Scandinavian-Britain

THE KINGDOM OF YORK 139946 we find him plundering Gill Cuilinn, and next yearattacking Dublin, where in 948 Guthfrith Sigtryggsonwas reigning, that is to say, Olaf Cuaran's brother.In 949 Olaf returned to York, where he reigned until952. Next year he was plundering near Donard, inco. Wicklow, and sacking Inisdowill. In 956 OlafGuthfrithsson the younger, lord of the Gaill at Dublin,won a great battle over the Irish ; perhaps this was anephew of Olaf Cuaran acting as his general. In 961Olaf, King of Dublin (Cuaran?) was attacked bySigtrygg Cam, a Viking from overseas, and beingwounded in the thigh with an arrow, escaped withloss.In 964 Olaf (Cuaran) Sigtryggsson was defeatedin Kilkenny, but in 970 he plundered Kells, and in977 slew the two heirs (tanists) of Ireland, Muircheartachand Conghalach. The great battle of Tara, 979,in which King Maelseachlann defeated him andkilled his son Ragnvald, broke his power; next yearhe retired to lona, where he died in 981. By hissecond wife, Gormflaith, he had a son, SigtryggSilkiskeggi(Silk-beard), who became king of Dublin ;other sons were Gluniarainn (Jarn-kne') and Harald.Duald mac Firbis says that in his time, the seventeenthcentury, most of the Dublin merchants traced theirpedigree to Olaf Cuaran. His name, Amhlaeibh inIrish, became Abloic in Welsh (the language ofStrathclyde), whence the legends of Havelock Cuheranthe Dane, and according to Professor I. Gollancz(Hamlet in Iceland, Introduction), the traditions abouthim and his family became the groundwork of thetale of Hamlet, prince of Denmark,