Kings of Norway
996 - 1020: Raud the Strong (House of Raud) [1]
1020 - 1049: Magnus the Magnificent (House of Raud[2]
1049 - 1058: Henrik Magnusson (House of Raud) [3]
1058 - 1072: Leif the Navigator (House of Raud)[4]
1072 - 1074: Ragnar Olav the Sickly (House of Raud) [5]
1072 - 1100: Erik Leif Redbeard (House of Raud) [6]
1100 - 1102: Henrik the Heretic (house of Raud) [7]
1102 - 1145: Harald the Grey (House of Raud) ) [8]
1145 - 1169: Erik the Bloody (House of Grey) [9]
1169 - 1175: Ragwald the Burnt Cloak (House of Raud) [10]
1175 - 1210: Tomas the Terrifying (House of Raud) [11]
1210 - 1236: Idun the Seidewoman(House of Raud)
Kings of Norway/Sweden
[12]1236 - 1311: Ragnok the Unifier (House of Raud)[13]
1311 - 1330: Thorvald the Tormentor (House of Raud) [14]
1330 - 1368: Bjorn the red-skinned (House of Raud) 15]
1368 - 1373 Leif the Unloved
1380 - 1425: St. Miriam the Great [17]
[1] Raud the Strong would have not become King of Norway had not the previous King, Olaf Tryggvason tried to enforce Christianity in fine Viking style, by “looting and burning Pagan temples and compelling community after community to be baptized or die, taking hostages to enforce continued Christian observance.”
When Olaf tried to enforce the new faith in in Raud's lands, Raud fled, using the new techniques involving sailing against the wind to escape and then outmanuevering the King at sea with his legendary boat, the Serpent, and isolated killed Olaf's ship and killed the King.
This sudden death of an unpopular King who used force to enforce an alien faith upon the people of Norway led to a counterrevolution with Raud being proclaimed King by popular decree. His turning back the an invasion by the previous King (who had been deposed by Olaf) Sweyn Forkbeard is still celebrated as Norway's national day.
While knowing percecution himself and a Godi himself who worked hard to uphold Norse Paganism, he left lay Christians alone, only banishing the priests and preventing their return, something that delayed the conversion not only of Norway, but Sweden, Iceland, Vinland by several centuries. When he died in bed but with a sword in hand, He was succeeded by his son Magnus the Magnificent
[2] Raud's son Magnus was a Norse King in the mold of his father and was highly religious whilst also being tolerant of the Christian worshippers within his realm, excepting envoys and priests who banished from his kingdom as his father had done. During his reign he turned back two invasions from Canute King of England, son of Sweyn Forkbeard.
After this Magnus would invade England himself, defeating the forces of Canute and capturing the King, allowing Edward the Confessor to reclaim the throne of his ancestors, having lived in exile in Normandy since his father's death at the ends of Sweyn Forkbeard.
After this great victory, Magnus attempted to invade Alba, the kingdom north of England which was ruled by Duncan I, who had survived an assassination attempt by his cousin Macbeth. After three stalemate battles in which neither side gained an advantage, Duncan I challenged Magnus to single combat and in doing so gained the respect of Magnus.
The two fought and Magnus was able to defeat Duncan I, capturing the King. Magnus would crown himself as King of Alba after defeating the King but the three previous battles with Duncan had left Magnus without a strong enough army to hold the country and so he returned to Norway. Magnus would ransom Duncan back to Alba and execute Canute. He ruled for the next four years before Magnus was cut down in battle with an invading force led by Harthacnut, son of Canute. Magnus was succeeded by his son Henrik as King of Norway.
[3] Henrik, son of Magnus, son of Raud was not the warrior that his father was as was proven when he suffered two humiliating defeats to Harthacnut withing a year of his ascension to the throne of Norway. However Harthacnut's death in 1051 took away the greatest challenge to Henrik's challenge and he ruled peacefully for the seven years before his own death from ilnesss. He was succeeded by his brother Leif.
[4] Leif the Navigator was a best known as a diplomat, laying the ground work for Norway's future expansion. He made his name in his father's reign as an envoy to Iceland. There he had questioned many sailors from Greenland about the lands to the west. A fourth son, he had not expected to inherit the throne. Having inherited, he had definite ideas of wishing to expand his influence to the west by sponsoring the successful reestablishment of the Vinland settlements under royal patronage. Wishing to secure the peace at home he married the Swedish Princess Sigrid. As a scholar, he reformed the runic alphabet into a practical device for record keeping and prose writing that is still in use today.
He also took in the exiled family of the defeated English King Harold Godwinson, betrothing his younger son to his daughter, thus establishing a claim to that throne. He died suddenly, when he was thrown form his horse. He was succeeded by his son Ragnar Olav.
[5] Ragnar Olav known as 'the Sickly' did not do much because of the Plague of 1072-1074. Not much has been written of his reign and most regard the assistance of his brother Erik as the true ruler.
[6] Erik Leif Redbeard, younger son of Leif the Navigator and brother of Ragnar Olav the Sickly, assisted his older brother ruling in his short reign. Betrothed to Gytha of Wessex - daughter of Harold Godwinson - Erik established a claim to the throne of England through his eldest son. Erik was known as a fierce warrior, Erik raided the island of Eire and brought it under the Norse fold. Erik was also interested in the Vinland settlements and encouraged more Norse to settle in the lands of the west. After his death, Erik was succeeded by his son Henrik as king.
[7] Henrik the Heretic ruled for just fourteen months as it was revealed after his ascension to the throne that he was a convert to Christianity and he tried to enforce his new religion upon the Kingdom of Norway. However his brother Harald rebelled and Henrik's short reign was spent in Civil War. His defeat and death in the last battle of the war in December 1102 allowed his brother Harald, to succeed him as King of Norway
[8] Harald, was a true pagan ruler, bringing about a closer bond between the throne and the altar, with himself being appointed "Grand Gothi" under his father, with whom Harald had accompanied during the raids on Eire.
In 1109, he married Misae, (later known by her Norse name of Queen Kristina) who was a daughter of a vinlandian chief, who allied his people with Norway.
His reign has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway and his nickname came about from the fact, that his beard and hair had turned grey from the age of eight.
He died in 1145, leaving his throne to his only son Erik the Bloody.
[9] Erik, son of Harald was a king much like his father and so continued the golden age of the Kingdom of Norway. He also spent much time going on Viking raids gaining the nickname of Erik the Bloody due to his vicious nature towards his enemies leaving him covered in their blood. He ruled for 24 years and was succeeded by his only son Ragwald
[10] Ragwald followed his father but faced a great many struggles from the King of Denmark who invaded with Christian help. His nickname comes from the battles where he had to burned his cloak to hide himself from an archer. He appointed his cousin Tomas as his heir but the battles against the Danish Army/Christian crusaders could not solve a rising rebellion in his Northern Territories. Ragwald died in battle, as the story goes, with sixteen arrows in his chest and his remaining arm clutching his axe while going after a Danish Earl.
[11] Tomas, a descendant of Erik Leif Redbeard was named as heir by Ragwald and quickly gained his nickname for the terrible acts of vengeance he enacted upon the Danish Earls for their part in his cousin Ragwald's death. He would continue his terrible vengeance through his 35 year reign. Tomas would be succeeded by his eldest child Idun
[12] Idun the Seidewoman followed her father somewhat unexpectedly. A powerful and respected Seidewoman (or Witch, as the Christians called her) and military commander, she was able to turn the tide of Crusades through alliance and marriage to Agnarr of Sweden. Together, they were able to organize the "Great Heathen Crusade" which attracted warriors from as far away as Vinland. Together they sacked Hamburg-Breman and Copenhagen, using many of the techniques of the Crusaders against them. Her most famous most moment is when she rallied the Heathen Crusade while seven months pregnant, leading a counter charge at Hamburg.
Educated, devout and intelligent, she made a good marriage and raised a large family. She died with her husband in the infamous white ship incident while returning to Sweden. They both were succeeded by their oldest son, Ragnok.
[13] Educated by his mother in the ways of "witchcraft" and the arts by her mother and the ways of war by his father Ragnok was a born warrior. His little brother Agnarr however was the one favored to rule after Idun's death by their father. The feud eventually turned to conflict after the end of the Heathen Crusade and the return of Ragnok. When Ragnok returned with his victorious army he had found that Agnarr had taken the thrown in his absence and labeled Ragnok a Christian and not a true Norseman. Ragnok then went on an epic campaign throughout Norway and into Sweden, defeating any army that dare oppose him. When he was not fighting he was testing and inventing new tactics to use against his enemies.
By his 25th birthday Ragnok had sacked Stockholm and thrown Agnarr into a pit of venomous snakes as punishment for his disloyalty. Even though fighting continued in the North for another decade, Ragnok felt secure enough to do the unthinkable. In September of 1227 Ragnok fused the Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden together under his rule. When some complained, he responded harshly and violently. It is said that when a general threatened revolt over the issue Ragnok tied him to a pole and set him adrift on the North Sea, then burned his village to the ground. While it may seem unethical to the modern ear it worked as there were no open rebellions against Ragnok's rule.
After he was done Ragnok then went about securing his kingdom and reign. He began a form of wealth redistribution, a primitive but ultimately abortive attempt at a wellfare system and opened the first public schools in the region. Ragnok's reign, while internally sound, was not without pressure from within. He fought almost constant wars with the future kingdoms of the Rus and died leading a charge against them near modern-day Pulju.
[14] Thorvald, great-grandson of Ragnok gained his nickname due to the fact that Thorvald would personally and brutally torture all captured prisoners himself and would only crack a smile whilst covered in the blood of his enemies. He ruled for 19 years and warred with the Rus throughout his reign. He was succeeded by his eldest child Bjorn.
[15] a giant of a man standing head and shoulders above his kin, with a large birthmark across his face chest and back gave him the nickname "the red-skinned". when Bjorn went to battle he went without chest armor to show his red skin and fought with the strength of 10. in 1345 he started the second golden age of Norway, expanding his territory deep into rus lands taking the city of archangel'sk in 1356. he also established the elite order of the frozen heart, an elite order containing a hundred wariors of the highest standing, himself and all four of his sons. when he died in 1368 he was the ruler of a large and prosperous empire stretching from vinland to archangl'sk. he was succeeded by his second eldest son Leif.
[16]Leif the Unloved seemed an intelligent, thoughtful leader, a decent warrior and a good general. However he was utterly unskilled in inspiring his earls or commoners. This came back to bite him as the Holy Roman Crusaders and the Rus made common cause against the Pagan empire within their midst. As military disaster loomed, he was killed by his younger brother Thorson who chose to become regent for Leif's young daughter Ingegerd rather than take the throne himself.
[17] St. Miriam the Great, born Ingegerd, ascended to the throne after the regency of Thorson. She faced the dire threat of Rus and Holy Roman crusaders, led by Grandmaster Georg the Ruthless. The Kingdom's forces, led by Thorson, faced several military defeats at the hand of Georg. Soon, though, Ingegerd recieved a vision from Christ that her forefathers traditions would bring ruin to her people. She fled to the camp of Georg, was baptized and given the name Miriam, and was witniss to the fall of the Pagan Kingdom. The western border was driven back to Lake Ladoga and the Kola Peninsula, and the Holy Order of St. Olaf was established, with the express purpose of christianizing Scandinavia. Miriam was viewed as a puppet of Georg, who was considered the hand behind the throne for her reign. She married a Rus nobleman, Vladimir the Kind, and had much issue. There were several pagan revolts, which were brutally put down by the Holy Order of St. Olaf.
996 - 1020: Raud the Strong (House of Raud) [1]
1020 - 1049: Magnus the Magnificent (House of Raud[2]
1049 - 1058: Henrik Magnusson (House of Raud) [3]
1058 - 1072: Leif the Navigator (House of Raud)[4]
1072 - 1074: Ragnar Olav the Sickly (House of Raud) [5]
1072 - 1100: Erik Leif Redbeard (House of Raud) [6]
1100 - 1102: Henrik the Heretic (house of Raud) [7]
1102 - 1145: Harald the Grey (House of Raud) ) [8]
1145 - 1169: Erik the Bloody (House of Grey) [9]
1169 - 1175: Ragwald the Burnt Cloak (House of Raud) [10]
1175 - 1210: Tomas the Terrifying (House of Raud) [11]
1210 - 1236: Idun the Seidewoman(House of Raud)
Kings of Norway/Sweden
[12]1236 - 1311: Ragnok the Unifier (House of Raud)[13]
1311 - 1330: Thorvald the Tormentor (House of Raud) [14]
1330 - 1368: Bjorn the red-skinned (House of Raud) 15]
1368 - 1373 Leif the Unloved
1380 - 1425: St. Miriam the Great [17]
[1] Raud the Strong would have not become King of Norway had not the previous King, Olaf Tryggvason tried to enforce Christianity in fine Viking style, by “looting and burning Pagan temples and compelling community after community to be baptized or die, taking hostages to enforce continued Christian observance.”
When Olaf tried to enforce the new faith in in Raud's lands, Raud fled, using the new techniques involving sailing against the wind to escape and then outmanuevering the King at sea with his legendary boat, the Serpent, and isolated killed Olaf's ship and killed the King.
This sudden death of an unpopular King who used force to enforce an alien faith upon the people of Norway led to a counterrevolution with Raud being proclaimed King by popular decree. His turning back the an invasion by the previous King (who had been deposed by Olaf) Sweyn Forkbeard is still celebrated as Norway's national day.
While knowing percecution himself and a Godi himself who worked hard to uphold Norse Paganism, he left lay Christians alone, only banishing the priests and preventing their return, something that delayed the conversion not only of Norway, but Sweden, Iceland, Vinland by several centuries. When he died in bed but with a sword in hand, He was succeeded by his son Magnus the Magnificent
[2] Raud's son Magnus was a Norse King in the mold of his father and was highly religious whilst also being tolerant of the Christian worshippers within his realm, excepting envoys and priests who banished from his kingdom as his father had done. During his reign he turned back two invasions from Canute King of England, son of Sweyn Forkbeard.
After this Magnus would invade England himself, defeating the forces of Canute and capturing the King, allowing Edward the Confessor to reclaim the throne of his ancestors, having lived in exile in Normandy since his father's death at the ends of Sweyn Forkbeard.
After this great victory, Magnus attempted to invade Alba, the kingdom north of England which was ruled by Duncan I, who had survived an assassination attempt by his cousin Macbeth. After three stalemate battles in which neither side gained an advantage, Duncan I challenged Magnus to single combat and in doing so gained the respect of Magnus.
The two fought and Magnus was able to defeat Duncan I, capturing the King. Magnus would crown himself as King of Alba after defeating the King but the three previous battles with Duncan had left Magnus without a strong enough army to hold the country and so he returned to Norway. Magnus would ransom Duncan back to Alba and execute Canute. He ruled for the next four years before Magnus was cut down in battle with an invading force led by Harthacnut, son of Canute. Magnus was succeeded by his son Henrik as King of Norway.
[3] Henrik, son of Magnus, son of Raud was not the warrior that his father was as was proven when he suffered two humiliating defeats to Harthacnut withing a year of his ascension to the throne of Norway. However Harthacnut's death in 1051 took away the greatest challenge to Henrik's challenge and he ruled peacefully for the seven years before his own death from ilnesss. He was succeeded by his brother Leif.
[4] Leif the Navigator was a best known as a diplomat, laying the ground work for Norway's future expansion. He made his name in his father's reign as an envoy to Iceland. There he had questioned many sailors from Greenland about the lands to the west. A fourth son, he had not expected to inherit the throne. Having inherited, he had definite ideas of wishing to expand his influence to the west by sponsoring the successful reestablishment of the Vinland settlements under royal patronage. Wishing to secure the peace at home he married the Swedish Princess Sigrid. As a scholar, he reformed the runic alphabet into a practical device for record keeping and prose writing that is still in use today.
He also took in the exiled family of the defeated English King Harold Godwinson, betrothing his younger son to his daughter, thus establishing a claim to that throne. He died suddenly, when he was thrown form his horse. He was succeeded by his son Ragnar Olav.
[5] Ragnar Olav known as 'the Sickly' did not do much because of the Plague of 1072-1074. Not much has been written of his reign and most regard the assistance of his brother Erik as the true ruler.
[6] Erik Leif Redbeard, younger son of Leif the Navigator and brother of Ragnar Olav the Sickly, assisted his older brother ruling in his short reign. Betrothed to Gytha of Wessex - daughter of Harold Godwinson - Erik established a claim to the throne of England through his eldest son. Erik was known as a fierce warrior, Erik raided the island of Eire and brought it under the Norse fold. Erik was also interested in the Vinland settlements and encouraged more Norse to settle in the lands of the west. After his death, Erik was succeeded by his son Henrik as king.
[7] Henrik the Heretic ruled for just fourteen months as it was revealed after his ascension to the throne that he was a convert to Christianity and he tried to enforce his new religion upon the Kingdom of Norway. However his brother Harald rebelled and Henrik's short reign was spent in Civil War. His defeat and death in the last battle of the war in December 1102 allowed his brother Harald, to succeed him as King of Norway
[8] Harald, was a true pagan ruler, bringing about a closer bond between the throne and the altar, with himself being appointed "Grand Gothi" under his father, with whom Harald had accompanied during the raids on Eire.
In 1109, he married Misae, (later known by her Norse name of Queen Kristina) who was a daughter of a vinlandian chief, who allied his people with Norway.
His reign has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway and his nickname came about from the fact, that his beard and hair had turned grey from the age of eight.
He died in 1145, leaving his throne to his only son Erik the Bloody.
[9] Erik, son of Harald was a king much like his father and so continued the golden age of the Kingdom of Norway. He also spent much time going on Viking raids gaining the nickname of Erik the Bloody due to his vicious nature towards his enemies leaving him covered in their blood. He ruled for 24 years and was succeeded by his only son Ragwald
[10] Ragwald followed his father but faced a great many struggles from the King of Denmark who invaded with Christian help. His nickname comes from the battles where he had to burned his cloak to hide himself from an archer. He appointed his cousin Tomas as his heir but the battles against the Danish Army/Christian crusaders could not solve a rising rebellion in his Northern Territories. Ragwald died in battle, as the story goes, with sixteen arrows in his chest and his remaining arm clutching his axe while going after a Danish Earl.
[11] Tomas, a descendant of Erik Leif Redbeard was named as heir by Ragwald and quickly gained his nickname for the terrible acts of vengeance he enacted upon the Danish Earls for their part in his cousin Ragwald's death. He would continue his terrible vengeance through his 35 year reign. Tomas would be succeeded by his eldest child Idun
[12] Idun the Seidewoman followed her father somewhat unexpectedly. A powerful and respected Seidewoman (or Witch, as the Christians called her) and military commander, she was able to turn the tide of Crusades through alliance and marriage to Agnarr of Sweden. Together, they were able to organize the "Great Heathen Crusade" which attracted warriors from as far away as Vinland. Together they sacked Hamburg-Breman and Copenhagen, using many of the techniques of the Crusaders against them. Her most famous most moment is when she rallied the Heathen Crusade while seven months pregnant, leading a counter charge at Hamburg.
Educated, devout and intelligent, she made a good marriage and raised a large family. She died with her husband in the infamous white ship incident while returning to Sweden. They both were succeeded by their oldest son, Ragnok.
[13] Educated by his mother in the ways of "witchcraft" and the arts by her mother and the ways of war by his father Ragnok was a born warrior. His little brother Agnarr however was the one favored to rule after Idun's death by their father. The feud eventually turned to conflict after the end of the Heathen Crusade and the return of Ragnok. When Ragnok returned with his victorious army he had found that Agnarr had taken the thrown in his absence and labeled Ragnok a Christian and not a true Norseman. Ragnok then went on an epic campaign throughout Norway and into Sweden, defeating any army that dare oppose him. When he was not fighting he was testing and inventing new tactics to use against his enemies.
By his 25th birthday Ragnok had sacked Stockholm and thrown Agnarr into a pit of venomous snakes as punishment for his disloyalty. Even though fighting continued in the North for another decade, Ragnok felt secure enough to do the unthinkable. In September of 1227 Ragnok fused the Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden together under his rule. When some complained, he responded harshly and violently. It is said that when a general threatened revolt over the issue Ragnok tied him to a pole and set him adrift on the North Sea, then burned his village to the ground. While it may seem unethical to the modern ear it worked as there were no open rebellions against Ragnok's rule.
After he was done Ragnok then went about securing his kingdom and reign. He began a form of wealth redistribution, a primitive but ultimately abortive attempt at a wellfare system and opened the first public schools in the region. Ragnok's reign, while internally sound, was not without pressure from within. He fought almost constant wars with the future kingdoms of the Rus and died leading a charge against them near modern-day Pulju.
[14] Thorvald, great-grandson of Ragnok gained his nickname due to the fact that Thorvald would personally and brutally torture all captured prisoners himself and would only crack a smile whilst covered in the blood of his enemies. He ruled for 19 years and warred with the Rus throughout his reign. He was succeeded by his eldest child Bjorn.
[15] a giant of a man standing head and shoulders above his kin, with a large birthmark across his face chest and back gave him the nickname "the red-skinned". when Bjorn went to battle he went without chest armor to show his red skin and fought with the strength of 10. in 1345 he started the second golden age of Norway, expanding his territory deep into rus lands taking the city of archangel'sk in 1356. he also established the elite order of the frozen heart, an elite order containing a hundred wariors of the highest standing, himself and all four of his sons. when he died in 1368 he was the ruler of a large and prosperous empire stretching from vinland to archangl'sk. he was succeeded by his second eldest son Leif.
[16]Leif the Unloved seemed an intelligent, thoughtful leader, a decent warrior and a good general. However he was utterly unskilled in inspiring his earls or commoners. This came back to bite him as the Holy Roman Crusaders and the Rus made common cause against the Pagan empire within their midst. As military disaster loomed, he was killed by his younger brother Thorson who chose to become regent for Leif's young daughter Ingegerd rather than take the throne himself.
[17] St. Miriam the Great, born Ingegerd, ascended to the throne after the regency of Thorson. She faced the dire threat of Rus and Holy Roman crusaders, led by Grandmaster Georg the Ruthless. The Kingdom's forces, led by Thorson, faced several military defeats at the hand of Georg. Soon, though, Ingegerd recieved a vision from Christ that her forefathers traditions would bring ruin to her people. She fled to the camp of Georg, was baptized and given the name Miriam, and was witniss to the fall of the Pagan Kingdom. The western border was driven back to Lake Ladoga and the Kola Peninsula, and the Holy Order of St. Olaf was established, with the express purpose of christianizing Scandinavia. Miriam was viewed as a puppet of Georg, who was considered the hand behind the throne for her reign. She married a Rus nobleman, Vladimir the Kind, and had much issue. There were several pagan revolts, which were brutally put down by the Holy Order of St. Olaf.
