King of Kvenland - Icelandic Sagas

Icelandic Sagas

Despite the fact that the legendary title "King of Kvenland" appears widely used in various contexts, it is mentioned only once in sagas: Faravid in Egil's saga is directly said to be the "King of Kvenland". He also appears to have been a Kven himself.

Two other sagas that mention Kvenland, Hversu Noregr byggdist and Orkneyinga saga, do not use the title.

In Orkneyinga, only Fornjót is said to be "a king" and that he "reigned over Gotland, which we now know as Finland and Kvenland", never stating that he was specifically a "King of Kvenland". Orkneyinga neither says that Fornjót or any of his descendants were Kvens which is another common misconception.

Hversu has very much the same usage of the title. This time only Fornjót's (who is said to be just "a man") great-grandson Old Snow and his son Thorri are told to be kings, but again not "Kings of Kvenland". Kvenland appears only in relation to Thorri of whom it is said that "he ruled over Gothland, Kvenland, and Finland". Again, no mention that anyone of them had been Kvens. Hversu briefly mentions that Kvens made sacrifices to Thorri.

None of the kings mentioned to have ruled Kvenland can be verified to have been historical persons.