HARALD M. (surnamed ITAARDRAAM or king of Norway (1047-61), was the son of Sigurd, chief of Stiugarige, and a descendant of Harald I. In his boy hood, he was present at the battle of Sticklestad, in which his brother Oiaf, surnamed the saint, king of Norway, was slain; and he afterwards sought an asylum at the ootirt of his relative, Jaroslav, duke of Russia, whose daughter he sought in marriage, The rejection of his suit, however, again drove him forth, and he entered upon romantic adventures; and having gone to Constantinople, and become capt. of the Vterintzjar, or Scandinavian body-guard of the Greek emperors, he experienced many marvelous adven tures, which have supplied abundant materials for the narratives of the older sagas and modern romances of the north. Harald took part in the expedition against the pirates of the Mediterranean; visited Jerusalem, where lie fought successfully against the Saracens, whom he also defeated in Sicily and Africa in 18 pitched battles. On his return to Constantinople, he drew upon himself the vengeance of the empress Zoe, whose proffered love lie had rejected, and with difficulty escaped from the prison into which he had been thrown, on pretense of treason. Having made good his escape, be
returned to Russia, married the daughter of duke Jaroslav, and took her with him to, Norway, where his nephew, Magnus (the son of St. Olaf), agreed to divide the supreme power with him, in return for a share of his treasures. The death of Magnus in 1011 left hint sole king of Norway. His unruly spirit would not, however, suffer him to rest; and in opposition to the pledge he had given his dying nephew, b.e entered iuto% war to dethrone the king of Denmark, on whose crown he had no just claim. Although he was successful in battle against the Danes, he gained no real advantages by the con test; and in 1064 he recognized the right of Svend, the nephew to the throne of Denmark, and having concluded a peace, occupied himself for a -time with the internal affairs of Norway. In. 1066 he landed in England to aid Tostig against his brother Harold, king of England, but was slain in battle; his followers, after having fought with desperation, were obliged to retreat to their ships, in which they sailed for Norway, under the command of Olaf, the son. of the slain monarch (Sept. 25, 1066).