Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...

Scandinavian History in the Viking Age
Where was Harald king?
A large debate has recently raged over whether Harald fairhair really was a king of Vestfold, as portrayed
in the sagas, or instead had his base in the western fjords, as indicated by skaldic verse such as
Haraldskvæði (B522).
[E45] A. Campbell, ‘The opponents of Haraldr hárfagri at Hafrsfj²rðr’, SBVS 12 (1937-45), 232-37
[E46] Ó. Einarsdóttir, ‘Harald Dovrefostre af Sogn’, NHT 50 (1971), 131-66
[E47] P. Sveaas Andersen, ‘Hvorfor kom Vestfold til å danne utgangspunktet for Norges samling?’, Nye
middelalderstudier: kongedømme, kirke, stat, ed. C. Krag, Norske historikere i utvalg 6 (1983), 55-62
[UL 593:1.c.95.27]
[E48] C. Krag, ‘Vestfold som utgangspunkt for den norske rikssamlingen’, CM 3 (1990-92), 179-95
The tenth century
In broad (if possibly misleading) terms the tenth and early eleventh century in Norway can be
characterised politically by a tension between Christian, progressive kings and the pagan, conservative
earls of Lade (Hlaðir); both factions were at various times the leading players in the country, with the
latter frequently allying themselves with the kings of Denmark. According to tradition Harald was
succeeded first by his son Erik bloodaxe, who was then ousted by another son Hakon.
Hakon the good
[E50] Hakon was fostered at the court of king Æthelstan of England and is said to have attempted,
somewhat unsuccessfully, to introduce Christianity into Norway, see (L40 ff.); his saga, although
naturally dubious on points of detail, at least provides an idea of the sort of values that might be expected
to yield his positive nickname, even though his elegy Hákonarmál presents him as a decidedly pagan
leader (B530a). It is however striking when saga material about Hakon (B320 ff.) presents him as a great
reformer in terms of both legislation and defence (in terms of the leidang (C220 ff.)), and the former at
least seems to be confirmed in the poem Bers²glisvísur (B546g) from the early eleventh century. It is
important to remember that Hakon is effectively the first known Christian king in Scandinavia, and that
his upbringing in England may well have prompted him to undertake, or at least encourage, the
development of mechanisms of royal government in Norway (however successfully)
[E51] P.M. Sørensen, ‘Håkon den gode og guderne: nogle bemærkninger om religion og centralmagt i
det tiende århundrede, og om religionshistorie og kildekritik’, (D12):235-44 (E.s.)
[E52] J. Hnefill Aðalsteinsson, ‘A piece of horse-liver and the ratification of law’, (B261):81-98
[E53] G. Williams, ‘Hákon Aðalsteins fóstri: aspects of Anglo-Saxon kingship in tenth-century Norway’,
The North sea world in the middle ages. Studies in the cultural history of north-western Europe, edd.
T.M. Liszka and L.E.M. Walker (2001), 108-126 [ASNC]
Earl Hakon of Lade
Hakon’s successors, the sons of Erik bloodaxe, are also claimed to have been Christian, although their
reign is portrayed quite negatively. The impact of the new religion in Norway seems to be confirmed by
burial evidence (L150 ff.), and in any case seems to be a necessary prerequisite for the extraordinary
outpouring of pagan ideological verse from the court of earl Hakon in the late tenth century (B526 ff.).
[E55] T.M. Andersson, ‘Ari’s konunga ævi and the earliest accounts of Hákon Jarl’s death’, Bibliotheca
Arnamagnæana 33 (1979), 1-17
The two Olafs
A vast amount of literary material is preserved about Olaf Tryggvason (ruled 995-999/1000) and Olaf
Haraldsson (ruled 1014-28/30), both in the various versions of their sagas (B310-15) and also in skaldic
verse (B540 ff.). Although much of this material is suspect, their roles in the conversion and the
formation of the idea of ‘Norway’ as a kingdom should nevertheless not be underestimated.
Olaf Tryggvason
Olaf Tryggvason seems to have been a Viking warleader who was baptised in England (probably) in 994
under the sponsorship of Ethelred the unready before returning to stake his claim in Norway. A great deal
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