Nielsen Hayden genealogy

Harald Hardrada, King of Norway

Male Abt 1015 - 1066  (~ 51 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All

  • Name Harald Hardrada 
    Suffix King of Norway 
    Birth Abt 1015  [1
    Gender Male 
    Death 25 Sep 1066  Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I25472  Ancestry of PNH, TNH, and others | Ancestor of TWK
    Last Modified 8 Jun 2019 

    Father Sigurd Syr,   b. Abt 960   d. 1018 (Age ~ 58 years) 
    Mother Asta Gudbrandsdottir 
    Family ID F15268  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Thora Thorbergsdatter,   b. 1025 
    Children 
    +1. Olav III, King of Norway,   b. Abt 1050   d. 22 Sep 1093, Håkeby, Tanum, Västra Götaland, Sweden Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 43 years)
    Family ID F15267  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 Jun 2019 

  • Notes 
    • From Leo van de Pas:

      Harald was only fifteen when he fought beside his half-brother at the battle of Stiklestad. He fled from Norway to Gardariket (Russia) then travelled on to Constantinople, known to the Vikings as Miklagard, where he served in the emperor's personal guard.

      In 1034 he returned to the Nordic countries a wealthy man. He gave some of his wealth to King Magnus, and as a reward he was given part of Norway. In 1047 when Magnus died, Harald became king of both Norway and Denmark. However in 1064, after numerous battles, he had to part with Denmark. In trying to make the Norwegian Church more independent from the archbishop of Bremen, Harald allowed his bishops to be ordained in England and France. From Harald's time both the Orkneys and Hjaltland were ruled from Norway.

      After the death of the English King Edward 'the Confessor', Harald raided England but he was beaten by Edward's successor King Harold II and died in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066.

  • Sources 
    1. [S49] Genealogics by Leo Van de Pas, continued by Ian Fettes and Leslie Mahler.