King Harold
The Thunderbolt of the North who ruled from Ringerike to Constantinople.
via Wikipedia: Harald Hardrada · see source
Harald 'Hardrada' Sigurdsson (c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III, was King of Norway from 1046 to 1066. Before claiming his throne, he spent 15 years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and later served as chief of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire. Adam of Bremen famously called him the 'Thunderbolt of the North'. In 1030, at age fifteen, Harald fought alongside his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson at the Battle of Stiklestad. After their defeat against forces loyal to Danish King Cnut, Harald fled east. He rose quickly in Constantinople, amassing significant wealth before returning west to reclaim Norway.
- Role
- King of Norway
- Affiliation
- House of Hardrada (Sigurdsson)
- Status
- Deceased (25 September 1066)
- First Appearance in History
- Battle of Stiklestad (1030)
- Key Conflict
- Claiming the Norwegian, Danish, and English thrones; service in Kievan Rus' and
Lore & Background
Harald's path began in 1030 at the Battle of Stiklestad, where he fought for his half-brother Olaf against King Cnut. Defeated and wounded, Harald escaped to Kievan Rus', arriving likely in Staraya Ladoga by 1031 under Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise. He served as a captain against Poles, Chudes, and steppe nomads before moving south around 1034 or 1035 to Constantinople. There, he commanded the Varangian Guard, fighting on nearly every frontier: the Mediterranean Sea, Asia Minor, Sicily, possibly the Holy Land, Bulgaria, and within Constantinople itself during imperial dynastic disputes. He shipped his amassed wealth back to Yaroslav for safekeeping. In 1042, Harald returned to Rus' to prepare for his Norwegian claim. By 1046, he allied with Danish pretender Sweyn II against King Magnus the Good. He spent nearly every year until 1064 raiding the Danish coast, successfully fighting his former ally Sweyn but never conquering Denmark.
In Their Own Story
In September 1066, following Tostig Godwinson's pledge of allegiance, Harald invaded northern England with 10,000 troops and 300 longships. On 20 September, he defeated English regional forces in the Battle of Fulford near York. However, on 25 September 1066, Harold Godwinson launched a surprise attack at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Harald was killed in this engagement, which wiped out his entire army. This event marked the end of his quest for the English throne and is often considered by historians as the conclusion of the Viking Age. Earlier, during his Byzantine service, Harald became involved in imperial dynastic disputes while commanding the Varangian Guard, rising from a captain to the leader over all the Varangians by 1035.
Reader's Guide
Harald 'Hardrada' is defined by his epithet 'harðráði', translated variously as 'hard in counsel', 'tyrannical', or 'severe'. Some Insular sources, such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Orderic Vitalis, refer to him as 'Harold Harfagera' (Fairhair), a name traditionally associated with an earlier king but possibly used for Harald during his lifetime. Born in Ringerike to Åsta Gudbrandsdatter and Sigurd Syr, he was the youngest of three half-brothers to Olaf Haraldsson. His genealogy as a descendant of King Harald Fairhair is considered by modern scholars to be a later invention rather than historical fact. He ruled Norway from 1046 to 1066, establishing a coin economy and foreign trade while maintaining relative peace domestically despite constant external campaigning.
Did You Know?
- Harald spent 15 years in exile as a mercenary before becoming King of Norway.
- Adam of Bremen referred to Harald as the 'Thunderbolt of the North'.
- In 1066, Harald invaded England with exactly 10,000 troops and 300 longships.
- Harald was killed in a surprise attack at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066.
- Some early British sources called him 'Harold Harfagera' (Fairhair), though this name is more famous for an earlier Norwegian king.