Identity of Statue in Norway

[Ánleifr]

Can someone tell me who this statue is of? I believe it was taken in Norway in Balestrand??


http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i461/Tuck479/Norse-Teucrian/IMG_4013.jpg

[Ánleifr]

King Bele??

[Rødskjegg]

Kong Bele indeed =)

[Ánleifr]

Kong Bele indeed =)

Thanks, do you know anything about him?

[evon]

From Wiki:


Kong Bele var en mytisk småkonge i Sygnafylket (som besto av Sogn) på Vestlandet i tidsrommet 800-900 e.Kr. I henhold til islandsk manuskript fra 1300-tallet skal Bele ha bodd på Balestrand. Hans betydning ligger i at han via sin datter knyttes til Fridtjov den frøkne. Av den grunn fikk Norgesvennen keiser Vilhelm II av Tyskland i 1913 reist en minnestøtte av kong Bele på Balestrand, og dessuten en kjempestatue av Fridtjof på Vangsnes.

Summary translation:

It was a gift from a German Kaiser in 1913, it represents a mythical king who was said to have ruled a minor kingdom in the area back in the 8-900's...i think its a good representation of the romantic image people had of the people from this era during the early 1900's national romanticism..

[Ánleifr]

Here is some more information on King Bele of Sognland:

http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/t/tegner/esaias/fridthjof/canto2.html

http://www.homeofourfathers.com/lisbeth/docsigurdringrandverssonbio1.htm