Olaf The Black - Family

Family

Óláfr is known to have been survived by three children; Haraldr (d. 1248), Rögnvaldr (d. 1249), and Magnús (d. 1265)—all of whom ruled as kings in their own right. Although the mother of Óláfr's children is not known for certain, she is thought to have been Christina. The Chronicle of Mann states that Óláfr's immediate successor, Haraldr, was only fourteen years old at the time of his father's death, which dates his birth to about the time of the marriage of Óláfr and Christina.

There is evidence to suggest that Óláfr might have had a fourth son named Guðrøðr. For example the chronicle relates how the governor of Mann, described as a kinsman of Haraldr, fled from the king in 1238 and set sail for Wales, taking with him his foster-son Guðrøðr Óláfsson. When the fleeing ship reached the Welsh coast it was wrecked and, according to the chronicle, Guðrøðr perished on board. Furthermore, amongst the names of witnesses within a quitclaim between Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (d. 1282) and Ralph de Mortimer (d. 1246), thought to date to about 1241, there is a certain Guðrøðr who appears in Latin as Godredo filio regis Mannie ("Guðrøðr, son of the King of Mann"). Although the possibility has been raised that the two sources may refer to the same man, there is no further evidence to confirm it.