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Birth:          ABT  995 of Ringerike, Buskerud, Norway
Death:          29 Jul 1030 Stiklestad, Norway
Cause of Death: killed in battle
Burial:         3 Aug 1030 St. Clemens-Kirke, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag, Norway

Notes
first Christian King of Norway
fought against the Danes in England
born posthumously
killed in battle with King Knut of Denmark and England
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_II_of_Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson (995 – 29 July 1030), later known as St. Olaf (and traditionally as 
St. Olav), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title 
Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae (English: Eternal/Perpetual King of Norway) and canonised 
in Nidaros (Trondheim) by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of 
Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. His remains were enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral, built 
over his burial site.

Olaf's local canonisation was in 1164 confirmed by Pope Alexander III, making him a 
universally recognised saint of the Roman Catholic Church, and a commemorated 
historical figure among some members of the Anglican Communion.[1] He is also a 
canonised saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church (feast day celebrated July 29 
(translation August 3)) and one of the last famous Western saints before the Great 
Schism.[2] The exact position of Saint Olaf's grave in Nidaros has been unknown 
since 1568, due to the Lutheran iconoclasm in 1536–37. Saint Olaf is symbolised by 
the axe in Norway's coat of arms, and the Olsok (29 July) is still his day of celebration. 
Many Christian institutions with Scandinavian links and Norway's Order of St. Olav, 
are named after him.

Modern historians generally agree that Olaf was inclined to violence and brutality, and 
they accuse earlier scholars of neglecting[3] this side of Olaf's character. Especially 
during the period of Romantic Nationalism, Olaf was a symbol of national 
independence and pride, presented to suit contemporary attitudes.
Name[edit]

Olaf II's Old Norse name is Ólafr Haraldsson. During his lifetime he was known as Olaf 
'the fat' or 'the stout' or simply as Olaf 'the big' (Ólafr digri; Modern Norwegian Olaf 
digre).[4] In Norway today, he is commonly referred to as Olav den hellige (Bokmål; 
Olaf the Holy) or Heilage-Olav (Nynorsk; the Holy Olaf) in honour of his sainthood.[5]

Olaf Haraldsson had the given name Óláfr in Old Norse. (Etymology: Anu – 
"forefather", Leifr – "heir".) Olav is the modern equivalent in Norwegian, formerly often 
spelt Olaf. His name in Icelandic is Ólafur, in Faroese Ólavur, in Danish Oluf, in 
Swedish Olof. Olave was the traditional spelling in England, preserved in the name of 
medieval churches dedicated to him. Other names, such as Oláfr hinn helgi, Olavus 
rex, and Olaf are used interchangeably (see the Heimskringla of Snorri Sturluson). He 
is sometimes referred to as Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae (English: Norway's Eternal King), 
a designation which goes back to the thirteenth century. The term Ola Nordmann as 
epithet of the archetypal Norwegian may originate in this tradition, as Olav was for 
centuries the most common male name in Norway.

Background[edit]

Olaf was born in Ringerike.[6] His mother was Åsta Gudbrandsdatter, and his father 
was Harald Grenske, great-great-grandchild of Harald Fairhair, the first king of 
Norway. Harald Grenske died when Åsta Gudbrandsdatter was pregnant with Olaf. She 
later married Sigurd Syr, with whom she had other children including Harald Hardrada, 
who would reign as a future king of Norway.

Saga Sources for Olaf Haraldsson[edit]

There are many texts giving information concerning Olaf Haraldsson. The oldest 
source that we have is the Glælognskviða or "Sea-Calm Poem", composed by Þórarinn 
loftunga, an Icelander. It praises Olaf and mentions some of the famous miracles 
attributed to him. Olaf is also mentioned in the Norwegian synoptic histories. These 
include the Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum (c. 1190), the Historia Norwegiae (c. 1160
-1175) and a Latin text, Historia de Antiquitate Regum Norwagiensium by Theodoric 
the Monk (c. 1177-1188).[7]

Icelanders also wrote extensively about Olaf and we also have several Icelandic 
sagas about him. These include: Fagrskinna (c. 1220) and Morkinskinna (c. 1225-
1235). The famous Heimskringla (c. 1225), written by Snorri Sturluson, largely bases 
its account of Olaf on the earlier Fagrskinna. We also have the important Oldest Saga 
of St. Olaf (c. 1200), which is important to scholars for its constant use of skaldic 
verses, many of which are attributed to Olaf himself.[7]

Finally, there are many hagiographic sources describing St. Olaf, but these focus 
mostly on miracles attributed to him and cannot be used to accurately recreate his life. 
A notable one is The Passion and the Miracles of the Blessed Olafr.[8]
***
Sainthood[edit]

Olaf swiftly became Norway's patron saint; his canonisation was performed only a year 
after his death by Bishop Grimkell. The cult of Olaf not only unified the country, it also 
fulfilled the conversion of the nation, something for which the king had fought so hard.

Owing to Olaf's later status as the patron saint of Norway, and to his importance in 
later medieval historiography and in Norwegian folklore, it is difficult to assess the 
character of the historical Olaf. Judging from the bare outlines of known historical 
facts, he appears, more than anything else, as a fairly unsuccessful ruler, whose 
power was based on some sort of alliance with the much more powerful King Canute 
the Great; who was driven into exile when he claimed power of his own; and whose 
attempt at a reconquest was swiftly crushed.

This calls for an explanation of the status he gained after his death. Three factors are 
important: the later myth surrounding his role in the Christianisation of Norway, the 
various dynastic relationships among the ruling families, and the need for legitimisation 
in a later period.[16]
***
Olaf's dynasty[edit]

For various reasons, most importantly the death of King Canute the Great in 1035, but 
perhaps even a certain discontent among Norwegian nobles with the Danish rule in 
the years after Olaf's death in 1030, his illegitimate son with the concubine Alvhild, 
Magnus the Good, assumed power in Norway, and eventually also in Denmark. 
Numerous churches in Denmark were dedicated to Olaf during his reign, and the 
sagas give glimpses of similar efforts to promote the cult of his deceased father on the 
part of the young king. This would become typical in the Scandinavian monarchies. It 
should be remembered that in pagan times the Scandinavian kings derived their right 
to rule from their claims of descent from the Norse god Odin, or in the case of the 
kings of the Swedes at Old Uppsala, from Freyr. In Christian times this legitimation of a 
dynasty's right to rule and its national prestige would be based on its descent from a 
saintly king. Thus the kings of Norway promoted the cult of St. Olaf, the kings of 
Sweden the cult of St. Erik and the kings of Denmark the cult of St. Canute, just as in 
England the Norman and Plantagenet kings similarly promoted the cult of St. Edward 
the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, their coronation church.
***

Parents
GUDRODSSON Harald "Graenske" (ABT  960 - ABT  995)
GUDBRANDSDOTTIR Astrid (Asta) (ABT  970 - 1045)

Siblings
HARALDSSON Olaf II "The Saint" (ABT  995 - 29 Jul 1030)

Marriage To ____ Alfhild (ABT 1002 - )
    m.  

Notes


Children by ____ Alfhild ABT 1002 - 
OLAFSSON Magnus I "The Good" (ABT 1018 - 25 Oct 1047)

Marriage To OLAFSDOTTIR Astrid (ABT  999 - )
    m. Feb 1019 

Notes

Parents
ERIKSSON Olaf III "Skotkonung" (ABT  970 - 1022)
____ Endia (Edla) (ABT  985 - )

Children by OLAFSDOTTIR Astrid ABT  999 - 
OLAFSDOTTIR Ulfhild (Wulhilda0 (ABT 1020 - 2 May 1071)

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