The Battle of Stiklestad (Norwegian: Slaget p Stiklestad, Old Norse: Stiklarstair) in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. In this battle, King Olaf II of Norway (lfr Haraldsson) was killed. During the pontificate of Pope Alexander III, the Roman Catholic Church declared Olaf a saint in 1164.His younger half-brother, Harald Hardrada (Haraldr Haraldsson harri), was also present at the battle. Harald was only fifteen when the battle of Stiklestad took place. He became King of Norway in 1047, until his death in a failed invasion of England at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

The authenticity of the battle as a historical event is subject to question. Contemporary sources say the king was murdered. According to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle of 1030, Olaf was killed by his own people. Adam of Bremen wrote in 1070 that Olaf was killed in an ambush, and so did Florence of Worcester in 1100. Those are the only contemporary sources that mention the death of the king. After the king's canonization it was felt that the saint could not have died in such circumstances. The story of the Battle of Stiklestad as most know it gradually developed during the two centuries following the death of King Olaf. Since he was sainted, Olaf must have fallen in a major battle for Christianity.

The Earls of Lade (Norwegian: ladejarl (singular), ladejarler (plural); Old Norse variant of Lade: Hlaðir) were a dynasty of rulers of the Earldom of Lade, present day Trøndelag and Hålogaland in Norway from the 9th century to the 11th century.The seat of the Earls of Lade was the historic farm known as Lade gård. Today this site is located in the eastern parts of the city of Trondheim. The site is near the seaside of the Trondheimsfjord, an important waterway dating in the Viking Age.

According to Snorri, King Harald I of Norway was a great commander but lacked a fleet. For that he was assisted by Håkon Grjotgardsson. In gratitude Harald made him the first Earl of Lade.