Harold III.

Harold III., surnamed HAARDRAADE or HARDRADE ('stern in council'), king of Norway, and one of the most famous of the old Viking chiefs, was a descendant of Harold I. Whilst still a boy he was present at the battle of Stikklestad (1030), in which his brother, St Olaf, king of Norway, was slain. Harold himself sought an asylum at the court of his relative, Yaroslaff, prince of Novgorod. Thence, going on to Constantinople, he became captain of the Varangians or Scandinavian bodyguard of the Greek emperors, and in command of them defeated the Saraceens in several battles in Sicily and Italy. On his return to Constantinople, he drew upon himself the vengeance of the Empress Zoe, whose proffered love he rejected, and with difficulty made good his escape to Russia, where he married the daughter of Duke Yaroslaff. But he did not remain in Russia. He returned about 1045 to Norway, where his nephew, Magnus (the son of St Olaf), agreed to divide the supreme power with him, in exchange for a share of his treasures. The death of Magnus in 1047 left Harold sole king of Norway, and Svend king of Denmark; but with Svend Harold waged unrelenting war until 1064. This king changed the capital of Norway from Throndhjem to Opslo, now a suburb of Christiania. Two years later he landed in England, to aid Tostig against his brother Harold, king of England, but was slain in battle at Stamford-bridge, where also the flower of his warriors fell.