Olaf Haraldsson

• Olaf Haraldsson = son of petty king in E. Norway, who acknowledged Danish overlordship
  • Father = Harald Grenske; from Grenland district of Vestfold
  • Association with Oppland through his mother, who married Sigurð Sow, chieftain of Ringerike after Harald's death (their son grew up to be Harald Hardruler)
• Later Icelandice historians (Ari þorgilsson, etc.) claim Olaf was Harald Fairhair's great-great-grandson
  • Contemporary sources (Olaf's poets Ottar the Black and Sighvat þorðarson) do cal him 'Harald's descendant' => believed in Olaf's own time
• Sagas say Olaf was baptised as a child in Norway by Olaf Tryggvason
  • William of Jumièrges: Olaf was baptised in Normandy (Rouen) c. 1013 - more reliable source as 11th cent., and lacking Scnadinavian typological bias
• Successful career as Viking chieftain, sea-rover and mercenary when he came to Norway
  • Been in England in 1009, where like Olaf Tryggvason he fought on the side of Svein Forkbeard of Denmark
  • In 1012 received part of the largest Danegelt of all time, 48 000 pounds of silver
    • His share later funded his bid for the throne
  • Unstable political situation in England meant men often switched sides - e.g. in 1013, Olaf was fighting for Æthelred II - left for Norway in 1015

Similarities

• Common background as Vikings
• Little political inheritance in Norway - no large group that would have recognisd him as their ruler
• Both from E. Norway
• From Æthelred II that they both received encouragement and resources to make a claim to the throne
  • Æthelred trying the same divide-and-diminsh strategy that he used with Olaf Tryggvason; worked once, may it would work again

• Arrived in 1015 - political vacuum in Norway arising in 1014 after Knut summoned brother-in-law Earl Eirik to England to help fight for English throne
  • Most think Olaf on Æthelred's side, and now main opposition is out of the country
  • Some argue on Cnut's side - promised Norwegian throne in return for not supporting Æthelred (no proof other than:)
    • Report that Olaf and Erik's son Hakon had a peaceful meeting in W. Norway
    • Earl Eirik and Cnut left Olaf alone until the middle of the 1020s
  • Playing off the two sides? - letting both think they are getting some benefit from the withdrawal
• Following death of Svein Forkbeard, Cnut considered the lordship of Norway his, but he was busy in England so could do little to make his belief a reality
  • Power of the earls of Lade at this point dependent on the power of the Danish king; their political necessity for submitting to Denmark had weakened the traditional relationships with the farmers of Trøndelag that gave them such power in the 10th cent.
    • BIG SIGNIFICANT CHANGE - in 11th cent. there were thus no strong structures of established loyalties that could by themselves resist Olaf's takeover
    • The 2 most powerful Earls, Eirik and son Hakon, were in England and without them there was no way to quickly mobilise a large force against Olaf

• Conversely to early kings, Olaf openly worked to extend his power to the interior of E. Norway and a number of petty kings there rose against him
• Also opposition from Earl of Lade, Eirik's son Svein
  • Skalds: Olaf defeated Svein and the men of Trøndelag at the battle of Nesjar in 1016, where Olaf's army consisted of men from Oppland
  • Poet also says the support Olaf's received was due to his openhandedness with his English silver
• Olaf then went to Trøndelag and acclaimed himself king at the Øyra Assembly

• Claimed an unlimited dominion in Viken and had direct control over Trøndelag
• Interior of E. Norway (i.e. Oppland) became an ordinary part of the kingdom of Norway
  • In W. Norway the magnage Erling Sjjalgsson had power until death in 1027)
• Olaf imposed himself on the connections between Norway and the closest Norse colonies in the Atlantic
  • E.g. Took advantage of the warring factions of the family of the earl of Orkney to creat a feudal lordship over the islands, and lordship over Orkney included lordship over Shetland

• Sought to rule directly over most of Norway - did so by making overtures to the most important farmers and the younger sons of chieftains, who benefitted socially and economically from their support of the king
  • Ultimately wrangled aristocracy who turned against him
• Olaf had own network, for Olof Tribute-King of Sweden was also threatened by Cnut's ambition
  • Olof Tribute-King = Cnut's older half-brother, by the same mother
  • Supported Svein in lifetime, but did not transfer support to Cnut on Svein's death
  • 1019 Yaroslav married one of Olof's daughters (married son to Cnut's daughter in 1018); same year Olaf Haraldsson did the same thing, thus gaining both the king of Sweden and ruler of Russia as allies
• 1025/6 Olaf Haraldsson and brother-in-law Anund Jakob of Sweden made a joint attack on Denmark - Battle of Helgea (inconclusive, both sides claim victory)
• On returning to Norway, situation had completely changed - farmers in Trøndelag and Oppland regarded him with hostility and there was open opposition among the magnates
• In 1028 Olaf had to leave the country and amde his way to his brother-in-law Jaroslav in Russia

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