- Haakon Sigurdsson
Haakon II Sigurdsson Jarl ( _no. "Hákon Sigurðsson", _no. Håkon Sigurdsson), (died 995) was the son of
Sigurd Haakonsson , Earl of Lade, and thusTrøndelag . Haakon claimed descent from the divine linage of Sæming.Haakon became earl after his father was killed by King Harald Greyhide's men in 961. He warred with King Harald for some time, until he was forced to flee to
Denmark and Harald Bluetooth. InDenmark he conspired with Harald Bluetooth against Harald Greyhide.Harald Greyhide was killed in 971. After this, Haakon Jarl ruled
Norway as avassal of Harald Bluetooth, but he was in reality an independent ruler. For Harald, he attackedGötaland and killed its rulerJarl Ottar .Haakon was a strong believer in the oldNorse gods , and when Harald Bluetooth attempted to forceChristianity upon him around 975, Haakon broke his allegiance toDenmark . A Danish invasion force was defeated at thebattle of Hjörungavágr in 986.In 977Vladimir I of Kiev fled to him, collecting as many of the Viking warriors as he could to assist him to recover Novgorod, and on his return the next year marched againstYaropolk .In 995, a quarrel broke out between Haakon and the
Trønder s just as Olaf Tryggvason, a descendant of Harald Fairhair arrived. Haakon quickly lost all support, and was killed by his own slave and friend,Tormod Kark , while hiding in the pig sty in the farmRimul inMelhus . His two sons Eric and Sven, and several others, fled to the king of Sweden,Olof Skötkonung , and theHakon Jarl Runestones may refer to them.Children:*
Eirik Håkonson , would avenge his father at thebattle of Svolder and then govern Norway with his half-brother,Sveinn Hákonarson .
*Auð, married the Swedish kingEric the Victorious , according to "Yngvars saga víðförla ".
*Bergljót, marriedEinar Tambarskjelvar .
*Sigrid, mother of Ivar Hvide, Jarl of Uplands.According to "
Skáldatal ", Haakon had the following court poets:*
Eyvindr Finnsson
*Einarr skálaglamm
*Tindr Hallkelsson
*Skafti Þóroddsson
*Þórólfr munnr
*Eilífr Guðrúnarson
*Vigfúss Víga-Glúmsson
*Þorleifr jarlsskáld
*Hvannár-KálfrAccording to "
Hallfreðar saga " the poetHallfreðr also composed a "drápa " on the earl. Several disjoint stanzas by Hallfreðr in "Skáldskaparmál " are often thought to belong to this otherwise lost poem.
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