Quick Facts
Biography
Halfdan Long-Leg (Old Norse: Hálfdan háleggur, Norwegian: Halvdan Hålegg) was a Viking-Age warrior who lived in the latter half of the 9th century. He was the son of King Harald Fairhair and a Sami woman named Snofrid Svasadottir.
Snorri Sturluson in Heimskringla states that Halfdan was one of Harald's many sons who were involved in a power struggle with one another. Halfdan and his brother Gudrød Ljome were responsible for murdering Rognvald Eysteinsson and 60 of his men by burning them inside a structure. Upon learning of this event, Harald flew into a rage and sent out a great force against Gudrød who was then banished. Rognvald's son Torf-Einarr performed the Blood eagle ritual on Halfdan in retaliation after a battle. Harald madeRognvald's son ThorirmEarl of Møre and gave his daughter Alof to him in marriage.
Other sources
- Crawford, Barbara (1987) Scandinavian Scotland (Leicester University Press) ISBN 978-0-7185-1282-8
- Muir, Tom (2005) Orkney in the Sagas: The Story of the Earldom of Orkney as told in the Icelandic Sagas (The Orcadian. Kirkwall) ISBN 978-0-9548862-3-3
- Pálsson, Hermann and Edwards, Paul Geoffrey (1981)Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney (Penguin Classics) ISBN 978-0-14-044383-7
