Haakon I (Old Norse: Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri), (ca. 920–961), surnamed the
Good, was the third king of Norway and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair.

Haakon was fostered by King Athelstan of England, as part of a peace agreement
made by his father. The English king brought him up in the Christian
religion, and on the news of his father’s death provided him with ships and
men for an expedition against his half-brother Eirik Bloodaxe, who had been
proclaimed king. On his arrival in Norway, Haakon gained the support of the
landowners by promising to give up the rights of taxation claimed by his
father over inherited real property.

Eirik fled and thereafter concentrated his efforts in the British Isles,
eventually meeting a violent end there. His sons allied themselves with the
Danes, but were invariably defeated by Haakon, who was successful in
everything he undertook except in his attempt to introduce Christianity, which
aroused an opposition he did not feel strong enough to face. He was mortally
wounded at the Battle of Fitjar in 961, after a final victory over Eirik’s
sons. So entirely did even his immediate circle ignore his religion that
Eyvindr Skáldaspillir, his court poet composed a poem, Hákonarmál, on his
death representing his welcome by the heathen gods into Valhalla.

The succession issue was settled as Harald II, third son of Eirik, ascended
the throne. However the Norwegians were severely tormented by years of war and
welcomed the Danish invading force led by Harold Bluetooth.

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