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leader in this rebellion against the Christian religion was a powerful earl called Ironbeard. He was a devoted follower of Thor. Besides his hatred of the king’s religion, Ironbeard entertained a strong personal resentment towards Olaf. The earl had been the leader of a faction which had opposed both Haakon and Olaf as overlords, and it was Ironbeard’s ambition to become himself ruler of all Norway. He believed himself to be on the verge of success when Olaf landed and the Tronders enthusiastically proclaimed him king. Now that Earl Haakon was dead, Ironbeard’s animosity was turned with redoubled force upon Olaf. The wife of Ironbeard was a Finnish woman named Ingrid, and like many of the Finns, she believed in and practised the arts of magic. One child had Ironbeard, a tall, dark, handsome maiden, who bore the name of Gudrun.