Olof Skötkonung (Old Icelandic: Óláfr sænski, Old Swedish: Olawær skotkonongær) was the son of Eric the Victorious and Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995.
One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather. This explanation is however not supported by...
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Olof Skötkonung (Old Icelandic: Óláfr sænski, Old Swedish: Olawær skotkonongær) was the son of Eric the Victorious and Sigrid the Haughty. He was born around 980 and he succeeded his father in 995.
One of many explanations to his Swedish name Skötkonung is that it means "tributary king" and one scholar speculates about a tributary relationship to the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who was his stepfather. This explanation is however not supported by any historical source.
Our knowledge of Olof is mostly based on Snorri Sturluson's and Adam of Bremen's accounts, which have been subject to criticism from source-critical scholars. But according to Adam of Bremen, Sweyn Forkbeard was forced to defend his Danish kingdom from attacks by Olof who claimed the Danish throne. The conflict was resolved by Sweyn's marriage with Olaf's mother and the two kings were thereafter allies. Also Snorri Sturluson describes Sweyn and Olof as equal allies when they defeated the Norwegian king Olav Tryggvason...
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