Godfrid Haraldsson
Encyclopedia
Godfrid Haraldsson was the son of the Danish king Harald Klak
. In 826
he was baptized together with his parents in Mainz
in the Frankish Empire
, with crown prince Lothair
standing as a godparent
.
After his baptism, Godfrid stayed in Lothair's retinue, until they fell out sometime in the 840's, and Godfrid returned to Denmark. There he teamed up with Rorik, the son of his father's brother (his cousin). In 850
they united against Lothair and raided Dorestad
. Rorik took possession of Frisia
. Godfrid continued to plunder Flanders
and Artois
, and returned to Denmark for the winter. In 851
he was back, raiding in Frisia and around the Rhine, then sailed up the Scheldt
to attack Ghent
and the abbey of Drongen
.
After another winter in Denmark, Godfred returned again in 853
to Francia. On 9 October 853 he sailed up the Seine
. The fleet advanced beyond Rouen
, as far as Pont-de-l'Arche
, and encamped on an island near Les Andelys
. Charles the Bald
summoned his army as well as that of the Middle Kingdom
of Lothar, Godfred's godfather. The two sides faced each other the whole winter, the Frankish land army lacking boats to attack the Vikings. The stalemate was resolved in the spring of 853
when Godfred sailed away, probably with a tribute.
In 855
Godfred and his cousin Rorik tried to gain power in Denmark after the death of king Horik I
. The attempt failed, and they returned the same year, taking back Dorestad and a large part of the area of what is now The Netherlands. After this, the sources are silent about this Godfred. He probably died soon afterwards.
Harald Klak
Harald 'Klak' Halfdansson was a king in Jutland around 812–814 and again from 819–827.-Family:...
. In 826
826
Year 826 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Religion :* June 24 – The Danish king Harald Klak accepts Christianity.- Deaths :...
he was baptized together with his parents in Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
in the Frankish Empire
Frankish Empire
Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire , Frankish Kingdom , Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from the 3rd to the 10th century...
, with crown prince Lothair
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
standing as a godparent
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
.
After his baptism, Godfrid stayed in Lothair's retinue, until they fell out sometime in the 840's, and Godfrid returned to Denmark. There he teamed up with Rorik, the son of his father's brother (his cousin). In 850
850
Year 850 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Montoku succeeds Emperor Nimmyō as Emperor of Japan.- Europe :...
they united against Lothair and raided Dorestad
Dorestad
In the Early Middle Ages, Dorestad was the largest settlement of northwestern Europe. It was a large, flourishing trading place, three kilometers long, situated where the rivers Rhine and Lek diverge southeast of Utrecht in the Netherlands near the modern town of Wijk bij Duurstede...
. Rorik took possession of Frisia
Frisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
. Godfrid continued to plunder Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, and returned to Denmark for the winter. In 851
851
Year 851 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Vikings plunder London and Canterbury.* Charles the Bald, Louis the German and Lothar meet in Meersen....
he was back, raiding in Frisia and around the Rhine, then sailed up the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
to attack Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and the abbey of Drongen
Drongen
Drongen is a submunicipality of the city of Ghent .Drongen is divided into three parishes: Drongen, Luchteren and Baarle....
.
After another winter in Denmark, Godfred returned again in 853
853
Year 853 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Egypt :* May 22–May 23 – A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys Damietta in Egypt.- Asia :...
to Francia. On 9 October 853 he sailed up the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
. The fleet advanced beyond Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, as far as Pont-de-l'Arche
Pont-de-l'Arche
Pont-de-l'Arche is a commune of the Eure département in France.-Population:-External links:*...
, and encamped on an island near Les Andelys
Les Andelys
Les Andelys is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Geography:It lies on the Seine, about 35 km northeast of Évreux.The commune is divided into two parts, Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely.-Population:-Sights:...
. Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
summoned his army as well as that of the Middle Kingdom
Middle Francia
Middle Francia was an ephemeral Frankish kingdom created by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, which divided the Carolingian Empire among the sons of Louis the Pious...
of Lothar, Godfred's godfather. The two sides faced each other the whole winter, the Frankish land army lacking boats to attack the Vikings. The stalemate was resolved in the spring of 853
853
Year 853 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Egypt :* May 22–May 23 – A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys Damietta in Egypt.- Asia :...
when Godfred sailed away, probably with a tribute.
In 855
855
Year 855 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Louis II succeeds Lothar as Western Emperor...
Godfred and his cousin Rorik tried to gain power in Denmark after the death of king Horik I
Horik I
Horik I reigned as sole King of Denmark from 827 to his violent death in 854. His reign was marked by Danish raids on the Franco-German empire of Louis the Pious, son and successor of Charlemagne....
. The attempt failed, and they returned the same year, taking back Dorestad and a large part of the area of what is now The Netherlands. After this, the sources are silent about this Godfred. He probably died soon afterwards.