 Gunnhild acts as one of the most important partial exceptions to this rule, as she was influential during both Eirík's and her sons' rules.Gunnhild became increasingly politically active in her own right after her husband, Eirík, died in battle, after which she later returned to Norway where she put her sons in power, and her son Harald on the throne.Gunnhild also arranged her daughter's marriage to the strategically important Earl of Orkney, displaying her awareness for political advantage.