King of Sweden. Belonging to the ancient line of Swealand rulers here collectively called the Upsala Dynasty, he was born around 980 as the elder son of King Eric the Victorious and (probably) Queen Gunnilda, originally a Polish princess (see Eric his father). He has been speculatively counted as Olaf V of Sweden and was also called Olaf the Swedish. His better known epithet of Scotking is derived from his being the first to impose some sort of taxes, or scots (as in scot free), upon the people, income derived from an ancient ceremony where scotting was to place a parcel of earth on the lap of a new owner of land rights. (The Irish tribe of Scots, as in Scotland, was also named for it.) He minted Sweden's first coins and founded the important old town of Sigtuna, where he built a castle now long gone. He was his southern neighbor's ally and with King Swain I Forkbeard of Denmark conquered and divided up neighboring Norway, but soon again lost this territory. Olaf was the first king of Sweden baptized a Christian, whether out of mortal fear or devout conviction we do not know. He appointed the kingdom's first bishop, Thurgood, while active in the more southern province of West Gothland. The King may eventually have felt more comfortable down there than up north around Sigtuna and Upsala, where the old Norse religion was still strong among men of wealth and power. His Queen Estrith was of Slavic descent from Mecklenburg, Germany. They had one son, the future King Anwynd James (Anund Jakob), given an old Norse name until he was christened when the biblical second name was added for the sake of necessary diplomacy. A daughter Ingigarth married Great Prince Yaroslav I the Wise of Kiev (Ukraine). With an official concubine Lady Ethel (Edla) from Lusatia, King Olaf also had a son, the future King Edmund the Old, and a daughter Aestrith (Astrid), later Queen as married to King Olaf II the Holy of Norway. His and Estrith's place of burial is just west of Saint Sigfrid’s Spring at Husaby, where their whole family had been christened.
King of Sweden. Belonging to the ancient line of Swealand rulers here collectively called the Upsala Dynasty, he was born around 980 as the elder son of King Eric the Victorious and (probably) Queen Gunnilda, originally a Polish princess (see Eric his father). He has been speculatively counted as Olaf V of Sweden and was also called Olaf the Swedish. His better known epithet of Scotking is derived from his being the first to impose some sort of taxes, or scots (as in scot free), upon the people, income derived from an ancient ceremony where scotting was to place a parcel of earth on the lap of a new owner of land rights. (The Irish tribe of Scots, as in Scotland, was also named for it.) He minted Sweden's first coins and founded the important old town of Sigtuna, where he built a castle now long gone. He was his southern neighbor's ally and with King Swain I Forkbeard of Denmark conquered and divided up neighboring Norway, but soon again lost this territory. Olaf was the first king of Sweden baptized a Christian, whether out of mortal fear or devout conviction we do not know. He appointed the kingdom's first bishop, Thurgood, while active in the more southern province of West Gothland. The King may eventually have felt more comfortable down there than up north around Sigtuna and Upsala, where the old Norse religion was still strong among men of wealth and power. His Queen Estrith was of Slavic descent from Mecklenburg, Germany. They had one son, the future King Anwynd James (Anund Jakob), given an old Norse name until he was christened when the biblical second name was added for the sake of necessary diplomacy. A daughter Ingigarth married Great Prince Yaroslav I the Wise of Kiev (Ukraine). With an official concubine Lady Ethel (Edla) from Lusatia, King Olaf also had a son, the future King Edmund the Old, and a daughter Aestrith (Astrid), later Queen as married to King Olaf II the Holy of Norway. His and Estrith's place of burial is just west of Saint Sigfrid’s Spring at Husaby, where their whole family had been christened.
Bio by: Count Demitz
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