20.0 THE REIGN OF KING HARDE GONE

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CHAPTER TWENTY

THE REIGN OF KING HARDE GONE (Circa 934-936 AD)


"Adam (of Bremen) then relates that after Sigtrygg reigned a short time,

Hardegon, son of Sweyn, (he was father of Svein 'the Old') came from

"Northmannia" the "land of the Northmen (Denmark)." Hardegon deposed

King Sigtrygg, and then ruled unopposed for approximately thirty years (20).

Hardegon is often equated with the 'Harthacnut' legend (Hardegon IS the

Harde Knute legend), but some historians, instead, have concluded that

Hardegon is distinct."                                                                                                

Wiki Notes on Adam of Bremen


Indian Band with Sestar (Early Guitar)

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Indian Band with Sestar (Early Guitar)


(934-936 AD)  When King Ivar had failed to winter in either Denmark or Northumbria, King Athelstan of Wessex decided it was time to consolidate England under one king and he took an army north and drove Sihtric Ui Imair out of York. Rather than confront the superior force, Sihtric loaded his Irish and Danish troops into ships and sailed his fleet back to the Ui Imair of Waterford. He then joined up with the Danish merchant fleet that was heading out for Denmark with the young Irish slaves that had been providing the Hraes' Trading Company with record profits for the past two years. In York, Prince Ragnar and his sister, Princess Hraegunhild, carried on business as usual at their Hraes' trading station in York Castle. King Athelstan likewise allowed the Hraes' trading station in London to prosper, apparently encouraging Viking commerce while discouraging Viking conquest. Jarl Biorn of Bamburgh locked up his half legion within his castle, awaiting a siege that never came, so he just carried on with business as usual with the Hraes' of York and the new English leaders there.

Sihtric had expected to find King Ivar wintering in Liere, but when he arrived there he learned that Ivar had wintered in Kiev. Queen Blaeja of Denmark and her son, young Prince Gorm, were organizing the gathering and supply of the fleet and soon it was working its way across the Baltic, up the Dvina and down the Dnieper to Kiev.

Sihtric and his corps of young officers landed at the main quay of Kiev and went straight to King Frodi's palace and requested a meeting with King Ivar. He came down immediately and welcomed his York commander.

"York has fallen to the English," Sihtric told his king.

"So I've heard," Ivar said as he sat upon his shield between four of the largest men Sihtric had ever seen. He had seen them before, of course, but he had been familiar with seeing them last year. Seeing them suddenly, unexpectedly, they seemed larger than life. He was envious of Ivar's handicap. 'He wears it well,' he conceded mentally.

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