Eirik Blodøks Haraldsson (895 - 954)

Born 0895 in Hedermark, Norway

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 0954 at about age 59 in Westmorland, England

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Eirik Haraldsson was part of early Scandinavian history. Join: Early Scandinavia Project Discuss: EARLY_SCANDINAVIA

Note

THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH DATES IN THIS FAMILY, UP 4 OR 5 GENERATIONS. EITHER A GENERATION IS MISSING, OR THE DATES NEED TO BE VERIFIED.

Relationships between historical figures could have been simplified or even fabricated in the text to give the impression that succession remained within the same family….Precise chronology is also difficult to assess from the Sagas….The conclusion must be that the tight family network described in the Sagas is unlikely to be correct and that the relationships shown below should be treated with considerable caution.

Biografi

Att han har verkligen har levat är bevisat av ett upphittat mynt som utfär­dats i hans namn i York.

Medan sagorna kallar honom ”Blodyxa”, kallas han i en av de latin­ska tex­terna för ”fratris inter­fec­tor” (bro­der­mör­daren).

Erik Blodyxa skall ha varit äldste son till Harald Hårfager och hans hustru Ragnhild, dotter till kung Erik av Jylland och blev i sam­band med Norges enande kung av väs­tra Norge efter sin far. Harald Hårfager hade många söner men Erik skall ha varit den ende med Ragnhild som mor.

När hans yngre bror Hakon häv­dade kunga­mak­ten med stöd av kung Athel­stan av Wes­sex skall Erik ha flytt till de brit­tiska öarna och etabler­ade sig som härskare över vikingariket Jorvik i Northum­brien. Hans söner lyck­ades senare etablera sig som kun­gar i Norge.

Han beskrivs också i ett antal sagor, ofta till­sam­mans med sin hus­tru Gun­hild. Den isländska sagotraditionen identifierar henne med en dotter till en hövding Ossur från Hålogaland, men Historia Norvegiæ identifierar henne som dotter till kung Gorm den gamle i danska Jelling.

Barn;

• Harald Gråfäll (f. ca 935)
• Gamle Eriksson (död ca. 960)
• Ragnfred Eiriksson

Enligt svenska Wikipedia skall han ha stupat i York 952-954.

Biography

Eirik is a son of King Harald Halfdansson and his wife Ragnhild the Mighty

The Icelandic biographer Snorri Sturluson writing his Sagas of Egil in the early 13th century, informs his reader that 'Eric, by-named Bloodaxe' a son of King Harald was fostered with lord Thórir Hroaldsson. Snorri's sagas recount Eric's apprenticeship as a war lord, sent out at a young age with a fleet of five ships for four years to harry the coasts of the Baltic, Germany, Denmark, and Frisia; followed by four years along the coasts of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. His education rounded out with raids ashore beyond Finland to Russia where he sailed up the Northern Dvina River (Lapland) where, according to Snorri, he 'won a great battle', met Gunnhilda, and brought her home with him. ^[1] note: Eric's wife Gunnhildr 'mother of kings' (Gunhild Kongemor Gormsdatter) was thought in older sagas, to have been born in Denmark.

Eirik's father, Harald Halfdansson divided his lands among his sons before his death, Eirik's share was in the Norwegian Westland, roughly the counties of Rogaland, Vestland, and Møre og Romsdal. Following his father's death in 933, Eric's campaign to win more of his father's kingdom became so bloody, that the Norwegians turned against him. There are stories of fratricide, including the killing of his brother Olaf Haraldsson, earning him the epithet bloodaxe'. The Monk Theodoricus tells us that Eirik earned the name 'brothers' bane' because he killed his brothers. ^[2]

A brother, Håkon who had been fostered in England, brought up in the Christian tradition of Alfred's Court by Æthelstan of Wessex, returned at this time with his family to Norway, prompting the Norwegians to expell Eirik and his family in favour of the promise of a more peaceful reign by King Håkon. According to Theodoricus, Eirik went strait to Northumbria, where Gofraid ua Ímair (Gothfrith) and later, his son Olaf Guthfrithson, descendants of the Uí Ímair dynasty were controlling the rich trade of Jorvik (York) from their base in Dublin, Ireland. Æthelstan of Wessex had been Lord of the old Viking Kingdom of York since he had defeated the Norwegians there in 927. Egil's Saga records that 'The brothers Thorolf and Egil were standing southwards along Saxony and Flanders, when they heard that the king of England wanted men.' They sail for England with their men, and Æthelstan saw their worth as war lords and so, 'they so agreed between them that they became king Athelstan's men.' Æthelstan's only condition was that they should be baptised, to which they agreed as a condition of being in the service of the king of Wessex. ^[3]

By 934, Eirik was well established in York and running the activities of that rich and vibrant town as a private fiefdom. Meanwhile, in Ireland, Olaf Guthfrithson had overcome his rivals for control Dublin, and launched a new campaign to win overlordship of York. Olaf formed an alliance with his father-in-law, Constantine King of the Scots and linked up with the Strathclyde Britons led by Owen to invade Northumbria, challenge Æthelstan and defeat the dominance of Wessex in the north. In 937, the men of Wessex led by Athelstan defeated the combined armies of Amlaíb Mac Gofrith, Norse King of Dublin; Constantine II, King of Scots; and Owen, King of Strathclyde. ^{[4] [5]} The Icelandic Egil's Saga is rich with stories of this time, describing how 'Alfred the Great had deprived all tributary kings of name and power; they were now called earls, who had before been kings or princes. This was maintained throughout his lifetime and his son Edward's. But Athelstan came young to the kingdom, and of him they stood less in awe. Wherefore many now were disloyal who had before been faithful subjects.' ^[6] Æthelstan died in 939, and Edmund became King of Wessex. In 947, the Northumbrians arranged to meet the new Wessex king near Pontefract in Yorkshire, where Archbishop Wulfstan and the Northumbrian Council agreed to accept rule by the increasingly powerful English kingdom, a decision immediately upset by the arrival of Eirik and his men. The Northumbrians instead 'set up as king over themselves, a certain man of norse Royal line called Eirik. ^[7] Edmund could not accept Eirik's rule in the north, since Alfred's time, the Wessex kingdom had been steadily working toward the unification of the whole of of the country into a single, English kingdom. Edmund mounted a punishing campaign north to bring Eirik and the Northumbrians to heel. After sacking Rippon, Edward and his army turned south, where his rearguard was ambushed and slaughtered by Eirik at Castleford. For the first time in many years, the men of Wessex had been defeated in battle. Edward demanded the Northumbrians pay a great sum in compensation and expel Eirik.

By 948, Eirik was driven out of York by an alliance of Olaf Sihtricson (Amlaíb Cuarán) and Northumbrians. He went viking for a while, probably toward southern Spain.

In 952, an alliance of Scots, Cumbrians and English from Bamburgh was defeated by Eirik, who was now once again made ruler of Northumbria, able to develop Viking Jorvic (York) into an even stronger trading centre independent of English rule, minting his own coins, building his army and seeking alliances with powerful neighbours. ^[8]

In 954 Eirik was once again expelled from York, betrayed by an alliance between Edward and Eirik's great rival Oswulf of Bamburgh. Taking the old route through Westmorland to Penrith, probably hoping to reach allies in Ireland or Scotland, Eirik and his men were ambushed at Stainmore. Eirik was killed, along with his sons and his brothers; Eirik reputedly killed by Earl Maccus (Macone). The old Scandinavian kingdom of York was absorbed into the growing kingdom of England.

Note - Associate Professor Alison Downham Moore of Sydney University has made proposals reassessing the person of Eirik Bloodaxe. It is proposed that Eiríkr, King of York from 947–948 and 952–5, was a ruler (war lord would be more appropriate) in the Viking Kingdom of the Isles (Hebrides, Islands of the Firth of Clyde & the Isle of Man); but questions that this Eiríkr is the same character as Eric Bloodaxe. Downham argued Eric of the Kingdom of the Isles was of the Uí Ímair Dynasty, rather than a son of Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre Halfdansson (abt. 0850 - abt. 0933).

Sources

1. ↑ Egil's Saga Chapter 36 - Of Eric Bloodaxe and Thorolfin
2. ↑ Theodoricus Monachus: The Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings ch: 2 - However most historians now believe that this epithet was simply due to his stern, uncompromising nature and war like reputation.
3. ↑ Egil's Saga chapter 50: Of Athelstan king of the English.
4. ↑ Celt: corpus of electronic texts - The Annals of Ulster U937.6 records that a great, lamentable and horrible battle was cruelly fought between the Saxons and the Norsemen, in which several thousands of Norsemen, who are uncounted, fell, but their king, Amlaíb, escaped with a few followers. A large number of Saxons fell on the other side, but Athelstan, king of the Saxons, enjoyed a great victory.
5. ↑ Egil's Saga chapters 52 - Of the gathering of the host; 53 - Of the fight; 54 - The fall of Thorolf in that battle.
6. ↑ Egil's Saga chapter 51: Of Olaf king of Scots 'who came from the family of Ragnar Hairy-breeks.'
7. ↑ Michael Wood, quoting from his reconstructed "Chronicle of the Northumbrians" by Wulfstan, Archbishop of York - YouTube : In Search of the Dark Ages - In Search of Erik Bloodaxe
8. ↑ The Annals of Ulster simply note : "The foreigners won a battle over the men of Scotland and the Welsh and the Saxons." Celt Search The Annals of Ulster Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition : U952.2

• Egil's Saga in the 1893 translation into English by W. C. Green from the original Icelandic 'Egils saga Skallagrímssonar'
• The Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings ch:2 by Theodoricus Monachus - Theodoricus pdf: Viking Society Web Publictions : Text Series Theodoricus Monachus: The Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings. Translated and annotated by David and Ian McDougall
• Michael Wood has produced a documentary restored and published on Youtube, based a Chronicle by Wulfstan, Archbishop of York (d: 956) now no longer existing but living on in the work of later chroniclers. - YouTube : In Search of the Dark Ages - In Search of Erik Bloodaxe
• BBC History : Eric Bloodaxe by Gareth Williams offered a thoughtful overview of recent assessment of the place of Eric in early medieval British history.
• Wikipedia - Eric Bloodaxe offers a fully sourced, informative biography for Eric Bloodaxe with discussion and sources for alternate versions of his story
• Projects: Medlands : Norway, Kings
• Dynasties of the World: a chronological and genealogical handbook page 147; ed: John Morby, Oxford, Oxfordshire, U.K. - pub: Oxford University Press, 1989
• The Peerage : #42753 - Eirik I, King of Norway and Northumbria

Spouse(s) and children

He is mentioned in the sagas with his wife Gunnhildr konungamóðir. In some Icelandic sagas she is the daughter of Ossur from Hålogaland but in Historia Norvegiæ she is said to be the daughter of Gorm den gamle in Danish Jelling.

Children;

• Harald Gråfäll (b. ca 935)
• Gamle Eriksson (d. abt 960)
• Ragnfred Eiriksson

Child of Eirik I, King of Norway and Northumbria Harald II, King of Norway d. 974

The primary sources are contradictory concerning Gunhild's parentage. King Erik I & his wife had [eight] children: a) GAMLE Eriksson (-killed in battle Rastarkalv, island of Frei [955]). Snorre names (in order) "Gamle the oldest, then Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfrod, Ragnhild, Erling, Gudrod and Sigurd Sleva" as the children of King Eirik & his wife

Eirik Bloodaxe. Kung i Norge 940-945 och Northumbria. Född omkring 895 i Norge. Död 954 i York, England. Enligt vissa källor död i Norge. Eirik betyder ensam härskare. Eirik hade vid faderns delning av riket mellan dennes söner fått rang av överkonung. Kung bara några år, mördade flera av sin bröder då han gentemot dem hävdade riksenheten. Var gift med drottning Gunnhild - som var mycket vacker och väldigt elak - och de hade många barn. (Espell)Fördriven från Norge till England, härskade han i Northumberland 947-948 och 952-954. Han blev dödsfiende till Egil Skallagrimsom. (Lexikon) ************************************************** Erik (Blodyx) av NORGE Yrke: Kung i Norge 931-933 och Northumberland, England 947-954 Far: Harald (Hårfager) HALVDANSSON (858 - 943) Mor: Ragnhild (den mäktiga) ERIKSDOTTER (870 - 897) Född: omkring 895 Norge 1) Bosatt: omkring 935 England 2) Död: omkring 954 England, Northumberland 3) Familj med Gunhild av DANMARK (905 - 972) Barn: Ragnfred av NORGE (923 - 982) Harald II (Gråfäll) av NORGE (922 - 968), medkung i Norge tillsammans med bröderna Erling, Gudröd, Sigrud (Sleva), Gamle och Gorm. Ragnhild av NORGE (924 - 980), jarlhustru på Orkneyöarna, Skottland. Gift tre gånger med bröderna Arnfin, Havard och Ljot Torfinsson.Noteringar Enligt de isländska sagorna skall han av sin far ha utsetts till överkung och därmed kommit i konflikt med sina bröder. Efter bittra strider om regeringsmakten skall han ha fördrivits, och hanåterfanns senare som kung av Northumberland i England. Sitt tillnamn 'Blodyx' fick han efter dråp på flera av sina bröder. (Källa: Bra Böcker)Kung i Norge mellan åren 931 och 933. (Källa: Boken 'Olav, viking och helgon', Morten Myklebust 1997)Erik 'Blodyx' stupade år 954 i ett slag vid Westmoreland, och därmed är det slut på det nordiska kungariket York, England. Med sin gemål Gunhild som är dotter till Gorm 'den gamle' efterlämnar hanemellertid många söner, och dessa finner en fristad hos sin morbror Harald 'Blåtand', vilken rentav adopterar den äldste av pojkarna. Från baser i Danmark gör de upprepade raider mot Norge, där dehemsöker Håkon 'Adalsteinsfostre' på hans gård Birkestrond på ön Frei i Nordmöre och slutligen besegrar honom i ett slag på kungsgården Fitjar på ön Stordön utanför Hordaland. Han hinner klyvaskallen på en dansk hövding med sitt svärd Kvarnbit innan han själv måste bita i gräset. Erikssönerna - eller Gunhildssönerna, som Snorre har för vana att kalla dem - överumplar och innebränner ävenladejarlen Sigurd på hans gård Skatval, och därmed är också Nordnorge i deras händer. Vidare populära är de inte, ty bönderna dödar snart två av dem i samband med olika övergrepp, men de återståendetre lyckas bryta allt motstånd och gör sig till herrar även i Viken. Tongivande bland bröderna är tydligtvis den äldste, som heter Harald med tillnamnet 'Gråfell. (Källa: En nordisk kronologi sid64-65, Alf Henriksson)Återkom till Norge och mördade flera av sin bröder för att kunna bli kung, vilket han bara var några år. Var gift med drottning Gunhild - som var mycket vacker och väldigt elak - och de hade mångabarn. Efter Eriks död delades Norge mellan sönerna. (Källa: G.V.C Young, 1986)Erik 'Blodyx' blev den siste nordiske kungen över York, England. (Källa: Vikingen, Nordbok 1975)Norwegian king and Viking leader, son of Harald 'Finehair', probably dead in 954. He was banished from Norway to England, where he ruled over Northumberland 947-948 and 952-954. Erik 'Bloodax' andthe skald Egil Skallagrimsson became mortal enemies. When Harald 'Finehair' divided his kingdom between his sons, Erik received the rank 'supreme king'. Erik has become known as a furious warrior,who murdered several of his brothers, when he, in comparison to them, maintained the national unity. (Källa: Viking Heritage)King Eirik also levied people in the middle of the country; but it went badly with him to gather people, for the leading men left him, and went over to Hakon. As he saw himself not nearly strongenough to oppose Hakon, he sailed (A.D. 935) out to the West sea with such men as would follow him. He first sailed to Orkney, and took many people with him from that country; and then went southtowards England, plundering in Scotland, and in the north parts of England, wherever he could land. Athelstan, the king of England, sent a message to Eirik, offering him dominions under him inEngland; saying that King Harald his father was a good friend of King Athelstan, and therefore he would do kindly towards his sons. Messengers passed between the two kings; and it came to anagreement that King Eirik should take Northumberland as a fief from King Athelstan, and which land he should defend against the Danes or other vikings. Eirik should let himself be baptized, togetherwith his wife and children, and all the people who had followed him. Eirik accepted this offer, and was baptized, and adopted the right faith. Northumberland is called a fifth part of England. Eirikhad his residence at York, where Lodbrok's sons, it was said, had formerly been, and Northumberland was principally inhabited by Northmen. Since Lodbrok's sons had taken the country, Danes andNorthmen often plundered there, when the power of the land was out of their hands. Many names of places in the country are Norwegian; as Grimsby, Haukfliot, and many others. (Källa: Heimskringla,Håkon 'den godes' saga) Källor 1) Tom Björnstad, Norge (webbplats) 2) Heimskringla, Håkan 'den godes' saga 3) Bra Böckers Lexikon

Far Harald "Hårfager" Halvdansson, f. ca 845, Vestfold, Norge Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. ca 940, Norge Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 95 år) Mor Ragnhild den Rike Eriksdotter, f. ca 870, Jylland, Danmark Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. 950, Norge Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 80 år) Familjens ID 9271 Familjeöversikt

Familj Gunhild av Danmark, f. ca 905, Jylland, Danmark Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. ca 972, Northumberland, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 67 år) Barn + 1. Ragnfred av Norge, f. ca 923, Norge Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. ca 982, Lidgatu, Ådals-Liden Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 59 år) Senast ändrad 14 Jan 2007 Familjens ID 9270 Familjeöversikt

Händelse-karta

Harald Hårfagre Ragnhild den mektige Children (1) Eirik Blodøks 954-Deceased

Eirik Blodøks 954-Deceased Gunhild Gormsdatter

Children (1) Harald Gråfell Deceased

Note Utnevnt til overkonge i 893 av sin far Harald Hårfagre.

Marriage 1 Gunhild GORMSDATTER Has Children Gudrød II ERIKSEN King of Man b: 0930 in Norway

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Williams_AndersForWikiTree.ged on 07 May 2011.
• This person was created on 12 September 2010 through the import of 104-B.ged.
• This person was created through the import of Acrossthepond.ged on 21 February 2011.
• Gordon Lokken, firsthand knowledge.
• This person was created through the import of Weaver.ged on 03 January 2011.