Einar Torf-Einarsson, a bastard son of Rognvald of More, seized Orkney from Halfdan Longshanks son of Harald Finehair. After defeating and killing Halfdan, Einar cut the blood eagle on his corpse. Einar introduced the practice of cutting peat for fuel on the treeless islands, hence the name Torf-Einar. He became the ancestor of all subsequent Orkney earls and the stabilising force of the early earldom.
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