Haraldsgata is the annual ancient traditional tour that Members of the House of Ettlingar Freyu, the Imperial House of Stormark, make through several Thanedoms and/or Colonies of the Viking Empire of Stormark.

Such visits to individual Thanedoms and Colonies provide the Members of the House of Ettlingar Freyu with an excellent opportunity to meet the people of Stormark where they live and work and to gain insightinto contemporary life in different parts of the Viking Empire of Stormark.

Generally, four Thanedoms and/or Colonies are visited each year, two by Emperor Harald and Empress Asa, one by Crown Prince Thorfinn and Crown Princess Elisabeth, and one by Viking Princess Aoife and her husband Pope Camillus I of the Church of Stormark.

Emperor Harald and Empress Asa usually make the first Haraldsgata visit in early spring and the second one in late summer. Crown Prince Thorfinn and Crown Princess Elisabeth make their annual Haraldsgata journey in early spring, Viking Princess Aoife and her husband Pope Camillus I in late summer.

Each journey normally lasts one week, during which time visits are paid to 2-4 Traditional Districts. During their visits Members of the House of Ettlingar Freyu take a customary, but nowadays purely symbolic, hostage of local noblemen with them. This custom originates in ancient times when its purpose was the ensure the safety of visiting Members of the House of Ettlingar Freyu during their travels.

This year’s end-of-summer Haraldsgata will take Emperor Harald to the Thanedom of Frigga Island where he will be received by the Thane of Frigga Island, Sir Gudhsten Patreksson, Duke of Ragnarvalla. During the visit Emperor Harald will, amongst others, perform the investiture of Lady Carol of Ettlingar Freyu as Princess of Frigga Island and open the new head office of Stormark’s largest manufacturer of traditional clothes.

Viking Princess Aoife of Stormark will, accompanied by her niece Princess Calamidad of Alexandria, visit the Duchy of Normandie where she will be received by Lars-Erik de Bethune, Count of Quimper*. Viking Princess Aoife of Stormark will, amongst others, open the annual session of the Løgthing of Normandie and travel to Old Gaol Isle, Stormark’s prison island, to visit a convent of the Sisters in Isolation and a Beserker boot camp.

This year’s end-of-summer Haraldsgata will commence on 17 Sokkvabekk 7 (September 8, 2008).

* Count of Quimper is the Title of Office of the Governor of the Duchy of Normandie.