Editing Harald Fairhair (section)

===''Fagrskinna''===

''[[Fagrskinna]]'' is thought to have been written around 1220 and is a catalogue of the kings of Norway. The first part describes Harald Fairhair's birth ancestry in form of his paternal grandfather [[Gudrød the Hunter]] and maternal grandfather [[Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye]], and his parents Halfdan the Black and Ragnhildr. The text also describes Halfdan having another son called Harald by another woman named Ragnhildr, daughter of the king Harald Goldbeard of [[Sogn]]. Halfdan's first Harald inherited Sogn after the death of Harald Goldbeard, and then died himself. Halfdan then inherited Sogn from his first son. The story is repeated by Snorri in ''Heimskringla'' and suggests two conflicting stories of Harald's ancestry being combined into one. Harald Fairhair is said to have inherited Halfdan's lands at a young age after the king drowned in the lake Rǫnd in Rykinsvik. The text then sites the poem ''Hrafnsmál'' at length as an example of Harald's nobility and prowess in battle. Harald appointed [[Atli the Slender]] as jarl of [[Fjaler]], but that the two fell out. In this time Harald meet jarl [[Håkon Grjotgardsson]] (called ''Hákon the Old'' in the text) at a feast in Hladir (''Lade'') in [[Trondheim]] and gave him part of Atli's fief. Atli defended his old area with violence and both of the jarls were killed.  Harald proclaimed he would not cut his hair until having become overlord of Norway and earning tribute from every inland valley and outlying headland, earning him the nickname "''Lufa''", ''shockhead''. Harald is said to have fought many battles, including a decisive battle in Hafrfjord against [[Kjotve the Rich]] and Haklang. After this battle, all of Norway is said to paid tribute to Harald. Ragnvald jarl then cut Harald's hair and gave him the nickname ''Fairhair''.

The text then described Harald's various sons, describing Eirik Bloodaxe as his most beloved and one of his oldest. Harald named Eirik his heir and died in [[Rogaland]] from old age and was buried in [[Haugesund]].