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EncyclopediaHarold IIIHarold III or Harold Hardrada (härdrä'du) [key], Norse Harald Harðráði [Harold stern council], d. 1066, king of Norway (1046–66), half brother of Olaf II. After Olaf's defeat (1030), Harold went to serve Zoë, the Byzantine empress, in campaigns against the Seljuk Turks, but he returned (1042) to Scandinavia to join the revolt against Magnus I. Made joint king in 1046, he became sole king at Magnus's death in 1047 and engaged in the turbulent warfare of the time. In 1066 he accompanied Tostig, the exiled earl of Northumbria, on an invasion of N England. At the same time, William of Normandy was preparing an invasion of S England. The hard-pressed king of the English, Harold, defeated the Norse invasion at Stamford Bridge; both Harold III and Tostig fell in the battle. However, the way had been prepared for the Norman victory at Hastings. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. More on Harold III from Infoplease:
- Harold Hardrada - Harold Hardrada: Harold Hardrada: see Harold III.
- Tostig - Tostig Tostig , d. 1066, earl of Northumbria; son of Earl Godwin of Wessex. He was banished with ...
- Magnus I - Magnus I Magnus I (Magnus the Good), 1024–47, king of Norway (1035–47) and Denmark ...
- Harold - Harold Harold, 1022?–1066, king of England (1066). The son of Godwin, earl of Wessex, he ...
- Olaf II - Olaf II Olaf II (Saint Olaf), c.995–1030, king of Norway (1015–28). He is also called ...
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