Vikings / Famous Vikings / Olaf Tryggvason
Olaf Tryggvason
King of Norway
- In Old Norse
- Óláfr Tryggvason
- Lived
- 960s – 1000
- Role
- King of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason was a Viking leader who raided England in the 990s, probably commanding at Maldon in 991 and attacking London with Sweyn Forkbeard in 994. Bought off with silver and confirmed as a Christian with King Æthelred as sponsor, he sailed to Norway in 995 and was accepted as king. He founded Nidaros (Trondheim) and pressed Christianity on Norway and the Atlantic colonies, often by force. In 1000 he was ambushed at Svolder by Danish, Swedish and Norwegian enemies and leapt overboard.
Known for
- King of Norway, 995–1000; founded Trondheim
- Forcible conversion of Norway, Iceland and Greenland
- Died at the sea battle of Svolder aboard the Long Serpent
In the story
King of Norway
995–1000
Norway
Kings and earls of Norway: the full list of rulers
Olaf Tryggvason: exile, raider, king
Saga-based. Olaf's early life, with flight from Norway, slavery in Estonia, upbringing at the court of…
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On the timeline
Events that name Olaf Tryggvason
6 events. Each opens in the timeline.
- August 991 CE Battle of Maldon and First Danegeld A Viking fleet of 93 ships, probably led by the Norwegian Olaf Tryggvason, lands on Northey Island in the Blackwater estuary in…
- 8 September 994 CE Olaf and Sweyn Attack London Olaf Tryggvason and Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark bring 94 ships up the Thames and assault London on 8 September 994, but the…
- 995 CE Olaf Tryggvason Takes Norway Olaf Tryggvason, said to be a great-grandson of Harald Fairhair and enriched by English silver, sails to Norway in 995 as… Date or details approximate
- c. 997 CE Nidaros Founded Olaf Tryggvason founds a trading town and royal residence at the mouth of the river Nid in Trøndelag in 997, according to Snorri… Date or details approximate
- c. 997 CE Thangbrand's Mission to Iceland Olaf Tryggvason sends the priest Thangbrand, a foreigner said to be Saxon or Flemish, to convert Iceland around 997. He baptises… Date or details approximate
- c. 1000 Battle of Svolder Olaf Tryggvason, sailing home from the Baltic, is ambushed by the combined fleets of Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, Olof Skötkonung… Date or details approximate
Sources
Wikipedia — Olaf Tryggvason Wikipedia — Battle of Svolder Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Olaf TryggvasonPicture: Mårten Winge - Olav Trygvason and Sigrid Storråda - NM 1249 - Nationalmuseum, Mårten Eskil Winge · Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.