Reference

Einarr managed to consolidate power over the Orkney and Shetland islands through a combination of Norse influence, strategic alliances, and the establishment of a strong earldom. According to historical sources, Rognvald Eysteinsson, Einarr's father, ushered in the era of Norse influence that would shape the destiny of the Orkney islands [2]. Einarr and his brothers, the Eiríkssons, sought refuge in the Orkneys, took over power there, and established control of the islands [4]. This control was further solidified through the rex iustus-ideology, where the king derived his power from God, and did not have to build it up from below anymore as before [3]. The strategic importance of the Orkney Islands, lying to the north of mainland Scotland, also played a role in Einarr's consolidation of power, as it provided access to both western and northern seas [5]. Overall, Einarr's consolidation of power was a result of Norse colonization, strategic control, and the establishment of a divine right to rule.