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A few Icelandic sagas tell about kings that ruled in Kvenland.

Icelandic sagas

Despite the fact that the legendary title "King of Kvenland" appears widely used in various contexts, it is mentioned only once in that particular form/spelling in sagas:

In Egil's saga Faravid is directly said to be the "King of Kvenland". He also appears to have been a Kven himself.

Two other sagas that mention Kvenland, Hversu Noregr byggdist and Orkneyinga saga, do not use that specific title.

In Orkneyinga saga, Fornjót is said to be "a king". It is stated that he "reigned over Gotland, which we now know as Finland and Kvenland". The specific term "King of Kvenland" is not used. Unlike Egil's saga, Orkneyinga does not provide clues about the ethnicity of Fornjót or any of his descendants.

Hversu Noregr byggdist has very similar usage for the title. This time, Fornjót's (who is said to be "a man") great-grandson Old Snow and his son Thorri are told to be kings. Kvenland now appears in relation to Thorri of whom it is said that "he ruled over Gothland, Kvenland (Kænlandi), and Finland". Fornjót's great-grandson Old Snow is also mentioned in Ynglingasaga, in relation to Finland.

Again, the ethnicity of the kings is not directly discussed. However, interpretations of their ethnicity have been made based on other information provided. For instance, according to Hversu Noregr byggdist the Kvens made sacrifices to Thorri. This, along with similar pieces of information from other sources, has led many experts to believe that Thorri, who ruled over Kvenland, was himself of Kven origin as well.

However, whether or not Fornjót and his closest followers, mentioned in other medieval accounts as well, were actual historical people has been debated. Kyösti Julku notes that no geographical errors have been found in the descriptions of the Orkneyinga saga. He asks why therefore the people described in the account should be considered not to have existed.

Records on Fornjót's offspring

According to the medieval Orkneyinga saga, Fornjót was a "king". It is stated that he "reigned over Gotland, which we now know as Finland and Kvenland". According to the account of Hversu Noregr byggðist, Fornjót's great-grandson Old Snow and his son Thorri were also kings. Old Snow is also mentioned in Ynglingasaga, in relation to Finland. According to Hversu Noregr byggdist, Thorri "ruled over Gothland, Kvenland (Kænlandi), and Finland". According to the information given, the Kvens made sacrifices to Thorri.

The medieval accounts which discuss the lineages sprung from Fornjót and his descendants - mainly Nór and Gór -, leading to the later rulers of Sweden and other countries, include the following:

The Beowulf (8th-10th century), Íslendingabók (8th-10th century), Poetic Edda (c. 800-1000), the Ynglingatal (late 9th century), Historia Norvegiæ (late 12th century), Skáldskaparmál (c. 1220), Hyndluljóð (13th century), Gesta Danorum (started c. 1185, finished c. 1216), Ynglinga saga (c. 1225), Orkneyinga Saga (c. 1230), Hversu Noregr byggðist (c. 1387), Ættartolur (1387).

See also

• Kvenland
• Ancient kings of Finland
• Birkarls

References

1. Egil's Saga, Chapter XIV
2. Hversu Noregr byggdist
3. Orkneyinga saga
4. Ynglingasaga
5. Cite error: The named reference Kyösti Julku, 1986 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

• History of Finland
• Finnish monarchy
• Kven