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Eric Anundsson
Eric Anundsson or Eymundsson was a semi-legendary Swedish king who supposedly ruled during the 9th century. The Norse sagas describe him as successful in extending his realm over the Baltic Sea, but unsuccessful in his attempts of westward expansion. There is no near-contemporary evidence for his existence, the sources for his reign dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. These sources, Icelandic sagas, are generally not considered reliable sources for the periods and events they describe.
Controversially, older Swedish historians have identified Eric with another legendary Swedish king, Erik Weatherhat, who is mentioned in some medieval king-lists as the predecessor of Eric the Victorious. However, Saxo Grammaticus identifies Erik Weatherhat with another figure, a son of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok.
He is given as the son of Anund Uppsale in the Hervarar saga (13th century):
However, the Eric who was contemporary with Harald Fairhair is called Eymundsson by Snorri Sturluson. Since the preceding king Anund is often identified with an Anund who flourished in the 840s and is mentioned by other sources (Rimbert and Adam of Bremen), Anundsson is probably the correct form of the patronym. The names Eymund and Anund were equivalent enough for the later king Anund Jacob to be called Emund (Eymund), in the Westrogothic law. Consequently, Eric's patronym would not be the only instance where the two names were confused.
According to Hervarar saga, he was preceded by his father Anund Uppsale and uncle Björn at Hauge, and later on succeeded by Björn (the father of Eric the Victorious and Olof Björnsson). Landnámabók informs that Eric and his son Björn ruled during the time of the Pope Adrian II and Pope John VIII, i.e. in the period 867–883, the time of the first settlement of Iceland. Harald Fairhair's saga relates that Erik died when Harald Fairhair had been king of all Norway for ten years. Traditionally this would indicate 882, but Harald's ascent to power is nowadays believed to have occurred later, in the 880s or c. 900.
Erik is mentioned in several places in the Heimskringla. In the saga of Olaf Haraldsson, Thorgny Lawspeaker relates:
In Harald Fairhair's saga, Snorri Sturluson relates that Eric also wanted to extend Sweden westwards and to make a kingdom for himself as large as that of the Swedish king Sigurd Hring and his son Ragnar Lodbrok (i.e. Raumarike, Vingulmark and Westfold all the way to the island of Grenmar). Thus he conquered Värmland and all the land south of Svinesund (modern Bohuslän) and claimed the shores of Viken as his own, naming it all West Götaland. He placed Hrane Gautske (Hrane the Geat) as Jarl of the land between Svinesund and Göta älv. In these territories the people accepted Erik as their king.
When King Harald Fairhair arrived at Tønsberg (in Viken, and at the time a trading town) from Trondheim, he learnt of this and became very angry. He assembled the ting at Fold and accused the people of treason, after which some had to accept his rule, while others were punished. He then spent the summer forcing Viken and Raumarike to accept his rule.
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Eric Anundsson
Eric Anundsson or Eymundsson was a semi-legendary Swedish king who supposedly ruled during the 9th century. The Norse sagas describe him as successful in extending his realm over the Baltic Sea, but unsuccessful in his attempts of westward expansion. There is no near-contemporary evidence for his existence, the sources for his reign dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. These sources, Icelandic sagas, are generally not considered reliable sources for the periods and events they describe.
Controversially, older Swedish historians have identified Eric with another legendary Swedish king, Erik Weatherhat, who is mentioned in some medieval king-lists as the predecessor of Eric the Victorious. However, Saxo Grammaticus identifies Erik Weatherhat with another figure, a son of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok.
He is given as the son of Anund Uppsale in the Hervarar saga (13th century):
However, the Eric who was contemporary with Harald Fairhair is called Eymundsson by Snorri Sturluson. Since the preceding king Anund is often identified with an Anund who flourished in the 840s and is mentioned by other sources (Rimbert and Adam of Bremen), Anundsson is probably the correct form of the patronym. The names Eymund and Anund were equivalent enough for the later king Anund Jacob to be called Emund (Eymund), in the Westrogothic law. Consequently, Eric's patronym would not be the only instance where the two names were confused.
According to Hervarar saga, he was preceded by his father Anund Uppsale and uncle Björn at Hauge, and later on succeeded by Björn (the father of Eric the Victorious and Olof Björnsson). Landnámabók informs that Eric and his son Björn ruled during the time of the Pope Adrian II and Pope John VIII, i.e. in the period 867–883, the time of the first settlement of Iceland. Harald Fairhair's saga relates that Erik died when Harald Fairhair had been king of all Norway for ten years. Traditionally this would indicate 882, but Harald's ascent to power is nowadays believed to have occurred later, in the 880s or c. 900.
Erik is mentioned in several places in the Heimskringla. In the saga of Olaf Haraldsson, Thorgny Lawspeaker relates:
In Harald Fairhair's saga, Snorri Sturluson relates that Eric also wanted to extend Sweden westwards and to make a kingdom for himself as large as that of the Swedish king Sigurd Hring and his son Ragnar Lodbrok (i.e. Raumarike, Vingulmark and Westfold all the way to the island of Grenmar). Thus he conquered Värmland and all the land south of Svinesund (modern Bohuslän) and claimed the shores of Viken as his own, naming it all West Götaland. He placed Hrane Gautske (Hrane the Geat) as Jarl of the land between Svinesund and Göta älv. In these territories the people accepted Erik as their king.
When King Harald Fairhair arrived at Tønsberg (in Viken, and at the time a trading town) from Trondheim, he learnt of this and became very angry. He assembled the ting at Fold and accused the people of treason, after which some had to accept his rule, while others were punished. He then spent the summer forcing Viken and Raumarike to accept his rule.