Eric Anundsson or Eymundsson was a semi-legendary Swedish king who supposedly ruled during the 9th century. The Norse sagas describe him as successful in extending his realm over the Baltic Sea, but unsuccessful in his attempts of westward expansion. There is no near-contemporary evidence for his existence, the sources for his reign dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. These sources, Icelandic sagas, are generally not considered reliable sources for the periods and events they describe. Controversially, older Swedish historians have identified Eric with another legendary Swedish king, Erik Weatherhat, who is mentioned in some medieval king-lists as the predecessor of Eric the Victorious. However, Saxo Grammaticus identifies Erik Weatherhat with another figure, a son of the legendary Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Eric's reign He is given as the son of Anund Uppsale in the Hervarar saga (13th century): Eiríkr hét sonr Önundar konungs, er ríki tók eptir föður sinn at Uppsölum; hann var ríkr konungr. Á hans dögum hófst til ríkis í Noregi Haraldr hárfagri, er fyrstr kom einvaldi í Noreg sinna ættmanna. Eric was the son of king Anund, and he succeeded his father at Uppsala; he was a rich king. During his reign, Harald Fairhair came to power in Norway, Harald was the first of his kin to reign as a monarch in Norway. However, the Eric who was contemporary with Harald Fairhair is called Eymundsson by Snorri Sturluson. Since the preceding king Anund is often identified with an Anund who flourished in the 840s and is mentioned by other sources (Rimbert and Adam of Bremen), Anundsson is probably the correct form of the patronym. The names Eymund and Anund were equivalent enough for the later king Anund Jacob to be called Emund (Eymund), in the Westrogothic law. Consequently, Eric's patronym would not be the only instance where the two names were confused. According to Hervarar saga, he was preceded by his father Anund Uppsale and uncle Björn at Hauge, and later on succeeded by Björn (the father of Eric the Victorious and Olof Björnsson). Landnámabók informs that Eric and his son Björn ruled during the time of the Pope Adrian II and Pope John VIII, i.e. in the period 867–883, the time of the first settlement of Iceland. Harald Fairhair's saga relates that Erik died when Harald Fairhair had been king of all Norway for ten years. Traditionally this would indicate 882, but Harald's ascent to power