Hjörleifshöfði
Viking history
The area was the second part of Iceland to be settled back in 874, when the blood brothers Ingólfur Arnarson and Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson sailed from Norway on two ships.
Settled in 874
Viking history
874
The area was the second part of Iceland to be settled back in 874, when the blood brothers Ingólfur Arnarson and Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson sailed from Norway on two ships. Ingólfur ended up in Reykjavík and became the first settler of Iceland, but Hjörleifur searched a bit longer for his ideal place and settled at Hjörleifshöfði named after Hjörleifur.
Prior to that Hjör-Leifur Hróðmarsson fought in many parts of Ireland, and the story says that he entered a dark underground house and saw a man there, and the light of the sword that was holding it. Leif killed that man and took the sword from him; After that he was called Hjörleifur. Hjör (sword) Leif.
Hjörleifur took land at Hjörleifshöfði in Mýrdalshreppur, which was then a fjord, and had two cabins built there.
Next spring after his settlement, Hjörleifur was killed along with his men by Irish slaves he had brought with him from Ireland. The slaves then took his ship and sailed to Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands), where Ingólfur would later find them and avenge his blood brothers’ killing.
Vestmanna islands were then named after the slaves, but the Irish were called Westmen at that time. Hjörleifur’s burial mound is located on top of Hjörleifshöfði, where you can enjoy magnificent views in every direction.
Pictures of historical sites
Gröf Hjörleifs
SAGAN
874
Fóstbræðurnir Ingólfur Arnarson og Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson sigldu frá Noregi árið 874 á tveimur skipum. Ingólfur nam land þar sem Reykjavík stendur nú, en Hjörleifur tók land við Hjörleifshöfða í Mýrdalshreppi, og var þar þá fjörður, og horfði botninn inn að höfðanum þar sem hann lét gera tvo skála.
Hjör-Leifur Hróðmarsson herjaði víða um Írland og fann þar jarðhús mikið sem hann gekk inn í myrkrið, það lýsti af sverði sem maður hélt á. Leifur drap þann mann og tók sverðið og mikið fé af honum; síðan var hann kallaður Hjörleifur, Hjör (sverð) Leifur.
Honum gafst þó ekki tækifæri til að njóta afraksturs landnámsins, næsta vor eftir landnám drápu þrælarnir hann.Þeir voru fljótir að koma sér burt og sigldu til Vestmannaeyja, þar sem Ingólfur, fóstbróðir Hjörleifs, átti síðar eftir að koma fram hefndum vegna vígsins.
Eyjarnar voru þá nefndar eftir þrælunum, en Írar voru kallaðir Vestmenn á þessum tíma. Gröf Hjörleifs er staðsett á toppi Hjörleifshöfða, með mikilfengt útsýni til allra átta.