Olof Skötkonung
Olof Skötkonung ( German Olaf lap king or king Olaf treasure; * 980; † around 1022) was the first Christian king of Sweden.
Under Olof Skötkonung were the first Swedish coins in Sigtuna, the former center of power of the empire, beaten. This also explains his nickname Skötkonung (German Treasure or Münzkönig. Originally there were no points above the "o " so that he was called Skotkonung. Skot is Anglo-Saxon loanword meaning " treasure "). At the beginning of his reign Olof had concluded an alliance with the heathen Danish king Sven Forkbeard and went with this on the 9th of September in the year 1000 in the Battle of Svolder against the Norwegian king Olav I. During Olof's father Eric the Victorious the power ambitions of the Danish king Sven Forkbeard decided confronted, his son Olof Skötkonung Sven Forkbeard approached and became his ally and comrade in arms, which brought together Olav Tryggvason of Norway I. to case. After the victorious battle of Svoldr, which probably took place in Pomeranian coastal waters, such as Vilm in the Bay of Greifswald, the two kings of Norway indicated. Olof received the regions and Bohuslän Trøndelag. These areas he later lost in the ongoing fight against Norwegian organizations.
According to a legend Olof was baptized in 1008 in Husaby by Bishop Siegfried. In contrast, other sources mention a missionary Bernhard, a companion of Bruno of cross- ford, as the one who baptized Olof. Then Olof promoted the establishment of the first Swedish diocese of Skara. The conversion to Christianity seems to have hampered his government activity considerably, especially in Svealand. The Svea then chose his son Christian also Anund Jacob to the king, whereupon Olof ruled as a sort of king in Västergötland. Snorri Sturluson gives another reason for the dismissal Olof. According to him the Svearn Olofs have displeased long war against Norway, which also led to other peoples of the Baltic Sea from the influence of the Svea.
It is worth noting that Sweden's royal families already at that time pursued a policy of marriage alliances, which she joined with other European noble houses. Olof's daughter Ingered for example, was the grand prince of Kiev, Yaroslav I., married.