Dagger

The standard secondary weapon for each Viking warrior, the dagger was an incredibly versatile weapon, granting an element of speed to the Viking's otherwise slow armament. In particular, the seax was a popular model that consisted of a symmetrical, straight blade of various lengths with a smooth, wooden hilt. Seax daggers such as this could also be used for everyday tasks like skinning animals and carving.

War of words

While it is true that Hardrada's reign was characterised by raiding, war and blood, he was also reportedly a sound diplomat and economist, and used his skills to bring a period of stability to Norway when much of Scandinavia was in turmoil. Two of the most notable examples of the king's ability to expand his empire by words rather than axe are, first, his arrangement of new international trade routes and deals - a decision that brought in much wealth to Norway, with deals struck with the Kievan Rus and the vast Byzantine Empire - and, second, his dissemination of Christianity throughout the lands of Norway. Indeed, Hardrada had been converted early to Christianity, and upon becoming king of Norway he implemented many policies geared towards promoting it - be that through direct communication or via the construction of churches and the reparation of existing ones.

Norwegian throne for himself. However, upon Olaf's return in 1030, Hardrada drummed up the support of 600 men from the Norwegian Uplands and joined with Olaf to take down Cnut. As such, on 29 July 1030, Hardrada took the fight to the Danish at the Battle of Stiklestad, fighting with his brother for control of his ancestors' country. Unfortunately, despite showing considerable military might on the battlefield, Hardrada was defeated by the far larger and stronger Danish army, with Olaf being killed in the fighting.

Hardrada barely escaped with his life, having been badly wounded in the melee. In fact, were it not for the covert help of his friend Rognvald Brusason - the future Earl of Orkney - Hardrada would never have reached the remote farmstead in eastern Norway that he did a few weeks after the battle, nor been able to recover from his serious wounds. A month went by, and with each passing day the reality of what had occurred became all the more apparent to Hardrada. He had let down his brother, father, nation and revered forefathers. He had been defeated at the first hurdle, part-crippled by a foreign invader that remained in control of his country. Unable to bear the guilt any longer, one month after his defeat Hardrada exiled himself to Sweden, journeying north over the mountains under the cover of darkness.

Over the following year, little is known of Hardrada's movements or activities, with not even the sagas of old recalling what transpired. All that is known today is that almost a year

Prince of plunder

The lands that felt Hardrada's wrath first-hand

Poiand

After being forced into exile after the Battle of Stiklestad and adopted by the peoples of the Kievan Rus, Harald undertook a series of raids against the Polish peoples of central Europe through 1030 to 1031, burning villages, raping their inhabitants and plundering them of all their worldly possessions.

Denmark

Once made King of Norway, Hardrada wished to re-establish his nephew's rule of Denmark, taking the control of the country back from Sweyn Estridsson. As such, starting in 1048, Hardrada led a vast plunder of Jutland and then in 1049 a pillaging and burning of Hedeby, at the time the most important Danish trade centre.

Britain

Prior to dying in the green and pleasant land of England, Hardrada and his fellow lords made numerous raiding excursions on the nation's shores, pillaging and burning towns along its north-eastern coast with high frequency. Under Hardrada's orders, the islands of Orkney, Shetland and the Hebrides were added to Norway's empire.

Three

Ruthless

Victories