The Battle of Hafrsfjord (Norwegian: Slaget i Hafrsfjord) was a naval battle fought in Hafrsfjord sometime between 872 and 900 that resulted in the unification of Norway, later known as the Kingdom of Norway. After the battle, the victorious Viking chief Harald Fairhair proclaimed himself the first king of the Norwegians, merging several petty kingdoms under a single monarch for the first time.
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Battle of Hafrsfjord in the context of List of monarchs of Norway
The list of monarchs of Norway (Norwegian: kongerekken or kongerekka) begins in 872: the traditional dating of the Battle of Hafrsfjord, after which victorious King Harald Fairhair merged several petty kingdoms into that of his father. Named after the homonymous geographical region, Harald's realm was later to be known as the Kingdom of Norway.
Traditionally established in 872 and existing continuously for over 1,100 years, the Kingdom of Norway is one of the oldest states of Europe: King Harald V, who has reigned since 1991, is the 64th monarch according to the official list. During interregna, Norway has been ruled by variously titled regents.
Battle of Hafrsfjord in the context of Thelir
The Thelir or Thilir (Old Norse: Þilir; Norwegian Bokmål: teler; Norwegian Nynorsk: telar or teler) was a North Germanic tribe that inhabited the region now known as Upper Telemark in modern Norway during the Migration Period and the Viking Age. The region of Telemark, which originally only referred to Upper Telemark, was named after them, and means the "mark of the Thelir." The Thelir are mentioned in the Saga of Harald Fairhair by Snorri Sturluson, as one of the tribes who fought against Harald Fairhair in the Battle of Hafrsfjord.
Battle of Hafrsfjord in the context of Þorbjörn Hornklofi
Þórbjǫrn hornklofi (Modern Norwegian: Torbjørn Hornklove; note that hornklofi is a nickname, not a surname) was a 9th-century Norwegian skald and one of the court poets of King Harald Fairhair. His poetry has sometimes been regarded as a contemporary source of information regarding King Harald, although it is only preserved embedded within 13th and 14th century king's sagas.
The two skaldic poems by him which are preserved, both only in excerpts, are Hrafnsmál and Glymdrápa. The first poem, which utilizes verse form málaháttr, describes life at Harald's court, mentions that he took a Danish wife, and that he won a victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord. The second is the earliest preserved drápa in regular dróttkvætt, and relates a series of battles Harald won during the consolidation of his rule of Norway.