Leivur Øssursson

Who was Leivur Øssursson?

Leivur Øssursson or Leif Øssursson was Lord of the Faroe Islands, before they were given to Norway in 1035. Leivur's reign marked the beginning of the end of the Viking age, and the end of the Faeroe Republic.

It is unclear when and where Leivur was born, but we know that it was before 983. In 983 his father died at the age of 23. His birthplace was possibly Norðragøta, where his father lived at the home of Tróndur í Gøtu, in Hov, where his father owned Havgrímur's farm, either at Skúvoy, or at his father's other farms in Brestir and Beinir.

He was married to Tóra Sigmundsdóttir, the daughter of Sigmundur Brestisson and Turið Torkilsdóttir.

Olaf II of Norway invited some of the most important men of the Faroes, Gille, Tórolvur Sigmundsson and Leivur Øssursson, to come to Norway to become his deputies in 1024. However, as long as Tróndur í Gøtu lived, it was clear that Olaf II would not have full control of the Faroes. After Tróndur í Gøtu's death in 1035, Leivur Øssurson gave the Faeroes to the Norwegian king Magnus Olafsson, the same year.