Harald 'Klak' Halfdansson (c. 785 – c. 852) was a king in Jutland (and possibly other parts of Denmark) around 812–814 and again from 819 to 827."Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 94
Family
The identity of Harald's father is uncertain. He had at least three brothers: Anulo (died 812), Ragnfrid (died 814) and Hemming Halfdansson (died 837).Stewart Baldwin, "Danish Haralds in 9th century Frisia" An 837 entry in the Annales Fuldenses calls Hemming a son of Halfdan.Norsemen in the Low Countries:Extracts from the Annales Fuldenses, 837 entry This is the only mention of their father in a primary source. The identification relies on the 'widely made assumption' that the Hemming mentioned in 837 was the same Hemming mentioned in chronicle entries from two decades before. Stewart Baldwin, a modern genealogist, pointed out that they could also be two people with the same name, although Baldwin himself favors their identification.
The relation of this Halfdan with other Danish rulers is also uncertain. An 812 entry in the Royal Frankish Annals mentions "Anulo nepos Herioldi".The Latin Library:"Annales Regni Francorum", 812 entry The Latin "nepos" can be translated as both "grandson" or "nephew", making Anulo and his siblings grandsons or nephews of a senior Harald. This would make Halfdan a brother or son of this Harald. The Frankish Annals vaguely mention this elder Harald as king. A late and unreliable source of Frisian history mentions that their king Redbad II (the last king of the Frisians) in 754 had to flee to "the land of the Danes" where king Harald reigned ("Daniae Regi Heraldi"). Also, a King Sigifrid (Siegfried) is mentioned in 777, granting refuge to the Saxon duke Widukind. In 782, an emissary by the name of Halfdan was sent by Sigifrid to Charlemagne. The last mention of Sigifrid in the Annals is in 798, when Charlemagne sent an envoy to him. In 804, Gudfred is mentioned as King of the Danes, exchanging envoys with Charlemagne. Harald could be related to Sigifrid and Gudfred. His reign occurring between 798 and 804 are placed prior to that of Sigifrid.Stewart Baldwin, "Kings of the Danes prior to 887" The time and extent of the rule of these earlier kings are uncertain, but the area they ruled presumably included the region closest to the Frankish realm, i.e. around Hedeby. Although they are historical figures insofar as that they are mentioned in historical sources, the details of their rule mostly belong to the realm of the legendary Danish kings.
The Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten (1978) by Detlev Schwennicke assumes Sigifrid and the senior Harald to be brothers, both kings of Hedeby. The Europäische Stammtafeln further mentions several theories on their family line. The elder Harald is assumed to have succeeded his brother as King of Hedeby in 798. The book places his death in 804, "killed in battle in the Irish Sea". Their children supposedly included not only Halfdan, "third" King of Hedeby (father of Harald Klak and his siblings) but two other sons. The first identified as another Harald ("fourth" King of Hedeby) and the second as Holger.
Further Sigifrid and the senior Harald are given two further siblings in Europäische Stammtafeln. The third brother is identified as Halfdan the Mild, a ruler of the Yngling dynasty depicted in the Heimskringla. Their only sister is identified with Geva, wife of Windukind. The former in way of explanation of why Windukind sought refuge among the Danes. None of the theories regarding Harald's family and lineage in ES are well supported by sources.
According to the Annales Bertiniani, Harald was an uncle of Rorik of Dorestad. The Annales Xantenses mention Rorik being the brother of a "younger Harald". Several modern scholars have seen this as a contradiction and chosen to identify Rorik as an apparent fifth son of Halfdan. However, Simon Coupland in From poachers to gamekeepers: Scandinavian warlords and Carolingian kings and K. Cutler in Danish Exiles in the Carolingian Empire—the Case for Two Haralds have since argued that Rorik and the "younger Harald" were brothers, both nephews of Harald Klak. The theory has gained some acceptance since the 1990s as it would explain why Harald Klak gets a mostly positive assessment in the Frankish chronicles while Rorik's brother is depicted as a raider and enemy of the Franks. This would also mean Rudolf Haraldsson, a nephew of Rorik mentioned in the Annales Xantenses, was a son of the "younger Harald".
The Civil War of 812–814
There is first mention of Harald and his siblings in the Royal Frankish Annals. The entries in 811 end by mentioning the death of Charles the Younger (4 December 811) and Charlemagne wintering in Aachen. The entries in 812 begin with mention of the situation in Denmark: "Not much later the news arrived that Hemming, king of the Danes had died. Sigifrid, the nephew of King Godofrid, and Anulo, the nephew of Heriold and of the former king, both wished to succeed him. Being unable to agree on who should be king, they raised troops, fought a battle, and were both killed. The party of Anulo won, however, and made his brothers Heriold and Reginfrid their kings. The defeated party out of necessity had to go along with Anulo's party and did not reject the brothers as their kings. They say that ten thousand nine hundred and forty men died in that battle." Heriold usually translated to Harald. The name Anulo is thought to be related to Annulus (or anulus), being the Latin word for "ring". The name has been translated to "Ring". Since his fallen foe was named Sigefrid (Sigurd), there is a theory that the two rivals merged in later tradition to the figure of Sigurd Hring. The original Scandinavian form is theorised to have been "Ole", a common male name in Norway and Denmark.Roskildes Historie:"Haithabu (Hedeby)". A genealogical listing of the family as featured in the Europäische Stammtafeln The vague Latin phrase "Herioldi, et ipsius regis" has been translated variously as "Harald, and the king himself" and "Harald, previous king". Conversely, this could mean Anulo was "nepos" of both the senior Harald and the other King mentioned in the same phrase, Hemming.
The story is repeated in an 812 entry of the Annales Fuldenses. This is not surprising as the entries of the Annales Fuldenses from 714 to the 830s were adopting material from earlier sources, including the Royal Frankish Annals.Norsemen in the Low Countries: Extracts from the Annales Fuldenses, editor's note The Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum by Adam of Bremen mentions "Sigafrid et Anulo, nepotes Godafridi", which would make both Anulo and Sigifrid "nepotes" (plural of nepos) of Gudfred. The Royal Frankish Annals then note "Heriold and Reginfrid, kings of the Danes, send an embassy to the emperor [Charlemagne], asking for peace and requesting that their brother Hemming be released.""Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 95 The text makes clear that Hemming was held prisoner by Charlemagne but leaves unclear when Hemming was captured and under what circumstances.
In 813, the Royal Annals mention a general assembly at Aachen. The occasion was Charlemagne crowning his son Louis the Pious as co-emperor of Francia and naming his grandson Bernard as ruler of the Kingdom of Italy. The text then turns its attention to the relations with the Danes. "From this assembly several Frankish and Saxon nobles were sent beyond the Elbe to the borders of the Norsemen. They came to make peace, at the request of the Danish Kings, whose brother they intended to return. When an equal number -they were sixteen- of Danish magnates met them at the stipulated place, peace was sworn by mutual oaths and the brother of the kings was returned. The Kings themselves at this time were not at home but had marched with an army toward Westarfolda, an area in the extreme northwest of their kingdom across the northern tip of Britain, whose princes and people refused to submit to them. When they returned after conquering the Britons and received their brother, who had been sent from the emperor, the sons of king Godofrid were assisted by not a few of the Danish nobles who for some time after leaving their homeland had been in exile with the Swedes. Since hosts of their countrymen joined the sons of Godofrid from all over the land of the Danes, they easily drove the kings from the kingdom after a battle"."Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, page 96
The Chronicle of Moissac also reports: "Afterwards the sons of Godofrid came with their army and expelled Heriold and Reginfrid and also Hemming from their own kingdom; and they fled into secrecy. Thereupon the militia of the imperial lord Charlemagne received from them many presents, and he sent him [Hemming] back to his brothers with regards and support, in order that they should acquire their kingdom again.
The Royal Frankish Annals entries of 814 start with the death of Charlemagne. Louis the Pious became sole emperor and turned to diplomatic relations with other European powers. The Royal Annals then mention the continuation of the conflict among the Danes and that Harald Klak sought refuge in the court of Louis. "Heriold and Reginfrid, kings of the Danes, had been defeated and expelled from their kingdom the year before by the sons of Godofrid, against whom they regrouped their forces and again made war. In this conflict Reginfid and the oldest son of Godofrid were killed. When this had come to pass, Heriold despaired of his cause, came to the emperor [Louis], and put himself under his protection. The emperor received him and told him to go to Saxony and to wait for the proper time when he would be able to give him the help which Heriold had requested.""Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernhard Walter Scholz, pages 97, 99
Harald's alliance with Louis the Pious
Simon Coupland, a modern historian, has noted that Harald was a pagan exile, seeking refuge and military assistance in the court of a Christian ruler. Coupland notes that Louis granting refuge and preparing said military assistance did not mean this was an "innovative step". Charlemagne, Louis' father, had signed such unorthodox alliances before. The historian lists a number of examples. Charlemagne had supported Abdellah, an exiled Mauritanian ruler in 797. Theodor, ruler of the Huns, fled an invasion by Slavic peoples and was granted refuge by Charlemagne in 805. Eardwulf of Northumbria when deposed c. 808, was also granted refuge and promised help in recovering his throne.Simon Coupland, "Carolingian Coinage and the Vikings" (2007), page 89