12 Facts About Brusi Sigurdsson

Brusi Sigurdsson was one of Sigurd Hlodvirsson's four sons.

Brusi Sigurdsson is described as "gentle, restrained, unassuming and a fine speaker".

However, it is possible that Brusi Sigurdsson's share was Shetland, which formed part of the earldom throughout the Norse period.

Brusi Sigurdsson was, the saga says, "a great bully", whereas Brusi was "well liked by everyone".

Thorfinn was "greedy and ambitious" like Einar and Brusi Sigurdsson had to make peace between the two when Thorfinn grew to manhood, not once but twice.

Brusi Sigurdsson forged a peace treaty in which it was agreed that Thorfinn should get his third and that on the death of either of the other two brothers, the surviving one would inherit their share.

Once again Brusi Sigurdsson intervened and it was agreed that Einar and Thorkel would make peace and entertain one another to a feast.

When Brusi Sigurdsson inherited Einar's third of the earldom Thorfinn was not pleased with this arrangement, and asked Brusi Sigurdsson for a half share.

Olaf forced both of them to accept his overlordship and kept Einar's share for himself, appointing Brusi Sigurdsson to administer it, and kept Brusi Sigurdsson's two-year-old son Rognvald at his court.

Brusi Sigurdsson later gave control of Einar's third of the islands to Thorfinn in return for his seeing to the defence of Orkney and Shetland.

St Olaf's saga states that Brusi Sigurdsson died at some point between the death of Olaf and before the close of Cnut's reign in 1035 and the Orkneyinga saga that he had died before his son Rognvald accompanied Magnus the Good back to Norway.

Brusi Sigurdsson's story includes another recurring aspect of the saga, relations with Norway.