| Olaf III | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Coin dating to the reign of King Olaf Kyrre. | |||||
| King of Norway | |||||
| Reign | 1067 – 22 September 1093 | ||||
| Predecessor | Magnus II | ||||
| Successor | Magnus III,Haakon Magnusson | ||||
| Co-ruler | Magnus II (until 1069) | ||||
| Born | c. 1050 | ||||
| Died | 22 September 1093 (aged about 43) Haukbø,Rånrike,Norway (now Håkeby,Tanum, Sweden) | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Consort | Ingerid of Denmark | ||||
| Issue | Magnus III of Norway | ||||
| |||||
| House | Hardrada | ||||
| Father | Harald III of Norway | ||||
| Mother | Tora Torbergsdatter | ||||
Olaf III orOlaf Haraldsson (Old Norse:Óláfr Haraldsson,Norwegian:Olav Haraldsson;c. 1050 – 22 September 1093), known asOlaf the Peaceful (Old Norse:Óláfr kyrri, Norwegian:Olav Kyrre), wasKing of Norway from 1067 until his death in 1093.[1]
He was present at theBattle of Stamford Bridge in England in 1066 where his father, KingHarald Hardrada, saw defeat and was killed in action, an event that directly preceded his kingship. During his rule, Olaf made peace with regards to earlier royal conflicts with the church, strengthened the power of the monarchy, and is traditionally credited with founding the city ofBergen circa 1070. Around 1225,Snorri Sturluson wroteOlav Kyrres saga about King Olaf in theHeimskringla.[2]
Olaf was a son of KingHarald Hardrada andTora Torbergsdatter. Olaf joined his father during theinvasion of England during 1066. However, he was only 16 years old during theBattle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066. He stayed guarding the ships atRiccall and did not participate in the fighting. After the Norwegian defeat, he sailed with the remains of the Norwegian strike force back toOrkney, where they wintered. The return journey to Norway took place in summer 1067.[3]
After the death of his father, Olaf shared the kingdom with his brotherMagnus II (Magnus 2 Haraldsson) who had become king the previous year. When King Magnus died during 1069, Olaf became the sole ruler of Norway.[4][5]
During his reign, the nation of Norway experienced a rare extended period of peace. He renounced any offensive foreign policy, instead protecting Norway's sovereignty through agreements and marriage connections. Domestically he emphasized the church's organization and the modernization of the kingdom. The latter resulted in, among other things, the reorganization of thebody-guard and of measures under which key cities, especiallyBergen, could better serve as a royal residence. According to theHeimskringla bySnorri Sturluson, Olaf is said to have founded the city ofBergen (originally called Bjørgvin).[6][7]
The death of Harald Hardrada and the serious defeat suffered by the Norwegians in 1066 tempted the Danish king,Svend Estridsen, to prepare for an attack on Norway. King Svend no longer felt bound by the ceasefire agreement signed with Harald Hardrada in 1064, since it would only be valid for the two kings during their own lives. However Olaf made peace with King Svend and married the king's daughterIngerid. Later, Olav's half sisterIngegerd married King Svend's sonOlaf. Although there were some attacks on England by Danish forces, peace persisted between Denmark and Norway. Olaf also made peace withWilliam the Conqueror of England.
King Olaf broke with his father's line in his relationship to the church. Harald Hardrada had developed a continuing conflict with theArchbishopric of Bremen due to the archbishop's authority over the Norwegian church. Unlike his father, Olav recognized that authority fully. Political considerations may have been behind this conciliatory attitude, as may have been Olaf's concern with the church organization. Until his time bishops had formed part of the king's court and traveled with him around the country to take care of the ecclesiastical affairs while the king took care of worldly matters. The bishops established fixed residence in Oslo, Nidaros and Bergen. King Olaf also took the initiative for the construction of churches, includingChrist Church in Bergen andNidaros Cathedral inTrondheim.[8]
Olaf strengthened the power of the king and instituted the system ofguilds in Norway. There are strong indications that the government of King Olaf began writing secure provincial laws to a greater extent. The Norwegian lawGulatingsloven was probably put in writing for the first time during his reign.[9]
King Olaf died of illness on 22 September 1093 in Haukbø,Rånrike, then part ofNorway (now Håkeby,Tanum Municipality, Sweden).[1] He was buried at the Nidaros Cathedral.[1] His marriage to Ingerid did not produce any children. His successor as king,Magnus III nicknamed Magnus Barefoot (Magnus Berrføtt), was acknowledged to be his illegitimate son.[10]
TheMorkinskinna (c. 1220) describes Olaf III as:
Another description is found in theHeimskringla ofSnorri Sturluson:
A memorial to King Olaf Kyrre was placed inBergen, Norway in connection with the city's 900-year anniversary. The abstract equestrian statue by noted Norwegian sculptorKnut Steen was unveiled on 21 May 1998.
TheMaine penny - a Norwegian silvercoin discovered in the US State ofMaine in 1957 and suggested as evidence ofPre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact - has been dated to the time of Olaf III. The circumstances of its arrival from Norway to a Native American village in the present US territory remain unclear and highly disputed.
Olaf Kyrre Cadet branch of theFairhair dynasty Born:c. 1050 Died: 22 September 1093 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by | King of Norway 1067–1093 withMagnus II (1067–1069) | Succeeded by |
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