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

_______________________________ 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

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

peely-wally (adj): (chiefly Scotland) Pale and sickly-looking; pasty http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/peely-wally

___________________________ 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