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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1995-07 > 0805674220


From: Todd A. Farmerie< >
Subject: Re: CONTINUING TO KICK AROUND POOR OLD ROLLO
Date: 13 Jul 1995 22:23:40 GMT


In a previous article, (Anders Berg) says:
> (Todd A. Farmerie) writes:
>> Haarek (Eric) I also held Sweden (according to Haworth) and placed his
>> brother Bjorn on that thrown, but later Haarek took it back. These two
>> probably gave rise to the Eriks and Bjorns in the Swedish royal descent
>> from Ragnar Lodbrok. The Emund of Birka that appears about half way from
>> Lothbrok to Erik the Victorious was a historical contemporary, and probably
>> rival, of Haarek I.
>
>Haarek (Hrek) the same as Eric (Erik)? I don't think so.
>Eirkr and Hrekr are both old Scandinavian names in there own right.
>Maybe Haworth was fooled by the fact that Erik early was latinized
>Hericus.

I think it was his desire to unify the Haarek of the Danish royalty with
the Eriks at the top of the Swedish royal pedigree that led to this.
(Similar to his identification of Godfred of Denmark with Gudrud of
Norway.)

>About Haworth, who is he and what sources is he using?

English author from the turn of the century. He had a string of articles
in the Proceedings of the Royal Acadamy, in which he tried to summarize
accounts of the Frankish Annals and present them in a context consistant
with the sagas. He also had a huge article in the Saga Book of the Viking
Society, following the ancestry of Harald Fairhair. He has been followed
by many American genealogists (to the point that Stuart mistakes the
original saga pedigree of the Ynglings given by Moncreiffe for an
innovation - Haworth dropped two generations, suggesting that Gudrud the
Magnificent was son of Halfdan (I) Olafson, rather than of Halfdan (II)
Eysteinson).

>I haven't heard of Haarek's Swedish adventures. Bjorn (Bjrn), is
>that supposed to be the same as the one Ansgarius met on his
>Swedish missionary trip?
>

Yes, while he identifies the Olaf of Ansgarius (or is it a later
missionary?) with Olaf Geirsted-Alf of Norway, both being sons of his
Godfred/Gudrud, King of Denmark and Norway.

>> Shortly after the accession of Haarek II, they had a bit intra-family
>> squable in which the whole lot of them are said to have perished.
>>
>> >The line of Godfred seems then be hanging to the power until
>> >the turn of the century when the Swedish Viking chief Olof followed
>>
>> There is a bit of a gap here between the demise of Haarek II, and the
>> immediate predicessor (I forget his name, if it even is known) of Helge
>> (who in turn got booted by Olaf). It has been suggested that Helge went on
>> to Kiev, where he is known as Oleg `brother of Rurik' (Rurik in turn may
>> have been son or grandson of Harold Klak).
>
>Who is suggesting this?

Which, that Helge, King of Denmark was Oleg, that Oleg was brother of
Rurik, or that Rurik is son or grandson of Harald Klak?

The first was suggested by Taube, the second I have seen several places,
but none of value, and Taube rejects it entirely (as well as the other
`brothers'). He makes Oleg father of Olga, and thus father-in-law of
Igor (II, a grandson of Rurik). I will have to dig out the reference.
The third may be a mistake on my part (I will have to check). I recall him
being called at different times brother and nepos of either Harald or his
son Godfred.

Todd

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