User:Thhist/Harald Fairhair

Harald Fairhair (Old Norse: Haraldr hárfagri, Norwegian: Harald Hårfagre; c. 848 – c. 932) was the first King of Norway, reigning from around 872–930. Most of his life remains uncertain, since the most detailed accounts of his life are written around three hundred years after his own lifetime. A few contemporary skaldic poems exist which give only brief information, while the oldest and youngest sagas often disagree on important aspects of his life. Two of his sons, Eric Bloodaxe and Haakon the Good, followed Harald to become kings of Norway after his death.

Background
Modern historians believe that Harald was born around 848 to Halfdan the Black and his wife Ragnhild Haraldsdatter, probably near the Sognefjord. Halfdan had become a powerful petty king after inheriting a kingdom in the Upplands from his father, and Agder from his mother's father. He had also conquered other areas militarily after becoming king. Ragnhild was in turn a daughter of Harald Gullskjegg, a king in Sogn. Not supported today, the youngest sagas' claims that Halfdan and his ancestors were based in Vestfold, and that Ragnhild (here Sigurdsdatter) was a descendant from the Danish Scyldings. These stories are now considered politically motivated fabrications against Danish claims in the region contemporary with the saga writers. Around 858, Harald's father died after he and his men broke through the ice and drowned after a feast in Hadeland. A party was then sent by Halfdan's brother Guttorm to take Harald to the Upplands, and he was therafter proclaimed king with Guttorm as his regent.

Securing his inherited kingdom
In the process of conquering land in the Upplands, Halfdan had gained many enemies who wanted revenge by going after his successor, Harald. The first king who attacked was Gandalf Alfgeirsson of Vingulmark, who sent his son Hake with 360 men, a considerable force at the time, against Harald's force of elite warriors known as berserkers. As soon as Guttorm's scouts learned of Hake's plans, they made a swift attack and defeated his men. Not long after, Harald and Guttorm took down the sons of Eystein Glumra from Hedmark as they also planned an attack. After defeating them, they took on Gandalf himself, defeating and killing him. When he became 15 years old around 863, Harald was considered a legal adult and took control of his kingdom alone, while appointing Guttorm his duke. The power of the Danes in Viken had started to deteriorate in the mid-9th century due to domestic unrest, as well as the effort and resources put in by the "Great Heathen Army" to conquer England. At the same time, there was a gowing notion of a distinct Norwegian people as opposed to the Danes, illustrated by the only recent clear distinction between Danes and Norwegians by Irish chroniclers. This formed the basis for Harald's desire to subjugate or "unify" the Norwegian petty kingdoms under a single Norwegian kingdom. To gain funds for his campaigns, Harald had to increase taxes to levels considered intolerable by many Norwegians.

Early conquests
After coming of age, Harald sought to expand his power. With a force of at least a couple hundred men, he went through over the mountains to Oppdal in Trøndelag. Harald ordered his men to kill everyone who resisted, and he burned down houses and farms to send his message. Soon thereafter, Harald received the submission of the Earl of Lade, and ruler of Trøndelag and Hålogaland, Håkon Grjotgardsson, and married his daughter Åsa. The alliance with Håkon provided Harald with access to substantial amounts of soldiers, ship-builders and trade in the north. Harald sailed southwards with his fleet to subjugate the northern parts of Western Norway in 866. He first met resistance at Solskjel, where he defeated the kings of Romsdal and Møre in a naval battle. The son of the king of Møre, and heir to the kingdom, Solve Klove who managed to escape, started a guerilla war against Harald. He gained support from many men who feared Harald's conquests, including the king of Sunnmøre, Arnvid, and king in Fjordane, Audbjørn. They thereafter went north to attack Harald, but again were defeated in a naval battle. Harald gained supporters in newly conquered areas by generously giving gifts to those who followed him, and his hird became the centre of a new type of unity that transcended the old boundaries between traditional districts and villages.

After having conquered the land south to Sunnmøre by 867, Harald only had to capture Fjordane before his realm encompassed all the land south to Sogn. As the king of Fjordane had already been killed, Harald managed to secure the support from the chieftains and men in the region by around 870.

When Harald returned to the Upplands, he learned that the Swedish king Eric Anundsson had started taxing areas he considered his own territories, in the wake of the waning Danish control in Viken.

Battle of Hafrsfjord
The Battle of Hafrsfjord is the only great battle of Harald which is based on a contemporary source (recalled in the sagas). In Haraldskvæði, Harald is said to have fought Kjotve the Rich and Haklang, who "came from the East." While Snorri Sturluson claims that Harald attacked the kings of Western Norway, it is more likely that it was Harald who was attacked in his own kingdom. It is possible that Harald's opponents were assisted by the Danes.

Harald most likely became a king based in Western Norway. According to Haraldskvæði, he lived at Utstein, and all of his royal estates were located on the coast from Nordhordland to Jæren. The extent of Harald's kingdom beyond this was probably secured by powerful chieftains' recognition of Harald's overlordship. Known earls under Harald includes Atle of Sogn, Rognvald Eysteinsson of Møre, and Håkon Grjotgardsson, Earl of Lade (of Trøndelag).

Emigration of opponents
Harald's realm was threatened by dangers from without, as large numbers of his opponents had taken refuge, not only in Iceland, then recently discovered; but also in the Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Hebrides Islands, Faroe Islands and the northern European mainland. However, his opponents' leaving was not entirely voluntary. Many Norwegian chieftains who were wealthy and respected posed a threat to Harald; therefore, they were subjected to much harassment from Harald, prompting them to vacate the land. At last, Harald was forced to make an expedition to the West, to clear the islands and the Scottish mainland of some Vikings who tried to hide there.

The earliest narrative source which mentions Harald, Íslendingabók claims that Iceland was settled during his lifetime. It was thus long thought that Harald thus caused the Norse settlement of Iceland and beyond. According to this view, Iceland was settled by "malcontents" from Norway, who resented Harald's claim of rights of taxation over lands, which the possessors appear to have previously held in absolute ownership. This view has been largely abandoned by modern historians.