Who was Harald Sigurdsson?
Q: Who was Harald Sigurdsson?
A: Harald Sigurdsson was a King of Norway from 1046 to 1066, also known as Harald of Norway and Hardrada.
Q: What did Harald do before becoming king?
A: Before becoming king, Harald had spent about fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire.
Q: How did he gain wealth during his time in the Byzantine Empire?
A: During his time in the Byzantine Empire, Harald got wealthy by shipping money to Yaroslav in Kievan Rus' for safekeeping.
Q: Who was Magnus the Good?
A: Magnus the Good was Olaf's illegitimate son who had become king of Denmark while Harald was away.
Q: What did Magnus and Harald agree to when they joined forces?
A: When Magnus and Harald joined forces, they agreed that Magnus would share the kingship with him if he shared his wealth with him.
Q: What happened after Magnus died? A: After Magnus died, Harald became the sole ruler of Norway. He crushed all opposition domestically and set up a viable coin economy and foreign trade.
Q: How did Harold die? A: Harold died when he invaded Northern England with an army of 10,000 troops and 300 longships but was defeated by Harold Godwinson's forces in the Battle of Stamford Bridge which wiped out almost his entire army.
