Harald Hardrada 1015 – September 25, 1066

Harald was the youngest of Saint King Olaf II of Norway’s three half-brothers, born to Åsta Gudbrandsdatter. After King Cnut killed his brother Saint Olaf (while Harald was a mere 15 years old), he went off to Constantinople and made himself rich. He then took the opportunity to join the most feared mercenary army, (the Byzantine Vanguard) and began working (or rather cleaving) his way through various armies at the paid request of various European kings. Over his lifetime Harald went on to battle anywhere he could – Europe, the Middle East and Jerusalem. He even managed to take a bit of time out to marry Princess Elisabeth of Russia. Eventually, Harald became the King of Norway (after the young illegitimate King Magnus mysteriously died). Not being content to rule just one country, he spent years trying to conquer Denmark (much to everyone’s annoyance – in Denmark and in Norway). He finally decided to put his energies elsewhere, which was to be his downfall, but the main reason that history remembers him – he decided to conquer England. Alas, his attempts to take England failed and his army was smashed by that of King Harold Godwinson. Harald was the last great Viking king of Norway, and his invasion of England, and death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, marked the end of the Viking age and beginning of the High Middle Ages.

Comments

Watch as Patrick Stewart Recites a Poem with a Yorkshire Dialect

In a scene from TOWN with Nicholas Crane, Patrick Stewart, of Star Trek and X-men fame, gets nostalgic over his childhood and recites a poem in his native Yorkshire dialect. His mother and aunt would recite the poem around Christmas time every year which is probably why he still remembers it many years later. Stewart was born in Mirfield - a small town in West Yorkshire England.

The 26 Most Beautiful Cats in the World

There are many breeds of domestic cat in the world and there are several millions of cat pets from around the world. However, the cat breeds listed below are the prettiest and the most popular as well. 1.) Main Coon Image Source Undeniably, the longhaired Maine Coon is one of the most beautiful domestic cat breeds in the world. This remarkable breed with a distinctive physical appearance and valuable hunting skills is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America. Image Source It is endemic to Maine, USA and is the official state cat. This handsome breed is one of the most popular cat breeds in the world. It can be seen in a variety of colors and is known for its intelligence and gentle personality. This cute-looking breed has long whiskers. 2.) Cymric Cat Image Source The Cymric cat breed is a long-haired variety of the Manx breed that originated from the Isle of Man. It has prominently long whiskers and is well-known tailless breed. 3.) Kurilian Bobtail Image Source Cat...

BRICS summit gives Putin a chance to show Russia not isolated

The BRICS emerging economies will launch a development bank at a summit this week which President Vladimir Putin hopes will help reduce Western dominance of world financial institutions and show Moscow is not isolated. At a meeting in the remote Russian city of Ufa, originally a fortress built on the orders of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa also aim to put the last touches to a $100-billion contingency currency reserves pool. The BRICS account for a fifth of the world's economic output and 40 percent of its population. The pool and New Development Bank, with an initial $50 billion in capital, are central to their efforts to reshape the Western-dominated financial system. "At this meeting we will make operational our two biggest institutions, which is key for us to advance as a group and learn more from each other," said a Brazilian official involved in the preparations for the meeting. "Nobody thought that was going to...

Search This Blog