Editing Saint Olaf (section)

== Christianising ==
[[File:Bischofstab Norwegen 1375-1400.JPG|thumb|upright|St. Olaf with his ax on a [[Crozier|bishop's crozier]], walrus ivory, Norway c. 1375–1400 |alt=St. Olaf with his ax, depicted on an ivory crozier]]

Olaf has traditionally been seen as leading the [[Christianization of Scandinavia|Christianisation]] of Norway, but most scholars of the period now believe that Olaf had little to do with the process. Olaf brought with him [[Grimketel]], who is usually credited with helping him create episcopal sees and further organising the Norwegian church, but Grimketel was only a member of Olaf's household and no permanent sees were created until c.&nbsp;1100. Also, Olaf and Grimketel most likely did not introduce new ecclesiastical laws to Norway; these were ascribed to Olaf at a later date. Olaf most likely did try to bring Christianity to the interior of Norway, where it was less prevalent.<ref>Lund, Niels. "Scandinavia, c. 700–1066." ''The New Cambridge Medieval History''. Ed. [[Rosamond McKitterick]]. Cambridge University Press, 1995.</ref>

Questions have also been raised about the nature of Olaf's Christianity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dead Man Converting {{!}} Christian History Magazine |url=https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/dead-man-converting |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Christian History Institute |language=en}}</ref> Modern historians generally agree<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bagge |first=Sverre |title=From Viking stronghold to Christian kingdom: state formation in Norway, c. 900–1350 |date=2010 |publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press, Univ. of Copenhagen |isbn=978-87-635-0791-2 |location=Copenhagen}}</ref> that Olaf was inclined to violence and brutality, and note that earlier scholars often neglected this side of his character. It seems that, like many Scandinavian kings, Olaf used his Christianity to gain more power for the monarchy and centralise control in Norway. The skaldic verses attributed to Olaf do not speak of Christianity at all, but use [[Norse paganism|pagan]] references to describe romantic relationships.<ref name="autogenerated1" /><ref name="Sadism">{{Cite news |url=http://www.nrk.no/trondelag/_-olav-den-hellige-var-en-sadist-1.11844595 |title=Olav den Hellige var en sadist |last=NRK |publisher=NRK |access-date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

In his book ''The Conversion of Scandinavia'', Anders Winroth argues that there was a "long process of assimilation, in which the Scandinavians adopted, one by one and over time, individual Christian practices."<ref name="autogenerated2">Winroth, Anders. ''The Conversion of Scandinavia''. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.</ref> Winroth does not claim that Olaf was not Christian, but argues that we cannot think of any Scandinavians as fully converting as portrayed in the later hagiographies or sagas. Olaf himself is portrayed in later sources as a saintly miracle-working figure to help support this quick view of conversion for Norway, but the historical Olaf did not act this way, as seen especially in the skaldic verses attributed to him.