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Haakon I of Norway

 
Haakon I of Norway

 
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Haakon I of Norway
 
 
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Haakon I (Old Norse: Hákon Ađalsteinsfóstri, Norwegian
Norwegian language

Norwegian is a North Germanic languages language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. It is also spoken as a second language among Norwegian-Americans in the United States of America, especially in the central northern states....
: Hĺkon Adalsteinsfostre), (c. 920–961), surnamed the Good, was the third king of Norway
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
 and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair
Harald I of Norway

Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , was the first king of Norway.Little is known of the historical Harald. The only contemporary sources mentioning him are the two skaldic poems Haraldskv??i and Glymdr?pa, by ?orbj?rn Hornklofi....
.

Haakon was fostered by King Athelstan of England
Athelstan of England

Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the List of English monarchs from 924/925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, and nephew of Ethelfleda of Mercia....
, as part of a peace agreement made by his father. The English king brought him up in the Christian religion, and on the news of his father’s death provided him with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been proclaimed king.






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Haakon I (Old Norse: Hákon Ađalsteinsfóstri, Norwegian
Norwegian language

Norwegian is a North Germanic languages language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language. It is also spoken as a second language among Norwegian-Americans in the United States of America, especially in the central northern states....
: Hĺkon Adalsteinsfostre), (c. 920–961), surnamed the Good, was the third king of Norway
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
 and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair
Harald I of Norway

Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , was the first king of Norway.Little is known of the historical Harald. The only contemporary sources mentioning him are the two skaldic poems Haraldskv??i and Glymdr?pa, by ?orbj?rn Hornklofi....
.

Haakon was fostered by King Athelstan of England
Athelstan of England

Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the List of English monarchs from 924/925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, and nephew of Ethelfleda of Mercia....
, as part of a peace agreement made by his father. The English king brought him up in the Christian religion, and on the news of his father’s death provided him with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been proclaimed king. On his arrival in Norway, Haakon gained the support of the landowners by promising to give up the rights of taxation claimed by his father over inherited real property.

Eirik fled to the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands

Orkney is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises over 70 islands; around 20 are inhabited....
 and later to the Kingdom of Jorvik
Jórvík

The Kingdom of J?rv?k was a Norsemen Viking kingdom, covering the area of what would become Yorkshire and at times further parts of Northern England....
, eventually meeting a violent death on Stainmore
Battle of Stainmore

The Battle of Stainmore was a battle, likely between the Earldom of Bernicia, led by Osulf I of Northumbria, and the forces of the last Norsemen king of J?rv?k , Eric Bloodaxe....
, Westmorland
Westmorland

Westmorland is an area of north-west England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, in 954 along with his son, Haeric. His sons allied themselves with the Danes, but were invariably defeated by Haakon, who was successful in everything he undertook except in his attempt to introduce Christianity
Christianity

Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
, which aroused an opposition he did not feel strong enough to face. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Fitjar
Battle of Fitjar

The Battle of Fitjar took place in 961 between the Norway king Haakon I of Norway and the sons of Eric I of Norway.The battle was won by King Haakon I of Norway, but he was wounded and eventually died....
 in 961, after a final victory over Eirik’s sons. So entirely did even his immediate circle ignore his religion that Eyvindr Skáldaspillir
Eyvindr Skáldaspillir

Eyvindr Finnsson sk?ldaspillir was a 10th century Norway skald. He was the court poet of king H?kon I of Norway and earl Haakon Sigurdsson. His son H?rekr ?r ?j?ttu later became a prominent chieftain in Norway....
, his court poet
Skald

The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry ....
 composed a poem, Hákonarmál
Hákonarmál

H?konarm?l is a skaldic poetry which the skald Eyvindr sk?ldaspillir composed about the fall of the Norway king H?kon I of Norway at the battle of Fitjar and his reception in Valhalla....
, on his death representing his welcome by his ancestors' gods into Valhalla
Valhalla

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, ruled over by the god Odin. Chosen by Odin, half of those that die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death, led by valkyries, while the other half go to the goddess Freyja's field F?lkvangr....
.

The succession issue was settled as Harald II
Harald II of Norway

Harald II Greycloak , was the son of Eirik I of Norway and a grandson of Harald I of Norway. After his father's death, he and his brothers allied with Harold I of Denmark of Denmark against Haakon I of Norway....
, third son of Eirik, ascended the throne. However the Norwegians were severely tormented by years of war and welcomed the Danish invading force led by Harold Bluetooth.

In Modern Literature

  • Haakon I is a major character in "The Mother of the Kings" by the Danish-American writer Poul Anderson
    Poul Anderson

    Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who wrote during a Golden Age of Science Fiction of the genre. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy....
    .