Dr. Wayne Bartlett

Whereas Harold, of course, is very rich.

So he's bringing wealth and he's bringing international prestige as well.

Harold by now is like an international figure, you know, well known across much of Europe.

So he brings that cachet to the agreement.

This agreement was made.

They became joint kings.

But that arrangement didn't actually last too long because maybe after a year, no more than two years, Magnus is taken ill and suddenly dies.

Still a fairly young man.

Harald then, by default, becomes the king of Norway and indeed Denmark without any kind of sharing with Magnus.

You might think there's a little bit of funny business going on with Magnus dying so conveniently, if that's the right way of putting at it, and leaving the throne clear of any rivals.

There's no actual real evidence to say that happened, but of course, one always has to be a little bit suspicious, as modern police would be when someone has a motive.

You're always likely to be a bit of a suspect in those circumstances.

Well, I think that's a very interesting question because I would say he has a degree of significance, but he would certainly not be the most significant king in terms of shaping the country.

At the time, for example, Olaf, his half-brother, his dead half-brother,

would probably have been a much more significant influence because he kind of reinforced Christianity in the country and he became a figurehead.

Ironically, he was much more effective when he was dead than when he was alive, which sometimes, unfortunately for some, is the case.

So I think Harold was kind of more like a typical, if extreme, example of the Scandinavian king of the time.

He was pretty ruthless.

He was very much primarily interested in his own personal ambitions and well-being.

So I'd say he maybe strengthened things which had already started, but I wouldn't have said in terms of his place in Norwegian history and of the Norwegian crown, he was by any means the decisive figure.