ia_2009_b_sabine

=B. Summary of Evidence (500-600 words) Tips]=

 King Olaf II Haraldsson of Norway lived in the 10 th  and 11 th  centaury. Olaf was a descendant of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, and his claim for power was based upon this. When he declared himself king in 1015, he received the support of several of the “Petty-kings” in the Uplands 1  (1) as “ the most of them determined to enter into a league with King Olaf.” 2 (2). The year after Olaf fought Earl Sveinn, who with his half-brother held virtually all the cost-line, and as Sveinn fled to Sweden Olaf took the title King of Norway.

Olaf was known for his ruthless treatment of his enemies, and this got him many enemies. Since he was a firm believer in Christianity, he saw it as his duty to spread Christianity through the country, and “Olaf passionately loved the power he had to get to be able to do his deeds; the Christening of Norway” 3 (3). In his pursuit of christening the reluctant Norwegian population, “ <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">the king threatened the most violent proceedings against great or small, who [...] would not adopt Christianity” <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">4 <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">(4). Eventually this led to <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif"> the discontent amongst the Norwegian Noble and Petty-Kings, and since the English King Canute in 1028 “ <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">fitted out an army throughout the whole of the Danish dominions, and had no fewer than 1200 vessels” <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">5 <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">(5), <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">Olaf fled to Kievan Rus <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">6 <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">(6).

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Courier New,monospace"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">In 1030 Olaf returned to Norway to once again claim the thrown, but this time the nobility had gather their forces around the capital Nidaros to fight against him. The battle took place at Stiklestad, and there the Olaf was killed by there by three wound <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">s, given by Thorstein Knarrarsmid, Thorer Hund and Kalf Arnason. Shortly after his death Olaf was looked upon as a saint, and so, as he failed to become king again in his life, in his death he became <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif"> “Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae, Norway’s eternal king, and is honored as the most important of [Norway’s] national saints and the protective saint of the country and the people” <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">7  <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">(7).

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Courier New,monospace"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">In the novel “The Saint King” written by the Norwegian author Vera Henriksen (1927 - ), the time of Saint Olaf’s rule and death is portrayed as the background for the story’s plotline. The novel, which was first published in 1963, is the final part in Henriksen’s debut trilogy and <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">covers the time around King Olaf’s death. Several of her novels have a medieval setting, and many of these touch on the problems concerning the shift between the old pagan religion and Christianity. In addition to novels she has also written some factual prose pieces <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">8 <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">(8) amongst others “St. Olav”, and “The web of fate” about Norse Mythology, and is referred to as "modern saga-creations grand old lady"(9). <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Courier New,monospace"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">In the trilogy including “The Saint King” the events are seen and reflected upon by a female 3 <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif">rd <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman,serif"> person narrator, Sigrid, the sister of Thorer Hund, one of those who killed King Olaf. The events though the trilogy cover her almost her entire life, and at the same time, the rise and fall of King Olaf.

1 1 Area of Norway, the regions in the south-east sharing a boarder line with Sweden 2 2 “Heimskringla” – Snorre Sturlason – chapter 34. Kings in the Upland districts http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/haraldson1.html (online book) 3 3 Sigrid Undset, “Norske Helgener” -- ISBN 82-03-10728-1 (translated from Norwegian) 4 4 “Heimskringla” – Snorre Sturalason - Chapter 58. Olaf and Erling Reconciled http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/haraldson2.html (the online book) 5 5 ”Heimskringla” - Chapter 177. Olaf sends for his ships and goods http://omacl.org/Heimskringla/haraldson7.html (the online book) 6 6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_II (20th of May 2008) 7 7 http://www.katolsk.no/nyheter/2007/10/08-0001.htm (translated from Norwegian)(22nd of may 2008) 8 8 http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/kultur/litteratur/1.527502 (30th of May 2008) 9 http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2004/01/12/388169.html (30thof May 2008) (Translated from Norwegian)