The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-06-22
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History of the Ancient Capt
tai q the Kings Of Norway
Well Called the Cradle Of the
Morse Nation.
HAAKoN THE GOOD
WAS CROWNED THERE.
First Christian Sovereign Of Norway
Took the Throne There
in sss.
A..eclsted Pres. cable to ne Eveni.s

in 9s5.
A.scei.ted Press Gable to TIE Evenins
Trondhjem, Norway, June %
IrondhJem, the ancient capital of
the kings of Norway, may be called
the cradle Of the Morse nation. IL Is
first mentioned in history, before there
was a united Norway, In connection
with Harold the fair who con-
Quered all the petty kings Of the Morse
countries and united them into a single
state under his own crown In the latter
part of the ninth century. But 1t did
J not attain first importance in the
kingdom until sHaakons the good was
crowned there IN 935 amid the joyful;
acclamations of the people who had
successfully rebelled against the cruel
tyranny of Erik BloOd-axe and his deg
potic wife Queen Gunhild. Since then
all the kings OF Norway Of whatever
nationality they might be have had to
travel to this far away city for the
ceremony of investiture. The King
Haakon Of today owes his name to the
first good king Of united and inde-
pendent Norway and the little crown
prince becomes the namesake Of his
first legitimate successor, the great
Olaf Tryggvesson who was crowned.
In 995s Up to that time Trondhjem5
was lgBs national capital than the
mere stronghold Of an important prov
ince but In 996 Olaf Tryggvesson laid
the foundation of the present city
which he then called Nidaros. It is
the nOrthmost town Of any Importance
in Europe being situated In the same
latitude as the south coast OF Iceland,
but 1t has q strongly temperate clim-
ate. While Christiania Fjord and all
the rivers In the southern part of
Norway become solidly frozen during
the winter, the River Mid rarely
freezes over and the beautiful Trondh-
jem ford never. The climate is like
that of middle Germany in winter and
much like that Of the coast of Oregon
In summer. Hence the luxurious yege-
tation and the resultant prosperity of
the people. Il,
King Haakon the good is distin-
guished as being the first Christian
sovereign OF Norway. He was sent by
his father to England in his childhood
and there he became convert to the
faith and was baptized. Upon his re-.
turn to Norway and his accentiOn to
his fathers throne he did not dare to
Immediately attack the ancient Asa
faith which had 80 many fanatical
aeherents among his closest friends
50 he temporixed for some sixteen
years or more until he had won such
unb0unded popularity as seemed to
warrant. his taking steps toward the.
realization of the wish nearest his
heart the Characterization Of his peo-
ple. He began well, but he did not.
possess the cruelty of zeal that was
necessary. for the accomplishment Of
such a task in that age so he only
succeeded in opening the way for his
more vigorous successor Olaf Trygg-
vesson who introduced the fire and
sword into the fight with a great meas
ure of success. But even he failed to
completely eradicate organism from
the national heart and It was only
after his successor, by his wife, and
more particularly by his death, had
appealed to the ready imagination of
the Norsemen that Christianity really
became the established religion Of the.
country. This great missionary was
King Olaf Haroldson who was after.
ward canonized at st. Olaf and over
whose sacred remains the great Ca
thedral In Tondhiem arose. This Ca
thedral Is the rpoudest historical mon
tument In Norway and the finest church
In all Scandinavia st. Olaf was killed
at the religious battle Of Stiklestad
in 1890, and his son and successor
I Nagnus the good, brought his body to
Trondhjem and placed It In a magnif-
cent sarcophagus on the high altar Of
St Clements church where it became