Halfdan (son of Harald)

Also known as: Halfdan · Role: son of Harald and Signe · First appears: Book Seven · Part 1

In Book Seven · Part 1, Halfdan (son of Harald) and his brother Harald (son of Harald), sons of Harald (son of Olaf) and Signe (daughter of Karl), were targeted by their uncle Frode (son of Olaf). Their guardians faked the boys’ deaths and hid them in a hollow oak, feeding them under the pretence that they were dogs. About three years later, Halfdan handed his sovereignty to Harald as deputy.

In Book Seven · Part 3, Halfdan attacked Sweden and defeated its king, but was wounded and fled to Witolf, who helped him recover. He then summoned Thore (champion of Halfdan) and made war on his cousin Erik (son of Frode). When their forces faltered, Halfdan and Thore rolled boulders down upon Erik’s line and regained victory. The Swedes called Halfdan Biargramm and bestowed divine honours upon him. Erik later attacked Halfdan’s lands, and Halfdan returned from Sweden; when he went back there, he captured Erik, who rejected life under thraldom.

In Book Seven · Part 4, Halfdan routed the rovers Toke and Anund in a sea-fight. Siwald (rival of Halfdan) won permission to revolt, then challenged Halfdan to single combat, and Halfdan accepted. In Book Seven · Part 5, Halfdan killed Hardbeen with a hammer and defeated Egther. In Norway he defeated Grim (suitor of Thorhild), who ransomed the rest of his life, and won Thorhild (daughter of Hather) in marriage; they had a son, Asmund (son of Halfdan). Halfdan later advised Yngwin to feign consent to marrying Ebbe, promising to thwart the match. In Book Seven · Part 6, he arrived at the wedding feast in disguise, forced Ebbe to fight, and felled him. Some years later, childless, Halfdan bequeathed his royal wealth to Yngwin and appointed him king.