Medieval Norway
King Hakon the Good, baptized while at the English court, he brought a new faith to Norway. He tried to introduce it in his kingdom with the help of missionaries brought from Britain, and also an English bishop. Its success, however, turned out to be rather limited, especially in Trondheim, where the subjects were completely busy drinking and toasting to the gods of Torah, Odyna to Frei (Pór, Odinn, Freyra). Although the missionaries eventually managed to replace the names of the gods with those of Catholic saints, they failed to eradicate the pagan practices of blood sacrifice. After the defeat and death of Hakon the Good, St. 960 r., Christianity in Norway has disappeared without a trace.
A new wave of Christianization began during the reign of King Olaf Tryggvason, that is Olaf I., vikinga, who converted to Christianity in England and as a "good Viking."” he recognized, that the only effective means of converting fellow countrymen to true faith will be the use of force. Olaf's fall was caused by his would-be wife, Queen Siegfried (Sigrid) Swedish. Olaf annulled the marriage contract, because Sigrid refused to convert to Christianity. The Queen married a pagan king, Sven Widłbeard from Denmark, the latter defeated Olaf in the great sea battle in the Baltic Sea (Olaf died in it), and then took over government in Norway.
The final victory of Christianity in Norway was sealed by King Olaf Haraldsson, that is Olaf II, who also adopted the Christian faith in England. Olaf and his Vikings united with King Ethelred and managed to save London from the attack of the Danes led by Sven Forkbeard – they stopped the invaders, destroying the London Bridge (this event is commemorated by the popular song London Bńdge is Falling Down). King Olaf II contributed to the building of 995 r. Hardanger's first Christian church in Mosterhamn on the island of Bomlo. On the foundations of this temple in the 12th century. a stone church was built. W 1995 r. it celebrated the thousandth anniversary of Christianity in Norway. Olaf made sure that the Church in Norway became independent (1024 r.), and even managed to embed Christianity among the wayward people of Nidaros (Trondheim).
Meanwhile, King Knut the Great of Denmark, striving to annex Norway, w 1028 r. invaded the country and forced King Olaf to flee. Although, Olaf returned after the death of the governor appointed by Knut, however in 1030 r.( during the general peasant uprising in the land of Trandelag, he died in the decisive Battle of Stiklestad. For Christians it was a martyr's death, the king was soon canonized. The magnificent Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim is actually a monument in honor of Olaf. Until the Reformation, pilgrimages from all over Europe came to it (tooth. box in the Twnde-lag chapter). Olaf not only entered the group of saints; above all, he provided Norway with enduring national awareness and the status of an independent kingdom.
After the short reign and death of Knut the Great, Norway, a country then semi-autonomous, four generations of kings ruled. One of them, Harald III (Harald Hardrida, called Harald the Fierce), stepbrother of St.. Olaf, ventured as far as the Mediterranean. Then in 1066 r. began a disastrous invasion of England. Disastrous, because the king lost the Battle of Stamford Bridge (Interestingly, a few months later William the Conqueror of Normandy managed to conquer England in a very similar way). Three cities were established at that time: w 1043 r. Harald III founded Oslo, a ok. year 1070 King Olaf the Peaceful (0low Kyrre) – Bergen and Stavanger.