Harald Sigurdsson dubbed Hardrada (c. 1015-1066) was a prince and later King of Norway (r. 1046-1066). He was only fifteen years old when he fought in the battle of Stiklestad (29 June 1030), where his half-brother and King of Norway, Olaf Haraldsson (Saint Olav) was killed. After the latter’s death, Harald escaped and found refuge in the Kievan Rus’ state, where he served Yaroslav, the Great Prince of Kiev. Harald then went to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, where he entered the Imperial Varangian Guard. He became the most notable Varangian commanding his own corps of Varangians from 1034 to 1043, under the service of three Emperors. His exploits and deeds in the battlefield made him famous and feared. The Emperor rewarded him with high military dignities (called: Manglabites and Spantharokandidatos in Byzantine Greek, namely positions of rank in the Emperor’s bodyguard) for his achievements in the battlefield. Harald acquired immense wealth from his service as Varangian, which he later carried back to Norway. The amount and display of such enormous wealth was startling for his contemporaries. When he became King of Norway, Harald established a strong national coinage in his kingdom issuing silver pennies at the mint of Nidarnes (modern Trondheim). His reign lasted from 1046 to 1066. He was killed in the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.