How Pyramids Are Pointing to Former Geo Poles, Alignment of the Pyramids of Chichen Itza, What's your favourite Fairy Tales (and their possible origins), about 8 Notorious Vikings Who Left Their Bloody Marks on History, The Frightening Discovery of the Mount Owen Claw, Real-Life Lord of the Flies: The Strange and Violent History of Pitcairn Island. Eric Haraldsson, nicknamed Eric Bloodaxe, was a Norwegian ruler who lived during the 10th century. Eric Bloodaxe is a name that provokes awe in people. "[73] Exactly what this succinct account may tell us of his second rise to power, if anything, is frustratingly unclear. Tier: Low 7-B. Erik Bloodaxe, also known as ErikHaraldsson, was a 10th-century Norse king. See Sawyer, "Last Scandinavian Kings", p. 42—3; Woolf, "Erik Bloodaxe Revisited", p. 190. Level 1 Bond Height/Weight: 195cm・115kg Source: "Fagrskinna" Region: Norway ~ England Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Gender: Male Seems that his wife was a witch. That is Eric Bloodaxe. The character is usually depicted as a foe of Thor and Thunderstrike. He is believed to have been the King of Norway, and later became the King of Northumbria. 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However, the best chronological guideline appears to be that offered by the Worcester Chronicle, i.e., the D-text of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Gunnhild also put a spell on Egill, which made him feel restless and depressed until they met again. [50], However, later sagas greatly expand upon Eric's activities in the interim between his reigns in Norway and Northumbria, claiming that he initially adopted a predatory lifestyle of raiding, whether or not he was aiming for a more political line of business in the longer run. Eric Bloodaxe (Old Norse:Eiríkr blóðöx, Icelandic:Eiríkur blóðöx, Norwegian:Eirik Blodøks) (circa 885 954), was the second king of Norway (930-934) and the eldest son of his father Harald Fairhair. Exactly in what sense the Eric of the sagas may have been based on the historical Eric of Northumbria, and conversely, to what extent later evidence might be called upon to shed light on the historical figure, are matters which have inspired a variety of approaches and suggestions among generations of historians. [25] The possibility that Harald had married a Danish princess may find some support in a skaldic stanza which is usually assigned to Þorbjörn Hornklofi's Hrafnsmál, a eulogy on Harald's deeds in the form of a conversation between a raven and valkyrie. Eric Bloodaxe. The impression is borne out by Wulfstan's earlier removal of Amlaíb Cuarán and Ragnald on grounds that they had become, in Æthelweard's words, deserti "deserters" (see above). Eric Bloodaxe Archive. This appears to match with independent tradition from Norwegian synoptic histories and Icelandic sagas, which are explicit in identifying Eric of Northumbria as a son of the Norwegian king Harald (I) Fairhair. According to local legend, the Rey Cross at Stainmore marks Eric’s burial spot. [77] What the charters reveal for Eric's first reign is less clear-cut, but intermittent absence may explain gaps in the record for Wulfstan's attestations in the turbulent years 947–948. ", pp. W.G. [62] However, in 943, when Amlaíb had marched on to Leicester, one of the Boroughs, he and Wulfstan were besieged by Edmund and managed to escape only by a hair's breadth. The figure that Eric became in the Norse sagas is a heady mix of history, folklore, and political propaganda. Scota: Mother of Scotland and Daughter of a Pharaoh, Searching for the Terrifying Mongolian Death Worm, Five Female Olympians of Ancient Greece: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Wootz Steel: The Mysterious Metal that Was Used in Deadly Damascus Blades. The Bloodaxe was a great warrior, apparently, but violent and bloody. He is usually portrayed as a larger-than-life Viking hero, whose powerful and violent performances bring him many short-term successes, but ultimately make him flawed and unpopular as a ruler and statesman. Also called "Bloodaxe King". It is here that the mountains are traversed by an old Roman road – more or less followed by the A66 today – leading from York to Catterick and north-westwards from Catterick (via Bowes, Stainmore, Brough, Appleby and Penrith) to Carlisle. "Skaldic Poetry." The mythical mushroom portals of the supernatural, Is Bigfoot Real? The name Maccus, tenth to fifteenth centuries.". [54], The Northumbria on which he set foot was one which had been bitterly fought over between the West-Saxon kings and the Hiberno-Norse line of descendants from Ímair, kings of Dublin. Peace negotiations followed later that year to the effect that Edmund accepted Amlaíb as an ally and as two northern sources add, ceded to him Northumbria as far south as Watling Street. List of English words of Old Norse origin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eric_Bloodaxe&oldid=1016939463, 10th-century rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Norwegian-language text, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from December 2017, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, He appears as a Berserker class Servant in. His name may point to origins in a Norse-Gaelic family based in the Border country. [5] Such sources reproduce only a hazy image of Eric's activities in Anglo-Saxon England. „„Erindringen om en mægtig Personlighed": Den norsk-islandske historiske tradisjon om Harald Hårfagre i et kildekritisk perspektiv". For instance, S 432 (AD 437): 'Rex totius Albionis'; S 437 (AD 937): 'rex Anglorum et eque totius Albionis gubernator '; S 438 (AD 937): 'basileos Anglorum et et eque totius Britannie orbis'; S 441 (AD 938): 'basileus industrius Anglorum cunctarumque gentium in circuitu persistentium'; S 444 (AD 938): 'tocius rex Brittanniæ'; S 446 (AD 939): 'basileos Anglorum et equæ totius Brittanniæ orbis curagulus'; S 449 (AD 939). [8] The sagas usually explain it as referring to Eric's slaying of his half-brothers in a ruthless struggle to monopolise his rule over Norway; Theodoricus gives the similar nickname fratrum interfector (killer of brothers). "[113] No further evidence has been adduced to support the suggestion. Available at: http://www.historyofyork.org.uk/themes/viking/eric-bloodaxe, Wu Mingren (‘Dhwty’) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. The following is based on 'Wulfstan 14, fl. Although both monarchs are generally regarded to be one and the same person, there are some doubts about this due to the fact that while Eric is mentioned in both Norse and Anglo-Saxon sources, the two do not always match up with each other. [35] This account was constructed by the author of Egils saga using an earlier poem called Arinbjarnarkviða "Lay of Arinbjörn", and this poem does not mention Gunnhild by name, implying therefore that the name was introduced by the author of Egils saga. There are differing accounts as to how Erik’s nickname, ‘Bloodaxe’ or 'Bloody-axe', came about. [61] In response, Amlaíb launched a successful raid on Tamworth (Mercia), probably sometime later that year. Bloodaxe is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Eric's reign (952–954) is more obscure. He then declared Egill an outlaw in Norway. Translation of 5,500-Year-Old Babel Text from China Reveals Oldest Known Map of Inner Solar System, The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts, The Carthusians: Solitary Lives Dedicated to Pure Contemplation, Where are Ashkenazi Jews from? Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Erik-I, Vea, M. S., 2019. "The Rey cross: background." Woolf, "Erik Bloodaxe Revisited", p. 190, n. 10. He is thought to have had short-lived terms as King of Read More. Ágrip tells that he came to Denmark first. Bjorn spent most of his life raiding and exploring. [1] 1 History 2 Trivia 3 References 4 External Links After her successful siege of Asgard, Hela appointed the Asgardian Skurge as her enforcer and executioner. Timeless Mystery: How did a Swiss Ring Watch End up in a Sealed Ming Dynasty Tomb? [90] Although the Caithréim is hardly a work celebrated for its accuracy as a source of history, the distant memory of an Eric who ruled the Hebrides may not be fictitious. [23] While Eric's mother remains anonymous in the synoptic histories (Ágrip) and most of the Icelandic sagas,[24] the Heimskringla (c. 1230) claims that she was Ragnhildr, daughter of Eric, king of (South) Jutland. 2, etc. According to the early 13th century Egils saga, Eric's consort at York was Gunnhild, the famous "mother of kings". He may have led the Viking forces in a second bid for the throne, or only returned from the sideline to exploit the ravages of defeat. [110] However, this can now be safely rejected in favour of an identification with Eric Ejegod (r. 1095–1103), whose queen Bodil (Botild) occurs by name after him.[111]. He then sailed to the west, and raided Scotland and the area around the Irish Sea for four years. Eric Haraldsson, nicknamed Eric Bloodaxe, was a Norwegian ruler who lived during the 10th century. Battle of Visby: Medieval Massacre Leaves Behind Harrowing Remains of Fallen Soldiers, Where the West Actually Meets the East—The Tarim Mummies, ‘Mind-blowing’ Find in Egypt! Lilith: Ancient Demon, Dark Deity or Sensual Goddess? Collingwood, "King Eirík", pp. "[97] By contrast, the identity of Eric's slayer, the comes Maccus son of Anlaf, is unclear. The witness lists of Anglo-Saxon charters, which reveal when or not Wulfstan attended Eadred's court, in his own right or as a diplomat intermediating between two kings, have been used to provide a chronological framework for Wulfstan's swerving loyalties. On his way back to the south, Eadred’s rearguard was attacked by Eric at Castleford and many lives were lost. Z. Zeni. [45] Some texts maintain that towards the end of his life, Harald allowed Eric to reign together with him (Heimskringla, Ágrip, Fagrskinna). One may compare Wulfstan's attendance (S 544, 546, 548–50, 552) and non-attendance (S 545, 547, 551) in AD 949. She tells the visitors that while the men are the wisest sorcerers in Finnmark and they teach her their magic, they both want to marry her. According to this source, Eric was betrayed by a man named Osulf and was slain by Maccus at a place called Stainmore. [67] That year, King Eadred harshly punished the northern defectors by launching a destructive raid on Northumbria, which notably included burning the Ripon minster founded by St Wilfrid. 5 Eric Bloodaxe Sometimes in the game franchise, Assassin’s Creed has been known to time-jump into the future a bit during the historical part of the game, one figure who could be shown to appear after the main events of the game is Eric Bloodaxe, a legendary leader from Norway. As the English army headed south, Eric Bloodaxe’s army caught up with its rearguard and ‘made a great slaughter’ at Castleford. [102] Finnur Jónsson re-interprets the alternative tradition in a historical light by proposing that Span- ‘Spain’ in Ágrip goes back to a scribal confusion for Stan-, which in turn would have referred to Stainmore (OE *Stan). Featured Stories. An account of Eric’s death is provided by the Anglo-Saxon chronicler Roger of Wendover. What follows is a stirring rendition of revenge for wrongs done in the past, and making An exhilarating start to a new series, Bloodaxe follows the early life of Eric Haraldsson, the favored son of Harald Fairhair, King of Norway. Sverrir Jakobsson has recently argued that the evidence on Harald Fairhair is circumspect, and he should more properly be treated as a mythological rather than a historical figure, cf. Following a report on the invasion of Scotland by William I in 1072, the Historia regum attributed to Symeon of Durham recalls that Eric was driven out and slain by one Maccus son of Onlaf. In, Bailey, R.N. Here, they find a beautiful woman, held captive by two Finnar wizards. However, this plan did not go well, as Egill easily killed the pair when they confronted him, greatly increasing the Queen's thirst for revenge. Eric sealed the alliance by giving his daughter Ragnhild in marriage to the future earl of Orkney, Arnfinn, son of Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson. The account seems designed to enhance Egill's abilities as a warrior, wizard, and poet. . Forums. Edmund was described as rex totiusque Albionis primicerius in one of his charters, but did not live long enough to enjoy his renewed hold on the northern zone. Another Harald known from this period is Aralt mac Sitric (d. 940), king of Limerick,[15] the probable father of Maccus and Gofraid. 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[17] The only authority for this son's existence is Adam of Bremen, who in his Gesta (c. 1070) claims to cite the otherwise unknown Gesta Anglorum for a remarkable anecdote about Hiring's foreign adventures: "Harald sent his son Hiring to England with an army. The historical sources – e.g., versions A-F of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Historia regum and Roger of Wendover's Historia Anglorum – tend to be reticent and the chronology is confused. It has likewise been suggested that Eadred's punitive attack on the ancient minster of Ripon, which carried little military weight, was targeted at Wulfstan in particular. These include the late 12th-century Norwegian synoptics – Historia Norwegiæ (perhaps c. 1170), Theodoricus monachus' Historia de antiquitate regum Norwagiensium (c. 1180), and Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum (c. 1190) – and the later Icelandic kings' sagas Orkneyinga saga (c. 1200), Fagrskinna (c. 1225), the Heimskringla ascribed to Snorri Sturluson (c. 1230), Egils saga (1220–1240), and Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta (c. 1300). The two types may correspond to his two reigns, but it is not out of the question that both were issued during a single reign.[85]. His childhood in fosterage with the Northumbrians decided to replace him with Haakon ; date... Kill his brothers, both full and half, is unclear how many he one. Name occurs in a lost Chronicle written in York Bloodaxe ” Haraldsson: King of York in he! To his rule '' history Compass 4 ( 2006 ) Mystery: how did a Ring! Death point to origins in a handful of Egill 's abilities as a foe of Thor and Thunderstrike and. 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