Battle of Svolder
1000 · Near the island of Svolder in the southwestern Baltic (the exact site is disputed: some place it near Rügen, others in the Øresund) · World · Medieval
Olaf's fleet was ambushed on its way home and its ships were taken one by one; Olaf leapt into the sea from the Long Serpent and died.
Belligerents
Kingdom of Norway
- Commanders
- Olaf Tryggvason
- Strength
- About 11 warships according to the sagas, with the Long Serpent as flagship
Danish-Swedish-Lade jarl coalition
- Commanders
- Sweyn Forkbeard, Olof Skötkonung, Eric Hakonarson, Jarl of Lade
- Strength
- About 70 warships according to the sagas
Background
Olaf Tryggvason seized the Norwegian throne in 995 CE and forcefully imposed Christianity, making enemies of Sweyn of Denmark and Olof of Sweden; the Jarls of Lade, whom Olaf had stripped of power, also awaited a chance for revenge. In c. 1000, as Olaf was sailing home from the land of the Wends, the coalition laid an ambush at Svolder.
Course of the battle
- Laying an ambushThe coalition fleet hid behind the island, waiting for Olaf's fleet to pass.
- Boarding meleeOlaf lashed his ships together in a line with ropes to meet the attack; the coalition assaulted them one after another, and the outer ships fell in turn.
- Fall of the Long SerpentJarl Eric's flagship came alongside the Long Serpent and forced a boarding; Olaf and his retainers leapt into the sea, and the Norwegian fleet was destroyed.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1000 |
|---|---|
| Place | Near the island of Svolder in the southwestern Baltic (the exact location is disputed; one view places it near Rügen, another in the Øresund) |
| Result | Olaf's fleet was ambushed on its way home and its ships were taken one by one; Olaf leapt into the sea from the Long Serpent and died. |
| Winner | Danish-Swedish-Lade jarl coalition |
| Casualties | No precise records exist. |
| Territorial change | Norway was divided among the victors, and Jarl Eric and others ruled it under the suzerainty of the King of Denmark until Olaf II restored the kingdom in 1015. |
Impact
The battle ended the reign of Norway's first Christianizing monarch; its story, handed down through Snorri's Heimskringla, became one of the most famous naval legends of Scandinavia.
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