Editing Haakon the Good (section)

==Early life==
Haakon is not mentioned in any narrative sources earlier than the late 12th century. According to this late saga tradition, Haakon was the youngest son of King [[Harald Fairhair]] and [[Tora Mosterstong|Thora Mosterstang]]. He was born on the Håkonshella peninsula in [[Hordaland]]. King Harald determined to remove his youngest son out of harm's way and accordingly sent him to the court of King [[Æthelstan]]. Haakon was fostered by King Athelstan, as part of an agreement made by his father, for which reason Haakon was nicknamed ''Adalsteinfostre''.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07116b.htm|title=''Hakon the Good''|encyclopedia=[[Catholic Encyclopedia]] |access-date=2007-02-18}}</ref> According to the [[Sagas of Icelanders|Sagas]], Athelstan was tricked into fostering Haakon when Harald's envoy used the custom of [[knésetja]], whereby a child was formally adopted if it was set on the knees of the foster-parent.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Sigurdsson|first=Jon Vidar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WOmTDgAAQBAJ|title=Viking Friendship: The Social Bond in Iceland and Norway, C. 900-1300|date=2017|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=978-1-5017-0848-0|pages=63|language=en}}</ref> Becoming someone's foster-parent reportedly meant that they were subordinate to the child's parent.<ref name=":0" />

Haakon is not mentioned in any contemporary Anglo-Saxon sources, and later historians of Athelstan, such as William of Malmesbury, make no reference to Haakon. According to Norwegian royal biographies from the late 12th century, the English court introduced him to the [[Christianity|Christian]] religion. On the news of his father's death, King Athelstan provided Haakon with ships and men for an expedition against his half-brother [[Eric Bloodaxe]], who had been proclaimed king of Norway.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nbl.snl.no/H%C3%A5kon_1_Adalsteinsfostre|title=Håkon 1 Adalsteinsfostre|first=Claus|last=Krag|date=Sep 29, 2014|access-date=Aug 12, 2020|via=Store norske leksikon}}</ref> ''[[Historia Norwegiæ]]'' describes Haakon as an [[apostate]] who observed both pagan and Christian rites.