Jon Haraldsson, Jarl of Orkney

https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#HaraldIIMa...

In 1222 Earl Jon was implicated, indirectly, in the burning of Bishop Adam of Caithness in his hall at Halkirk by local farmers. Jon was accused of looking on or of fomenting the discontent.[28] King Alexander II undertook harsh reprisals for the killing, to the satisfaction of Pope Honorius III. The writer of the Orkneyinga Saga reportedthat "The punishments by Alexander for the burning of the bishop, by mutilation and death, confiscation and outlawry from the land, are still in fresh memory".[29]

Jon Haraldsson was killed in 1231, at Thurso in Caithness, by a great-grandson of Rognvald Kali called Snaekoll, who had demanded that Jon should share the Earldom with him, as had been done before. Jon's supporters and Snaekoll's fought a war until it was agreed that King Haakon Sverreson should settle the matter. All concerned set off to Norway, but a ship carrying Earl Jon, his supporters, and his kin, was lost at sea on the return voyage.

As a result, the line of Norse Earls came to a temporary end and from 1231 until 1236 Orkney was without an Earl. In 1236 the Earldom was granted by Haakon IV of Norway, to Magnus, son of Gille Brigte, Mormaer of Angus. Although ruled by Angus, Strathearn and Sinclair lords thereafter, Orkney remained part of the kingdom of Norway.

-7. JOHN (-murdered Thurso 1231). Orkneyinga Saga names (in order) “Thorfinn, David, Jon, Gunnhild, Herborga and Langlif” as the children of Earl Harald and his second wife[314]. He divided Orkney with his brother David 1206, invested as Jarl of Orkney after 1210 by Inge II Bardsson King of Norway. Sole Jarl from the death of his brother in 1214. He was deprived of Caithness in 1222, suspected of complicity in the murder of Adam Bishop of Caithness, although he redeemed it for a large sum[315]. He was murdered by Snaekoll Gunnisson, nephew of Harald III "Ungi" Jarl of Norway, and his body burned in retaliation for the death of the Bishop[316]. m ---. The name of John´s wife is not known. John & his wife had two children:

a) HARALD (-drowned 1226). His father left him as hostage at Bergen 1224 with Hakon Hakonsson King of Norway.

b) JOAN . She was taken hostage by Alexander II King of Scotland in [Aug 1214 or 1222]. m FRESKIN of Moray Lord of Duffus, son of ---. He appears to have taken control of part of Caithness after the murder of his father-in-law in 1231[317].

Jon Haraldsson was Earl of Orkney between 1206 and 1231.

Jon Haraldsson and his brother David were the sons of Harald Maddadsson with his second wife Hvarflod, daughter of Earl Máel Coluim of Moray. Jon and David were joint Earls of Orkney after the death of their father in 1206. David Haraldsson died of sickness in 1214, leaving Jon Haraldsson to rule alone. William the Lion, king of Scotland, took Jon's daughter hostage in August 1214 as part of a peace agreement with the new sole Earl.[1]

In 1222, Jon Haraldsson was implicated, indirectly, in the burning of Bishop Adam of Caithness in his hall at Halkirk by local farmers. Jon was accused of looking on or of fomenting the discontent. King Alexander II of Scotland undertook harsh reprisals for the killing, to the satisfaction of Pope Honorius III.

Snaekoll Gunnisson, a great-grandson of Rognvald Kali, demanded that Jon Haraldsson should share the Earldom with him. The supporters of Jon and Snaekoll fought a war until it was agreed that King Haakon IV of Norway should settle the matter. All concerned set off to Norway, but a ship carrying Jon Haraldsson, his supporters and his kin, was lost at sea on the return voyage during 1231.[citation needed] An alternative version of Earl John's demise is that he was resident in Thurso, and had his hall burnt around him. He escaped to a cellar only to be mortally wounded by Hanef, quaestor to the King of Norway, with nine wounds.[2] With his death the Norse line of the Earldom of Orkney, dating from the time of Harald Fairhair, became extinct. The Mormaer of Caithness was given over to Magnus, (Magnus mac Gille-Brighde of Angus), the son of Gille Brigte, Mormaer of Angus, forming the basis for a new governing presence. In 1236, Magnus was granted the Earldom of Orkney by King Haakon IV. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Haraldsson