X ғасырдағы Оркней графы Торфинн Скаллсплиттер

10th century Earl of Orkney

Thorfinn Torf Einarsson also known as Thorfinn Skull splitter (from the Old Norse Þorfinnr hausakljúfr) was a 10th century Earl of Orkney. He appears in the Orkneyinga saga and briefly in St Olaf's Saga, as incorporated into the Heimskringla. These stories were first written down in Iceland in the early 13th century and much of the information they contain is "hard to corroborate".

Thorfinn was the youngest son of Torf Einarr, himself the son of Rognvald Eysteinsson, the first Earl of Orkney. Torf Einarr had two other sons, Arnkel and Erlend who "fell in a war expedition" at an unspecified location in England along with Erik Bloodaxe. Erik's widow, Gunnhildr then fled north to Orkney with her sons who used the islands as a base for summer raiding expeditions. each of whom had a son called Einar Einar kliningr ("Buttered bread") and Einar harðkjotr ("Hard mouth"). According to St Olaf's Saga his sons became Earls after him who then ruled as earl for a time. Not content with this new arrangement Ragnhild then conspired with her nephew Einar kliningr, who killed Havard at the battle of Havarðsteiger near Stenness. Einar and Ragnhild then fell out and the latter persuaded Einar harðkjotr to attack and kill his cousin Einar kliningr in turn. Ragnhild's ambitions were still not assuaged and this "female spider" then colluded with Ljot Thorfinnson whom she married and then he had the second Einar killed. Skuli gave allegiance to the Scots king who gave him the title Earl of Orkney but he never gained control of the islands, being killed in battle against Ljot in the Dales of Caithness at which Ljot "fought like a hero". Ljot then took control of Caithness but this angered the Scots and MacBeth, the Mormaer of Moray, brought a large army north. They engaged in battle at Skitten Mire (now called the Moss of Killimister) near Wick and although outnumbered Ljot had the victory. However he later died of wounds suffered there and "people thought it a great loss".|group="Note" Hlodvir then became earl and "ruled alone over this country".