Which Norwegian king died at the Battle of Svolder in 1000?

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Which Norwegian king died at the Battle of Svolder in 1000? Olaf Tryggvason did.

Olaf Tryggvason, king of Norway from about 995 to 1000, was defeated at the Battle of Svolder, a major naval engagement in the Baltic region. He faced an alliance involving Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, Olaf Skötkonung of Sweden, and the Norwegian jarl Eirik Hákonarson.

The battle ended Olaf’s reign and helped divide control of Norway among the victorious powers and their allies. Later saga accounts describe his flagship, Ormr inn Langi—the Long Serpent—as the last ship captured. Olaf is said to have leapt overboard and disappeared, although the precise circumstances of his death are uncertain.

The year 1000 is accepted by the principal sources, while the exact location is disputed; proposed settings include the Øresund and waters near the island of Rügen. Olaf is remembered not only for Svolder but also for his forceful promotion of Christianity in Norway and the wider Norse world.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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