Harald Maddadsson - The Haraldssons

The Haraldssons

Harald's first wife was named Affrica, a Gaelic name shared with a daughter of Fergus of Galloway. They had four children together whom the Orkneyinga Saga names as Heinrek, Haakon, Helena and Margaret.

The second wife of Earl Harald, the Orkneyinga Saga says, was Hvarflod (erroneusly called Gormflaith in some literature), daughter of "Earl Máel Coluim of Moray", whom he married around 1168, and with her he had six children: Thorfinn, David, Jon, Gunnhild, Herborga and Langlif. Hvarflod's father is presumed to have been Máel Coluim mac Aedh (possibly an heir of the Moray/ Loairn dynasty's rights), so that her sons, and it may be that she was the mother of Thorfinn alone of Harald's sons, would carry on the old rival claims to the Scots throne. It appears that King William demanded that Harald repudiate Hvarflod as a condition of peace between them. Of the surviving Haraldssons, David and Jon were joint Earls of Orkney on their father's death, while Heinrek (Eanric mac Arailt mac Mataidh) ruled Ross. Nothing more is known of Heinrik and Earl David Haraldsson died of sickness in 1214, leaving Jon to rule alone until 1231.

In 1222 Earl Jon was implicated, indirectly, in the burning of Bishop Adam of Caithness in his hall at Halkirk by local farmers. Jon was accused of looking on or of fomenting the discontent. King Alexander II undertook harsh reprisals for the killing, to the satisfaction of Pope Honorius III. The writer of the Orkneyinga Saga reportedthat "The punishments by Alexander for the burning of the bishop, by mutilation and death, confiscation and outlawry from the land, are still in fresh memory".

Jon Haraldsson was killed in 1231, at Thurso in Caithness. He was contested by Snaekoll Gunnisson, a great-grandson of Rognvald Kali, who had demanded that Jon should share the Earldom with him, as had been done before. Jon's supporters and Snaekoll's fought a war until it was agreed that King Haakon Sverreson should settle the matter. All concerned set off to Norway, but a ship carrying Earl Jon, his supporters, and his kin, was lost at sea on the return voyage. As a result, the line of Norse Earls came to a temporary end and from 1231 until 1236 Orkney was without an Earl. In 1236 the Earldom was granted by Haakon IV of Norway, to Magnus, son of Gille Brigte, Mormaer of Angus. Although ruled by Angus, Strathearn and Sinclair lords thereafter, Orkney remained part of the kingdom of Norway.