Olof III "the Treasurer", king of Sweden

Olof Skötkonung + Estrid (wife)
1. Anund Jacob
2. Ingegerd (married to Yaroslav the Wise)

Olof Skötkonung + Edla (partner)
3. Astrid
4. Emund (Emund den Gamla / Emund the Old)

A fifth child, Homfrid (married to Sven Ladejarl), is sometimes mentioned as daughter of Edla and sometimes as the sister to Olof. She can of course be both….

From the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy page on Sweden:

content to clean up

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SWEDEN.htm#OlofIdied1022A

http://www.friesian.com/germania.htm#norse

OLOF I 995-1022, ANUND JAKOB 1022-1050, EMUND 1050-1060

OLOF, son of ERIK "Segersäll/the Victorious" King of Sweden & his wife Sigrid "Storråda/the Haughty" ([before 985]-[1022]).

Adam of Bremen names Olav as son of King Erik & his (unnamed) wife who later married Svend King of Denmark[38]. Snorre names "Olaf the Swede" as the son of "the Swedish king, Eirik the Victorious" and his wife Sigrid[39].

According to Saxo Grammaticus, after his father's death, he returned to Sweden [from Denmark] with "his mother Syritha, and stayed there exercising his sovereignty under his mother's tutelage"[40].

He succeeded as OLOF I "Skotkonung/under-King" King of Sweden.

Adam of Bremen records that King Olof invaded Denmark and expelled King Svend, but allowed him to return to his kingdom because "matrem suam habuerit"[41].

He converted to Christianity and was baptised as "JACOBUS"[42].

m ESTRED of the Obotrites, daughter of ---. Adam of Bremen names "filiamque Sclavorum Estred nomine de Obodritis" as wife of "Olaph rex Sueonum"[43].

Mistress (1): EDLA, daughter of ---, from Vinland.

Snorre names "Edla, a daughter of an earl of Vindland" as the concubine of King Olof[44].

King Olof & his wife had two children:

1. INGIGERD Olafsdottir ([1000/03]-10 Feb 1050).

Snorre names "the king's daughter Ingegerd" when recording that she was used as intermediary to effect a reconciliation between her father and Olav Haraldson King of Norway, and that her marriage to the Norwegian king was proposed[45]. Adam of Bremen names "filius Iacobus et filia Ingrad" as the children of "Olaph rex Sueonum" and his wife Estred, specifying that Ingrad married "rex sanctus Gerzlef de Ruzzia"[46].

Morkinskinna names “Queen Ingigerdr the daughter of King Óláfr the Swede” as wife of “King Yaroslav [of] Russia”[47].

Her birth date range is estimated based from the birth of her oldest child in 1020, and her youngest known child in [1036].

Snorre records the betrothal of "Ingegerd the king's daughter" and "King Jarisleif…from Russia"[48]. The Historia Norwegie records the marriage of "sororem Olaui Sueonensis…Margaretam" and "rex Iarezlafus de Ruscia" at her brother's instigation, after her betrothal to Olav of Norway was terminated[49].

It is more probable that she was the daughter rather than sister of King Olof if it is correct that she had 10 children by her husband. She is referred to as IRINA in Russian sources[50].

The Primary Chronicle records the death of "the Princess wife of Yaroslav" 10 Feb [1048/50][51].

m (1019) as his second wife, IAROSLAV I Vladimirovich Grand Prince of Kiev, son of VLADIMIR Grand Prince of Kiev & his first wife Rognoda of Polotsk ([978]-20 Feb 1054).

2. ANUND JAKOB (-[1052]).

Adam of Bremen names "filius Iacobus et filia Ingrad" as the children of "Olaph rex Sueonum" and his wife Estred, in a later passage clarifying that the son was "Anund…dictus est Iacobus"[52].

He succeeded his father in [1022] as ANUND JAKOB King of Sweden.

m as her first husband, GUNHILD Svensdatter, daughter of Jarl SVEN Haakonsson & his wife Holmfrid of Sweden (-1060 or after).

The primary source which confirms her first marriage has not yet been identified. Adam of Bremen refers to the marriage of "rex iuvenis Suein" and "consanguineam a Suedia", the king being threatened with excommunication by the Archbishop of Bremen and papal letters, his wife being named "Gunhild [vel Giuthe] reginam" in a later passage which records that after her separation she devoted herself to charitable activities on her estates[53].

Her parentage is referred to in Knytlinga Saga[54]. Snorre records that "Gunhild, Earl Svein's other daughter" was married to "the Danish king Svein Ulfson"[55].

She married secondly (1052) as his first wife, Svend II King of Denmark.

King Olof had three illegitimate children by Mistress (1):

3. ASTRID.

Snorre names "Emund, Astrid, Holmfrid" as the children of King Olof by his concubine Edla, specifying that Astrid was brought up in West Gautland in the house of Egil[56].

Adam of Bremen records that the wife of Olav King of Norway was "rege Sueonum…filiam"[57]. The Historia Norwegie records that Olav married "soror Margarete" after his betrothal to the latter was terminated by her marriage to "rex Iarezlafus de Ruscia"[58].

Snorre records the marriage of King Olav and "Astrid, daughter of the Swedish king Olaf"[59]. Her marriage was arranged to appease Swedish opposition to King Olav II's recently assumed rule. She remained in Sweden with her daughter when her husband left for Russia[60].

m (Feb 1019) OLAV II King of Norway, son of HARALD "Grenske" King of Vingulmark, Vestfold and Agder & his wife Asta Gudbransdatter (maybe posthumously 995-killed in battle Stiklestad 29 Jul 1030, bur in a sandbank in the river at Trondheim, transferred to St Clement's church which later became Trondheim Cathedral).

4. HOLMFRID .

Snorre names "Emund, Astrid, Holmfrid" as the children of King Olof by his concubine Edla[61].

5. EMUND (-1060).

Snorre names "Emund, Astrid, Holmfrid" as the children of King Olof by his concubine Edla, specifying that Emund was sent to Vindland to be fostered by his mother's relations where "he for a long time neglected his Christianity"[62]. Adam of Bremen names "Emund" as son of "rex Olaph…a concubina"[63].

He succeeded in [1052] as EMUND Slemme "den Gamle/the Old" King of Sweden.

m [firstly] ---. The name of Emund's first wife is not known. [m secondly as her second husband, ASTRID Njalsdotter, widow of RAGNVALD Ulfsson Jarl of Västergötland, daughter of NJAL --- & his wife ---.

The primary source which confirms her parentage and two marriages has not yet been identified.

Her supposed second marriage to Ragnvald may be nothing more than a guess based on Adam of Bremen recording that "nepos eius [=rex Sueonum Emund] Stinkel" succeeded on the death of Emund[64].]

King Emund & his [first] wife had [two] children:

a) ANUND (-before 1056).

The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified.

b) [daughter .

According to Europäische Stammtafeln[65], Stenkil married the unnamed daughter of King Emund. The primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified.

It is possible that the marriage is uncorroborated in contemporary documentation but was assumed by later genealogists to explain Stenkil's succession as king. However, the accession could have been justified solely on the basis of his being the king's stepson, although it is not impossible that it was also confirmed by subsequent marriage to his predecessor's daughter, if indeed he had one[66].

m STENKIL Ragnvaldson, son of RAGNVALD Jarl of Västergötland & his wife Ingeborg of Norway (-1066).

He succeeded his father-in-law in 1060 as STENKIL King of Sweden.]

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p4289.htm#i42889
• http://books.google.com/books?id=6B4CAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA135&dq=skotkonun... ei=pmPYSNiILJbQzATd9_DrDg#PPA148,M1

"There is some debate about the meaning of the name, Skotkonung, but the most reasonable explanation is that it stems from skattekonung, meaning 'treasure king', since he was the first king to mint money of Sweden." by Martina Sprague, Sweden, pg. 62.

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association (1): Edla

Marriage (2): Estrid of the Obotrites

Another name for Olof was Olaf the Tax King.

General Notes:

Olof lot seg døpe i Husaby i Västergötland som nå ble en støtte for de kristne konger i deres strid mot Upsveerne. Det store offerstedet i Upsala forble enda i et århundre hedenskapens faste borg.

Sverige hadde fred under Oluf, som sies å ha holdt mest av å sitte hjemme, hvor han førte et prektig hoff. Han var neppe spesielt likt av sitt folk, spesielt ikke av upsveerne, som ikke kunne tilgi at han hadde gått over til kristendommen. De tvang ham til å slutte forlik med Olav den Hellige i Norge som han hadde stilt seg fientlig til. Da han ikke holdt seg til avtalen, ble han avsatt av upsveerne som valge hans sønn, Anund Jakob, til konge. Olov beholdt imidlertid kongeverdigheten til sin død i 1021. Kort tid tidligere ble det holdt et møte mellom ham og Olav den Hellige hvor han måtte gå med på fred og forbund med Norge.

Samtidig kildemateriale om Olof foreligger dels i form av noen hundre mynt med innskrifter, som nevner ham og flere myntmestere samt pregningsbyen Sigtuna, dels i form av et dobbeltsidig blyavtrykk fra denne myntpregning funnet ved utgravinger der. Myntene er etterligninger av anglosaksiske typer fra slutten av 900-tallet. Den Olav som i henhold til en anglosaksisk krønika angrep London i 994 sammen med Svend Tveskjegg, kan derfor ha vært Olof Skötkonung og ikke Olav Trygvesson som man har antatt tidligere. Olof er den første av de svenske konger som det kan bevises har latt prege mynt. Slike foreligger også fra hans sønn og etterfølger, Anund Jakob, men den svenske myntningen synes deretter å ha stanset opp og har først blitt igjenopptatt mot slutten av det følgende århundre.

I "Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum" skrevet på 1070-tallet av Adams av Bremen, oppgis at Olofs far, Erik Segersäll, beseiret Svend Tjugeskjegg og besatte Danmark, at Svend tok sitt rike i besittelse etter Eriks død, samt at Olof fordrev ham og erobret Danmark. Da Svend hadde giftet seg med Eriks enke, ble han gjeninnsatt av Olof. Hvorvidt dette er riktig har blitt trukket i tvil, man har antatt at det kun vitnet om Adams kritiske syn på Svend. Senere har det imidlertid blitt påpekt at informasjonen skulle kunne stamme fra Svends dattersønn kong Svend Estridsson.

Adam av Bremen oppgir også at Olof var aliert med Svends sønn Knut den mektige da denne erobret England i 1015. Videre skal Olof i følge Adam ha ønsket å rive ned det hedniske tempelet i (Gamle) Uppsala. Han grundet biskopsetet i Skara og sendte store gaver til erkebiskop Unwan i Bremen gjennom formidling av Thurgot, den første biskopen i Skara.

King of Sweden whose efforts to impose Christianity were frustrated by the leading non-Christian Swedish chieftains.

The son of King Erik the Victorious, Olaf opposed the development of a strong Norwegian state and joined Sweyn I Forkbeard, king of Denmark, and his allies in a victorious war against Norway in 1000.

Olaf subsequently married his illegitimate daughter Holmfrith to the earl Sweyn, one of the Danish viceroys in Norway. Initially opposed to Olaf II Haraldsson, king of Norway, he later made peace with him and married his other illegitimate daughter, Astrid, to the Norwegian ruler. His legitimate daughter, Ingigerth, married Yaroslav I the Wise, grand prince of Kiev.

A committed Christian, Olaf was prevented by advocates of the native Norse religion, based at the temple at Uppsala, from personally enforcing conversion. Missionaries from many European countries, however, carried out the work of conversion. Olaf's life is described extensively in Icelandic sagas of the 13th century.

Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Sweden, Cir 995.

Olof had children with Edla.

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Died in winter, Husaby in Västergötland

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From the Swedish-language Historiska Personer i Sverige och Norden page on Olof Skotkonung - Eriksson (English below): http://historiska-personer.nu/min-s/pea1bc5fa.html

In English:

Olof Skotkonung (Eriksson)

• Occupation: King of Sweden c.995 - c.1022
• Father: Eric The Victorious (945-995)
• Mother: Sigrid (d. 1000)
• Born: 980
• Died: 1022
• Buried: Husaby, Husaby Cathedral

Family with Edla:

Children:

1. Edmund gamle "Slemme" (The Elder) Olofsson (995-1061)

2. Astrid Olofsdotter (d. 1035)

Family with Estrid (b. 979)

Children:

1. Ingegerd "Holy Anna of Novgorod" Olofsdotter (1000-1050)

2. Anund James Olofsson (1007-1050)

Entries:

Olof was born about 980, died in 1022.

Olof is reported to have been the first king to rule over both the Swedes and the Goths (Geats), which is believed to have been achieved in the 990s. He is an obscure figure about whom we know little other than he actually existed, that he was a Christian (by tradition, baptized by St. Brigida at Husaby, Vastergotland, in 1008), that he was the son of Eric the Victorious, but that his mother's name is uncertain.

He was the first to adopt coins in Sweden, minting them at Sigtuna, which he seems to have founded. Coins were introduced by the English.

It is unclear how much real power he may have held. In the uplands, he had little, for he had great unease over Uppsala. He is also later removed by the Swedes. However, Sweden's first diocese was established at Skara during his time.

Olof must have participated in the Battle of Svolder as allies of King Sweyn of Denmark and Earl Eirik. That battle, which took place on 9 September 1000, defeated the King Olav Haraldsson of Norway.

The name Skotkonung means "tributary king," but he never seemed to have received tributes. This name possibly refers to the coins he introduced. According to one theory, they were never supposed to have been circulated as legal tender, but were instead considered to be gifts ("tribute") to reward allies.

Olof was the half brother of Canute of Denmark, and they formed a major political alliance. In Sigtuna, coins have been found with Canute's name, the so-called Knut coins with the text CNUT REX EN or "Knut, King of Swedes," and in a letter from 1027, Canute calls himself the "King of All England and Denmark and the Vikings, and some of the Swedes."

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From the English Wikipedia page on Olof Skotkonung:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

Olof Skötkonung (English exonym: Olaf Scotking ; Old Icelandic: Óláfr sœnski, Old Swedish: Olawær skotkonongær) was a Swedish king, son of Eric the Victorious and Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995.

Etymology

One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one English scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather.[1] This explanation is however highly speculative as it is not supported by any evidence or historical sources.

Another possible explanation[citation needed] of the name "Skötkonung" is that it means "treasure king" and refers to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins. An ancient land ownership ceremony called scotting (from which the Swedish word for a tax or treasure also derives) may also have been involved.[2]

Life

Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne.

The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves.

Viking expedition to Wendland

In a Viking expedition to Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughter Astrid -later wife of Olaf II of Norway. He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.

Alliance with Sweyn Forkbeard

Olof is said to have preferred royal sports to war and therefore Sweyn Forkbeard retook Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.[3] Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.

In 1000, he allied with Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän.[4]

Norwegian-Swedish War

When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings.

In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter (OUR ANCESTOR) to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.

Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Eymundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to their men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men.

The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.

Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook anymore of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.

However, Olof married his daughter Ingegerd-Irene to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending war was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla, who already had been married (unbeknownst to Olof) with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson.

Christian King

Olof was baptised, probably by the missionary Sigfrid, c.1008, and he was the first Swedish king to remain Christian until his death. However, according to Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of Västergötland.

When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style.

Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.[5][6]

Óláfsdrápa sœnska

The Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sœnska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.

Death

His death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021–1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. He's venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but such identifications are controversial. The remains in the alleged grave are also too young to be his.

References

1.^ Sawyer, Peter (1997). The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. Oxford University Press, 1997. ISBN 0192854348, p.169.

2.^ Throne of a Thousand Years by Jacob Truedson Demitz

3.^ Adam of Bremen (book 2, chapter 30)

4.^ Snorri Sturluson, "Heimskringla" (Olav Tryggvason's saga, chapter 113)

5.^ Thunmark-Nylén, Lena + (1981). Vikingatidens ABC, Statens historiska museum, 1981. ISBN 91-7192-490-6, p.232.

6.^ Maiander, Harry + (1947). Sveriges historia genom tiderna. Första delen. Stockholm, 1947. p.159.

http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00027060&tree=LEO

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Unattributed Russian biography of Olaf Skotkonung (not Wikipedia):

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From the Swedish Wikipedia page for Olof Skotkonung:

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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Unattributed Scandinavian biography (not Wikipedia):

Konge av Sverige ca. 995 - ca. 1022.

Olof lot seg døpe i Husaby i Västergötland som nå ble en støtte for de kristne konger i deres strid mot Upsveerne. Det store offerstedet i Upsala forble enda i et århundre hedenskapens faste borg.

Sverige hadde fred under Oluf, som sies å ha holdt mest av å sitte hjemme, hvor han førte et prektig hoff. Han var neppe spesielt likt av sitt folk, spesielt ikke av upsveerne, som ikke kunne tilgi at han hadde gått over til kristendommen. De tvang ham til å slutte forlik med Olav den Hellige i Norge som han hadde stilt seg fientlig til. Da han ikke holdt seg til avtalen, ble han avsatt av upsveerne som valge hans sønn, Anund Jakob, til konge. Olov beholdt imidlertid kongeverdigheten til sin død i 1021. Kort tid tidligere ble det holdt et møte mellom ham og Olav den Hellige hvor han måtte gå med på fred og forbund med Norge.

Samtidig kildemateriale om Olof foreligger dels i form av noen hundre mynt med innskrifter, som nevner ham og flere myntmestere samt pregningsbyen Sigtuna, dels i form av et dobbeltsidig blyavtrykk fra denne myntpregning funnet ved utgravinger der. Myntene er etterligninger av anglosaksiske typer fra slutten av 900-tallet. Den Olav som i henhold til en anglosaksisk krønika angrep London i 994 sammen med Svend Tveskjegg, kan derfor ha vært Olof Skötkonung og ikke Olav Trygvesson som man har antatt tidligere. Olof er den første av de svenske konger som det kan bevises har latt prege mynt. Slike foreligger også fra hans sønn og etterfølger, Anund Jakob, men den svenske myntningen synes deretter å ha stanset opp og har først blitt igjenopptatt mot slutten av det følgende århundre.

I «Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum» skrevet på 1070-tallet av Adams av Bremen, oppgis at Olofs far, Erik Segersäll, beseiret Svend Tjugeskjegg og besatte Danmark, at Svend tok sitt rike i besittelse etter Eriks død, samt at Olof fordrev ham og erobret Danmark. Da Svend hadde giftet seg med Eriks enke, ble han gjeninnsatt av Olof. Hvorvidt dette er riktig har blitt trukket i tvil, man har antatt at det kun vitnet om Adams kritiske syn på Svend. Senere har det imidlertid blitt påpekt at informasjonen skulle kunne stamme fra Svends dattersønn kong Svend Estridsson.

Adam av Bremen oppgir også at Olof var aliert med Svends sønn Knut den mektige da denne erobret England i 1015. Videre skal Olof i følge Adam ha ønsket å rive ned det hedniske tempelet i (Gamle) Uppsala. Han grundet biskopsetet i Skara og sendte store gaver til erkebiskop Unwan i Bremen gjennom formidling av Thurgot, den første biskopen i Skara.

Tekst: Tore Nygaard

Kilder:

1. Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon, Bind 28 (1992/94), side 235-238. Snorre Sturlasson: Håkon jarls saga, avsnitt 6. 2. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav Trygvessons saga, avsnitt 43, 51, 89, 91, 98-102, 104-106, 113. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav den helliges saga, mange avsnitt. Snorre Sturlasson: Harald Hardrådes saga, avsnitt 18. Mogens Bugge: Våre forfedre, nr. 169. Bent og Vidar Billing Hansen: Rosensverdslektens forfedre, side 27, 73, 90.

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http://www.delmars.com/family/perrault/7214.htm

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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Family Links

Spouses/Children:

1. Edla

Astrid Olofsdotter of Sweden+

Emund the Old of Sweden

2. Estrid of the Obotrites

Ingegjerd Olavsdatter+

Anund Jacob+

Olof Skötkonung Eriksson of Sweden 1 2

association (1): Edla

Marriage (2): Estrid of the Obotrites

Died: Cir 1022, Filipstad, Värmlands län, Sweden

  Another name for Olof was Olaf the Tax King.

General Notes:
Olof lot seg døpe i Husaby i Västergötland som nå ble en støtte for de kristne konger i deres strid mot Upsveerne. Det store offerstedet i Upsala forble enda i et århundre hedenskapens faste borg.

Sverige hadde fred under Oluf, som sies å ha holdt mest av å sitte hjemme, hvor han førte et prektig hoff. Han var neppe spesielt likt av sitt folk, spesielt ikke av upsveerne, som ikke kunne tilgi at han hadde gått over til kristendommen. De tvang ham til å slutte forlik med Olav den Hellige i Norge som han hadde stilt seg fientlig til. Da han ikke holdt seg til avtalen, ble han avsatt av upsveerne som valge hans sønn, Anund Jakob, til konge. Olov beholdt imidlertid kongeverdigheten til sin død i 1021. Kort tid tidligere ble det holdt et møte mellom ham og Olav den Hellige hvor han måtte gå med på fred og forbund med Norge.

Samtidig kildemateriale om Olof foreligger dels i form av noen hundre mynt med innskrifter, som nevner ham og flere myntmestere samt pregningsbyen Sigtuna, dels i form av et dobbeltsidig blyavtrykk fra denne myntpregning funnet ved utgravinger der. Myntene er etterligninger av anglosaksiske typer fra slutten av 900-tallet. Den Olav som i henhold til en anglosaksisk krønika angrep London i 994 sammen med Svend Tveskjegg, kan derfor ha vært Olof Skötkonung og ikke Olav Trygvesson som man har antatt tidligere. Olof er den første av de svenske konger som det kan bevises har latt prege mynt. Slike foreligger også fra hans sønn og etterfølger, Anund Jakob, men den svenske myntningen synes deretter å ha stanset opp og har først blitt igjenopptatt mot slutten av det følgende århundre.

I "Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum" skrevet på 1070-tallet av Adams av Bremen, oppgis at Olofs far, Erik Segersäll, beseiret Svend Tjugeskjegg og besatte Danmark, at Svend tok sitt rike i besittelse etter Eriks død, samt at Olof fordrev ham og erobret Danmark. Da Svend hadde giftet seg med Eriks enke, ble han gjeninnsatt av Olof. Hvorvidt dette er riktig har blitt trukket i tvil, man har antatt at det kun vitnet om Adams kritiske syn på Svend. Senere har det imidlertid blitt påpekt at informasjonen skulle kunne stamme fra Svends dattersønn kong Svend Estridsson.

Adam av Bremen oppgir også at Olof var aliert med Svends sønn Knut den mektige da denne erobret England i 1015. Videre skal Olof i følge Adam ha ønsket å rive ned det hedniske tempelet i (Gamle) Uppsala. Han grundet biskopsetet i Skara og sendte store gaver til erkebiskop Unwan i Bremen gjennom formidling av Thurgot, den første biskopen i Skara.

_____________________________

King of Sweden whose efforts to impose Christianity were frustrated by the leading non-Christian Swedish chieftains.

The son of King Erik the Victorious, Olaf opposed the development of a strong Norwegian state and joined Sweyn I Forkbeard, king of Denmark, and his allies in a victorious war against Norway in 1000. Olaf subsequently married his illegitimate daughter Holmfrith to the earl Sweyn, one of the Danish viceroys in Norway. Initially opposed to Olaf II Haraldsson, king of Norway, he later made peace with him and married his other illegitimate daughter, Astrid, to the Norwegian ruler. His legitimate daughter, Ingigerth, married Yaroslav I the Wise, grand prince of Kiev.

A committed Christian, Olaf was prevented by advocates of the native Norse religion, based at the temple at Uppsala, from personally enforcing conversion. Missionaries from many European countries, however, carried out the work of conversion. Olaf's life is described extensively in Icelandic sagas of the 13th century.

 Noted events in his life were:

• Acceded: King of Sweden, Cir 995.

Olof had children with Edla.

Olof next married Estrid of the Obotrites. (Estrid of the Obotrites was born circa 979.)

Sources

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1 Tore Nygaard, Tore Nygaard's Genealogy (http://www.nygaard.home.se). Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon, Bind 28 (1992/94), side 235-238. Snorre Sturlasson: Håkon jarls saga, avsnitt 6. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav Trygvessons saga, avsnitt 43, 51, 89, 91, 98-102, 104-106, 113. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav den helliges saga, mange avsnitt. Snorre Sturlasson: Harald Hardrådes saga, avsnitt 18. Mogens Bugge: Våre forfedre, nr. 169. Bent og Vidar Billing Hansen: Rosensverdslektens forfedre, side 27, 73, 90.

2 Encyclopædia Britannica Online, "Olaf".

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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Olof Skötkonung was the son of Eric the Victorious and Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995. One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather. This explanation is however not supported by any historical source. Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves. Another possible explanation of the name "Skötkonung" is that it means "treasure king" and refer to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins.

According to the Sagas, Olof's father Eric the Victorious ruled together with Eric's brother Olof Björnsson. When Olof Björnsson died, Olof was proclaimed co-ruler instead of his cousin Styrbjörn Starke. This happened before he was even born. At his father's death, he inherited the throne of Sweden and became its sole ruler.

In a Viking expedition to Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughter Astrid -later wife of Olaf II of Norway-. He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, a Christian girl and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.

Olof is said to have preferred royal sports to war and therefore Sweyn Forkbeard retook Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.[2]Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.

In 1000, he allied with Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän.

When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.

Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Eymundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to his men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.

Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook anymore of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.

However, Olof married his daughter to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla, who already had been married (unbeknownst to Olof) with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson.

Olof was baptised, probably by the missionary Sigfrid, c.1008, and he was the first Swedish king to remain Christian until his death. However, according to Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of Västergötland.

When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.

His death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021-1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. He's venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but it should be noted that such identifications are speculation, and by no means uncontroversial. The remains in the alleged grave are also to young to be his.

The Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sœnska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.

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Svensk kung från 990-talet. Son till Erik Segersäll. Olof brukar anföras som den förste kung som regerat över såväl Svealand som Götaland. Det är dock oklart vilka maktbefogenheter han hade i de skilda landsdelarna. Han betraktas som den förste kristne kungen i Sverige men uppgifterna härom är främst knutna till Västergötland. Han lät döpa sig i Husaby vid Kinnekulle och befrämjade inrättandet av det första biskopssätet i Skara. I Sigtuna som var kungamaktens främsta fäste i Svealand under Olofs tid slogs de första svenska mynten i hans namn. I övrigt tycks dock Olof ha haft svårigheter att som kristen kung verka i Mälardalen. Tillnamnet Skötkonung är känt först från 1200-talet och skall troligen uppfattas som 'skattkonung'. Inget tyder på att Olof uppbar skatter. Eventuellt har han själv erlagt en tribut till den danske kungen Sven Tveskägg som Olof var behjäplig i slaget vid Svolder. Olof efterträddes av sonen Anund Jakob.

Källa: Nationalencyklopedin.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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Olof Skötkonung, född omkring 980, död sannolikt under vintern 1021-1022, var kung av Sverige cirka 995-1022.

Han var son till Erik Segersäll. Olof är den förste kung som bevisligen regerade över både Mälardalen och Västergötland. Han var den förste sveakung som döptes och förblev kristen. Olof Skötkonung var dessutom först med att prägla mynt i Sverige. Att han lät prägla mynten i Sigtuna tyder på att han hade sin maktbas i Mälardalen och det är i egenskap av svearnas kung som han omnämns i källorna.

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Olof Skötkonung (English exonym: Olaf Scotking]; Old Icelandic: Óláfr sœnski, Old Swedish: Olawær skotkonongær), also known as Olaf Eiríksson, was a Swedish king, son of Eric the Victorious and, according to Icelandic sources, Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung

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Olof SkötkonungFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Olof Skötkonung King of Sweden

Coin minted for King Olof in Sigtuna Reign 995–1022 Predecessor Erik Segersäll Successor Anund Jacob Spouse Estrid Issue Emund the Old Astrid Olofsdotter Anund Jacob Ingegerd Olofsdotter House House of Munsö Father Erik Segersäll Mother Sigríð Storråda? Born 980 Died 1022 (aged 41–42) Olof Skötkonung (Old Swedish: Olawær Skotkonongær, Old Icelandic: Óláfr sænski), also known as Olaf Eiríksson (c. 980–1022) was a Swedish king, son of Eric the Victorious and, according to Icelandic sources, Sigrid the Haughty. He succeeded his father in 995.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Life 2.1 Viking expedition to Wendland 2.2 Alliance with Sweyn Forkbeard 2.3 Norwegian-Swedish War 2.4 Christian King 3 Óláfsdrápa sænska 4 Death 5 References

[edit] EtymologyOne of many explanations to the name Skötkonung is that it is derived from the Swedish word "skatt", which can mean either "taxes" or "treasure". The latter meaning has given the interpretation "tributary king" and one English scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather.[1] This explanation is however highly speculative as it is not supported by any evidence or historical sources. Another possible explanation of the name is that it means "treasure king" and refers to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins.[2] An ancient land ownership ceremony which placed a parcel of earth in someone's lap (Swedish: sköte) was called scotting and may have been involved in this epithet.[3]

The Icelandic "Óláfr sænski" means "Olaf the Swedish", an epithet used to distinguish him from the Norwegian kings Olaf Tryggvasson and Olaf Haraldsson.

[edit] LifeOur knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves.

[edit] Viking expedition to WendlandIn a Viking expedition to Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughter Astrid -later wife of Olaf II of Norway. He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.

[edit] Alliance with Sweyn ForkbeardOlof is said to have preferred royal sports to war and therefore Sweyn Forkbeard retook Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.[4] Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.

In 1000, he allied with Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän.[5]

[edit] Norwegian-Swedish WarWhen the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.

Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Anundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to their men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.

Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook anymore of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.

However, Olof married his daughter Ingegerd-Irene to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending war was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla, who already had been married (unbeknownst to Olof) with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson.

[edit] Christian KingOlof was baptised in Husaby, probably by the missionary Sigfrid, c.1008, At Husaby church,there is sign at Husaby Honor his baptism and what is thought to be the well at the Holy spring where Olaf was baptised. to He was the first Swedish king to remain Christian until his death. However, according to Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of Västergötland.

When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.[6][7]

[edit] Óláfsdrápa sænskaThe Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sænska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.

[edit] Death The alleged Olaf Grave at Husaby ChurchHis death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021–1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. He's venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but such identifications are controversial.

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AKA König Olaf Schoßkönig von Schweden, Konge av Svitjod Olav Eriksson Svenske av Svitjod, Óláfr Skötkonung Eiríksson, Konung av Sverige, Olaf III "the Lap King" of Sweden., Óláfr Skötkonung Eiríksson, Konung av Sverige, Olaf III "the Tax King" of Sweden.

Made, on Olaf Tryggvasson of Norways defeat, the long-desired western advance into the former Gautish coastal territories of Ranrike-Bohuslän and into the eastern districts of the Trondelag in 1000 in the Battle of Svolder.

Olov 'Skötkonung' var gift med en kristen kvinna, Estrid, och hade med henne en son, Anund Jakob, och en dotter Ingegerd. (Källa: Den svenska historien, Bonnier Lexikon)

Olof lot seg døpe i Husaby i Västergötland som nå ble en støtte for de kristne konger i deres strid mot Upsveerne. Det store offerstedet i Upsala forble enda i et århundre hedenskapens faste borg.

Sverige hadde fred under Oluf, som sies å ha holdt mest av å sitte hjemme, hvor han førte et prektig hoff. Han var neppe spesielt likt av sitt folk, spesielt ikke av upsveerne, som ikke kunne tilgi at han hadde gått over til kristendommen. De tvang ham til å slutte forlik med Olav den Hellige i Norge som han hadde stilt seg fientlig til. Da han ikke holdt seg til avtalen, ble han avsatt av upsveerne som valge hans sønn, Anund Jakob, til konge. Olov beholdt imidlertid kongeverdigheten til sin død i 1021. Kort tid tidligere ble det holdt et møte mellom ham og Olav den Hellige hvor han måtte gå med på fred og forbund med Norge.

Samtidig kildemateriale om Olof foreligger dels i form av noen hundre mynt med innskrifter, som nevner ham og flere myntmestere samt pregningsbyen Sigtuna, dels i form av et dobbeltsidig blyavtrykk fra denne myntpregning funnet ved utgravinger der. Myntene er etterligninger av anglosaksiske typer fra slutten av 900-tallet. Den Olav som i henhold til en anglosaksisk krønika angrep London i 994 sammen med Svend Tveskjegg, kan derfor ha vært Olof Skötkonung og ikke Olav Trygvesson som man har antatt tidligere. Olof er den første av de svenske konger som det kan bevises har latt prege mynt. Slike foreligger også fra hans sønn og etterfølger, Anund Jakob, men den svenske myntningen synes deretter å ha stanset opp og har først blitt igjenopptatt mot slutten av det følgende århundre.

I <Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum> skrevet på 1070-tallet av Adams av Bremen, oppgis at Olofs far, Erik Segersäll, beseiret Svend Tjugeskjegg og besatte Danmark, at Svend tok sitt rike i besittelse etter Eriks død, samt at Olof fordrev ham og erobret Danmark. Da Svend hadde giftet seg med Eriks enke, ble han gjeninnsatt av Olof. Hvorvidt dette er riktig har blitt trukket i tvil, man har antatt at det kun vitnet om Adams kritiske syn på Svend. Senere har det imidlertid blitt påpekt at informasjonen skulle kunne stamme fra Svends dattersønn kong Svend Estridsson.

Adam av Bremen oppgir også at Olof var aliert med Svends sønn Knut den mektige da denne erobret England i 1015. Videre skal Olof i følge Adam ha ønsket å rive ned det hedniske tempelet i (Gamle) Uppsala. Han grundet biskopsetet i Skara og sendte store gaver til erkebiskop Unwan i Bremen gjennom formidling av Thurgot, den første biskopen i Skara. 1

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1. Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon, Bind 28 (1992/94), side 235-238. Snorre Sturlasson: Håkon jarls saga, avsnitt 6. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav Trygvessons saga, avsnitt 43, 51, 89, 91, 98-102, 104-106, 113. Snorre Sturlasson: Olav den helliges saga, mange avsnitt. Snorre Sturlasson: Harald Hardrådes saga, avsnitt 18. Mogens Bugge: Våre forfedre, nr. 169. Bent og Vidar Billing Hansen: Rosensverdslektens forfedre, side 27, 73, 90.

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Leo: Europäische Stammtafeln, J.A. Stargardt Verlag, Marburg, Schwennicke, Detlev (Ed.), Reference: II 114.

Leo, Europäische Stammtafeln, Band I, Frank Baron Freytag von Loringhoven, 1975, Isenburg, W. K. Prinz von, Reference: Page 77.

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Olof Skötkonung, also known as Olaf Eiríksson[according to whom?] (c. 980–1022) was King of Sweden, son of Eric the Victorious and, according to Icelandic sources, Sigrid the Haughty. He succeeded his father in 995.

Contents

 [hide] 1 Etymology 2 Life 2.1 Viking expedition to Wendland 2.2 Alliance with Sweyn Forkbeard 2.3 Norwegian-Swedish War 2.4 Christian King

3 Óláfsdrápa sænska 4 Death and Veneration 5 References

Etymology[edit]

One of many explanations to the name Skötkonung is that it is derived from the Swedish word "skatt", which can mean either "taxes" or "treasure". The latter meaning has given the interpretation "tributary king" and one English scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather.[1] This explanation is however highly speculative as it is not supported by any evidence or historical sources. Another possible explanation of the name is that it means "treasure king" and refers to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins.[2] An ancient land ownership ceremony which placed a parcel of earth in someone's lap (Swedish: sköte) was called scotting and may have been involved in this epithet.[3]

The Icelandic "Óláfr sænski" means "Olaf the Swedish", an epithet used to distinguish him from the Norwegian kings Olaf Tryggvasson and Olaf Haraldsson.

Life[edit]

Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olof's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves.

Viking expedition to Wendland[edit]

In a Viking expedition to Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughter Astrid - later wife of Olaf II of Norway. He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.

Alliance with Sweyn Forkbeard[edit]

Olof is said to have preferred royal sports to war and therefore Sweyn Forkbeard retook Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.[4] Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.

In 1000, he allied with Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän.[5]

Norwegian-Swedish War[edit]

When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.

Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Anundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to their men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.

Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook any more of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.

However, Olof married his daughter Ingegerd-Irene to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending war was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla, who already had been married (unbeknownst to Olof) with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson.

Christian King[edit]

Olof was baptised in Husaby, probably by the missionary Sigfrid, c.1008. At Husaby parish church, there is a sign conmemorating his baptism; nearby is a well thought to be the same sacred spring where Olof was baptised. He was the first Swedish king to remain a Christian until his death. However, according to Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of Västergötland.

When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.[6][7]

Óláfsdrápa sænska[edit]

The Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sænska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.

Death and Veneration[edit]

The alleged Olaf Grave at Husaby Church His death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021–1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods.

Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but such identifications are controversial.

References[edit]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Skötkonung

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Regerade 995-1022. Om tillnamnet skall sannolikt betyda skattkonung. Det sägs att Olof försökte införa peterspenningen dvs den skatt som betalas till påven i Rom.I början av sin regering allierad med Sven Tveskägg besegrade han tillsammans med denne den norske kungen Olav Tryggvasson i slager vid Svolder (Öresund) ca år 1000. Behärskade därefter delar av Norge, en del av Trondheimsbygden och landet mellan Svinesund och Göta älv och det nuvarande Bohuslän fram till år 1015. Under Olofs tid präglades de första mynten med dennes namn och bild i Sigtuna med inskriften på latin "Olof svearnas konung" Olof ansågs vara den första kristna kungen, han lät döpa sig och hans maka och barn döptes i Västergötland. Olof språkade ivrigt om den kristna läran. Men hedendomen var ännu stark i landet, Olof väckte missnöje med sitt kristna nit. Edla hans frilla var ett krigsbyte och en Vendisk hövdingadotter som han hemförde.

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NB!!! Olof IS NOT the father of Asta Gudbrandsdottir!! Please DO NOT lock persons for editing when errors occur !!!!

Olof Skötkonung, född omkring 980, död sannolikt under vintern 1021-1022, var kung av Sverige cirka 995-1022. Han var son till Erik Segersäll. Olof är den förste kung som bevisligen regerade över både Mälardalen och Västergötland och han är också den förste sveakung som döptes, förblev kristen och bidrog till Sveriges kristnande. Olof Skötkonung var dessutom först med att prägla mynt i Sverige (se myntregale). Att han lät prägla mynten i Sigtuna tyder på att han hade sin maktbas i Mälardalen och det är i egenskap av svearnas kung som han omnämns i källorna.

Krig med Danmark och Norge [redigera]

I början av sin regering låg Olof Skötkonung i krig mot den danske kungen Sven Tveskägg, vars rike hans far Erik Segersäll hade regerat över en kort tid, och som Olof gjorde anspråk på. Men kriget avslutades med att Olof erkände Sven Tveskägg som kung av Danmark, och den senares giftermål med Olofs moder Sigrid Storråda ledde till ett närmande. Tillsammans med Sven Tveskägg och norska upprorsmän deltog Olof i slaget vid Svolder år 1000 mot den norske kungen Olav Tryggvason. Som en följd av denna seger delades Norge mellan de två kungarna och Olof Skötkonung fick Bohuslän och södra Tröndelag, länder som han dock under de fortsatta striderna mot norrmännen senare förlorade. Från och med 1015 gjorde nämligen Olav Haraldsson framgångsrikt anspråk på Norges krona och lyckades döda Olof Skötkonungs jarlar i Bohuslän. Jämtlänningarna lyckades han dock trots flera försök inte förmå att bryta med Olof Skötkonung. Kristnandet [redigera]

S:t Sigfrids källa vid Husaby kyrka, dit många åker i tron att det var platsen för Olof Skötkonungs dop. Olof Skötkonung var den förste svenske kung som tog dopet och förblev kristen till sin död. Hans far Erik Segersäll hade också blivit döpt men övergav senare den kristna tron. Enligt den traditionella historietolkningen ska Olof Skötkonung ha döpts år 1008 i Husaby källa (numera kallad S:t Sigfrids källa) i Västergötland av den engelske missionären Sigfrid som ska ha blivit Skara stifts andra biskop, och senare den förste biskopen i Växjö stift. Olofs myntning indikerar att han var döpt tidigare. På mynten, som präglades under perioden 995-1020, finns dels kors dels texten "in nomine Domini". [1] Källäget är dock problematiskt. Årtalet 1008 är hämtat från en annan svårtolkad källa som troligen inte ens har med detta dop att göra. Dessutom finns det inte mindre än tre olika personer som utpekats som den som döpte sveakungen. Det är Sigfridslegenden från omkring 1200 som anger Sigfrid som den som döpte en kung vid namn Olof vid Kinnekulle (där 2 källor finns vid Husaby). Sigfridslegenden har troligen använts som källa av Västgötalagens kungalängd som i en kortfattad notis berättar hur dopet gick till, men här anges det att det skedde vid Brigida källa som ligger väster om kyrkan och strax nedanför biskopsborgen och inte alls vid S:t Sigfrids källa dit alla turister åker. Praktiska problem visar att det knappast kan ha skett vid S:t Sigfrids källa eftersom dop innebar en total nedsänkning av individen, vilket är eller var fullt möjligt vid Brigidakällan och vid den södra sidan av landsvägen. Problemet med Sigfridslegenden är att det är en tendentiös källa som är avsedd att framställa Sveriges då yngsta stift (Växjö) som det äldsta.[2] De fåtaliga uppgifter som går att kontrollera har visat sig vara felaktiga. Till exempel har det inte funnits någon ärkebiskop Sigfrid av York.[2] Enligt Adam av Bremen skall istället Thurgot ha grundat Skara stift 1014 och tillika varit den som döpte Olof Skötkonungs drottning och barn. En missionär vid namn Sigfrid skall visserligen ha kommit till Sverige, men först 1016.[3] Däremot nämner Adam av Bremen inte vem som döpte Olof Skötkonung själv, vilket leder till antagandet att det måste ha skett tidigare och ha utförts av en engelsk missionär, inte av en representant för Hamburg-stiftet. Saxo Grammaticus pekar ut en engelsk missionär vid namn Bernhard som var verksam i Skåne. Men denne anlände till Danmark tillsammans med Knut den store först år 1019, vilket bedöms som alldeles för sent för att han skall komma ifråga. Snorre Sturlasson skrev i Heimskringla att den som döpte Olof Skötkonung var den engelske missionären Sigurd, som var verksam i Olav Tryggvasons hird innan han trädde i svensk tjänst efter slaget vid Svolder. Varken Saxo eller Snorre nämner dock några detaljer om hur dopet gick till, och det har därför varit frestande att förlita sig på den mer innehållsrika Sigfridslegenden. Det enda som de sentida källorna är helt entydiga om är att den som döpte Olof Skötkonung var en engelsk missionär. Snorre Sturlasson och Sigfridslegenden har dessutom snarlika namn på missionären, Sigurd/Sigfrid. Endast Sigfridslegenden anger platsen för dopet, det vill säga Kinnekulle i Västergötland, i Västgötalagens kungalängd preciserat till Brigidas källa i Husaby. Årtalet 1008 kommer däremot från en helt annan, och rent av samtida, källa till skillnad från de ovannämnda. Bruno av Querfurt berättade att en kristen furste döptes detta år, genom att han sänt "sänt över havet [...] för att bringa evangelium till suigierna...". Det kan visserligen inte uteslutas att Bruno syftade på någon okänd vendisk furste, men möjligen var det just Olof Skötkonung som avsågs, och möjligheten att dopmissionen utgått från polskt område måste tas i övervägande.[4] Det bör även nämnas att mynt med kristna motiv präglades i Olof Skötkonungs namn redan i slutet av 900-talet. Olof Skötkonung tycks därför ha tagit ställning för kristendomen mycket tidigt, men kan ha döpts flera år senare. Å andra sidan är myntens utformning vanliga schabloner hämtade från England. Skara stift [redigera] En viktig insats för Sveriges kristnande var att Olof Skötkonung tillät att landets första biskopssäte inrättades i Skara 1014. Västergötland hade kristnats senast 900-talet och fungerade som de kristna prästernas inkörsport till Sverige. Resor över Östersjön undveks av Hamburg-stiftets präster på grund av det omfattande sjöröveriet och man valde därför den omständliga landvägen längs nuvarande Sveriges västkust och sedan genom Väster- och Östergötland för att ta sig till Mälardalen (även de djupa skogarna Tiveden och Kolmården var farliga). Valet av Skara som stiftsstad framför Sigtuna, som hade varit en kristen stad ända sedan dess grundläggande på 970-talet, behöver inte enbart ha berott på att Västergötland var det första landskapet som blev kristnat. En tänkbar förklaring är att Olof Skötkonung ogärna ville underordna sig den tysk-romerske kejsaren, vars intressen ärkebiskopen av Hamburg-Bremen företrädde. Av samma anledning gynnades engelska missionärer. Denna uppfattning om stiftets framväxt och betydelse kan ifrågasätts på en rad punkter. Olof Skötkonung gav visserligen den stora byn Husaby på Kinnekulle till kyrkan, vilket kom att medföra etableringen av ett biskopssäte, men vilket år ett regelrätt biskopssäte kan anses ha skett eller om det var det första i Sverige, går inte att säga. Kristna missionärer fanns runt om i landet i ett flertal landskap och runstenar från början av 1000-talet runt om i Mälardalens landskap har kristna kors och vittnar om att man hade hunnit ungefär lika långt med kristnandet på flera olika platser i landet, vilket inkluderar Jämtland som kristnades tidigt. Påståenden att sjövägarna undveks till förmån för en lång landväg som i jämförelse tog extremt mycket längre tid, kan bara ha varit temporär om ens det. Omkring år 1100 fanns ett flertal biskopssäten i Sverige och de tillgängliga förteckningarna antyder att gränserna fortfarande var under utveckling, liksom i viss mån själva platsen för biskopssätena. Av det skälet är det omöjligt att jämföra de tidiga biskopssätena med varandra, eftersom ingen av dem stod över de andra, tills det framgår att Gamla Uppsala i hård konkurrens med Linköping valdes till platsen för ärkebiskopssätet i mitten av 1100-talet. Nya utgrävningar i Varnhem visar att delar av Västergötland kan ha varit kristnat sedan i alla fall slutet av 800-talet.[5] Myntning och stadsgrundande [redigera]

Rekonstruktion av Olof Skötkonungs myntverk i Sigtuna. Olof Skötkonung är den förste som låtit slå mynt i Sverige, vid ungefär samma tidpunkt som de första norska mynten slås, liksom de första danska med kungabild och inskrifter. I alla tre fall tycks det vara fråga om en och samma mästare, Godwine, som tydligen invandrat från England. På Olofs mynt omnämns han först som "Olof, kung i Sigtuna", men senare som "Olof svearnas kung". Vid samma tid grundades nämligen städer i de tre rikena, städer som låg i utkanten av kungens maktområde, möjligen i syfte att stödja de kristna kungarnas ambitioner i hedniska områden. Staden som Olof (eller snarare fadern Erik Segersäll) grundade var alltså Sigtuna, där även myntningsverkstaden fanns – man har där hittat en myntstamp. En av stamparna som nyttjats i denna verkstad hade dock inte inskriften Olof, utan Knut, vilket har lett till spekulationer om att Knut den store en tid styrde i staden, även om det lika gärna kan vara ett misstag i likhet med ett flertal andra.[6] Olof Skötkonungs avsättning och sista år [redigera]

Den utpekade Olofsgraven vid Husaby kyrka Enligt kyrkohistorikern Adam av Bremen skulle Olof Skötkonungs kristna tro ha lett till missnöje bland hedniska svear, som avsatte honom och i stället tillsatte hans (lika kristne) son Anund Jakob som kung. De sista åren av sitt liv var han därför kung över enbart Västergötland som han själv hade fått välja av svearna. Snorre Sturlasson anger dock ett annat motiv till svearnas beslut. Enligt honom skulle orsaken ha varit missnöje med Olof Skötkonungs långvariga krig mot Norge vilket hade lett till att länderna på andra sidan Östersjön hade frigjort sig från svearnas välde. Snorre angav Olof Skötkonungs ovilja att lyssna på goda råd som en anledning till att Upplands lagman Torgny, tillsammans med sin västgötske kollega Emund och Västergötlands jarl Ragnvald, förmådde svearnas ting att avsätta honom som kung och i stället insätta sonen.[7] Olof Skötkonung skulle därefter ha fått Västergötland med bibehållen kungatitel som ett slags underhållslän med Anund Jakob som överkung. Det dröjde dock inte länge innan far och son försonades och Olof Skötkonung tilläts regera som medkung till Anund Jakob fram till sin död vintern 1021-1022. Adam av Bremen anger, sannolikt felaktigt, att Olof skulle ha dött på 1030-talet. En uppgift om att Olof skulle ligga begravd i Husaby i Västergötland härstammar från 1740-talet och är lika obevisbar som de 100-200 år äldre uppgifterna att han är begravd i Skara eller Linköping. Den utpekade graven i Husaby är inte tillräckligt gammal för att vara hans utan runt hundra år yngre, men utgrävningar i början av 1900-talet kunde slå fast att det fanns tre lager med gravläggningar under hällarna och den understa och möjligen det mellersta lagret var äldre än dessa hällar. Hur mycket äldre är dock inte fastställt. Namnet Skötkonung [redigera]

Det finns många olika förklaringar till namnet Skötkonung. En tolkning går ut på att det syftar på en kvinnas sköte och att Olof föddes genom kejsarsnitt eller att han blev vald till kung redan innan han hade fötts. Skötkonung kan även ha betydelsen samlare. Om det ursprungligen var skotkonung kan det ha syftat på att han hävdat överhöghet över Skottland. I den forn-nordiska saga-litteraturen hävdas att skotska delegater årligen passerat efter Göta älv för att svara skattskyldighet till Uppsala. Legenden har aktualiserats efter fynd av specifika, genetiska band (R1b1b2a2h S68) mellan Skottland och Sverige. Tolkningar med mer kontroversiella slutsatser är att det skulle ha varit dialektalt för Götkonung eller ursprungligen ha varit Skattkonung med betydelsen lydkung (i så fall under den danske kungens överhöghet). Ingen av dessa tolkningar kan emellertid ledas i bevis eller ens stödjas av antydningar i källor. De baseras enbart på tolkningar av själva ordet skòtkonung. Hypotesen Skattkonung med betydelsen myntkung kan också bedömas som möjlig eftersom Olof Skötkonung var den förste kung som präglade mynt i Sverige. En annan betydelse av tolkningen Skattkonung som dock inte kan bevisas är att Olof kan ha varit först med lösen för ledung, när den uteblev, vilket också senare omvandlades till skatt. Slutligen finns det en tolkning som utgår från det faktum att namnet Skötkonung inte uppträder i någon källa förrän i slutet av 1200-talet, och då i en enda källa som omnämner att han gav mark i gåva till Skara stift, vilket avser byn Husaby som skänktes till "stav och stol" och till deras sköttning. Skötkonung kan ha haft betydelsen gåvokung och varit en konstruktion från slutet av 1200-talet i syfte att stärka Skara stifts anspråk på tidigare kunglig mark. I detta sammanhang betyder ordet sköttning samma sak som underhåll. Alltså kan det tolkas som "Olof, kungen som gav kyrkan en by till sitt underhåll". Det enda tillnamn som förekommer i en källa före slutet av 1200-talet är från Snorre Sturlassons Heimskringla. Snorre behövde skilja Olof Skötkonung från de norska kungarna Olav Tryggvason och Olav Haraldsson och kallade därför honom för Olav den svenske.

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Olof Skötkonung (c. 980–1022) was King of Sweden, son of Eric the Victorious and, according to Icelandic sources, Sigrid the Haughty. He succeeded his father in c. 995. He stands at the threshold of recorded history, since he is the first Swedish ruler about whom we have substantial knowledge. He is also commonly regarded as the first king known to have ruled both the Swedes and the Geats.

One of many explanations to the name Skötkonung is that it is derived from the Swedish word "skatt", which can mean either "taxes" or "treasure". The latter meaning has given the interpretation "tributary king" and one English scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather. This explanation is however highly speculative as it is not supported by any evidence or historical sources. Another possible explanation of the name is that it means "treasure king" and refers to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins. An ancient land ownership ceremony which placed a parcel of earth in someone's lap (Swedish: sköte) was called scotting and may have been involved in this epithet.

The Icelandic "Óláfr sænski" means "Olaf the Swedish", an epithet used to distinguish him from the Norwegian kings Olaf Tryggvasson and Olaf Haraldsson.

Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. The eldest account by the German ecclesiastic chronicler Adam of Bremen (c. 1075), relates that Sweyn Forkbeard was expelled from his Danish realm by the Swedish King Eric the Victorious in the late 10th century. When Eric died (c. 995), Sweyn returned and regained his kingdom, marrying Eric's widow. Meanwhile, however, Olof had succeeded his father Eric, gathered an army, and launched a surprise attack against Sweyn. The Danish king was once again expelled while Olof occupied his lands. After this, however, the conflict was resolved. Since Sweyn had married Olof's mother he was reinstated on the Danish throne and the two kings were thereafter allies. Snorri Sturluson (c. 1230) and the other Icelandic saga writers likewise say that Sweyn married Olof's mother after the death of Eric the Victorious, however without mentioning any conflict. Also, Snorri describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves (see below). It is commonly believed that Adam's account about Sweyn's defeats at the hand of Eric and Olof is partial and might have been misinterpreted; the marriage to Olof's mother may in fact have sealed Sweyn's precedence position.

According to Snorri, Olof Skötkonung led a Viking expedition to Wendland early in his reign. He captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and kept her as mistress. She gave him the son Emund (who was to become king of Sweden), and the daughters Astrid (later wife of Olaf II of Norway) and Holmfrid (married to Sven Jarl of Norway). He later married Estrid of the Obotrites, and she bore him the son Anund Jacob and the daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter.

While Adam of Bremen praises Olof as a good Christian, Icelandic authors paint an unfavourable picture of the king who was haughty and prickly. Olof is said to have preferred royal sports to war, which may explain the ease with which Sweyn Forkbeard retook the Danish lands his father Eric had conquered.[9] Olof may also have lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now Estonia and Latvia.

In 1000, he joined forces with Sweyn Forkbeard and with the Norwegian Jarls Eric and Sven, against the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. The circumstances have been much debated in modern historical research, but a contemporary poem confirms that Eric Jarl gathered auxiliaries in Sweden: "The belligent jarl / gathered much manpower / in Svithiod, the chief went / southward to the battle." Olaf Tryggvason was attacked by the allied fleets in the Battle of Svolder, the location of which is uncertain. It may have been either in Öresund or Pomerania. Olaf Tryggvason disappeared in the battle and Norway was appropriated by the allied lords. The bulk of the conquests went to Sweyn Forkbeark while Olof gained a part of Trøndelag as well as modern Bohuslän. These lands were placed under Sven Jarl, son-in-law of the king.

When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by Olaf II of Norway (Olaf the Saint) in 1015, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. There is a circumstantial account of this in Snorri Sturluson's work. As he writes, many men in both Sweden and Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In 1018, Olof's cousin, the earl of Västergötland, Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries Björn Stallare and Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the thing of Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father Thorgny Lawspeaker.

Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as Erik Anundsson and Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to their men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.

Thorgny finished his speech by saying: "if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook any more of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us." Upon hearing this, King Olof complied with the demands of the peasantry for the time being.

However, far from keeping his promise Olof married his daughter Ingegerd-Irene to Yaroslav I the Wise instead. When Olaf of Norway heard about the arrangement he was furious and intent on attacking Olof Skötkonung. However, the Geatish jarl Ragnvald Ulfsson, colluding with Olaf II's skald Sigvat Thordarson, managed to avert the impending war. Olof's other daughter Astrid stayed with Ragnvald at the time, and it was agreed that she would take Ingegerd's place. Unbeknownst to Olof, she traveled to Norway and married Olaf II. Olof Skötkonung was highly upset, but soon ran into trouble at home. Both the Swedes and Geats were displeased with the self-willed rule of the king. The lawspeaker of Västergötland, Emund, traveled to Gamla Uppsala and spoke to Olof's councilors, and a settlement was made. Olof agreed to share his power with his son Anund Jacob who was 10 or 12 years at the time. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with Olaf II of Norway at Kungahälla. The veracity of Snorri Sturluson's account of Olof Skötkonung, written more than two centuries later, is difficult to assess; however, he quotes several probably genuine scaldic verses which allude to some of the related events.

One result of the hostilities between Olof Skötkonung and Olaf of Norway was, according to Snorri Sturluson, that the people of Jämtland and Hälsingland came under the Swedish rather than Norwegian king. Previously the Jämtlanders and part of the Hälsinglanders had adhered to Norway since the days of Hakon the Good. The veracity of this is not known, but the medieval provincial laws of Jämtland show Swedish influences, and there are indications that Christianity arrived from Central Sweden in the 11th century. Jämtland reverted to the Norwegian king in 1111, while Hälsingland was henceforth under Sweden.

Olof's ally Sweyn Forkbeard occupied England in 1013, but died shortly afterwards, and the Anglo-Saxon ruler Ethelred II was able to return. According to Adam of Bremen, "the son of the king, Cnut, returned home with the army and prepared a new war against the English. Olav [II], whom the Norwegians had chosen as their commander, now separated from the Danish kingdom. Cnut, who felt threatened from two directions, then entered an alliance with his brother Olof Eriksson who ruled in Sweden, and planned to take power in England, and then in Norway, with his assistance. Equipped with a thousand large ships, Cnut thus traversed the British Sea". From Swedish rune stones it also appears that many people joined the Danish Viking expeditions of the early 11th century. After Cnut the Great became King of England in 1016, he sent the two sons of the deceased King Edmund Ironside to Olof (who was either Canute's half-brother or stepbrother), supposedly with instructions to have the children murdered. Instead of having them killed, the two boys were secretly sent either to Kiev, where Olof's daughter Ingigerd was the Queen, or to Poland, where Canute's uncle Bolesław I Chrobry was duke.

Included in the Westrogothic law from c. 1240 is the first brief Swedish chronicle, which begins with Olof Skötkonung. It relates that Olof was baptized in Husaby in Västergötland by the missionary Sigfrid, and made generous donations on spot. At Husaby parish church, there is a sign commemorating his baptism; nearby is a well thought to be the same sacred spring where Olof was baptized.

He was the first Swedish king to remain a Christian until his death. However, the circumstances about his baptism are not clear. A document from 1008 says that a certain bishop, dispatched by Archbishop Bruno of Querfurt, visited the Suigi tribe and managed to baptize the king, whose queen was already Christian. 1,000 people and seven communities followed his example. The Suigi have sometimes been identified as the Swedes, though this has been rejected by several other scholars. On the other hand, Olof's coinage indicates that he was a Christian already at the time of his accession in c. 995.

According to Adam of Bremen, Olof planned to tear down the Uppsala temple, which was allegedly an important cult centre. The fact that a large part of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to abandon this aim. The pagans, weary of his plans, made an agreement with Olof to the effect that he, if he wished to be a Christian, must exercise his royal authority in a province of his choice. If he founded a church, he was not supposed to force anyone to convert. Olof was content with this and installed a bishopric in the province of Västergötland, closer to Denmark and Norway. On the wishes of Olof, the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen anointed Thurgot as the first Bishop in Skara. This Thurgot was successful in disseminating Christianity among the West Geats and east Geats.

The legend of St. Sigfrid, known since the 13th century, relates that the still pagan Olof called in the English Archbishop of York, Sigfrid, to teach the new faith in his realm. On his way, Sigfrid and his three nephews came to Värend in southern Småland where the twelve local tribes endorsed Christianity at a Thing. Sigfrid left his nephews to tend matters in Värend and proceeded to Olof's court where the king and his family were baptised. In the meanwhile a heathen reaction in Värend cost the lives of the nephews, whose heads were sunk in the Växjö Lake. Hearing about this, Sigfrid returned to Värend where the heads were discovered through a miracle. King Olof then appeared in Värend with a force, punished the murderers, and forced the locals to yield properties to the Church. Whether the legend reflects the expansion of Olof's realm to the south is unsure. The account seems to incorporate various elements in order to legitimise the establishment of the Bishopric of Växjö in c. 1170. It is nevertheless known from Adam of Bremen that an English missionary called Sigfrid preached among the Swedes and Geats in the first half of the 11th century.

When he stamped coins in Sigtuna in the province of Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT (in the coin above), ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si(gtuna) Dei meaning God's Sigtuna. The earliest Olof coins merely depict him as "King in Sigtuna", while the later ones have "King of the Swedes".

It has been suggested that this change in nomenclature relates to a widening of Olof's base of power around 1000. Sigtuna may be understood as the area in Uppland ruled from the town of this name, while rulership over the Swedes may indicate a more extensive realm. Contemporary scaldic poetry indicates Olof as the ruler of the Swedes as well as the Geats (Götar), and the same goes for the account of Adam of Bremen. The exact nature of the relation between the Swedes and Geats, and the process by which a unified kingdom was created, has been intensively debated. While the unification has traditionally been thought to depart from the provinces around lake Mälaren some scholars hold that the Geatic provinces were leading the process, and that the construction of a Swedish kingdom was a long process that was only concluded in the 13th century.

The Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem Óláfsdrápa sænska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. The poem has some interest since it belies the idea found in the sagas that Olof was a relatively passive ruler: "The warrior guards his land, few kings are as mighty as him; Olof pleases the eagle, the Swedish king is outstanding". Other skalds who served Olof were Gunnlaugr ormstunga, Hrafn Önundarson and Gizurr svarti.

Judging from Snorri Sturluson's chronology of events, Olof died a natural death in the winter of 1021–1022. Adam of Bremen asserts that he died at approximately the same time as Cnut the Great (1035), which is certainly too late.

According to an obscure legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. Since the 1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but such identifications are controversial.

Olof was the son of Eric the Victorious (Erik Segersäll) and a woman whose identity is debated. According to Adam of Bremen she was the sister or daughter of Boleslaw I Chrobry of Poland, according to Icelandic sources she was Sigrid the Haughty (Sigrid Storråda), a daughter of the Viking chief Skoglar Toste. Certain sources say that Olof had a brother called Emunde.

With his first spouse (a mistress), Edla, daughter of a Slavic chief, he had three children: Emund the Old, King of Sweden in c. 1050-1060 Astrid, d. after 1035, married to Olaf II of Norway (Olaf the Saint) Holmfrid (possibly sister of Olof), married to Sven Jarl of Norway

With his second spouse, Queen Estrid of the Obotrites, he had two children: Anund Jacob, King of Sweden in 1022-c. 1050 Ingegerd, d. 1050, married to Yaroslav I of Kiev

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Улоф III Шетконунг (fornnordiska: Òlafr skotkonungr) (нар. 980 — пом. 1022) — король Швеції з 995 до 1022 року. Представник династії Інглінгів.

Улоф був сином Еріка VI Сегерселля, короля Свеаланда, та Гунхільди П'яст. Стосовно молодих років Улофа мало відомостей. Проте напевне він отримав освіту під головуванням свого батька, беручи участь в усіх діях короля Еріка VI. Після смерті останнього у 995 році Улоф стає новим королем Свеаланда.

З самого початку свого панування він поставив собі за мету об'єднати землі населені свеями та найближчими до них народів. Перш за все він звернув увагу на територію, які населяли племена гетів (на півдні сучасної Швеції). Точна дата підкорення Геталанду невідома — десь у 997–999 роках. Завдяки цього успіху Улоф суттєво розширив межі своєї держави та заклав підвалини майбутньої Швеції. Проте захоплені землі зберегли певну автономію. Очільником Геталанду призначався ярл з родини гетської знаті.

З метою покращення економічного стану своєї держави та збільшення її впливу король Улоф здійснив низку заходів із налогодження монетної справи. До нього у Свеаланді монету не карбували, а завозили англійську, німецьку, куфійську (арабську). Для цього було запрошено майстрів з Англії. Проте спочатку шведських монет було виготовлено не багато.

Іншим заходом із зміцнення міжнародного авториту швеції Улоф розглядав походи у

Олаф III Шётконунг (Скётконунг) (ум. в 1022 г.), шведский король, прозванный «всехристианнейшим королем».

Король Олаф, первый христианский король Швеции. Царствовал с 994 г. Около 1000 г. он в союзе с Данией воевал с норвежским королем и присоединил к Швеции часть Трондьемской области. С воцарением в Норвегии Олафа Святого война возобновилась, но неудачно для Швеции. В 1018 г. заключен был мир. Олаф Шведский обещал выдать свою дочь Ингегэрду за своего соперника, но не сдержал слова; начались несогласия., продолжавшиеся до 1020 г.

Принял крещение в зрелом возрасте в 1008 г. в источнике Гусабы, близ города Скары в западной Готландии, от английского епископа Зигфрида. По одним сведениям, вместе с ним тогда же и крестилось все его семейство, по другим - мать и младший брат святой Анны, следовательно, также и Анна были крещены по приказанию короля (в одно время или разновременно) после 1000 года первым Шведским епископом Турготом, вызванным королем Олафом из Бремена.

Так как языческая партия была еще очень многочисленной, королю пришлось ограничить свою деятельность одним Вестерготландом. При Олафе в Швеции впервые стали чеканить монету с изображением королей. Олаф ум. в 1021 или 1022 г.

От своей второй жены-христианки Олаф имел дочь Ингегэрду, вышедшую замуж за Ярослава Новгородского.

Король Олаф отличался глубокой набожностью, возвышенностью духа и благородством мысли, был мудр и деятелен в делах правления и не имел себе равного по решимости и храбрости на войне. Пылая огнем верности к вере, он в продолжение всего своего царствования с великим воодушевлением и неустанно трудился над христианским просвещением своей языческой страны. Он находился в сношениях по делам веры с римским, английским и германским духовенством и был прозван современниками "христианнейшим королем".

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Король Швеции (995-1022 годы) из рода Мунсё

Olof Eriksson, Skötkonung

Olof Skötkonung, född omkring 980, död sannolikt under vintern 1021-1022, var kung av Sverige cirka 995-1022.
Enligt sentida forskning skall benämningen "Skötkonung" komma av att han var utsedd att efterträda fadern Erik redan i sin födelse ur moderns sköte. Om en gosse skulle födas skulle han bli kung efter sin fader Erk

Olof är den förste kung som bevisligen regerade över både Mälardalen och Västergötland och han är också den förste sveakung som döptes, förblev kristen och bidrog till Sveriges kristnande. Olof Skötkonung var dessutom först med att prägla mynt i Sverige. Utöver detta är inte mycket känt med fullständig säkerhet.

Han var son till Erik Segersäll och Sigrid Storråda. Olof är den förste kung som bevisligen regerade över både Mälardalen och Västergötland. Han var den förste sveakung som döptes och förblev kristen. Olof Skötkonung var dessutom först med att prägla mynt i Sverige. Det faktum att han lät prägla mynten i Sigtuna tyder på att han hade sin maktbas i Mälardalen och det är i egenskap av svearnas kung som han omnämns i källorna. I slutet av sitt liv blev han dock avsatt av svearna och tvingad att regera över enbart Västergötland som lydkung åt sin son Anund Jakob. Olof skall ha döpts i Husaby källa, Västergötland omkring år 1000.

( Det är en numera övergiven teori att maktbasen alltid varit runt Mälardalen. Dagens Svealand har inget med den tidens Sverige att göra. Dagens Svealand kom till först långt senare, först som juridiciella områden och numera mest känt som olika delar av Sverige på väderkartan. Att Olof Skötkonung präglar mynt i Mälardalen får ses som ett sätt att knyta ihop och konsolidera andra delar i Sverige som förut varit perifera delar. Svear betyder svenskar och inte exklusivt folket i Mälardalen)

• http://wadbring.com/historia/sidor/upsala.htm
• https://www.svtplay.se/video/18618526/vetenskapens-varld/vetenskape...

Samtida med honom levde i Varnhem Kata, Kätil och Torgil

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Förste konung i Sveriges Kungalängd under Medeltiden ca 995- ca 1022. Tillsammans med sin bundsförvant Sven tveskägg besegrade han den norske kungen Olav Tryggvasson i det omdiskuterade slaget vid Svolder ca år 1000. Olofs namn är knutet till Husaby i Västergötland. Omkring 1008 hade Olof Skötkonung låtit döpa sig vid Husaby källa i Västergötland av S:t Sigfrid, och varit bosatt under senare delen av sitt liv. Enligt traditionen skall de stenkistor som finns utanför Husaby kyrka vara hans och hans drottnings. Kistorna är dock av ett senare datum. I sigtuna, som efterträtt Birka som handelscentrum, lät Olof engelska myntmästare prägla silvermynt vilka bär inskriften "Olof, svearnas konung" (på latin).

• Yrke: Kung av Svealand ca 995-1022
• Far: Erik Segersäll (930 - 995)
• Mor: Sigrid Storråda (- 1000) (Finns på annan plats i släktkrönikan)
• Född: omkring 980 1)
• Döpt: omkring 1008 Skara Husaby, Västergötland 2)
• Död: 1022 1)

Familj med Estrid av Mecklenburg (979 - 1032)
Barn:
1. Ingegerd 'heliga Anna av Novgorod' Olofsdotter (1001 - 1050)
2. Anund Jakob (1007 - 1050)

Familj med Edla
Barn:
3. Astrid Olofsdotter (d. 1035)
4. Emund (Emund den Gamla / Emund den gamle) Olofsson (995-1061)

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Olof Skötkonung

Erik Segersälls och Sigrid Storrådas son var Olof Eriksson Skötkonung eller Skotkonung (levde ca 980-1022). Tillsammans med danske kungen Sven Tveskägg (styvfar) besegrade han den norske kungen Olav Tryggvason i slaget vid Svolder ca år 1000 varefter de båda delade upp Norge mellan sig. Olof lade beslag på Bohuslän (Viken) och Tröndelag (runt Trondheim och österut mot Jämtland/Härjedalen). Enligt sagan var det Olofs moder Sigrid Storråda som låg bakom denna ledung efter att Olav Tryggvason friat till henne i Kungahälla år 998 och de båda kommit ihop sig å det gruvligaste.

Olof kan ha varit med Sven Tveskägg då denne for på härnadståg till England år 994. År 1013 sände Olof en flotta med långskepp för att hjälpa Sven och halvbrodern Knud den store då de återigen tog sin an England. Denna gång lyckades Sven med att inta landet och blev kung efter Ethelred.

Då Olav Haraldsson kom tillbaka till Norge år 1015 tog han makten där vilket innebar att Olof Skötkonungs norska lydriken Viken (Bohuslän) och södra Tröndelag gick honom ur händerna. Förlikning ingicks dock, vilken beseglades genom giftermål mellan Olav och Olofs dotter Astrid, se nedan.

Olof regerade mellan ca 995-1022, gift med den slaviska furstedottern Estrid. Deras dotter Ingegärd giftes bort till Jaroslav i Kiev - ett smart drag som höll segelvägarna öppna in i och genom Gårdarike (Ryssland - se karta) och via bl.a. Volga ända bort till Kaspiska havet. Ingegärd kom att bli den första svenska kvinnan som blev helgonförklarad, nära trehundra år före den Heliga Birgitta.

Dottern Astrid som gifts bort med norske Olav Haraldsson flydde enligt traditionen till Främmestad i Västergötland då maken stupat i slaget vid Stiklestad år 1030. Där skall hon ha bott till sin död, på Slottet i Roglanda, en gård som förr hörde till Främmestad.

År 1001 eller några år därefter lät Olof döpa sig i Husaby och blev därmed den första kristne kungen i Sverige. Nuförtiden tror allt fler att Olof redan var döpt innan detta svenska dop, men att han som ett vårdtecken döpte om sig under västgötarnas överinseende. Kristendomen var dock inget nytt i Västergötland, den hade funnits här sedan åtminstone 700-talet, av gravar att döma.

Olofs dop skall enligt den Äldre Västgötalagens kungalängd ha skett med vatten från Sankta Birgittas källa:

døptær i kyældu þerræ, wið Hosæby liggær oc heter Byrghittæ

Sankta Birgitta var ett irländskt helgon, Brigida, som levde på 500-talet.
Vid kyrkan finns också Sankt Sigfrids källa som andra menar skall ha varit platsen för dopet.

Efter ett uppror 1019 fick Olof dela styret med sonen Anund Jakob, detta fram till att han dog 1022. Under denna tid fick Skara Sveriges första biskopsstol.

Enligt Snorre hade fadern Olof Skötkonung trenne rådgivare - Arnvid blinde, Torvid stamme och Frövid döve - vilka skall ha varit bröder. Dessa tre skall skall ha räddat kronan åt Anund då fadern Olof fick folket emot sig vid tinget år 1019. Snorre menade att det var västgötalagmannen Emund från Skara som arbetade för att få tronföljden överflyttad på en annan ätt, ganska säkert sin egen. Någon Emund lagman är dock inte känd från någon annan källa.

Nordisk Familjebok 1914: "Ottar Svarte, isländsk skald, vistades en tid i Sverige hos Olof Skötkonung och medverkade ifrigt vid försöket att stifta frid och vänskap mellan denne och norske konungen Olof Haraldsson (Olof den helige) genom ett giftermål mellan den senare och den förres dotter Ingegärd. Senare drog han till Norge och var där väl upptagen vid Olof Haraldssons hof; dock skall han ha väckt konungens svartsjuka genom ett kväde till drottning Astrids lof. En drapa, som han diktade öfver sistnämnde konung, innehåller viktiga upplysningar om dennes tidigare bedrifter. Af än större värde är ur svensk synpunkt hans lofkväde öfver Olof Skötkonung (Olafsdrapa svenska), då detta ger vid handen, att Olof ej var den dådlöse och okrigiske härskare, som Snorre gör honom till, utan hade gjort ärofulla vikingafärder i österväg".

Läs om Sigfrid, den engelske ärkebiskopen från staden som vikingarna kallade för Jorvik, mannen som enligt Sigfridslegenden var den som döpte kung Olof.

Källa: http://wadbring.com/historia/sidor/aetter3.htm#olofskotkonung

Noteringar

Olof Skötkonung, född ca 980, död 1022.

Olof skall enligt uppgift ha varit den förste kung som härskade över både svear och götar, vilket han tros ha gjort från 990-talet. Han är en skugglik figur om vilken vi vet föga mer än att han faktiskt existerat, att han var kristen (enligt traditionen döpt i S:t Brigidas källa vid Husaby i Västergötland år 1008), att han var son till Erik Segersäll - moderns namn är dock osäkert. Han var den förste som lät slå mynt i Sverige och det skedde i Sigtuna, som han tycks ha grundat; myntmästarna var engelsmän.

Det är osäkert hur mycket reell makt han kan ha haft i Mälarlandskapen. I Uppland hade han i varje fall inte mycket att säga till om, ty under hans tid fortgick blotandet obehindrat i Uppsala. Han skall också ha fördrivits av svearna. Sveriges första biskopsstift upprättades dock i Skara under hans tid.

Olof skall ha deltagit i slaget vid Svolder på den danske kungen Sven Tveskäggs och jarl Eiriks sida. I slaget, som ägde rum den 9 september år 1000, besegrades den norske kungen Olav Haraldsson.

Namnet Skötkonung eller Skotkonung betyder skattkonung, men skatt verkar han aldrig ha uppburit. Möjligen åsyftas hans mynt. Enligt en teori skall de inte ha varit avsedda att cirkulera som betalningsmedel, utan delades ut som gåvor ("skatter") för att belöna bundsförvanter.

Olof var halvbror till Knut den store i Danmark och de bildade en allians av storpolitisk karaktär. I Sigtuna har påträffats mynt med Knuts namn, de s.k. Knutsmynten med texten CNUT REX SV "Knut svearnas konung" och i ett brev år 1027 kallar sig Knut den store själv för "kung över hela England och Danmark och över nordmännen och en del av sveonerna".

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Källor

1)  Gunnar Hedin - Sveriges kungar och drottningar under 1000 år 

2)  Lars O. Lagerqvist - Sveriges regenter - från forntid till nutid

Länkar:

• https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=7749 - Olof Skötkonung, RA
• http://wadbring.com/historia/sidor/aetter3.htm#olofskotkonung - Olof Skötkonung, Wadebring
• http://historiska-personer.nu/min-s/pea1bc5fa.html - Olof Skötkonung
• http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Sk%C3%B6tkonung -Olof Skötkonung, Wikipedia
• Estrid: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrid_av_obotriterna
• Edla: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edla_%28frilla%29
• Sven Ladejarl: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sven_Ladejarl