Andersen, Hjalmar 'Hjallis' b. March 12, 1923 d. March 27, 2013 Olympic Men's Speed Skating Gold Medal Winner. He is fondly remembered for winning the gold medal for the 1500 meter, 5000 meter, and the 10000 meter Men's speed skating races at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. The oldest and only son of six children, his father worked as a ship captain and while in his teens, he worked on the wharf in Trondheim as an errand boy and then as a truck driver. He became inspired to pursue speed skating after attending a skating championship in 1940. In...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Lademoen, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Baardsson, Skule d. May 24, 1240 Norwegian Nobleman and Literary Figure. He is mentioned in several medieval Scandinavian sagas and poems, and was one of the main characters in Henrik Ibsen's 1863 play "Kongs-Emnerne" which is about the dispute between Skule and King Haakon IV. He was born around 1189 into Norwegian nobility and was a half-brother to King Inge II, who had bestowed on him the title of earl in the last years of his reign. When King Inge died in 1217, Haakon Haakonsson, the illegitimate son of King Haakon III...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Inge II of Norway (Baardsson) (Inge) b. 1185 d. April 23, 1217 Norwegian Monarch. His reign was from 1204 to 1217 during a time of internal civil wars, primarily between the two main political parties, the Bagler and the Birkebeiner. He was an early supporter of King Sverre, who was the leader of the Birkebeiner party. When King Sverre died in 1202, his son, Haakon (who was crowned king as Haakon III upon Sverre's death), and his grandson, Guttorm, died within two years, leaving the Birkebeiner party without any direct successors to ascend the throne...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Magnus the Good of Norway And Denmark b. 1024 d. October 25, 1047 Norwegian-Danish Monarch. He ruled Norway as Magnus I from 1035 to 1047 as well as Denmark from 1042 to 1047. He was born in Norway, the illegitimate son of King Olaf II (later Saint Olaf) of Norway and his English concubine Alfhild. He was born prematurely and was not expected to survive, but he grew to become a strong and healthy person. When his father was dethroned by the Danish King Cnut the Great, he went into exile to the Kievan Rus by way of Sweden, and the young Magnus accompanied him...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Of Norway, Eystein I Magnussen b. 1088 d. August 29, 1123 Norwegian Monarch. He reigned as king from 1103 to 1123 with his brothers Sigurd I "The Crusader" and Olaf Magnusson (until his death in 1115). He was the illegitimate son of King Magnus III "Barefoot" Olafsson, who was killed in 1103 in combat with Irish forces in Ireland. When Sigurd departed to go on a holy crusade to Spain and Jerusalem from 1107 to 1111, he served as the regent king for the whole country. During his reign, Norway prospered, experiencing economic and cultural growth that...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Of Norway (Sigurdsson), Harald III 'Hardrada' b. 1015 d. September 25, 1066 Norwegian Monarch. He is considered by many to be the most noted and influential of the early Norwegian kings of the Viking era. He reigned as the King of Norway from 1047 until 1066. Born circa 1015 to Asta Gudbrandsdatter and her second husband, Sigurd Syr, he was the youngest of King Olaf II Haraldsson's (later known as Saint Olaf) three half-brothers. In 1030, around the age of 15, he fought along with his half-brother at the Battle of Stiklestad, in an attempt to restore him to the...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Of Norway, Magnus II Haraldsson b. 1049 d. April 28, 1069 Norwegian Monarch. He reigned as king from September 1066 to April 1069, the last two years jointly with his brother, Olaf. He was born in Norway, the oldest son of King Harald III "Hardrada" Sigurdsson and his queen, Tora Torbergsdatter. Little is known of his life prior to him becoming king, which occurred after the defeat and death of his father at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in England by the Saxon King Harold Godwinson on September 25, 1066. Harald III had made him regent of Norway prior...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Of Norway, Olav III Kyrre b. 1050 d. 1093 Norwegian Monarch. He reigned as king from 1067 to 1093, with the first two years jointly with his brother, Magnus II. He was born in Norway, the youngest son of King Harald III "Hardrada" Sigurdsson and his queen, Tora Torbergsdatter. At the age of 16, he joined his father for his ill-fated invasion of England in 1066. He did not participate in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on September 25, 1066, where his father was defeated and killed by the Saxon King Harald Godwinson, but remained on a...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
Olaf of Norway b. 995 d. July 29, 1030 Norwegian Monarch, Roman Catholic Saint. He ruled as the King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was born Olaf Haraldsson in Ringerike, Norway, the son of Harald Grenske and Asta Gudbrandsdatter. His father died before he was born and little is known of his early childhood. The primary source of his life is found in Snorri Sturluson's "Heimskringla." Around 1008, when he was a young teenager, he landed with a small force on the Estonian Island of Saaremaa (Osilia) in the Baltic Sea and demanded...[Read More] (Bio by: William Bjornstad) Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag County, Norway
b. March 12, 1923 d. March 27, 2013
