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by Marcia Lee Liaklev (Author)
THE SEVEN WIVES OF HARALD FAIRHAIR"Harald Harfagre was remarkably handsome, great and strong, and very generous to his men. He was a great warrior and his large posterity spread over the whole land; for of his race, ever since, have come the Kings of Norway." Heimskringla Harald was not inherently romantic, but he did envy the look of love he saw in the eyes of his powerful father whenever his lovely mother was near. Their influence was key to the remarkable man he would become.Enter Odin, the Allfather who ruled the mortals under his charge. Would the god actually ask Harald to marry at the age of eleven, regardless of the stunning red-haired beauty chosen for his mate? But she was only the bait---the bait that would set the young prince on his quest to fulfill the destiny requested and required of him by Odin in the pre-mortal world. Little did this Viking lad know that Asa would be just the first of the wives Odin would choose for him to wed. After countless successful battles and many years as the powerful ruler, Harald began to feel proud of his great accomplishments and neglected to pay homage to the god who had protected and guided the events of his life.Then came the witch. The confident king was helpless under her power and she used him as she pleased. Only after he had sired four sons while hidden in the dark, filthy cave did Odin allow him to be rescued. Some lessons are hard to learn, but those are the kind one never forgets. Fortunately for Harald, he had yet more women to love and more sons to be brought into the world. The noble blood that ran through the veins of these sons would insure the longevity of his royal line. The Seven Wives of Harald Fairhair, First King of All Norway brings to life a superhero of the Viking Age whose story needs to be told. He shall take his place among the great leaders of the Norsemen. It is a saga of love and war, but mostly love.
Author Biography
Marcia Lee was raised in Aneta, North Dakota, a predominately Norwegian community. Liaklev is the name of the Lee farm in Norway. She is the mother of five children and eighteen grandchildren. Her educational background consists of a B.S. degree in Home Economics and Interior Design from North Dakota State University, as well as M.Ed. and PhD. degrees in Educational Leadership from the University of Idaho. Her major work experience includes that of secondary school teacher, school administrator and university faculty. Marcia has visited Norway many times. Through genealogical research, she has found and met ancestors from many counties in Norway including: Nord-Trondelag, Sor-Trondelag, Oppland, Hedmark, Ostfold, Buskerud, Telemark, Akershus, Rogaland and Hordaland. The catalyst for writing this book came after a friend and Norwegian genealogist found a connection between Marcia's great-grandmother and Harald Fairhair, first King of all Norway. After reading about his life in the Heimskringla, the History of the Kings of Norway, compiled by Snorri Sturluson, she thought someone should write a book about Harald and his wives. Later, she felt inspired to write it herself and tell their story of love and conquest in the Viking Age. The Vikings were pagans in that they believed in many Gods. Their main God, Odin, was of Trojan and Scythian descent. He and his people were influenced by the Greco-Roman religions. Odin and his family emigrated from the area of the Black Sea about 50 BC and conquered Scandinavia. Harald Fairhair was not only a descendant of Odin, but he worshipped Odin as the Allfather.
