Harald Fairhair

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"It is natural to fear change. To resist it. But all things change and all things end. The lessons of Ragnarök are clear."

―Harald Fairhair to an assembled althing, 872.

Harald I Fairhair (c. 850 – c. 932), also known as Harald of Sogn and Harald Hárfagri, was a petty king of Vestfold who would later be crowned the first King of Norway. He was also the incarnation of the Isu Freyr, a fact which he eventually became aware of and accepted to a degree.

Biography

Assisting the Raven Clan

"I offer my support. With my warriors, your Raven Clan can take Kjotve's fortress and settle this rivalry for good."

―Harald offering his support to Eivor and Sigurd, 872.

The son of Halfdan the Black, Harald succeeded his father in 860 following his death and sought to unite the various Norwegian petty kingdoms into a single entity. To accomplish this feat, Harald was assisted by his uncle Guthorm the Wise, who travelled south to seek alliances with the local jarls, including the likes of Kjotve the Cruel and Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson of Fornburg.

In 872, at the request of Styrbjorn, Harald and his uncle traveled to Nottfall, one of Kjotve's camps that had been raided by Styrbjorn's children Eivor Varinsdottir and Sigurd Styrbjornson. There, Harald offered his support to the two in order to settle the rivalry between the two clans for good. With the assistance of Harald's troops, the two siblings were able to storm Kjotve's stronghold, killing the jarl and finally ending his reign of terror over the region.

Unification of Norway

"I dream of something greater. A vast kingdom of warriors, in numbers the world has never seen. United under one king. One rule! Too much blood has been spilt fighting one another. Today we unify and turn our blades outward to conquer new lands! And who better to lead us to glory than me?"

―Harald declaring his intention to unite Norway under his rule, 872.

Soon after, Harald invited the various clans to Alrekstad to attend an althing organized by himself, where he proposed that the clans unite under his banner. Hjorr Halfsson and Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir declined to pledge fealty and surrender their territory as they took their people overseas. Their discussion was soon interrupted by Gorm Kjotvesson, the son of the recently deceased Kjotve, who tried to swear loyalty to Harald despite his unwanted presence.

Harald addressing the crowd at the althing

After Harald refused his offer, Gorm accused Eivor of poisoning Kjotve, denying him the glorious death required for entry into Valhalla. However, this was proven false by Harald himself, who stated that his uncle Guthorm had witnessed Kjotve's death firsthand. The king then invited Eivor to decide Gorm's fate, and as punishment, he was renamed "Worm" and exiled on pain of death.

Subsequently, Styrbjorn bent the knee to Harald, much to the outrage of Sigurd, who stormed out in protest. Harald was soon confronted by Eivor, and confessed to have been aware of Styrbjorn's plans for some time. He then extended an offer for Eivor to join his family; after she declined, Harald cautioned that Eivor and Sigurd were required to serve under him if they chose to stay in Norway.

In the end, Eivor and Sigurd decided to leave Norway and sail to England alongside other members of the Raven Clan, though they would temporarily return to Norway five years later. During her brief stay in Alrekstad, Eivor visited Harald, dismissing his concerns that she had come to wage war against his kingdom and asking him to watch over Styrbjorn in his final days. The king agreed to her request, as Styrbjorn had been a loyal retainer, and bid Eivor farewell.

Eivor's last visit

Harald: "Are you leaving England as well?"

Eivor: "I am. Sailing west. Accompanied only by myself. To a land on no map."

Harald: "For what need?"

Eivor: "I'll discover that only when I arrive."

—Eivor informing Harald of her plans to travel west, c. 889.

Circa 889, Harald was planning an expedition to Iceland to support his friend Ingólfr Arnarson through the harsh winters, when he received word that Eivor, by now jarlskona of the Raven Clan in England, would come to visit for three weeks. Not long after receiving the news, Harald was surprised when Eivor and Sigurd arrived at his longhouse while he, Guthorm, and his advisors studied a map, but nonetheless welcomed them as friends. After telling them about his planned expedition, Harald asked the two if they would lead it, saying he could not think of any better candidates.

While Sigurd was excited by the prospect, Eivor declined, explaining that she had only come to Norway to bid farewell to her friends, as she intended to leave England and travel further west past Iceland. She then said that she would like to spend the day in the company of those she loved, telling stories from long ago, with both Sigurd and Harald understanding what she was referring to. Realizing that the company around him would think the resulting discussion to be madness, Harald awkwardly dismissed them with a laugh and spent the night sharing stories with Eivor and Sigurd from their mutual distant pasts while drinking mead and eating roasted whale.

Personality and traits

Harald was deemed by many to be too ambitious for his own good. However, this was balanced out by his expert negotiation skills and calm-level headed demeanor. His byname "Fairhair" was a descriptive title regarding his blond hair.

Behind the scenes

Harald is a historical figure introduced in the 2020 video game Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. He is voiced by Icelandic actor Aron Már Ólafsson, who also voiced Erke Bodilsson.

Gallery

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  Harald offering an alliance to Sigurd and Eivor
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  Harald giving a speech
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  Harald offering Eivor a place in his kingdom

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (first appearance)
  • The Last Chapter
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga (mentioned only)
• Discovery Tour: Viking Age
• The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)