Halfdan "Swarti" GUDRODSSON

   Research Notes:

Halfdan "the Black"

The Ynglinga Saga names Halfdan as son of Gudröd "the Hunter" and his second wife. The Historia Norwegie names "Halfdanus…Niger" as son and successor of "Guthrodum Regem Venatorem", recording that he died after falling through the ice while travelling across a frozen lake "Rond". Snorre recounts that, after his father's death, his mother took Halfdan to Agder where he became king when aged eighteen, at which time he went to Vestfold and divided that kingdom with his half-brother Olaf.

He extended his domain to other parts of eastern Norway, probably also to the Sognefjord area on the west coast. He died, aged 40, after falling through the ice while riding over Rykinsvik bight. According to the Saga of Halfdan the Black, different districts claimed the honour of being Halfdan's burial place, and to satisfy all of them his body was divided into four parts and buried in Raumarik, Ringarik, Hedmark and Vestfold.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORWAY.htm#_ftnref37

   Marriage Information:

Halfdan married Ragnhild HARALDSDÓTTIR, daughter of Harald "Gullskiegg", King at Sogn and Selware.

   Marriage Information:

Halfdan also married Ragnhild SIGURDSDÓTTIR, daughter of Sigurd "Hjort" HELGASSON and Ingibjorg "Thyrne" HARALDSDÓTTIR, about 849 in Norway. (Ragnhild SIGURDSDÓTTIR was born about 830 in Ringerike, Buskerud, Norway.)

   Marriage Notes:

Snorre records the second marriage of Halfdan "the Black" and Ragnhild, daughter of Sigurd "Hjort" king at Ringerike. He records that Ragnild's father was the son of Helge "Hvasse/the Sharp" and his wife Aslaug, daughter of Sigurd "the Worm-eyed" (son of Ragnar "Lodbrok"), and that her mother was the daughter of "Klakharald king in Jutland" and a sister of Thyre "Dannebod" who married the Danish king Gorm "the Old".