Home > Olaf II of Norway

After some years' absence in England, fighting the Danes, he returned to Norway in 1015 and declared himself king, obtaining the support of the five petty kings of the Uplands. In 1016 he defeated Earl Sweyn , hitherto the virtual ruler of Norway, at the Battle of Neaje , and within a few years had won more power than had been enjoyed by any of his predecessors on the throne.

He had annihilated the petty kings of the South, had crushed the aristocracy, enforced the acceptance of Christianity throughout the kingdom, asserted his suzerainty in the Orkney Islands, had humbled king Olof Skötkonung of Sweden and married his daughter in his despite, and had conducted a successful raid on Denmark.

But his success was short-lived, for in 1029 the Norwegian nobles, seething with discontent, rallied round the invading Knut the Great, and Olaf had to flee to Kievan Rus. During the voyage he stayed some time in SwedenThe Kingdom of Sweden Konungariket Sverige in Swedish) is a Nordic country in Scandinavia, in Northern Europe. It is bordered by Norway on the west, Finland on the northeast, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat on the southwest, and the Baltic Sea and the Gulf in the province of NerikeNericia also known as Nerike or Narke is a Province in middle Sweden, which historically formed part of Svealand. See Culture of Nericia for what the Sagas tell us about the past of Nericia. Timeline The exiled Norwegian King Olaf the Holy, stayed in Neri where, according to local legend, he baptized many locals. On his return a year later he fell at the Battle of StiklestadThe Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. In this battle king Olaf II of Norway (Olav Haraldsson) lost his life. He was later made a saint, and the battle represent the introduction of christianity in Nor, where his own subjects were arrayed against him.

The succeeding years of disunion and misrule under the Danes explain the belated affection with which his countrymen came to regard him. The cunning and cruelty which marred his character were forgotten, and his services to his church and country remembered. Miracles were worked at his tomb, and in 1164Events Count Henry I of Champagne marries Marie de Champagne. Pope Adrian IV recognizes Uppsala as seat of the Swedish metropolitan. Antipope Paschal III elected by cardinals supporting Frederick Barbarossa. Olaf II of Norway is canonized as Saint Olaf. he was canonizedCanonization is the process used in traditional Christianity of recognizing those persons who have lived exemplary lives suitable of identifying them as Christian Saints. It is currently practiced by the Roman Catholic Church and its appendages, by the Ea and was declared the patron saintIn several forms of Christianity, a patron saint has special affinity for a trade or group. St Florian is the patron saint of firefighters, and Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travellers, for example. Eastern Orthodoxy generally doesn't associate of Norway, when his fame spread throughout Scandinavia and even to England, where churches are dedicated to him. The Norwegian order of Knighthood of Saint Olaf was founded in 1847 by Oscar I, king of Sweden and Norway, in memory of this king. He is called Rex Perpetuum Norvegiæ, eternal King of Norway.