Konge Harald I. Gormsen Blåtand (Harald Bluetooth)
Harold Bluetooth Gormson (Danish Harald Blåtand) (ca 911- November 1 987), sometimes Harold II, succeeded his father Gorm the Old as king of Denmark in 935 (or 940) and king of Norway in 936.
Invading Normandy in 945 in support of Richard the Fearless, Harold's forces took the French king Louis IV prisoner and forced his recognition of Richard's rule. Harold subsequently controlled Norway for a time.
Although his predecessors had accepted Christianity at the instigation of the Frankish Carolingian kings in 826, many Danes and other northerners were still heathens for centuries. Harald Bluetooth was (again ?) forced to accept Christianity, following defeat (972) by the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great. Otto had already founded many bishoprics including Schleswig, Ribe and Aarhus on the Jutland Peninsula. After his conversion to Christianity, Harold remained a faithful ally of the empire. Otto the Great died in 983 and Harold made his way to the Eider river, but he had to take refuge at Jomsburg in northern Germany when he was fought by not yet christianized Danes. Harold died in battle against the forces of his son and successor Sweyn.
Harald may have had three wives or consorts: Thora, Gunhilde and Gyrid. He had four children: Håkon, Sweyn, Gunhild and Thyra.
Konge Gorm I. Knutsen den gamle (the Old)
Gorm the Old,(Danish: Gorm den Gamle, died 959 was the father of Harold Bluetooth. Gorm, a Jutland chieftain, was born about 940. He became king of the Danes and as king he resided in Jelling, where he set up a monument for his wife Thyra.
It is believed that it is his skeleton that has been found at the church of Jelling. At the time of the reign of Gorm, the Danes believed in the Norse pantheon and it was not until Harold Bluetooth became king that the Danes converted to Christianity.It is believed that Harold moved the skeleton of his father from the original grave into the church. Why he simply didn't build the church on top of his father's grave remains a mystery. Some historians have considered this a result of a dispute between Gorm and Harold.
Dronning Thyre Danebod Holstein (Klacksdottir)
She mat have been a daughter of King Edward the Elder, who ruler Wessex England
Konge Harald (Fairhair) Hårfagre Halvdansen
Harold Fairhair, Norse Harald Hårfagre or Haarfager, c.850-c.933, first king of Norway, son of Halfdan the Black, king of Vestfold (SE Norway). After succeeding his father, Harold initiated a series of battles against the other petty kings, climaxed by a great victory at Hafrs Fjord (872) that made him ruler of Norway. It was during this period that Harold Fairhair began struggling to unify Norway as a kingdom, but it may very well have been that Danes ruled the most of it in the beginning. Although we recognize his rule from 865 AD, it it not likely that he actually managed to gain control before in approximately 890 AD. Although he is considered Norway's first king, Harold controlled only the west coast. Migration to Iceland reached its peak during Harold's reign, as did the raids by Norsemen on the coasts of Europe. The king maintained friendly relations with Athelstan, king of the English. Viking civilization flourished at his court. On his death his lands were divided among his sons; Eric Blood axe was made overlord, but another son, Haakon I, seized power.
Harold Fairhair's reign is officially recognized as the period 865-933, but this is most likely wrong. Recent studies of the history of Scandinavia reveals 872 AD to be a more approximately correct date to when the Battle of Hafrsfjord happened. This is supported by the Irish annals, as they say Olaf the White, King of Dublin, left for Norway to help his dad in the fight for Norway in 871 AD. On this base we believe Harold Fairhair must have passed away in approximately 933 AD. He is recognized as the first king of all Norway, but not beyond the doubt.
-------------------------
[From the Encyclopedia]Harald I (b. ca 854 - d. ca 931), surnamed Fairhair (Hårfagre, of the beautiful hair), first king (872-931) over Norway, succeeded on the death of his father Halfdan the Black Godfreyson in A.D. 860 to the sovereignty of several small and somewhat scattered kingdoms, which had come into his father's hands through conquest and inheritance and lay chiefly in south-east Norway. The tale goes that the scorn of the daughter of a neighbouring king induced Harald to take a vow not to cut nor comb his hair until he was sole king of Norway, and that ten years later he was justified in trimming it; whereupon he exchanged the epithet "Shockhead" for the one by which he is usually known. In 866 he made the first of a series of conquests over the many petty kingdoms which then composed Norway; and in 872, after a great victory at Hafrsfjord near Stavanger, he found himself king over the whole country. His realm was, however, threatened by dangers from without, as large numbers of his opponents had taken refuge, not only in Iceland, then recently discovered, but also in the Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Hebrides Islands and Faeroe Islands, and in Scotland itself; and from these winter quarters sallied forth to harry Norway as well as the rest of northern Europe. Their numbers were increased by malcontents from Norway, who resented Harald's claim of rights of taxation over lands, which the possessors appear to have previously held in absolute ownership. At last Harald was forced to make an expedition to the west to clear the islands and Scottish mainland of Vikings. Numbers of them fled to Iceland, which grew into an independent commonwealth, while the Scottish isles fell under Norwegian rule. The latter part of Harald's reign was disturbed by the strife of his many sons. He gave them all the royal title and assigned lands to them which they were to govern as his representatives; but this arrangement did not put an end to the discord, which continued into the next reign. When he grew old he handed over the supreme power to his favourite son Erik "Bloody Axe," whom he intended to be his successor. Harald died in 931, having had eight wives and 23 children. Twelve of his sons became kings. Harald I was the grandfather of Harald II.
Based on an article from 1911 EB, with some modificationsSome note his death as 933, others note 933 as the time of his abdication of the throne.
Prince Igor ruled Kievan Rus from (912-945). He expanded Kiev's power until being killed by Derevlians in 945.
Olga (Saint Olga) (c.880-969) married the future Igor, prince of Kiev in 903. After his death, she ruled Kievan Rus as regent (945-c.963) for their son, Sviatoslav I. She spent great effort to avenge her husband's death at the hands of the Derevlians, and succeeded in slaughtering most of them. She was the first Rus ruler to convert to Christianity, sometime between 954 and 958. However, she failed to convert Sviatoslav, and it was left to his son and successor Vladimir I to make Christianity the lasting state religion.