Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar, (September 8?, 801 - February 3, 865) was an Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. The see of Hamburg was designated a 'Mission to bring Christianity to the North', and Ansgar became known as the "Apostle of the North".

Ansgar was born in Amiens. He had for a period resided with the baptized Danish king Harald Klak and when Louis the Pious at Worms in 829 was requested by two representatives from Sweden and the Swedish king Björn at Hauge, he appointed Ansgar missionary. The representatives had claimed that the several Swedes were willing to convert to Christendom. Ansgar arrived at "Birka" in 829, with his aide friar Witmar, and a small congregation was formed in 831, which included the kings own steward Hergeir, as the most prominent member.

He died 865 in Bremen. His life story was written by his successor as archbishop, Rimbert, in Vita Ansgari.

A beautiful statue dedicated to him stands in Hamburg as well as a stone cross at Birka.

External links

• Ansgar at Birka (http://www.skolinternet.telia.se/TIS/birka/texteng/hist.htm) - History of Birka
• Vita Ansgari, English translation from Medieval sourcebook  (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/anskar.html)

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