90px|The Norslunda Runestone, bearing runic inscription U 419, which
mentions the personal name Kylfingr
The Kylfings were a people of uncertain origin who were active in
Northern Europe during the Viking Age. They were active from roughly
the late ninth century through the early twelfth century and could be
found in areas of Lapland, Russia, and the Byzantine Empire that were
frequented by Scandinavian traders, raiders and mercenaries. Scholars
differ on whether the Kylfings were ethnically Finnic or Norse. Their
geographic origin is also disputed; Denmark, Sweden and the Eastern
Baltic are put forward as candidates. Whether the name Kylfing denotes
a particular tribal, socio-political, or economic grouping is a matter
of much debate. They are mentioned on Old Norse runestone inscriptions,
sagas, and poetry, as well as Byzantine records and Rus' law-codes, in
which they were afforded significant economic and social privileges.
According to the sagas, the Kylfings opposed the consolidation of
Norway under Harald Fairhair and participated in the pivotal Battle of
Hafrsfjord. After Harald's victory in that battle, they are described
in the sagas as having raided in Finnmark and elsewhere in northern
Norway and having fought against Harald's lieutenants such as Thorolf
Kveldulfsson. (more...)
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Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylfings>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1461:
Ming Chinese general Cao Qin staged a failed coup against the Tianshun
Emperor.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_of_Cao_Qin>
1679:
Le Griffon, a brigantine built by René-Robert de LaSalle , became the
first sailing ship to navigate the upper Great Lakes.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Griffon>
1794:
U.S. President George Washington invoked the Militia Law of 1792 to
suppress the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_Law_of_1792>
1927:
The official opening ceremony of the Peace Bridge between Fort Erie,
Ontario, and Buffalo, New York, at the east end of Lake Erie was held
two months after it opened to the public.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Bridge>
1933:
An estimated 3,000 Assyrians were slaughtered by Iraqi troops during
the Simele massacre in the Dahuk and Mosul districts.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simele_massacre>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
peely-wally (adj):
(chiefly Scotland) Pale and sickly-looking; pasty
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/peely-wally>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The real struggle is not between the right and the left but between the
party of the thoughtful and the party of the jerks.
--Jimmy Wales
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales>