Harald Klak
Harald Klak | |
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Catholicism (post-826) |
Harald 'Klak' Halfdansson (c. 785 – c. 852) was a king in Jutland (and possibly other parts of Denmark) around 812–814 and again from 819–827.[1]
Family
The identity of Harald's father is uncertain. He had at least three brothers:
The relation of this Halfdan with other Danish rulers is also uncertain. An 812 entry in the
The
Further Sigifrid and the senior Harald are given two further siblings in Europäische Stammtafeln. The third brother is identified as
According to the
The Civil War of 812–814
There is first mention of Harald and his siblings in the
The story is repeated in an 812 entry of the Annales Fuldenses.[citation needed] This is not surprising as the entries of the Annales Fuldenses from 714 to the 830s were adopting material from earlier sources, including the Royal Frankish Annals.[8] The Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum by Adam of Bremen mentions "Sigafrid et Anulo, nepotes Godafridi",[9] which would make both Anulo and Sigifrid "nepotes" (plural of nepos) of Gudfred.[citation needed] The Royal Frankish Annals then note "Heriold and Reginfrid, kings of the Danes, send an embassy to the emperor [Charlemagne], asking for peace and requesting that their brother Hemming be released."[10] The text makes clear that Hemming was held prisoner by Charlemagne but leaves unclear when Hemming was captured and under what circumstances.[citation needed]
In 813, the Royal Annals mention a general assembly at Aachen. The occasion was Charlemagne crowning his son
The Chronicle of Moissac also reports: "Afterwards the sons of Godofrid came with their army and expelled Heriold and Reginfrid and also Hemming from their own kingdom; and they fled into secrecy. Thereupon the militia of the imperial lord Charlemagne received from them many presents, and he sent him [Hemming] back to his brothers with regards and support, in order that they should acquire their kingdom again.[12]
The Royal Frankish Annals entries of 814 start with the death of Charlemagne. Louis the Pious became sole emperor and turned to diplomatic relations with other European powers. The Royal Annals then mention the continuation of the conflict among the Danes and that Harald Klak sought refuge in the court of Louis. "Heriold and Reginfrid, kings of the Danes, had been defeated and expelled from their kingdom the year before [813] by the sons of Godofrid, against whom they regrouped their forces and again made war. In this conflict Reginfid and the oldest son of Godofrid were killed. When this had come to pass, Heriold despaired of his cause, came to the emperor [Louis], and put himself under his protection. The emperor received him and told him to go to Saxony and to wait for the proper time when he would be able to give him the help which Heriold had requested."[13]
Harald's alliance with Louis the Pious
Simon Coupland, a modern historian, has noted that Harald was a
The 815 entries of the Royal Annals focus on the campaign for restoring Harald to his throne. "The emperor [Louis] commanded that
While the campaign resulted in the
A next attempt in 819, again with help from the Obotrites, met with more success and some kind of settlement seems to have been reached with the sons of Gudfred, since Harald was joint king with two of them in 821. One of them probably was Horik the Elder. The Royal Annals report "On the emperor's [Louis] order Heriold was taken to his ships by the Obodrites and sailed back to his homeland to take over the kingdom. Two of the sons of Godofrid are said to have made an alliance with him to share the throne; two others were driven out of the country. But this is believed to have been done by trickery."[17] An 821 entry mentions "Everything was quiet on the Danish front in this year, and Heriold was received as partner in the rule by the sons of Godofrid. This is believed to have caused the peaceful relations among them at this time."[18] In 822, the general assembly was held in Frankfurt. The relevant entry mentions "Embassies from Nordmannia were also at this assembly , from Heriold as well as from the sons of Godofrid".[18]
In 823, tensions had appeared in Harald's relations with his co-rulers. Louis was asked to mediate. The Royal Annals report "Also Heriold came from Nordmannia, asking for help against the sons of Godofrid, who threatened to drive him out of his country. To explore this matter more thoroughly Counts Theothari and Hruodmund were sent to the sons of Godofrid. Traveling ahead of Heriold they carefully studied the dispute with the sons of Godofrid as well as the condition of the whole kingdom of the Norsemen and informed the emperor of all they could find out in these lands. They returned with archbishop Ebo of Rheims, who had gone to preach in the land of the Danes on the counsel of the emperor and with the approval of the Roman pontiff and had baptized many converts to the faith during the previous summer."[19] Coupland notes that the entry reveals two things. First that "the political situation in Denmark remained extremely tense" and second that Louis continued to interfere in Danish affairs. The motivation behind his interest in the country is not stated in primary sources. The book "An Introduction to the Viking History of Western Europe, Viking Antiquities in Great Britain and Ireland" (1940) by Haakon Shetelig, presented the theory that Louis was laying the groundwork for a "military invasion and occupation of Denmark". While the theory has its merits, Coupland notes that it ignores its context. The "neighbouring Slav lands" of Francia were in the process of becoming dependent territories, their rulers subordinating themselves to Louis. The emperor may have envisioned Denmark as another protectorate of Francia.[14]
An 826 entry, reads "At the same time Heriold came with his wife and a great number of Danes and was baptized with his companions at
According to the
During the reign of Louis the Pious, the Frankish Empire had no effective fleet, and this made the coast of Frisia a weak point in the defense of his realm. The motivation for granting Harald a fief in Frisia possibly had to do with Harald committing himself to defending the Frisian coastline against future Viking raids. The center of his fief was located in northwestern Germany, west of Oldenburg. This may have been the first piece of Frankish territory given to a Dane.
Adam of Bremen placed the baptism following another deposition of Harald. "The king of the Danes, Haraldr (Latin:Haraldus), despoiled of his kingdom by the sons of Godofrid, came to Louis a suppliant. And on being instructed thereupon in the doctrine of the Christian faith, he was baptized at Mainz with his wife and brother and a great multitude of Danes. The emperor lifted him from the sacred font and, resolved to restore him to the kingdom, gave him a fief across the Elbe, and, to withstand the pirates, granted his brother Harekr [Latin:Horuch) a part of Frisia. (This territory the Danes still claim as if it were legitimately their own.)"[24] This Harekr is not mentioned elsewhere.
Return to Denmark and later life
On his return to Denmark Harald was probably accompanied by Saint Anskar and a group of monks and it may have been in this time that a church in Hedeby was first built, as well as a school in which twelve Danish boys (some of whom were from Harald's household) were to be educated as priests. The Vita Ansgari reports: "The two monks [volunteering to travel with Harald] were subsequently brought before the king, who was gratified by their willingness and desire to undertake this task, and who gave them whatever was necessary for the performance of their ministerial functions, also writing cases, tents and other things that would be helpful and which seemed likely to be needed on their great journey. He bade them to go with Harald and commanded them to devote the utmost care to his profession of faith and by their godly exhortations to confirm in the faith both Harald and his companions who had been baptized together with him, for fear lest at the instigation of the devil they should return to their former errors, and at the same time by their preaching to urge others to accept the Christian religion. Having been then dismissed by the emperor they had none to render them any menial service, as no one in the abbot's household would go with them of his own accord, and he would compel no one to go against his will."[15]
"Harald, to whom they had been committed, was as yet ignorant and untaught in the faith, and was unaware how God's servants ought to behave. Moreover, his companions who had been but recently converted and had been trained in a very different faith, paid them little attention. Having started then with considerable difficulty they arrived at Cologne. At that time there was a venerable bishop there named Hadebald. He had compassion upon their needs and presented them with a good boat in which they might place their possessions and in which there were two cabins which had been suitably prepared for them. When Harald saw the boat he decided to remain with them in it, so that he and they could each have a cabin. This tended to promote an increase of friendship and goodwill between them; his companions also, from this time forward, paid careful attention to their wants. On leaving the boat they passed through Dorestad and crossing the neighbouring territory of the Frisians came to the Danish borders. As King Harald could not for the time being obtain peaceful possession of his kingdom, the emperor gave him a place beyond the River Elbe [Rüstringen] so that if it were necessary he might halt there."[15]
In the second year after his return to Denmark, however, in 827, he was once again expelled by the surviving sons of Gudfred. One of them was Horik I. The Royal Annals mention in 827: "The emperor [Louis] held two assemblies. One was at Nijmegen because Hohrek (Latin: Hohrici), son of Godofrid, the king of the Danes, had falsely promised to appear before the emperor." Later in the year the Annals mention the deposition of Harald. "In the meantime the kings of the Danes, that is, the sons of Godofrid, deprived Heriold of his share of the kingship and forced him to leave Nordmannia."[25] The reason for the deposition is not mentioned. His introduction of Christianity may have also made him unpopular with his subjects. Harald probably retreated to his lands in Rüstringen.
The war continued the following year. The Royal Annals mention: "Near the border of Nordmannia in the meantime negotiations were planned to ratify the peace between Norsemen and Franks and to discuss the affair of Heriold. For this business counts and margraves came from almost all of Saxony. But Heriold was too thirsty for action. He broke the peace that had agreed upon and confirmed by hostages, and burned and pillaged some small villages of the Norsemen. Upon hearing this the sons of Godefrid immediately gathered troops. Our people were stationed on the bank of the River Eider, not expecting any trouble. The sons of Godefrid advanced towards the march, crossed the river and attacked the Franks, driving them out of their castle and putting them to flight. They took everything from them and retreated with all their forces to their camp. Then they deliberated how to ward off revenge for this action. They dispatched an embassy to the emperor and explained that need had compelled their will to do this, that they were ready to give satisfaction, and that it was entirely up to the emperor how amends should be made in order to preserve peace between the two parties."[26]
The Vita Hludovici also blames the impatience of Harald in breaking the negotiations. "In the meanwhile the sons of the former king of the Danes Godefrid had expelled Heriold from his kingdom. The emperor wanted to help Heriold, but he also had entered a peace treaty with the sons of Godefrid, so he dispatched Saxon counts together with Heriold himself and instructed them to negotiate with the envoys that they should let him participate in their alliance, like before. But Heriold was impatient about this delay, he burned down some villages without our knowledge and carried off booty. The Danes immediately raided our people by surprise, as they believed it were our deeds, they crossed the River Eider and drove the supposed perpetrators away from the stronghold, took everything with them and withdrew to their own camp. As they recognized the real situation and feared an appropriate revenge, they first dismissed messengers to those they inflicted such a defeat, then to the emperor, they declared their deception and offered for conciliation a suitable satisfaction. They left the manner of this satisfaction to the desire of the emperor as long as peace was maintained, which the emperor granted them according to their wish and petition."[27]
The war on the border continued into at least 829. Later that year a rumor was current that the Danes were preparing to invade and Louis gathered an army to meet this threat, but the rumor turned out to be false. It may well have been Harald who spread this rumor. However Harald disappears from the Frankish sources by the late 820. He had certainly failed to regain his throne but probably kept on living among the Franks.[28]
Death
His brother Hemming seems to have died in 837 defending
The Annales Fuldenses mention in 852: "Haraldr the Norseman had in earlier years fled the anger of his lord Horekr [Horik I], king of the Danes, and went to King Louis, by whom he was well received. He was baptized and received into the Christian faith, and held in honour among the Franks for many years. At length he became suspect to the leading men of the northern regions and the warders of the Danish march as of doubtful loyalty and a possible treachery, and was therefore killed by them."[3] Harald the younger, his supposed nephew, was already mentioned deceased in 850. Unless this is a second entry for the same event, the dead man was probably Harald Klak. Though it could be argued that it was Harald the nephew or another namesake who died, the royal reception by Louis seems to only match Harald Klak. Coupland notes that this Harald was killed "on nothing more substantial than the suspicion of potential disloyalty".[28] It seems that, in the years between 829 and 852, Harald had remained a figure of some influence in the region, but he never again managed to launch a serious attempt to regain the Danish throne, nor did the Frankish monarchs seem interested in sending more armies to fight his cause. He died two years before his rival King Horik the elder.
Heirs
The Annales Bertiniani mention a Godfrid Haraldsson who was baptized at Mainz. He has been identified as a son of Harald Klak.[citation needed] King Sigifrid of Denmark, reigning later in the 9th century, and his brother Halfdan are considered "nepotes" of either Rorik of Dorestad or Horik II, based on various interpretations of the Annales Vedastini. If the former they could be indirect successors to the claims of Harald on the throne of Denmark.[6] An 891 entry of the Annales Fuldenses mentions Sigifrid killed along with his co-ruler Godafrid. Their deaths are also mentioned in the "Gesta quorundam regum Francorum". The name of the co-ruler suggests he was also a member of the family line.[citation needed]
The next mentioned ruler of Denmark is a Svend (Sweyn) who was king following the conquests of
According to Geschiedenis van Nederland (1995) by Gerlof Verwey, Harald Klak had another nephew, Hemming, Count in Frisia. Verwey argues Hemming was a brother of Rorik of Dorestad and Harald the younger.[30]
According to "
The "Ragnarssona þáttr" also names Harald Klak as father of Ingeborg and father-in-law of Sigurd Hart. "When Sigurd was twelve, he killed the berserk Hildibrand in a duel, and he single-handedly slew twelve men in that fight. After that Klakk-Harald gave him his daughter, who was called Ingibjorg. They had two children: Gudthorm and Ragnhild." The narrative then identifies Ragnhild as the wife of Halfdan the Black and mother of Harald Fairhair of Norway.[33] The Heimskringla changes the name of Harald Klak's daughter but the given lineage remains the same. "Ragnhild's mother was Thorny, a daughter of Klakharald king in Jutland, and a sister of Thrye Dannebod who was married to the Danish king, Gorm the Old, who then ruled over the Danish dominions."[34]
Notes
- ^ a b "Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 94
- ^ a b c d Stewart Baldwin, "Danish Haralds in 9th century Frisia"
- ^ a b c Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Annales Fuldenses, 837 entry
- ^ a b The Latin Library:"Annales Regni Francorum", 812 entry
- ^ "Karsten Krambs: Det frisiske folk (2015 – version 1.2) (p. 8)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ a b c d Stewart Baldwin, "Kings of the Danes prior to 887"
- ^ Roskildes Historie:"Haithabu (Hedeby)". A genealogical listing of the family as featured in the Europäische Stammtafeln
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries: Extracts from the Annales Fuldenses, editor's note
- ^ "Adamus, Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum, Liber I, Capitulum 17". Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 95
- ^ "Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 96
- ^ "Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Chronicle of Moissac, 813 entry". Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, pages 97, 99
- ^ a b Simon Coupland, "Carolingian Coinage and the Vikings" (2007), page 89
- ^ a b c d "Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 99
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Royal Frankish Annals, 817 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Royal Frankish Annals, 819 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Royal Frankish Annals, 822 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Royal Frankish Annals, 823 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Royal Frankish Annals, 826 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from Astronomus, 826 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Annales Xantenses, 826 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Life of Anskar, 826 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from Adam van Bremen, 826 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Royal Frankish Annals, 827 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from The Royal Frankish Annals, 828 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from Astronomus, 827–828 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Simon Coupland, "Carolingian Coinage and the Vikings" (2007), page 93
- ^ Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Annales Bertiniani, 837 entry Archived 2011-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Gerlof Verwey, "Geschiedenis van Nederland", Amsterdam, 1995, page 101.
- ^ "Northvegr Foundation:"The Tale of Ragnar's Sons", chapter 4. Translation by Peter Tunstall". Archived from the original on 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ Saxo Grammaticus, The Danish History, Book 9.
- ^ "Northvegr Foundation:"The Tale of Ragnar's Sons", chapter 5. Translation by Peter Tunstall". Archived from the original on 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ Heimskringla:Halfdan the Black Saga, chapter 5
References
- Simon Coupland (1998), "From poachers to gamekeepers: Scandinavian warlords and Carolingian kings", Early Medieval Europe, 7: 85–114,
- Annales regni Francorum
- Annales Xantenses
- Einhard and Rudolf of Fulda, Annales Fuldenses
- Vita Ansgari, English translation from Medieval sourcebook
- Snorri Sturluson, Ynglinga saga
- Ragnarssona þáttr