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The jarl of Lade (Hlaðir) Haakon Sigurdsson (Old Norse Hákon Sigurðarson, Norwegian Håkon Sigurdsson), nicknamed the Mighty, was born around 937 in Lade and died in 995 in Romol, today Melhus in Norway. He exercised power in this country with the title of jarl until 995. His life is known to us mainly thanks to the Heimskringla, work of the Icelandic Snorri Sturluson.
The life of the Earl of Lade, Haakon Sigurdsson
Haakon became an earl (jarl) after his father was killed by King Harald Greycloak's men in 961. Haakon Jarl waged war with King Harald for a time, until he was forced to flee in Denmark, where he conspired with Harald Bluetooth against Harald Greycloak.
The two arranged the death of Harald Greycloak around 971, after which Harald Bluetooth invited his adopted son to be invested with new Danish fiefdoms. Civil war broke out between Haakon Jarl and Harald Greycloak's surviving brothers, but Haakon proved victorious. After that, Haakon Jarl ruled Norway as a vassal of Harald Bluetooth, but he was actually an independent ruler. For Harald, he attacked Götaland and killed its ruler Ottar Jarl.
Around 973-974 he traveled to Denmark to assist Harald Bluetooth of Denmark in his defense against the Roman emperor Germanic Otto II. Otto's forces successfully opposed an attempt by Harald to throw off the German yoke. After that, Haakon paid no taxes in Denmark.
Haakon was a strong supporter of the ancient Norse gods, even after Harald Bluetooth forced him to accept baptism around 975 and assigned him clergymen to take to Norway to spread Christianity. When a favorable wind came for Haakon to leave, he ordered the clergymen to return to land and broke his allegiance to Denmark. In 977, Vladimir I of kyiv fled to him, gathering as many Viking warriors as he could to help him reclaim Novgorod, and on his return the following year marched against Yaropolk I of kyiv. In 986, a Danish invasion fleet led by the legendary Jomsvikings was defeated at the Battle of Hjörungavágr.
In 995, a feud broke out between Haakon and the Trønder just as Olaf Tryggvason, a descendant of Harald Fairhair, arrived. Haakon soon lost all support and was killed by his own slave and friend, Tormod Kark, while hiding in the pigsty of the Rimul farm in Melhus. Jarlshola is the location in Melhus said to have been the hiding place of Haakon Jarl and Tormod Kark on their last night before the infamous Rimul Murder. After his death, Haakon Jarl's two sons, Eirik Håkonson and Sveinn Hákonarson, fled for protection to the Swedish king, Olof Skötkonung.
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Today, the Asatrus celebrate the Earl of Lade Haakon Sigurdsson. Hero of the Heimskringla, he chased the Christianization of Norway and fought numerous times in the Scandinavian wars. #mythology #myth #legend #asatru #calendar #9April #sigurdsson #norway