Parentage and Succession
Haraldr was the son of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of Mann and the Isles. The father and son were members of the Crovan dynasty of sea-kings who ruled the Isle of Mann (Mann) and parts of the Hebrides for almost two centuries, from the late 11th century to the mid 13th century. Although Óláfr is known to have had two wives, and no contemporaneous source names Haraldr's mother, she may have been Óláfr's second wife—Christina, daughter of Ferchar, Earl of Ross. Óláfr died in 1237, whereupon Haraldr succeeded to the kingship. According to the Chronicle of Mann, Haraldr was only 14 at the time, which would place his birth around the time when Óláfr married Christina. The chronicle states that during the first summer of his reign, Haraldr went into the Hebridean portion of his kingdom together with all of his nobles, and appointed his kinsman Lochlann to take control of Mann in his absence.
Read more about this topic: Harald Olafsson
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