Ragnvald Ulfsson

Ragnvald Ulfsson the Old (d. ca 1040), Jarl of Västergötland ca 1010-1020, and later of Staraja Ladoga and Ingria. He was the son of Jarl Ulf Tostesson och Ingeborg and the foster-son of Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker. He was the cousin of Olof Skötkonung, through his aunt Sigrid the Haughty, and he was married to Ingeborg Tryggvasdotter, a Norwegian princess and the sister of Olav Tryggvason.

He was mentioned first in Austrfaravísur, by Sigvatr Þorðarson, the skald of Olaf II of Norway, and later by Snorri Sturluson and Hervarar saga.

During his days the Norwegians pillaged in Västergötland, but then the Norwegian king, Olaf the Holy proposed to the Swedish princess Ingegerd Olofsdotter, the daughter of Sweden's king Olof Skötkonung. This pleased Ragnvald who was related to both houses (the House of Munsö and the House of Yngling).

However, at the Ting at Gamla Uppsala, Ragnvald and his foster-father Þorgnýr the Lawspeaker had to force Olof, the Swedish king, to promise his daughter to Olaf, the Norwegian king, whom he did not like. When the Swedish king failed to deliver his daughter, Ragnvald realizes that he is in trouble. He has not only fallen out of grace with the Swedish king, but he could also expect the revenge of the Norwegians.

During a visit by the skald Sigvatr Þorðarson, Ragnvald learns that Prince Jaroslav of Kievan Rus' has proposed to Ingegärd, and so he has the idea that Olaf the Holy should marry the illegitimate daughter of Olof Skötkonung, Astrid, who was staying with Ragnvald. Sigvat promises to deliver the message, and the Norwegian king accepts.

Ragnvald delivers Astrid at Sarpsborg in Norway and she is married to the king after Christmas, 1019.

Olof Skötkonung was now so upset that he intended to hang Ragnvald at the next Ting. However, when Ingegerd Olofsdotter married Jaroslav, Ingegerd managed to arrange that Rangvald became the jarl of Staraja Ladoga (Aldeigjuborg) and Ingria, and Olof let him depart with Ingegerd in the summer of 1019.

Married 1) to Ingeborg Tryggvasdotter

Children: #Ulf Ragnvaldsson Jarl#Eilif Ragnvaldsson Jarl

Married 2) to Astrid Nialsdotter of the House of Skjalg in Halogaland in Norway. (After the death of Ragvald Astrid returned to Sweden with her son Stenkil and married the Swedish king Emund the Old.)

Children: #Stenkil Ragnvaldsson (1028 - 1066), king of Sweden.