1999
 84 x 105 cm
 Oil on hardboard

Historical background

This sea battle supposedly took place at the Greifswalder Bodden (Svoldr bay?) near the island of Vilm (Svold?).

During his five years of reign the young norvegian king Olav Tryggvason (995-1000) made a lot of enemies due to his rigid policy, his merciless christianisation of his empire and his hegemony claims against the neighbours in Denmark and Sweden.

As he returned in september 1000 after negotiations with his brother in law, the duke Boleslaw I. of Poland his enemies lured him into an ambush.

His small fleet of 11 ships, among them the "Long Snake" - supposingly the most famous ship of it's time - was defeated by the assaulting supremacy. The "Long Snake" was sourrounded and boarded by the enemies. Facing his hopeless situation Olav decided to commit suicide and jumped overboard fully armoured.