Olaf I. (Denmark)
Olaf I. Hunger , dan . Oluf I. Hunger (* 1050 ; † August 18, 1095 ) was King of Denmark from July 10, 1086 until his death .
He was the illegitimate son of Sven II Estridsen . In 1080 he became Jarl of Jutland and during this time he constantly waged civil wars against his brother Knut IV. In 1085/86 he was captured.
After the violent death of his brother on July 10, 1086 in the church of St. Alban in Odense , Olaf succeeded him on the throne, although at that time he was still living in exile in Flanders . In the traditions he is described as greedy and unjust. His reign was overshadowed by bad harvests that caused peasant unrest and earned him the nickname "hunger".
He died in August 1095 under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Supporters of his murdered predecessor Knut IV claimed that the famine was a punishment from God. Olaf and his brothers Ubbe, Harald and Niels were originally allies against King Canute IV. Some of his opponents used this against him and blamed the king for the famine. It is speculated that he killed himself.
He was married to Ingegerd of Norway , daughter of King Harald III. Hardråde of Norway .
See also
Web links
- Danmarkshistorien.dk Aarhus Universitet
- Kongehuset.dk
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Canute IV. The saint |
King of Denmark 1086-1095 |
Erik I. Ejegod |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Olaf I. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Olaf I. Hunger |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | King of Denmark |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1050 |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 18, 1095 |