Harald Fairhair
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Harald I Fairhair (c. 850 – c. 932) was the first king of Norway.
Biography
The son of Halfdan the Black, a petty king of Vestfold, Harald succeeded his father in 860 following his death and sought to unite the various Norwegian petty kingdoms into a united entity.[1] To accomplish this feat, Harald was assisted by his uncle Guthorm the Wise, who travelled south to seek alliances with the jarls, including the likes of Kjotve the Cruel[2] and Styrbjorn of Fornburg.[3]
In 872, on the request of Styrbjorn, Harald and his uncle travelled to Notfall, one of Kjotve's camp that had been raided by Styrbjorn's children Eivor Varinsdottir and Sigurd Styrbjornson. There, Harald offered his support to the two in order to settlement the rivalry between the two clans for good.[4] With the support of Harald's troops, the two siblings were able to storm Kjotve's stronghold, killing the jarl and ending his terror over the region.[5]
Soon after, Harald invited the various clans to Alrekstad to attend an althing organized by him. Together his and the Raven Clan celebrated their victory. Their partying was then interupted by Gorm Kjotvesson, son of the recently deceased Kjotve, and tried to swear loyalty to Harald despite his unwanted presence. After Harald refused his offer, Gorm accused Eivor of poisoning Kjotve, denying him the glorious death for entry into Valhalla. However, this was proven false by Harald himself, who said that his uncle Guthorm had seen Kjotve's death firsthand. He invited Eivor to decide Gorm's fate, and as punishment, he was renamed "Worm" and exiled on pain of death.[6]
Personality and characteristics
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.[7]
Behind the scenes
Harald is a historical figure introduced in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. He is voiced by Icelandic actor Aron Már Ólafsson.
Appearances
References
