Harald Hardrada: Did you mean...?

Harald Bluetooth being baptized by Bishop Poppo the missionary, probably c. 960. Baptismal font in Tamdrup Kirke, Denmark, c. 1200.

A 14th century CE Icelandic manuscript illustration depicting Harald Fairhair, the first king of a united Norway (r. c. 872-933 CE). (Árni Magnússon Institute, Iceland)

The Norman Conquest of England (1066-71) was led by William the Conqueror who defeated King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Anglo-Saxon elite lost power as William redistributed land to his fellow Normans. Crowned William...

The Viking raids and subsequent settlements define the period known as the Viking Age in Britain which had profound consequences on the development of the culture and language. The raids started in June of 793 CE when three ships docked at...

The Danish conquest of England was not a singular event, but a series of large Viking invasions of England between 1013 and 1016, which eventually overthrew the native English dynasty. As a result, four kings from the House of Denmark ruled...

The Vikings were originally diverse Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark (though other nationalities were later involved) whose raids and subsequent settlements significantly impacted the cultures of Europe and were felt...

Edward the Confessor, also known as Saint Edward the Confessor, reigned as king of England from 1042 to 1066 CE. Edward was reliant on the powerful Godwine (aka Godwin) family to keep his kingdom together but his achievements included a relatively...

A 19th century CE painting by Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831-1892 CE) depicting the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066 CE. At the Battle, Harold II, king of England, defeated an invading army led by Harald Hardrada, king of Norway (r...

Hedeby (Old Norse: Heiðabýr; German: Haithabu) was an important stronghold in Viking Age Denmark from the 8th-11th centuries CE and, along with Birka in present-day Sweden, it was the most important Viking trading center in Europe. During...

Ancient Britain was a landmass on the northwest of the continent of Europe first occupied by humans c. 800,000 years ago prior to it becoming an island c. 6000 BCE due to flooding which separated it from the mainland. Agriculture began to...