Viking Heraldy of Lewis & Cinda - Bruce Rognan

5. Thore Sudreim Jonsdatter
John Raud Ivarsen was instrumental in Rostock became a leading center of teaching the importance of the
Reformation. It was here that the University of Rostock was established, and over a dozen generations of the
Flor family and Haftore Jonsson’s descendants attended. Agnes and Haftore, where their descendants remain
in the area of Akershus and become royal land owners. Agnes married Haftor Jonsson, whose paternal ancestors
for 5 generations had ruled and controlled all of Romerik as small tributary sherriffs, or earls, granted that
right by King Harald Gille.
Haftore Johnsson Sudreim. One of the most prominent chieftain families at that time was the Sudreim family
from Sørom in Romerike. Even though the family
made their money from mercantilism / foreign trade,
as was the custom, these captains of the sea in England
and italy and Norway, all lived inland, although
acce4ssible to the sea. Haftor Jonsson was born at
Sudreim, Akershus in 1275 . In 1302 he married Agnes,
daughter of King Håkon V, and their descendants
were leaders in Norway for a long time. Their son, Jon
Haftorsson, was married to the Swedish noblewoman
Birgitta Knutsdaughter of the Folkung family. Their
son Ulv Jonsson was the progenitor of the Swedish
noble family of Roos at Ervalla. Ulv was a leading
man in the Swedish revolt in 1434.
Sigurd Haftorsson took over Sudreim after his brother
Jon Haftoresson. The daughter of Sigurd, Agnes Sigurdsdaughter
was married to the Swedish nobleman
Jon Marteinsson who settled on Sudreim and became
a member of the Norwegian National Council. Their
son, Sigurd Jonsson, became the Norwegian Drottsete
in 1439, the first in many years.
Haftore was the Kings representative in handling the Hanseatic League (map of hanseatic cities at right), the
powerful shipping Empire out of Luebeck, Germany. Haftore also negotiated treaties with Roger de Flor, the
most powerful naval commander of the Mediterranean Sea, co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, leader in the
final crusade of 1291, and also a religious zealot who had no tolerance or respect for the papal office. It is no
coincidence, that Roger de Flor’s “wappen” (Coat of Arms) is identical with Roger de Flor’s. Both were 4 th generation
descendants of Floris of Holland. Haftore also worked with Oliver Gautier Flor of Netherlands, who was
a leader of the Hansetic League, which gained its dominance immediately after the last crusade at ther Fall of
Acre in 1291.
The coat of arms of Haftor Jonsen is a very significant part of the story in the family. The 5 pedaled rose as a
coat of arms was first known to have been developed shortly after the first crusade. It became a symbol of solidarity
among those who embraced it as a family crest. The first known usage of the 5 pedaled rose was the
“Flor family” of Cambrai, France, which was also adopted by the House of Holland. In the 5 volume 2000 page
history of the Flor Family (325 AD - 1600 AD), that I published in 2006, there are some basic themes that
tended to be a pattern of the Flor family. At the time of the crusades the Flor family controlled the military orders
of “Hospitallers” and the Knights Templar”. They used incredible influence to shift the focus of these military
orders to be economic / banking and trade orders. At the conclusion of the last crusade in 1291, the family
converted their empire from using their boats to waging war, to instead promoting economic development. They
became involved in the controlling the distribution of imports and exports in the following ports:
1. Florence, Italy (Pisa)
2. Kings Lynn (York), England
3. Trondheim, Bergen and Oslo Norway
4. Flanders (Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands)
5. At everyone of these ports a Flor family member was present.
The Flor family was part of an elaborate secret order of Hospitallers, spread throughout Western Europe to
safegard themselves against the popeʼs power. The 5 pedaled rose also became their symbol. They were very
strong in the above four cities, and in all of their trading, they neglected to pay the pope of any tithes due him
during their transactions.