Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Harald's greatest moment came in 872 at Hafrsfjord near Haugesund when he emerged
victorious from one of world history's few civil wars to be decided at sea. When the dust
settled, Norway had become a single country.
The reign of Harald Hårfagre was such an odd and entertaining time that it was recorded
for posterity in the
Heimskringla,
the Norwegian kings' saga, by Icelander Snorre
Sturluson. According to Snorre, Harald's unification of Norway was inspired by a woman
who taunted the king by refusing to have relations with a man whose kingdom wasn't even
as large as tiny Denmark. Through a series of confederations and trade agreements, he ex-
tended his rule as far north as what is now Trøndelag. His foreign policies were equally
canny, and he even sent one of his sons, Håkon, to be reared in the court of King Athelstan
of England. There is no record of whether the woman in question was sufficiently im-
pressed. Harald died of plague at Avaldsnes on Karmøy island around 930.
The king who unified the country could do little about his own family, however. He had
10 wives and fathered a surfeit of heirs, thereby creating serious squabbles over succes-
sion. The one who rose above them all was Erik, his last child and only son with Ragnhild
the Mighty, daughter of the Danish King Erik of Jutland. The ruthless Erik eliminated all
of his legitimate brothers except Håkon (who was safe in England). Erik, whose reign was
characterised by considerable ineptitude, then proceeded to squander his father's hard-won
Norwegian confederation. When Håkon returned from England to sort out the mess as
King Håkon den Gode (Håkon the Good), Erik was forced to flee to Britain where he took
over the throne of York as King Erik Blood-Axe.
The Haugelandet region of western Norway is considered by many to be the cradle of Vik-
ing culture and Karmøy island, south of Haugesund, has a Viking Festival in June
(
www.vikingfestivalen.no
). The Viking Kings website (
www.vikingkings.com
) covers the re-
gion's Viking history.
Christianity & the Viking Decline
The Vikings gave Norwegians their love of the sea and it was during the late Viking period
that they bequeathed to them another of their most enduring national traits - strong roots
in Christianity. However, this overturning of the Viking pantheon of gods did not come
without a struggle.
