tailieunhanh - The A to Z of the Vikings 24

The A to Z of the Vikings 24. This book provides a comprehensive work of reference for people interested in the Vikings, including entries on the main historical figures involved in this dramatic period, important battles and treaties, significant archaeological finds, and key works and sources of information on the period. It also summarizes the impact the Vikings had on the areas where they traveled and settled. There is a chronological table, detailed and annotated bibliographies for different themes and geographical locations, and an introduction discussing the major events and developments of the Viking age | 208 OLAF TRYGGVASON 968-1000 OLAF TRYGGVASON 968-1000 . King of Norway 995-999 1000 renowned for his fierce advocacy of Christianity. Olaf claimed the Norwegian throne as the great-grandson of Harald Fine-Hair. His mother Astrid fled Norway just after Olaf was born and he spent his childhood in Estonia and Russia at the court of Vladimir I d. 1015 . Olaf later embarked upon a career as a Viking and is recorded raiding in England by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 991. He fought at the Battle of Maldon and was subsequently paid a large Danegeld before being converted to Christianity in 994. Olaf returned to Norway in 995 and seized the throne following a rebellion against the pagan Hakon Jarl of Lade. According to Snorri Sturluson Olaf founded the Norwegian town of Trondheim as a center of royal power. He then proceeded to forcibly convert Norway the Northern Isles and Iceland. According to both Snorri and Saxo Grammaticus Olaf proposed to Sigrid the Proud and subsequently rejected her in favor of Thyre the daughter of Svein Forkbeard. Svein subsequently married Sigrid and according to Snorri both Sigrid and Thyre urged their respective husbands to wage war on each other in order to avenge insults they had suffered. The result was the confrontation at Svold when Olaf was killed fighting a combined Danish and Swedish army. His ship the Long Serpent in which he fought this battle is one of the most famous of Viking-Age ships and his saga in Heimskringla includes a long description of it its construction and its crew. Following Olaf s death Norway was carved up by the victors of Svold. OLAFS SAGA HELGA. See SAGAS OF ST. OLAF. OLOF SKOTKONUNG d. c. 1022 . King of Sweden c. 995-1022. Olof was the son of King Erik the Victorious and his mother is said to have been Sigrid the Proud. He ruled from the newly founded royal town of Sigtuna where he issued the first royal coinage of Sweden. Although these coins proclaim him as king of the Svear see Svealand he had strong links .