Battle of Stiklestad
Conflict	Ladejarl - Fairhair succession wars
Date	Summer 1030
Place	Stiklestad, Norway
Result	Peasant army victory
Combatants Elements of the King's old hird, some locals, robbers "The Peasant Army", nobles, grand farmers, peasants Commanders Óláfr digri, Dagr Hringsson Kálfr Árnason, Þórir hundr, Hárekr ór Þjóttu Strength Saga sources: "Several thousand". Research and archeology: Maximum a few hundred. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1677x1108, 129 KB)Olav den Helliges død, 1859 Painting by Norwegian artist Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831-1892). ... Events Battle of Stiklestad ensures the Christianization of Norway. ... Housecarls were household troops, personal warriors and equivalent to a royal bodyguard to Scandinavian kings. ... Olav II Haraldsson ( 995 – 1030), king from 1015–1028, called during his lifetime the Fat and afterwards known as Saint Olaf, was born in the year in which Olaf Tryggvesson came to Norway. ... Saga sources: "The largest army ever assembled in Norway", "An invincible army", Up to ten thousand men. Research and archeology: Maximum a few hundred. Casualties Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Stiklestad (Old Norse Stiklarstaðir) in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. In this battle King Olaf II of Norway (Old Norse Óláfr Haraldsson) lost his life. He was later made a saint, and the battle represents the victory of Christianity over traditional pagan beliefs in Norway. This is the approximate extent of Old Norse and related languages in the early 10th century. ... Events Battle of Stiklestad ensures the Christianization of Norway. ... Illustration in wrought-iron of Olavs life on the door of a Stave church in Hardemo, Nerike, where Olav baptized locals during his escape Olav II Haraldsson ( 995 – July 29, 1030), king from 1015–1028, (known during his lifetime as the Stout and after his death as Saint Olav... In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ...

History

During the 8th Century, Norway was controlled by several local strong kings having control over their regional areas. At the end of the century, King Harald Fairhair (ON Haraldr Hárfagri) managed, in no little part due to the military superiority gained by his alliance with Sigurd Ladejarl of Nidaros, to subjugate these mini-kingdoms, and created the first unified Norwegian state. (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... Harald I (b. ... Nidaros was the old name of Trondheim, Norway, in the middle ages. ...

This alliance folded after Harald's death, together wtih the infant state. The Lade family and various decendants of Harald Fairhair would spend the next century interlocked in feuds over power. As well as power politics, religion also played part in these conflicts, as two of the Fairhair heirs, Håkon the Good and Olav Tryggvason attempted the conversion of the then pagan Norwegians into Christianity. Haakon I (ca. ... Olav Tryggvason (969 - September 9, 1000) was a great-grandson of Harald Hairfair He began his meteoric career in exile as his ancestors fled from the executions of the royal family by Eric Bloodaxe. ...

In the year 1000 Svein (ON Sveinn) and Eric (ON Eiríkr) of the Ladejarls took control over Norway, being supported by the Danish king Svein. // Events World Population 300 million. ... Eirik HÃ¥konson, (circa 963-1028), earl of Lade (Trøndelag). ...

In the year 1015 Olav Haraldsson, representing the Hárfagri family, returned from one of his viking trips and he was immediately elected as King of Norway. June 1016 he won the battle at Nesjar against the Ladejarls. Events August: Canute the Great invades England. ... Events George Tsul, ruler of Khazaria, is captured by a combined Byzantine- Rus force, which effectively ends Khazarias existence. ...

The major reason behind Olav Haraldsson's success in becoming King of Norway was the fact that Denmark was busy conquering England. In the year 1028 however, the Danish King Canute the Great made an alliance with the Ladejarls, and Olav had go into exile in Garðaríki (Russia). In the year of 1029 the last Ladejarl Håkon Jarl drowned, and Olav decided to return to Norway with his army to regain his throne and the Kingdom of Norway. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... Events November 12 - Dying Emperor Constantine VIII of the Byzantine Empire marries his daughter Zoe of Byzantium to his chosen heir Romanus Argyrus. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Gardariki (compare Icl. ... Events Births Alp Arslan, second sultan of the dynasty of Seljuk Lulach, king of Scotland Deaths Categories: 1029 ... Haakon Sigurdsson Jarl (d. ...

According to saga sources, he traveled with his 3,600 men army through Sweden and crossed the mountains into the valley of Verdal (ON Veradalr), 80 km north of the city of Trondheim. Olav and his men arrived at Stiklestad a farm in the lower part of the valley. This was where the Battle of Stiklestad took place, as described by Snorre (Snorri Sturluson) in his famous book Heimskringla 200 years later. County Nord-Trøndelag Landscape Innherad Municipality NO-1721 Administrative centre Verdal Mayor (2003) Gerd Janne Kristoffersen (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 48 1,548 km² 1,479 km² 0. ... Snorri Sturluson (1178 â€“ September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. ... Heimskringla is the old norse name of a collection of sagas recorded in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1242). ...

At Stiklestad, Olav met an army led by Hårek from Tjøtta (ON Hárekr ór Þjóttu), Tore Hund (ON Þórir Hundr) from Bjarkøy and Kalv Arneson (ON Kálfr Árnason), a man who previously served Olav. The peasant army consisted of more than 7,000 men according to Snorre.

The battle took place on July 29, 1030. At the end of the day, Olav's army had lost. During the battle, Olav received three severe wounds and died leaning against a large stone. On top of this stone, the Stiklestad Church was later erected. His body was carried away and buried in secrecy in Trondheim. July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... Events Battle of Stiklestad ensures the Christianization of Norway. ...

The year after the battle his coffin was moved to the Klement Church in Trondheim. According to Snorre, his hair had grown since he was buried. Olav was sanctified and given the name Olav den Hellige (Saint Olaf). The Stiklestad Church was erected on top of the stone against which he died. The stone is supposedly still inside the altar of the church. Olav II Haraldsson ( 995 – 1030), king from 1015–1028, called during his lifetime the Fat and afterwards known as Saint Olaf, was born in the year in which Olaf Tryggvesson came to Norway. ...

100 years later, the Nidaros Cathedral was built in Trondheim, and Olav's coffin was moved to this church. In the 15th Century, during the Protestant Reformation period, Olav's coffin was moved and his remains was buried somewhere in Nidaros Cathedral — exactly where is still today an unsolved mystery. Nidaros Cathedral (Nidarosdomen), considered the most significant church of Norway, is located in Trondheim. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ...

July 29 1954, the owner of the farm Sul arranged to have a theater play on his premises. The historic play was based upon both the story of the Battle of Stiklestad described by Snorre and the events that could likely have taken place at the Sul farm at the time before the battle. Snorre writes that Olav had visited this farm with his army on his way to Stiklestad. Today, 50 years later, more than 600,000 people have travelled to Stiklestad to view The Saint Olav Drama at what is now the largest outdoor theatre in Scandinavia. 1954 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Saint Olav Drama (Spelet om Heilag Olav) is an outdoor theatre performance played every end of July in Stiklestad in Verdal, Norway to commemorate the battle of Stiklestad. ... Scandinavia, Fennoscandia, and the Kola Peninsula. ...

Evaluation

While Snorre's description of the battles in the Heimskringa makes for epic reading, a lot of its grandeur most likely must be put down to the writer's taste for the grand.

In Gardarrike, Olav was only surrounded by his most loyal followers. Neither can one expect that recruitment was especially ample in Sweden or through the sparsely populated valleys through which Olav travelled. Thus, Olav's army probably was of a rather rag-tag character, an impression accentuated by tales of how local robber groups would join it as Olav made his way down Verdal.

In fact, why Olav chose to travel through the rather barren and politically hostile Trøndelag, rather than to try and rally his relatives and political allies of Eastern Norway, is to this day an unsolved mystery. Perhaps he was making a ditch attempt for Nidaros, hoping to win acceptance for his claim to the throne amongst the peasants of Trondelag.

On the other hand, the opposition, basically lower nobles and grand farmers under influence of the Danish king Canute, could not have had much time to assemble a large force. When alerted to Olav's presence, they must have responded swiftly, considering that they met Olav relatively far up in the valley. Therefore, their action points more towards a small, hastily arranged rally of men rather than the elaborate logistics that would have been needed to assemble a 10,000 man strong army. Canute (sometimes Cnut; Danish Knud) is the name of several kings of Denmark, two of whom reigned also over England during the first half of the 11th century. ...

Those who could have mobilized a large scale army, the local nobles of Trøndelag (of which Einar Tambarskjelvar was a prime example) were notable largely by their absense on either side. Also, a battlefield of a raging battle between nearly 20,000 men should have produced rich archeological findings; at Stiklestad, however, these are sparse. Einar Tambarskjelve (ca. ...

Based on this information, the most logical conclusion therefore is that while the battle of Stiklestad had massive political, social and religious consequences, it in military terms probably was a unspectacular if raw clash between two small bands counting tens and hundreds rather than thousands. Perhaps Snorre attempted to shown its significant by blowing its proportions out of size and scale?

Olav's role in Norwegian history had only just begun at his death. While nobles and rich farmers had expected their position to improve with the removal of the aggressive Olav, the opposite happened. The rule of Canute's mistress Alfiva and their infant son Svein exceedingly harsh on the people. Especially the church, a traditional ally of Olav, came under the squeeze.

Thus, it accentuated the late king's martyr status, as it joined and egged on common folk in revolting against the hardships enforced by Danish the succeeding Danish rule. Olav's heroic last stand made for great nation-building material in the immature Norwegian state. Even nature lended a hand, as the day of the battle coincided with a nearly full solar eclipse, as reflected in Snorre's description of an ill-fated 'blooded red sun', interpreted as a certain omen of bad things to come.

Olav, a rather stubborn and rash ruler, prone to rough treatment of his enemies, ironically became Norway's patron saint. His canonization was performed only a year after his death by the bishop of Nidaros. The cult of Olav not only unified the country, it also fulfilled the conversion of the nation, something for which the king had fought so hard.

While divise in life, in death Olav wielded an unifying power no foreign monarch could hope to undo. Canute, most distracted by the task of administrating England, managed to rule Norway for five years after the battle through his viceroy son Svein. However, when Olav's illegitimate son Magnus (dubbed 'the Good') lay claim to the Norwegian throne, Canute had to yield. Thus, a century of prosperity and expansion followed, lasting until the kingdom again decended into a civil war over succession.

External links

• Information about Stiklestad, the history, the play and the museum