214:
Muir (2005) points out that a literal translation of "Karl
Hundisson" is "peasant son-of-a-dog", an insult that may have been obvious to Norse-speakers hearing the saga and that "we can assume this wasn't his real name". The implication is that there is no purpose in seeking phonetic parallels with
202:
and died there. Woolf proposes that Karl
Hundason, rather that being some hitherto unknown Scots king, was the son of Thorfinn's brother Hlodver Hundi. However, Thomson had already discussed this possibility in 2001, and urged caution as both
108:
he whole narrative is consistent with the idea that the struggle of
Thorfinn and Karl is a continuation of that which had been waged since the ninth century by the Orkney earls, notably Sigurd Rognvald's son, Ljot, and
185:
which are preserved in the saga. A degree of scepticism has been expressed by many writers from
Robertson onwards, some going to so far as to suggest that the whole episode is poetic invention. Most recently
215:
known Scots personages. Thomson points out that both "Karl" and Hundi" are names used in other contexts without disparaging intentions although the combination is otherwise unknown.
520:
164:
as being unnecessarily complex. Instead
Robertson proposed that Hundason should be identified with Duncan I. The most popular candidate to be Karl Hundason is
1238:
543:
355:, p. 576, note 7, refers to the account as "a fabulous story" and concludes that "o solution to the riddle seems to be justified". See also Robertson,
1233:
649:
644:
584:
475:
100:
Whoever Karl son of Hundi may have been, it is thought that the saga is reporting a local conflict, perhaps with a Scots ruler of Moray or
862:
513:
456:
492:
448:
423:
325:
61:
says that a dispute between
Thorfinn Sigurdsson and Karl Hundason began when Karl Hundason became "King of Scots" and claimed
1248:
506:
251:
Taylor's comment about "Sigurd
Rognvald's son, Ljot" is almost certainly a reference to Earl Ljot Thorfinnsson, the son of
634:
812:
680:
1243:
93:
ended with Karl defeated and fugitive or dead. Thorfinn, the saga says, then marched south through
Scotland as far as
776:
589:
1119:
877:
609:
604:
148:. Skene's proposal was that Karl (or Kali) Hundason should be identified with one "Malcolm MacKenneth", a son of
97:, burning and plundering as he passed. A later note in the saga claims that Thorfinn won nine Scottish earldoms.
276:
1187:
1139:
639:
715:
252:
149:
480:
945:
827:
659:
614:
161:
153:
267:
and there is no other individual with this name in the index of either
Thomson (2001) or Crawford (1987).
1063:
1019:
624:
529:
906:
49:
for more than a century. However a literal translation suggests that the name may simply be an insult.
130:
The identity of Karl
Hundason, unknown to Scots and Irish sources, has long been a matter of dispute.
1094:
761:
736:
654:
599:
563:
194:, when dealing with Thorfinn's childhood, mentions a brother named "Hvelp or Hundi" who was taken to
157:
133:
82:
74:
951:
917:
781:
771:
766:
705:
260:
259:
states that the battle at Skitten Mire where Ljot Thorfinnsson was mortally wounded in battle with
165:
30:
700:
1114:
1099:
1004:
899:
619:
256:
867:
1144:
1134:
1129:
994:
786:
756:
720:
488:
471:
444:
419:
170:
1104:
1042:
966:
872:
817:
710:
110:
746:
77:. Then Karl's nephew Mutatan or Muddan, appointed to rule Caithness for him, was killed at
1197:
1182:
1154:
1149:
1124:
1109:
1089:
933:
927:
842:
199:
25:
190:
has suggested that the identity of Karl Hundason has been in plain sight all along. The
1212:
1177:
1068:
922:
912:
690:
685:
568:
558:
553:
548:
264:
101:
46:
34:
1227:
1207:
1192:
1164:
1047:
1032:
984:
847:
90:
38:
1202:
1027:
857:
675:
629:
141:
832:
741:
594:
211:
suggest he only lived "a short while" and was unlikely to have had a son himself.
117:
of Moray, Sutherland, Ross, and Argyll, and that, in fine, Malcolm and Karl were
41:. The question of his identity and historicity has been debated by historians of
695:
86:
989:
463:
187:
1172:
1037:
999:
939:
822:
62:
1073:
979:
956:
852:
837:
751:
160:(Donnchad mac Crínáin) ruled in the south. This theory was criticised by
70:
42:
498:
69:, in the war which followed, Thorfinn defeated Karl in a sea-battle off
1009:
974:
893:
802:
168:(Mac Bethad mac Findláich), whose father may be called "jarl Hundi" in
359:, Volume II, pp. 478–479, where most of the account is rejected.
807:
195:
156:(Máel Coluim mac Cináeda) in the northern parts of the kingdom while
78:
263:
took place between 943 and 945. He was the only 'Ljot' that was an
145:
181:, and more particularly on those elements of Arnórr jarlaskáld's
94:
502:
418:, tr. Hermann Pálsson and Paul Edwards. Penguin, London, 1978.
177:
However, the existence of Karl Hundason rests solely on the
432:
Leicester University Press, Leicester, 1987. 0-7185-1282-0
140:
attempted to reconcile the conflicting witnesses of the
453:
Taylor, A.B., "Karl Hundason: King of Scots" in the
1163:
1082:
1056:
1018:
965:
886:
795:
729:
668:
577:
536:
416:
Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney
152:(Cináed mac Duib), presented as the successor of
514:
470:Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007.
8:
388:
386:
331:Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain
521:
507:
499:
242:Taylor, p. 338; Crawford, pp. 71–74.
223:
650:Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland
468:From Pictland to Alba, 789–1070.
460:, LXXI (1937), pp. 334–340.
279:. Canmore. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
7:
457:Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
29:. The saga recounts a war between
14:
1239:Heroes in Norse myths and legends
863:Port an Eilean Mhòir boat burial
777:Scottish–Norwegian War (1262-66)
326:Dictionary of National Biography
487:Edinburgh: Mercat Press, 2001.
329:; Williams, Smyth & Kirby,
314:, Volume II, pp. 477–479.
121:of one of these four provinces.
357:Scotland under her early kings
312:Scotland under her early kings
1:
1234:People associated with Orkney
277:"Upper Bowertower, Stone Lud"
85:. Finally, a great battle at
625:Ingibjörg the Earls'-Mother
299:The Highlanders of Scotland
1265:
1165:Associated clans and septs
485:The New History of Orkney.
37:, and Karl, whom it calls
645:Margaret, Queen of Norway
605:Gormflaith ingen Murchada
380:Woolf, pp. 309–310.
113:, against the princes or
89:on the south side of the
640:Margaret, Maid of Norway
590:Bethóc, Prioress of Iona
23:, is a personage in the
716:Thorbjorn Thorsteinsson
635:Máel Muire ingen Amlaíb
323:Thus, for example, the
253:Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson
150:Kenneth III of Scotland
138:Highlanders of Scotland
73:at the east end of the
660:Ragnhildis Olafsdottir
430:Scandinavian Scotland.
301:, Volume 1, Chapter 5.
123:
1249:Scandinavian Scotland
1064:Scottish island names
887:Artifacts and culture
564:Mormaers of Caithness
530:Scandinavian Scotland
481:Thomson, William P.L.
106:
1083:Battles and treaties
737:Kingdom of the Isles
655:Ragnhild Eriksdotter
610:Gunnhild Gormsdóttir
600:Cacht ingen Ragnaill
333:, pp. 106–107.
134:William Forbes Skene
83:Thorkel the Fosterer
952:St Magnus Cathedral
828:Cubbie Roo's Castle
772:Davidian Revolution
615:Helga Moddansdóttir
585:Aud the Deep-Minded
455:Proceedings of the
437:Orkney in the Sagas
428:Crawford, Barbara,
65:. According to the
31:Thorfinn Sigurdsson
1244:Legendary monarchs
946:Sen dollotar Ulaid
900:Chronicles of Mann
620:Ingeborg of Norway
392:Thomson, pp. 75-77
233:, cc. 20 & 32.
1221:
1220:
1188:Macaulay of Lewis
721:Thorstein the Red
669:Other notable men
476:978-0-7486-1234-5
435:Muir, Tom (2005)
401:Muir (2005) p. 47
288:Muir (2005) p. 21
1256:
878:St Magnus Church
873:Scar boat burial
818:Brough of Birsay
711:Sweyn Asleifsson
706:Ragnall ua Ímair
523:
516:
509:
500:
402:
399:
393:
390:
381:
378:
372:
366:
360:
349:
343:
342:Crawford, p. 72.
340:
334:
321:
315:
308:
302:
295:
289:
286:
280:
274:
268:
249:
243:
240:
234:
228:
111:Sigurd the Stout
1264:
1263:
1259:
1258:
1257:
1255:
1254:
1253:
1224:
1223:
1222:
1217:
1159:
1155:Treaty of Perth
1078:
1052:
1014:
961:
934:Orkneyinga saga
928:Manx runestones
882:
868:Rubha an Dùnain
843:Kirkwall Castle
813:Bishop's Palace
791:
725:
664:
573:
559:Lords of Argyll
549:Earls of Orkney
532:
527:
497:
410:
405:
400:
396:
391:
384:
379:
375:
369:Orkneyinga Saga
367:
363:
350:
346:
341:
337:
322:
318:
309:
305:
296:
292:
287:
283:
275:
271:
250:
246:
241:
237:
231:Orkneyinga Saga
229:
225:
221:
205:Orkenyinga saga
200:Olaf Trygvasson
179:Orkneyinga saga
128:
126:Interpretations
75:Orkney Mainland
67:Orkneyinga Saga
59:Orkneyinga Saga
55:
26:Orkneyinga Saga
12:
11:
5:
1262:
1260:
1252:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1226:
1225:
1219:
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1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
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1169:
1167:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1157:
1152:
1150:Treaty of 1098
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1071:
1069:Northern Isles
1066:
1060:
1058:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1024:
1022:
1016:
1015:
1013:
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1007:
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992:
987:
982:
977:
971:
969:
963:
962:
960:
959:
954:
949:
942:
937:
930:
925:
923:Lewis chessmen
920:
915:
913:Galloway Hoard
910:
903:
896:
890:
888:
884:
883:
881:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
799:
797:
793:
792:
790:
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
762:Outer Hebrides
759:
754:
749:
747:Gall-Ghàidheil
744:
739:
733:
731:
727:
726:
724:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
691:Olaf the White
688:
683:
678:
672:
670:
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665:
663:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
627:
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612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
581:
579:
575:
574:
572:
571:
566:
561:
556:
554:Crovan dynasty
551:
546:
540:
538:
534:
533:
528:
526:
525:
518:
511:
503:
496:
495:
478:
461:
451:
433:
426:
411:
409:
406:
404:
403:
394:
382:
373:
361:
344:
335:
316:
303:
290:
281:
269:
265:Earl of Orkney
244:
235:
222:
220:
217:
209:St Olaf's saga
127:
124:
54:
51:
47:Northern Isles
35:Earl of Orkney
21:Karl Hundisson
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1261:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
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1131:
1128:
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1123:
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1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
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1103:
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1085:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1049:
1048:Old Norwegian
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1021:
1017:
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1001:
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993:
991:
988:
986:
985:Law Ting Holm
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
972:
970:
968:
964:
958:
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953:
950:
948:
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931:
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879:
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849:
848:Linton Chapel
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
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738:
735:
734:
732:
728:
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719:
717:
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712:
709:
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704:
702:
701:Páll Bálkason
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611:
608:
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601:
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591:
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586:
583:
582:
580:
578:Notable women
576:
570:
567:
565:
562:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
547:
545:
544:List of kings
542:
541:
539:
535:
531:
524:
519:
517:
512:
510:
505:
504:
501:
494:
493:1-84183-022-4
490:
486:
482:
479:
477:
473:
469:
465:
462:
459:
458:
452:
450:
449:0-9548862-2-4
446:
442:
438:
434:
431:
427:
425:
424:0-14-044383-5
421:
417:
413:
412:
407:
398:
395:
389:
387:
383:
377:
374:
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365:
362:
358:
354:
348:
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328:
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320:
317:
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307:
304:
300:
294:
291:
285:
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258:
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239:
236:
232:
227:
224:
218:
216:
212:
210:
206:
201:
197:
193:
189:
184:
183:Þórfinnsdrápa
180:
175:
173:
172:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
125:
122:
120:
116:
112:
105:
103:
98:
96:
92:
91:Dornoch Firth
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
52:
50:
48:
44:
40:
39:king of Scots
36:
32:
28:
27:
22:
18:
17:Karl Hundason
1028:Middle Irish
944:
932:
907:Darraðarljóð
905:
898:
858:Old Scatness
676:Caittil Find
630:Isabel Bruce
484:
467:
454:
441:The Orcadian
440:
439:. Kirkwall.
436:
429:
415:
397:
376:
368:
364:
356:
352:
347:
338:
330:
324:
319:
311:
306:
298:
293:
284:
272:
247:
238:
230:
226:
213:
208:
204:
191:
182:
178:
176:
169:
166:King Macbeth
142:Irish annals
137:
132:
129:
118:
114:
107:
99:
66:
58:
56:
24:
20:
16:
15:
1145:Vestrajǫrðr
1120:Isle of Man
796:Archaeology
696:Olvir Rosta
464:Woolf, Alex
310:Robertson,
171:Njál's saga
87:Tarbat Ness
1228:Categories
1198:MacDougall
1193:Mac Coitir
1095:Brunanburh
990:Lunnasting
408:References
351:Anderson,
188:Alex Woolf
154:Malcolm II
1213:MacDonald
1183:Somhairle
1057:Etymology
1038:Old Norse
1000:Sandsting
940:Ounceland
833:Earl's Bu
823:Camas Uig
742:Dál Riata
681:Ingimundr
162:Robertson
63:Caithness
1208:Macruari
1178:Uí Ímair
1115:Epiphany
1100:Clontarf
1074:Hebrides
1020:Language
1005:Tingwall
980:Dingwall
967:Althings
957:Udal law
918:Hogbacks
853:Maeshowe
838:Jarlshof
782:Scotland
767:Shetland
752:Lochlann
686:Ljótólfr
569:Uí Ímair
371:, c. 12.
198:by King
158:Duncan I
144:and the
119:mormaers
115:mormaers
71:Deerness
45:and the
43:Scotland
1203:MacLeod
1135:Skyhill
1130:Renfrew
1043:Pictish
1010:Tynwald
995:Nesting
975:Delting
894:Birlinn
803:Bornish
730:History
414:Anon.,
297:Skene,
261:Macbeth
257:Canmore
136:in his
19:, also
1105:Dollar
808:Birsay
787:Norway
757:Orkney
595:Bjaðǫk
537:Rulers
491:
474:
447:
422:
196:Norway
79:Thurso
1125:Largs
1110:Barry
1090:Bauds
219:Notes
146:sagas
1173:Gunn
1140:Tara
1033:Norn
489:ISBN
472:ISBN
445:ISBN
420:ISBN
353:ESSH
207:and
192:Saga
102:Ross
95:Fife
57:The
53:Saga
81:by
1230::
483:,
466:,
443:.
385:^
255:.
174:.
33:,
522:e
515:t
508:v
104::
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