HAAKON I, The Good
From the age of ten, King Haakon was sent abroad to England to be educated by King Athelstan, who was a significant ruler at the time. Up until then he had spent his childhood years at Seim, brought up by his mother Thora Mostaff. When his father, King Harald, passed, he returned to Norway for an attempt to take the kingdom from his brother Eric Bloodaxe, in which he succeeded.
On his return, Haakon was still young, yet highly scholared. He had also found faith in the Christian Church, which gave rise to a different approach as a ruler than that of his predecessors of Norse upbringing.
As king, Haakon was exeptionally meek, emphatic and just, and the people of Norway loved him for it. They gave him the epithet ”The Good” whilst he was still alive – which in itself was quite extraordinary.
Haakon died from a battle-wound after an attack by his brother Eric’s sons at Fitjar in 961, but he was shipped back to his homevillage, Seim, to be buried here. In 1958 a large tumulus was created in his memory, after an archaeological excavation had found several objects dated to his era of time.
Seim village is full of historical findings proving it has been an important place of settlement from very early ages of history.
One of the most significant and recent findings was made during an excavation at Spurkeland Vikingfarm in 2014, when an archaelogist-team concluded we had found the grave of a very rich lady of high rank, that is believed to have lived and operated within the same timespan and social circles as Harald Fairhair!
Suggested agendas for groups:
Full day - Experience the Viking age and "King Haakon the Good"
From the age of ten, King Haakon was sent abroad to England to be educated by King Athelstan, who was a significant ruler at the time. Up until then he had spent his childhood years at Seim, brought up by his mother Thora Mostaff. When his father, King Harald, passed, he returned to Norway for an attempt to take the kingdom from his brother Eric Bloodaxe, in which he succeeded.
On his return, Haakon was still young, yet highly scholared. He had also found faith in the Christian Church, which gave rise to a different approach as a ruler than that of his predecessors of Norse upbringing.
As king, Haakon was exeptionally meek, emphatic and just, and the people of Norway loved him for it. They gave him the epithet ”The Good” whilst he was still alive – which in itself was quite extraordinary.
Haakon died from a battle-wound after an attack by his brother Eric’s sons at Fitjar in 961, but he was shipped back to his homevillage, Seim, to be buried here. In 1958 a large tumulus was created in his memory, after an archaeological excavation had found several objects dated to his era of time.
Seim village is full of historical findings proving it has been an important place of settlement from very early ages of history.
One of the most significant and recent findings was made during an excavation at Spurkeland Vikingfarm in 2014, when an archaelogist-team concluded we had found the grave of a very rich lady of high rank, that is believed to have lived and operated within the same timespan and social circles as Harald Fairhair!
Suggested agendas for groups:
Full day - Experience the Viking age and "King Haakon the Good"