Harold Maddadson Earl of Caithness and Orkney

• Preferred Name: Harold Maddadson Earl of Caithness and Orkney^{[1] [2]}
  
• Gender: M
  
• Death: 1206 in Orkney Island, Scotland at LATI: N9 LONG: E3 with note: GEDCOM data
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - with Rögnvald Kali KolssonBET 1154 AND 1158
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - with Rögnvald Kali KolssonBET 1138 AND 1151
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - with Rögnvald Kali Kolsson and Erlend HaraldssonBET 1151 AND 1154
  
• FSID: LDLK-8TB
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Earl or Mormaer of CaithnessBET 1139 AND 1206
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - aloneBET 1158 AND 1191
  
• Nickname:
  
• Birth: 1128 in Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland at LATI: N6.8167 LONG: E4 with note: This record contains little information: G4ZD-6NC. There is enough evidence to believe it is the same person as LDLK-8TB.
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - with Harald EirikssonBET 1192 AND 1198
  
• http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: Jarl of Orkney - aloneBET 1198 AND 1206
  
• Burial: 1206 in Scotland
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  Harald Maddadsson (Old Norse: Haraldr Maddaðarson, Gaelic: Aralt mac Mataid) (c. 1134 – 1206) was Earl of Orkney and Mormaer of Caithness from 1139 until 1206. He was the son of Matad, Mormaer of Atholl, and Margaret, daughter of Earl Haakon Paulsson of Orkney. Of mixed Norse and Gaelic blood, and a descendant of Scots kings, he was a significant figure in northern Scotland, and played a prominent part in Scottish politics of the twelfth century. The Orkneyinga Saga names him one of the three most powerful Earls of Orkney along with Sigurd Eysteinsson and Thorfinn Sigurdsson.
  
  In the early twelfth century, the Earldom of Orkney, although weakened since the time of Earl Thorfinn, remained in control of Caithness and was dominant in Sutherland and parts of the Outer Hebrides. Thus the succession of the earldom was of great interest to the Scots king David I. The marriage of Matad and Margaret is believed to have taken place not long before 1134, shortly following David's suppression of a major revolt involving Mormaer Óengus of Moray, grandson of king Lulach, and Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair, the illegitimate son of David's brother Alexander, and the subsequent extension of royal power into the provinces of Moray and Ross.[3] David's nephew William fitz Duncan was appointed to rule Moray, and it has been proposed that Matad, whose power lay in the Scottish kingdom's heartland of Atholl, may also have been granted authority in the new lands north of the Mounth, and that his marriage to Margaret, Haakons daughter, was arranged with this in mind.[4]
  
  Harald Maddadsson was born shortly before Rognvald Kali Kolsson took control of the Earldom of Orkney, on the disappearance of Earl Paul Haakonsson. The Orkneyinga Saga reports the official tale, that Paul had abdicated, and the rumour that he was killed on the orders of Harald's mother. Earl Paul had not been well loved by his female kin. His mother and her sister, Frakkok, had previously tried to murder him with a poisoned shirt which instead caused the death of his brother Harald Haakonsson. Rognvald represented the pro-Norwegian faction in the Earldom. It is said that Frakkok and her supporters had originally intended to advance the claims of Harald Haakon's son Erlend on Paul's death. However, Matad and Margaret, with King David backing them, imposed the infant Harald Maddadson as joint ruler with Rognvald.
  
  The main threat to Harald Maddadsson and Rognvald Kali came from Erlend Haraldsson, especially from Erlend's supporter Frakkok. The old conspirator, however, was soon disposed of, burned to death in her hall near Helmsdale. The Orkneyinga Saga names Svein Asleifsson as the killer, and says that he came to Caithness from the south, from Atholl, with Rognvald's blessing and Matad's help. This Svein Asleifsson had also been the man in whose custody Earl Paul had disappeared.
  
  In Harald's early years, when power was exercised jointly with Rognvald on his behalf by councillors chosen by King David, Orkney enjoyed relative stability, although the Saga contains the usual killings and burnings of the time, including the death of an Earl Valthjof who is otherwise unknown. In 1150 or 1151, Harald visited Norway with Earl Rognvald, and probably met with King Ingi Haraldsson. During this visit Rognvald made his decision to go on crusade, as recounted at length in the Saga.
  
  After Harald returned to Orkney and Rognvald departed on his expedition, King Eystein Haraldsson, eldest brother of Ingi, undertook a raiding expedition from Norway against the Earldom of Orkney. During this operation he encountered Harald near Thurso and captured him. Harald was freed in return for a ransom in gold and by giving his oath to Eystein. Eystein then went on to raid the coasts of Scotland and England.
  
  Possibly as a result of Eystein's activities, King David granted half of Caithness to Harald's cousin, Erlend Haraldsson. The result, as recounted in the Orkneyinga Saga, was a political struggle which ended with Erlend's murder in 1154. Rognvald too was killed, in 1158. Svein Asleifsson was again heavily involved in this dynastic conflict. In 1153 King David died, to be succeeded by his young grandson, Malcolm IV. King Eystein too died in a war with his brothers Ingi and Sigurd which left Ingi the sole surviving son of Harald Gilli. As a result, by 1158 Harald Maddadsson was undisputed Earl of Orkney, with neither the King of Scots nor the King of Norway in any position to contest his power.
  
  Harald's first wife was named Affrica, a Gaelic name shared with a daughter of Fergus of Galloway. They had four children together whom the Orkneyinga Saga names as Heinrek, Haakon, Helena and Margaret.
  
  The second wife of Earl Harald, the Orkneyinga Saga says, was Hvarflod (erroneously called Gormflaith in some literature), daughter of "Earl Máel Coluim of Moray", whom he married around 1168, and with her he had six children: Thorfinn, David, Jon, Gunnhild, Herborga and Langlif. Hvarflod's father is presumed to have been Máel Coluim mac Aedh (possibly an heir of the Moray/ Loairn dynasty's rights), so that her sons, and it may be that she was the mother of Thorfinn alone of Harald's sons, would carry on the old rival claims to the Scots throne.[24] It appears that King William demanded that Harald repudiate Hvarflod as a condition of peace between them.[25] Of the surviving Haraldssons, David and Jon were joint Earls of Orkney on their father's death, while Heinrek (Eanric mac Arailt mac Mataidh) ruled Ross. Nothing more is known of Heinrik and Earl David Haraldsson died of sickness in 1214, leaving Jon to rule alone until 1231.
  
  In 1222 Earl Jon was implicated, indirectly, in the burning of Bishop Adam of Caithness in his hall at Halkirk by local farmers. Jon was accused of looking on or of fomenting the discontent. King Alexander II undertook harsh reprisals for the killing, to the satisfaction of Pope Honorius III. The writer of the Orkneyinga Saga reported that "The punishments by Alexander for the burning of the bishop, by mutilation and death, confiscation and outlawry from the land, are still in fresh memory".
  
  Jon Haraldsson was killed in 1231, at Thurso in Caithness. He was contested by Snaekoll Gunnisson, a great-grandson of Rognvald Kali, who had demanded that Jon should share the Earldom with him, as had been done before. Jon's supporters and Snaekoll's fought a war until it was agreed that King Haakon Sverreson should settle the matter. All concerned set off to Norway, but a ship carrying Earl Jon, his supporters, and his kin, was lost at sea on the return voyage. As a result, the line of Norse Earls came to a temporary end and from 1231 until 1236 Orkney was without an Earl. In 1236 the Earldom was granted by Haakon IV of Norway, to Magnus, son of Gille Brigte, Mormaer of Angus. Although ruled by Angus, Strathearn and Sinclair lords thereafter, Orkney remained part of the kingdom of Norway.
  
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  The King of the Scots, William the Lion (1165-1214) had been a prisoner of England, When he returned to Scotland "he forever afterwards showed the most sterling qualities, and stood manfully up for the independence of his kingdom and the Church". In the spirit of the Papal decree, King William was very active in erecting, endowing and beginning numerous churches throughout the kingdom. In 1184 he gave half of Caithness to Harald Eiriksson, known as "Harald the Young", and made him a joint earl with Harald Maddadarson (Harald the Old). Harald the Old had been the sole earl of Orkney and Caithness since the murder of earl St. Rognvald in 1158 and he was enraged at this and a civil war began. His early success in battle, emboldened him to foolishly invade the Scots' earldom of Moray. King William gathered a great army, recovered Moray and chased Harald back to Caithness. He destroyed Harold's stronghold at Thurso. Harold tried to flee to Orkney but was driven back by gales. Desperately he threw himself at the King's feet asking for mercy. King William allowed him to keep half of Caithness but took Harold's son, Thorfinn, as a hostage.
  Harold remained rebellious. King William the Lion made two or three further forays into Caithness between 1196-7 to subdue Harold the Old but was not successful. Again in 1198 there was trouble. The two Harolds met each other with armies just outside of Wick in a fierce battle during which Harold the Young was slain. The exasperated King sold part of Caithness to Reginald Gudrodrsson, a Norse king of Man. He was a seasoned warrior who came north with a fleet of ships to claim Caithness but once again, Harold the Old was victorious. King William came in person once more to force Harold to submit. The King ordered a church to be built at Wick on the spot where earl Harold the Young had been slain.
  Just after Christmas 1201, six bailiffs fled from the north to King William the Lion. Once more Harold the Old was plotting rebellion and was now negotiating with King John of England. William called out a general levy, which marched to Ousdale in Caithness. Meanwhile his royal fleet sailed to cut off Harald's retreat to Orkney. The vast army forced Harald the Old to sue for peace. Later me met the king at Perth. Using the intercession of Roger, bishop of St. Andrews, and others, he was "bought to concorde with the king". By that time William had forced him to pay a fine of 2000 pounds of silver and made Harald and his kindred erect a steeple over the church at Wick that was dedicated to the slain Harald the Young. William then divided the ancient earldom of Caithness by removing all the lands south of the Ord which later became the earldom of Sutherland.

• m. ABT 1148

• m. BEF 1158 in Scotland

1. Jon Haraldsson - Earl of Orkney I, b. 1158 in Orkney Islands, Orkney, Scotland     d. 1231 in Thurso, Caithness, Scotland

1. Title: Book - The East Newk of Fife : It's History & Antiquities
   
2. Title: Legacy NFS Source: Harald II Caithness Earl Caithness - birth:
   Author: 13143.GED, Not Given
   Note: birth: Source Media Type: Other death: Source Media Type: Other Source Media Type: Other
   Page: Migrated from user-supplied source citation: urn:familysearch:source:2737222793