Harald Klak

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Harald ' Klak ' Halvdansson (b. 800 AD - d. 846 AD) was a Danish king born in Jutland which he ruled around 812-815 AD, and from 819-826 AD.

During the reign of Louis the Pious, the Frankish Empire had no effective fleet, and this made the coast of Friesland a weak point in the defence of his realm. In 826, Louis opened negotiations with Harald Klak. In these negotiations, Louis offered to give Harald parts of Friesland as a fief in return for Harald committing himself to defending the Frisian coastline against future Viking raids. The centre of his fief was located in northwestern Germany, west of Oldenburg.

In the Ingelheimer imperial palace in the year 826, Louis negotiated with King Harald Klak over unrest on the borders of the Franconia realm. Harald Klak and his attendants were received with all splendour in the imperial palace to Ingelheim and baptized on 24 June.

[edit] Ragnarssona þáttr

Ragnarssona þáttr informs that his two daughters married two grand-children of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (Ragnar Lodbrok's son).

Harald's daughter Thyra married Gorm the Old, the son of Harthacanute and grand-son to Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye. When Harald died, Gorm took his kingdom too.

Harald's daughter Ingeborg married Sigurd Hjort, the son of Aslaug who was the daughter of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.

Sigurd Hjort and Ingeborg had the children Guttorm and Ragnhild Sigurdsdotter. When his uncle king Fróði of Ringerike died, Sigurd went to Norway to succeed him as king.

Ragnarssona þáttr and Ynglinga saga relate that a berseker from Hadeland named Haki killed Sigurd, but lost a hand in the fight. Then Haki went to Sigurd's residence at Stein and took Sigurd's children Ragnhild and Guttorm. Haki returned with the children and all the loot to Hadeland. Before Haki recuperated from his wounds and could marry the 15 year old Ragnhild, she was captured a second time, by Halfdan the Black. Halfdan and Ragnhild were the parents of Harald Fairhair.