Harald Kesja, ''Harald the Spear'',A ''kesja'' is in fact an unidentified weapon, probably a

polearm A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, thereby extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantl ...

which may have included some kind of hook in addition to the spear blade. See ''

Viking halberd The term "halberd" has been used to translate several Old Norse words relating to polearms in the context of Viking Age arms and armour, and in scientific literature about the Viking Age. In referring to the Viking Age weapon, the term "halberd" i ...

''. (1080–1135) was the son of

Eric I of Denmark Eric I ( – 10 July 1103), also known as Eric the Good ( da, Erik Ejegod), was King of Denmark following his brother Olaf I of Denmark, Olaf I Hunger in 1095. He was a son of Sweyn II of Denmark, Sweyn II. His mother's identity is unknown. He ...

and anti-king of Denmark. He acted as regent 1103-1104 for his father while he was on pilgrimage to Jerusalem alongside Archbishop

Asser of Lund Asser (or Ascer) Thorkilsen ( 1089 – 5 May 1137), a son of Thorkil (Svend) Thrugotsen and his wife Inge, was the Bishop of Lund from 1089, and then the first Archbishop of Lund List of (arch)bishops of Lund. Until the Danish Reformation th ...

. As regent, he was courageous, but violent, cruel and debauched. Harald plundered far and wide from his stronghold

Haraldsborg Haraldsborg is a historic property located close to Roskilde Fjord in northeastern Roskilde, Denmark. , it is being converted into a Christmas seal home for socially challenged children. History Harald's fortress According to Saxo Grammaticus, ...

Roskilde Roskilde ( , ) is a city west of Copenhagen on the Danish island of Zealand. With a population of 51,916 (), the city is a business and educational centre for the region and the 10th largest city in Denmark. It is governed by the administrative ...

, which greatly contributed to him not being elected king after his father died in 1103. Instead, his uncle Niels of Denmark was elected king in 1104. In 1132, he allied with his half-brother Eric Emune in order to avenge his third brother

Canute Lavard Canute Lavard ( Danish: Knud Lavard; cognate with English Lord) (12 March 1096 – 7 January 1131) was a Danish prince. Later he was the first Duke of Schleswig and the first border prince who was both a Danish and a German vassal, a position ...

, but he later turned to the murderer

Magnus I of Sweden Magnus the Strong ( sv, Magnus Nilsson; da, Magnus Nielsen Bricka, Carl Frederik, ''Dansk Biografisk Lexikon'', vol. XI aar – Müllner 1897, pp.45Available online/ref>) (about 1106 – 4 June 1134 in the Battle of Fotevik) was a Danish duke wh ...

because he had desires for the Danish throne himself. He tried to gain recognition as king and was successful in receiving the homage of Jutland, but he was defeated along with Magnus Nilsson at the

Battle of Fotevik Battle of Fotevik ( da, Slaget ved Fodevig) was fought between forces of King Niels of Denmark and his son Magnus Nilsson, against those of Erik Emune on 4 June 1134 at the bay of Fotevik in Skåne. At his death, King Eric I of Denmark h ...

Skåne Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous with Skåne C ...

, 1134. He fled after the defeat but he was taken captive near

Vejle Vejle () is a city in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle River and Grejs River and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality ('' kommune'') and the R ...

Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

and decapitated together with eight of his sons. Harald Kesja had married to Ragnild Magnusdotter, the daughter of King

Magnus III of Norway Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Olavsson''; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: ''Magnús berfœttr'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Berrføtt''), was King of Norway (being Mag ...

. They had four or six sons: * Björn Haraldsen Ironside (d. 1134), married

Katarina Ingesdotter Catherine of Sweden (Swedish: ''Katarina Ingesdotter''; fl. 1110) was a Swedish princess who married the Danish prince Bjørn Haraldsen Ironside. Life Catherine was the daughter of King Inge the Elder of Sweden and Queen Helena. She was the siste ...

, the daughter of

Inge I of Sweden Inge the Elder ( Swedish: ''Inge Stenkilsson''; Old Norse: ''Ingi Steinkelsson''; died c. 1105–1110) was a king of Sweden. In English literature he has also been called ''Ingold''. While scant sources do not allow us to paint a full picture of ...

. and the father of

Christina of Denmark Christina of Denmark ( da, Christine af Danmark; November 1521 – 10 December 1590) was a Danish princess, the younger surviving daughter of King Christian II of Denmark and Norway and Isabella of Austria. By her two marriages, she became Du ...

, a Swedish queen. He accidentally drowned with his brother Eric in 1134 near Schleswig, could have been illegitimate son. *Eric Haraldsen (d. 1134), was a deacon. He accidentally drowned with his brother Björn in 1134 near Schleswig, could have been illegitimate son. *Magnus Haraldsen (d. 4 June 1134), killed at the

. *

Olaf Haraldsen Olaf Haraldsen (died ) was a Danish anti-king who ruled Scania for a few years from 1139. He never won control over the rest of Denmark, and he is not included in the list of Danish monarchs used by the Danish monarchy or ''Den Store Danske Encykl ...

(d. 1143), ruled Skåne in opposition to King

Eric III of Denmark Eric III Lamb ( da, Erik III Lam, – 27 August 1146) was the King of Denmark from 1137 until 1146. He was the grandson of Eric I of Denmark and the nephew of Eric II of Denmark, whom he succeeded on the throne. He abdicated in 1146, as th ...

; he was defeated and killed in 1143. *Canute Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Harald Haraldsen, killed in 1135. Harald Kesja had also further nine illegitimate sons of whom we know the names of six of them: *Sivard Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Eric Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Sweyn Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Niels Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Benedict Haraldsen, killed in 1135. *Mistivint Haraldsen, killed in 1135.

Ancestry

Notes and references

1080 births 1135 deaths House of Estridsen Pretenders to the Danish throne Executed royalty People executed by Denmark by decapitation Executed Danish people Illegitimate children of Danish monarchs Sons of kings {{Denmark-bio-stub