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(Today, we have something new! This a historical OC, based off my main character in the historical Crusader Kings video games! I hope you enjoy!)

(Also, if anyone from Scandinavia reads this, please forgive any butchering of Nordic languages that may be in this chapter. And fair warning - LOTS of information about come your way! But if you do read on, I hope you enjoy!)

Name: Murtagh Haraldsson

Titles/Nicknames: Murtagh Stormblade, Murtagh the Bloodhound, Murtagh Scarlet-Hands, Murtagh the Blood-Father, The Sea King, The Red Reaper of Vingulsmark, The Viking Emperor, The Varangian Wolf, Uniter of the North. Officially known as King of the Kingdom of Norway, and later became Emperor of the Empire of Scandinavia.
Officially King of Norway, and later became Emperor of Scandinavia, a Norse Empire that united Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the British Isles, Iceland, Brittany, and parts of northern Germany and western Russia.

Gender: Male

Faceclaim: Jason Momoa

Born: 907 AD

Died: 1003 AD, aged 96

Reign: 932 AD - 1003 AD

Period/Culture: Norse/Vikings

House: House Yngling

Appearance: According to historical records, Murtagh was a tall, powerfully-built man, said to be 6'4'' in height with broad shoulders and a rough, hardy demeanour. He had a thick mane of hair, black as obsidian, a short stubble for a beard, and striking blue eyes. His body bore many scars, marks of his many raids and battles over the years, and the number only grew as his years went by. Murtagh was said to be left-handed - an interesting quirk in his physique.

Renowned for being incredibly strong, fit and brawny, Murtagh spent much of his leisure time training to become a better warrior. It was said he could uproot full-grown trees with his bare hands, fight against a hundred men single-handedly, and smash a solid boulder into rubble with a single punch. While some of these stories may have been embellished, others we know to be true from the records kept of his actions by Europeans and other civilisations. Most impressively, even as Murtagh entered old age, he remained as strong and healthy as ever, and was still capable of defeating men far younger than him in single combat.

Murtagh wore typical Viking attire. Given his profession as a raider and noble, he could afford well-made armour and was rarely seen without it. It was said he was as comfortable in chainmail and gambeson as other men were in tunics and cloaks. On formal occasions, he wore fine clothes lined with wolf and bear fur. In battle, instead of a helmet, he wore a wolf's skin over his head in a similar way to how the legendary Hercules wore the skin of the Nemean lion. After becoming king, he wore the crown of Norway when attending to matters of state, followed later by the crown of the Empire of Scandinavia, and then finally by the Crown of the Fylkirate. No matter where he was, Murtagh always carried his legendary Ulfberht sword, Heartseeker, by his side.

Personality: Murtagh was a man with many layers to his personality. On the surface, he was a strong, fierce and bold man - a typical Viking in the eyes of many. He was famous for his fearsome temperament and stubborn nature, and his booming war cries and his berserk fury on the battlefield were said to be like an oncoming thunderstorm, hence his nicknames of 'the Bloodhound' and 'Stormblade'. He was open, honourable and brutally honest, rarely being deceptive or withdrawn, and he came across as genuine. He trusted those close to him and proved to them he could be trusted in kind.

Under this, however, Murtagh possessed a sharp and shrewd mind. Far from being a simple brute, he was very intelligent and quick-witted with a great tactical genius, and took an interest in all things. Unlike most Vikings, he learnt how to read, and became fluent in English, French, Latin and even Arabic. He was also a famous poet and singer, composing great sagas and songs of both his own deeds and the deeds of his comrades. In politics, Murtagh was not above using cunning and intrigue to achieve his ends, and he did so multiple times throughout his reign to outwit plots. While he recognised the necessity of this art, however, it was said that he never took pleasure in it, and always preferred to conduct business openly, whether that be in diplomacy or in combat.

Murtagh's genuine nature made him kind to those close to him, especially his wives and children, whom he loved dearly and protected with his life. He knew what it was to feel disconnected from his father, for his mother died when he was young and his father never really had a hand in Murtagh's upbringing, and so Murtagh raised his children himself, hoping to give them a better start in life than he had. However, Murtagh could also be famously harsh and vengeful with his enemies and traitors, and understood that a ruler must be able to commit acts of cruelty when necessary.

As a ruler, Murtagh was famously diligent, working hard and taking an active role in the administration of his lands and raids - even if it did cause him great stress, he still did it because he felt the realm was his responsibility. He was also just and fair, although his justice was often severe. Rebels and traitors were only given the mercy of a swift death. Murtagh was well-respected within martial circles, where his warlike spirit was admired and revered. Charismatic and driven, he brought out the best in his soldiers and made many staunch friends throughout his life. His subjects revered him for his actions and decisive nature, considering him a good, strong king. Murtagh kept his faith with the Norse gods and devoutly followed them, taking many actions in their name and frequently taking up the sword to defend his faith.

Lastly, Murtagh was possessed of the same drive and ambition as his father Harald. However, Murtagh's ambitions went far beyond just a jarldom or a kingdom. He had been all around the world as a young man, and while he did wish to preserve the traditions of his people, he also came to admire aspects of other cultures, and believed that the Norse peoples would have to adapt if they wished to survive the test of time. They would have to unite and expand, to leave the rough and barren lands of their birth and conquer other realms, taking farmland and resources for themselves. Only then, he believed, would the Norse people know prosperity.

His ultimate desire was to create a great Norse nation that united all the Scandinavian peoples, and cement a bloodline to rule over it. And if he could only do such a thing by cementing his place on the throne, then he would.

Realm:

Pictured above, Empire of Scandinavia, 986 AD. Territories in dark red are those conquered by Murtagh

Family:
King Harald Fairhair (Father)
Tora Mosterstong (Mother)
Erik Bloodaxe (Older Half-Brother)
Haakon the Good (Younger Brother)
Multiple other siblings and half-siblings

Likes: Fighting, duelling, sailing, raiding, hunting, the sea, mountains, books, learning, knowledge, Norse culture, long walks, thunderstorms, sagas and stories, solitude

Dislikes: Weaklings, idiots, cowards, lazy people, assassins, not dying in battle, tyrants, other religions

Skills: Excellent fighter and raider, highly intelligent and brilliant military strategist, ambitious and visionary, highly determined, good sailor and ship captain, capable knowledge of political intrigue and administration

Weapons and Pets: Ulfberht longsword named Heartseeker, along with other weapons including a dane axe, spear, shortsword, longbow and handaxe. Also carries a shield. Has three pet hunting hounds named Fenrir, Garmr and Skalli, who he raised from when they were puppies. Captains a longship called the Hraknafel.

Background:
Born as one of the sons of King Harald Fairhair of Norway, Murtagh grew up listening to stories of his father's glory from a young age. Harald was the man who had first united Norway, creating it through both statecraft and the sword, and Murtagh admired his father for what he had done. It is believed that this is what gave him his ambitious streak, hoping one day be a ruler as glorious as his father and a worthy continuation of House Yngling's legacy.

However, he had stiff competition. Murtagh's older half-brother, Erik Bloodaxe was also a contender for the throne. Both of these men were great warriors, and both vied for their father's approval to be named as heir. However, Erik was undoubtedly their father's favourite, and ruled alongside Harald in the later years of his life. In response, feeling that it would be best to respect his father's wishes, Murtagh had a tendency to leave Norway for long periods of time, either hunting, travelling or raiding. It is believed that he did this in the hopes of winning his father's favour, as Harald never really raised or cared for Murtagh, and the young prince desired more than anything to make his father proud. 

Travelling much of the known world in his youth, Murtagh had many adventures. He became a very famous mercenary, leading a band of fellow Norse warriors in countless conflicts. He fought against the Anglo-Saxon monarchs in England, hired his services out to Eastern European tribal rulers, pillaged Arabic trading routes in the Mediterranean as a pirate and even sacked the city of Venice in 925 AD. He became well-known as an accomplished warrior, and many other Norsemen respected him - especially those he fought beside. It also gave Murtagh a view of the many other interesting cultures of the world, and he learned a lot from their ways of life.

Nowhere was this more apparent than from his time in Byzantium. At the age of 19, Murtagh signed up to be a member of the legendary Varangian Guard, in service to the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII. There, alongside many other Norsemen, he fought to defend the empire against both internal uprisings and the advancing Muslim caliphates. His royal heritage was known to the Byzantines, and thanks to both this and his exemplary service, he soon became commander of the Varangians. This placed him in a powerful position in the Byzantine court, and so, through this, Murtagh began to learn the arts of politics, power and intrigue. More than anything, it taught him about the true nature of rulership - lessons that would serve him well in his future. At the Byzantine Court, he was often referred to as 'The Barbarian Prince', while also earning titles like 'Murtagh Scarlet-Hands' or 'The Varangian Wolf.'

The works of the Roman world also helped shape who Murtagh was. When he wasn't fighting, the young Viking took a great interest in the stories of the Roman Empire, and the conquerors who shaped it, along with the stories of Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, and so many other ancient warlords. Murtagh continuously studied their actions and mistakes, analysing how the people of antiquity conquered their neighbours, engaged in trade and united so many ethnic groups under one national identity, be it Hellenistic, Greek or Roman. If anything, these historical accounts probably fuelled his ambitions even more, showing him that his dreams could be made possible if he simply had the will and intelligence to do what was necessary.

However, at heart, Murtagh always remained a Norseman, and in 931 AD, he returned to Norway, bringing home a massive amount of gold and loot that he had taken during his adventures. It is unknown whether or not his father openly embraced and respected him as he desired upon this return, but he did win a lot of favour with the people and some of his father's Jarls, who had heard of his legendary actions.

Later that same year, King Harald of Norway died. As he had intended, Murtagh's older brother Erik Bloodaxe inherited the throne of Norway and became King. Murtagh was granted a jarldom of his own to rule, but his younger brother, Haakon, was sent away to England. Murtagh protested this, as he and Haakon were very close, but it was to no avail.

Despite this, at first, Murtagh had no intentions of turning against Erik. Despite their differences, they were still brothers. However, within months of his reign, Erik had proven to be a tyrannical and ruthless monarch, instituting high taxes, revoking men's land and titles on his own whims, and killing all who dared question him, including his own half-siblings, fearful they would steal the throne from him. Fearing that Erik's actions would tear their father's realm apart, Murtagh rallied many of the jarls of Norway to his side, commencing the Stormblade Rebellion.

The rebellion lasted just over a year, and was a hard-fought civil war. Many died on both sides. But as the war raged on, more and more jarls switched sides, betraying Erik and instead joining Murtagh. Then, in the Battle of Vestfold in 932 AD, Erik and Murtagh's armies clashed in what would be the final battle of the war. Erik's men fought fiercely, but Murtagh outnumbered and outpowered them, and soon they broke ranks and fled. Erik fell upon the battlefield, rumoured to have been slain by his brother's own hand, but no evidence can to confirm this. Although, Murtagh was reported to have never denied any allegations that he was a kinslayer...

Nonetheless, the rebellion was over, and Murtagh Stormblade was crowned King of Norway in 932 AD at the age of 25. 

Theme Song: 

https://youtu.be/mh8FZZc6r2o

(As I said before, this is all based directly off what happened to a video game character I played. Had a lot of fun, so I thought I'd put this here so you guys could enjoy it)

(Thanks for reading!)