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Draft Programme

The conference will be divided into four strands:

• R谦gnvaldr Kali Kolsson: ruler, poet, saint
• Prose and Poetry in the North
• Crusaders and the North
• Orkney in the Twelfth Century and Beyond

We have confirmed two keynote speakers: Judith Jesch, Professor of Viking Studies at the University of Nottingham and Dr Ian Crockatt, poet and translator.

Strand 1: R谦gnvaldr Kali Kolsson: ruler, poet, saint

Who was R谦gnvaldr Kali Kolsson? How successful was he as Earl of Orkney? How did his political role interact with his identity as a poet and his legacy as a saint? How does his portrayal in Orkneyinga saga and other medieval texts compare with how he is remembered in Orkney today? This strand will explore the character of R谦gnvaldr and the many ways his life and death have been represented, in both medieval and modern sources.

Strand 2: Prose and Poetry in the North

R谦gnvaldr was a prominent and highly proficient poet, with 35 濒补耻蝉补惫铆蝉耻谤 (free-standing or extemporised verses) and 84 stanzas of 贬谩迟迟补濒测办颈濒濒 (Key to Old Verse Forms) now attributed to him. Spanning such diverse topics as love, war, and skaldic metre, his work raises broader questions about the development and status of poetry in the medieval north. This strand will focus on the poetry attributed to R谦gnvaldr while considering the relationship between verse and prose in Orkneyinga saga and related works. What can the study of such texts tell us about the poetry, historiography, and manuscript culture of the North Atlantic region?

Strand 3: Crusaders and the North

In 1151 R谦gnvaldr set off in the footsteps of Sigur冒r j贸rsalafari, Haraldr har冒r谩冒i, and other Scandinavian adventurers to travel to the Holy Land. What can his expedition, and others like it, tell us about the relationship between east and west during the medieval period? What influence did foreign travel have on R谦gnvaldr and his men, and on the northern communities from which they came? What can the depiction of non-Norse-speaking peoples tell us about medieval conceptions of race, religion and identity, and how can we engage productively with those depictions today?

Strand 4: Orkney in the Twelfth Century and Beyond

What sort of world did R谦gnvaldr inhabit, and how typical was he with respect to those around him? What can historical and archaeological sources tell us about Orkney in the twelfth century and how do they compare with the world described in Orkneyinga saga? What was the relationship between Orkney and other territories in the North Atlantic region? This strand will investigate the historical and political context of R谦gnvaldr鈥檚 rule, both in Orkney and in world beyond his realm.

Thursday, 1 September 2022

Draft Programme

9:30-10am 鈥� Registration

10-11am - Keynote by Judith Jesch 鈥� 鈥楻谦gnvaldr Kali and the Making of the Saga of the Earls of Orkney鈥�

11-11:30 - Coffee break

11:30am-12:30pm 鈥� R谦gnvaldr Kali Kolsson: Ruler, Poet, Saint (1)

Caitlin Ellis, 鈥楻谦gnvaldr and the cult of St Magn煤s: Promotion and Inspiration鈥�

Brydon Leslie, 鈥榁ita Sancti Rognvaldi鈥�

12:30-1:30pm - Lunch

1:30-2:30pm - Prose and Poetry in the North (1)

Jonas Koesling, 鈥極f Threatening Waves, Dangerous Currents, and Powerful Eddies: Revisiting the Sea in Old Nordic Prose and Poetry and the Scottish Isles鈥�

Ben Chennells, 鈥�Orkneyinga saga and Skaldic Audiences from beyond Scandinavia鈥�

2:30-3:00pm 鈥� Coffee break

3:00-4:00pm - Prose and Poetry in the North (2)

Klaus Johan Myrvoll, 鈥楾orf-Einarr鈥檚 poetry and the genealogical background of the earls of Orkney鈥�

Mikael Males, 鈥�贬谩迟迟补濒测办颈濒濒 and twelfth-century poetic historiography鈥�

4:00-4:15pm - Short break

4:15-5:15pm - R谦gnvaldr Kali Kolsson: Ruler, Poet, Saint (2)

Jack Threlfall Hartley, 鈥楻枚gnvaldr Kali Kolsson and George Mackay Brown: Two Orcadian Literary Giants and Their Legacy鈥�

John Dyce, 鈥楢 Charismatic and Admirable Jarl: 鈥楾he most intriguing character in the Orkneyinga Saga, I think, is Rognvald Kolsson, Earl of Orkney鈥� [George Mackay Brown 鈥楨arl Rognvald鈥檚 Commission鈥橾 鈥� an evaluation of the earl through the lens of charisma theory and practice now鈥�

19:00 - Cathedral event

Friday, 2 September

Draft Programme

10-11am - Keynote by Ian Crockatt 鈥� 'Power-dressing, Gender and Angst in the poetry of Rognvaldr Kali Kolsson'

11-11:30 - Coffee break

11:30am-12:30pm 鈥� Crusaders and the North

Karl Farrugia, 鈥楨n gjarna vilda ek, at v茅r s忙imsk aldri s铆冒an鈥�: Muslim alterity and Christian normativity in Sigur冒r鈥檚 and R谦gnvaldr鈥檚 Mediterranean adventures鈥�

Agni Agathi C. Papamichael, 鈥楲avishness, Nonchalance, and Cunningness: Overcoming and Emulating Byzantine Leaders in Old Norse Literature鈥�

12:30-1:30pm 鈥� Lunch

1:30-3:00pm - Orkney in the Twelfth Century and Beyond (1)

Sarah Jane Gibbon & Jenny Murray, 鈥楻ognvald the Saint Maker鈥�

Russell 脫 R铆ag谩in, 鈥楻谦gnvaldr Kali and His Contemporaries in Ireland and Northern Britain in an Era of Competing Insular State-Formation Projects鈥�

Tom Fairfax, 鈥楾he forgotten dynasty of R谦gnvaldr Kolsson鈥�

3:00-3:30pm - Coffee break

3:30-4:30pm 鈥� Orkney in the Twelfth Century and Beyond (2)

Steffen Andre Birkeland Hope, 鈥楾he liturgical image of Saint Magnus in context 鈥� royal sainthood and ecclesiastical identity in the Nidaros church province鈥�

Timothy Bolton, 鈥楾he Origins and History of Uppsala University Library MS. C233 and the contacts between Kirkwall and wider Europe鈥�

4:30-4:45pm 鈥� Closing discussion

19:00 - Dinner

Saturday, 3 September

Excursion

Travel and Accommodation

By plane:

If you are coming by plane, the easiest way to get to Orkney is by making your connection through either Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Inverness. From these airports, there are direct flights to Kirkwall with . This airline collaborates with British Airways, so you can get a through ticket with them.

By railway, bus or car + ferry:

If you are coming over land, then make your way to either Aberdeen – from where you can get the ferry – or you can make your way to Caithness, where you can get the other ferry from Scabster, or from Gills Bay (takes about one hour).

Where to stay

Below is a selection of hotels and Bed&Breakfasts in Kirkwall, but it is not a complete list. Please refer to website for more options and information on arranging your own accommodation. Read more about

Options include:

Hotels in Kirkwall

鈥痠s located in the centre of Kirkwall, off the main shopping street. Single rooms from £95 including breakfast.

鈥痠s located in the centre of Kirkwall near the harbour and the Peedie Sea. Standard single en-suite rooms range from鈥�£77.00 to £90.00 including breakfast.

: Located in the centre of Kirkwall at the harbour where the fishing boats come in. Single Room from £80.00 inclusive of breakfast.

: This hotel is near the centre of Kirkwall with a view of the marina. Single rooms from £73 including breakfast.

: In the centre of Kirkwall with luxury accommodation. Single rooms from £120 including breakfast.

Hostel accommodation

is a nice, small hostel located next to the Ayre Hotel by the Peedie Sea near the centre of Kirkwall. Single rooms from £20 per night, dormitory beds £15.

is a pleasant hostel located near the Pickaquoy Centre, 10 minutes’ walk from the centre of Kirkwall. Single rooms from £40. Bed in 4-bed room £20. Tel (+44) (0)1856 873 745.

Bed and Breakfasts

There are also several nice nearby. Options include:

Kevock, The Keelies: Located near St Magnus Cathedral. Rooms from about £40 including breakfast, cheaper if you stay three nights or more.鈥� Tel. (+44) (0)1856 875390

Karrawa Guest House, Inganess Road, KW15 1SP Tel (+44) (0)1856 871180, about a 15 min walk into town.