Jarl Thorfinn HAUSSAKLIFFER^[1]

Abt 897 - Abt 963  (~ 66 years)

• Name	Thorfinn HAUSSAKLIFFER
  Prefix	Jarl
  Born	Abt 897	Orkney Islands, Scotland
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	The Scullcleaver, Skull-Spltter  [2]
  Occupation	5th Jarl of Orkney
  Cause of Death	On a bed of sickness
  Died	Abt 963	Howe of Haxa, Iceland
  Buried	Hoxa, Orkney
  Person ID	I35225	Main
  Last Modified	17 Sep 2023

  
  

  Father	Jarl Turf-Einar RÖGNVALDARSON,   b. Abt 867, Orkney Islands, Scotland ,   d. Abt 942  (Age ~ 75 years)
  Mother	Elmar,   d. ?
  Family ID	F12368	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Grelad,   b. Abt 898, Caithness, Inverness-shire, Scotland ,   d. ?
  Children	+ 1. Jarl Lodver THORFINSSON,   b. 924, Orkney Islands, Scotland ,   d. 988  (Age 64 years)
  Last Modified	17 Dec 2023
  Family ID	F12366	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Torfine the skullcleaver existed. He was Thorfinn I Hausakliffer who became sole Jarl of Orkney when his two brothers enlisted as pirates with King Eric Bloodaxe. His father's great-grandfather was the famous Sigurd I Riki, "the Mighty", who cut off the head of Maelbrigte, the Mormaer of Moray, tied it to his saddlebow, and then, while cavorting around the battlefield, allowed Maelbrigte's jutting tooth to sink into his leg. He died from the subsequent bloodpoisoning. ——— He was the youngest s/o Turf-Einar. Thorfinn married Grelod, daughter of the moramaer of Caithness and granddaughter of Thorstein the Red. Thorfinn and Grelod had five sons and two daughters. Their son Arnfinn Thorfinnsson married Ragnhild Eiriksdotter, daughter of Erik Bloodaxe and his widow, Gunnhildr. Thorfinn may have been buried in the broch at Hoxa, on South Ronaldsay.[1] The modern Orcadian beer SkullSplitter is named after him. The five sons of Thorfinn were Arnfinn, Havard, Hlodvir, Ljot, and Skuli. Arnfinns' wife, Ragnhild Eiriks-Dottir had her husband killed at Murkle in Caithness and married Havard who ruled as earl for a time. Skuli gave allegiance to the Scots king who made him Earl of Caithness and Orkney but never gained control of Orkney, being killed in battle against Ljot in Caithness. Ljot later died in battle, possibly against MacBeth of Morray. Torfine the skullcleaver existed. He was Thorfinn I Hausakliffer who became sole Jarl of Orkney when his two brothers enlisted as pirates with King Eric Bloodaxe. His father's great-grandfather was the famous Sigurd I Riki, "the Mighty", who cut off the head of Maelbrigte, the Mormaer of Moray, tied it to his saddlebow, and then, while cavorting around the battlefield, allowed Maelbrigte's jutting tooth to sink into his leg. He died from the subsequent bloodpoisoning. ----- He was the youngest s/o Turf-Einar. Thorfinn married Grelod, daughter of the moramaer of Caithness and granddaughter of Thorstein the Red. Thorfinn and Grelod had five sons and two daughters. Their son Arnfinn Thorfinnsson married Ragnhild Eiriksdotter, daughter of Erik Bloodaxe and his widow, Gunnhildr. Thorfinn may have been buried in the broch at Hoxa, on South Ronaldsay.[1] The modern Orcadian beer SkullSplitter is named after him. The five sons of Thorfinn were Arnfinn, Havard, Hlodvir, Ljot, and Skuli. Arnfinns' wife, Ragnhild Eiriks-Dottir had her husband killed at Murkle in Caithness and married Havard who ruled as earl for a time. Skuli gave allegiance to the Scots king who made him Earl of Caithness and Orkney but never gained control of Orkney, being killed in battle against Ljot in Caithness. Ljot later died in battle, possibly against MacBeth of Morray.«s76»

  
  

• Sources

  [S103] BRUCE / BRUSE / BRUS - Y-DNA Project. [S229] Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with Their Descendants, Sovereigns and Subjects, The, Burke, John & Burke, John Bernard, (Churton, 1848).