The Charles L. Arendts of Mountain Home, Idaho:Information about King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold
King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold (b. Abt. 830, d. Abt. 870)
Notes for King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold:
Halfdan, Gudröd's son, became king of Vestfold and Romerike when he was nineteen years of age.For eighteen years after his father's death, a half brother Olav held the throne.They then ruled jointly, until Olav died.He married Ragnhild, the daughter of Harald Guldskjeg, king of Sogn.Later Ragnhild, her father, Harald Guldskjeg, and her son, Harald, all died within a year, then Halfdan claimed this kingdom of Sogn.His second wife was Ragnhild, the daughter of Sigurd Hjört (By his marriage to Sigurd Hjört's daughter, there is a line of descent from the Swedish kings and the Danish Skjoldunga dynasty from Odin.), king of Ringerike.They had a son named Harald, who became the famous Harald Hårfagre (fairhared). Halfdan conquered many of the neighboring kingdoms, Vingulmark, Toren, Hadeland, Ringerike and Hedemarken, which he added to his realm. King Halfdan was a wise and righteous man, and was well liked by his people.He promulgated many good laws, which he, himself, observed, and saw that others obeyed, and acted as judge in many family affairs.A big feast was held in Hadeland, where King Halfdan was staying during the winter.In the spring he and his party left for other parts.When they were crossing Randsfjorden on the ice, they came upon thin ice, where he and some of his men were drowned. He was then forty years of age.The people from each of his four large kingdoms wanted his body for burial in their province.They expected that would bring them good years in the future. They could come to no agreement, so his body was divided into four parts, the head was taken to Ringerike where it was buried in a mound at Stein gården, Hole.
In contrast, let us give a brief account of the death and burial of his half brother, Olav Geirstad-alv.He died of disease, probably advanced arthritis, as his skeleton indicated.Snorre, also, mentions this king as having died of "foot-ache." He is the chieftain who was buried in the Gokstad ship, found near Sandefjord about ten miles southwest of the Oseberg find at Tunsberg.The Gokstad ship was uncovered in 1880, the Oseberg ship in 1904.Both ships were restored and placed in the museum in Oslo.The Gokstad ship lay in a mound 175 in feet in diameter, it was called Kongshaugen, (The king's mound). A large number of articles were found in the ship, which gave evidence of the owner's wealth and position in life.Twelve horses and six dogs had been buried outside the ship, while inside a peacock was found: naturally a very rare and valuable creature.This ship, with the exception of the burial chamber, was filled with blue clay, then covered with a layer of moss twigs, and peat.The Gokstad ship had also been looted in earlier times, as had the Oseberg ship.
More About King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold:
Fact 1: Fell through the ice and drowned.
More About King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold and Queen Ragnhild Sigurdsdatter of Vetfold:
Marriage: 849
Children of King Halfdan "The Black" Gudrödsson på Westfold and Queen Ragnhild Sigurdsdatter of Vetfold are:
- +King Harald I "Fairhair" Halfdansson of Norway, b. 860, Vestfold, Norway, d. Bet. 933 - 934, Hogaland, Rogaland, Norway.