Ridabu is a village in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway . The village is located at the intersection of the European route E6 highway and the Norwegian National Road 3 . Vang Church is located in the village which lies about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east of the town of Hamar .
144-425: The suburban village area was once its own separate village, but over time, the town of Hamar was grown and now Ridabu is considered to be the eastern part of the town of Hamar , so population statistics are no longer separately kept for Ridabu. Prior to 1992, Ridabu was a part of the rural municipality Vang . The name is very old village name ( Old Norse : Ríðabú ). The suffix -bú simply means 'built', but
288-485: A Hamri . At some point, presumably after 1030 but clearly before 1152, the centre was moved from Åker to the peninsula near Rosenlundvika (today Domkirkeodden) in what is now the town of Hamar. There are some indications Harald Hardråde initiated this move because he had property at the new site. Much of the information about medieval Hamar is derived from the Hamar Chronicle , dated to about 1550. The town
432-564: A collection of old farm houses. The institution is a combined medieval, ethnological and archaeological museum, and has received architectural prizes for its approach to conservation and exhibition. It also houses a vast photographic archive for the Hedmark region. Additionally, Hamar is known for its indoor long track speed skating and bandy arena, the Olympia Hall , better known as Vikingskipet ("The Viking ship") for its shape. It
576-675: A few weeks later he was defeated by William the Conqueror and killed at the Battle of Hastings . The fact that Harold had to make a forced march to fight Hardrada at Stamford Bridge and then move at utmost speed south to meet the Norman invasion, all in less than three weeks, is widely seen as a primary factor in William's victory at Hastings. Harald is described by Snorri Sturluson to have been physically "larger than other men and stronger". It
720-463: A few years and then picked up again in 1858, and by the end of 1860 there were a hundred insured houses in the town. The shore side properties were obliged to grow gardens, setting the stage for a leafy urban landscape. Roads quickly became a challenge – in some places, it was necessary to ford creeks in the middle of town. The road inspector found himself under considerable stress, and it took until 1869 to settle on street names. Highways in and out of
864-612: A fleet under Harald's son Magnus supported a large scale Welsh raid into England, although details are limited. This may have shown Harald that he could not simultaneously fight Denmark and England; this became crucial when Edward died in January 1066, and Harold Godwinson was proclaimed king of England. Harold's brother Tostig Godwinson , formerly Earl of Northumbria , now appeared on the scene; hoping to regain his titles and lands, he reportedly approached both William and Sweyn Estridsson for their support. However, since Northern England
1008-466: A large warehouse. Although the canal and basin still were not deep enough to accommodate passenger steamships, the area became one of the busiest areas in the town and the point around which the harbor was further developed. The Diocese of Hamar was established in 1864, and the Hamar Cathedral was consecrated in 1866 and remains a central point in the city. A promenade came into being from
1152-462: A peace agreement with Sweyn Estridsson. After the agreement, Harald went to Oslo and sent tax collectors to the Uplands, only to find that the farmers would withhold their taxes until Haakon arrived. In response, Harald entered Sweden with an army and quickly defeated Haakon. Still facing opposition from the farmers, Harald embarked on a campaign to crush the areas that had withheld their taxes. Due to
1296-547: A population (2021) of 28,535 and a population density of 2,045 inhabitants per square kilometre (5,300/sq mi). About 1.5 square kilometres (370 acres) and 2,109 residents within the town are actually located in Ringsaker Municipality and another 0.29 square kilometres (72 acres) and 305 residents of the town are located within Stange Municipality . The municipality (originally the town)
1440-520: A promotion to the possibly third highest Byzantine rank, but by Mikhail Bibikov as a lesser rank than protospatharios that was ordinarily awarded to foreign allies to the emperor. The Strategikon indicates that the ranks awarded to Harald were rather low, since Harald reportedly was "not angry for just having been appointed to manglabites or spatharokandidatos ". According to his skald Þjóðólfr Arnórsson, Harald had participated in eighteen greater battles during his Byzantine service. Harald's favour at
1584-676: A ship. His journey went through Lake Ladoga , down the Neva River , and then into the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea . He arrived in Sigtuna in Sweden, probably at the end of 1045 or in early 1046. When he arrived in Sweden, according to the skald Tjodolv Arnorsson, his ship was unbalanced by its heavy load of gold. In Harald's absence, the throne of Norway had been restored to Magnus
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#17327936873421728-411: A simple hose. By 1852 a full-time fire chief was named. There was also some controversy around the watchman who loudly reported the time to all the town's inhabitants every half-hour, every night. Hamar also had a scrupulously enforced ordinance against smoking (pipe) without a lid in public or private. In Hamar's early days, the entire population consisted of young entrepreneurs, and little was needed in
1872-529: A story that relates that before the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Harold Godwinson offered Tostig back the earldom of Northumbria, and Harald "six feet of the ground of England, or perhaps more seeing that he is taller than most men" (according to Henry of Huntingdon ) or "six feet of English ground, or seven feet as he was taller than other men" (according to Snorri Sturluson). Harald himself composed skaldic poetry . According to Lee M. Hollander , composing poetry
2016-457: A strong hold over the Uplands, Haakon was additionally given the earldom of Värmland by the Swedish king Stenkil . In early 1064, Haakon entered the Uplands and collected their taxes, the region thus effectively threatened to renounce their loyalty to Harald in response. The revolt of Haakon and the farmers in the Uplands may have been the main reason why Harald finally had been willing to enter
2160-493: A typical rebel with big ambitions, and admired Olaf as his role model. He thus differed from his two older brothers, who were more similar to their father, down-to-earth and mostly concerned with maintaining the farm. The Icelandic sagas, in particular Snorri Sturluson in Heimskringla , claim that Sigurd, like Olaf's father, was a great-grandson of King Harald Fairhair in the male line. Most modern scholars believe that
2304-407: A warning to those who disobeyed him. Harald maintained control of his nation through the use of his hird , a private standing army maintained by Norwegian lords. Harald's contribution to the strengthening of Norway's monarchy was the enforcement of a policy that only the king could retain a hird, thus centralising power away from local warlords. According to historian Knut Helle , Harald completed
2448-557: A white background. An older version of the arms had been used for a long time. The old version was first described in the anonymous Hamar Chronicle , written in 1553. Between 500 and 1000 AD , the Åker farm was one of the most important power centres in Norway, located just a few kilometres away from today's town of Hamar. Three coins found in Ringerike in 1895 have been dated to the time of Harald Hardråde and are inscribed Olafr
2592-477: A world record for longest distance covered in an hour. His 51,596 metres broke the 51,151 set at altitude nine years earlier. The record lasted only six days, before Chris Boardman beat it in Bordeaux, France. Harald III of Norway Harald Sigurdsson ( Old Norse : Haraldr Sigurðarson ; c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III of Norway and given the epithet Hardrada in
2736-461: A year into their co-rule, Magnus died without an heir. Before his death, he had decided that Sweyn was to inherit Denmark and Harald to inherit Norway. On hearing the news of Magnus's death, Harald quickly gathered the local leaders in Norway and declared himself king of Norway as well as of Denmark. Although Magnus had appointed Sweyn his successor as king of Denmark, Harald immediately announced his plans to gather an army and oust his former ally from
2880-514: Is evident in today's Hamar. There were also lingering concerns about the town's vulnerability to flooding . Construction began as soon as the law passed, in the spring of 1849. The first buildings were much like sheds, but there was great enthusiasm, and by the end of 1849, ten buildings were insured in the new town. None of these are standing today; the last two were adjacent buildings on Skappelsgate. By 1850, there were 31 insured houses, in 1852 there were 42; and in 1853, 56. Building slowed down for
3024-543: Is generally known in thirteenth-century Old Norse kings' sagas'. Harald was born in Ringerike , Norway, in 1015 (or possibly 1016) to Åsta Gudbrandsdatter and her second husband Sigurd Syr . Sigurd was a petty king of Ringerike , and among the strongest and wealthiest chieftains in the Uplands . Through his mother Åsta, Harald was the youngest of King Olaf II of Norway / Olaf Haraldsson's (later Saint Olaf) three half-brothers. In his youth, Harald displayed traits of
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#17327936873423168-493: Is located in the traditional region of Hedmarken . The town is located on the shores of Mjøsa , Norway's largest lake. Historically, it was the principal city of the former Hedmark county, now part of the larger Innlandet county. The town of Hamar lies in the southwestern part of the municipality, and the urban area of the town actually extends over the municipal borders into both Ringsaker and Stange municipalities. The 13.95-square-kilometre (5.39 sq mi) town has
3312-407: Is named after the old Hamar farm ( Old Norse : Hamarr ). The medieval market was first built on this farm and that market eventually became a kjøpstad which in turn became a self-governing municipality. The name is identical with the word hamarr which means "rocky hill". The coat of arms were granted on 2 June 1896. The arms show a Black Grouse sitting in the top of a pine tree on
3456-410: Is said that he had light hair, a light beard, and a long "upper beard" (moustache), and that one of his eyebrows was somewhat higher situated than the other. He also reportedly had big hands and feet, and could measure five ells in height. It is not known whether Snorri's description of Harald's physical appearance actually represents historical facts. The tall stature of Harald is also substantiated by
3600-480: Is said to have reached its apex in the early 14th century, dominated by the Hamar Cathedral , the bishop's manor, and a fortress, plus the surrounding urbanization. The town was known for its fragrant apple orchards , but there were also merchants, craftsmen, and fishermen in the town. After the Christianization of Norway in 1030, Hamar began to gain influence as a centre for trade and religion. In 1152,
3744-401: Is the noun reiðrf , which means 'red', 'anchorage', or 'open harbor', or the verb ríða , which means 'swing', 'crank', or 'anchor'. One possibility is that the nearby bay could have been historically named something like Ríði with the meaning 'anchorage' or 'harbor'. The nearby Åker farm was an older Iron Age residence for powerful chiefs and small kings. Therefore it is likely that
3888-411: Is the pedestrian walkway in the middle of town, with the library, cinema and farmer's market on Stortorget (the big square) on the western side, and Østre Torg (the eastern square), which sits on top of an underground multi-story carpark, on the eastern side. Hamar is an important railway junction between two different lines from Oslo to Trondheim . Rørosbanen , the old railway line, branches off from
4032-527: The Morkinskinna recounts Harald's trip into the Uplands. Harald is also said to have explored the seas beyond his kingdom, as the contemporary Adam of Bremen reports of such naval expeditions conducted by Harald: The most enterprising Prince Haraldr of the Norwegians lately attempted this [sea]. Who, having searched thoroughly the length of the northern ocean in ships, finally had before his eyes
4176-516: The Battle of Fulford , also on 20 September. The battle was a decisive victory for Harald and Tostig, and led York to surrender to their forces on 24 September. This would be the last time a Scandinavian army defeated English forces. The same day as York surrendered to Harald and Tostig, Harold Godwinson arrived with his army in Tadcaster , just eleven kilometres (7 mi) from the anchored Norwegian fleet at Riccall. From there, he probably scouted
4320-517: The Bulgarian uprising led by Peter Delyan , which later gained Harald the nickname the "Bulgar-burner" ( Bolgara brennir ) by his skald. Harald was not affected by Maniakes's conflict with Emperor Michael IV, and received honours and respect upon his return to Constantinople. In a Greek book written in the 1070s, the Strategikon of Kekaumenos , Araltes (i.e. Harald) is said to have won
4464-572: The Earls of Orkney . At Dunfermline , he met Tostig's ally, Malcolm III of Scotland , who gave him around 2,000 Scottish soldiers. Although possible he also met Tostig there, most sources suggest they linked up at Tynemouth , on 8 September, Harald bringing around 10–15,000 men, on 240–300 longships . Tostig had only 12 ships, his connections being far more significant. The chronicler, John of Worcester , suggests he left Flanders in May or June, raiding
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4608-539: The Sognefjord , a process completed by the start of September 1066; it included his flagship, Ormen , or "Serpent". Before leaving Norway, he had Magnus proclaimed king of Norway, and left Tora behind, taking with him Elisiv, his daughters, and Olaf . En route, he stopped at the Norwegian-held islands of Shetland and Orkney , where he collected additional troops, including Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson ,
4752-690: The Storting a lengthy report, that included maps and plans for the new town. Lundh's premise was that the national economic interest reigned supreme, so he based his recommendation on the proposed town's ability to quickly achieve self-sustaining growth. He proposed that the name of the new town be called Carlshammer and proposed it be built along the shore just north of Storhamar and eastward. His plans were detailed, calling for streets that were 20 metres (66 ft) wide, rectangular blocks with 12 buildings in each, 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) separating each of them. He also proposed tax relief for 20 years for
4896-587: The Swedish army's siege and attempted demolition in 1567, during the Northern Seven Years' War . The old bishop's manor was also devastated during this siege. By 1587, merchants in Christiania had succeeded in moving all of Hamar's market activities to Oslo. Though some regional and seasonal trade persisted into the 17th century, Hamar as a town ceased to exist by then. In its place, the area
5040-501: The Swedish king Olof Skötkonung . Shortly after Harald's arrival in Kiev, Yaroslav attacked Constantinople , and it is considered likely that Harald provided him with valuable information about the state of the empire. It is possible that the marriage with Elisiv had been agreed to already during Harald's first time in Rus', or that they at least had been acquainted. During his service in
5184-696: The sagas , was King of Norway from 1046 to 1066. He unsuccessfully claimed the Danish throne until 1064 and English throne in 1066. Before becoming king, Harald spent 15 years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and chief of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire . In his chronicle , Adam of Bremen called him the " Thunderbolt of the North ". In 1030,
5328-837: The "leader over all the Varangians". By 1035, the Byzantines had pushed the Arabs out of Asia Minor to the east and southeast, and Harald took part in campaigns that went as far east as the Tigris River and Euphrates River in Mesopotamia , where according to his skald (poet) Þjóðólfr Arnórsson (recounted in the sagas) he participated in the capture of eighty Arab strongholds, a number which historians Sigfus Blöndal and Benedikt Benedikz see no particular reason to question. Although not holding independent command of an army as
5472-595: The Battle of Stiklestad, Harald managed to escape with the aid of Rögnvald Brusason (later Earl of Orkney ) to a remote farm in Eastern Norway . He stayed there for some time to heal his wounds, and thereafter (possibly up to a month later) journeyed north over the mountains to Sweden. A year after the Battle of Stiklestad, Harald arrived in Kievan Rus' (referred to in the sagas as Garðaríki or Svíþjóð hin mikla ). He likely spent at least part of his time in
5616-471: The Byzantine Empire through his connections, as well as with Scotland and Ireland. According to the later sagas, Harald founded Oslo , where he spent much time. Harald also continued to advance Christianity in Norway, and archaeological excavations show that churches were built and improved during his reign. He also imported bishops, priests and monks from abroad, especially from Kievan Rus' and
5760-513: The Byzantine Empire, Harald composed a love poem which included the verse "Yet the goddess in Gardarike / will not accept my gold rings" (whom Snorri Sturluson identifies with Elisiv), although Morkinskinna claims that Harald had to remind Yaroslav of the promised marriage when he returned to Kiev. According to the same source, Harald had spoken with Yaroslav during his first time in Rus', requesting to marry Elisiv, only to be rejected because he
5904-602: The Byzantine Empire. A slightly different form of Christianity was thus introduced in Norway from the rest of northern Europe, although the East–West Schism had not yet taken place. Since the clergy was not ordained in England or France, it nonetheless caused controversy when Harald was visited by papal legates. The protests by the legates led Harald to throw the Catholic clergy out of his court, and he reportedly stated to
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6048-666: The Byzantines in their expedition to Sicily , in George Maniakes 's (the sagas' "Gyrge") attempt to reconquer the island from the Muslim Saracens , who had established the Emirate of Sicily on the island. During the campaign, Harald fought alongside Norman mercenaries such as William Iron Arm . According to Snorri Sturluson, Harald captured four towns on Sicily. In 1041, when the Byzantine expedition to Sicily
6192-555: The Danish coast. The purpose of that was to impress the natives by demonstrating that Magnus offered them no protection, and thus leading them to submit to Harald and Sweyn. Learning about their actions, Magnus knew that their next target would be Norway. Harald may have planned to be taken as king of his father's petty kingdom, and thereafter claim the rest of the country. In any case, the people were unwilling to turn against Magnus, and on hearing news of Harald's schemes, Magnus (abroad at
6336-469: The Danish coasts. In 1048, he plundered Jutland , and in 1049 he pillaged and burned Hedeby , at the time the most important Danish trade center, and one of the best protected and most populous towns in Scandinavia. Hedeby as a civil town never recovered from Harald's destruction, and was left completely desolate when what remained was looted by Slavic tribes in 1066. One of two conventional battles
6480-483: The Earls of Lade had outplayed their role as a base of opposition, and Trøndelag was definitely subordinated to Harald's national kingdom. Before the Battle of Niså, Harald had been joined by Haakon Ivarsson , who distinguished himself in the battle and gained Harald's favour. Harald reportedly even considered giving Haakon the title of Earl, and Haakon was greatly upset when Harald later backed down from his promise. With
6624-709: The English regional forces of Northumbria and Mercia in the Battle of Fulford near York on 20 September. Harald was defeated and killed in a surprise attack by Harold Godwinson's forces in the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September, which wiped out his army. Historians often consider Harald's death the end of the Viking Age . Harald's most famous epithet is Old Norse harðráði , which has been translated variously as 'hard in counsel', 'tyrannical', 'tyrant', 'hard-ruler', 'ruthless', 'savage in counsel', 'tough', and 'severe'. While Judith Jesch has argued for 'severe' as
6768-584: The English throne without fighting. Harthacnut himself preferred his half-brother, Edward the Confessor , who became king with the backing of Earl Godwin , father of Harold Godwinson . Plans by Magnus to invade England in 1045 were suspended, while he dealt with an uprising by Sweyn of Denmark . After Magnus died in 1047, Harald took over his claim; however, Edward kept potential enemies happy by hinting they might succeed him; in addition to Harald, these included Sweyn, and William, Duke of Normandy . In 1058,
6912-588: The Good , an illegitimate son of Olaf. Harald may actually have known this, and it could have been the reason why Harald wanted to return to Norway in the first place. Since Cnut the Great's sons had chosen to abandon Norway and instead fight over England, and his sons and successors Harold Harefoot and Harthacnut had died young, Magnus's position as king had been secured. No domestic threats or insurrections are recorded to have occurred during his eleven-year reign. After
7056-468: The Icelandic sagas, Harald is given epithets deriving from Old Norse hárfagri (literally 'hair-beautiful'). These sources include: In Icelandic sagas the name Harald Fairhair is more famously associated with an earlier Norwegian king , and twentieth-century historians assumed that the name was attached to Harald Hardrada in error by Insular historians. However, recognising the independence of some of
7200-502: The Insular sources, historians have since favoured the idea that Harald Hardrada was widely known as Harald Fairhair, and indeed now doubt that the earlier Harald Fairhair existed in any form resembling the later saga-accounts. Sverrir Jakobsson has suggested that 'fairhair' 'might be the name by which King Harald wished himself to be known. It must have been his opponents who gave him the epithet "severe" (ON. harðráði ), by which he
7344-520: The Norwegian fleet, preparing a surprise attack. As Harald had left no forces in York, Harold Godwinson marched right through the town to Stamford Bridge . Early on 25 September, Harald and Tostig departed their landing place at Riccall with most of their forces, but left a third of their forces behind. They brought only light armour, as they expected to just meet the citizens of York, as they had agreed
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#17327936873427488-475: The Norwegian throne. Following a revolt in 1028, Harald's brother Olaf was forced into exile until he returned to Norway in early 1030. On hearing news of Olaf's planned return, Harald gathered 600 men from the Uplands to meet Olaf and his men upon their arrival in the east of Norway. After a friendly welcome, Olaf went on to gather an army and eventually fight in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030, in which Harald took part on his brother's side. The battle
7632-533: The Norwegian throne. In his absence the Norwegian throne had been restored from the Danes to Olaf's illegitimate son Magnus the Good . In 1046, Harald joined forces with Magnus's rival in Denmark, the pretender Sweyn II of Denmark , raiding the Danish coast. Magnus, unwilling to fight his uncle, agreed to share the kingship with Harald, since Harald in turn would share his wealth with him. The co-rule ended abruptly
7776-522: The Varangian Guard were called back to Constantinople, following Maniakes's imprisonment by the emperor and the onset of other more pressing issues. Harald and the Varangians were thereafter sent to fight in the southeastern European frontier in Bulgaria , where they arrived in late 1041. There, he fought in the army of Emperor Michael IV in the Battle of Ostrovo of the 1041 campaign against
7920-538: The Viking Age, in addition to poetry, brewing, horse riding, swimming, skiing, shooting, rowing and playing the harp . The sagas state that Harald and his Varangians at least once took a break during the siege of a town to enjoy sports. With regards to religion, Harald had, according to DeVries, a "religious inclination towards Christianity" and was "publicly close to the Christian Church", although he
8064-689: The Wednesday in Easter each year, for the last 13 years. Also situated in Hamar is the Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre which hosted the figure skating and short track speed skating events of the 1994 Winter Olympics. The figure skating competition was highly anticipated. It featured Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding , who drew most of the media attention, however the gold medal was won by Oksana Baiul of Ukraine . The centre of Hamar
8208-578: The ancestors attributed to Harald Hardrada's father, along with other parts of the Fairhair genealogy , are inventions reflecting the political and social expectations of the time of the authors (around two centuries after Harald Hardrada's lifetime) rather than historical reality. Harald Hardrada's alleged descent from Harald Fairhair is not mentioned and played no part during Harald Hardrada's own time, which seems odd considering that it would have provided significant legitimacy in connection with his claim to
8352-535: The barrier. Despite this, Kekaumenos lauds the "loyalty and love" Harald had for the empire, which he reportedly maintained even after he returned to Norway and became king. Following his escape from Constantinople, Harald arrived back in Kievan Rus' later in 1042. During his second stay there, he married Elisabeth (referred to in Scandinavian sources as Ellisif), daughter of Yaroslav the Wise and granddaughter of
8496-489: The best translation, Alison Finlay and Anthony Faulkes prefer 'resolute'. Harðráði has traditionally been Anglicised as 'Hardrada', though Judith Jesch characterises this form as 'a bastard Anglicisation of the original epithet in an oblique case '. This epithet predominates in the later Icelandic saga-tradition. However, in a number of independent sources associated with the British Isles , mostly earlier than
8640-468: The campaigns were successful, he was never able to conquer Denmark. Not long after Harald had renounced his claim to Denmark, the former Earl of Northumbria , Tostig Godwinson , brother of English king Harold Godwinson , pledged his allegiance to Harald, inviting him to claim the English throne. Harald assented, invading northern England with 10,000 troops and 300 longships in September 1066, defeating
8784-536: The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire (also known today – but not to contemporaries – as the Byzantine Empire ), probably in 1033 or 1034, where they joined the Varangian Guard . Although the Flateyjarbók maintains that Harald at first sought to keep his royal identity a secret, most sources agree that Harald and his men's reputation was well known in the east at
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#17327936873428928-417: The circumstances, the next event nonetheless led to the murder of Einar by Harald's men, which threatened to throw Norway into a state of civil war. Although the remaining descendants of Haakon Sigurdsson considered rebellion against the king, Harald eventually managed to negotiate peace with them, and secured the family's submission for the remainder of his reign. By the death of Einar and his son around 1050,
9072-434: The city also caused considerable debate, especially regarding how to finance them. The first passenger terminal in Hamar was in fact a crag in the lake, from which travelers were rowed into the city. In 1850, another pier was built with a two-storey terminal building. All this was complicated by the significant seasonal variations in water levels. In 1857 a canal was built around a basin that would allow freight ships to access
9216-584: The coast. They encountered the first resistance at Scarborough , where Harald's demand for surrender was opposed. In the end, Harald resorted to burning down the town and this action led to other Northumbrian towns surrendering to him. After further raiding, Harald and Tostig sailed up the Humber, disembarking at Riccall on 20 September. News of the early raids had reached the earls Morcar of Northumbria and Edwin of Mercia , and they fought against Harald's invading army three kilometres (2 mi) south of York at
9360-458: The coldest month on record with mean −17.2 °C (1.0 °F) in January 1917. In August 1975, the weather station "Staur Forsøksgård" in nearby Stange recorded 35 °C (95 °F). Hamar boasts several teams at the Norwegian top level in various sports: Hamar is known for its speed skating history, both for its skaters and the championships that have been hosted by the city, already in 1894 Hamar hosted its first European championship, and
9504-769: The commander of the Byzantine Varangian Guard, seeing action on the Mediterranean Sea , in Asia Minor , Sicily, possibly in the Holy Land , Bulgaria and in Constantinople itself, where he became involved in the imperial dynastic disputes. Harald amassed wealth whilst in the Byzantine Empire, which he shipped to Yaroslav in Kievan Rus' for safekeeping. In 1042, he left the Byzantine Empire, returning to Kievan Rus' to prepare to reclaim
9648-412: The country. In response, the army and the chieftains, headed by Einar Thambarskelfir , opposed any plans of invading Denmark. Although Harald himself objected to bringing the body of Magnus back to Norway, the Norwegian army prepared to transport his body to Nidaros (now Trondheim ), where they buried him next to Saint Olaf in late 1047. Einar, an opponent of Harald, claimed that "to follow Magnus dead
9792-430: The current site, at Gammelhusbukten. On 26 April 1848, the king signed into law the establishment of Hamar as a kjøpstad on the grounds of the farms of Storhamar and Holset, along the shores of the lake Mjøsa . The law stated that the town will be founded on the date its borders are settled, which turned out to be 21 March 1849. Hamar was given a trading zone up to 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from its border. The new town
9936-435: The dark failing boundaries of the savage world, and, by retracing his steps, with difficulty barely escaped the deep abyss in safety. Kelly DeVries has suggested that Harald "may even have known of and sought out the legendary land called Vinland , which Viking sailors had discovered only a short time before", which Adam mentions earlier in the same passage to have been widely reported in Denmark and Norway. H. H. Lamb has on
10080-421: The day before, at Stamford Bridge to decide on who should manage the town under Harald. Once there Harald saw Godwinson's forces approaching, heavily armed and armoured, and greatly outnumbering Harald's. Although (according to non-saga sources) the English forces were held up at the bridge for some time by a single gigantic Norwegian, allowing Harald and Tostig to regroup into a shield-wall formation, Harald's army
10224-459: The death of Harthacnut, which had left the Danish throne vacant, Magnus had in addition been selected to be the king of Denmark, and managed to defeat the Danish royal pretender Sweyn Estridsson . Having heard of Sweyn's defeat by Magnus, Harald met up with his fellow exile in Sweden (who was also his nephew), as well as with the Swedish king Anund Jacob , and the three joined forces against Magnus. Their first military exploit consisted of raiding
10368-535: The death of the emperor, or perhaps the disbursement of funds to the Varangians by the new emperor in order to ensure their loyalty. It is likely that the money Harald made while serving in Constantinople allowed him to fund his claim for the crown of Norway. If he participated in polutasvarf three times, these occasions must have been the deaths of Romanos III , Michael IV, and Michael V, in which Harald would have opportunities, beyond his legitimate revenues, to carry off immense wealth. After Zoe had been restored to
10512-595: The determination of the actual site to the king so as to not slow down things further. Another commission was named in June 1825, consisting of Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg , professor Lundh, and other prominent Norwegians. After surveying the entire lake, it submitted another report that considered eleven different locations, including sites near today's Eidsvoll , Minnesund , Tangen in Stange , Åker, Storhamar, Brumunddal , Nes , Moelven , Lillehammer , Gjøvik , and Toten . Each
10656-413: The dismissed ships were out of reach, Sweyn's fleet finally appeared, possibly also with 300 ships. The battle resulted in great bloodshed as Harald defeated the Danes (70 Danish ships were reportedly left "empty"), but many ships and men managed to escape, including Sweyn. During the battle, Harald actively shot with his bow, like most others in the early phase of the battle. Fatigue and the huge cost of
10800-406: The dissenting Hans Nielsen Hauge to settle in the area. Bishop Fredrik Julius Bech , one of the most prominent officials of his time, proposed establishing a town at or near Storhamar, at the foot of Furuberget. In 1812, negotiations started in earnest, when the regional governor of Christians Amt , proposed establishing a market on Mjøsa. A four-person commission was named on 26 July 1814, with
10944-410: The east, and secured the wealth collected in Constantinople by shipments to Kievan Rus' for safekeeping (with Yaroslav the Wise acting as safekeeper for his fortune). The sagas note that aside from the significant spoils of battle he had retained, he had participated three times in polutasvarf (loosely translated as "palace-plunder"), a term which implies either the pillaging of the palace exchequer on
11088-437: The empress because she wanted to marry Harald herself). William of Malmesbury states that Harald was arrested for defiling a noble woman, while according to Saxo Grammaticus he was imprisoned for murder. DeVries suggests that the new emperor may have feared Harald because of his loyalty to the previous emperor. The sources also disagree on how Harald got out of prison, but he may have been helped by someone outside to escape in
11232-487: The end of 1065 there was probably peace in Norway, as any opposition had either been killed, chased into exile or silenced. Harald's reign was marked by his background as a military commander, as he often solved disputes with a brute force. One of his skalds even boasted about how Harald broke settlements he had made, in his battles in the Mediterranean. While the sagas largely focus on Harald's war with Sweyn and
11376-459: The episcopal representative Nikolaus Breakspear founded Hamar Kaupangen as one of five dioceses in medieval Norway. This diocese included all of Hedemarkens Amt and Christians Amt , which were both separated from the Diocese of Oslo in 1152. The first bishop of Hamar was Arnold, Bishop of Gardar, Greenland (1124–1152). He began to build the (now ruined) Cathedral of Christ Church, which
11520-408: The family was headed by Einar Thambarskelfir , who was married to Haakon's daughter. While the family had maintained good relations with Magnus, Harald's absolutism and consolidation of the kingship soon led to conflict with Einar. It was from his power-struggle with the Norwegian aristocracy that Harald got himself the reputation that gave him the nickname "Hardrada", or "the hard ruler". Although
11664-461: The farm became known as Storhamar, passing through several owners until Norwegian nobility was abolished in 1831, when Erik Anker took over the farm. As early as 1755, the Danish government in Copenhagen expressed an interest in establishing a trading center on the shores of the lake Mjøsa . Elverum was considered a frontier town with frequent unrest, and there was even talk of encouraging
11808-534: The favour of the emperor. The book says that the Byzantine emperor first appointed him manglabites (possibly identified with the title protospatharios ), a soldier of the imperial guard, after the Sicilian campaign. Following the campaign against the Bulgarians, in which Harald again served with distinction, he received the rank while at Mosynopolis of spatharokandidatos , identified by DeVries as
11952-513: The fifteen-year old Harald fought in the Battle of Stiklestad with his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson . Olaf sought to reclaim the Norwegian throne, which he had lost to Danish king Cnut two years prior. Olaf and Harald were defeated by forces loyal to Cnut, and Harald was forced into exile to Kievan Rus'. Thereafter, he was in the army of Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise , becoming captain, until he moved on to Constantinople with his companions around 1034. In Constantinople, he rose quickly to become
12096-549: The first World Championship the following year. After the Vikingskipet was built, Hamar has hosted international championships on a regular basis. The most notable skaters from Hamar are Dag Fornæss and Even Wetten , both former World champions, allround and 1000m respectively. Amund Sjøbrend , Ådne Søndrål and Eskil Ervik have all been members of the local club Hamar IL , although they were not born in Hamar. In Hamar on 17 July 1993, Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree set
12240-433: The first phase of what he has termed the "national territorial unification of Norway". Having forced his way to the kingship, Harald would have to convince the aristocracy that he was the right person to rule Norway alone. To establish domestic alliances, he married Tora Torbergsdatter of one of the most powerful Norwegian families. The primary opposition to Harald's rule would be the descendants of Haakon Sigurdsson , from
12384-472: The following year in the neighboring rural community of Løten , with an audience of 3,000 locals, presumably the majority of Hamar's population at the time. In 1878, as the firefighting capabilities of the young town were upgraded, a fire broke out in a bakery. The fire was put out without doing too much damage. In February 1879 at 2:00 in the morning another fire broke out after festivities, burning down an entire building that housed many historical items from
12528-462: The harbor area, past the gardens on the shore, and north toward the site of the old town. The first executive of Hamar was Johannes Bay, who arrived in October 1849 to facilitate an election of a board of supervisors and representatives. The town's royal charter called for the election of three supervisors and nine representatives. Elections were announced in the paper and through the town crier. Of
12672-516: The heartland of Harold's estates in southern England, from the Isle of Wight to Sandwich . Having made it seem an attack from Normandy was imminent, he then sailed north, while his brother and most of his troops remained in the south, waiting for William. After embarking from Tynemouth, Harald and Tostig probably landed at the River Tees . They then entered Cleveland , and started plundering
12816-400: The ice and accumulated snow, which lead to another round of flooding. By the time a particularly cold and snow-filled winter set in, there was mostly relief about getting some stability. In 1876, the town was scandalized by the apprehension of one Kristoffer Svartbækken, arrested for the cold-blooded murder of 19-year-old Even Nilsen Dæhlin. Svartbækken was convicted for the murder and executed
12960-577: The imperial court quickly declined after the death of Michael IV in December 1041, which was followed by conflicts between the new emperor Michael V and the powerful empress Zoe . During the turmoil, Harald was arrested and imprisoned, but the sources disagree on the grounds. The sagas state that Harald was arrested for defrauding the emperor of his treasure, as well as for requesting marriage with an apparently fictional niece or granddaughter of Zoe, called Maria (his suit supposedly being turned down by
13104-510: The indecisive battles eventually led Harald to seek peace with Sweyn, and in 1064 (or 1065 according to Morkinskinna ) the two kings agreed on an unconditional peace agreement. By the agreement, they retained their respective kingdoms with the former boundaries, and there would be no payments of reparations. In the subsequent winter of 1065, Harald travelled through his realm and accused the farmers of withholding taxes from him. In response, he acted with brutality, and had people maimed and killed as
13248-439: The invasion of England, little is said about his domestic policies. Modern historians have taken this as a sign that, despite his absolute monarchy , his reign was one of peace and progress for Norway. Harald is considered to have instituted good economic policies, as he developed a Norwegian currency and a viable coin economy, which in turn allowed Norway to participate in international trade. He initiated trade with Kievan Rus' and
13392-469: The lake to flood, peaking around 24 June, when the street-level floor of the front properties was completely inundated. This was the worst flood recorded since 1789. By 9 July, the flooding had receded. In August, massive rainfall led to flash flooding in the area, putting several streets under water. This was immediately followed by unseasonably cold weather, freezing the potato crops and inconveniencing Hamar's residents. Then mild weather set in, and melted all
13536-534: The late 14th century. Harald also wanted to re-establish Magnus's rule over Denmark, and in the long term probably sought to restore Cnut the Great's " North Sea Empire " in its entirety. While his first proposal to invade Denmark fell through, the next year Harald embarked on what would turn into constant warfare against Sweyn, from 1048 almost yearly until 1064. Similar to his campaigns (then together with Sweyn) against Magnus's rule in Denmark, most of his campaigns against Sweyn consisted of swift and violent raids on
13680-483: The legates that "he did not know of any other archbishop or lord of Norway than the king himself". Norwegian historian Halvdan Koht has remarked that the "words seemed as if spoken by a Byzantine despot". It is possible that Harald maintained contacts with Byzantine emperors after he became king, which could suggest a background for his church policies. Once he had returned to Norway, Harald seems to have displayed an interest in exploring his own realm, as for instance
13824-462: The limitations of Lillehammer's location had also become apparent, in particular those of its shallow harbor . After a few more years of discussions and negotiations both regionally and nationally, member of parliament Frederik Stang put on the table once more the possibility of a town in or near Storhamar. The governor at the time, Frederik Hartvig Johan Heidmann , presented a thorough deliberation of possible specific locations, and ended up proposing
13968-412: The mainline Dovre Line . The Norwegian Railway Museum ( Norsk Jernbanemuseum ) is also in Hamar. Hamar Airport, Stafsberg caters to general aviation. Hamar has a humid continental climate (Dfb) with fairly dry and cold winters, and comfortably warm summers. The Hamar II weather station, at an elevation of 141 metres (463 ft), started recording in 1968. The all-time high 33 °C (91 °F)
14112-533: The mandate of determining a suitable site for a new town along the shore. On 8 June 1815, the commission recommended establishing such a town at Lillehammer , then also a farm, part of the prestegjeld of Fåberg . Acting on objections to this recommendation, the department of the interior asked two professors, Ludvig Stoud Platou and Gregers Fougner Lundh , to survey the area and develop an alternative recommendation. It appears that Lundh in particular put great effort into this assignment, and in 1824 he presented to
14256-556: The meaning of the current name Ridabu was originally Ríðabú , which means a village 'built near Ríði' (a bay now called Åkersvika ). This Innlandet location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hamar Hamar [ˈhɑ̂ːmɑr] is a town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet county , Norway. Hamar is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. It
14400-454: The meaning of the first part of the name has no definite interpretation. Several old village names end in -bú , and in those cases the prefix refers to nearby place names. For example, the prefix in Selbu ( Old Norse : Selabú ) is named after Seli which is the original name of the lake Selbusjøen . A name of a nearby place such as Ríði could be the source of this name. Once possibility
14544-438: The midst of the revolt that had begun against the new emperor. While some of the Varangians helped guard the emperor, Harald became the leader of the Varangians who supported the revolt. The emperor was in the end dragged out of his sanctuary, blinded and exiled to a monastery, and the sagas claim that it was Harald himself who blinded Michael V (or at least claimed to have done so). Harald became extremely rich during his time in
14688-423: The name of a medieval road) and a grid system of streets between them. The orientation of the town was toward the shore. Røyem set aside space for three parks and a public square, and also room for a church just outside the town border. There were critics of the plan, pointing out that the terrain was hilly and not suitable for the proposed rigid grid. Some adjustments were made, but the plan was largely accepted and
14832-450: The next year as Magnus died: Harald became the sole ruler of Norway. Domestically, Harald crushed opposition, and outlined the unification of Norway. Harald's reign was one of relative peace and stability, and he instituted a coin economy and foreign trade. Seeking to restore Cnut's " North Sea Empire ", Harald claimed the Danish throne, and spent nearly every year until 1064 raiding the Danish coast and fighting his former ally, Sweyn. Although
14976-435: The other hand proposed that the land he reached may have been either Spitsbergen or Novaya Zemlya . Accepting he could not conquer Denmark, Harald switched attention to England; his claim was based on a 1038 agreement between Magnus and its previous ruler, Harthacnut , who died childless in 1042. The agreement stated that if either die, the other would inherit his lands; however, it was unlikely Magnus assumed he would gain
15120-415: The powerful dynasty of Earls of Lade who had controlled Northern Norway and Trøndelag with much autonomy under the Norwegian king. Haakon had even ruled the whole of Norway (nominally under the Danish king) from 975 until 995, when he was killed during the takeover by Olaf Tryggvasson . Even after Haakon's death, his offspring held a certain degree of sovereignty in the north, and by Harald's early reign
15264-458: The relationship between Harald and Einar was poor from the start, confrontation did not occur before Harald went north to his court in Nidaros. One time in Nidaros, Einar arrived at Harald's court, and in a display of power was accompanied by "eight or nine longships and almost five hundred men", obviously seeking confrontation. Harald was not provoked by the incident. Although the sources differ on
15408-527: The remote location of the region in the interior of the country, the Uplands had never been an integrated part of the Norwegian king's realm. Using harsh measures, Harald burned down farms and small villages, and had people maimed and killed. Starting in Romerike , his campaign continued into Hedmark , Hadeland and Ringerike. Since the regions contained several rich rural communities, Harald strengthened his economic position by confiscating farming estates. By
15552-400: The return to Norway, it is likely that this number only accounts for the Norwegian forces. Most of the forces from Scotland and Orkney probably remained at Riccall throughout the battle (the earls Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson are certainly known to have been stationed there the entire time), and has not been counted in the traditional figure. Harold Godwinson's victory was short-lived, as only
15696-843: The revolt in 1028, and Morkinskinna says that Yaroslav embraced Harald first and foremost because he was the brother of Olaf. Harald took part in Yaroslav's campaign against the Poles in 1031, and possibly also fought against other 1030s Kievan enemies and rivals such as the Chudes in Estonia , and the Byzantines , as well as the Pechenegs and other steppe nomad people. After a few years in Kievan Rus', Harald and his force of around 500 men moved on south to Constantinople ( Miklagard ),
15840-477: The sagas imply, it is not unlikely that King Harald and the Varangians at times could have been sent off to capture a castle or town. During the first four years of the reign of Byzantine Emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian , Harald probably also fought in campaigns against the Pechenegs . Thereafter, Harald is reported in the sagas to have gone to Jerusalem and fought in battles in the area. Although
15984-538: The sagas place this after his expedition to Sicily , historian Kelly DeVries has questioned that chronology. Whether his trip was of a military or peaceful nature would depend on whether it took place before or after the 1036 peace treaty between Michael IV and the Muslim Fatimid Caliph Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (in reality the Caliph's mother, originally a Byzantine Christian, since the Caliph
16128-593: The seat of the Diocese after the last Catholic bishop, Mogens Lauritssøn (1513–1537), was taken prisoner in his castle at Hamar by Truid Ulfstand , a Danish noble , and then sent to Antvorskov in Denmark, where he was mildly treated until his death in 1542. At Hamar's peak, there was a Cathedral chapter with ten canons , a school, a Dominican Priory of St. Olaf, and a monastery of the Canons Regular of St. Anthony of Vienne . Hamar, like most of Norway,
16272-448: The ten eligible town citizens, three supervisors were elected, and the remaining six were elected by consent to be representatives, resulting in a shortfall of three on the board. The first mayor of Hamar was Christian Borchgrevink. The first order of business was the allocation of liquor licenses and the upper limit of alcohol that could be sold within the town limits. The board quickly decided to award licenses to both applicants and set
16416-511: The throne in June 1042 together with Constantine IX , Harald requested to be allowed to return to Norway. Although Zoe refused to allow this, Harald managed to escape into the Bosphorus with two ships and some loyal followers. Although the second ship was destroyed by the Byzantine cross-strait iron chains , Harald's ship sailed safely into the Black Sea after successfully manoeuvring over
16560-760: The time) went home to Norway with his entire army. Instead of going to war, Magnus's advisors recommended the young king not fight his uncle, and a compromise was reached in 1046 in which Harald would rule Norway (not Denmark) jointly with Magnus (although Magnus would have precedence). Notably, Harald also had to agree to share half of his wealth with Magnus, who at the time was effectively bankrupt and badly in need of funds. During their short co-rule, Harald and Magnus had separate courts and kept to themselves, and their only recorded meetings nearly ended in physical clashes. In 1047, Magnus and Harald went to Denmark with their leidang forces. Later that year in Jylland , less than
16704-455: The time. While the Varangian Guard was primarily meant to function as the emperor's bodyguard, Harald was found fighting on "nearly every frontier" of the empire. He first saw action in campaigns against Arab pirates in the Mediterranean Sea , and then in inland towns in Asia Minor / Anatolia that had supported the pirates. By this time, he had, according to Snorri Sturluson (a 12th century Icelandic historian, poet, and politician), become
16848-480: The town of Staraya Ladoga ( Aldeigjuborg ), arriving there in the first half of 1031. Harald and his men were welcomed by Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise , whose wife Ingegerd was a distant relative of Harald. Badly in need of military leaders, Yaroslav recognised a military potential in Harald and made him a captain of his forces. Harald's brother Olaf Haraldsson had previously been in exile to Yaroslav following
16992-443: The town of Hamar (population: 4,087) was transferred out of Vang and merged into Hamar. The following year, a part of the municipality of Furnes (population: 821) was also merged into Hamar. On 1 January 1965, a part of Ringsaker with a population of about 100 people was transferred to Hamar. In 1975, Storhamar Church was built to serve Hamar's growing population. On 1 January 1992, the municipality of Vang (population: 9,103)
17136-400: The town started setting taxes and a budget by the end of 1849. In 1850, a new election was held for the town board. The painter Jakobsen had early on offered the use of his home for public meetings and assembly, and upon buying a set of solid locks, his basement also became the town prison. One merchant was designated as the town's firefighter and was given two buckets with equipment, and later
17280-471: The town's first residents, that the state relinquish property taxes in favor of the town, and that the town be given monopoly rights to certain trade. He even proposed that certain types of foreigners be allowed to settle in the town to promote trade, in particular, the Quakers . His recommendation was accepted in principle by the government, but the parliamentary committee equivocated on the location. It left
17424-451: The town's population engaged in demonstrations, marches, and other unlawful but non-violent acts that were effectively ended when a company of soldiers arrived from the camp at Terningmoen near Elverum. Composer Fredrikke Waaler founded and directed the first orchestra in Hamar in 1893. She also directed a choir and wrote a song for the city. In 1946, a large area in Vang that surrounded
17568-511: The town. This was followed by a series of fires that left entire blocks in ashes. The fires kept happening until 1881, when a professional fire corps was hired. In 1889, there were riots in Hamar over the arrest of one of their own constables, one sergeant Huse, who had been insubordinate while on a military drill at the cavalry camp at Gardermoen . In an act of poor judgment, Huse's superior sent him to Hamar's prison in place of military stockades. Partly led and partly tolerated by other constables,
17712-492: The upper limit to 12,000 "pots" of liquor, an amount that was for all intents and purposes limitless. The electorate increased in 1849 to 26, including merchants and various craftsmen, and the empty representative posts were filled in November. In 1850, the board allowed for unlimited exercise of any craft for which no citizenship had been taken out, which led to much unregulated craftsmanship. Part-time policemen were hired, and
17856-400: The way of social services. After a few years, a small number of indigent people needed support, and a poorhouse was erected. On 1 January 1878, the town/municipality of Hamar was enlarged by annexing about 800 decares (200 acres) of land and 138 people from the neighboring municipality of Vang to Hamar. In 1860, concerns about flooding were vindicated when a late and sudden spring caused
18000-498: The way. Eystein picked up Harald's fallen banner, the "Landwaster" ( Landøyðan ), and initiated a final counter-attack. Although they for a moment appeared to almost breach the English line, Eystein was suddenly killed, which left the rest of the men to flee from the battlefield. Among those left at Riccall after the battle, who were allowed to return home peacefully by the English forces, was Harald's son Olaf. Although sources state that Harald's remaining army only filled 20–25 ships on
18144-695: Was a minor), although it is considered unlikely to have been made before. Modern historians have speculated that Harald may have been in a party sent to escort pilgrims to Jerusalem (possibly including members of the Imperial family) following the peace agreement, as it was also agreed that the Byzantines were allowed to repair the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . Furthermore, this may in turn have presented Harald with opportunities to fight against bandits who preyed on Christian pilgrims. In 1038, Harald joined
18288-417: Was better than to follow any other king alive". Under Harald's rule, Norway introduced a royal monopoly on the minting of coins. The coins minted under Harald's rule appear to have been accepted as a commonly used currency (as opposed to continued use of primarily foreign-minted coins). Minting of coins likely provided a substantial part of Harald's annual revenues. Minting of coinage collapsed in Norway in
18432-517: Was built to host the speed skating competitions of the 1994 Winter Olympics that were held in nearby Lillehammer . Already in 1993 it hosted the Bandy World Championship . The Vikingskipet Olympic Arena was later used in the winter of 2007 as the service park for Rally Norway, the second round of the 2007 World Rally Championship season. It has been the host for the world's second largest computer party The Gathering starting on
18576-596: Was completed about the time of Bishop Paul (1232–1252). Bishop Thorfinn (1278–1282) was exiled and died at Ter Doest abbey in Flanders, and was later canonised . Bishop Jörund (1285–1286) was transferred to Trondheim . A provincial council was held in 1380. Hamar remained an important religious and political centre in Norway, organized around the cathedral and the bishop's manor until the Reformation that took place in 1536–1537. At this time, Hamar lost its status as
18720-475: Was in the end heavily beaten. Harald was struck in the throat by an arrow and killed early in the battle, later termed the Battle of Stamford Bridge , in a state of berserkergang , having worn no body armour and fought aggressively with both hands around his sword. When the battle was almost over, some reserve forces from Riccall led by Eystein Orre finally appeared, but they were exhausted as they had run all
18864-769: Was influenced by the Eastern Christian culture of Kievan Rus' (Garderike) and the Byzantine Empire, having spent most of his life there. He was clearly interested in advancing Christianity in Norway, which can be seen by the continued building and improvement of churches throughout his reign. Despite this, DeVries notes that Harald's "personal morality appears not to have matched the Christian ideal", citing his marriage arrangements. Harald married Elisiv of Kiev (c. 1025 – after 1066) around 1044/45, and they had an unknown number, possibly several children. According to Snorri Sturluson, they had two daughters: According to
19008-461: Was merged with the town of Hamar (population: 16,351) and parts of the Stensby, Hanstad, Viker, and Stammerud areas of Ringsaker (population: 224) to form a new, larger Hamar Municipality . The Hedmark museum , located on Domkirkeodden , is an important historical landmark in Hamar, an outdoor museum with remains of the medieval church, in a protective glass housing, the episcopal fortress and
19152-435: Was normal for Norwegian kings, but Harald was the only one who "showed a decided talent." His preoccupation with the poetic form may have motivated him to give privileged attention to Icelanders, and particularly Icelandic skalds. He is portrayed as a man very concerned with the way that his image will be presented and memory shaped. According to one poem, Harald had mastered a number of activities that were considered sports in
19296-483: Was not yet wealthy enough. It is in any case significant that Harald was allowed to marry the daughter of Yaroslav, since his other children were married to figures such as Henry I of France , Andrew I of Hungary and the daughter of Constantine IX. Seeking to regain for himself the kingdom lost by his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson, Harald began his journey westwards in early 1045, departing from Novgorod ( Holmgard ) to Staraya Ladoga ( Aldeigjuborg ) where he obtained
19440-563: Was over, a Lombard -Norman revolt erupted in southern Italy, and Harald led the Varangian Guard in multiple battles. Harald fought with the Catepan of Italy , Michael Dokeianos with initial success, but the Normans, led by their former ally William Iron Arm, defeated the Byzantines in the Battle of Olivento in March, and in the Battle of Montemaggiore in May. After the defeat, Harald and
19584-409: Was part of an attempt to restore Olaf to the Norwegian throne, which had been captured by the Danish king Cnut the Great (Canute). The battle resulted in defeat for the brothers at the hands of those Norwegians who were loyal to Cnut, and Olaf was killed while Harald was badly wounded. Harald was nonetheless remarked to have shown considerable military talent during the battle. After the defeat at
19728-426: Was presented with pros and cons. The commission itself was split between Lillehammer and Storhamar. The parliament finally decided on Lillehammer, relegating Hamar once more, it seemed, to be a sleepy agricultural area. As steamboats were introduced on the lake, the urban elite developed an interest in the medieval Hamar, and in 1841, editorials appeared advocating the re-establishment of a town at Storhamar. By then,
19872-464: Was recorded in July 2018, which was the warmest month on record with average daily high 28.8 °C (83.8 °F) and mean 21.6 °C (70.9 °F). The all-time low −29.8 °C (−21.6 °F) is from in December 2010, which was a very cold month with mean −14 °C (7 °F) and average daily low −18.2 °C (−0.8 °F). A previous weather station (Hamar I, at an elevation of 139 m) recorded
20016-407: Was set to be fought between the two kings later the same year, but, according to Saxo Grammaticus , Sweyn's smaller army was so frightened when approached by the Norwegians that they chose to jump in the water trying to escape; most drowned. Although Harald was victorious in most of the engagements, he was never successful in occupying Denmark. The second, more significant battle, a naval encounter,
20160-563: Was severely diminished by the Black Plague in 1349, and by all accounts continued this decline until the Reformation, after which it disappeared. The Reformation in Norway took less than ten years to complete, from 1526 to 1536. During this time, the fortress in Hamar was made into the residence of the sheriff and renamed Hamarhus fortress. The cathedral was still used as a regular church, but it fell into disrepair culminating with
20304-435: Was taken out of the municipality of Vang and created established as Hamar Municipality under the formannskapsdistrikt law that was passed in 1838. The area of the new town and municipality covered an area measuring "400 mål" which is the equivalent to today's 40 hectares (99 acres). An army engineer , Røyem, drafted the initial plan. There would be three thoroughfares, at Strandgata, Torggata, and Grønnegate (the latter
20448-484: Was the Battle of Niså on 9 August 1062. As Harald had not been able to conquer Denmark despite his raids, he wanted to win a decisive victory over Sweyn. He eventually set out from Norway with a great army and a fleet of around 300 ships. Sweyn had also prepared for the battle, which had been preassigned a time and place. Sweyn did not appear at the agreed time, and Harald thus sent home his non-professional soldiers ( bóndaherrinn ), which had made up half of his forces. When
20592-539: Was the most suitable landing place for a Norwegian invasion, he was more valuable to Harald. Details are limited, but it is suggested Tostig sent a fellow exile, Copsig , to meet with Harald in Norway and agree plans, while he remained in France. If correct, this would also have allowed Tostig to increase both their chances by simultaneously supporting an invasion by William, who also claimed the throne. In March or April 1066, Harald began assembling his fleet at Solund , in
20736-498: Was used for agriculture under the Storhamar farm, though the ruins of the cathedral, fortress, and lesser buildings became landmarks for centuries since then. The King made Hamarhus a feudal seat until 1649, when Frederick III transferred the property known as Hammer to Hannibal Sehested , making it private property. In 1716, the estate was sold to Jens Grønbech (1666–1734). With this, a series of construction projects started, and
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