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Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson

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Hjǫrleifr Hróðmarsson (Old Norse: [ˈhjɔrˌlɛivz̠ ˈhroːðˌmɑrsˌson]; Modern Icelandic: Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson [ˈçœrˌleiːvʏr ˈr̥ouðˌmar̥sˌsɔːn]; Modern Norwegian: Leif Rodmarsson[1]) was an early settler in Iceland. The story of the early settlement of Iceland is told in the compilation known as Landnámabók.[2]

Hjörleifr was the blood brother of Ingólfr Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland in the late 9th century. While raiding in Ireland, he found an underground passage and killed a man to take his sword. From this event his original name Leifr was lengthened to Hjǫrleifr (Old Norse hjǫrr: 'sword'). Hjörleifr settled on land on the mountain Hjörleifshöfði (east of Vík) which was named after him. He was later murdered by his thralls, many of whom were Irish or Scottish.[3] The fugitive slaves were killed by Ingólfr Arnarson, thereby saving all the women[which?] who were held captive by the slaves.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ "Ingolv Arnesson". Norsk biografisk leksikon. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  2. ^ Leffman, David; Proctor, James (2004). The Rough Guide to Iceland. Rough Guides. p. 338. ISBN 1-84353-289-1.
  3. ^ Historical Dictionary of the Vikings By Katherine Holman p252 scarecrow press 2003 discusses that both Scottish and Irish slaves were in Iceland
  4. ^ "Hjörleifshöfði". brydebud.vik.is. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2016.