Early Finnish Wars - Conflicts With Norwegians

Conflicts With Norwegians

In 873, according to the Egil's saga - written in c. 1240 -, the Kvens and Norse cooperated in battling against the invading Karelians. The chapter XVII of Egil's saga describes how Thorolf Kveldulfsson (King of Norway's tax chief starting 872 AD) from Namdalen, located in the southernmost tip of the historic Hålogaland, goes to Kvenland again. Based on medieval documents, the meeting took place during the winter of 873-874:

"That same winter Thorolf went up on the fell with a hundred men; he passed on at once eastwards to Kvenland and met King Faravid."

In 885 (c.), the 'Account of the Viking Othere' tells that the Norwegian and the Kvens were in conflict with each other from time to time: The account is a report based on Ohthere's (Ottar) voyage of the oceanic coasts of Northern Scandinavia and today's extreme northwestern Russia. The Kvens are referred to as "Cwenas" who live in "Cwena land". This was the first genuine account about the North. Thus, it is a principle source in studies relating to the Nordic history.

In 890, Ottar reports the findings to King Alfred of Wessex, who has Ottar's account included to the omissions and additions added to the Universal History of Orosius, republished by King Alfred. The book is partially a work of Orosius and partially of King Alfred.

The Kven Sea is mentioned as the northern border for ancient Germany. The location of Kvenland is also explained in the following ways:

"Ottar (Ohthere) said that the Norwegians' (Norðmanna) land was very long and very narrow ... and to the east are wild mountains, parallel to the cultivated land. Sami people (Finnas) inhabit these mountains ... Then along this land southwards, on the other side of the mountain (sic), is Sweden ... and along that land northwards, Kvenland (Cwenaland).

The Cwenas (Kvens) sometimes make depredations on the Northmen over the mountains, and sometimes the Northmen on them; there are very large freshwater meres amongst the mountains, and the Kvens carry their ships over land into the meres, and thence make depredations on the Northmen; they have very little ships, and very light."

(Notably, there is a reference in the Orkneyinga saga to the Southern Norwegian lake district, including the Lake Mjøsa area, the inhabitants of which were attacked by men from Kvenland, according to the saga.)

In 1007 (c), King Olaf II of Norway (Olaf II Haraldsson, Saint Olaf, 995 – July 29, 1030) plundered in Finland and almost got himself killed at the Battle at Herdaler, according to the Saga of Olaf Haraldson, a saga within the Heimskringla saga.

In 1100s - according to Egil's Saga from c. 1240 -, the Norwegians and the Kvens cooperate against the expansionism of the Karelians and in the taxation of the Samis.

In 1230, the Orkneyinga saga tells that the Southern Norwegian lake district, including Lake Mjøsa (100 kilometers north from the modern-day Oslo), were attacked by men from Kvenland.

The introduction to the Orkneyinga saga - a.k.a. Fundinn Noregr ('Foundation of Norway') - provides information about Fornjót, a king who ruled over Finland, Kvenland anf Gotland, and the conquest of Norway by his descendant, Nór, who travelled to Norway from Kvenland. Based on saga's internal chronologies, the war would have taken place on the 6th or 7th century. The saga also provides details on the royal descendants of Gór, Nór's brother.

The Hversu Noregr byggðist (Old Norse: How Norway was inhabited) is an account of the origin of various legendary Norwegian lineages. The account is sometimes called Fundinn Noregr, 'Foundation of Norway'. It traces the descendants of the primeval ruler Fornjót down to Nór, who is here the eponym and first great king of Norway, and then gives details of the descendants of Nór and of his brother Gór in a following section known as the Ættartölur ('Genealogies'). The Hversu account is closely paralleled by the opening of the Orkneyinga saga, which provides details on the descendants of Gór only, including information not found in the Hversu or the Ættartölur accounts.

In 1251, the Karelians fight against the Norwegians.

In 1271, the Kvens and the Karelians cooperate in battles against the Norwegians in Hålogaland, in Northern Norway, according to Icelandic chronicles. These battles had a lasting effect in the geopolitical landscape of the entire Northern Scandinavia:

"Then Karelians (Kereliar) and Kvens (Kvænir) pillaged widely in Hålogaland (Hálogalandi)."