The Ordway new era., 1906-06-01

king accepted the prnffered response
bilit.es, solemnly swore TO support Tho
constitution OF Norway, and us kins
Haason VII. became head of the ma
tion. His formal coronation take;
place June 22
Haakol Is a name that has honored
place in Norwegian history. and thai
this title should have been chosen IL
I significant OF Norway's national pride.
/ The wife Of Haakon VII. win be known
/ as Queen MaraEretha. another nams
\ highly honored in Norwegian history.
I II was Maragreiha 1353-lil2l whc
/ brought psnmark. Norway and Sweden
under ono rule. formed a great unIou
of al the northern countries The III
tie Aon of the present king and queen
the Norwsgians have requested shoulG
be called Olaf. a true Viking name.
Haakon VI and Maragretha had lit
Tie son O.af. who died when but ivc
years old, referred TO by a certain
writ as the least and last OF the
kings OF Norway"
King Haakon and Queen Mara
Eretha' How far away these namcI
seem from the twentieth century. this
modern machine age. They sugges,
old days pnd deeds, when Morse kings
wer. giants indecI and royal womor
We're other than mere fiGureheads. Let
us travel back through the centuries
and try TO catch some glimpse OF that
mysterious romantic past.
First l-t us speak OF Norway as e
great mother country, not big enough
to keep all her sons and daughters at
home. but sending them forth to help
people other ianis. TO Iceland. and
Normandy. and Greenland, to Scotland
and Ireland Let us pause TO eontem-
plate Ha-ald Fairhair. he who united
his ry under one head and made
a kingdC m OF ii. which Il has since
continued In his youth Harald
aspired to marry the beautiful Gyda.
proud princess. who declared she
would not stoop to a mere Jarl: If he
would have her let him do us CORN of
Denmark, Eric of Sweden. Egbert of
England. subdue the contentious Jarls
about HIM and become a great kiig.
Then II: raid sworc a mighty oath that
he woul.l not cut his hair till he had
accomplished the subiectIon of the
other kings. until Gyd4 was his own
Twelve years passed ere Harald's
name vas shorn. Gyda came to his
home; - years it took to subdue the
Jarls and conquer the Vikings of the.
as Carlyle calls them. out-islands
Then Earald spent about go years in
organizing a government for his con
quests-Harald Fairhair had a reierf
long as his renowned name. After him
came his son Eric Blood Axe. who was
unpopular in Norway and was sue
ceeded by the first Haakon, Haakon
the Good.
Haakon the Good had been brought
up at an English court, and when he
began his rule over Norway tried To
teach the people something of Chris
tianity, and practiced as well as
preached did not. like his father. force
the boys to go TO sea. did not. :ake
from them in greed. King Haakon
spoke to the people assembled at n
Thing "a sort of parliamenD of the
Z Great White Christ. and at the next
I meeting at Yule refused to drink to the
| god Thor. This msde a great hubbuh
but the people had faith in Haakon the
/ Good and began % believe little in
the Christ though they forced some o!
their heather observances on the king
The laws of Haakon made at n Thina
at Gula were good laws. and ever love-
dearly by the Morse folk When Haa.
kon died ne was lamented by roll
friends and enemies; they said tina
never again would Norway see such ;
king. II is told that the year Haakor
was chosen king the birds built theI,
nests twice, and the trees had Nv,
crops of apples!
There follow after Haakon the Goo,
Harald Fray Fell; Haakon Jarl: Ola
Tryggveson: Jarls Eric and Sveh
quasi sovereigns): Olaf the Thicksel
a true Viking. in later years becom
Olaf the Saint: Magnus the Good: Ola
| the Tranquil; Magnus Barefoot: Signr,
the Crusader; Magnus the Blind; Har
aid Gyllie, and now the "Fairhairs
rage among themselves and become OK
4 tinct. We have the rise of Swerri. VIII
led the wretched Blrchlegs in man
victories and became king of Norway
founded new dynasty which was t
last as long as Norway kept her in
dependence.
Is 1T not Of interest that the new kin
of newly Independent Norway is
Danish prince and OF close kin to tn
royal family Of Sweden? May tn
Danish swedish Norwegian king bin
in pesce and fraterpal feeling the pgc
pie Of Scandinavia