There are some Viking figures who are very well-known. From a historical perspective, Cnut the Great was famously a king of England and Denmark amongst others whilst Harald Hardrada (‘the ruthless’), who met his end at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, has become to some the archetypal Viking warrior.
From a legendary perspective, recent TV blockbusters have made Ragnar Lodbrok and his family widely recognised Vikings. Yet there are some much less well-known figures who nevertheless played a crucial role in Viking history.
Óláfr Haraldsson
Very well-known in modern Norway, Óláfr Haraldsson is the patron saint of the country. However, he is probably much less familiar elsewhere. Óláfr was king of Norway in the early 11th century but he was later involved in a war with Cnut the Great over who should be king there.
This eventually led to a civil war and his death in battle at Stiklestad in Norway in 1030. That might seem like a very unsuccessful end to his reign but soon after his burial, he was associated with a number of miracles.
