Wulfhild of Norway (1020 – 24 May 1071; Old West Norse: Úlfhildr Ólafsdóttir, Swedish: Ulfhild Olofsdotter) was a Norwegian princess, and a duchess of Saxony by marriage to Ordulf, Duke of Saxony.
| Wulfhild of Norway | |
|---|---|
| Duchess consort of Saxony | |
| Tenure | 29 June 1059 - 24 May 1071 |
| Born | 1020 |
| Died | 24 May 1071 |
| Spouse | Ordulf, Duke of Saxony |
| Issue | Magnus, Duke of Saxony |
| Dynasty | Fairhair |
| Father | Saint Olaf |
| Mother | Astrid Olofsdotter of Sweden |
Life
editWulfhild was born in 1020 as the only legitimate child of King Olaf Haraldsson of Norway and his wife Astrid Olofsdotter of Sweden.[1] Her illegitimate half-brother was Magnus the Good. She was likely born and raised in Sarpsborg.
In 1028, she accompanied her parents to Vestlandet, and in 1029, she left Norway for Sweden with them. It is not determined whether she followed her father and half-brother on their trip to Kievan Rus' or remained in Sweden with her mother, but she did live in Sweden between the death of her father in 1030 until she returned with her half-brother Magnus to Norway in 1035, when he became king. Wulfhild is described as a beauty, and is thought to have been greatly respected as the only legitimate child of her father and daughter of a saint.
On 10 November 1042, she was married to Ordulf,[1] son of Bernard II, Duke of Saxony. This marriage was supposed to strengthen the alliance between Saxony and Denmark; her half-brother expected the support of her consort to strengthen his position in Denmark by fighting the Wends. The marriage ceremony was celebrated in Schleswig during these political negotiations, officiated by the archbishops of Schleswig and Bremen. Her husband did remain loyal to the alliance, but the information about Wulfhild is limited and nothing is known about any of her opinions.
Wulfhild and Ordulf had a son, Magnus, Duke of Saxony.
References
edit- ^ a b Rüdiger 2020, p. 252.
Sources
edit- Rüdiger, Jan (2020). All the King's Women: Polygyny and Politics in Europe, 900–1250. Translated by Barnwell, Tim. Brill.
References
edit- Norsk biografisk leksikon. Den store norske
- Bratberg, Terje. (2009, 13. februar). Ulvhild Olavsdatter. I Norsk biografisk leksikon. Hentet 24. februar 2018 fra https://nbl.snl.no/Ulvhild_Olavsdatter.