| Harald Greycloak | |
|---|---|
| King of Norway | |
| Reign | 961 – c. 970 |
| Predecessor | Haakon the Good |
| Successor | Harald Bluetooth |
| Born | c. 935 |
| Died | c. 970 Limfjord |
| House | Fairhair dynasty |
| Father | Eric Bloodaxe |
| Mother | Gunnhild |
Harald Greycloak (Old Norse:Haraldr gráfeldr, lit. "Harald Grey-hide";Norwegian:Harald Gråfell;Danish:Harald Gråfeld; c. 935 – c. 970) was aking of Norway from theFairhair dynasty.[1]
Harald acquired his nickname "Gray-hide" after an encounter with the crew of an Icelandic merchant ship which carried a large load ofvararfeldir, a type of faux fur made from sheep's wool. The Icelanders were having trouble selling their faux furs so when the king asked them if they would make a present to him of one of the furs, which happened to be grey, the sailors did not hesitate and the king immediately used it as a cloak. This set an instant fashion trend and before long the Icelanders had sold their entire load of previously unsalable furs to the king's men and the locals. Harald was ever after known as Harald "Gray-hide".[2]
Harald was the son ofEric Bloodaxe and a grandson ofHarald Fairhair. His mother wasGunnhild, the sister of KingHarald Bluetooth.
After his father's death in 954, Harald and his brothers allied with their uncle, King Harald Bluetooth, against their half-uncle KingHaakon the Good. They fought several battles against King Haakon including theBattle of Rastarkalv near the island ofFrei in 955 and theBattle of Fitjar in 961.
After King Haakon's death atFitjar, Harald and his brothers became kings of Norway, but they had little authority outside Western Norway. Harald, by being the oldest, was the most powerful of the brothers. In 961, their uncle KingHarald Bluetooth of Denmark traveled to Norway and declared Harald Greycloak to be his vassal king in Norway.
Harald moved to strengthen his rule by killing the local rulers includingSigurd Haakonsson,Tryggve Olafsson andGudrød Bjørnsson. Harald Greycloak thus took power over the country up to and includingHålogaland. Harald established control over the trade route along the Norwegian coast. He also undertook a Viking expedition toBjarmaland, today the area ofArkhangelsk in northernRussia. Harald soon became less dependent on support from Harald Bluetooth.[3]
In 970, he was tricked into coming toDenmark and killed inHals in theLimfjord in a plot planned bySigurd Haakonsson's sonHaakon, who had become an ally of Harald Bluetooth. Haakon Sigurdsson had become thejarl of Lade after his own father was killed by Harald Greycloak's men in the autumn of 962. The surviving brothers of Harald Greyhide fled the country after his death. With the death of Harald Greycloak, King Harald Bluetooth won back power over Norway and he supported Haakon Sigurdsson as his vassal king.[4]
Harald Greycloak Died: 970 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of Norway 961–970 | Vacant Rule ofHaakon Sigurdsson Title next held by Harald Bluetooth |