu úti fyrir vestan Mön og höfðu þrjá tigu skipa " … og svo harðfengir að ekki stendur við. Heitir annar Óspakur en annar Bróðir. Þú skalt fara til móts við þá og lát ekki að skorta að koma þeim í með þér hvað sem þeir mæla til."
She said there were two Vikings lying off the west of Man; and that they had thirty ships, and, she went on, " … Thou shalt fare to find them, and spare nothing to get them into thy quarrel, whatever price they ask." |
Some time in the 1010s, Brian Boru divorced his second wife, the three-times-married
The events leading up to the Battle of Clontarf became part of a heroic tale in subsequent tradition, both Irish and Norse, and evil portents were recorded throughout the Norse world.[11] According to Njál's Saga, one night a great din passed over Bróðir and his men on the Isle of Man, so that they all sprang up from sleep and dressed themselves.[9] Until dawn, this din was accompanied by a shower of boiling blood, which scalded many of them even though they covered themselves with their shields.[9] As a result, "a man had died on board every ship."[9] On the second night, they awoke to a ghostly assault on their ships by flying swords, axes and spears.[3] Again, this lasted till dawn, and a man died on every ship.[9] On the third night, they were attacked by ravens with iron beaks and claws, once again causing a death in every ship.[9]
Bróðir consulted his brother Óspak, who believed that the signs indicated that much blood would be shed on both sides, that Bróðir's would all die speedily, that there would be a battle, and all his men would be dragged "down to the pains of hell."[9] Bróðir was so angered by this that he planned to slay Óspak's men the next day.[9] Seeing this plan, Óspak deserted his brother during the night with ten ships.[10] He sailed around Ireland to Connaught, and up the River Shannon, to join Brian Boru as an ally.[9][10] He told King Brian all that he had learned, took baptism, and gathered his men to come to Dublin with Brian's forces a week before Palm Sunday.[9]
Battle of Clontarf
According to Njal's saga, Bróðir tried by sorcery to predict the outcome of the battle against Brian.[12] He augured that if the battle were on Good Friday, King Brian would fall but win the battle; but if they fought on any day before, all who opposed Brian would be killed.[12] Brian was unwilling to fight on Good Friday,[10] as he would not fight on a fast day,[12] but the Danes forced the battle to the Friday, which fell that year on 23 April.[10]
Thus, the two brothers, Bróðir and Óspak, met again at the
Meanwhile, Brian, now in his seventies, had been advised to await the outcome of the battle in a tent not far from the field,
According to Njal's Saga, Óspak was on the wing opposite King Sigtrygg Silkbeard.[12] Óspak went through the entire battle on this wing, and was sorely wounded and lost both his sons before Sigtrygg fled.[12] However, that Óspak engaged Sigtrygg contradicts the historical opinion that Sigtrygg did not actually take part in the battle but was instead holding the garrison in reserve in Dublin.[17]
Historicity and legacy
The
An article on the historicity of the Icelandic sagas notes that "Brodir" is not a Norse proper name at all, and is itself derived from the Irish name variously written as Bruattar, Bruadar or Brodur.
Footnotes
- ^ Njal's Saga. sagadb.org. Archived from the originalon 24 August 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2009. (in Icelandic)
- ^ a b "Vikings in Scotland and the Western Isles". vikinganswerlady.com. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
- ^ Njal's Saga. sagadb.org. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Hudson, Benjamin (2 September 2002). "Brjans saga (historicity of Icelandic sagas discussed)" (online). Medium Aevum. goliath.ecnext.com. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
- ^ a b c MacManus, p 279
- ^ a b c Ó Corráin, p 129
- ^ MacManus, p 278–279
- ^ a b MacManus, pp 279–280
- ^ Njal's Saga. sagadb.org. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h MacManus, p 280
- ^ Ó Corráin, pp 130–131
- ^ Njal's Saga. sagadb.org. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
- ^ Ó Corráin, p 230
- ^ "The Battle of Clontarf: Brian Boru's Last Costly Victory". doyle.com.au. Retrieved 3 March 2009.
- ^ a b MacManus, pp 281–282
- ^ Ó Corráin, p 130
- ^ MacManus, p 281
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20473. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b O'Laughlin, p 22
References
- ISBN 0-517-06408-1.
- Gill and Macmillan.
- O'Lauglin, Michael C. (2002). The book of Irish families, great & small (Illustrated, Third ed.). Irish Roots Cafe. ISBN 978-0-940134-09-6.
- Matthew, Henry Colin Gray; Harrison, Brian Howard; ISBN 978-0-19-861391-6.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
External links