Tormod Kark


Tormod Kark was a slave in Viking Era Norway. He appears in the saga Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar.

Biography

His life was closely tied to Haakon Sigurdsson.
In 995, a quarrel broke out between Haakon and Olaf Tryggvason just as Olaf had arrived back in Norway.
Hoping for a reward, Tormod Kark killed Haakon and brought his head to Olaf who would become king of Norway.
The murder happened at Rimul in Melhus. However, as a punishment for betraying his lord, Kark was himself decapitated, and his head reputedly sat on a stake in Munkholmen alongside Haakon's head. The events are described in the Saga of king Olaf Tryggvason.