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Olaf Tryggvason: the story on HearLore | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · Origins And Early Life —
Olaf Tryggvason.
~9 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
Olaf Tryggvason was born in the 960s, though the exact year remains a subject of debate among historians. The earliest written source, Historia Norwegiæ from the late twelfth century, claims he was born in the Orkney Islands after his mother fled there to escape killers of his father. Another source, Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum, states that Olaf's mother Astrid Eiriksdottir fled with him when he was three years old for the same reason. All sagas agree that Olaf eventually came to Kievan Rus', specifically the court of Vladimir the Great of Kiev. Heimskringla provides the most elaborate account, stating Olaf was born shortly after the murder of his father in 963, while other sources suggest dates between 964 and 969. These later dates cast doubt over Olaf's claim to be of Harald Fairhair's kin. Snorri Sturluson claims in Olaf Tryggvson's saga that Olaf was born on an islet in Fjærlandsvatnet, where his mother was hiding from her husband's killers led by Harald Greycloak. After fleeing Oppland and Sweden, they reached Gardarike (Kiev) where Astrid's brother Sigurd served Vladimir the Great. Olaf was three years old when they set sail on a merchant ship for Novgorod. The journey failed in the Baltic Sea when Estonian vikings captured them. Olaf became the possession of a man named Klerkon, who killed his foster father Thorolf and sold the two boys to another man called Reas for a fine cloak. Six years later, Sigurd Eirikson traveled to Estonia to collect taxes for King Vladimir. He saw a boy who did not appear to be native and asked about his family. The boy identified himself as Olaf, son of Tryggve Olafson and Astrid Eiriksdattir. Sigurd bought Olaf and Thorgils out from slavery and took them to Novgorod under Vladimir's protection.
Raiding Campaigns And Marriage
Heimskringla states that after leaving Novgorod, Olaf raided settlements and ports with success. In 982 he was caught in a storm and made port in Wendland, where he met Queen Geira, a daughter of King Burizleif. She ruled the part of Wendland in which Olaf had landed, and Olaf and his men were given an offer to stay for the winter. Olaf accepted and after courting the Queen, they were married. Olaf began to reclaim the baronies which while under Geira's rule had refused to pay taxes. After these successful campaigns, he began raiding again both in Skåne and Gotland. Queen Geira told the man who informed her to invite ships into her kingdom, saying she would have them over for a feast. Once Olaf and his men arrived, Queen Geira welcomed them in, held a feast for them, and engaged in very meaningful conversation with Olaf. This conversation led to Olaf and his men staying for a few days, and a relationship starting between the two leaders. Eventually these two would agree to a marriage while Olaf and his troops were still there. Later, during one of their conversations, Olaf asked Geira if there were any towns that she had lost control over. She replied, Lord, I can name for you the towns that have escaped from our control; we have suffered their arrogance for a long time. Following this conversation, Olaf went out and recaptured these towns for Geira. Following this, and their marriage, Olaf would stay in the country until the untimely death of Geira.
Conversion To Christianity
After Olaf had spent three years in Wendland, his wife Geira died. He felt so much sorrow from her death that he could no longer bear to stay in Wendland, and set out to plunder in 984. He raided from Friesland to the Hebrides. After four years he landed on one of the Scilly Isles. He heard of a seer who lived there. Desiring to test the seer, he sent one of his men to pose as Olaf. But the seer was not fooled. So Olaf went to see the hermit, now convinced he was a real fortune teller. And the seer told him: Thou wilt become a renowned king, and do celebrated deeds. Many men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism, and both to thy own and others' good; and that thou mayst have no doubt of the truth of this answer, listen to these tokens. When thou comest to thy ships many of thy people will conspire against thee, and then a battle will follow in which many of thy men will fall, and thou wilt be wounded almost to death, and carried upon a shield to thy ship; yet after seven days thou shalt be well of your wounds, and immediately thou shalt let yourself be baptized. After the meeting mutineers attacked Olaf, and he was wounded but survived, and as result he converted to Christianity. David Hugh Farmer, in the Oxford Dictionary of Saints, writes it is tempting to identify the seer with Saint Lide who lived on the island of St Helen's in the Isles of Scilly. By another account, Saint Älfheah of Canterbury baptized him near Andover, Hampshire, England in 994. However, Henrietta Leyser states that Olaf was already baptized and that the 994 event at Andover was a confirmation of his faith, part of a Danegeld treaty in which he agreed to no longer raid in England.
Seizure Of The Norwegian Throne
In 995, rumours began to surface in Norway of a king in Ireland of Norwegian blood. This caught the ear of Jarl Haakon, who sent Thorer Klakka to Ireland, posing as a merchant, to see if he was the son of Tryggve Olafson. Haakon told Thorer that if it were him, to lure him to Norway, so Haakon could have him under his power. Thorer befriended Olaf and told him of the situation in Norway, that Jarl Haakon had become unpopular with the populace, because he often took daughters of the elite as concubines, which was his right as ruler. He quickly grew tired of them and sent them home after a week or two. He had also been weakened by his fighting with the Danish king, due to his rejection of the Christian faith. Olaf seized this opportunity, and sailed for Norway. When he arrived many men had already revolted against Haakon, who was forced to hide in a hole dug in a pigsty, together with his slave, Kark. When Olaf met the rebels they accepted him as their king, and together they started to search for Haakon. They eventually came to the farm where Haakon and Kark were hiding, but did not find them. Olaf held a meeting just outside the swine-sty and promised a great reward for the man who killed Haakon. The two men in the hole heard this speech, and Haakon became distrustful of Kark, fearing he would kill him for the reward. He could not leave the pigsty, nor could he stay awake indefinitely, and when he fell asleep Kark decapitated Haakon with a knife. The next day Kark went to Olaf and presented him the head of Haakon. King Olaf did not reward him, and instead decapitated him.
Forced Christianization Efforts
After his confirmation as King of Norway, Olaf traveled to the parts of Norway that had not been under the rule of Haakon, but that of the King of Denmark; they also swore allegiance to him. He then demanded that they all be baptized, and most reluctantly they agreed. In 997, Olaf founded his seat of government in Trondheim, where he had first held a thing with the revolters against Haakon. It was a suitable site because the River Nid twisted itself before going into the fjord, creating a peninsula that could be easily defended against terrestrial attacks by only one short wall. Olaf continued to promote Christianity throughout his reign. He baptized the explorer Leif Ericson, who took a priest with him back to Greenland to convert the rest of his kin. Olaf also converted the people and Earl of the Orkney Islands to Christianity. At that time, the Orkney Islands were part of Norway. While Olaf sent missionaries to other lands and baptized dignitaries who visited Norway to spread Christianity, within his own kingdom he used forced conversion through means such as exile, hostage taking, mutilation, torture, and death for those who refused as well as destroying pagan temples. Noted victims include Thorlief the Wise who had one eye torn out, his torturers were supposed to blind him but his stoic bearing during the torture led them to run away after doing only half the job, and Raud the Strong who had a venomous snake forced into body through his mouth by a red hot iron.
Battle Of Svolder And Death
He died at the sea Battle of Svolder when his forces were defeated by a combined armada from Denmark, Sweden and the Jarls of Lade. Finally surrounded on his flagship the Ormrinn Langi (Long Serpent), Danish sources report that when all was lost he committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea, the end befitting his life, according to Adam of Bremen. Saxo Grammaticus says that Olaf preferred suicide to death at the hands of the enemy and jumped overboard in full armour rather than see his foes victorious. The Norwegian and Icelandic accounts are more complex and more favourable to Olaf. Hallfreðr's memorial poem for his lord had already alluded to rumours that Olaf escaped death at Svolder. The sagas offer a variety of possibilities. Ágrip reports: Other sagas suggest that one way or another Olaf made his way to the shore; perhaps by swimming, perhaps with the help of angels, most likely rescued by one of the Wendish ships present. After his escape, Olaf supposedly sought salvation for his soul abroad, perhaps joining a monastery. Mesta describes a series of sightings of him in the Holy Land, the last in the 1040s.
Posthumous Legends And Legacy
In the early 11th century, a Viking chieftain named Tryggvi invaded Norway, claiming to be the son of Olaf and Gyda. His invasion was defeated by forces loyal to Cnut the Great's son Svein Knutsson. An account preserved in Morkinskinna relates that Tryggvi was killed by a farmer after the battle. Many years later, when Harald Hardrada was king of Norway, he passed by the site of the battle. The king met an old friend of his who pointed out the alleged assassin. After questioning the purported killer and hearing him confess, King Harald had the man hanged, citing the familial bond between him and Tryggvi and his duty to avenge the latter's death. For some time after the Battle of Svolder, there were rumors that Olaf had survived his leap into the sea and had made his way to safety. Accounts reported by Oddr Snorrason included sightings of Olaf in Rome, Jerusalem, and elsewhere in Europe and the Mediterranean. Both King Ethelred the Unready and Olaf's sister Astrid allegedly received gifts from Olaf long after he was presumed dead. The latest sighting reported by Oddr took place in 1046. Olaf routinely used force to compel conversion to Christianity, including execution and torture of those who refused. Raud the Strong refused to convert and, after a failed attempt using a wooden pin to pry open his mouth to insert a snake, was killed by a snake goaded by a hot poker through a drinking horn into Raud's mouth and down his throat. Eyvind Kinnrifi likewise refused and was killed by a brazier of hot coals resting on his belly.
When was Olaf Tryggvason born and where did he spend his childhood?
Olaf Tryggvason was born in the 960s, with specific dates ranging from 963 to 969 according to various sagas. He spent his early years fleeing to Kievan Rus after his mother Astrid Eiriksdottir escaped killers of his father.
Who married Olaf Tryggvason during his time in Wendland and when did she die?
Queen Geira, a daughter of King Burizleif, married Olaf Tryggvason after they met in 982. She died three years later around 984, prompting him to leave Wendland and begin plundering again.
How did Olaf Tryggvason become King of Norway in 995?
Jarls Haakon became unpopular due to taking elite daughters as concubines and fighting Danish kings while rejecting Christianity. Olaf seized this opportunity to sail for Norway where rebels accepted him as king after Jarl Haakon was killed by his slave Kark.
Where did Olaf Tryggvason establish his seat of government and what year did he found it?
Olaf Tryggvason founded his seat of government in Trondheim in the year 997. The location was chosen because the River Nid created a defensible peninsula that could be protected with only one short wall.
What happened to Olaf Tryggvason at the Battle of Svolder in 1000?
Olaf Tryggvason died at the sea Battle of Svolder when his forces were defeated by a combined armada from Denmark, Sweden and the Jarls of Lade. Danish sources report he committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea while wearing full armour.