by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2026
Harald Bluetooth – 16th-century fresco at Roskilde Cathedral, Harald’s burial place; Credit – Wikipedia
According to various historical sources and sagas, Harald I Bluetooth, the son of Gorm the Old, King of Denmark and Thyra Dannebod, reigned as King of Denmark circa 958 to 986 and King of Norway circa 970 to 986 and had three known wives: Gunhild, Tove of the Obotrites, and Gyrid Olafsdottir of Sweden. Harald’s first wife, Gunhild, was probably the mother of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, Norway, and England. Harald had three other children besides Sweyn Forkbeard, but it is not certain which of his wives were their mothers.
Harald’s children:
- Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, Norway, and England (circa 960 – 1014), married Sigrid Storråda and Gunhilda of Wenden, had seven known children, but it is uncertain which of the two women is their mothers
- Tyra Haraldsdatter, married (1) Styrbjörn Starke, Crown Prince of Sweden (2) King Olav I of Norway
- Haakon (born around 961)
- Gunhilde (died 1002), married Pallig, Jarl and Ealdorman of Devonshire; Gunhilde and Pallig were killed in the St. Brice’s Day Massacre in November 1002
Gunhild (circa 936 – 965) is mentioned in some early sources as a wife of Harald I Bluetooth, King of Norway, and possibly the mother of his son and successor, Sweyn Forkbeard. She is mentioned twice in Adam of Bremen‘s chronicle, Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum (Deeds of Bishops of the Hamburg Church). However, some modern historians are skeptical about the credibility of some of Adam of Bremen’s writings.
(1) Adam of Bremen stated that Otto the Great supposedly won a battle over Harald I Bluetooth. Harald became subject to Otto, but got his kingdom back on the condition that he made the Danes Christian: “Harald himself received immediately after the baptism together with his wife Gunhild and their little son, whom our king was godfather to and baptized Svein Otto. At the same time, the part of the Danes’ land that lies on this side of the sea and is called Judaism by the local population itself was divided into three dioceses and far below the bishopric of Hammaburg.”
(2) Adam of Bremen’s second reference is in connection with Harald’s death: “The day of his death fell on All Saints’ Day, the memory of him and his wife Gunhild will live forever among us.”
Rune stone erected by Tove of the Obotrites; Credit – Wikipedia
Tove of the Obotrites (circa 963 – ?) was a Slavic princess and the daughter of Mstivoj, Prince of the Obotrites (circa 925 – 995). She is known to be a historical figure because she erected a rune stone, now called the Sønder Vissing Runestone, in honor of her mother, which still stands next to the current Sønder Vissing Church in Horsens, Jutland, Denmark. The rune states: “Tove, Mstivoj’s daughter, wife of Harald the Good, Gorm’s son, had the monument made in memory of her mother.” It is not known for certain whether Tove was the mother of any of Harald Bluetooth’s children. Some historians think she may have been the mother of Sweyn Forkbeard.
Gyrid Olafsdottir of Sweden (circa 932 – circa 1002) was a Swedish princess, the daughter of King Olaf Björnsson of Sweden. Her marriage was arranged as part of a political alliance. Her brother, Styrbjörn Starke, Crown Prince of Sweden, married Harald Bluetooth’s daughter, Thyra Haraldsdatter. After the death of Harald Bluetooth in 986, nothing more is recorded about Gyrid.
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Works Cited
- Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2015, June 3). Angiveligt en svensk prinsesse og dansk dronning ifølge visse sagaer. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrid_Olavsdatter
- Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2003). Harald Blåtand. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Bl%C3%A5tand
- Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2016). Harald Blåtands dronning. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunhild_(dansk_dronning)
- Bidragsydere til Wikimedia-projekter. (2010, October 13). Tove af Danmark. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tove_af_Danmark
- Flantzer, Susan. (2025). Harald I Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway | Unofficial Royalty. Unofficialroyalty.com. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/harald-i-bluetooth-king-of-denmark-and-norway/
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, April 10). Gyrid of Sweden. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2025). Tove of the Obotrites. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.
