The New Murrey and Blue blog

Did you know that Richard III probably has Viking Ancestry? Here is his pedigree (taken from Genealogics) showing how he is directly descended from Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre in Norwegian), who was the first king to unite Norway in around 872. However, the genealogy is speculative since part of it is derived from the Icelandic Heimskringla saga of Snorri Sturluson. Follow the purple crosses to trace the proposed lineage (in four parts)

Harald Fairhair was a Norwegian king who ruled from around 872 to 933. He’s considered one of the most important figures in Norwegian history.

• Unification of Norway: Harald Fairhair is credited with uniting the various petty kingdoms and chieftainships of Norway under a single rule, creating the Kingdom of Norway.
• Battle of Hafrsfjord: In 872, Harald won a decisive victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord, which solidified his control over western Norway.
• Consolidation of power: Harald spent the next several decades consolidating his power, eliminating rival chieftains, and creating a strong centralised government.
• Marriages and alliances: Harald was known for his strategic marriages and alliances, which helped secure his position and expand his influence. He was said to have had seven wives (Henry VIII, eat your heart out!) and at least twenty children, including Erik Bloodaxe.
• Legacy: Harald Fairhair is remembered as a wise and just ruler who laid the foundations for Norway’s future prosperity. He’s celebrated in Norse sagas and legends.

There is a national monument to Harald in Haugesund, Norway, known as Haraldshaugen (Harald’s mound). The monument was erected in 1872 during the millennial celebration of Norway’s unification into one kingdom under the rule of King Harald Fairhair. It consists of a large mound surrounded by twenty-nine granite memorial stones, one from each of the historic counties of Norway. At the top of the mound stands a seventeen-metre-high granite main obelisk (Haraldsstøtta).

You can also see that the pedigree line includes St Olav II, King of Norway, and later the country’s patron saint. I will make a separate post about him in the future!