Olav III Kyrre of Norway ^{1 2 3}

   Other names for Olav were Olaf the Quiet and Olav III Haraldsson Kyrre.

  General Notes:

King of Norway who guided the nation through one of its most prosperous periods, maintaining an extended peace rare in medieval Norwegian history. He also strengthened the organization of the Norwegian church.

A son of King Harald III Hardraade, Olaf fought in the unsuccessful Norwegian invasion of England (1066) in which his father was killed. He subsequently sued for peace with the English king Harold II and returned to Norway to rule jointly with his brother, Magnus II; he became sole monarch on Magnus' death in 1069. In 1068 he concluded a peace treaty with the Danish king Sweyn (Svein) II, by which the Danish king gave up his plan to conquer Norway, and initiated a 25-year period of peace.

Olaf worked to give the Norwegian church a more stable organization, making peace with Pope Gregory VII and Adalbert (Adelbert), archbishop of Bremen and vicar for the Scandinavian countries, who had been an enemy of Olaf's father. Although he attempted to follow the organizational model of the continental churches, the Norwegian church was less influenced by Rome, and Olaf maintained personal control over the nation's clergy.

Olaf's granting of permanent areas to the four dioceses of the country encouraged urban growth. He built a number of churches and founded several towns, including the city of Bergen (c. 1070-75), which soon became an important trading centre. His reign also saw the introduction to Norway of the manners and culture of the continental aristocracy.

From Snorri Sturluson: Saga of Harald Hardrade:

"100. FALL OF KING HARALD GODWINSON. King Harald Godwinson gave King Harald Sigurdson's son Olaf leave to go away, with the men who had followed him and had not fallen in battle; ..."

"102. OF OLAF HARALDSON'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY. Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson, sailed with his fleet from England from Hrafnseyr, and came in autumn to the Orkney Isles, where the event had happened that Maria, a daughter of Harald Sigurdson, died a sudden death the very day and hour her father, King Harald, fell. Olaf remained there all winter; but the summer after he proceeded east to Norway, where he was proclaimed king along with his brother Magnus. Queen Ellisif came from the West, along with her stepson Olaf and her daughter Ingegerd. There came also with Olaf over the West sea Skule, a son of Earl Toste, and who since has been called the king's foster-son, and his brother Ketil Krok. Both were gallant men, of high family in England, and both were very intelligent; and the brothers were much beloved by King Olaf. Ketil Krok went north to Halogaland, where King Olaf procured him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great people. Skule, the king's foster-son, was a very clever man, and the handsomest man that could be seen. He was the commander of King Olaf's court-men, spoke at the Things and took part in all the country affairs with the king. The king offered to give Skule whatever district in Norway he liked, with all the income and duties that belonged to the king in it. Skule thanked him very much for the offer, but said he would rather have something else from him. "For if there came a shift of kings," said he, "the gift might come to nothing. I would rather take some properties lying near to the merchant towns, where you, sire, usually take up your abode, and then I would enjoy your Yule-feasts." The king agreed to this, and conferred on him lands eastward at Konungahella, Oslo, Tunsberg, Sarpsborg, Bergen, and north at Nidaros. These were nearly the best properties at each place, and have since descended to the family branches which came from Skule. King Olaf gave Skule his female relative, Gudrun, the daughter of Nefstein, in marriage. Her mother was Ingerid, a daughter of Sigurd Syr and Asta, King Olaf the Saint's mother. Ingerid was a sister of King Olaf the Saint and of King Harald. Skule and Gudrun's son was Asolf of Reine, who married Thora, a daughter of Skopte Ogmundson; Asolf's and Thora's son was Guthorm of Reine, father of Bard, and grandfather of King Inge and of Duke Skule."

From Snorri Sturluson: Saga of Olaf Kyrre:

"1. OLAF'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE. Olaf remained sole king of Norway after the death (A.D. 1069) of his brother King Magnus. Olaf was a stout man, well grown in limbs; and every one said a handsomer man could not be seen, nor of a nobler appearance. His hair was yellow as silk, and became him well; his skin was white and fine over all his body; his eyes beautiful, and his limbs well proportioned. He was rather silent in general, and did not speak much even at Things; but he was merry in drinking parties. He loved drinking much, and was talkative enough then; but quite peaceful. He was cheerful in conversation, peacefully inclined during all his reign, and loving gentleness and moderation in all things. Stein Herdison speaks thus of him: -- "Our Throndhjem king is brave and wise, His love of peace our bondes prize; By friendly word and ready hand He holds good peace through every land. He is for all a lucky star; England he frightens from a war; The stiff-necked Danes he drives to peace; Troubles by his good influence cease." "
"2. OF KING OLAF'S MANNER OF LIVING. It was the fashion in Norway in old times for the king's high- seat to be on the middle of a long bench, and the ale was handed across the fire (1); but King Olaf had his high-seat made on a high bench across the room; he also first had chimney-places in the rooms, and the floors strewed both summer and winter. In King Olaf's time many merchant towns arose in Norway, and many new ones were founded. Thus King Olaf founded a merchant town at Bergen, where very soon many wealthy people settled themselves, and it was regularly frequented by merchants from foreign lands. He had the foundations laid for the large Christ church, which was to be a stone church; but in his time there was little done to it. Besides, he completed the old Christ church, which was of wood. King Olaf also had a great feasting-house built in Nidaros, and in many other merchant towns, where before there were only private feasts; and in his time no one could drink in Norway but in these houses, adorned for the purpose with branches and leaves, and which stood under the king's protection. The great guild-bell in Throndhjem, which was called the pride of the town, tolled to call together to these guilds. The guild- brethren built Margaret's church in Nidaros of stone. In King Olaf's time there were general entertainments and hand-in-hand feasts. At this time also much unusual splendour and foreign customs and fashions in the cut of clothes were introduced; as, for instance, costly hose plaited about the legs. Some had gold rings about the legs, and also used coats which had lists down the sides, and arms five ells long, and so narrow that they must be drawn up with ties, and lay in folds all the way up to the shoulders. The shoes were high, and all edged with silk, or even with gold. Many other kinds of wonderful ornaments were used at that time."

"11. OF KING OLAF KYRRE'S DEATH. King Olaf lived principally in his domains on his large farms. Once when he was east in Ranrike, on his estate of Haukby (Haukbø, now Håkeby in Tanum, northerly in Båhuslen), he took the disease which ended in his death. He had then been king of Norway for twenty-six years (A.D. 1068-1093); for he was made king of Norway the year after King Harald's death. King Olaf's body was taken north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church, which he himself had built there. He was the most amiable king of his time, and Norway was much improved in riches and cultivation during his reign."

Ideen om et engelsk-skandinavisk Nordsjørike døde ikke med Harald Hardråde. Både Svein Estridsson og hans sønn Knut den Hellige - den siste så sent som på 1080-tallet - hadde planer om og gjorde forberedelser til erobring av England, et foretak også Olav Kyrre var engasjert i, men uten at det kom til noe resultat. Etter slaget ved Hastings to uker etter Harald Hardrådes fall, var denne ideen i realiteten en fiksjon. Hertug Vilhelm av Normandies erobring rev England løs fra den tradisjonelle nordsjøforbindelsen med Skandinavia og knyttet riket nærmere til kontinentet.

Olav Kyrre sikret sin 27 år lange fredsperiode gjennom å fornye fredsavtalen med Svein Estridsson i 1068, og freden ble styrket og garantert gjennom ekteskapsforbindelser, blant annet mellom Olav og Sveins datter. Olavs tid var i den grad preget av fredelig samkvem med omverdenen at sagaforfatterne, som først og fremst var opptatt av kongenes krigerske bedrifter, avspiste ham med et par sider i sine kongesagaer.

Han fikk navnet "Kyrre" (den fredelige), fordi han styrte mildt og gjorde meget godt for landet. I hans tid hadde kristendkommen fremgang. Det ble bygget kirker, faste bispeseter ble opprettet og geistligheten ble aktet.

Olav anla Bergen omkring 1070-75.

Han døde på kongsgården Håkeby i Tanum i det nordlige Båhuslen, men liket ble ført til Nidaros og begravd der.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Norway, 1066.

Olav had a child with Thora Ragnvaldsdatter of Norway, daughter of Ragnvald II Brusisson and Felicia of Normandy. (Thora Ragnvaldsdatter of Norway was born between 1040 and 1050.)

Olav next married Ingerid Svendsdatter, daughter of Svend II Estridsson of Denmark and Rannveig Tordsdatter d. y. fra Aurland. (Ingerid Svendsdatter died after 1093.)