Augvald
King Augvald (Old Norse Ögvaldr) was a semi-legendary figure from the Norse sagas. He reportedly lived at Karmøy, controlling the realm that included parts of what is today Hordaland and southern Norway. Avaldsnes on the island of Karmøy is allegedly named after King Augvald.[1]
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[edit] Biography
According to the sagas, King Augvald was the son of Rognvald, who was the son of Rugalf. Rugalf was the son of Gard Agde who in turn was the son of Nór from Gotland. King Augvald originally ruled an area between Hjelmeland and Fyresdal. King Augvald was a battle-hungry man who often raided foreign land, amassing great wealth and honour in his stride. He was considered to be a great conqueror. King Augvald had several daughters, two of which were female warriors, known as Shieldmaidens (Skjøldmøy), who fought together with their father in all of his battles. He won a large territory after fighting many sea battles. Then he settled at Karmøy, the largest island in the traditional district of Ryfylke.[2]
Augvald is noted for his honoring of a holy cow and drinking its milk to gain power. Augvald and the cow were killed at a battle against his rival King Ferking of western Karmøy. The last battle between the two kings took place in a field about 500 meters from Stava, Ferkingstad. It was a fierce battle with a great loss of men, and King Augvald was mortally wounded. When his two daughters saw that Augvald had died, they jumped in a river and drowned.
Augvald had a son, Jøsur, who became king of Rogaland and parts of Hordaland. Jøsur's son, Hjør, inherited the throne of both Rogaland and Hordaland. Hjør himself was the ancestor of Norwegian west coast kings including Hjørleiv and Halv.[3][4]
It is said that when King Olav Tryggvason arrived on Karmøy, two mounds were dug up, revealing the bones of a man in the one and the bones of a cow in the other.[5]
[edit] Sources
Augvald is depicted in the Flateyjarbok, in the Heimskringla and The Saga of Olav Tryggvason, as well as in The Saga of Halv and Halvsrekkene. Augvald also appears in Historia rerum Norvegicarum and other works of Icelandic historian, Tormod Torfaeus.[6]
[edit] References
[edit] Other sources
- Hernæs, Per (1997) Karmøys historie - som det stiger frem. Fra istid til 1050 (Karmøy kommune) ISBN 978-82-7859-003-4
- Opedal, Arnfrid (1998) De glemte skipsgravene: Makt og myter pa Avaldsnes (Arkeologisk museum i Stavanger) ISBN 978-82-7760-043-7
