Battlefields›Battle of Torfness
Early Medieval

Battle of Torfness

875
Caithness, Scotland
Also known as: Battle of Torfnes
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Caithness, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
c. 1,000–1,500 Pictish coalition.
VS
Victor
Sigurd the Mighty (Norse)
Forces
c. 800–1,200 Sigurd Norse force
Outcome
Pictish resistance broken; Norse control of Caithness and Sutherland consolidated
The Battle

History & Significance

The Norse defeat of a Pictish coalition at Torfness established the Norse earldom of Orkney as the dominant power across Caithness and Sutherland for the next three centuries.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Torfness

North Calder, broch 600m W of
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~1.9 miles
Gallow Hill,long cairns and chambered cairn
Scheduled monument · Neolithic · ~1.9 miles
Braal Castle
Scheduled monument · ~2.1 miles
Upper Sour,broch 315m W of
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~2.1 miles
Tulloch of Milton,chambered cairn 640m W of Halkirk
Scheduled monument · Neolithic · ~2.7 miles
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