Olaf Trygvasson (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken (Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.
Olaf is seen as an important factor in the conversion of the Norse to the Roman Catholic religion. Many of these new converts were converted under threat of violence.He is said to have built the first Christian church in Norway, in 995, and to have founded the city of Trondheim in 997. A statue of Olaf Tryggvason is located in the city’s central plaza.
Historical information on Olaf is sparse. He is mentioned in some contemporary English sources,and some skaldic poems. The oldest narrative source mentioning him briefly is Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum of circa 1070.
In the 1190s, two Latin versions of “Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar“ were written in Iceland, by Oddr Snorrason and by Gunnlaugr Leifsson – these are now lost, but are thought to form the basis of later Norse versions. Snorri Sturluson gives an extensive account of Olaf in the Heimskringla saga of circa 1230, using Oddr Snorrason’s saga as his primary source. Modern historians do not assume that these late sources are accurate, and their credibility is debated.The most detailed account is named Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta (“Greatest Saga of Óláfr Tryggvason”) and is recorded in the Flateyjarbók, and in the early 15th-century Bergsbók.
The Icelandic, Danish and Norwegian versions can be found here.
Vellekla is kind of special since it has two endings. The first ending happens in stanza 33 (the skald is thanking the earl for his payment for the kvad).
This gives reason to believe that it was created after Hakon Earl of Lade had defended Denmark against the Saxon Emperor in 976, and that the skald later added 4 stanzas.
Snorri Sturlasson renders parts of Vellekla (‘Lack of Gold’) in Heimskringla You’ll find it in the “Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd”. but he is missing stanzas 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 33, 34, 35, and 36.
Vellekla ‘Lack of Gold’ (Eskál Vell) is an unusually long and well-preserved praise-poem for one of the most powerful rulers of tenth-century Norway, Hákon jarl Sigurðarson. Hákon belonged to the house of the Hlaðajarlar, the jarls of Hlaðir (Lade), whose power base lay in what is now Trøndelag. He was born c. 940, and ruled c. 970-c. 995;
Contents ;
- Olaf Trygvason’s Birth
- Of Gunhild S Sons
- Astrid’s Journey
- Hakon’s Embassy To Sweden
- Of Sigurd Eirikson
- Olaf Is Set Free In Eistland
- Klerkon Killed By Olaf
- Of Hakon Earl Of Hlader
- Of Gold Harald
- Councils Held By Hakon And Harald
- Harald Gormson’s Message To Norway
- Treachery Of Harald And Hakon
- Death Of Harald Grafeld
- Gold Harald’s Death
- Division Of The Country
- Gunhild’s Sons Leave The Country
- Hakon’s Battle With Ragnfred
- Battle Between Hakon And Ragnfred
- Earl Hakon’s Marriage
- Death Of Skopte
- Olaf Trygvason’s Journey From Russia
- Olaf Trygvason’s Marriage
- Earl Hakon Pays No Scat
- Harald Opposes Christianity
- Olaf Trygvason’s War Expedition
- Otta And Hakon In Battle
- Harald And Hakon Are Baptized
- Hakon Renounces Christianity
- Emperor Otta Returns Home
- Olaf’s Journey From Vindland
- King Olaf’s Forays
- King Olaf Is Baptized
- Olaf Marries Gyda
- King Olaf And Alfvine’s Duel
- King Olaf Gets His Dog Vige
- Harald Gormson Sails Against Iceland
- Harald Sends A Warlock To Iceland
- Harald Gormson’s Death
- Vow Of The Jomsborg Vikings
- Eirik And Hakon Make A War Levy
- Expedition Of The Jomsborg Vikings
- Of The Jomsborg Vikings
- Battle With The Jomsborg Vikings
- Earl Sigvalde’s Flight
- Bue Throws Himself Overboard
- Vikings Bound Together In One Chain
- Death Of Gissur Of Valders
- King Harald Grenske’s Death
- Birth Of Olaf, Son Of Harald Grenske
- About Earl Hakon
- Thorer Klakka’s Journey
- Olaf Trygvason Comes To Norway
- Earl Hakon’s Flight
- Erlend’s Death
- Earl Hakon’s Death
- Earl Hakon’s Head
- Olaf Trygvason Elected King
- Lodin’s Marriage
- Olaf Baptizes The Country Of Viken
- Of The Hordaland People
- Rogaland Baptized
- Erling Skjalgson’s Wooing
- Hordaland Baptized
- Erling Skjalgson’s Wedding
- Raumsdal And Fjord-districts Baptized
- Olaf Proposes Marriage To Queen Sigrid
- Olaf Haraldson Baptized
- Meeting Of Olaf And Sigrid
- The Burning Of Warlocks
- Eyvind Kelda’s Death
- Olaf And Odin’s Apparition
- The Thing In Throndhjem
- Jarnskegge Or Iron Beard
- The Feast At Hlader
- Of The Thing In Throndhjem
- The Throndhjem People Baptized
- A Town In The Throndhjem Country
- King Olaf’s Marriage
- Building Of The Ship Crane
- Thangbrand The Priest Goes To Iceland
- Of Sigurd And Hauk
- Of Harek Of Thjotta
- Eyvind Kinrifa’s Death
- Halogaland Made Christian
- Thorer Hjort’s Death
- King Olaf’s Voyage To Godey
- Of Raud’s Being Tortured
- Of The Icelanders
- Baptism Of The Icelanders
- Halfred Vandredaskald Baptized
- Thangbrand Returns From Iceland
- Of King Olaf’s Feats
- Baptism Of Leif Eirikson
- Fall Of King Gudrod
- Building Of The Ship Long Serpent
- Earl Eirik, The Son Of Hakon
- Eirik’s Foray On The Baltic Coasts
- King Svein’s Marriage
- King Burizleif’s Marriage
- Olaf Gets Thyre In Marriage
- Olaf’s Levy For War
- Crew On Board Of The Long Serpent
- Iceland Baptized
- Greenland Baptized
- Ragnvald Sends Messengers To Olaf
- Olaf Sends Expedition To Vindland
- Olaf’s Expedition Vindland
- Conspiracy Against King Olaf
- Earl Sigvalde’s Treacherous Plans
- King Olaf’s Voyage From Vindland
- Consultation Of The Kings
- Of King Olaf’s People
- Olaf’s Ships Prepared For Battle
- Of King Olaf
- The Battle Begins
- Flight Of Svein And Olaf The Swede
- Of Earl Eirik
- Of Einar Tambarskelver
- Olaf Gives His Men Sharp Swords
- The Serpent Boarded
- The Serpent’s Decks Cleared
- Report Among The People
- Of Earl Eirik, The Son Of Hakon
Hitherto the narrative has been more or less fragmentary. With Olaf Trygvason’s Saga reliable history begins, and the narration is full and connected. The story of Hakon the earl is incorporated in this saga.
Accounts of Olaf Trygvason may be found in
- Od the Monk’s legendary saga,
- in parts of “Agrip”,
- “Historia Norvegiae”,
- and in Thjodrek.
Icelandic works on this epoch are:
- “Egla”,
- “Eyrbyggja”,
- “Finboga”,
- “Floamanna”,
- “Faereyinga”,
- “Hallfredar Saga”,
- “Havardar Saga”,
- “Are’s Islendinga-bok”,
- “Kristni Saga”,
- “Laxdaela”,
- “Ljosvetninga”,
- “Njala”,
- “Orkneyinga”,
- “Viga Glums Saga”,
- and “Viga Styrs Saga”.
The skalds quoted are:
- Glum Geirason,
- Eyvind Finson,
- Skaldaspiller,
- Einar Skalaglam,
- Tind Halkelson,
- Eyjolf Dadaskald,
- Hallarstein,
- Halfred Vandraedaskald,
- Haldor Ukristne,
- Skule Thorsteinson,
- and Thord Kolbeinson.
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