Herdis Torvaldsdatter

Herdis Torvaldsdatter (–1363) was a Norwegian noblewoman and landowner who was one of the largest and most noted female landowner in Norway in her time.

Life Herdis Torvaldsdatter was born around 1310 and was the daughter of Torvald Toresson and his second wife Ragndid Jonsdatter (–1312), daughter of Jon Raud Ivarsson til Sudreim. Torvald Toresson served as the Sysselmann in Shetland and as such was the royal representative of the Kingdom of Norway.

Torvaldsdatter's first marriage was to Svein Sigurdsson, who was significantly older than her. She had a significant dowry from her parents and her new husband lavished large gifts to her, mostly in the form of land. When Sigurdsson died in 1332, her wealth, including her dowry and her husband's gifts, totalled at least 350 forngilde marks. Torvaldsdatter did remarry, however who to is uncertain. Historian Peter Andreas Munch speculated that she married prominent knight Bjarne Erlingsson in 1343. Both of her marriages were childless.