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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_SkötkonungKing of Sweden
Olof Skötkonung was the son of
Eric the Victorious and
Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around
980 and he succeeded his father in
995. One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king
Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather.
[1] This explanation is however not supported by any historical source. Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on
Snorri Sturluson's and
Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason in the
battle of Svolder 1000, and thereafter divided Norway between themselves. Another possible explanation[
citation needed] of the name "Skötkonung" is that it means "treasure king" and refer to the fact that he was the first Swedish king to stamp coins.
According to the
Sagas, Olof's father
Eric the Victorious ruled together with Eric's brother
Olof Björnsson. When Olof Björnsson died, Olof was proclaimed co-ruler instead of his cousin
Styrbjörn Starke. This happened before he was even born. At his father's death, he inherited the throne of Sweden and became its sole ruler.
In a Viking expedition to
Wendland, he had captured Edla, the daughter of a Wendish chieftain, and she gave him the son
Emund , and the daughter Astrid -later wife of
Olaf II of Norway-. He later married
Estrid of the Obotrites, a Christian girl and she bore him the son
Anund Jacob and the daughter
Ingegerd Olofsdotter.
Olof is said to have preferred royal
sports to war and therefore
Sweyn Forkbeard retook
Denmark, which Olof's father Eric had conquered.
[2]Olof also lost the right to tribute which his predecessors had preserved in what is now
Estonia and
Latvia.
In
1000, he allied with
Sweyn Forkbeard, who was married to Olof's mother, and with the Norwegian
Jarls Eric and
Sven, against the Norwegian King
Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf Tryggvason died in the
Battle of Svolder and Olof gained a part of
Trøndelag as well as modern
Bohuslän.
[3]When the Norwegian kingdom was reestablished by
Olaf II of Norway, a new war erupted between Norway and Sweden. Many men in both
Sweden and
Norway tried to reconcile the kings. In
1018, Olof's cousin, the
earl of
Västergötland,
Ragnvald Ulfsson and the Norwegian king's emissaries
Björn Stallare and
Hjalti Skeggiason had arrived at the
thing of
Uppsala in an attempt to sway the Swedish king to accept peace and as a warrant marry his daughter
Ingegerd Olofsdotter to the king of Norway. The Swedish king was greatly angered and threatened to banish Ragnvald from his kingdom, but Ragnvald was supported by his foster-father
Thorgny Lawspeaker.
Thorgny delivered a powerful speech in which he reminded the king of the great Viking expeditions in the East that predecessors such as
Erik Eymundsson and
Björn had undertaken, without having the hubris not to listen to his men's advice. Thorgny, himself, had taken part in many successful pillaging expeditions with Olof's father
Eric the Victorious and even Eric had listened to his men. The present king wanted nothing but Norway, which no Swedish king before him had desired. This displeased the Swedish people, who were eager to follow the king on new ventures in the East to win back the kingdoms that paid tribute to his ancestors, but it was the wish of the people that the king make peace with the king of Norway and give him his daughter Ingegerd as queen.
Thorgny finished his speech by saying: if you do not desire to do so, we shall assault you and kill you and not brook anymore of your warmongering and obstinacy. Our ancestors have done so, who at
Mula thing threw five kings in a well, kings who were too arrogant as you are against us.
However, Olof married his daughter to
Yaroslav I the Wise instead. An impending was settled when Olof agreed to share his power with his son
Anund Jacob. Olof was also forced to accept a settlement with
Olaf II of Norway at
Kungahälla, who already had been married with Olof's daughter, Astrid, through the
Geatish jarl
Ragnvald Ulfsson.
Olof was baptised, probably by the missionary
Sigfrid, c.
1008, and he was the first Swedish king to remain Christian until his death. However, according to
Adam of Bremen, the fact that the vast majority of the Swedes were still pagan forced him to limit Christian activities to the already Christian border province of
Västergötland.
When he stamped coins in
Sigtuna in the province of
Uppland Olof used the word rex for king. OLUF REX as in the coin displayed above or OLAF REX. The use of Latin seems to suggest that he was already baptised at this time but on the other hand the coins were imitating English pennies in type and style. Sigtuna is written SITUN, ZINT , ZTNETEI, or SIDEI. The two last has been deciphered as Si Dei meaning God's Sigtuna.
[4][5]
His death is said to have taken place in the winter of 1021-
1022. According to a legend he was martyred at Stockholm after refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods. He's venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Since the
1740s, it has been claimed that he was buried in
Husaby in the Christian part of his kingdom, but it should be noted that such identifications are speculation, and by no means uncontroversial. The remains in the alleged grave are also to young to be his.
The
Icelandic skald Óttarr svarti spent some time at Olof's court and composed the poem
Óláfsdrápa sœnska describing Olof's war expeditions in the east. Other skalds who served Olof were
Gunnlaugr ormstunga,
Hrafn Önundarson and
Gizurr svarti.