Ragnvald , Earl of MÃ re received Orkney and Shetland as an earldom from the king as reparation for his son 's being killed in battle in Scotland . Ragnvald gave the earldom to his brother Sigurd the Mighty . Rognvald Eysteinsson received Orkney and Shetland from Harald as an earldom as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland , and then passed the earldom on to his brother Sigurd the Mighty .