1. KING ANCESTORS IN SCANDANAVIA

2. KING ANCESTORS IN SCANDANAVIA • Duke Rollo Ragnersson of Normandy (35th GGF of A E King Sr), having been a Viking and the partiarch of the Dukes of Normandy, formed a strong tie between the King ancestors and Scandanavia • Because of the Viking incursions into England, Scotland, and Ireland in the 9th and 10th centuries, numerous other ties were created as Vikings intermarried with the English and Scots

3. KING ANCESTORS IN DENMARK • Agricultural communities began in Denmark around 12,000 BC at the end of the last Ice Age • By the 9th century Viking cultures had emerged, specializing in shipbuilding and sailing • Danish raids occurred primarily along the eastern coast of England, which came to be called the Danelaw • In 911 Rollo Ragnersson (35th GGF of A E King Sr), who had been ravaging France for years, became the first Duke of Normandy • Gorm the Old (31st GGF of A E King Sr) was the first king to solidify most of Denmark and brought Christianity to the Danes • Sweyn II Estridsson (25th GGF of A E King Sr) was king of the Danes in the 11th century, and had five sons who succeeded to the throne • Canute IV Svendsson (298h GGF of A E King Sr) led repeated raids in England in the early 11th century, later canonized as St Canute, patron saint of Denmark

4. KING ANCESTORS IN DENMARK • Valdamar I ‘the Great’ Knudsen (29th GGF of A E King Sr) refuted the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor over Denmark • His son, Valdamar II Valdamarsson ‘the Victorious’ (28th GGF of A E King Sr) brought written laws to Denmark (the Land Book) and established a parliament • Following the death of Valdamar II the Victorious, Erick IV ‘Plowpenny” became king, but was quickly assassinated by his brother (21st GGF of A E King Sr)

5. LOWRY ANCESTORS IN NORWAY • EysteinnHalfdansson (40th GGF of A E King Sr) was one of the early Viking rulers of Norway • Gudrod the Hunter (38th GGF of A E King Sr) was a good warrior but a bad drinker, and was easily assassinated on his ship • Halfdan the Black (37th GGF of A E King Sr) drowned while riding his sleigh across thin ice • Olaf I Tryggvesson (29th GGF of A E King Sr) led one of the early Viking invasions of England (951) • He was baptized in England, and carried Christianity back to Norway • Olaf II Haraldsson (31st GGF of A E King Sr) was defeated and killed in battle by Canute of Denmark • Magnus I Olafsson (Magnus the Good) (28th GGF of A E King Sr) spent his youth in exile in Russia, but returned as an adult to kill those who had killed his father and become king of Norway

6. LOWRY ANCESTORS IN NORWAY • Harald III Sigurdsson (HaraldHardraade) (25th GGF of A E King Sr) commanded the Danish Vikings in Constantinople during the Crusade, and died battling HaraldGodwinson in England (Battle of Stamford Bridge) • Olaf III Haraldsson (27th GGF of A E King Sr) ruled Norway jointly with his brother, Magnus II Haraldsson (27th GGF of A E King Sr) • Magnus III Olafsson (Magnus Barefoot) (26th GGF of A E King Sr) completed three raids into Scotland and ruled the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, and the Hebrides. He is credited with killing the Earl of Shrewsbury (a Montgomery) with an arrow through the eye, but soon met his own death in battle in Ireland • Sigurd I Magnusson (25th GGF of A E King Sr) was the first European king to go on Crusade, and helped to wrest Sidon from the Muslims • HaraldGille (25th GGF of A E King Sr), illegitimate son of Magnus III, laid claim to the throne of Norway, and survived the ordeal of fire to prove his worthiness

7. LOWRY ANCESTORS IN NORWAY • Sigurd Haraldsson (24th GGF of A E King sr) followed his father, Harald Gille, only to be assassinated by his brother • Haakon IV (21st GGF of A E King Sr) was rescued as a child by two warriors on skis, an event still celebrated as the Birkenbeiner Ski Race • His reign marked the beginning of the Golden Age of expansion for Norway • Magnus VI the Lawmender (20th GGF of A E King Sr) reformed the legal system of Norway and established hereditary nobility

8. LOWRY ANCESTORS IN SWEDEN • RagnarLodbrock (37th GGF of A E King Sr) was an early Swedish Viking who raided Paris in 845 with 120 ships, extracting a ransom of 7000 pounds of silver • His son, Bjorn ‘Ironside’ Ragnarsson (36th GGF of A E King Sr) continued the raids on France • King StenkilRagnvaldsson (29th GGF of A E King Sr) tolerated Christianity, but refused to convert • His son, Inge the Elder Stenkilsson (28th GGF of A E King Sr) was the first Swedish king to convert to Christianity, but failed to convert his subjects, and was overthrown and sent to exile • Inge returned to reclaim the crown, killing the current king by setting his house on fire and slaying him as he fled, after which the Swedes opted to convert to Christianity • Magnus III Birgersson (20th GGF of A E King Sr) established an hereditary nobility