Hadrada biography
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Biography of King Harald Hardrada III of Norway 1015-1066
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 25 Sep 1066. Then after the kamp went Harold, King of Norway (age 51), and Earl Tosty (age 40) into York with as many följare as they thought fit; and having procured hostages and provisions from the city, they proceeded to their ships, and proclaimed full friendship, on condition that all would go southward with them, and gain this land. In the midst of this came Harold, king of the English, with all his army, on the Sunday, to Tadcaster; where he collected his fleet. Thence he proceeded on Monday throughout York. But Harald, King of Norway, and Earl Tosty, with their forces, were gone from their ships beyond York to Stanfordbridge; for that it was given them to understand, that hostages would be brought to them there from all the shire. Thither came Harold, king of the English (age 44), unawares against them beyond the bridge; and they closed together there, and continued long in
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Harald Hardrada
Harald Sigurdsson was also known as Harald of Norway (Old Norse: Haraldr Sigurðarson; c. 1015 – 25 September 1066). He was also called Hardrada (Old Norse: harðráði, modern Norwegian: Hardråde ("stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas).[1]
Harald was King of Norway (as Harald III) from 1046 to 1066. Also, he unsuccessfully claimed the Danish throne until 1064 and the English throne in 1066. Before becoming king, Harald had spent about fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire.
When he was fifteen years old, in 1030, Harald fought with his half-brother Olaf against Cnut (Canute). Olaf sought to reclaim the Norwegian throne, which he had lost to the Danish king Cnut the Great two years before. In the battle, Olaf and Harald were defeated by forces loyal to Cnut. Harald was forced into exile to the Kievan Rus'. After some time in the army of
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Harald Hardrada
Harald Hardrada, sometimes called the last Viking king, was the half-brother of the Norwegian king, Olav Haraldson, later called St Olav.
Harald took part in the battle at Stiklastad 1030, where Olav was killed. After the battle Harald fled to Sweden and from there to Russia. He enlisted as a warrior in the army of Jaroslav I the Wise, and from there he continued to Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and became commander of the Varangian Guard. Harald took apart in the Byzantine campaigns of restoring the Empire's prestige in Syria, Bulgaria, Itlay and Sicily where he fought alongside Normans from the Viking colony of Normandy in north-western France. He became rich and later returned to Norway, purchasing half the kingdom.
Harald became known as a terrible and ruthless soldier, and got the nickname Hardrada – ’hard ruler’.
After the death of Magnus, Harald became the king of Norway in 1045. In 1066 he went to conquer England, but he died in the battle at Stamford