Randee Glosch
MDVL 1450: Heroes and Villains
October 10, 2017 Hrafnkel started this tale by finding an unclaimed valley and taking control of it with the help of his father who gave him half of his farms supplies to get Adalbol running. When he got his farm Adalbol built he gave the people of the area land to live and farm on. The only thing they had to agree to was to let Hrafnkel become their overlord, he became their priest and chieftain and was given the nickname Frey’s-Priest. Hrafnkel was known as a bully even with his redeeming qualities and forced the men in Jokulsdale to submit to his authority. While kind to his own men he was harsh and ruthless to his enemies and anyone who broke their word to him, most notably about riding Freyfaxi after being told they would be killed if they did, he fought in many duels and refused to pay compensation for those he killed. Hrafnkel was also a highly …show more content…
Their culture says that your pride and your word are all that you have and that if you go back on your word and do things they said they would not do, justice should be paid. An example would be when Hrafnkel killing Einar after being caught riding Freyfaxi when Hrafnkel told him he would be killed if he did. The Icelandic people held a strong importance of one’s word and one who keeps his word is highly regarded which provided a strong backing for Hrafnkel to act as he did. Hrafnkel justified his death by saying that he was warned when hired as his sheepherder that he may ride any horse that he pleased but he must not ride Freyfaxi his prized horse and if Einar disobeyed his orders he would be killed which he did knowing the consequences that would befall him, and if he takes his word back on this who’s to say that he would not do it again about something even more