He finally left the Byzantines in He arrived back in Kievan Rus' to prepare his campaign of reclaiming the Norwegian throne. In his absence Olaf's illegitimate son Magnus the Good had got the throne. Magnus had also become king of Denmark. Magnus, unwilling to fight his uncle, agreed to share the kingship with Harald, since Harald in turn would share his wealth with him.
The co-rule ended abruptly the next year as Magnus died, so Harald became the sole ruler of Norway. Domestically, Harald crushed all opposition, and outlined the union of Norway under a national rule. Harald's reign was probably one of relative peace and stability, and he set up a viable coin economy and foreign trade. Probably seeking to restore Cnut's "North Sea Empire", Harald also claimed the Danish throne, and spent nearly every year until raiding the Danish coast and fighting his former ally, Sweyn.
He is often referred to as the last great Viking. Several monuments have been built in his honor and he appears in multiple fictional books. Interesting reading, thanks alot! Yet, I have looked into the genealogy of Harald Hardrade as well as the genealogy of Yaroslaws wife Ingegerd Olofsdotter , but nowhere can I find that the two were family or blood-related please see 3 above.
Please, if you find any evidence that they actually were related, it would be inetersting to know about that part.
The only non-blood-related connection that I find is that Ingegerds half-sister Astrid, was married to the half-brother of Harald: Namely to Saint Olof of Norway. Maybe that was what you meant?
Best regards Amir. Having just won a Civ VI game with Harald, i unknowingly used his actual skills by combining military, religion and culture to win. Excellent summary with just the right amount of detail. Happy to help. No I am not British. King Harald was killed by an arrow during the Battle of Stamford in He formulated a great legacy; he committed to advancing Christianity in Norway by building churches and further developed the Norwegian currency which led to Norwegian trade taking a huge leap forward.
He was considered to be a ruler who was ruthless and reigned with brute force, but his era was marked by peace and prosperity. I hope that you enjoyed learning about Harald Hardrada facts. For more information, visit historical people page. Interesting Facts about Harald Hardrada 1. He fought his first battle when he was He served as a Captain in Kievan Rus. He married the Princess Elisiv of Kievan Rus.
Harald was born in in Norway, and the sagas that have preserved his memory claim descent from the legendary first King of that country — Harald Fairhair. At the time of his birth, Norway was part of the Danish empire of King Cnut, which included England and parts of Sweden. At the ensuing battle of Stiklestad Olaf was killed, and Harald badly wounded and forced to flee, though not before showing considerable fighting skill.
After recovering in a remote cottage in the far north-east, he escaped into Sweden and, after a year of travelling, found himself in the Kievan Rus — the confederation of Slavic tribes which included Ukraine and Belarus, and is seen as the ancestor state to modern Russia.
Surrounded by enemies and in need of soldiers, Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise welcomed the newcomer, whose brother had already served him during his own exile, and gave him command of a detachment of men near modern St Petersburg. Over the following years Harald saw his star rise after fighting against the Poles, Romans and the fierce steppe nomads who always threatened from the east.
By the Norwegian had a personal following of around men, and took them south to Constantinople, capital of the Roman Empire. For decades now the Roman Emperors had kept a bodyguard of Norsemen, Germans and Saxons, picked for their powerful stature and known as the Varangian Guard.
Harald was an obvious choice, and quickly became the overall leader of this body of men, though he was still only twenty or twenty-one. Despite their status as bodyguards the Varangians saw action all across the Empire, and Harald was credited with the capture of 80 Arab fortresses in present-day Iraq.
After peace was won with the Arabs, he joined an expedition to retake Sicily, which had recently been conquered and declared an Islamic caliphate. Various sagas and accounts give different reasons why, though there are many hints at a sex scandal at court, which was divided between the followers of the new Emperor Michael V and the powerful Empress Zoe.
Though he had helped her win the imperial throne, Zoe refused to let him go, and so he once again escaped with a band of loyal men, heading north. His efforts to oust the popular Magnus proved futile however, and after negotiations they agreed to co-rule Norway. Sweyn was then made King of Denmark, while Harald finally became sole ruler of his homeland.
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