Windh/Freise/Maurstad genealogy - Person Sheet
Windh/Freise/Maurstad genealogy - Person Sheet
NameKing Harald “Grenske” GUDRØDSSON
Deathca 995
Birthca 960, Vestfold, Norway
Religionclick his name for Wikipedia information
FatherGudrød BJØRNSSON , King of Vestfold (ca932-)
MotherCecelie (ca936-)
Misc. Notes
Wikipedia:
Harald Grenske (10th century) was a petty king in Vestfold in Norway.
Harald Grenske was the son of Gudrød Bjørnsson. Gudrød was a grandson of Harald Fairhair and the king of Vestfold. Harald's cognomen Grenske is due to his being raised in the district of Grenland, Norway.
When Harald was only 11 years old, his father was slain by the sons of Gunnhild Gormsdóttir (i.e. Harald Greyhide and his brothers). Harald fled to Oppland and from there to Sweden, where he stayed with the powerful strongman Skagul Toste. They went on Viking expeditions together, principally within areas of the Baltic Sea.
When the sons of Gunnhild had been banished, Harald Grenske followed Haakon Sigurdsson who ruled Norway as a vassal of the Danish king Harald Bluetooth. Harald became the king of Vestfold and Agder. He married Åsta, the daughter of Gudbrand Kula.
Harald subsequently abandoned Åsta to woo Sigrid the Haughty, the daughter of Skagul Toste. She was the wealthy widow of Eric the Victorious and owned several farms in Svithjod. Sigrid found him too eager with his entreaties. She had him burnt to death inside a great hall following a feast to discourage other suitors. Harald died together with another suitor, Vissevald (Wsevolod) from Gardarike (Novgorod).
His widow, Åsta, promptly gave birth to a son, Olaf the Stout [a.k.a. Saint Olaf], future king of Norway and patron saint of the nation. Åsta subsequently remarried to Sigurd Syr, the king of Ringerike.
No contemporary sources said anything about Harold, and the sagas only mention him in connection with St. Olaf's history. According to Snorri Sturluson in Olav Trygvasons saga, he was a king of Vingulmark, Vestfold and Agder. Recent scholarship has questioned the historicity of Harald.
Harald Grenske (10th century) was a petty king in Vestfold in Norway.
Harald Grenske was the son of Gudrød Bjørnsson. Gudrød was a grandson of Harald Fairhair and the king of Vestfold. Harald's cognomen Grenske is due to his being raised in the district of Grenland, Norway.
When Harald was only 11 years old, his father was slain by the sons of Gunnhild Gormsdóttir (i.e. Harald Greyhide and his brothers). Harald fled to Oppland and from there to Sweden, where he stayed with the powerful strongman Skagul Toste. They went on Viking expeditions together, principally within areas of the Baltic Sea.
When the sons of Gunnhild had been banished, Harald Grenske followed Haakon Sigurdsson who ruled Norway as a vassal of the Danish king Harald Bluetooth. Harald became the king of Vestfold and Agder. He married Åsta, the daughter of Gudbrand Kula.
Harald subsequently abandoned Åsta to woo Sigrid the Haughty, the daughter of Skagul Toste. She was the wealthy widow of Eric the Victorious and owned several farms in Svithjod. Sigrid found him too eager with his entreaties. She had him burnt to death inside a great hall following a feast to discourage other suitors. Harald died together with another suitor, Vissevald (Wsevolod) from Gardarike (Novgorod).
His widow, Åsta, promptly gave birth to a son, Olaf the Stout [a.k.a. Saint Olaf], future king of Norway and patron saint of the nation. Åsta subsequently remarried to Sigurd Syr, the king of Ringerike.
No contemporary sources said anything about Harold, and the sagas only mention him in connection with St. Olaf's history. According to Snorri Sturluson in Olav Trygvasons saga, he was a king of Vingulmark, Vestfold and Agder. Recent scholarship has questioned the historicity of Harald.
Spouses
Birth970, Vestfold, Norway
Death1030
Religionclick her name for a big Wikipedia entry
Educationand Harald III (Harald Hardrada)
Occupationmother of two Norwegian Kings, Olaf II (Saint Olaf)
FatherGudbrand “Kula” OLAFSSON (ca923-978)
MotherUlfhild Gunhild THORASDOTTIR (923-978)
Misc. Notes
Åsta Gudbrandsdatter - Wikipedia
In the summer of 994, although already married to Åsta, Harald traveled to the Baltic and proposed marriage to his foster-sister Sigrid. He had learned that her landholdings in Sweden were no less extensive than his own in Norway, and promised to abandon Åsta, who although "good and clever" was not as well-born as he was. Sigrid refused, objecting that Harald should feel fortunate in his existing marriage and that Åsta was carrying Harald's child. When she rode off, Harald pursued her back to her estate. That evening, Sigrid hosted a lavish feast at which Harald and his companions became drunk. Under cover of darkness, she ordered her armed men to set fire to the hall in which Harald slept, and he was killed; those of his companions who escaped the flames were put to the sword.
Following this episode, Sigrid was called Storråda, 'the Haughty.'
On learning of her husband's death, Åsta was outraged both by Harald's infidelity and his murder. She returned immediately to the home of her father Gudbrand Kula in Oppland, where later that year she gave birth to a son, whom she named Olaf. He would later be renowned as St. Olaf, King of Norway from 1015 to 1028.
Soon after Harald Grenske's death, Åsta married Sigurd Syr, king of Ringerike, and brought the child Olaf with her to be raised in the home of his stepfather. When King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway arrived in 998 to convert the populace of Ringerike to Christianity, Sigurd, Åsta, and Olaf were all baptized, with the king himself acting as Olaf's godfather.
In the summer of 994, although already married to Åsta, Harald traveled to the Baltic and proposed marriage to his foster-sister Sigrid. He had learned that her landholdings in Sweden were no less extensive than his own in Norway, and promised to abandon Åsta, who although "good and clever" was not as well-born as he was. Sigrid refused, objecting that Harald should feel fortunate in his existing marriage and that Åsta was carrying Harald's child. When she rode off, Harald pursued her back to her estate. That evening, Sigrid hosted a lavish feast at which Harald and his companions became drunk. Under cover of darkness, she ordered her armed men to set fire to the hall in which Harald slept, and he was killed; those of his companions who escaped the flames were put to the sword.
Following this episode, Sigrid was called Storråda, 'the Haughty.'
On learning of her husband's death, Åsta was outraged both by Harald's infidelity and his murder. She returned immediately to the home of her father Gudbrand Kula in Oppland, where later that year she gave birth to a son, whom she named Olaf. He would later be renowned as St. Olaf, King of Norway from 1015 to 1028.
Soon after Harald Grenske's death, Åsta married Sigurd Syr, king of Ringerike, and brought the child Olaf with her to be raised in the home of his stepfather. When King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway arrived in 998 to convert the populace of Ringerike to Christianity, Sigurd, Åsta, and Olaf were all baptized, with the king himself acting as Olaf's godfather.
ChildrenOlaf (995-1030)