Biography.guide
Home › People › Explorer › Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson
Portrait of Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson

Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson

850 – 905

9th-century Icelandic viking

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson

Lived 850 – 905 (aged 54–55). Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson was a Norwegian explorer.

Geirmund Hjørson, called Heljarskinn, was a leading Icelander of the late ninth century. He was the son of a Norwegian king and a Samoyed woman. His nickname, an apparent reference to his complexion, means "Hel skin", which indicates either dark or "black" skin or perhaps skin "pale as death".

The sources for Geirmund's life are the Landnámabók and the , the first saga in the Sturlunga saga collection. According to these, he inherited his father's kingdom in Rogaland but upon returning from a raid on Britain Harald fairhair had seized his land and saw he no other option than to depart. In Iceland, he held four large estates and travelled with a bodyguard of eighty men. His lifestyle was supported by the wealth from his raids and could not be sustained off of his estates alone.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
850, Karmøy Municipality
Birth century
Died
905
Occupation
Nationality

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson?

9th-century Icelandic viking

When was Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson born?

Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson was born in 850 in Karmøy Municipality.

When did Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson die?

Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson died in 905.

What was Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson's occupation?

Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson was an explorer.

What nationality was Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson?

Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson was Norwegian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson

· Wikidata: Q10981599

· DBpedia: Geirmund Hjørson Heljarskinn

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson. https://biography.guide/geirmundur-heljarskinn-hjorsson/

MLA: "Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/geirmundur-heljarskinn-hjorsson/.

Chicago: "Geirmundur heljarskinn Hjörsson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/geirmundur-heljarskinn-hjorsson/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:06 UTC