Thorgils Skarthi
Encyclopedia
Thorgils Skarthi
(the hare-lipped) (correctly Þorgils Skarði) was a Viking
raid
er and poet who, in about 966 founded, Scarborough, England which was then known as Skarðaborg.
The new settlement was burned to the ground by (Tostig Godwinson
), Earl of Falsgrave and Lord of the Manor of Hougun. Tostig had been deprived for cruelly causing insurrection among the Northumbrians. He returned with the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada. They fired fire bales from the hill into Scarborough. The community was left abandoned, those who remained were slain and all their belongings seized. The community was later was later rebuilt and became known as Scarborough.
Thorgils Skarthi is described in the Kormáks saga
which is principally about Kormak Ogmundsson (Old Norse: Kormákr Ǫgmundarson). Robert Mannyng of Brunne in his book Story of Inglande (1338) quoted from two lost romances about Thorgils Skarði, including that he had a brother called Fleyn. If so, this Kormak may have had the nickname Fleinn, and if so may have founded Flamborough
(from Old Norse
Fleinaborg). Thorgils and Kormak came to England not long after Harald Greyhide
's expedition to Bjarmaland
, today the area of Arkhangelsk
in northern Russia
.
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
(the hare-lipped) (correctly Þorgils Skarði) was a 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...
raid
Raid (military)
Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
er and poet who, in about 966 founded, Scarborough, England which was then known as Skarðaborg.
The new settlement was burned to the ground by (Tostig Godwinson
Tostig Godwinson
Tostig Godwinson was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold Godwinson, the last crowned english King of England.-Early life:...
), Earl of Falsgrave and Lord of the Manor of Hougun. Tostig had been deprived for cruelly causing insurrection among the Northumbrians. He returned with the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada. They fired fire bales from the hill into Scarborough. The community was left abandoned, those who remained were slain and all their belongings seized. The community was later was later rebuilt and became known as Scarborough.
Thorgils Skarthi is described in the Kormáks saga
Kormáks saga
Kormáks saga is one of the Icelanders' sagas. It tells of the tenth-century Icelandic poet, Kormákr Ögmundarson, and Steingerðr, the love of his life. The saga preserves a significant amount of poetry attributed to Kormákr, much of it dealing with his love for Steingerðr. Though the saga is...
which is principally about Kormak Ogmundsson (Old Norse: Kormákr Ǫgmundarson). Robert Mannyng of Brunne in his book Story of Inglande (1338) quoted from two lost romances about Thorgils Skarði, including that he had a brother called Fleyn. If so, this Kormak may have had the nickname Fleinn, and if so may have founded Flamborough
Flamborough
Flamborough is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north east of Bridlington town centre on the prominent coastal feature of Flamborough Head. The most prominent man-made feature of the area is Flamborough lighthouse. The headland...
(from Old Norse
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....
Fleinaborg). Thorgils and Kormak came to England not long after Harald Greyhide
Harald II of Norway
Harald II Greycloak was a king of Norway.Harald Greycloak was the son of Eirik Bloodaxe and a grandson of Harald Fairhair...
's expedition to Bjarmaland
Bjarmaland
Bjarmaland was a territory mentioned in Norse sagas up to the Viking Age and - beyond - in geographical accounts until the 16th century. The term is usually seen to have referred to the southern shores of the White Sea and the basin of the Northern Dvina River and - presumably - some of the...
, today the area of Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk , formerly known as Archangel in English, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina River near its exit into the White Sea in the north of European Russia. The city spreads for over along the banks of the river...
in northern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.