Kveldulf Bjalfason
Encyclopedia
Ulf Bjalfason (better known as Kveldulf, Old Norse
for "evening wolf") was a renowned hersir
and landowner in ninth century Sogn
, Norway
. He is a main character in the early chapters of Egils Saga
and appears in the Landnamabok
and other Icelandic sources. Kveldulf is described as an ulfhéðinn, a shape-shifter (hamrammr), or a berserker
.
and Hallbera Ulfsdattir, daughter of Ulf the Brave
and sister of Hallbjorn Halftroll
. He was thus first cousin to Ketil Trout of Halogaland
and a kinsman of the latter's descendant, Ketil Trout
of Namdalen
. Kveldulf married Salbjorg Karadottir
, the daughter of the viking
chieftain Berle-Kari
; he was thus the brother-in-law of the Viking Eyvind Lambi
and the skald
Olvir Hnufa
.
Kveldulf and Salbjorg had two sons, Thorolf
and Grim (who was better known as Skallagrim or "Bald Grim").
, but refused to join the coalition against Harald led by King Kjotve the Rich
of Agder
, and would not fight in the army of the kings of Sogn. He permitted his son Thorolf to join Harald's retinue and was permitted to live in peace despite failing to swear allegiance to the king.
. On the way, exhausted by his "berserker fit", the elderly Kveldulf died. Skallagrim built his farm at Borg, Iceland, near where Kveldulf's coffin washed ashore.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
for "evening wolf") was a renowned hersir
Hersir
A hersir was a local military commander of a hundred and owed allegiance to a jarl or king. They were also aspiring landowners, and, like the middle class in many feudal societies, supported the kings in their centralization of power. The hersir was often equipped with a conical helmet and a short...
and landowner in ninth century Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He is a main character in the early chapters of Egils Saga
Egils saga
Egils saga is an epic Icelandic saga. The oldest transcript dates back to 1240 AD. The saga is centered on the life of Egill Skallagrímsson, an Icelandic farmer, viking and skald...
and appears in the Landnamabok
Landnámabók
Landnámabók , often shortened to Landnáma, is a medieval Icelandic written work describing in considerable detail the settlement of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries AD.-Landnáma:...
and other Icelandic sources. Kveldulf is described as an ulfhéðinn, a shape-shifter (hamrammr), or a berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
.
Family
Kveldulf was the son of BjalfiBjalfi
Bjalfi was a ninth-century Norwegian hersir. He married Hallbera Ulfsdattir, the daughter of Ulf the Brave and sister of Hallbjorn Halftroll. With Hallbera Bjalfi was the father of Kveldulf Bjalfasson....
and Hallbera Ulfsdattir, daughter of Ulf the Brave
Ulf the Brave
Ulf the Brave was a Norwegian hersir who probably lived in Sogn in the early ninth century CE. He was the father of Hallbjorn Halftroll and Hallbera Ulfsdóttir. He was the grandfather of Kveldulf Bjalfasson and thus the ancestor of the clan of Egill Skallagrimsson. He is mentioned in Egils Saga....
and sister of Hallbjorn Halftroll
Hallbjorn Halftroll
Hallbjorn Halftroll or Hallbjorn Ulfsson was an early ninth century Norwegian hersir. He was the father of Ketil Trout of Hrafnista. He is mentioned in the Ketils saga hœngs as well as Egils Saga and the Landnamabok. His nickname "Halftroll" comes from certain legends that ascribe jotun ancestry to...
. He was thus first cousin to Ketil Trout of Halogaland
Ketils saga hœngs
Ketils saga hœngs is a legendary saga from Iceland on the North Norwegian chieftain Kettil Trout from Ramsta in Hålogaland. It is one of the sagas called the Hrafnistumannasögur surrounding Ketil Trout and his relatives....
and a kinsman of the latter's descendant, Ketil Trout
Ketil Trout (Iceland)
Ketil Thorkelsson, better known by his nickname Ketil Trout or Ketil Salmon was a Norwegian hersir of the late ninth century who settled in Iceland around 900 CE...
of Namdalen
Namdalen
Namdalen is a traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Fosnes, Nærøy, Høylandet, Namdalseid, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Namsskogan, and Vikna, all in Nord-Trøndelag county. The district has two towns: Kolvereid and Namsos...
. Kveldulf married Salbjorg Karadottir
Salbjorg Karadottir
Salbjorg Karadottir was a Norwegian woman of the late ninth century. She was the daughter of Berle-Kari and sister of Eyvind Lambi and Olvir Hnufa. Salbjorg married Kveldulf Bjalfasson and had two children, Thorolf Kveldulfsson and Skallagrim Kveldulfsson, with him.-References:*Ellwood, T., trans. ...
, the daughter of the viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
chieftain Berle-Kari
Berle-Kari
Berle-Kari was a viking chieftain who lived in ninth-century Norway. His home was at Berle , in present-day Bremanger in Sogn og Fjordane county. Landnámabók names him as the son of Vemund, and brother of Skjoldolf, one of the early settlers of Iceland.According to Egil's Saga, Kari was a berserker...
; he was thus the brother-in-law of the Viking Eyvind Lambi
Eyvind Lambi
Eyvind Lambi or Eyvind Lamb was a Norwegian viking and hersir of the late ninth and early tenth centuries, known from, among other sources, Egil's Saga...
and the skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
Olvir Hnufa
Olvir Hnufa
Olvir Hnufa or Ölvir hnúfa was a Norwegian hersir and skald of the late ninth and early tenth centuries, known from, among other sources, Egil's Saga, Skaldatal and the Prose Edda...
.
Kveldulf and Salbjorg had two sons, Thorolf
Thorolf Kveldulfsson
Thorolf Kveldulfsson was the oldest son of Kveldulf Bjalfasson and the brother of the Norwegian/Icelandic goði and skald Skalla-Grimr. Thorolf is a hero of the early part of Egils saga. According to that work, he served as a retainer of Harald I of Norway and fought on the latter's own ship at the...
and Grim (who was better known as Skallagrim or "Bald Grim").
Opposition to King Harald
Kveldulf opposed the rising power of Harald Fairhair, king of VestfoldVestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
, but refused to join the coalition against Harald led by King Kjotve the Rich
Kjotve the Rich
Kjotve the Rich was a king of Agder, then a petty kingdom in southern Norway, in the late 800s. Kjotve was the father of Thor Haklang . Kjotve lead the western Norwegian kings against Harald Fairhair at the Battle of Hafrsfjord. Defeated by Harald, Kjotve fled; many of his allies were killed in...
of Agder
Agder
Agder is a historical district of Norway in the southernmost region of Norway, corresponding to the two counties Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder. Today, the term Sørlandet is more commonly used.-Name:...
, and would not fight in the army of the kings of Sogn. He permitted his son Thorolf to join Harald's retinue and was permitted to live in peace despite failing to swear allegiance to the king.
Death
When Thorolf was killed by King Harald's men, Kveldulf was overcome with grief and "took to his bed. After having a request for compensation refused by the king, Kveldulf and his son Skallagrim took revenge by killing Thorolf's killers before fleeing Norway for IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. On the way, exhausted by his "berserker fit", the elderly Kveldulf died. Skallagrim built his farm at Borg, Iceland, near where Kveldulf's coffin washed ashore.