Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf
Encyclopedia
Olaf Haraldsson was a reputed son of King Harald Fairhair of Norway
with Svanhild Øysteinsdotter, daughter of Øystein Jarl.
The saga Heimskringla
, written in Iceland
in the thirteenth century by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson
, gives the ninth century Norwegian founder king Harald Fairhair three sons with Svanhild, including Ragnar Rykkel, Bjørn Farmann
and Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf. Bjørn Farmann became king of Vestfold
. Olaf Haraldsson was made king of Vingulmark
by his father and then later inherited Vestfold
after his brother Bjørn Farmann
had been killed by their half-brother Eric Bloodaxe. Eric was king Harald's favourite son and his appointed successor, but he was not very popular among his half-brothers. Upon his father's death, Olaf made himself king of eastern Norway, and allied himself against Eric Bloodaxe with another half-brother, Sigrød Haraldsson, king of Trondheim
. The three kings met in battle outside Tønsberg
, on the farm Haugar. Olaf and Sigrød were defeated and they both fell there. Both are presumed to have been buried on the same spot. Haugar became the seat for Haugating
and Norway's second most important place for the proclamation of kings. Today the site is located on the Jarlsberg Estate
situated northwest of the centre of the town of Tønsberg.
Heimskringla
gives Olaf a son named Tryggve Olafsson
, who is there said to have became king of Ranrike
and Vingulmark
and to have been the father of King Olaf I of Norway
. The accuracy of these connections has been questioned by some modern scholars.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
with Svanhild Øysteinsdotter, daughter of Øystein Jarl.
The saga Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
, written in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in the thirteenth century by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
, gives the ninth century Norwegian founder king Harald Fairhair three sons with Svanhild, including Ragnar Rykkel, Bjørn Farmann
Bjørn Farmann
Bjørn Farmann was the king of Vestfold. Bjørn was one of the sons of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway...
and Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf. Bjørn Farmann became king of Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. Olaf Haraldsson was made king of Vingulmark
Vingulmark
Vingulmark is the old name for the area in Norway which today makes up the counties of Østfold, western parts of Akershus , and eastern parts of Buskerud , and includes the site of Norway's capital, Oslo...
by his father and then later inherited Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
after his brother Bjørn Farmann
Bjørn Farmann
Bjørn Farmann was the king of Vestfold. Bjørn was one of the sons of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway...
had been killed by their half-brother Eric Bloodaxe. Eric was king Harald's favourite son and his appointed successor, but he was not very popular among his half-brothers. Upon his father's death, Olaf made himself king of eastern Norway, and allied himself against Eric Bloodaxe with another half-brother, Sigrød Haraldsson, king of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. The three kings met in battle outside Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
, on the farm Haugar. Olaf and Sigrød were defeated and they both fell there. Both are presumed to have been buried on the same spot. Haugar became the seat for Haugating
Thing (assembly)
A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
and Norway's second most important place for the proclamation of kings. Today the site is located on the Jarlsberg Estate
Wedel-Jarlsberg
Wedel-Jarlsberg is a Danish and Norwegian noble family. It is also a branch of the family von Wedel, which comes from Pomerania, Germany...
situated northwest of the centre of the town of Tønsberg.
Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
gives Olaf a son named Tryggve Olafsson
Tryggve Olafsson
Tryggve Olafsson was king of Viken, Norway ....
, who is there said to have became king of Ranrike
Ranrike
Ranrike was the old name for a part of Viken, corresponding to southeast Norway and the northern half of the modern Swedish province of Bohuslän...
and Vingulmark
Vingulmark
Vingulmark is the old name for the area in Norway which today makes up the counties of Østfold, western parts of Akershus , and eastern parts of Buskerud , and includes the site of Norway's capital, Oslo...
and to have been the father of King Olaf I of Norway
Olaf I of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken , and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.Olaf played an important part in the often forcible, on pain of torture or death, conversion of the...
. The accuracy of these connections has been questioned by some modern scholars.