Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

and

Shetland Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the n ...

, which comprise the

Northern Isles The Northern Isles ( sco, Northren Isles; gd, Na h-Eileanan a Tuath; non, Norðreyjar; nrn, Nordøjar) are a pair of archipelagos off the north coast of mainland Scotland, comprising Orkney and Shetland. They are part of Scotland, as are th ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the Northern Isles as

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerai ...

s was formalised in 1195. Although the

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...

term ''jarl'' is etymologically related to "earl", and the jarls were succeeded by earls in the late 15th century, a Norwegian ''jarl'' is not the same thing. In the Norse context the distinction between jarls and kings did not become significant until the late 11th century and the early jarls would therefore have had considerable independence of action until that time. The position of Jarl of Orkney was eventually the most senior rank in medieval Norway except for the king himself. The jarls were periodically subject to the kings of

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kin ...

for those parts of their territory in what is now mainland Scotland (i.e.

Caithness Caithness ( gd, Gallaibh ; sco, Caitnes; non, Katanes) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. Caithness has a land boundary with the historic county of Sutherland to the west and is otherwise bounded ...

and

Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later c ...

). In 1232, a Scottish dynasty descended from the

mormaers of Angus The Mormaer or Earl of Angus was the ruler of the medieval Scottish province of Angus. The title, in the Peerage of Scotland, is held by the Duke of Hamilton, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the Duke's eldest son. Histor ...

replaced the previous family descended from the late 10th century jarl Torf-Einarr, although the isles remained formally subject to Norway. This family was in turn replaced by the descendants of the

mormaers of Strathearn Earl or Mormaer of Strathearn is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to the region of Strathearn in southern Perthshire. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mor ...

and later still by the

Sinclair family Clan Sinclair ( gd, Clann na Ceàrda ) is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness. Th ...

, during whose time Orkney and Shetland became part of Scotland. The second earldom was created by

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

in 1581 for his half-uncle Robert Stewart but after only two incumbents the title was forfeited in 1614. After the third creation of 1696, which title still exists today, the earls' influence on

Orcadian Orcadians, also known as Orkneymen, are an ethnic group native to the Orkney Islands, who speak an Orcadian dialect of the Scots language, a West Germanic language, and share a common history, culture and ancestry. Speaking Norn, a native North G ...

affairs became negligible.

Norse Jarls

Rognvald Eysteinsson Rognvald Eysteinsson (''fl.'' 865) was the founding Jarl (or Earl) of Møre in Norway, and a close relative and ally of Harald Fairhair, the earliest known King of Norway. In the Norse language he is known as Rǫgnvaldr Eysteinsson (''Mǿrajarl ...

, Jarl of Møre 865–890 is sometimes credited with being the founder of the jarldom. By implication the '' Orkneyinga saga'' identifies him as such for he is given "dominion" over Orkney and Shetland by King

Harald Finehair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from 872 to 930 and was the first King of Norw ...

, although there is no concrete suggestion he ever held the title. The ''

Heimskringla ''Heimskringla'' () is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorre Sturlason (1178/79–1241) 1230. The name ''Heimskringla'' was first used in the 17th century, derive ...

'' states that his brother Sigurd was the first to formally hold the title. Sigurd's son Guthorm ruled for a year and died childless. Rognvald's son Hallad then inherited the title. However, unable to constrain Danish raids on Orkney, he gave up the jarldom and returned to Norway, which "everyone thought was a huge joke". Torf-Einarr then succeeded in defeating the Danes and founded a dynasty which retained control of the islands for centuries after his death. Smyth (1984) concludes that the role of the brothers Eysteinsson lacks historical credibility and that Torf-Einarr “may be regarded as the first historical earl of Orkney”. Drawing on

Adam of Bremen Adam of Bremen ( la, Adamus Bremensis; german: Adam von Bremen) (before 1050 – 12 October 1081/1085) was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. Adam is most famous for his chronicle ''Gest ...

's assertion that Orkney was not conquered until the time of

Harald Hardrada Harald Sigurdsson (; – 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III of Norway and given the epithet ''Hardrada'' (; modern no, Hardråde, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway from 1046 t ...

, who ruled Norway from 1043 to 1066, Woolf (2007) speculates that Sigurd “the Stout” Hlodvirsson, Torf-Einarr's great-grandson, may have been the first Jarl of Orkney. Dates are largely conjectural, at least until his death recorded in 1014. Assuming Torf-Einarr is a genuine historical figure, all of the subsequent jarls were descended from him, save for

Sigurd Magnusson :''Sigurd Magnusson was also the name of Sigurd I of Norway.'' Sigurd Magnusson (ca. 1180 – 3 April 1194) was a Norwegian nobleman who campaigned against King Sverre of Norway during the Civil war era in Norway. Background Sigurd Magnusson was ...

, whose short rule was imposed by his father

Magnus Barelegs Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Olavsson''; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: ''Magnús berfœttr'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Berrføtt''), was King of Norway (being Mag ...

, and who later became Sigurd I of Norway. One of the main sources for the lives and times of these jarls is the ''Orkneyinga saga'', which has been described as having "no parallel in the social and literary record of Scotland". One of the key events of the saga is the "martyrdom" of Jarl

Magnus Erlendsson Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, sometimes known as Magnus the Martyr, was Earl of Orkney from 1106 to about 1115. Magnus's grandparents, Earl Thorfinn and his wife Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, had two sons, Erlend and Paul, who were twin ...

, later Saint Magnus, c. 1115. The last quarter of the saga is taken up with a lengthy tale of Jarl Rögnvald Kali Kolsson and

Sweyn Asleifsson Sweyn Asleifsson or Sveinn Ásleifarson ( 1115 – 1171) was a twelfth-century Viking who appears in the '' Orkneyinga Saga''. Early career Sweyn was born in Caithness in the early twelfth century, to Olaf Hrolfsson and his wife Åsleik. According ...

— indeed the oldest version ends with the latter's death in 1171. After the murder of Jarl

Jon Haraldsson Jon Haraldsson was a Norwegian noble who served as the Jarl of Orkney between 1206 and 1231. Jon Haraldsson and his brother David were the sons of Harald Maddadsson with his second wife Hvarflod, daughter of Earl Máel Coluim of Moray. Jon and ...

some sixty years later, Magnus, son of Gille Brigte became the first of the Scottish earls. He may have been a descendant of Jarl Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, although this has never been corroborated. However, the line of specifically Norse jarls is said to have come to an end when Jarl Magnus II was granted his title by

Haakon IV of Norway Haakon IV Haakonsson ( – 16 December 1263; Old Norse: ''Hákon Hákonarson'' ; Norwegian: ''Håkon Håkonsson''), sometimes called Haakon the Old in contrast to his namesake son, was King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. His reign lasted for 46 ...

c. 1236. {, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; border:0px; text-align:left;" !Name !

Byname An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

!Relationship to predecessor !Rule commences !Rule ends , - ,

Sigurd Eysteinsson Sigurd Eysteinsson, or Sigurd the Mighty (reigned 875–892Ashley, pp. 440–441), was the second Earl of Orkney—a title bequeathed to Sigurd by his brother Rognvald Eysteinsson. A son of Eystein Glumra, Sigurd was a leader in the Viking co ...

, ''Sigurðr inn riki''
"the Mighty" , Brother of Rognvald Eysteinsson , , c. 892 , - , Guthorm Sigurdsson , , Son of Sigurd Eysteinsson , c. 892 , c. 893 , - , Hallad Rognvaldsson , , Son of Rognvald Eysteinsson , c. 893 , c. 895 , - , Einarr Rognvaldsson , ''Torf-Einarr''
"Turf"-Einarr , Son of Rognvald Eysteinsson , c. 895 , 910Johnston, A.W. (July 1916
"Orkneyinga Saga"
JSTOR/''The Scottish Historical Review''. Vol. 13, No. 52. p. 393. Retrieved 27 January 2014. , - , Arnkel Torf-Einarsson , , Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson , 910 , with Erlend and Thorfinn to 954{{efn, Date of death based on the assumption Arnkel and Erlend Turf-Einarsson died at the

Battle of Stainmore The Battle of Stainmore was a battle, probably between the Earldom of Bernicia, led by Osulf, and the forces of the last Norse king of Jórvík (York), Eric Bloodaxe. According to Frank Stenton, the battle resulted in Eric being slain by Macc ...

beside

Eric Bloodaxe Eric Haraldsson ( non, Eiríkr Haraldsson , no, Eirik Haraldsson; died 954), nicknamed Bloodaxe ( non, blóðøx , no, Blodøks) and Brother-Slayer ( la, fratrum interfector), was a 10th-century Norwegian king. He ruled as King of Norway from ...

.{{sfnp, Cannon, 2009, loc=Stainmore, battle of,, ps=none , - , Erlend Torf-Einarsson , , Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson , 910 , with Arnkel and Thorfinn to 954{{sfnp, Clouston, 1918, p=15, ps=none{{sfnp, Cannon, 2009, loc=Stainmore, battle of,, ps=none , - , Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson , ''Þorfinnr hausakljúfr''
"Skull-splitter" , Son of Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson , 910 , with Erlend and Arnkel to 954{{sfnp, Clouston, 1918, p=15, ps=none
alone 954–963{{sfnp, Crawford, 1987, p=54, ps=none{{efn, Muir (2005) has a death date for Thorfinn of 976, which leaves only four years for three subsequent jarls to rule before his son Hlodvir.{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none , - , Arnfinn Thorfinnsson , , Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson , 963 , , - , Havard Thorfinnsson , ''Hávarðr inn ársæli''
"Harvest-happy" , Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson , On Arnfinn's death , , - , Ljot Thorfinnsson , , Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson , On Havard's death , c. 980{{efn, Muir (2005) dates the meeting of Ljot's brother Skuli with

Malcolm II Máel Coluim mac Cináeda ( gd, Maol Chaluim mac Choinnich, label=Modern Scottish Gaelic; anglicized Malcolm II; c. 954 – 25 November 1034) was King of Scots from 1005 until his death. He was a son of King Kenneth II; but the name of his mot ...

to 978. Subsequent to that Skuli and "Earl MacBeth" fought two battles with Ljot. Skuli was killed in the first, Ljot in the second.{{Sfnp, Muir, 2005, p= 21, ps=none Canmore states that the battle at Skitten Mire where Ljot Thorfinnsson was mortally wounded took place "between 943 and 945" although this does not square with either Muir (2005) or Earl Thorfinn (his father) dying c. 963. , - , Hlodvir Thorfinnsson , , Son of Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson , c. 980 , 991{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=27, ps=none{{efn, Woolf (2007) implies Hlodvir's death may have taken place earlier as his son Sigurd "may well have been an active leader since the 980s".{{sfnp, Woolf, 2007, p=307, ps=none , - ,

Sigurd Hlodvirsson Sigurd Hlodvirsson (23 April 1014), popularly known as Sigurd the Stout from the Old Norse ''Sigurðr digri'',Thomson (2008) p. 59 was an Earl of Orkney. The main sources for his life are the Norse Sagas, which were first written down some ...

, ''Sigurðr digri''
"the Stout" , Son of Hlodvir Thorfinnsson , 991 , 1014{{sfnp, Woolf, 2007, p= 243 quoting the ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, ...

'', ps=none , - ,

Sumarlidi Sigurdsson Sumarlidi Sigurdsson (died between 1014 and 1018) was jointly Earl of Orkney with his brothers Brusi and Einar Wry-Mouth following the death of their father, Sigurd Hlodvisson at the battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf ( ga, Cath Chlu ...

, , Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson , 1014 , with Brusi and Einar to c. 1016{{efn, "He died in his bed not long after his father's death" and is not referred to in an incident dated to 1018.{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, pp=44-45, ps=none , - ,

Brusi Sigurdsson Brusi Sigurdsson (died between 1030 and 1035) was one of Sigurd Hlodvirsson's four sons (together with Thorfinn, Einar and Sumarlidi ). He was joint Earl of Orkney from 1014. His life is recorded in the '' Orkneyinga Saga''. Sources The sourc ...

, , Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson , 1014 , with Einar and Sumarlidi to 1016
with Einar to 1025
with Einar and Thorfinn to c. 1031{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=47:, ps="Earl Brusi died in the early 1030s." , - ,

Einar Sigurdsson Einar Sigurdsson (died 1020), also called Einarr rangmunnr Sigurðarson or Einar Wry-Mouth, was a son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson. He was jointly Earl of Orkney from 1014. His life is recorded in the '' Orkneyinga Saga''. When Earl Sigurd was killed ...

, ''Einar rangmunnr''
"Wry-mouth" , Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson , 1014 , with Brusi and Sumarlidi to 1016{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none
with Brusi to 1025
with Brusi and Thorfinn to 1026 , - , Thorfinn Sigurdsson , ''Þorfinnr inn riki''
"the Mighty" , Son of Sigurd Hlodvirsson , c. 1025{{efn, "When Thorfinn came of age he asked Earl Einar for a third of the islands".{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=45, ps=none Thorfinn is said to have been five years old when his father died at the

Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf ( ga, Cath Chluain Tarbh) took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising the for ...

in 1014.{{sfnp, Sturluson, 1992, loc=Chapter 99 "History Of The Earls Of Orkney"., ps=none , with Brusi and Einar to 1026
with Brusi to 1031
alone to 1036
with Rögnvald 1036 to 1046
alone to c.1064{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=53, ps=none , - , Rögnvald Brusason , , Son of Brusi Sigurdsson , c. 1036{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p= 82, ps=none , with Thorfinn to c. 1046{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none , - ,

Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson Paul Thorfinnsson (died 1098) and Erlend Thorfinnsson (died 1098) were brothers who ruled together as Earls of Orkney. Paul and Erlend were the sons of Thorfinn Sigurdsson and Ingibiorg Finnsdottir. Through Ingibiorg's father Finn Arnesson and ...

, , Sons of Thorfinn Sigurdsson, co-rulers, later deposed together , 1064 , 1098{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=61, ps=none , - ,

, ''Sigurðr Jórsalafari''
"the Jerusalem-farer" , Son of

, 1098 , 1103 , - ,

Haakon Paulsson Haakon may refer to: Given names * Haakon (given name) * Håkon, modern Norwegian spelling of the name * Håkan, Swedish spelling of the name * Hakon, Danish spelling of the name People Norwegian royalty * Haakon I of Norway (c. 920–961), ...

, , Son of Paul Thorfinnsson , 1104{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=63, ps=none , alone to 1106
with Magnus to 1116
alone to 1123{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none , - ,

, Later "Saint Magnus" , Son of Erlend Thorfinnsson , 1106{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, p=63, ps=none , with Haakon to 1116{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none , - ,

Harald Haakonsson Harald Haakonsson (died December 1131) was joint Earl of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Origina ...

, "Smooth-tongue" , Son of Haakon Paulsson , 1123 , with Paul to c. 1130{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=101, ps=none , - ,

Paul Haakonsson Paul Haakonsson was joint Earl of Orkney from 1122 until 1137. Haakonsson served jointly as Earl of Orkney together with Harald Haakonsson. Paul Haakonsson had not been well loved by his female kin. In 1137, Paul was reportedly abdicated and ki ...

, , Son of Haakon Paulsson , 1123 , with Harald to 1130
alone to 1136{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=101, ps=none , - , Rögnvald Kali Kolsson , Later "Saint Rögnvald" , Son of Gunnhild, daughter of Erlend Thorfinnsson , 1136{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=103, ps=none{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=89, ps=none , alone to 1138
with Harald Maddadsson 1138 to 1151{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=89, ps=none and 1154 to 1158{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none
with Harald and Erlend Haraldsson 1151 to 1154 , - ,

Harald Maddadsson Harald Maddadsson (Old Norse: ''Haraldr Maddaðarson'', Gaelic: ''Aralt mac Mataid'') (c. 1134 – 1206) was Earl of Orkney and Mormaer of Caithness from 1139 until 1206. He was the son of Matad, Mormaer of Atholl, and Margaret, daughter ...

, "the Old" , Son of Margaret, daughter of Haakon Paulsson , 1138{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=89, ps=none , with Rögnvald to 1151 and 1154 to 1158
with Rögnvald and Erlend Haraldsson 1151 to 1154
alone 1158 to 1191
with Harald Eiriksson to 1198
alone to 1206{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=128, ps=none , - , Erlend Haraldsson , , Son of Harald Haakonsson , 1151{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=89, ps=none , with Harald Maddadsson and Rögnvald Kali Kolsson to 1154{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=101, ps=none , - ,

Harald Eiriksson Harald Eiríksson (fl. 1190s), also known as Harald the Young, was joint Earl of Orkney with Harald Maddadsson. He was the son of Orkney chief Eirik Stagbrell and Ingerid Ragnvaldsdotter, the daughter of Rögnvald Kali Kolsson, the former Earl of ...

, ''Haraldr ungi''
"the Young" , Son of Ingiríðr, daughter of Rögnvald Kali Kolsson , 1191 , with Harald Maddadsson to 1198{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none , - ,

David Haraldsson David Haraldsson was joint Earl of Orkney from 1206 to 1214. David Haraldsson and his brother Jon Haraldsson were the sons of Harald Maddadsson with his second wife Hvarflod, daughter of Earl Máel Coluim of Moray Máel Coluim of Moray (or M ...

, , Son of Harald Maddadsson , 1206 , with Jon to 1214{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=128, ps=none , - ,

, , Son of Harald Maddadsson , 1206 , with David to 1214
alone to 1231{{sfnp, Muir, 2005, loc=Preface: Genealogical table of the Earls of Orkney, ps=none{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=132, ps=none , -

Scottish Jarls under the Norwegian Crown

{{Infobox nobility title , name = Jarldom of Orkney (Scots) , creation_date = c. 1236 , creation = , monarch = Haakon Haakonsson , peerage = Peerage of Norway , baronetage = , first_holder =

Magnus Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...

, last_holder = William Sinclair , present_holder = , heir_apparent = , heir_presumptive = , remainder_to = , subsidiary_titles = Mormaer of Caithness , status = Extinct , extinction_date = 1472 , family_seat = , former_seat = , motto = , footnotes = After the close of the ''Jarls' Saga'' on the death of Jon Haraldsson in 1230, the history of Orkney is "plunged into a darkness which is illuminated by very few written sources".{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=26, ps=none The first ''jarl'' known to have held the title after the Norse dynasty came to and end in 1230 was Magnus II but the title may have been held by an unknown other prior to his investiture.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=280-81, ps=none Although successive Jarls of Orkney were related, they each acquired the position by being personally appointed to the role by the Norwegian king; the Jarldom was not inheritable.

The Angus Jarls

{, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; border:0px; text-align:left;" !Name !Relationship to predecessor !Rule commences !Rule ends , - , Magnus II , His parentage is unknown. Possibly a descendant of Ingrid, a daughter of Rögnvald Kali Kolsson.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=280-81, ps=none , 1236 , 1239 , - , ?Gilbert , Possibly married to a niece of Magnus II, his existence is not certain.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=280-81, ps=none , 1239 , ? , - , Gilbert (''Gille Brigte'') , Possibly the son of Gilbert, but there may have only been a single Gilbert.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=282, ps=none , ? , 1256 , - , Magnus Gilbertsson , Son of Gilbert{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=293, ps=none , 1256 , 1273 , - , Magnus Magnusson , Son of Magnus Gilbertsson.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=307, 429, ps=none{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, pp=145-46, ps=none , 1273 , 1284 , - , Jón Magnússon , Son of Magnus Gilbertsson.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=307, 427, ps=none{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, pp=145-46, ps=none , 1284 , 1303 , - , Magnus Jónsson , Son of Jón Magnússon.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=429, ps=none , 1303 , 1320 , -

Strathearn and Sinclair Jarls

The lack of haste with which a new title was granted by the Norwegians to Orkney has led to the suggestion that Magnus Jonsson may have had an heir who was a minor, but who died before 1330. It is also likely that unravelling the genealogy of his potential successors and providing proofs of their descent was a time-consuming project.{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, pp=149-50, ps=none Whatever the reason, about a decade after Magnus's death the title was granted to Maol Íosa,

Mormaer of Strathearn Earl or Mormaer of Strathearn is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to the region of Strathearn in southern Perthshire. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mor ...

, a distant relative of Earl Gilbert. He ruled Orkney and Caithness from 1330 to 1350 and had several daughters, but no sons.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=317-20, ps=none The earldom was then left vacant for about three years,{{efn, Crawford (2013) states that there was no Earl of either Orkney or Caithness from c. 1350 to 1379{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=26, ps=none but later in the text elaborates on Erengisle Suneson's status as earl from 1353-1360.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=320, ps=none It is possible Suneson never actually visited the earldom although he continued to use the title for decades after the death of his wife prior to 1360, at which point his rights to it would have ceased.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=322, ps=none following which Erengisle Suneson was a titular earl for a few years but when his right to the title lapsed prior to 1360{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=322, ps=none the jarldom lay vacant again.

Haakon VI Haakon VI of Norway ( no, Håkon, sv, Håkan; August 1340 – 11 September 1380), also known as ''Håkan Magnusson'', was King of Norway from 1343 until his death and King of Sweden between 1362 and 1364. He is sometimes known as ''Haakon Magnus ...

, the Norwegian king, had married the daughter of

Valdemar IV Valdemar IV Atterdag (the epithet meaning "Return of the Day"), or Waldemar (132024 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance w ...

, the King of Denmark. The sudden death of the Swedish king's rebel son, from plague, triggered the foreign policy obligations Haakon had to Valdemar, as a result of the marriage. These drew Haakon's attention away from Orkney, until the death of Valdemar, in 1375. In 1375, Haakon decided upon Alexander of Ard, the son of Maol Íosa's daughter Matilda and Weland of Ard{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=321, ps=none (Aird, west of Inverness){{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=320, ps=none as Suneson's successor. However, Alexander was merely appointed "Lieutenant, Captain and Keeper" of Orkney for a year on 30 June 1375.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=320, ps=none This was to be a probationary role, the intention being that if Haakon had been satisfied by Alexander's behaviour after a year, he would be appointed as ''jarl''. However, Haakon did not do so, possibly because Alexander failed to deal with the violence that had become rife during the long absence of an earl's authority.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=327-28, ps=none In 1379, the jarldom was granted to another grandson of Maol Íosa, Henry Sinclair, by Haakon VI on 2 August 1379.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=328, ps=none {, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; border:0px; text-align:left;" !Name !Relationship to predecessor !Rule commences !Rule ends , - , Maol Íosa , A descendant of

Malise II, Earl of Strathearn Máel Ísu or Malise II (Modern Gaelic: ''Maol Íosa''; died 1271) is the fifth known mormaer, or earl, of the Scottish region of Strathearn. He was the son of Robert, 4th Earl of Strathearn. Biography Malise first appears on record in 1244, whe ...

and Matilda, a daughter of Earl Gilbert.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=317-20, ps=none , 1330 , 1350 , - , Vacant , , 1350 , 1353 , - , Erengisle Suneson , Married to Agneta, daughter of Maol Íosa.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, pp=319-322, ps=none , 1353 , before 1360 , - , Vacant , , before 1360 , 1375 , - , Alexander of Ard , Son of Maol Íosa's daughter Matilda and Weland of Ard.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=320, ps=none Appointed as "Lieutenant" only. , 1375 , 1376? , - , Vacant , , 1376 , 1379 , - , Henry Sinclair , Son of Maol Íosa's daughter Isabella and William de Sinclair of Rosslyn.{{sfnp, Crawford, 2013, p=320, ps=none , 1379 , 1401 , - , Henry II , Son of Henry I , 1404? , 1420 , - ,

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, Son of Henry II. David Menzies acted as "Guardian" from 1422 to 1434. William was ''de facto'' jarl from 1424. He was granted the newly created title "Earl of Caithness" in 1455. , 1434 , 1470 , - When

James III of Scotland James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh C ...

married Margaret of Denmark, her father,

Christian I Christian I (February 1426 – 21 May 1481) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union. He was king of Denmark (1448–1481), Norway (1450–1481) and Sweden (1457–1464). From 1460 to 1481, he was also duke of Schleswig (within ...

, king of the

Kalmar Union The Kalmar Union ( Danish, Norwegian, and sv, Kalmarunionen; fi, Kalmarin unioni; la, Unio Calmariensis) was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden, that from 1397 to 1523 joined under a single monarch the three kingdo ...

, was unable to immediately provide a

dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment ...

. Instead, he promised that he would provide the dowry at a later date, and pledged the Norðreyjar as security for his promise. In 1470, James persuaded William to

quitclaim Generally, a quitclaim is a formal renunciation of a legal claim against some other person, or of a right to land. A person who quitclaims renounces or relinquishes a claim to some legal right, or transfers a legal interest in land. Originally a c ...

his rights over Orkney and Shetland only, in return for lands in Fife; technically the Norðreyjar remained in existence as a Norwegian Jarldom, but William's authority became limited to the mainland parts, while Orkney and Sheltland became jarl-free. After a few years, it became clear that the dowry was unlikely ever to be paid, so in 1472, James declared the Norðreyjar to be forfeit (and forwent the dowry). As an immediate consequence, the

diocese of Caithness The Bishop of Caithness was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Caithness, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first referenced bishop of Caithness was Aindréas, a Gael who appears in sources between 1146 and 1151 as bishop. Ain ...

was transferred from the Archdiocese of Niðaróss (Trondheim), in Norway, to that of St Andrews, in Scotland.{{sfnp, Thomson, 2008, p=220, ps=none

Scottish Earls

Dukes of Orkney

* The next Orkney title was the dukedom of Orkney, which was given to

James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney and 4th Earl of Bothwell ( – 14 April 1578), better known simply as Lord Bothwell, was a prominent Scottish nobleman. He was known for his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third and final husband ...

, husband of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...

, in 1567. Later that year, however, he forfeited the title when Mary was forced to abdicate.

Earls of Orkney, Second Creation

The second earldom was created by

. The Stewart earls were based at

Kirkwall Castle Kirkwall Castle, also known as King's Castle, was located in Kirkwall, the main settlement in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Built in the 14th century, it was deliberately destroyed in 1614. The last ruins were cleared in the 19th century. The cas ...

, which had been built by Henry I Sinclair. It was demolished on the forfeiture of the title in 1614. {, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; border:0px; text-align:left;" !Name !Relationship to predecessor !Rule commences !Rule ends , - , Robert Stewart , Illegitimate son of

James V James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV and Margaret Tudor, and du ...

, 1581 , 1593 , - , Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney , Son of Robert Stewart , 1593 , 1614 (forfeited)

Earls of Orkney, Third Creation (1696)

{{Infobox nobility title , name = Earldom of Orkney
(Third creation of 1696) , image = Coronet of a British Earl

, image_size = , alt = , caption = Arms of the 8th Earl of Orkney{{efn,

Blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The ...

. Quarterly: 1st and 4th grandquarters, Argent on a Saltire Gules a Lymphad sails furled Or a Chief Ermine (Fitz-Maurice); 2nd grandquarter, quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Cinquefoils Ermine (Hamilton); 2nd, Argent a Lymphad sails furled Sable (Arran); 3rd, Argent a Heart Gules imperially crowned Or on a Chief Azure three Mullets of the first (Douglas); over all at the fess point an Escallop Or for difference (for Lord George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney); 3rd grandquarter, quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Lions passant guardant per pale Or and Argent (O'Brien); 2nd, Argent three Piles meeting in the point issuing from the chief Gules (Bryan); 3rd, Argent a Pheon Azure (Sydney). , creation_date = 3 January 1696 (Third creation) , creation = , monarch =

William II of Scotland William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from the ...

, peerage =

Peerage of Scotland The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Unio ...

, baronetage = , first_holder = Lord George Hamilton , last_holder = , present_holder = Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney , heir_apparent = Oliver Robert St John, Viscount Kirkwall , heir_presumptive = , remainder_to = , subsidiary_titles = Viscount of Kirkwall
Lord Dechmont , status = , extinction_date = , family_seat = , former_seat = , motto = , footnotes = The last creation of the earldom was in favour of the man who in 1735 would become the first

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

, Lord George Hamilton, the fifth son of

William Douglas, Duke of Hamilton William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton, KG, PC (24 December 1634 – 18 April 1694), also known as Lord William Douglas and the Earl of Selkirk, was a Scottish nobleman and politician. He was the eldest son of The 1st Marquess of Douglas by ...

. The peerage was created with "remainder to the heirs whatsoever of his body",{{citation needed, date=October 2020 meaning that the title can be passed on through both male and female lines. The title passed to the O'Brien family, then to the Fitzmaurice family, and later to the St John family. The subsidiary titles of Viscount of Kirkwall and Lord Dechmont were created at the same time as the earldom.{{citation needed, date=October 2020 None of these earls appear to have any connection with Orkney other than the

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

itself. The current earl, for example, was born and lives in Canada."Peter St. John"
University of Manitoba. Retrieved 1 April 2018. {, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; border:0px; text-align:left;" !Name !Relationship to predecessor !Period , - , George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney , None , 1695–1737{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - ,

Anne O'Brien, 2nd Countess of Orkney Anne Douglas-Hamilton, 2nd Countess of Orkney (1696 – 6 December 1756) was a Scottish noblewoman and the eldest daughter of Field Marshal George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, and his wife, the former Elizabeth Villiers. She was also known a ...

, Daughter of 1st Earl , 1737-1756{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - ,

Mary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of Orkney Mary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of Orkney (c. 1721 – 1790) was the eldest daughter of Anne O'Brien, 2nd Countess of Orkney, and William O'Brien, 4th Earl of Inchiquin, and Countess of Orkney in her own right. She was deaf and was married by si ...

, Daughter of 2nd Countess , 1756-1790{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - , Mary FitzMaurice, 4th Countess of Orkney , Daughter of 3rd Countess , 1790-1831{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - ,

Thomas FitzMaurice, 5th Earl of Orkney Thomas John Hamilton FitzMaurice, 5th Earl of Orkney (8 August 1803 – 16 May 1877) was the son of John FitzMaurice, Viscount Kirkwall and grandson of Mary FitzMaurice, 4th Countess of Orkney. British prime minister, 1st Marquess of Lansdow ...

, Grandson of 4th Countess , 1831-1877{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - ,

George FitzMaurice, 6th Earl of Orkney George William Hamilton FitzMaurice, 6th Earl of Orkney (6 May 1827 – 21 October 1889), styled as Viscount Kirkwall until 1877, was a soldier and Scottish nobleman. George FitzMaurice was the son of Thomas FitzMaurice, 5th Earl of Orkne ...

, Son of 5th Earl , 1877-1889{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - , Edmond FitzMaurice, 7th Earl of Orkney , Nephew of 6th Earl , 1889-1951{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - , Cecil FitzMaurice, 8th Earl of Orkney , First cousin twice removed of 7th Earl - great-grandson of Frederick Fitzmaurice, third son of the fifth Earl. , 1951-1998{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - , Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney , Third cousin of 8th Earl , 1998 to date.{{citation needed, date=October 2020 , - The 9th Earl is the son of Frederick Oliver St John, son of Isabella Annie Fitzmaurice, daughter of James Terence Fitzmaurice, fifth son of the fifth Earl. The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's son Oliver Robert St John (b. 1969), who holds the

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some con ...

, Viscount Kirkwall.{{citation needed, date=October 2020

Arms

{{Infobox COA wide, name=the Earl of Orkney , image= , bannerimage= , badgeimage= , notes= Coat of arms of the 8th earl. , crest= 1st: A Sagittarius passant proper (FitzMaurice); 2nd: An Ancient Boat Or flagged Azure and issuant therefrom an Oak Tree fructed and penetrated by a Framesaw proper the Frame Or (Hamilton). , torse= , helm= , escutcheon= Quarterly: 1st and 4th grandquarters, Argent on a Saltire Gules a Lymphad sails furled Or a Chief Ermine (Fitz-Maurice); 2nd grandquarter, quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Cinquefoils Ermine (Hamilton); 2nd, Argent a Lymphad sails furled Sable (Arran); 3rd, Argent a Heart Gules imperially crowned Or on a Chief Azure three Mullets of the first (Douglas); over all at the fess point an Escallop Or for difference (for Lord George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney); 3rd grandquarter, quarterly: 1st and 4th, Gules three Lions passant guardant per pale Or and Argent (O'Brien); 2nd, Argent three Piles meeting in the point issuing from the chief Gules; 3rd, Argent a Pheon Azure. , supporters= On the dexter side an Antelope Azure armed and ducally gorged with Chain reflexed across the back Or, and on the sinister a Stag proper attired and ducally gorged with a Chain reflexed over the back also Or, each supporter charged on the shoulder with a Cinquefoil Ermine. , compartment= , motto= Through Courage. , orders= , other_elements= , banner= , symbolism= , previous_versions= {{hidden, Family tree, {{tree chart/start {{tree chart, GH, , , , , , , , , , GH= George Hamilton,
1st Earl of Orkney
1666–1737 {{tree chart , !} {{tree chart, AOB, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , AOB= Anne O'Brien,
2nd Countess of Orkney
d. 1756 {{tree chart , !, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , } {{tree chart, MOB, , , , , , , , , , MOB= Mary O'Brien,
3rd Countess of Orkney
1835 {{tree chart , !, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , } {{tree chart, MM, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , MM= Mary FitzMaurice,
4th Countess of Orkney
1755–1831 {{tree chart , !, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , } {{tree chart, MM, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , MM= John FitzMaurice,
Viscount Kirkwall
1778–1820 {{tree chart , !, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , } {{tree chart, TF, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , TF= Thomas FitzMaurice,
5th Earl of Orkney
1803–1877 {{tree chart , ), -, -, -, -, v, -, -, -, v, -, -, -, ., } {{tree chart, GF, , HWF, , FOF, , JF, , , , , , , , , GF= George FitzMaurice,
6th Earl of Orkney
1827–1889, HWF=Hon. Henry FitzMaurice
1828-1875, FOF=Hon. Frederick
O'Bryen FitzMaurice
1830-1867, JF=Hon. James FitzMaurice {{tree chart , , , , , , !, , , , !, , , , !, } {{tree chart, , , , , EF, , DF, , IF, , , , , EF= Edmond FitzMaurice,
7th Earl of Orkney
1867–1951, DF=Douglas FitzMaurice
1861-1932, IF=Isabella FitzMaurice
d. 1948 {{tree chart , , , , , , , , , , !, , , , !, } {{tree chart, , , , , , , , , DF, , FSJ, , , , , DF=Douglas FitzMaurice
1890-1937, FSJ=Frederick St. John
1886-1977 {{tree chart , , , , , , , , , , !, , , , !, } {{tree chart, , , , , , , , , COB, , OSJ, , , COB= Cecil O'Bryen FitzMaurice,
8th Earl of Orkney
1919-1998, OSJ= Peter St John,
9th Earl of Orkney
b. 1938 {{tree chart/end , headerstyle=background:#ccccff, bodystyle=text-align:center

References

Notes

{{notelist, notes=

Citations

{{reflist, 30em, refs=

Bibliography

*{{citation , last=Beuermann , first=Ian , editor1-last=Steinsland , editor1-first=Gro , editor2-last=Sigurðsson , editor2-first=Jón Viðar , editor3-last=Rekdal , editor3-first=Jan Erik , display-editors = 3 , editor4-last=Beuermann , editor4-first=Ian , contribution=Jarla Sǫgur Orkneyja. Status and power of the earls of Orkney according to their sagas , title=Ideology and power in the viking and middle ages: Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, Orkney and the Faeroes , series=The Northern World: North Europe and the Baltic c. 400–1700 A.D. Peoples, Economics and Cultures , volume=52 , publisher= Brill , year=2011 , isbn=978-90-04-20506-2 *{{citation, title=The Oxford Companion to British History, last=Cannon, first=John, year=2009, url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199567638.001.0001/acref-9780199567638-e-4014, access-date=27 January 2014, publisher=Oxford University Press *{{citation, title=Two Features of the Orkney Earldom, last=Clouston, first=J. Storer, year=1918, jstor=25519122, work=The Scottish Historical Review, pages=15–28, publisher= Edinburgh University Press/JSTOR *{{citation, title=Scandinavian Scotland, first=Barbara E., last=Crawford, year=1987, publisher=Leicester University Press, isbn=0-7185-1197-2 *{{citation, title=The Northern Earldoms, first=Barbara E., last=Crawford, year=2013, location=Edinburgh, publisher =John Donald, isbn=97819-0460-7915 * {{Cite book, last1=Larsen , first1=Stein Ugelvik , last2=Sulebust , first2=Jarle , title=I balansepunktet: Sunnmøres eldste historie, year=1994, publisher=Sunnmørsposten Forlag (with Studiegruppa for Sunnmøre, Universitetet i Bergen), language=no, isbn=82-91450-00-5 *{{citation, last=Muir, first=Tom, year=2005, title=Orkney in the Sagas: The Story of the Earldom of Orkney as told in the Icelandic Sagas, publisher=The Orcadian, location=Kirkwall, isbn=0954886232 *{{citation, title=Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney, translator-last1=Pálsson, translator-first1=Hermann, translator-link1=Hermann Pálsson, translator-last2=Edwards, translator-first2=Paul Geoffrey , publisher=Penguin , year=1981, location=London, isbn=0-14-044383-5, ref={{harvid, Pálsson, Edwards, 1981 *{{cite web , url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100017/ , title=Fragmentary Annals of Ireland , access-date=10 March 2007, editor-last=Radner , editor-first=Joan N. , translator-last=Radner , translator-first=Joan N. , year=1978 , work=CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts , publisher=University College Cork * {{Cite journal, last=Stølen , first=Anders, title=Frå Jarleætta på Sunnmøre til Blindheim-ætta og Smør-ætta, language=no, journal=Norsk slekthistorisk tidsskrift, volume=31, year=1988, pages=259–277, issn=0029-2141 *{{citation, title=Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway, last=Sturluson, first=Snorri, author-link=Snorri Sturluson, translator-last=Hollander, translator-first=Lee M., translator-link=Lee M. Hollander, publisher=University of Texas Press, location=Austin, year=1992, isbn=0-292-73061-6, url-access=registration, url=https://archive.org/details/heimskringla00snor *{{citation, title=Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000, first=Alfred P., last=Smyth, year=1984, publisher= Edinburgh University Press, location=Edinburgh, isbn=0-7486-0100-7 *{{citation, last=Thomson, first=William P. L., title=The New History of Orkney, year=2008, location=Edinburgh, publisher=Birlinn, isbn=978-1-84158-696-0 *{{citation, title=From Pictland to Alba, 789–1070, last=Woolf, first=Alex, year=2007, location=Edinburgh , publisher=Edinburgh University Press, isbn=978-0-7486-1234-5

External links

Orkneyjar
The Heritage of the Orkney Islands {{Scandinavian Scotland, state=autocollapse {{Extant British earldoms {{DEFAULTSORT:Orkney Earldoms in the Peerage of Scotland Earl of Orkney Noble titles created in 1581 Noble titles created in 1696 History of Orkney Scandinavian Scotland Norway–Scotland relations