{"id":751,"date":"2024-10-09T11:24:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-09T09:24:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/?p=751"},"modified":"2024-10-09T11:24:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-09T09:24:27","slug":"the-story-of-bjorn-farmann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osebergvikingarv.no\/eng\/2024\/10\/09\/the-story-of-bjorn-farmann\/","title":{"rendered":"The Story of Bj\u00f8rn Farmann"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Kl\u00e5stad ship was a “knarr,” a type of Viking ship built for carrying cargo and long voyages with trade goods. Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was the first known merchant in Vestfold. Saga Farmann is named after him.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Espen J\u00f8rgensen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The viking ship Saga Farmann on its epic voyage around Europe. here in the Mediterranean.\nPhoto: David Kro Barlaup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was the son of Harald Fairhair, who, according to the sagas, united Norway into one kingdom. He had many sons, including Bj\u00f8rn, whom he appointed as a petty king in Vestfold. In other words, Bj\u00f8rn was a kind of regional king under his father. As a petty king, Bj\u00f8rn Farmann likely had several administrative duties, one of which was probably tax collection. This, however, became a source of conflict after his father’s death. Bj\u00f8rn refused to do the same for the next national king, his brother, the notorious Viking Eirik Bloodaxe. With a brother with such a name, things couldn’t possibly end well, but we’ll return to that later. First, let’s look at Bj\u00f8rn Farmann the merchant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The one who travels”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of Bj\u00f8rn Farmann is not richly detailed, but what we know about him is recorded in Snorre’s Heimskringla<\/em>. Therefore, we must rely on that, even though Snorre lived in the 13th century, over 300 years after Bj\u00f8rn Farmann’s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bj\u00f8rn was given the nickname “Farmann,” meaning “the one who travels.” This was because he often embarked on overseas voyages. The destinations were usually foreign trading cities where he could engage in what he did best, namely buying and selling. Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was a skilled merchant, one of those who laid the foundation for T\u00f8nsberg\u2019s strong position as a leading and vital trading town in the centuries that followed. For this reason, one could perhaps rightly claim that Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was a sort of founder of T\u00f8nsberg. Perhaps it\u2019s not surprising that, in modern times, a large shopping center was named after him\u2014Farmandstredet, now Alti Farmandstredet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was reportedly well-liked in Vestfold and Viken. It was said that he was wise and calm, traits that were not always the greatest strength of kings and jarls at the time. Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was said to prefer peaceful trade relations with both foreigners and locals, rather than the war and plundering expeditions favored by many other kings and nobles. Perhaps it\u2019s not surprising that he was popular among many of his contemporaries. Attractive goods and ringing coins could sound just as sweet as newly sharpened swords and axes. They were certainly preferable for the average man and woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fateful quarrel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was married and had a son named Gudr\u00f8d, who in turn became the father of Harald Grenske, who later became the father of Saint Olaf. Mighty and well-known men, therefore, sprang from Bj\u00f8rn Farmann\u2019s lineage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was the brother of the Viking warrior Eirik Bloodaxe. His nickname suggests that he was not someone to be easily crossed. And that\u2019s exactly what happened. Around the year 927, Eirik Bloodaxe arrived in T\u00f8nsberg with warships and soldiers. Once there, he demanded that Bj\u00f8rn give him the taxes and duties that King Harald owned in Vestfold. But Bj\u00f8rn had always brought these taxes directly to the king himself, so he refused to comply with his brother’s demands. The result was a violent quarrel between the brothers, and Eirik left empty-handed. Later that evening, Bj\u00f8rn Farmann went to the royal estate at Sem, which was located roughly where Jarlsberg Manor and Sem Church stand today. There, Bj\u00f8rn and his men ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that night, they received a fateful visit. Eirik and his warriors surrounded the royal estate, set it on fire, and forced Bj\u00f8rn and his men into the darkness, where they were met by flashing swords and axes ready to strike. A battle ensued, but Bj\u00f8rn and his group were no match for the professional and seasoned warriors who lived by the sword. Thus, the peaceful petty king and merchant Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was murdered by his brother Eirik Bloodaxe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eirik was not satisfied with this and returned to T\u00f8nsberg in 934, where he killed two more brothers\u2014Olaf and Sigr\u00f8d. Three brothers were thus eliminated. According to Snorre, Olaf and Sigr\u00f8d are buried in the burial mounds at Haugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name lives on<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of Bj\u00f8rn Farmann ended in tragedy; living in the Viking Age often resulted in a brutal, sudden death. The people of Viken reportedly received the news of Bj\u00f8rn\u2019s murder with great sorrow, and Eirik Bloodaxe became a very unpopular man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the saga, Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was buried in Farmandshaugen at Sem, which can still be seen today. However, extensive excavations in 1917 and 1918 uncovered little to support this claim. Regardless, it is undisputed that the mound will be dedicated to Bj\u00f8rn Farmann\u2019s memory for the foreseeable future. Bj\u00f8rn Farmann\u2019s name lives on in modern-day T\u00f8nsberg. In addition to the shopping center, we have Farmandstorget with its Bj\u00f8rn Farmann monument, as well as Farmannsveien, an important road in and out of the city. And not least, the magnificent replica of the Kl\u00e5stad ship, which bears the name Saga Farmann. There\u2019s no doubt that Bj\u00f8rn Farmann left his mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"BJ\u00d8RN
BJ\u00d8RN FARMANN: An example of what a merchant from the Viking Age might have looked like.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"FARMANNSHAUGEN:
FARMANNSHAUGEN: According to the saga, Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was buried in Farmandshaugen at Sem.
Photo: Espen J\u00f8rgensen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"GILDEHALLEN:
GILDEHALLEN: Perhaps the feast hall at the royal estate at Sem looked something like this when Eirik Bloodaxe set it ablaze. The picture shows the guild hall at Borre.
Photo: Espen J\u00f8rgensen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"SAILED
SAILED FROM T\u00d8NSBERG: Bj\u00f8rn Farmann traveled far and wide to trade various goods with other merchants. The picture shows the ships Saga Oseberg and Saga Farmann.
Photo: Espen J\u00f8rgensen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"SEM
SEM CHURCH: Somewhere between Jarlsberg Manor and Sem Church is where the Viking-era royal estate was located. Here, the peaceful merchant and petty king Bj\u00f8rn Farmann was brutally murdered by his brother\u2014Eirik Bloodaxe.
Photo: Espen J\u00f8rgensen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The vikings and explorers at Saga Farmann take e bath in the greek waters
Photo: David Kro Barlaup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Saga
Saga Farmann sailing in the Mediterranean
Photo: H\u00e5kon Wium Lie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\"en_GB\"\/<\/a>\n\n\n

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