Editing Harald Hardrada (section)

===Domestic opposition===
According to historian [[Knut Helle]], Harald completed the first phase of what he has termed the "national territorial unification of Norway".<ref name="Moseng79">Moseng et al. (2019) p. 79</ref> Having forced his way to the kingship, Harald would have to convince the aristocracy that he was the right person to rule Norway alone. To establish domestic alliances, he married [[Tora Torbergsdatter]] of one of the most powerful Norwegian families.<ref>Tjønn (2010) pp. 104–106</ref> The primary opposition to Harald's rule would be the descendants of [[Haakon Sigurdsson]], from the powerful dynasty of [[Earls of Lade]] who had controlled [[Northern Norway]] and [[Trøndelag]] with much autonomy under the Norwegian king. Haakon had even ruled the whole of Norway (nominally under the Danish king) from 975 until 995, when he was killed during the takeover by [[Olaf I of Norway|Olaf Tryggvasson]]. Even after Haakon's death, his offspring held a certain degree of sovereignty in the north, and by Harald's early reign the family was headed by [[Einar Tambarskjelvar|Einar Thambarskelfir]], who was married to Haakon's daughter. While the family had maintained good relations with Magnus, Harald's absolutism and consolidation of the kingship soon led to conflict with Einar.<ref>DeVries (1999) pp. 51–52</ref><ref>Tjønn (2010) p. 115</ref>

It was from his power-struggle with the Norwegian aristocracy that Harald got himself the reputation that gave him the nickname "Hardrada", or "the hard ruler".<ref>Tjønn (2010) p. 114</ref> Although the relationship between Harald and Einar was poor from the start, confrontation did not occur before Harald went north to his court in Nidaros. One time in Nidaros, Einar arrived at Harald's court, and in a display of power was accompanied by "eight or nine longships and almost five hundred men", obviously seeking confrontation. Harald was not provoked by the incident. Although the sources differ on the circumstances, the next event nonetheless led to the murder of Einar by Harald's men, which threatened to throw Norway into a state of civil war. Although the remaining descendants of Haakon Sigurdsson considered rebellion against the king, Harald eventually managed to negotiate peace with them, and secured the family's submission for the remainder of his reign.<ref>DeVries (1999) pp. 52–56</ref><ref>Tjønn (2010) pp. 115–120</ref> By the death of Einar and his son around 1050, the Earls of Lade had outplayed their role as a base of opposition, and Trøndelag was definitely subordinated to Harald's national kingdom.<ref name="Moseng79"/>

Before the Battle of Niså, Harald had been joined by [[Haakon Ivarsson]], who distinguished himself in the battle and gained Harald's favour. Harald reportedly even considered giving Haakon the title of Earl, and Haakon was greatly upset when Harald later backed down from his promise. With a strong hold over the Uplands, Haakon was additionally given the earldom of [[Värmland]] by the Swedish king [[Stenkil]]. In early 1064, Haakon entered the Uplands and collected their taxes, the region thus effectively threatened to renounce their loyalty to Harald in response. The revolt of Haakon and the farmers in the Uplands may have been the main reason why Harald finally had been willing to enter a peace agreement with Sweyn Estridsson. After the agreement, Harald went to Oslo and sent tax collectors to the Uplands, only to find that the farmers would withhold their taxes until Haakon arrived. In response, Harald entered Sweden with an army and quickly defeated Haakon.<ref>Tjønn (2010) pp. 144–153</ref> Still facing opposition from the farmers, Harald embarked on a campaign to crush the areas that had withheld their taxes. Due to the remote location of the region in the interior of the country, the Uplands had never been an integrated part of the Norwegian king's realm. Using harsh measures, Harald burned down farms and small villages, and had people maimed and killed. Starting in [[Romerike]], his campaign continued into [[Hedmark]], [[Hadeland]] and Ringerike. Since the regions contained several rich rural communities, Harald strengthened his economic position by confiscating farming estates.<ref name="Moseng79"/><ref>Tjønn (2010) pp. 153–155</ref> By the end of 1065 there was probably peace in Norway, as any opposition had either been killed, chased into exile or silenced.<ref>Tjønn (2010) p. 155</ref>