General Notes

Alias:<ALIA> Harald /Fairhair/, Hairbeauty or Luva
According to Tom Bjornstad, Norwegian genealogist
(http://home.ringnett.no/bjornstad/royals/Norway.html):
"King Harald I Harfagre also known as "Harald Fairhair" the first to
unify Norway as one kingdom."  "Harold Fairhair's reign is officially
recognized as the period 865-933, but this is likely wrong.  Modern
studies of the history in Scandinavia reveals approximately 890 AD to be
a more correct date to the Battle of Hafrsfjord.  On this base we believe
he must have died in approximately 940 AD.  Harold Fairhair is recognized
as the first king of all Norway."
From "The building of a nation"
(http://home.ringnett.no/bjornstad/royals/into.html):
"The history of Norway as a nation begins more or less with the Battle of
Hafrsfjord in approximately 890 AD, a battle that was won by Harold
Fairhair (Harald Harfagre).  By winning this battle he managed to unite
Norway in one kingdom, as the first absolute monarch in all of
Scandinavia, though the process to fulfill it did certainly last a lot
longer.  Harold Fairhair was, according to the folk tales known as the
Nordic Sagas, the son of Halvdan the Black and his second wife, Asa of
Agder.  Final proof of Harold Fairhair's existence do not exist, but it
is highly probable due to proof of several of his sons existence.  The
most famous being Eirik Blood-axe, the last Viking king of York, who was
killed in the Battle of Stainmore in 954 AD.  For a short time he had
also been a kind of over king back in Norway, but he was expelled due to
his ruggedness.  Also Hakon the Good, half brother of Eirik, is well
known.  He succeeded to the throne of Norway in approximately 938/9 AD. 
He was also called Hakon Aethelstan-foster, because he was supposedly
brought up by the Royal Court of Aethelstan, King of England (924-939),
to whom Harold Fairhair had sent him after a previous episode between the
two kings."
From Norway. Sigvart Sorensen. New York. 1899: "Note: He was 10 years old
when he became King.  He asked for the hand of Princess Gyda Eriksson,
but was turned down as she wanted a king who made the whole of Norway
subject to him. So Harald gathered an army and took over the north and
west of Norway in 872 and was acknowledged as the King of Norway.  He
then married Gyda. He instituted taxes on land and possessions and placed
an Earl over deach district to collect taxes, administer justice, and
serve the king with 60 warriors in case of war.  Many objected and left
for the Faroe Islands, Scottish Islands and Iceland.  Harald, therefore
took over the Orkney and Shetland Islands.  He had six wives and many
sons and when 80 years old became weak and turned the government over to
son, Erik.  He died three years later and is buried in a mound at Hauge
near Haugesand in Ryfylke.
Some sources list his birth in 858.