Eric Bloodaxe (Old Norse:Eiríkr blóðöx, Icelandic:Eiríkur blóðöx, Norwegian:Eirik Blodøks) (circa 885 – 954), was the second king of Norway (930-934) and the eldest son of his father Harald Fairhair. Once the power was in his hands, he began to quarrel with his other brothers and had four of them killed, including Bjørn Farmann and later Olaf and Sigrødat the Battle of Tonsberg. A Latin text describes him as fratris interfector (brother-slayer), and it is entirely conceivable that the "blood" component of his cognomen refers to his propensity for fratricide.

In 920, he undertook a Viking expedition to Bjarmaland, in northern Russia. In 930, be began his conquest by sailing down the Dvina River into Russia. There he sacked the small trading port of Permina. In Denmark he was invited to a feast by King Gorm the Old, it was at this feast where he met Gunnhild and married the next night. In the next Spring he slaugther the combined forces of his brothers and regain his throne of Norway.

His youngest brother, Haakon, returned from England and won support from the Norwegian nobles to oust Eric in 934; Eric's rule was hard and despotic, and this would account for the alacrity with which the nobles joined forces to oust him. After waging unsuccessful campaigns to regain the throne, Eric moved to the Orkney Islands and later to the Kingdom of Jorvik. He was initially met warmly by Athelstan, who made Eric ruler in Northumbria, with a brief to provide a defence against the ravages of the Scots, and the Irish. His rule in Northumbria soon degenerated, however, and he was expelled by the populace and betrayed by the earl of Bernicia, Osulf, to one Earl Maccus and killed in battle at Steinmore, Westmorland, in 954along with his son,Haeric.

External links

• Eric Bloodaxe, King of Jorvik (York) and Northumbria (947-954)

Fairhair dynasty | Norwegian monarchs | 885 births | 954 deaths | Viking Age

Erik Blodøkse | Erik I. (Norwegen) | Éric Ier de Norvège | Erik I van Noorwegen | Eirik Blodøks | Eirik I av Noreg | Eerik Verikirves | Eryk Krwawy Topór | Erik Blodyx