Harald (rival of Ragnar)

Also known as: Harald · Family: Danes · Role: king · First appears: Book Nine · Part 3

In Book Nine · Part 3, the Jutes and Skanians rejected Ragnar Lodbrog’s title and gave Harald sovereign power. At Laneus (Woolly), Ragnar defeated him and routed his forces, while Siward Snake-Eye fell wounded attacking the enemy. Ladgerda turned the battle by striking the enemy from behind. In Book Nine · Part 4, Ragnar crushed Harald’s rebellion, drove him into exile in Germany, and forced him to resign the honour he had claimed.

In Book Nine · Part 8, Harald stirred renewed sedition and again claimed the title of king. At Mainz, he accepted Christianity, and Ludwig strengthened him with Saxon auxiliaries. Harald built a Christian temple in the land of Sleswik and introduced Christianity to his country, but Ragnar overturned the religious reforms and restored the old ceremonies. In Book Nine · Part 10, Harald’s brother Erik, brother of Harald seized the crown; the war between Erik and Gudorm, Harald’s son, ended with both of them slain.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Jutes and Skanians rejected Ragnar's title and gave sovereign power to Harald.(Book Nine · Part 3)
  • With: Ragnar Lodbrog
  • “they disallowed the title of Ragnar, and gave a certain Harald the sovereign power.”
• Ragnar defeated Harald and routed his forces in battle.(Book Nine · Part 3 · 📍 Laneus (Woolly))
  • With: Ragnar Lodbrog
  • “At last the lines of HARALD became slack, and HARALD himself was routed with a great slaughter of his men.”
• Ragnar crushed Harald's rebellion and drove him into exile in Germany.(Book Nine · Part 4 · 📍 Germany)
  • With: Ragnar Lodbrog
  • “Ragnar, setting out to check them with a fleet of the Danes who lived in the isles, crushed the army of the rebels, drove Harald, the leader of the conquered army, a fugitive to Germany”
• Ragnar forced Harald to resign the honour he had gained.(Book Nine · Part 4)
  • With: Ragnar Lodbrog
  • “and forced him to resign unbashfully an honour which he had gained without scruple.”
• Harald stirred renewed sedition and claimed the title of king.(Book Nine · Part 8)
  • “Harald, meanwhile, with the adherence of certain Danes who were cold-hearted servants in the army of Ragnar, disturbed his country with renewed sedition, and came forward claiming the title of king.”
• Harald accepted Christianity, and Ludwig strengthened him with Saxon auxiliaries.(Book Nine · Part 8 · 📍 Mainz)
  • With: Ludwig
  • “This decision procured not only salvation for Ludwig's guest, but the praise of piety for Ludwig himself, who, as soon as Harald had gone to the holy font, accordingly strengthened him with Saxon auxiliaries.”
• Harald built a Christian temple and introduced Christianity to his country.(Book Nine · Part 8 · 📍 the land of Sleswik)
  • “Trusting in these, Harald built a temple in the land of Sleswik with much care and cost, to be hallowed to God.”
• Ragnar overturned Harald's religious reforms and restored the old ceremonies.(Book Nine · Part 8)
  • With: Ragnar Lodbrog
  • “For Ragnar came up, outraged the holy rites he had brought in, outlawed the true faith, restored the false one to its old position, and bestowed on the ceremonies the same honour as before.”

Book Nine · Part 3

• enemies with Ragnar Lodbrog “At last the lines of HARALD became slack, and HARALD himself was routed with a great slaughter of his men.”
• enemies with Siward Snake-Eye “But Siward, while attacking the enemy face to face, fell forward upon the ground wounded.”
• enemies with Ladgerda (Ladgerda attacked Harald's side in battle.) “For she made a sally about, and flew round to the rear of the enemy, taking them unawares, and thus turned the panic of her friends into the camp of the enemy.”

Book Nine · Part 4

• enemies with Ragnar Lodbrog “Ragnar, setting out to check them with a fleet of the Danes who lived in the isles, crushed the army of the rebels, drove Harald, the leader of the conquered army, a fugitive to Germany, and forced him to resign unbashfully an honour which he had gained without scruple.”

Book Nine · Part 8

• benefactor: Ludwig “This decision procured not only salvation for Ludwig's guest, but the praise of piety for Ludwig himself, who, as soon as Harald had gone to the holy font, accordingly strengthened him with Saxon auxiliaries.”
• enemies with Ragnar Lodbrog “He was met by the arms of Ragnar returning from the Hellespont; but being unsuccessful, and seeing that his resources of defence at home were exhausted, he went to ask help of Ludwig, who was then stationed at Mainz.”

Book Nine · Part 10

• siblings with Erik, brother of Harald “For Erik, the brother of Harald, despising his exceedingly tender years, invaded the country with rebels, and seized the crown;”
• child: Gudorm “For the war between this man and Gudorm, the son of Harald, ended suddenly with such slaughter that they were both slain, with numberless others;”

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Extracted from the original text of The Danish History, Books I–IX. Made with Rho MD.