Harald Hardrada, now sole king of Norway, …

Years: 1050 - 1050

Harald Hardrada, now sole king of Norway, also wants to reestablish Magnus's rule over Denmark, and in the long term probably seeks to restore Cnut the Great's North Sea Empire in its entirety.

While his first proposal to invade Denmark had fallen through, the next year Harald had embarked on what will turn into constant warfare against Sweyn II of Denmark, from 1048 almost yearly until 1064.

Similar to his campaigns (then together with Sweyn) against Magnus's rule in Denmark, most of his campaigns against Sweyn consist of swift and violent raids on the Danish coasts.

He had plundered Jutland in 1048, and in 1049 he pillages and burns Hedeby, at this time the most important Danish trade center, and one of the best protected and most populous Scandinavia towns, by sending several burning ships into the harbor.

Hedeby as a civil town will never recover from Harald's destruction, and will be left completely desolate after Slavic tribes loot what remains in 1066.

One of two conventional battles is set to be fought between the two kings later the same year, but according to Saxo Grammaticus, Sweyn's smaller army was so frightened when approached by the Norwegians that they chose to jump in the water trying to escape; most drowned.

Harald is victorious in most of the engagements, but he will never succeed in occupying Denmark.

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