Olaf Feilan Explained

Olaf Feilan Thorsteinsson (Old Norse: Norse, Old: Ól'''á'''fr "feilan" Þorsteinsson in Norse, Old pronounced as /ˈoːˌlɑːvz̠ ˈfɛilɑn ˈθorˌstɛinsˌson/, Modern Icelandic: Icelandic: Ól'''a'''f'''u'''r "feilan" Þorsteinsson in Icelandic pronounced as /ˈouːˌlaːvʏr ˈfeiːlan ˈθɔrˌsteinsˌsɔːn/; c. 890 - 940) was an Icelandic gothi of the Settlement period. He was the son of Thorstein the Red, jarl of Caithness, and his wife Thurid Eyvindsdottir.[1] The byname "feilan" is derived from the Old Irish fáelán, meaning wolfling or little wolf.

After the death of his father Olaf was reared by his grandmother Aud the Deep-minded, and emigrated with her to Iceland, where they settled at the estate called Hvamm in the Laxardal region. Olaf married a woman named Alfdis of Barra, around 920. According to the Laxdæla saga Aud (called "Unn" in the saga) held Olaf dearer than anyone else, and bequested the Hvamm estate to him after her death. She arranged Olaf's betrothal to Alfdis, and planned the wedding feast for the end of summer (or autumn), which she predicted "would be the last feast I would hold".[2] She indeed died during the festivities that lasted 3-days, but the feast was continued to commemorate both Olaf's marriage and Aud's death. The Landnámabók gives briefer notice on this, merely stating she died during the funeral feast she held for herself in anticipation of her own death.[3]

The children of Olaf and Alfdis were Thord Gellir, Thora, Helga, Thorunn, and Thordis.[4] Olaf died around 940. Shortly after his death, his nephew Hoskuld Dala-Kollsson named his illegitimate son Olaf the Peacock as namesake[5] [6] (Olaf the Peacock had a son Kjartan Óláfsson, who was the beloved of Guðrún Ósvífrsdóttir, heroine of Laxdæla saga).

Descendants

Lines from Thord Gellir

References

Texts and translations
  • Ari the Learned, Landnámabók
    • Laxdæla saga
    also "The Vinland Sagas," pp. 626–676
    Other sagas
    Studies

    Notes and References

    1. Landnámabók, (translations:)
    2. Laxdæla saga ch.7 ; Her words are given as "..this shall be the last bridal feast arrayed by me." in which slightly changes the meaning.
    3. Landnámabók ("arval feast (funeral feast)";)
    4. Landnámabók
    5. , p.27 "Hoskuld's mistress gave birth to a male chidld.. He said it should be named Olaf, for Olaf Feilan had died a little time before, who was his mother's brother."
    6. Hoskuld's mother Thorgerd was Olaf Feilan's sister.
    7. (Footnote to Laxdaela

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Olaf Feilan".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.