Eric I of Norway

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**Eirik Bloodaxe**

Reign	930-934
Queen	Gunnhild
Royal House	Fairhair dynasty
Father	Harald Fairhair
Mother	Ragnhild Eriksdotter
Issue	Gamle Guttorm Harald Greyhide Ragnfrød Ragnhild Erling Gudrød Sigurd Sleva
Date of Birth	c. 885
Place of Birth	unknown
Date of Death	954
Place of Death	Stainmore,Westmorland
Place of Burial	unknown

Eric Bloodaxe (Old Norse:Eiríkr blóðöx, Icelandic:Eiríkur blóðöx, Norwegian:Eirik Blodøks) (circa 885 – 954), was the second king of Norway (930-934) and the eldest son of his father Harald Fairhair. Once the power was in his hands, he began to quarrel with his other brothers and had four of them killed, including Bjørn Farmann and later Olaf and Sigrød. A Latin text describes him as fratris interfector (brother-slayer), and it is entirely conceivable that the "blood" component of his cognomen refers to his propensity for fratricide.

In 920, he undertook a Viking expedition to Bjarmaland, in northern Russia.

His youngest brother, Haakon returned from England and won support from the Norwegian nobles to oust Eric in 934; Eric's rule was hard and despotic, and this would account for the alacrity with which the nobles joined forces to oust him. After waging unsuccessful campaigns to regain the throne, Eric moved to the Orkney Islands and later to the Kingdom of Jorvik. He was initially met warmly by Athelstan, who made Eric ruler in Northumbria, with a brief to provide a defence against the ravages of the Scots, and the Irish. His rule in Northumbria soon degenerated, however, and he was expelled by the populace and betrayed by the earl of Bernicia, Osulf, to one Earl Maccus and killed in battle at Stainmore, Westmorland, in 954.