Editing Olaf III of Norway

{{Short description|King of Norway from 1067 to 1093}}
{{redirect|Olaf III|other people styled Olaf III}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name               = Olaf III
| type = monarch
| image = Olav Kyrre mynt 1.jpg
| caption = Coin dating to the reign of King Olaf Kyrre.
| succession         = [[King of Norway]]
| reign              = 1067 – 22 September 1093
| predecessor        = [[Magnus II of Norway|Magnus II]]
| successor          = [[Magnus Barefoot|Magnus III]], [[Haakon Toresfostre|Haakon Magnusson]]
| regent             = [[Magnus II of Norway|Magnus II]] (until 1069)
| reg-type           = Co-ruler
| full name          = Óláfr Haraldsson
| spouse             = [[Ingerid of Denmark]]
| issue              = [[Magnus III of Norway]]
| house              = [[Hardrada dynasty|Hardrada]]
| father             = [[Harald III of Norway]]
| mother             = [[Tora Torbergsdatter]]
| birth_date      = {{circa|1050}}
| birth_place     =
| death_date      = 22 September 1093 (aged about 43)
| death_place     = Haukbø, [[Rånrike]], [[Kingdom of Norway (872–1397)|Norway]] (now Håkeby, [[Tanum Municipality|Tanum]], Sweden)
| burial_place = [[Nidaros Cathedral]]
}}
'''Olaf III''' or '''Olaf Haraldsson''' ([[Old Norse]]: ''Óláfr Haraldsson'', [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]: ''Olav Haraldsson''; {{circa|1050}} – 22 September 1093), known as '''Olaf the Peaceful''' (Old Norse: ''Óláfr kyrri'', Norwegian: ''Olav Kyrre''), was [[King of Norway]] from 1067 until his death in 1093.<ref name="NBL">Claus Krag [http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Olav_3_Haraldsson_Kyrre/utdypning ''Olav 3 Haraldsson Kyrre'' (Norsk biografisk leksikon)]</ref>

He was present at the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]] in England in 1066 where his father, King [[Harald Hardrada]], saw defeat and was killed in action, an event that directly preceded his kingship. During his rule, Olaf made peace with regards to earlier royal conflicts with the church, strengthened the power of the monarchy, and is traditionally credited with founding the city of [[Bergen]] circa 1070. Around 1225, [[Snorri Sturluson]] wrote  ''Olav Kyrres saga'' about King Olaf in the [[Heimskringla]].<ref>{{cite web|url=  http://ecm27.ecanews.org/about-bergen.html|title=  History of Bergen|publisher=  The 27th Meeting of the European Crystallographic Association|access-date=  20 May 2016|archive-url=  https://web.archive.org/web/20180329121437/http://ecm27.ecanews.org/about-bergen.html|archive-date=  29 March 2018|url-status=  dead}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Olaf was a son of King [[Harald III of Norway|Harald Hardrada]] and [[Tora Torbergsdatter]]. Olaf joined his father during the [[Norman conquest of England|invasion of England]] during 1066. However, he was only 16 years old during the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]] on 25 September 1066. He stayed guarding the ships at [[Riccall]] and did not participate in the fighting. After the Norwegian defeat, he sailed with the remains of the Norwegian strike force back to [[Orkney]], where they wintered. The return journey to Norway took place in summer 1067.<ref>Per G. Norseng [http://www.snl.no/Olav_3_%28Haraldsson%29_Kyrre ''Olav 3 (Haraldsson) Kyrre'' (Store norske leksikon)]</ref>

After the death of his father, Olaf shared the kingdom with his brother [[Magnus II of Norway|Magnus II]] (''Magnus 2 Haraldsson'') who had become king the previous year. When King Magnus died during 1069, Olaf became the sole ruler of Norway.<ref>{{cite web|url=  http://denstoredanske.dk/Geografi_og_historie/Norge_og_Sverige/Norge_1066-1397/Olav_3._Kyrre|title=  Olav 3. Kyrre|publisher= Den Store Danske |access-date= 20 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=  https://nbl.snl.no/Magnus_2_Haraldsson|title=  Magnus 2 Haraldsson, Konge|publisher= Norsk biografisk leksikon  |author= Claus Krag  |access-date= 20 May 2016}}</ref>

During his reign, the nation of Norway experienced a rare extended period of peace. He renounced any offensive foreign policy, instead protecting Norway's sovereignty through agreements and marriage connections. Domestically he emphasized the church's organization and the modernization of the kingdom. The latter resulted in, among other things, the reorganization of the [[Housecarl|body-guard]] and of measures under which key cities, especially [[Bergen]], could better serve as a royal residence. According to the ''[[Heimskringla]]'' by [[Snorri Sturluson]], Olaf is said to have founded the city of [[Bergen, Norway|Bergen]] (originally called Bjørgvin).<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Heimskringla/Saga_of_Olaf_Kyrre|title=  Saga of Olaf Kyrre|publisher=   Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson |access-date= 20 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=   https://snl.no/Bj%C3%B8rgvin|title =  Bjørgvin|publisher =    Store norske leksikon  |author= Hallvard Magerøy|access-date= 20 May 2016}}</ref>

The death of Harald Hardrada and the serious defeat suffered by the Norwegians in 1066 tempted the Danish king, [[Svend Estridsen]], to prepare for an attack on Norway. King Svend no longer felt bound by the ceasefire agreement signed with Harald Hardrada in 1064, since it would only be valid for the two kings during their own lives. However Olaf made peace with King Svend and married the king's daughter [[Ingerid of Denmark|Ingerid]]. Later, Olav's half sister [[Ingegerd of Norway|Ingegerd]] married King Svend's son  [[Olaf I of Denmark|Olaf]]. Although there were some attacks on England by Danish forces, peace persisted between Denmark and Norway. Olaf also made peace with [[William the Conqueror]] of England.

King Olaf broke with his father's line in his relationship to the church. Harald Hardrada had developed a continuing conflict with the [[Archbishopric of Bremen]] due to the archbishop's authority over the Norwegian church. Unlike his father, Olav recognized that authority fully. Political considerations may have been behind this conciliatory attitude, as may have been Olaf's concern with the church organization. Until his time bishops had formed part of the king's court and traveled with him around the country to take care of the ecclesiastical affairs while the king took care of worldly matters. The bishops established fixed residence in Oslo, Nidaros and Bergen. King Olaf also took the initiative for the construction of churches, including [[Christ Church, Bergen|Christ Church]] in Bergen and [[Nidaros Cathedral]] in [[Trondheim]].<ref>Odd Brochmann  [http://www.snl.no/Nidarosdomen ''Nidarosdomen'' (Store norske leksikon)]</ref>

Olaf strengthened the power of the king and instituted the system of [[guilds]] in Norway. There are strong indications that the government of King Olaf began writing secure provincial laws to a greater extent. The Norwegian law [[:no:Gulatingsloven|Gulatingsloven]] was probably put in writing for the first time during his reign.<ref>Per G. Norseng [http://www.snl.no/Gulatingsloven ''Gulatingsloven'' (Store norske leksikon)]</ref>

King Olaf died of illness on 22 September 1093 in Haukbø, [[Rånrike]], then part of [[Norway]] (now Håkeby, [[Tanum Municipality]], Sweden).<ref name="NBL"/> He was buried at the Nidaros Cathedral.<ref name="NBL"/> His marriage to Ingerid did not produce any children. His successor as king, [[Magnus III of Norway|Magnus III]] nicknamed Magnus Barefoot (''Magnus Berrføtt''), was acknowledged to be his illegitimate son.<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://nbl.snl.no/Magnus_3_Olavsson_Berrf%25C3%25B8tt|title=  Magnus 3 Olavsson Berrføtt, Konge|publisher=  Norsk biografisk leksikon|author=  Claus Krag|access-date=  20 May 2016|archive-url=  https://web.archive.org/web/20160624174427/https://nbl.snl.no/Magnus_3_Olavsson_Berrf%25C3%25B8tt|archive-date=  24 June 2016|url-status=  dead}}</ref>

== Appearance and character ==
The [[Morkinskinna]] ({{circa|1220}}) describes Olaf III as:

*"[A] tall man, and everyone agrees that there has never been seen a fairer man or a man of nobler appearance."
*"He had blond hair, a light complexion, and pleasing eyes, and he was well proportioned. He was taciturn for the most part, and not much of a speechmaker, though he was good company after drink."<ref>Morkinskinna chronicle, quoted in ''History of the Norwegian people'', Gjerset, Knut, New York, MacMillan, 1915.</ref>

Another description is found in the [[Heimskringla]] of [[Snorri Sturluson]]:

*"Olaf was a stout man, well grown in limbs; and every one said a handsomer man could not be seen, nor of a nobler appearance."
*"His hair was yellow as silk, and became him well; his skin was white and fine over all his body; his eyes beautiful, and his limbs well proportioned. He was rather silent in general, and did not speak much even at Things; but he was merry in drinking parties. He loved drinking much, and was talkative enough then; but quite peaceful."
*"He was cheerful in conversation, peacefully inclined during all his reign, and loving gentleness and moderation in all things."<ref>Tennant, Roy. [http://mcllibrary.org/Heimskringla/kyrre.html "Heimskringla or The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Saga of Olaf Kyrre"]. The Online Medieval & Classical Library. Retrieved 21 April 2015.</ref>

== Memorial ==
A memorial to King Olaf Kyrre was placed in [[Bergen, Norway]] in connection with the city's 900-year anniversary. The abstract equestrian statue by noted Norwegian sculptor [[Knut Steen]] was unveiled on 21 May 1998.

== The "Maine penny" ==

The [[Maine penny]] - a Norwegian silver [[coin]] discovered in the US State of [[Maine]] in 1957 and suggested as evidence of [[Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact theories|Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact]] - has been dated to the time of Olaf III. The circumstances of its arrival from Norway to a Native American village in the present US territory remain unclear and highly disputed.

== See also ==
* [[List of Norwegian monarchs]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://mcllibrary.org/Heimskringla/kyrre.html Saga of Olaf Kyrre] Part of [[Heimskringla]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190106010734/https://www.panoramio.com/photo/75071243 King Olav Kyrre Sculpture in Bergen]

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Fairhair dynasty#Sub-dynasties of Fairhair dynasty|House of Hardrada]]||{{circa|1050}}|22 September|1093|[[Fairhair dynasty]]|name=Olaf Kyrre}}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Magnus II of Norway|Magnus II]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Norwegian monarchs|King of Norway]]|years=1067–1093|regent1=[[Magnus II of Norway|Magnus II]]|years1=1067–1069}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Magnus Barefoot|Magnus III]]<br />& [[Haakon Toresfostre|Haakon Magnusson]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Monarchs of Norway}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olav 03 Of Norway}}
[[Category:1050s births]]
[[Category:1093 deaths]]
[[Category:11th-century Norwegian monarchs]]
[[Category:House of Hardrada]]
[[Category:Burials at Nidaros Cathedral]]
[[Category:Sons of kings]]