Kári Sölmundarson (

Modern Icelandic Icelandic ( ; , ) is a North Germanic language from the Indo-European language family spoken by about 314,000 people, the vast majority of whom live in Iceland, where it is the national language. Since it is a West Scandinavian language, it ...

: ;

Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...

: ) was a

Hebridean The Hebrides ( ; , ; ) are the largest archipelago in the United Kingdom, off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These isla ...

viking Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

and soldier of fortune who lived in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. He is a major character in '' Njál's Saga''. Kári was the son of Solmund, who was the son of Thorbjorn "Jarl's Champion," an Icelander exiled before the establishment of the

Althing The (; ), anglicised as Althingi or Althing, is the Parliamentary sovereignty, supreme Parliament, national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest surviving parliament in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at ('Thing (assembly), thing ...

for murder.

Early career

It is unknown where Kári was born (though possibly Iceland). He was, however, a

hird The hird (also named "De Håndgangne Menn" in Norwegian), in Scandinavian history, was originally an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls. Over time, it came to mean not only the nucleus ('Guards') of the royal arm ...

man of

Sigurd the Stout 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 tw ...

jarl 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. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the N ...

. He came to the rescue of Helgi Njálsson and Grim Njálsson, the sons of

Njáll Þorgeirsson Njáll Þorgeirsson (Old Norse: ; Modern Icelandic: ) was a 10th and early-11th-century Icelandic lawyer who lived at Bergþórshvoll in Landeyjar, Iceland. He was one of the main protagonists of ''Njáls saga'', a medieval Icelandic saga which ...

of Bergthorshvoll,

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

in the 990's. The brothers, who were on a trading expedition to the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

, had come under attack by the vikings Snaekolf and Grjotgard Mordansson. After killing the raiders, Kári brought the Njálssons to Orkney, where they stayed for a time at Jarl Sigurd's court and fought in his campaigns in northern and central

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. Kári came to the aid of Helgi and Grim again when the brothers were arrested by Hakon Jarl of Norway for indirectly aiding in the escape of their fellow Icelander, Thrain Sigfusson.

In Iceland

When Helgi and Grim returned to Iceland, Kári accompanied them. He bought a landholding at Dyrholmar, but settled at Bergthorshvoll, where he married Njál's daughter

Helga Helga (derived from Old Norse ''heilagr'' - "holy", "blessed") is a female name, used mainly in Scandinavia, German-speaking countries and the Low Countries (''Hege'', ''Helle'', ''Helge'', ''Helga'', ''Helka'' or ''Oili''). The name was in use ...

and became close friends with Njál's son Skarphéðinn. He likely became at least nominally a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

when Iceland converted during the

of 1000. Kári became entangled in the Njálssons'

blood feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...

with the clan of Thrain Sigfusson, and participated in Skarphéðinn's ambush and murder of Thrain. In around 1010, Thrain's allies and kinsmen, led by Flosi Þórðarson, attacked Bergthorshvoll and burned it with its inhabitants inside. Kári managed to escape under cover of smoke, but his friends Helgi and Skarphéðinn were both killed. Njál, his wife Bergthora, and Kári's son Thord all refused Flosi's offer of reprieve and died in the flames. Kári's sword was Fjörsváfnir.

Aftermath of the Burning

Kári gathered supporters and prompted the prosecution of the Burners, and there is a legal joust between the parties. Fighting broke out and almost escalated into a full-scale civil war until

Snorri Goði Snorri Þorgrímsson (Old Norse: ; Modern Icelandic: ) or Snorri Goði (O.N.: ; M.I.: ; 963–1031) was a prominent chieftain in Western Iceland, who featured in a number of Icelandic sagas. The main source of his life is the ''Eyrbyggja saga' ...

and his followers separated the belligerents. As part of an imposed settlement, the Burners were exiled for three years, but Kári attacked them on their way home, and pursued those who escaped abroad. Kári and a small group of followers spent the next several years taking vengeance on the Burners, following them to

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

and

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. In a particularly brazen display, Kári entered the hall of Jarl Sigurd of Orkney as Gunnar Lambason was telling a

slander Defamation is a communication that injures a third party's reputation and causes a legally redressable injury. The precise legal definition of defamation varies from country to country. It is not necessarily restricted to making wikt:asserti ...

ous version of the story of the burning of Bergthorshvoll. Kári killed Gunnar and composed the verse: :''Men bold of battle,'' :''boast of the burning of Njál.'' :''But have you heard,'' :''how we harried them?'' :''Those givers of gold had a good return,'' :''ravens feasted on their raw flesh.''''Njál's Saga'' § 155. Kári stayed in

Caithness Caithness (; ; ) is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Scotland. There are two towns, being Wick, Caithness, Wick, which was the county town, and Thurso. The count ...

during the

Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf () 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 forces of Sigtrygg Silkbea ...

in 1014, when Jarl Sigurd and his allies fought against

Brian Boru Brian Boru (; modern ; 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. He ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Vikings, Viking invasio ...

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...

. During his stay in Scotland his wife Helga died. Flosi returned to Iceland after a pilgrimage to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. Kári followed, but was shipwrecked near Flosi's home. Testing Flosi's nobility he went to him for help, and they arranged a final peace. Kári married Flosi's niece Hildigunn, who was the widow of Hoskuld Thrainsson, the son of Thrain Sigfusson and foster-son of Njál.

Descendants

Kári had four children with Helga, his first wife: his son Thord, who died during the Burning of Bergthorshvoll, and the daughters Thorgerd, Ragnheid, and Valgerd. By his second wife Hildigunn, Kári had three sons: Starkadr, Thord and Flosi.

Notes

Resources

*Cook, Robert, ''trans.'' '' Njál's Saga''. Penguin Classics, 2002. *Durrenberger, E. Paul. "Icelandic Saga Heroes: The Anthropology of Natural Existentialists." ''Anthropology & Humanism Quarterly'', February 1984, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 3–8. *Hudson, Benjamin. "Brjan's Saga." ''Medium Aevum'', 22 September 2002. *Miller, William Ian.
Bloodtaking and Peacemaking: Feud, Law, and Society in Saga Iceland
'. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1990. *Thorsson, Ornulfur, and Bernard Scudder, transl. ''The Saga of Grettir the Strong''. Penguin Classics, 2005. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kari Solmundarson Viking warriors Scandinavian Scotland People from Orkney 10th-century Icelandic people 11th-century Icelandic people 11th-century deaths Year of birth unknown