Harald III (1015-1066), also spelled Harold III, was king of Norway. He gained fame as a military leader and adventurer. He became known as Harald Hårdråde, or hard ruler.
Harald Sigurdsson was the son of the king of Ringerike, a small kingdom in what is now southeastern Norway. In 1030, Harald fled Norway to escape his enemies, traveling to Sweden and Russia. In 1034, he joined the military forces of the Byzantine Empire, a powerful empire in southern and eastern Europe. With the Byzantine forces, Harald achieved great success as a commander in Sicily and the Middle East.
In 1046, Harald returned to Norway to share the rule of the country with his nephew King Magnus I. Magnus was the heir of Hardecanute (also spelled Harthacnut or Hardeknud), who had been king of both Denmark and England. Magnus died in 1047, and Harald became the sole ruler of Norway. Then Harald, as Magnus’s heir, claimed the Danish throne and later the English throne. Harald fought for 17 years to gain control of Denmark, but finally acknowledged its independence in 1064. He invaded England in 1066, but was killed on September 25 of that year in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, near the city of York. Harald founded the city of Oslo about 1050.
