Halfdan the Black Gudrødsson (820AD – 860AD) (Old Norse: Hálfdan svarti, Norwegian: Halvdan Svarte) was the father of the first King of Norway Harald I and of the House of Yngling. Events Michael II succeeds Leo V as Byzantine Emperor The Historia Brittonum is written (approximate date) Births Rhodri Mawr (the Great), ruler of Gwynedd (Wales) (approximate date) Photius I, patriarch of Constantinople (approximate date) Deaths December 24: Leo V, Byzantine Emperor (assassinated) Shankara, Hinduist teacher Tang Xian Zong, emperor of... Events First attack on Constantinople by Swedish Vikings (the Rus, see Varangians). ... Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Harald I (b. ... The Ynglings (Heimskringla), Scylfings (Beowulf) or Sons of Frey (Gesta Danorum and Ynglingatal) were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. ...

His father was King Gudröd the Hunter, and his brother Olaf Geirstad-Alf. Gudröd the Hunter (Old Norse: Guðröðr veiðikonung, Modern Icelandic: Guðröður veiðikonung, Norwegian: Gudrød Veidekonge) was the son of Halfdan the Mild of the House of Yngling and of Liv Dagsdotter of Vestmar, according to Heimskringla, a collection of sagas from thirteenth century... Olaf Gudrødsson, or as he was named after his death Olaf Geirstad-Alf, was a legendary Norwegian king of the House of Yngling from the Ynglinga saga. ...

The saga of "Halfdan the Black" (so-called, because he was probably half-Danish, and perhaps, with dark hair) appears in a number of places online (see External links below). It tells the following story:

Halfdan's mother was named Åsa. She was the daughter of King Harald of Agder. When Halfdan's father was killed, Åsa took the 1 year-old Halfdan and returned to Agder, where Halfdan was raised. Agder is: A landscape of Norway, see Sørlandet, Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder. ...

In 838AD, when he was eighteen years old, Halfdan became king of Agder. He quickly began adding to his kingdom, through political negotiation and military conquest. He divided the kingdom of Vestfold with his brother Olaf and, through military action, persuaded King Gandalf of Vingulmark to cede half his kingdom. Events At Hingston Down, Egbert of Wessex beats the Danish and the West Welsh. ... Vestfold is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. ... Gandalf Alfgeirsson (Old Norse: Gandálf Álfgeirsson) was king of the petty kingdom Vingulmark, now part of Norway. ... Vingulmark was the name of a Viking Age petty kingdom around Oslofjorden. ...

Next, Halfdan subdued an area called Raumarike. To secure his claim to Raumarike, Halfdan first defeated and killed the previous ruler, Sigtryg in battle. He then defeated Sigtryg's brother and successor Eystein, in a series of battles. This established Halfdan's claim not only to Raumarike, but also to half of Hedemark, Sigtryg and Eystein's core kingdom. Romerike is a landscape, and traditionally a province, in what is today south-eastern Norway (north-east of Oslo). ... Hedmark is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. ...

Halfdan's first wife was Ragnhild, daughter of King Harald Gulskeg (Goldbeard) of Sogn. Halfdan and Ragnhild had a son named "Harald" after his grandfather, and they sent him to be raised in his grandfather's court. Harald Gulskeg, being elderly, named his grandson as his successor, shortly before his death. Ragnhild died shortly after her father, and the young king Harald fell sick and died the next spring. When he heard about his son's death, Halfdan traveled to Sogn and laid claim to the title of king. No resistance was offered, and Halfdan added Sogn to his realm. Sogn is a landscape in the western part of Norway, surrounding Sognefjorden. ...

The sons of Gandalf of Vingulmark, Hysing, Helsing, and Hake, attempted to ambush Halfdan at night, but he escaped into the forest. After raising an army, he returned to defeat the brothers, killing Hysing and Helsing. Hake fled the country, and Halfdan became king of all of Vingulmark.

Halfdan's second wife was also named Ragnhild. She was the daughter of Sigurd Hjort, king of Ringerike. She was kidnapped from her home by Hake, a "berserker" who encountered her father in Hadeland and killed him. In turn, Halfdan had her kidnapped from Hake, so that he could marry her. Ragnhild and Halfdan had a son who was also named Harald. Ringerike is a municipality in the county of Buskerud, Norway. ... Hadeland is a landscape located at the southern end of lake Randsfjorden in Oppland, Norway. ... Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair (Old Norse:Haraldr hinn hárfagri, Icelandic:Haraldur hinn hárfagri, Norwegian:Harald Hårfagre) (c. ...

Halfdan died when he fell through the ice of lake Randsfjorden and drowned. The ice on the lake had been weakened by cattle dung, after a hole was cut in the ice for the cattle to drink. Each of the districts of his kingdom wanted to claim his grave. In the end, it was agreed to divide his body into four pieces so each district could bury a piece of it, resulting in four different Halfdan's Mounds. Randsfjorden is Norways fourth largest lake with an area of 138 km2. ...

External links

• http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/heim/03halfdn.htm
• http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Heimskringla/halfdan.html
• http://users.ev1.net/~theweb/Heims-03.htm