old norse known character saga purported lived early 12th century means brawl riot appear variously english secondary sources appears saga son stout mother described great villains entire saga sisters saga relates time jointly run half brothers sons death son family falls favour forced leave time father agrees plan force split eventually way return bid win half small fleet ships defeated battle saga tells kills fought sea battle burning man death house son later tracks home short battle homestead men routed burned death house flees scene making heard associated places bear proposed ancestor scottish clans outer island lewis uncovered bore suggested men mentioned stone family relations background character saga 17th century historian wrote latin histories covered events north east scotland rendered means brawl riot represented ways english secondary sources saga describes tallest men strong limb great fighter saga states son 19th century historian opinion likely refers island possibly likely island saga states mother wife stout parents children saga sons daughter mother given father husband saga states daughter wealthy noble farmer according 21st century historian probably refers 21st century historian stated refer includes river valleys running saga records daughter earl mother earl son according saga brothers included generous described man worthy honour saga declares descendants high born thought lot williams suggested related powerful dynasty zone included seized control williams noted appears great villains saga williams noted descendants legitimate claims claim behalf descendants specifically williams opinion power base son saga states held lands according williams located near modern town williams noted saga specifically states husband consequence williams considered lands probably passed marriage size lands unknown suggested covered death departure lands inherited relative stay illustrated family tree turn son passing possession family williams opinion exaggerated extent lands somewhat williams observed base power include saga states point travelled gather ships men later destination appearance saga williams noted appear times target raids conquests source attacks williams noted possible saga association red herring stated tradition wells provide alternative explanation references saga including family williams considered saga imply family connections important individuals including king isles saga main source life saga compiled unknown saga thought based poetry oral tradition written material original version ended death portrayed enemy saga considered accurate events approach writer time late 14th century saga revised edited included saga summed account lives 9th 13th centuries according research fellow saga useful specific events describes ability learn ideas shaping texts periods composition revision example possible main characters saga existed possible historical different saga portrayal source mentions 17th century history follows saga forced saga relates death sons divided half brothers soon began disagree divided competing factions saga relates day sister mother snow white gold enchanted sisters intended half brother unfortunately sisters noticed beautiful despite soon died saga states immediately took control deceased half brother possessions highly suspicious sisters consequence longer welcome left estate time descendants brought including daughter stout grandson alliance saga relates earlier time assisted recognised illegitimate son deceased norwegian king consequence reigning king half brother norwegian king appointed earl half changed prominent earl past death son succeeded kingdom learned death gathered supporters successfully underwent ordeal prove accepted king half kingdom years joint kings maintained uneasy peace fourth year hostilities finally broke battle fought vastly outnumbered defeated consequence fled protection following tide returned norway captured king entire kingdom spring recognition assistance king renewed grant islands title earl summarised events depicted saga dated death year dated capture according saga victory father sent demanding hand lands norwegian king granted refused proceeded lived related proposal defeat half theirs agreed plan saying attack mid summer promised upcoming winter gather forces friends connections scotland task winter chiefs gathered force men ships expedition following summer forces sailed norway received local assembled small fleet ships saga describes ships small poorly manned middle summer sailed pledge sea battle according saga herd arrival held council decided immediately gather forces attack reinforced incoming men knew coming night joined ships brings total forces ships fleet sailed arrive sunset night force strengthened arriving men morning fleet set meet ships spotted coming men certain ships consequence earl ordered fleet intercept saga states ships east sailed west time strengthened earl ordered ships bound gather stones upcoming battle earl troops fully prepared saga states forces attack saga states forces superior numbers notes ships smaller brought ship earl fighting earl attacked smallest ships cleared short time urged men forward board ship spotted threw spear blocked shield force blow knocked earl deck fall great shout goes moment earl best men large stone hitting square chest knocked overboard men dragged water unclear lived men driven earl ship began withdraw eventually recovered unable rally troops battle lost pursued fleeing fleet giving chase ships left captured manned forces loyal earl later strengthened forces swells ships day sailed destroyed fleet forces remained successfully held gray stated battles fought year burning saga states days band men arrived williams stated farm located near hands stated appears main supporter according williams appears held lands directly family possession saga relates party surprised house set fire house burn death men took property hands leaving scene heard happened takes slain son death father known mother house individuals burnt death slain flee fire found blood feuds saga states time later spent time returned way stopped accomplice negotiated truce brother earl paid compensation death promised friendship return promised aid relative possible bid defeat burning saga states time later approached asked earl men ships vengeance involved burning father earl request gave ships travelled south west trading place according anderson refer likely refers shore parish coast saga states travelled went met anderson stated case likely refers coast 19th century historian agreed specifically locating ships enter estuary follow route translation saga identified town saga relates earl gave guides travelled interior country mountains woods away inhabited areas came near lived williams stated saga records approached area land site estate probably located modern village situated coast williams noted area remote outside control saga states spies route taken unaware presence occupied certain slope homestead saga states men confronted account incident gives short clash saga states men soon gave way killed ensuing rout survived clash fled river men continued houses area plundered houses burnt ground inmates inside way perished saga states men committed returning home reaching river fled mountains heard making mentioned saga later saga clerk brother law close friend men killed burning saga records killed avenge burning recently scholars stated fate actually sealed support bid claim son married niece possibly cousin david union benefited scottish crown increasing scottish influence north expense norwegian influence david faced challenges authority large support came ross lands directly northern lands david strength south according prospect having son northern supporters earl good king pass especially minor direction appointed tutor turned installation earl triumph scottish crown integrated kingdom norwegian influence locations associated writers noted place said location burning website states supposed castle burned located grid reference near parish noted episode burning stated certain ruins called remnants homestead burnt sage account parish old statistical account scotland noted ruins mentioned pennant called translated old sage noted account burning suggested possibly etymology field pennant stated ruins great man tell kind round like houses according website pennant referring area site supposed castle visited evidence found mid-19th century noted stated nearby certain ruins called pope stated south west location river called location connected hill forest called speculation scottish descendants according williams possible defeated fled williams suggested blood feud families reason military activities interests area stated married window king late 19th century thomas speculated memory preserved thomas stated mythological history outer island lewis island clan said descendants man named sons near relations man named oliver lewis divided oliver said eldest son norse king given isles highlands son assistance driving brother scotland thomas speculated oliver represent meaning suggested ancestor recently commonly believed historians eponymous ancestor son black king isles late 20th century proposed descended male line black proposed record ancestors great grandfather names likely represent names considered names found early poetry century thomas noted similarity names discussing pursue specific link speculated great grandfather flourished roughly time said fled noted derived considered rare scandinavia iceland scotland consequence considered significant maternal grandfather comparing relevant noted inconsistent generations preceding great grandfather lieu proposed inconsistencies great grandfather newcomer like later historian noted proposed link commented evidence entirely opinion rare previously thought noted family recorded saga similarity line recorded concerning ancestry association attacked clan historian morrison commented rare proposed morrison noted previous century thomas considered saga character eponymous ancestor character mentioned earlier article lived lewis century time fact morrison consider singled names forms considered different names separate origins morrison noted great grandfather appear match relevant great grandfather appears thomas considered mean disagreed translation morrison considered white noted morrison gave explanation assertion proposed norse origin suggested refer sort man nose suggestion refer later noted secondary meaning grief trouble form possible family connections island close grid reference fragment carved stone bearing inscription man named found examples stones found west scotland fragment half size original stone measured metres stone decorated crude cross located border end inscription missing corner having broken inscription translates english son laid stone brother men appear sources unknown 1980s norwegian proposed stone evidence brothers scandinavian speakers members leading family district social status buried near inscriptions artwork suggests stone dates late 10th century 11th century suggested men related noted names characters saga connections original fought earl named grandfather according saga accompanied died wounds received according context found inscription minor character saga character son lewis negotiated truce historian noted chronicle man records sheriff man died anderson stated possible son mentioned sheriff concerning noted saga names father maternal grandfather concluded men mentioned stone likely lived year generations saga consequence suggested contemporary children stone stone housed museum
Olvir Rosta