Harald Kesja

Family/Spouse: Ragnhild of Norway. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Björn Jernside was born about 1100; died on 4 Jun 1134.

Notes:

Called "The Good."

From Wikipedia:

Medieval chroniclers, such as Saxo Grammaticus, and myths portrayed Eric a “strapping fellow” appealing to the common people. He could keep his place when four men tried their best to move him. Eric was a good speaker, people went out of their way to hear him. After a ting assembly concluded, he went about the neighborhood greeting men, women and children at their homesteads. He had a reputation as a loud man who liked parties and who led a rather dissipated private life. Though a presumed supporter of a strong centralized royal power, he seems to have behaved like a diplomat avoiding any clash with the magnates. He had a reputation for being ruthless to robbers and pirates. [...]

King Eric announced at the Viborg assembly that he had decided to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The cause, according to Danmarks Riges Krønike, was the murder of four of his own men while drunk at a feast in his own hall. Despite the pleadings of his subjects, he would not be deterred. Eric appointed his son, Harald Kesja, and Bishop Asser as regents.

Eric and Boedil and a large company traveled through Russia to Constantinople where he was a guest of the emperor. While there, he became ill, but took ship for Cyprus anyway. He died at Paphos, Cyprus in July 1103. The queen had him buried there. He was the first king to go on pilgrimage after Jerusalem was conquered during the First Crusade. Queen Boedil also became ill, but made it to Jerusalem where she died. She was buried at the foot of the Mount of Olives in the Valley of Josaphat.

Erik married (Unknown mistress of Erik "The Good" of Denmark). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

By various mistresses, he was the father of five future kings of Denmark: Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood, and Niels.

Notes:

Jarl in England. Also called Ulf Jarl. Killed by a housecarl of King Canute in Trinity Church, Roskilde.

Ulf married Estrid, Queen of Denmark. Estrid (daughter of Swein Forkbeard, King of England and Denmark) was born about 990; died between 1057 and 1073. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"The date of her death is unknown, but it can be no earlier than 1057, or later than 1073, as Bishop William of Roskilde (in office 1057–73), officiated at her funeral." [Wikipedia]

Notes:

From Wikipedia:

Little is recorded about Thorgil in historical texts. Most of what was recorded is in reference to his children, two of whom were parents of royalty. Thorgil's cognomen Sprakalägg can be translated into English as "Strut-leg". In the Icelandic Knýtlinga saga he is also called "the fast". In the 11th century, English historian John of Worcester provided a pedigree for earl Beorn Estrithson that made his grandfather 'Spraclingus' a son of 'Ursius' (i.e. urso, Latin for bear or Bjørn in Danish, Björn in Swedish).

Two 13th-century writers relate folklore that derives Thorgil from the mating of a bear with a noblewoman. Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus recorded that the son born to such a union was 'named after his father' (i.e. called 'bear' - Ursius/Björn) and in turn became father of 'Thrugillus, called Sprageleg'. The Gesta Antecessorum Comitis Waldevi copies John of Worcester's pedigree but makes the Ursius, father of 'Spratlingus', an actual white bear. The 14th-century chronicle sometimes attributed to John Brompton tells a very similar tale relating to the birth of Björn, called Boresune (bear's-son), father of Siward, Earl of Northumbria, and this may represent the original form of the longer, chronologically impossible pedigree of Siward found in the Gesta that erroneously identifies Björn Boresune with Thorgil's grandson, Beorn Estrithson. It has been suggested that the role of a bear in their immediate ancestry may represent a tradition shared by relatives rather than that two independent families at about the same time both co-opted the same ancient Norwegian legend for their immediate ancestry, that Björn Boresune and Thorgil may have been brothers.

In the 18th century, Danish historian Jakob Langebek suggested this bear story was allegorical, and that the brutish 'Wild' Björn, father of Thorgil, was a reference to Jomsviking brigand leader Styrbjörn the Strong (Styrbjörn Starke), depicted by sagas as the son of Olaf Björnsson, king of Sweden. Styrbjörn's wife in the sagas is stated to have been Tyra of Denmark, the daughter of Harold Bluetooth, king of Denmark and Norway. No primary source supports this royal ancestry for Thorgil, a connection almost impossible to maintain because of the chronological inconsistencies.

Notes:

Also called Sveinn Haraldsson, Sveinn Tjúguskegg.

"He died at Gainsborough on 3 February 1014 and was buried initially at York but, according to Thietmar of Merseburg, an unnamed English woman, fearing that Æthelred would, on his return from exile, destroy the body, had it exhumed and sent to Denmark, where it was reburied in Roskilde." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Notes:

Also called Harald Gormsson.

Harald married Gunhild. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mentioned 965.