Ottar from Hålogaland
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Ottar from Hålogaland was a Viking adventurer from Hålogaland. Around 890 he traveled to England, and Alfred the Great had his tales written down.
Ottar told that he lived farthest to the north of all the Norwegians. He told about his travels to the Bjarmaland (White Sea), and south to England, accurately describing the entire Norwegian coast. He told about the Finns (or Kvens), the Samis and the Swedes.
Ottar's tales are the earliest known written source using the term Norwegians.
Ottar lived in Troms, probably somewhere just north of Harstad, maybe on Senja (today's Lenvik is seen as most probable) or slightly furter north (Kvaløya or Karlsøy).
References
- Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Reader (Many editions from the Clarendon Press) contains an excerpt of Alfred's account of Ottar's travels.
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