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I s su e 47 • 2022
Tróndur í Gøtu Christian Roots and Royal Bloodlines
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ne of Iceland’s most common proverbs is Þrándur í Götu – in Faroese, Tróndur í Gøtu, literally meaning ‘an obstacle to someone’. However, it is not common knowledge that Þrándur Þorbjörnsson [945-1035] had roya l bloodlines in abundance as the descendant of one of Iceland’s most famous settlers, Auður hin djúpúðga – the Deep-minded – who was born ca. 850 AD. Auður settled in Hvammur in the valleys of West Iceland in the 10th century. Auður was a Celtic Christian, the daughter of Norse Viking, Ketill Flatnose Bjarnason, whom King Harald Fairhair had sent to win back the Outer Hebrides – known as Suðureyjar in the Icelandic sagas. Ketill Flatnose, as ruler of the Outer Hebrides, neglected to pay taxes to King Harald. Auður was wife to Ólafur White Ingjaldsson, King of Dublin, who was killed in battle in Dublin. The first sentence of the Erik the Red Saga states:
Ólafur was the name of a warrior king who was called Ólafur the White. He was the son of the King Ingjaldur Helgason, son of Helgi, son of Ólaf, son of Guðred, the son of Hálfdan Whiteleg, King of Uplands [first
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Yngling King in Norway]. Ólafur engaged in Viking raids in the West and conquered Dublin in Ireland as well as the shire of Dublin and made himself king. Auður and King Ólafur’s only child was Thorsteinn the Red. After Ólafur‘s death in Dyflinn – Dublin – Auður, along with her young son, fled to the Outer Hebrides then ruled by her father. Þorsteinn the Red married Þuríður Eyvindardóttir, daughter of Eyvindur Eastman and Rafarta Kjarvalsdóttir, daughter of Cerball Kjarval MacDúnlaing [ca. 800888 AD], King in Ireland. Þorsteinn the Red and Þuríður had seven children; Ólafur feilan and six daughters, Gróa, Ólöf, Ósk, Þórildur, Þorgerður and Vigdís. Þorsteinn the Red became King in Scotland but was killed by the Scots at Katanes. The Icelandic Færeyinga Saga that was written in 13th century says: There is a man named Grímur Kamban. Grímur was the first person to settle the Faroe Islands. In the time of Haraldur hárfagri – Fairhair – a large number of people fled in the face of his tyranny. Some settled in the Faroe Islands and dwelt there, while some sought other unpopulated lands. Auður hin
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djúpauðga sailed out to Iceland and called in at the Faroes and there gave Þorsteinn the Red’s daughter, Ólöf, in marriage, and thence originated the greatest family line of the Faroe Islanders, which they call GataChaps, who lived on Austrey. There was a man called Þorbjörn. He was known as Gata-Chap. He lived on Austrey in the Faroes. His wife was called Guðrún. They had two sons. The elder was called Þorlákur, and the younger Þrándur, [Tróndur]. They were promising men. Þorlákur was both big and strong; Þrándur was also of the same build when he grew up, but there was a large difference in their ages. Þrándur had red hair and a freckled face, handsome to look at. After her son’s death at Katanes, Auður secretly had a Viking knörr [ship] built in the forest and set sail with the family treasures, along with Þúríður her daughter in law, grandchildren, freeborns and slaves. The family history, Laxdæla Saga, states: Men do not know that ever has one woman gotten away from such strife [war] with as much capital and entourage. From that it was concluded that she was outstanding among women.
