his father: unknown - possible royal connection  w/ Dyre Baardsen (b. abt 1255)
his mother: unknown

The family develop here are from the correspondence and records of Lief Erik Thorstensen and laid out in Thorstensen Ancestry on Ancestry.com 2015.

There are still a few questions about the different children's birth dates and the possible mothers.

1315 - 1318 Between these years Norway experience some of the wettest weather for a number of years.  Since rivers were flooding, and crops couldn't be grown successfully. "Europe's Great Famine of 1315-1317 is considered one of the worst population collapses in the continent's history. Historical records tell of unrelenting rain accompanied by mass crop failure, skyrocketing food prices, and even instances of cannibalism." [Frittis. phys.org/news/2019-12]]  Many families died and this period was known as the Little Ice Age. Some of this flooding started as early as 1314.  Cattle also contracted deadly diseases from wet weather and starved from lack of food. The famine may have caused the death of 10 to 20% of the population. When the plague arrives in Europe it found a weaken continent and took even more lives.

Earlier records are difficult to find unless they are associated with a royal line.   We presently have little idea what the origin of this family is but we know that Scandinavian settlements were made in this southern region of present day Norway.  Many did come from present day Denmark. According to researchers the Oseberg burial mound was created in the autumn of 834 and contained the bodies of two women, one in her eighties and another about the age of fifty. 

   

Oseberg Wagon figure, Viking Ship Museum
photos by Elroy Christenson 2016

Source:
        Christenson, Elroy - photo of Skate Creek, WA
        Frittis, Rachel.  American Geophysical Union, "One of Europe's worst famines likely caused by devastating floods",
                 Dec 13, 2019. Phys.org/news/2029-12 europe-worst-famines-devastating.html
        Thorstensen, Lief Erik. records Thorstensen Ancestry as presented on Ancestry.com and correspondence 2015.

Brief History of Oppland || Elroy's Family Index || Select Nor. Farm Index || Ancestor Chart #24090

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All information and photos included within these pages was developed by the help of hundreds of researchers. The information here is for the express purpose of personal genealogical research and is freely offered as long as this site is listed as a source. It may not be included or used for any commercial purpose or included in any commercial site without the express permission of Elroy Christenson. Copyright Elroy Christenson 1998-2020.

web pages created by Elroy Christenson- elroy@next1000.com - last updated 8/22/2020