Halvdan (the Black) GUDRODSEN, KING

                   SOURCES:
    Fusa Bygdebok, p. 657. King of Vestfold Norse Family Saga, p. 56,64.

NOTES:
    Halvdan (Halfdan) the Black was Ase's son by Gudrod.  His mother ruled for him during his youth. She "gave" half the kingdom to his twenty- year-old half-brother, Alf (Olaf). Halfdan was known to be truthful and fair-dealing. He was forty years old when he was drowned as his horses and sleigh broke through the ice. His sorrowing people wished to have him near them in death. Accordingly, there were raised four "haugs" (mounds). His head was laid in the "haug" at Stein of Hringarili. His body was divided into four parts and each part buried in a haug of its own in the four separate districts he had governed. Thus, people who wished to honor him by a visit or seek his advice could sit by his burial mound near home instead of traveling to Stein, where Halfdan's head was buried. Halfdan married Ragnhild, daughter of Harald Golden- beard of Sogn. He was soon King over Sogn after Harald died. He conquered other areas and became a powerful king. Both Ragnhild and the child he had by her died, and then he courted and married another maiden also named Ragnhild, who was the mother of Harald Harfagre. She was of noble lineage.
NOTES:
    Han drukna i Randsfjorden (Halfdan drowned in the Randsfjord)
NOTES:
    The sources disagree as to which of the two Ragnhilds was the mother of Harald Harfagre.