No close family anniversaries. In the distance, and not proven by documentation, our twenty-second great grandfather, King Haakon IV Haakonsson of Norway, died in Orkney, Scotland, on this date in 1263. Top photo: 19th century painting by Knud Bergslien, depicting the legendary rescue of the future king from opposing forces in Norway’s civil wars. Below: Haakonshallen in the city of Bergen, built and used for state events by Haakon IV more than 750 years ago(!) First, as photographed on my trip to Norway in 2011, and second, an interior photo from the Web (unattributed). Read more …
