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Haakon Sigurdsson (Old Norse:Hákon Sigurðarson[ˈhɑːˌkonˈsiɣˌurðɑz̠ˌson],Norwegian:Håkon Sigurdsson;c. 937–995), known asHaakon Jarl (Old Norse:Hákon jarl), was thede facto ruler ofNorway from about 975 to 995. Sometimes he is styled asHaakon the Powerful (Old Norse:Hákon jarl hinn ríki), though theÁgrip andHistoria Norwegiæ give the less flattering nameHákon Illi, that is,Haakon the Bad.
Haakon was the son ofSigurd Haakonsson,Jarl of Lade and ruler ofTrøndelag andHålogaland. His mother was Bergljot Toresdatter, daughter ofTore Ragnvaldsson,Jarl of Møre.Adam of Bremen wrote that he was "of the stock of Ivar (eitherIvar the Boneless orIvar Vidfamne) and descended from a race of giants".[1] In the sagas, Haakon claimed descent from the divine lineage ofSæming, son ofOdin. TheHakon Jarl Runestones in Sweden may refer to him.[2]
Haakon becamejarl after his father was killed by KingHarald Greycloak's men in 961. Haakon Jarl warred with King Harald for some time, until he was forced to flee toDenmark, where he conspired withHarald Bluetooth against Harald Greycloak.[citation needed]
The two arranged the death of Harald Greycloak around 971, after which Harald Bluetooth invited his foster-son to be invested with new Danish fiefs. Civil war broke out between Haakon Jarl and the surviving brothers of Harald Greycloak, but Haakon proved victorious.[3] After this, Haakon Jarl ruled Norway as avassal of Harald Bluetooth, but he was in reality an independent ruler. For Harald, he attackedGötaland and killed its rulerOttar Jarl.[citation needed]
Around 973–974, he went to Denmark to help Harald Bluetooth of Denmark in his defense against the Holy Roman EmperorOtto II. Otto's forces successfully opposed an attempt by Harald to throw off the German yoke. After that Haakon paid no taxes to Denmark.[citation needed]
Haakon was a strong believer in the oldNorse gods, even after Harald Bluetooth forced him to accept baptism around 975 and assigned him clergymen to take to Norway to spreadChristianity. When a favourable wind came for Haakon to leave, he commanded the clergymen to return ashore,[4] and broke his allegiance to Denmark. In 977,Vladimir of Novgorod fled to him, collecting as many of the Viking warriors as he could to assist him to recoverNovgorod, and on his return the next year marched againstYaropolk I of Kiev. In 986, a Danish invasion fleet led by the fabledJomsvikings was defeated at theBattle of Hjörungavágr.[citation needed]
In 995, a quarrel broke out between Haakon and theTrønders just asOlaf Tryggvason, a descendant ofHarald Fairhair, arrived. Haakon quickly lost all support, and was killed by his own slave and friend,Tormod Kark, while hiding in the pig sty in the farmRimul inMelhus.Jarlshola is the location in Melhus thought to have been the hiding place of Haakon Jarl and Tormod Kark on their last night before the infamous murder at Rimul. After his death, Haakon Jarl's two sonsEirik Håkonson andSveinn Hákonarson fled for protection to the king of Sweden,Olof Skötkonung.[citation needed]
A number of (textually related) sources recount Haakon's predilection for taking women as concubines, whether the daughters of nobles or of commoners; according toSnorri Sturluson: "the jarl had the daughters of powerful men taken and brought home to him, and he slept with them for a week or two and then sent them home, and for that he got much dislike from the kinsmen of the women."[a] This has been suggested to be part of a fertility cult, dedicated toÞorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr.[5]
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According toSkáldatal, Haakon had the following poets at his court:[citation needed]
Haakon Jarl is a central figure inHåkon og Kark which is performed annually at the Korsvikaspillet festival inKorsvika inTrondheim. The play is based on the story of Haakon Jarl and Tormod Kark as portrayed in theSagas bySnorri Sturluson. The first play was a poetic tableau that was made in connection with the 800-year anniversary of theLade Church (Lade kirke) in 1989 and repeated two years later. In 1995,Idar Lind wrote a new script. The music is composed byFrode Fjellheim.[citation needed]
Source bases for Haakon Jarl are considerable. He was given coverage in several sagas, including bySnorri Sturluson inHeimskringla,Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum and more. According toHallfreðar saga the poetHallfreðr composed adrápa on thejarl. Several disjoint stanzas by Hallfreðr inSkáldskaparmál are often thought to belong to this otherwise lost poem.[citation needed]
Haakon Jarl's life also received literary treatment by Danish poetAdam Oehlenschläger, in his tragedyHakon Jarl, written in six weeks in 1805 during a stay inHalle, after reading Snorri'sHeimskringla. The theme is the conflict between paganism and Christianity. There is an English translation by J. C. Lindberg.[6] Oehlenschläger's play later formed the basis forSmetana's symphonic poemHakon Jarl.[7]
Haakon Sigurdsson Died: 995 | ||
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| Preceded by | Jarl of Hlaðir 962–995 | Succeeded by |
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