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Birth:           860 of Hedemark, Norway
Death:           933 
Burial:         Hauko, Rogaland, Norway

Notes
fairhair means "thick hair" in Norwegian
first over-king of all Norway, 883
conquered the separate fjord kingdoms
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Fairhair
Harald Fairhair (Old Norse: Haraldr Hárfagri, Norwegian: Harald Hårfagre, (literally 
"Harald Fair-hair") ; c. 850 – c. 932) is remembered by medieval historians as the first 
King of Norway. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the twelfth 
and thirteenth centuries, he reigned from c. 872 to 930. Most of his life remains 
uncertain, since the extant accounts of his life in the sagas were set down in writing 
around three centuries after his lifetime. A few remnants of skaldic praise poems 
attributed to contemporary court poets exist which seem to refer to Harald's victories 
against opponents in Norway. The information supplied in these poems is inconsistent 
with the tales in the sagas in which they are transmitted, and the sagas themselves 
often disagree on the details of his background and biography.[1] Two of his sons, 
Eric Bloodaxe and Haakon the Good, succeeded Harald to become kings after his 
death.

The only early sources mentioning him are the two skaldic poems Haraldskvæði and 
Glymdrápa, which have been attributed to Þorbjörn Hornklofi or alternatively (in the 
case of the first poem) to Þjóðólfr of Hvinir. The first poem has only been preserved in 
fragments in 13th century Kings' sagas. It describes life at Harald's court, mentions 
that he took a Danish wife, and that he won a battle at Hafrsfjord. The second relates 
a series of battles Harald won.[2]

His life is described in several of the Kings' sagas, none of them older than 12th 
century. Their accounts of Harald and his life differ on many points, and some of the 
content may be uncertain but it is clear that in the 12th and 13th centuries Harald was 
regarded as having unified Norway into one kingdom. Some modern historians have 
assumed that his rule was limited to the coastal areas of southern Norway though 
there is no contemporary evidence to support their claim nor any other concerning the 
life of Harald.
Saga descriptions[edit]

In the Saga of Harald Fairhair in Heimskringla, which is the most elaborate although 
not the oldest or most reliable source to the life of Harald, it is written that Harald 
succeeded, on the death of his father Halfdan the Black Gudrödarson, to the 
sovereignty of several small, and somewhat scattered kingdoms in Vestfold, which had 
come into his father's hands through conquest and inheritance. His protector-regent 
was his mother's brother Guthorm.

The unification of Norway is something of a love story. It begins with a marriage 
proposal that resulted in rejection and scorn from Gyda, the daughter of Eirik, king of 
Hordaland. She said she refused to marry Harald "before he was king over all of 
Norway". Harald was therefore induced to take a vow not to cut nor comb his hair 
until he was sole king of Norway, and when he was justified in trimming it ten years 
later, he exchanged the epithet "Shockhead" or "Tanglehair" (Haraldr lúfa) for the 
one by which he is usually known.[a][3]

In 866, Harald made the first of a series of conquests over the many petty kingdoms 
which would compose all of Norway, including Värmland in Sweden, which had sworn 
allegiance to the Swedish king Erik Eymundsson. In 872, after a great victory at 
Hafrsfjord near Stavanger, Harald found himself king over the whole country. His 
realm was, however, threatened by dangers from without, as large numbers of his 
opponents had taken refuge, not only in Iceland, then recently discovered; but also in 
the Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Hebrides Islands, Faroe Islands and the 
northern European mainland. However, his opponents' leaving was not entirely 
voluntary. Many Norwegian chieftains who were wealthy and respected posed a threat 
to Harald; therefore, they were subjected to much harassment from Harald, prompting 
them to vacate the land. At last, Harald was forced to make an expedition to the 
West, to clear the islands and the Scottish mainland of some Vikings who tried to hide 
there.[4]

The earliest narrative source which mentions Harald, the 12th century Íslendingabók 
notes that Iceland was settled during his lifetime. Harald is thus depicted as the prime 
cause of the Norse settlement of Iceland and beyond. Iceland was settled by 
"malcontents" from Norway, who resented Harald's claim of rights of taxation over 
lands, which the possessors appear to have previously held in absolute ownership.

There are several accounts of large feasting mead halls constructed for important 
feasts when Scandinavian royalty was invited. According to a legend recorded by 
Snorri Sturluson, in the Heimskringla, the late 9th-century Värmlandish chieftain Áki 
invited both the Norwegian king Harald Fairhair and the Swedish king Erik 
Eymundsson, but had the Norwegian king stay in the newly constructed and 
sumptuous one, because he was the youngest one of the kings and the one who had 
the greatest prospects. The older Swedish king, on the other hand, had to stay in the 
old feasting hall. The Swedish king was so humiliated that he killed Áki.

Later life[edit]

 According to the saga sources, the latter part of Harald's reign was disturbed by the 
strife of his many sons. The number of sons he left varies in the different saga 
accounts, from 11 to 20. Twelve of his sons are named as kings, two of them over the 
whole country. He gave them all the royal title and assigned lands to them, which they 
were to govern as his representatives; but this arrangement did not put an end to the 
discord, which continued into the next reign. When he grew old, Harald handed over 
the supreme power to his favourite son Eirik Bloodaxe, whom he intended to be his 
successor. Eirik I ruled side-by-side with his father when Harald was 80 years old. 
Harald died three years later due to age in approximately 933.

Harald Harfager was commonly stated to have been buried under a mound at Haugar 
by the Strait of Karmsund near the church in Haugesund, an area that later would be 
named the town and municipal Haugesund. The area near Karmsund was the 
traditional burial site for several early Norwegian rulers. The national monument of 
Haraldshaugen was raised in 1872, to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord which is 
traditionally dated to 872.[5][6]

Issue[edit]

While the various sagas name anywhere from 11 to 20 sons of Harald in various 
contexts, the contemporary skaldic poem Hákonarmál says that Harald's son Haakon 
would meet only "eight brothers" when arriving in Valhalla. Only the following five 
names of sons can be confirmed from skaldic poems (with saga claims in parenthesis), 
while the full number of sons remains unknown:[7]
Eric Bloodaxe (by Ragnhild Eiriksdotter from Jutland, Denmark)
Haakon the Good (by Tora Mosterstong from Moster, Sunnhordland, Norway)
Ragnvald
Bjørn (Bjørn Farmann?)
Halvdan, possibly two by that name

According to Heimskringla[edit]

The full list of sons according to Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla:

Children with Åsa, daughter of Håkon Grjotgardsson, Earl of Lade:
Guttorm Haraldsson, king of Rånrike
Halvdan Kvite (Haraldssøn), king of Trondheim
Halvdan Svarte (Haraldssøn), king of Trondheim
Sigrød Haraldssøn, king of Trondheim

Children with Gyda Eiriksdottir:
Ålov Årbot (Haraldsdøtter)
Rørek Haraldssøn
Sigtrygg Haraldssøn
Frode Haraldssøn
Torgils Haraldssøn - identified as "Thorgest" in the (dates not correct) Irish history

Children with Svanhild, daughter of Eystein Earl:
Bjørn Farmann, king of Vestfold
Olaf Haraldssøn Geirstadalf, king of Vingulmark, later also Vestfold
Ragnar Rykkel

Children with Åshild, daughter of Ring Dagsson:
Ring Haraldsson
Dag Haraldsson
Gudrød Skirja
Ingegjerd Haraldsdotter

Children with Snøfrid, daughter of Svåse the Finn:
Halfdan Halegg or "Long-leg", was executed with the Blood eagle ritual by Torf-Einarr 
detailed in the Orkneyinga saga and Heimskringla[8]
Gudrød Ljome
Ragnvald Rettilbeine
Sigurd Rise

Other children:
Ingebjørg Haraldsdotter

Parents
GUDRODSSON Halfdan "the Black" (ABT  820 -  863)
SIGURDSDOTTIR Ragnhild (ABT  830 - )

Siblings
HALFDANSSON Harald I "Fairhair" ( 860 -  933)

Marriage To ERIKSDOTTIR Gyda (ABT  852 - )
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Erik (ABT  834 - )
----- ----- ()

Children by ERIKSDOTTIR Gyda ABT  852 - 
HARALDSDOTTIR Alof ("Aarbod") (ABT  890 - )

Marriage To ____ Raganhild (ABT  870 - )
    m.  

Notes
his sxith

Parents
____ Erik (ABT  840 - )
----- ----- ()

Children by ____ Raganhild ABT  870 - 
____ Erik I "Bloodaxe" (ABT  895 -  954)

Marriage To EYESTEINSDOTTIR Svanhild (ABT  850 - )
    m.  

Notes

Parents
IVARSSON Eystein "Glumra" (ABT  800 - )
ROGNVALDSDOTTIR Aseda (ABT  812 - )

Children by EYESTEINSDOTTIR Svanhild ABT  850 - 
HARALDSSON Olaf (ABT  877 -  934)
HARALDSSON Bjorn "The Merchant" (ABT  900 -  927)

Marriage To SWASISDOTTIR Snaefrid ("Snowfair") (ABT  862 - AFT  912)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Swasi ("the Finn") (ABT  832 - AFT  862)
----- ----- ()

Children by SWASISDOTTIR Snaefrid ("Snowfair") ABT  862 - AFT  912
HARALDSSON Sigurd ("Rese") (ABT  902 - ABT  937)

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