Tora Torbergsdatter
Tora Torbergsdatter | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1025 Giske |
| Noble family | Giskeætten |
| Spouse(s) | Harald Hardrada Sweyn II of Denmark(?) |
| Issue | Olav Kyrre,Magnus II Haraldsson |
| Father | Torberg Arnesson |
| Mother | Ragnhild Erlingsdatter |
Tora Torbergsdatter(Old Norse:Þóra Þorbergsdóttir,born 1025 – year of death unknown:fl.1066) was a Norwegian royal consort. She was the mother of two kings of Norway. It is possible, but unconfirmed, that she was also queen of Denmark or Sweden.[1]
Biography[edit]
Tora Torbergsdatter was born onGiskeinMøre og Romsdal,Norway. She belonged to theGiskeætten,a powerful family fromGiskeinSunnmøre.She was daughter ofTorberg ArnessonofGiske(ca. 1000–1050) and wife Ragnhild Erlingsdatter (992), maternal granddaughter ofErling Skjalgssonand wife Astrid Eiriksdatter and paternal niece ofFinn ArnessonandKalv Arnesson.[2][3]
Tora married KingHarald Hardradaof Norway in 1048. The marriage can largely be explained by politics and alliance building. The chiefs of the Giske family played a key role in Norwegian power politics. The relationship between Tora and Harald Hardrada created strong ties with the royal family. Tora became the mother of both KingOlav Kyrreand KingMagnus II Haraldsson.[4]
King Harald had previously marriedElisaveta Yaroslavnaduring the winter of 1043–44. The prior marriage between Harald and Elisaveta is only documented by the court poetStuv den Blinde(Stúfr inn Blindi Þórðarson Kattar). There are no other remaining documentation about her stay in Norway. It is therefore possible that Elisaveta stayed in Rus', or that she may have died on her way to Norway. However, that would mean that the daughters of Harald,IngegerdandMaria,who are attributed to her, must have been Tora's. This is not considered likely, as Maria was engaged toEystein Orre,who would have been her uncle had she been the daughter of Tora.[5]It is therefore possible that Tora was Harald's concubine.[5]
In 1066, Harald invaded England, where he died. Tradition says that Elisaveta and her daughters followed Harald to England, where Maria died, as it was said, at the news of her father's death. Afterward, Elisaveta and her second daughter Ingegerd returned to Norway with the Norwegian fleet. Elisaveta was to have stayed at theOrkney islandsduring this trip. However, the oldest of the sagas claim that it was Tora and not Elisaveta who accompanied Harald on the trip, which is considered more likely, as she was the cousin ofThorfinn Sigurdsson,Jarlof Orkney.[5]
According toAdam of Bremen,the mother of KingOlav Kyrreremarried either KingSweyn II of Denmarkor an unnamed Swedish king (possibly KingHaakon of Sweden) as a widow, but this is unconfirmed. It is also unknown whether this refers to the actual mother of Olav Kyrre, which would mean Tora Torbergsdatter, or his stepmother, which would mean Elisiv.[5]
References[edit]
- ^Merete Røskaft."Tora Torbergsdatter".Store norske leksikon.
- ^"Torberg Arnesson".Store norske leksikon.
- ^"Giskeætten".Store norske leksikon.
- ^"Stúfr inn blindi Þórðarson kattar (Old Norse Teaching Texts)".
- ^abcd"Ellisiv".28 August 2014.
Other sources[edit]
- Magnusson, Magnus; Pálsson, Hermann (1976)King Harald's Saga: Harald Hardradi of Norway: From Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla(Penguin Classics)ISBN978-0140441833