Svein of Norway

Sveinn Alfífuson or Sveinn Knútsson "óforsynjukonungr" (c. 1016 – 1035, "a king not to be born") was the son of Canute the Great and an Anglo-Saxon mistress by the name of Ælfgifu (Old Norse "Alfífa"), who was probably a member of the Anglo-Saxon nobility. Svein ruled Norway from around 1030 until 1035. He was born around 1016 and died in 1035. He ruled Norway on the behalf of Canute the Great.

In 1029 Håkon Eiriksson was away at sea and a power-vacuum opened up in Norway. Olav Haraldsson wanted to take advantage of this and tried to recapture the kingdom, without success.

Canute sent his young son, Svein Alfivason, together with his mother and a number of other Danish men to Norway and let Svein be Viceroy of Norway.

This came as a great disappointment to a number of Norwegians who had wished to take the place of the Earls of Lade (Ladejarls). Nobles like Einar Tambarskjelve and Kalf Arnason were especially disappointed because they both believed that Canute had promised they could take power.

Svein Alfivason was said to be a weak person, and many believe that it was his mother, the English mistress Alfiva, who in practise ruled the country. They are said to have ruled with a hard hand and for that reason they were disliked by the people.

The 1030s were difficult years in Europe. Danish policy in Norway was different from how it had previously been - there was closer royal involvement and strict regulations in many areas. According to the Sagas, Svein (and his mother)'s tax-demands and new laws created resentment.

Snorre writes that "King Svein brought in new laws on many subjects. They were modelled on Danish laws but some were much stricter. No man was allowed to leave the country without the King's permission; if he did so his property would become the King's. A person who committed murder would lose the right to land and property. If an outlaw was due an inheritance, the King would take it. At Christmas every farmer had to give the king a measure (between 15 and 20 litres)of malt from every hearth and the thigh of a three year-old ox, this was called "vinjartodde" (land tax) in Old Norse, and also a bucket of butter."

This created the basis of a popular resistance against the new regime which can be characterised as being of the same ilk as that which Saint Olav had earlier come up against.

In 1033 there was a battle at Soknasund in Ryfylke. A man who called himself Tryggve Olavsson came with an army from England. He said he was the son of Olav Tryggvason and therefore claimed the kingdom as his own. Svein Knutsson and his army, probably made up of elite Danish troops stood against them. Svein won the battle and Tryggve Olavsson was killed.

Later that same winter Kalf Arnason and Einar Tambarskjelve met and decided to travel to Gardarike to fetch Olav Haraldsson's son Magnus home. When Magnus came to Norway the people sided with him and against the Danes. Svein had to flee home to Denmark where he died a short time later

Thus the King of Denmark had to give up his claim on Norway, and it was several hundred years before the Danes could once again impose themselves on Norway.

###@@@KEYEND@@@###