Þorsteinn rauði Ólafsson Scottish King - Alternative data from Merges

I don't think it is sufficiently accurate to call Thorstein a 'Scottish King' as he is labelled here at present.

Besides the question of whether the descriptor 'Scottish' can apply to this era - 'Alba' being more likely - and the question of whether, even if it could, the Orkneys & Caithness would be considered enough to constitute it, or even half of it;
the Saga is speaking in such generalisations as are typical of boasting, and other proof should back this up.

Thorstein the Red is not, unless I'm horribly mistaken, mentioned in the Scots King lists as such, and even if we found a 'ri' title descriptor for him somewhere - it is likely that it would apply to the Orkney and surrounds area, where 'jarl', rather than king was the typically term.

Plundering and receiving tribute from local 'kings' is not sufficient proof to constitute the "Scottish King' descriptor, in my opinion.

I just wrote what is in icelandic gen book but wilkipedia says:

Thorstein the Red or Thorstein Olafsson was a viking chieftain who flourished in late ninth-century Scotland. He was born around 850 AD and was the son of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, and Aud the Deep-minded, who was the daughter of Ketil Flatnose.[1] After the death of Olaf, Aud and Thorstein went to live in the Hebrides, then under Ketil's rule.[2] Thorstein eventually became a warlord and allied with the Jarl of Orkney, Sigurd Eysteinsson.[3] Together Thorstein and Sigurd waged a series of campaigns in Caithness, Sutherland, Ross, Moray, and a number of other regions, eventually receiving tribute from half of Scotland.[4] However, the Scottish chieftains plotted against Thorstein, and he was killed; the exact nature of his death is unknown but it probably took place around 880 or 890. After Thorstein's death Aud left Caithness, sojourning for a while in Orkney before settling with other members of her clan in Iceland.[5]

Thorstein married Thurid, the daughter of Eyvind the Easterner. Thorstein and Thurid had a son, Olaf Feilan, and a number of daughters, including Groa, Thorgerd, Olof, Osk, Thorhild, and Vigdis.[6] A woman named Unn, wife of Thorolf Mostur-beard, claimed to be the daughter of Thorstein, but this claim was viewed by other Icelanders with scepticism.[7

Thanks for that update, Helga. It's so great when people get involved in the research. As noone has commented in favour of the Scottish King description, I think I can safely remove it.

Middle Name "rauði" OR Reyði

Birth: Dublin, Ireland OR Dala, Iceland
Death Date 888 OR after 879
Death Location Hrammi, Dala, Iceland OR Northwest, Iceland OR Caithness, Highland, Scotland