Ketil Tosteson Krok

NAME

In contemporary Norwegian, Ketil's name is Kjetil (not Ketil) Tostesson (not Tostigson), also known as Kjetil Krok. Primarily in 19th-century historical literature, Ketil's name is also spelled Ketil and even Ketel, while Krok sometimes is rendered as Krog and Krak.

As to English, Ketil's name is Ketil (not Kjetil) Tostigson or Tostison (not Tostesson). In some academic literature and saga translations, Kjetil Krok is called Ketil Hook.

BIOGRAPHY

Ketil Tostigson (Norwegian: Kjetil Tostesson), also known as Ketil Hook (Norwegian: Kjetil Krok), was a son of Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria. The identity of Ketil's mother has not been established.

Among others, Mason (2004: 103-104) finds it unlikely that Ketil and Skuli were sons of Judith of Flanders, Earl Tostig's wife since 1051. Mason argues that Ketil and Skuli were Scandinavian names, whereas one would expect the boys to receive names from the House of Flanders if Ketil and Skuli actually were Judith's biological offspring. Moreover, Mason points out, if they were Judith's offspring, it is more likely that they would have sought refuge in Flanders after the 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Mason (2004: 103-104) writes that Tostig 'may well have had a previous partner, or partners, while still in his teens, before his marriage' (cf. more danico). The Norse sagas are ambiguous as to Skuli and Ketil. Some places, they are presented as brothers. Other places, only Skuli is presented as a son of Earl Tostig, while Ketil is presented as hailing 'from the north of Hålogaland' (norðan af Hálogalandi).

Elaborating this idea, Martinsen (2024: 13, 45) has suggested that Ketil and Skuli were maternal half-brothers. Their mother first had Skuli by a native aristocrat of Trøndelag in Norway, before marrying Tostig and giving birth to Ketil. Assuming that Ketil was her second son, he would normally be named after his maternal grandfather, according to contemporary naming customs. Thus assuming that Ketil's mother was NN Ketilsdotter, she was most likely a descendant of Ketil Trout the Older of Ramsta (cf. Ketils saga hœngs).

Supporting the alleged link to Trøndelag, Martinsen (2024: 45) emphasises that the name Skúli was so to say endogenous to Norway (later also introduced in Iceland by Norwegian settlers), writing:

The thought that Tostig had a spouse from Norway is not implausible, considering that Tostig himself had a Danish mother, Martinsen (2024: 45) argues. Tostig's mother was Gytha Thorkelsdottir, whose extended in-law family included King Canute of England, Denmark, and Norway. In other words, Tostig belonged to a transnational royal family network that also had a migratory residence pattern.

In his youth and (or) adolescence, Tostig must have visited Trondheim, the then-capital of Norway, as part of King Canute's entourage or as a guest at the viceregal court. We can imagine that having met NN Ketilsdotter there, Tostig took her and her son Skuli with him to England. It is unknown whether Ketil himself was born in Norway or England.

Ketil was born before c. 1051, when Earl Tostig married Judith of Flanders, but after c. 1042, when Earl Tostig, himself born c. 1026, reached the age of 16 years. Presupposing that Earl Tostig at least was 20 years old when he fathered Ketil, his son was born between 1046 and 1051.

It is unknown where Ketil spent his first childhood years. In 1051, the Godwin family were exiled from England, with Ketil and Skuli most likely following their father to Flanders. In 1052, the family returned to England. Since 1055, when Tostig became Earl of Northumbria, it could be assumed that Ketil grew up with his father Tostig and his stepmother Judith at his father's court, but he may in part have been raised elsewhere, be it, at the royal court of King Edward of England.

It is generally agreed upon, both in the sagas and by modern historians, that after the 1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge, King Harold of England allowed his nephews Skuli and Ketil to leave for Norway. They joined King Olaf III of Norway on his fleet of 23 ships, and having overwintered in Orkney, they arrived in Norway in the summer of 1067. Skule became a favourite of King Olaf III, who, nonetheless, also was generous to Ketil.

Olaf III installed Skuli at Rein in Trøndelag (Central Norway), who thus established the Rein dynasty as a cadet branch of the House of Godwin, whilst Ketil was given Torgar in Hålogaland (Northern Norway), becoming the progenitor of the (younger) Torgar dynasty alias the William dynasty.

Ketil Hook was the father of William of Torgar (Viljalm av Torgar), nicknamed William the Skinner (Viljalm Skinnare), probably born c. 1075. William is generally believed to have been named in honour of King William of England (the Conqueror). King William was not only a relative of Ketil, but had also killed King Harold of England at the 1066 Battle of Hastings, who in turn had killed Ketil's father.

Although not directly attested, it is plausible that Ketil Hook married a daughter of Einar Fluga of Tjøtta, the king's governor in Hålogaland and himself a son of Hårek of Tjøtta. The Tjøtta dynasty had an historical claim to Torgar, and with NN Einarsdotter's marriage to Ketil Hook, the Tjøtta dynasty returned to Torgar, reducing the risk of inheritance conflict between the families at Torgar and Tjøtta.

According to Høvding (1959: 10-11), Ketil Hook became the progenitor of an aristocratic dynasty called the Torgar dynasty or the William dynasty. His descendants are known as the (younger) Torgar dynasty, because they resumed the name and residence of Torgar after their cognatic ancestors of the older Torgar dynasty, or the William dynasty, because four subsequent heads of Torgar would be named William (Viljalm). Høvding writes the following (original text in Norwegian, translated into English):

Saint Canute's Church is described in various literature, including Arntzen (2004: 13).

• Caption: The ruins of Saint Canute's Church in Tilrem, Brønnøy. Photo from 2007. Source: Brønnøy Historielag. https://bronnoyhistorielag.no/?page_id=51

In his master thesis, Gabrielsen (2007: 10, 26) writes that from c. 1069 to c. 1093, Ketil was lendman, that is, regional governor, of Hålogaland. Gabrielsen (2007: 150-151) discusses the historical sources as follows (original text in Norwegian, translated into English):

THE HOUSE OF GODWIN IN NORWAY

After 1066, three grandsons of Earl Godwin immigrated to Norway. They were Earl Tostig's stepson Skuli and son Ketil, who came to Norway in 1067 under the protection of King Olaf III, and King Harold's son Harold, who became a member of King Magnus III's retinue. Skuli and Ketil were installed at Rein in Trøndelag (Central Norway) and Torgar in Hålogaland (Northern Norway), respectively, establishing the Rein dynasty and the Torgar dynasty as cadet branches of the House of Godwin.

The following families have been identified as cadet branches of the Torgar dynasty and by extension the House of Godwin, meaning that they are patrilineal descendants of Godwin. Today, these families comprise thousands of men who—one millennium later—still have English Y-chromosomal DNA. These families are concentrated in the southern parts of Nordland, but also appear in northern Nordland and southern Troms. In the 20th century, a line established itself in the United States.

1) The Grøva familiy of Vefsn, Nordland.
See: Nils Person of Grøva

2) The Sørra family of Alstahaug, Nordland.
See: Hans Aronsen Aronsen, Sørra

3) The Berg family of Rana, Nordland.
See: Anders Andersen Berg

4) The Granheia family of Rana, Nordland.
See: Østen Erichsen, D.E. Granheia

5) The Leyer family of Andøy, Nordland.
See: Peder Nielsen Leijer

6) The Marskaret family of Tjeldsund, Nordland.
See: Nils Johnsen

7) The Rossfjord family of Senja, Troms.
See: Ole Johnsen / Ole Jonssen

Source: Martinsen, Andre VII 2024. But the Godwins Weren't Dead : Supported by Historical and DNA Evidence, this Book Explores How England’s Royal House Came to Norway in 1067 and Has Thousands of Members Living Today ISBN: 9781446136126 URL: https://www.lulu.com/shop/andre-vii-martinsen/but-the-godwins-weren...

HISTORICAL SOURCES

From the Saga of Harald Hardråde by Snorre Sturlasson:

102. OF OLAF HARALDSON'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY. Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson, sailed with his fleet from England from Hrafnseyr, and came in autumn to the Orkney Isles, where the event had happened that Maria, a daughter of Harald Sigurdson, died a sudden death the very day and hour her father, King Harald, fell. Olaf remained there all winter; but the summer after he proceeded east to Norway, where he was proclaimed king along with his brother Magnus. Queen Ellisif came from the West, along with her stepson Olaf and her daughter Ingegerd. There came also with Olaf over the West sea Skule, a son of Earl Toste, and who since has been called the king's foster-son, and his brother Ketil Krok. Both were gallant men, of high family in England, and both were very intelligent; and the brothers were much beloved by King Olaf. Ketil Krok went north to Halogaland, where King Olaf procured him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great people.

LITERATURE

- Arntzen, Dagfinn Th. 2004. Glimt fra Brønnøysunds historie URL: https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2011082308124
- Gabrielsen, Trond 2007. Riksombudsmenn i Nord-Norge 850-1350. URL: https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/23657/Gabrielsen_Mast...
- Høvding, Einar 1959. Torghatten via Brønnøysund URL: https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2012011708070
- Martinsen, Andre VII 2024. But the Godwins Weren't Dead : Supported by Historical and DNA Evidence, this Book Explores How England’s Royal House Came to Norway in 1067 and Has Thousands of Members Living Today ISBN: 9781446136126 URL: https://www.lulu.com/shop/andre-vii-martinsen/but-the-godwins-weren...
- Mason, Emma 2004. The House of Godwine : The History of a Dynasty URL: https://www.amazon.com/House-Godwine-History-Dynasty/dp/1852853891