Anonym frille, Mother of Brusi, Sumarlidi & Einar

Anonymous mistress or partner of Sigurd, mother of his older sons Sumarlide, Bruse and Einar Rangmund (Wrymouth).

The saga says:

Sigurd married a daughter of the Scottish king Malcolm, and their son was called Thorfin. Earl Sigurd had, besides, older sons; namely, Sumarlide, Bruse, and Einar Rangmund.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#SigurdDigri...

SIGURD "Digri/the Stout", son of [HLODVIR Torfinnsson Jarl of Orkney & his wife Eithne of Ireland] ([965/70]-killed in battle Clontarf 23 Apr 1014).

Orkneyinga Saga names “Sigurd the Stout” as the son of Hlodvir and his wife, adding that he “took over the earldom” after his father died[234]. Snorre names "Sigurd the Thick" as the son of Hlodver[235]. His birth date is estimated from the fact that his older sons were already sufficiently mature in 1014 to be placed in charge of Orkney by their father when he left for war in Ireland. He succeeded his father in [988] as Jarl of Orkney and Caithness. He defeated Findlaech Mormaer of Moray before 995 at the second battle of Skidmoor in Caithness, consolidating his power on the Scottish mainland. Orkneyinga Saga records Sigurd´s battle against “a Scottish earl called Finnleik”[236].

Orkneyinga Saga records that “Olaf Tryggvason” pressured Sigurd to accept baptism and returned to Norway with Sigurd´s son as a hostage[237]. Orkneyinga Saga records that Sigurd went to Ireland “five years after the Battle of Svoldur” to support “King Sigtrygg Silk-Beard” against “King Brian of Ireland”, and left “his elder sons in charge of the earldom”, but was killed in the battle in which King Brian was killed[238]. Snorre records that "Sigurd the Thick" went to Ireland and fell "in Brian's battle"[239].

m firstly ---. The name of Sigurd´s first wife is not known.

m ([1005 or after]) --- of Scotland, daughter of MALCOLM II King of Scotland & his wife ---. Orkneyinga Saga records that “Earl Sigurd” married “the daughter of Malcolm King of Scots” (whose succession is recorded in 1005)[240]. Snorre records the marriage of "Sigurd the Thick" and "a daughter of the Scottish king Malcolm"[241]. It appears unlikely that Sigurd´s wife could have been King Malcolm´s daughter Donada (as shown in many secondary sources, including the Complete Peerage[242]%29 if it is correct that Donada´s recorded husband Findlaech was killed in 1020 and that their son was born in [1005][243].

Sigurd & his [first wife] had four children:

1. SOMERLED (-[1015/20]). Orkneyinga Saga records that Earl Sigurd had “three other sons…Sumarlidi, Brusi and Einar Wry-Mouth”, adding that he left them “in charge of the earldom” when he left for Ireland and that they divided the earldom between them after he was killed[244]. Snorre names "Sumarlide, Bruse and Einar Rangmund" as "older sons" of "Sigurd the Thick", recording that they succeeded on the death of their father when the country was divided into three parts[245]. He succeeded his father 1014 as Jarl of 1/3 Orkney. Orkneyinga Saga records that Somerled “had the shortest life” of the brothers, “dying in his bed”[246].

2. BRUSI (-[1030/35]). Orkneyinga Saga records that Earl Sigurd had “three other sons…Sumarlidi, Brusi and Einar Wry-Mouth”, adding that he left them “in charge of the earldom” when he left for Ireland and that they divided the earldom between them after he was killed[247]. Snorre names "Sumarlide, Bruse and Einar Rangmund" as "older sons" of "Sigurd the Thick", recording that they succeeded on the death of their father when the country was divided into three parts[248]. He succeeded his father 1014 as Jarl of 1/3 Orkney, and disputed the share of his deceased brother Einar with his half-brother Thorfinn. Orkneyinga Saga records the death of “Brusi”, dated from the context to after the death of Malcolm II King of Scotland[249]. m ---. The name of Brusi´s wife is not known. Brusi & his wife had one child:

a) RAGNVALD Brusason ([1010/15]-Dec 1046, bur Papa Westray). Orkneyinga Saga names “Rognvald” as son of Brusi, adding that he was two years old when his father took him to Norway after the death of his brother Einar[250]. A later passage records that Olaf II King of Norway kept Ragnvald in Norway when his father returned to Orkney and that “at an early age he grew to be tall and strong…and he stayed with King Olaf for a long time”[251]. As King Olaf´s reign ended in 1028, this passage is inconsistent with Ragnvald having been two years old when he arrived in Norway. The best estimate that can be made is that Ragnvald must have been at least 15 years old in 1030, so must have been born in [1010/15]. Snorre names Ragnvald son of Earl Bruse when recording that he was given as a hostage to Olav King of Norway in 1021, and accompanied the king into exile in Novgorod[252]. Orkneyinga Saga records that “Rognvald Brusason” took part “in the battle of Stiklestad in which King Olaf the Saint was killed” (elsewhere dated to 29 Jul 1030), then travelled to Novgorod “where King Jaroslav gave them a kindly welcome”, before returning to Norway with King Magnus II (who succeeded in 1035), and eventually sailing to Orkney to claim his father´s inheritance[253]. Morkinskinna records “Rognvaldr Brúsason…a very valiant and popular man” as leader of the “Russian defence forces” under “King Yaroslav”[254]. Morkinskinna records that Magnus King of Norway “put Rognvaldr Brúsason in authority to the west in Orkney and gave him the title of jarl” but that “great strife broke out between Rognvaldr jarl and Thorfinnr jarl his uncle”[255]. Orkneyinga Saga records that Ragnvald left Orkney to seek help from Magnus King of Norway after a dispute with his uncle, was defeated when he returned to Orkney, succeeded in expelling Thorfinn after returning with a second invasion fleet, but was murdered by Thorfinn´s forces, and buried at “Papa Westray”[256]. The Complete Peerage dates Ragnvald´s death to Dec 1046 but does not cite the primary source on which this is based[257].

3. EINAR "Rangmund/Wrymouth" (-murdered Sandwick [1023/25]). Orkneyinga Saga records that Earl Sigurd had “three other sons…Sumarlidi, Brusi and Einar Wry-Mouth”, adding that he left them “in charge of the earldom” when he left for Ireland and that they divided the earldom between them after he was killed[258]. Snorre names "Sumarlide, Bruse and Einar Rangmund" as "older sons" of "Sigurd the Thick", recording that they succeeded on the death of their father when the country was divided into three parts[259]. He succeeded his father 1014 as Jarl of 1/3 Orkney. Orkneyinga Saga records that Thorfinn unsuccessfully claimed a share of Orkney from his half-brother Einar after the death of their brother Somerled, but that “when Earl Thorfinn came of age” he reasserted his claim and a settlement was reached through the intervention of their brother Brusi[260]. Assuming that he came of age when around 15 years old, this event would be dated to [1023/24]. Orkneyinga Saga records that Einar was killed at “Sandwick” by Thorkel Amundsson[261]. It is difficult to date this event precisely, but references in the text to “King Olaf” must indicate Olaf II King of Norway who ruled from 1016 to 1028.

4. HUNDI [Hlodvir] ([990]-[996/1000]). Orkneyinga Saga records that “Olaf Tryggvason” pressured Sigurd to accept baptism and returned to Norway with Sigurd´s son “Hvelp or Hundi…baptised…[as] Hlodvir” as a hostage, adding that “Hlodvir didn´t live long” and that his father refused to pay homage to King Olaf after his son died[262]. He was taken to Norway as a hostage by Olaf Tryggvesson [995], baptised as Hlodve, but died there soon after[263].