Heimskringla by Snorri Sturlson

Ingegerd. There came also with Olaf over the West sea Skule, a
son of Earl Toste, and who since has been called the king's
foster-son, and his brother Ketil Krok. Both were gallant men,
of high family in England, and both were very intelligent; and
the brothers were much beloved by King Olaf. Ketil Krok went
north to Halogaland, where King Olaf procured him a good
marriage, and from him are descended many great people. Skule,
the king's foster-son, was a very clever man, and the handsomest
man that could be seen. He was the commander of King Olaf's
court-men, spoke at the Things (1) and took part in all the
country affairs with the king. The king offered to give Skule
whatever district in Norway he liked, with all the income and
duties that belonged to the king in it. Skule thanked him very
much for the offer, but said he would rather have something else
from him. "For if there came a shift of kings," said he, "the
gift might come to nothing. I would rather take some properties
lying near to the merchant towns, where you, sire, usually take
up your abode, and then I would enjoy your Yule-feasts." The
king agreed to this, and conferred on him lands eastward at
Konungahella, Oslo, Tunsberg, Sarpsborg, Bergen, and north at
Nidaros. These were nearly the best properties at each place,
and have since descended to the family branches which came from
Skule. King Olaf gave Skule his female relative, Gudrun, the
daughter of Nefstein, in marriage. Her mother was Ingerid, a
daughter of Sigurd Syr and Asta, King Olaf the Saint's mother.
Ingerid was a sister of King Olaf the Saint and of King Harald.
Skule and Gudrun's son was Asolf of Reine, who married Thora, a
daughter of Skopte Ogmundson; Asolf's and Thora's son was Guthorm
of Reine, father of Bard, and grandfather of King Inge and of
Duke Skule.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Another instance of the old Norse or Icelandic tongue having
been generally known in a part of England.
103. OF KING HARALD SIGURDSON.
One year after King Harald's fall his body was transported from
England north to Nidaros, and was buried in Mary church, which he
had built. It was a common observation that King Harald
distinguished himself above all other men by wisdom and resources
of mind; whether he had to take a resolution suddenly for himself
and others, or after long deliberation. He was, also, above all
other men, bold, brave, and lucky, until his dying day, as above
related; and bravery is half victory. So says Thiodolf: --
"Harald, who till his dying day
Came off the best in many a fray,
Had one good rule in battle-plain,
In Seeland and elsewhere, to gain --
That, be his foes' strength more or less,
Courage is always half success."
King Herald was a handsome man, of noble appearance; his hair and
beard yellow. He had a short beard, and long mustaches. The one
eyebrow was somewhat higher than the other. He had large hands
(1) and feet; but these were well made. His height was five
ells. He was stern and severe to his enemies, and avenged
cruelly all opposition or misdeed. So says Thiodolf: --
"Severe alike to friends or foes,
Who dared his royal will oppose;
Severe in discipline to hold
His men-at-arms wild and bold;
Severe the bondes to repress;
Severe to punish all excess;
Severe was Harald -- but we call
That just which was alike to all."
King Harald was most greedy of power, and of all distinction and
honour. He was bountiful to the friends who suited him. So says
Thiodolf: --
"I got from him, in sea-fight strong,
A mark of gold for my ship-song.
Merit in any way
He generously would pay."
King Harald was fifty years old when he fell. We have no
particular account of his youth before he was fifteen years old,
when he was with his brother, King Olaf, at the battle of
Stiklestad. He lived thirty-five years after that, and in all
that time was never free from care and war. King Harald never
fled from battle, but often tried cunning ways to escape when he
had to do with great superiority of forces. All the men who
followed King Harald in battle or skirmish said that when he
stood in great danger, or anything came suddenly upon him, he
always took that course which all afterwards saw gave the best
hope of a fortunate issue.
ENDNOTES:
(1) It is a singular physical circumstance, that in almost all
the swords of those ages to be found in the collection of
weapons in the Antiquarian Museum at Copenhagen, the handles
indicate a size of hand very much smaller than the hands of
modern people of any class or rank. No modern dandy, with
the most delicate hands, would find room for his hand to
grasp or wield with case some of the swords of these
Northmen. -- L.
104. KING HARALD AND KING OLAF COMPARED.
When Haldor, a son of Brynjolf Ulfalde the Old, who was a
sensible man and a great chief, heard people talk of how unlike
the brothers Saint Olaf and King Harald were in disposition, he
used to say, "I was in great friendship with both the brothers,
and I knew intimately the dispositions of both, and never did I
know two men more like in disposition. Both were of the highest
understanding, and bold in arms, and greedy of power and
property; of great courage, but not acquainted with the way of
winning the favour of the people; zealous in governing, and
severe in their revenge. King Olaf forced the people into
Christianity and good customs, and punished cruelly those who
disobeyed. This just and rightful severity the chiefs of the
country could not bear, but raised an army against him, and
killed him in his own kingdom; and therefore he is held to be a
saint. King Harald, again, marauded to obtain glory and power,
forced all the people he could under his power, and died in
another king's dominions. Both brothers, in daily life, were of
a worthy and considerate manner of living; they were of great
experience, and very laborious, and were known and celebrated far
and wide for these qualities."
105. KING MAGNUS'S DEATH.
King Magnus Haraldson ruled over Norway the first winter after
King Harald's death (A.D. 1067), and afterwards two years (A.D.
1068-1069) along with his brother, King Olaf. Thus there were
two kings of Norway at that time; and Magnus had the northern and
Olaf the eastern part of the country. King Magnus had a son
called Hakon, who was fostered by Thorer of Steig in
Gudbrandsdal, who was a brother of King Magnus by the mother's
side; and Hakon was a most agreeable man.
After King Harald Sigurdson's death the Danish king Svein let it
be known that the peace between the Northmen and the Danes was at
an end, and insisted that the league between Harald and Svein was
not for longer time than their lives. There was a levy in both
kingdoms. Harald's sons called out the whole people in Norway
for procuring men and ships, and Svein set out from the south
with the Danish army. Messengers then went between with
proposals for a peace; and the Northmen said they would either
have the same league as was concluded between King Harald and
Svein, or otherwise give battle instantly on the spot. Verses
were made on this occasion, viz.: --
"Ready for war or peace,
King Olaf will not cease
From foeman's hand
To guard his land."
So says also Stein Herdison in his song of Olaf: --
"From Throndhjem town, where in repose
The holy king defies his foes,
Another Olaf will defend
His kingdom from the greedy Svein.
King Olaf had both power and right,
And the Saint's favour in the fight.
The Saint will ne'er his kin forsake,
And let Svein Ulfson Norway take."
In this manner friendship was concluded between the kings and
peace between the countries. King Magnus fell ill and died of
the ringworm disease, after being ill for some time. He died and
was buried at Nidaros. He was an amiable king and bewailed by
the people.
SAGA OF OLAF KYRRE.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
Snorri's account of Olaf Kyrre corresponds with the statements
found in "Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna".
There are but few events in Olaf's long reign, and hence he is
very appropriately called the Quiet (Kyrre). As Hildebrand says,
this saga seems to be written simply to fill out the empty space
between Harald Hardrade and Magnus Barefoot.
Skalds quoted in this saga are: Stein Herdison and Stuf.
1. OLAF'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
Olaf remained sole king of Norway after the death (A.D. 1069) of
his brother King Magnus. Olaf was a stout man, well grown in
limbs; and every one said a handsomer man could not be seen, nor
of a nobler appearance. His hair was yellow as silk, and became
him well; his skin was white and fine over all his body; his eyes
beautiful, and his limbs well proportioned. He was rather silent
in general, and did not speak much even at Things; but he was
merry in drinking parties. He loved drinking much, and was
talkative enough then; but quite peaceful. He was cheerful in
conversation, peacefully inclined during all his reign, and
loving gentleness and moderation in all things. Stein Herdison
speaks thus of him: --
"Our Throndhjem king is brave and wise,
His love of peace our bondes prize;
By friendly word and ready hand
He holds good peace through every land.
He is for all a lucky star;
England he frightens from a war;
The stiff-necked Danes he drives to peace;
Troubles by his good influence cease."
2. OF KING OLAF'S MANNER OF LIVING.
It was the fashion in Norway in old times for the king's highseat
to be on the middle of a long bench, and the ale was handed
across the fire (1); but King Olaf had his high-seat made on a
high bench across the room; he also first had chimney-places in
the rooms, and the floors strewed both summer and winter. In
King Olaf's time many merchant towns arose in Norway, and many
new ones were founded. Thus King Olaf founded a merchant town at
Bergen, where very soon many wealthy people settled themselves,
and it was regularly frequented by merchants from foreign lands.
He had the foundations laid for the large Christ church, which
was to be a stone church; but in his time there was little done
to it. Besides, he completed the old Christ church, which was of
wood. King Olaf also had a great feasting-house built in
Nidaros, and in many other merchant towns, where before there
were only private feasts; and in his time no one could drink in
Norway but in these houses, adorned for the purpose with branches
and leaves, and which stood under the king's protection. The
great guild-bell in Throndhjem, which was called the pride of the
town, tolled to call together to these guilds. The guildbrethren
built Margaret's church in Nidaros of stone. In King
Olaf's time there were general entertainments and hand-in-hand
feasts. At this time also much unusual splendour and foreign
customs and fashions in the cut of clothes were introduced; as,
for instance, costly hose plaited about the legs. Some had gold
rings about the legs, and also used coats which had lists down
the sides, and arms five ells long, and so narrow that they must
be drawn up with ties, and lay in folds all the way up to the
shoulders. The shoes were high, and all edged with silk, or even
with gold. Many other kinds of wonderful ornaments were used at
that time.
ENDNOTES:
(1) We may understand the arrangement by supposing the fire in
the middle of the room, the smoke escaping by a hole in the
roof, and a long bench on each side of the fire; one bench
occupied by the high-seat of the king and great guests, the
other by the rest of the guests; and the cup handed across
the fire, which appears to have had a religious meaning
previous to the introduction of Christianity. -- L.
3. FASHION OF KING OLAF'S COURT.
King Olaf used the fashion, which was introduced from the courts
of foreign kings, of letting his grand-butler stand at the end of
the table, and fill the table-cups for himself and the other
distinguished guests who sat at the table. He had also torchbearers,
who held as many candles at the table as there were
guests of distinction present. There was also a marshal's bench
outside of the table-circle, where the marshal and other persons
of distinction sat with their faces towards the high-seat. King
Harald, and the kings before him, used to drink out of deer-horn;
and the ale was handed from the high-seat to the otherside over
the fire, and he drank to the memory of any one he thought of.
So says Stuf the skald: --
"He who in battle is the first,
And now in peace is best to trust,
A welcome, hearty and sincere,
Gave to me on my coming here.
He whom the ravens watch with care,
He who the gold rings does not spare,
A golden horn full to the brink
Gave me himself at Haug to drink."
4. ARRANGEMENT OF KING OLAF'S COURT.
King Olaf had 120 courtmen-at-arms, and 60 pursuivants, besides
60 house-servants, who provided what was wanted for the king's
house wherever it might be, or did other work required for the
king. When the bondes asked why he kept a greater retinue than
the law allowed, or former kings kept when they went in guestquarters
or feasts which the bondes had to provide for them, the
king answered, "It does not happen that I rule the kingdom
better, or produce greater respect for me than ye had for my
father, although I have one-half more people than he had. I do
not by any means do it merely to plague you, or to make your
condition harder than formerly."
5. KING SVEIN ULFSON'S DEATH.
King Svein Ulfson died ten years after the fall of both the
Haralds (A.D. 1076). After him his son, Harald Hein, was king
for three years (A.D. 1077-1080); then Canute the Holy for seven
years (A.D. 1081-1087); afterwards Olaf, King Svein's third son,
for eight years (A.D. 1088-1095). Then Eirik the Good, Svein's
fourth son, for eight winters (A.D. 1096-1103). Olaf, the king
of Norway, was married to Ingerid, a daughter of Svein, the
Danish king; and Olaf, the Danish King Svein's son, married
Ingegerd, a daughter of King Harald, and sister of King Olaf of
Norway. King Olaf Haraldson, who was called by some Olaf Kyrre,
but by many Olaf the Bonde, had a son by Thora, Joan's daughter,
who was called Magnus, and was one of the handsomest lads that
could be seen, and was promising in every respect. He was
brought up in the king's court.
6. MIRACLES OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.
King Olaf had a church of stone built in Nidaros, on the spot
where King Olaf's body had first been buried, and the altar was
placed directly over the spot where the king's grave had been.
This church was consecrated and called Christ Church; and King
Olaf's shrine was removed to it, and was placed before the altar,
and many miracles took place there. The following summer, on the
same day of the year as the church was consecrated, which was the
day before Olafsmas, there was a great assemblage of people, and
then a blind man was restored to sight. And on the mass-day
itself, when the shrine and the holy relics were taken out and
carried, and the shrine itself, according to custom, was taken
and set down in the churchyard, a man who had long been dumb
recovered his speech again, and sang with flowing tongue praisehymns
to God, and to the honour of King Olaf the Saint. The
third miracle was of a woman who had come from Svithjod, and had
suffered much distress on this pilgrimage from her blindness; but
trusting in God's mercy, had come travelling to this solemnity.
She was led blind into the church to hear mass this day; but
before the service was ended she saw with both eyes, and got her
sight fully and clearly, although she had been blind fourteen
years. She returned with great joy, praising God and King Olaf
the Saint.
7. OF THE SHRINE OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.
There happened a circumstance in Nidaros, when King Olaf's coffin
was being carried about through the streets, that it became so
heavy that people could not lift it from the spot. Now when the
coffin was set down, the street was broken up to see what was
under it at that spot, and the body of a child was found which
had been murdered and concealed there. The body was carried
away, the street put in order again as it had been before, and
the shrine carried on according to custom.
8. KING OLAF WAS BLESSED WITH PEACE.
In the days of King O1af there were bountiful harvests in Norway
and many good things. In no man's life had times been so good in
Norway since the days of Harald Harfager. King O1af modified for
the better many a matter that his father had inaugurated and
maintained with severity. He was generous, but a strict ruler,
for he was a wise man, and well understood what was of advantage
to the kingdom. There are many stories of his good works. How
much he loved and how kind he was to the people may be seen from
the following words, which he once spoke at a large banquet. He
was happy and in the best of spirits, when one of his men said,
"It pleases us, sire, to see you so happy." He answered: "I have
reason to be glad when I see my subjects sitting happy and free
in a guild consecrated to my uncle, the sainted King Olaf. In
the days of my father these people were subjected to much terror
and fear; the most of them concealed their gold and their
precious things, but now I see glittering on his person what each
one owns, and your freedom is my gladness. In his reign there
was no strife, and he protected himself and his realm against
enemies abroad; and his nearest neighbours stood in great awe of
him, although he was a most gentle man, as is confirmed by the
skald.
9. MEETING OF OLAF KYRRE AND CANUTE THE SAINT.
King Olaf Kyrre was a great friend of his brother-in-law, the
Danish king, Canute the holy. They appointed a meeting and met
at the Gaut river at Konungahella, where the kings used to have
their meetings. There King Canute made the proposal that they
should send an army westward to England on account of the revenge
they had to take there; first and foremost King Olaf himself, and
also the Danish king. "Do one of two things," said King Canute,
-- "either take sixty ships, which I will furnish thee with, and
be thou the leader; or give me sixty ships, and I shall be the
leader." Then said King Olaf, "This speech of thine, King
Canute, is altogether according to my mind; but there is this
great difference between us; your family has had more luck in
conquering England with great glory, and, among others, King
Canute the Great; and it is likely that this good fortune follows
your race. On the other hand, when King Harald, my father, went
westward to England, he got his death there; and at that time the
best men in Norway followed him. But Norway was so emptied then
of chosen men, that such men have not since been to find in the
country; for that expedition there was the most excellent outfit,
and you know what was the end of it. Now I know my own capacity,
and how little I am suited to be the leader; so I would rather
you should go, with my help and assistance."
So King Olaf gave Canute sixty large ships, with excellent
equipment and faithful men, and set his lendermen as chiefs over
them; and all must allow that this armament was admirably equipt.
It is also told in the saga about Canute, that the Northmen alone
did not break the levy when the army was assembled, but the Danes
would not obey their king's orders. This king Canute
acknowledged, and gave them leave to trade in merchandise where
they pleased through his country, and at the same time sent the
king of Norway costly presents for his assistance. On the other
hand he was enraged against the Danes, and laid heavy fines upon
them.
10. A BONDE WHO UNDERSTOOD THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS.
One summer, when King Olaf's men had gone round the country
collecting his income and land dues, it happened that the king,
on their return home asked them where on their expedition they
had been best entertained. They said it was in the house of a
bonde in one of the king's districts. "There is an old bonde
there who knows many things before they happen. We asked him
about many things, which he explained to us; nay, we even believe
that he understands perfectly the language of birds." The king
replies, "How can ye believe such nonsense?" and insisted that it
was wrong to put confidence in such things. It happened soon
after that the king was sailing along the coast; and as they
sailed through a Sound the king said, "What is that township up
in the country?"
They replied, "That is the district, sire, where we told you we
were best entertained."
Then said the king, "What house is that which stands up there,
not far from the Sound?"
They replied, "That house belongs to the wise old bonde we told
you of, sire."
They saw now a horse standing close to the house. Then said the
king, "Go there, and take that horse, and kill him."
They replied, "We would not like to do him such harm."
The king: "I will command. Cut off the horse's head; but take
care of yourselves that ye let no blood come to the ground, and
bear the horse out to my ship. Go then and bring to me the old
man; but tell him nothing of what has happened, as ye shall
answer for it with your lives."
They did as they were ordered, and then came to the old man, and
told him the king's message. When he came before the king, the
king asked him, "Who owns the house thou art dwelling in?"
He replies, "Sire, you own it, and take rent for it."
The king: "Show us the way round the ness, for here thou must be
a good pilot."
The old man went into his boat and rowed before the king's ship;
and when he had rowed a little way a crow came flying over the
ship, and croaking hideously. The peasant listens to the crow.
The king said, "Do you think, bonde, that betokens anything?"
"Sire, that is certain," said he.
Then another crow flies over the ship, and screeches dreadfully.
The bonde was so ill hearing this that he could not row, and the
oars hung loose in his hands.
Then said the king, "Thy mind is turned much to these crows,
bonde, and to what they say."
The bonde replies, "Now I suspect it is true what they say."
The third time the crow came flying screeching at its very worst,
and almost settling on the ship. Now the bonde threw down his
oars, regarded them no more, and stood up before the king.
Then the king said, "Thou art taking this much to heart, bonde;
what is it they say?"
The peasant -- "It is likely that either they or I have
misunderstood -- "
"Say on," replied the king.
The bonde replied in a song: --
"The `one-year old'
Mere nonsense told;
The `two-years' chatter
Seemed senseless matter;
The three-years' croak
Of wonders spoke.
The foul bird said
My old mare's head
I row along;
And, in her song,
She said the thief
Was the land's chief."
The king said, "What is this, bonde! Wilt thou call me a thief?"
Then the king gave him good presents, and remitted all the landrent
of the place he lived on. So says Stein: --
"The pillar of our royal race
Stands forth adorned with every grace.
What king before e'er took such pride
To scatter bounty far and wide?
Hung round with shields that gleam afar;
The merchant ship on one bestows,
With painted streaks in glowing rows.
"The man-at-arms a golden ring
Boasts as the present of his king;
At the king's table sits the guest,
By the king's bounty richly drest.
King Olaf, Norway's royal son,
Who from the English glory won,
Pours out with ready-giving hand
His wealth on children of the land.
"Brave clothes to servants he awards,
Helms and ring-mail coats grace his guards;
Or axe and sword Har's warriors gain,
And heavy armour for the plain.
Gold, too, for service duly paid,
Red gold all pure, and duly weighed,
King Olaf gives -- be loves to pay
All service in a royal way."
11. OF KING OLAF KYRRE'S DEATH.
King Olaf lived principally in his domains on his large farms.
Once when he was east in Ranrike, on his estate of Haukby, he
took the disease which ended in his death. He had then been king
of Norway for twenty-six years (A.D. 1068-1093); for he was made
king of Norway the year after King Harald's death. King Olaf's
body was taken north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church,
which he himself had built there. He was the most amiable king
of his time, and Norway was much improved in riches and
cultivation during his reign.
MAGNUS BAREFOOT'S SAGA.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
The greater part of the contents of this saga is also found in
"Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna".
Magnus and his cousin Hakon became kings in 1093, but Hakon ruled
only two years and died in 1095. King Magnus fell in the year
1103.
Skalds quoted are: Bjorn Krephende, Thorkel Hamarskald, and
Eldjarn.
1. BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS AND HIS COUSIN HAKON.
Magnus, King Olaf's son, was, immediately after King Olaf's
death, proclaimed at Viken king of all Norway; but the Upland
people, on hearing of King Olaf's death, chose Hakon, Thorer's
foster-son, a cousin of King Magnus, as king. Thereupon Hakon
and Thorer went north to the Throndhjem country, and when they
came to Nidaros they summoned the Eyrathing; and at that Thing
Hakon desired the bondes to give him the kingly title, which was
agreed to, and the Throndhjem people proclaimed him king of half
of Norway, as his father, King Magnus, had been before. Hakon
relieved the Throndhjem people of all harbour duties, and gave
them many other privileges. He did away with Yule-gifts, and
gained by this the good-will of all the Throndhjem people.
Thereafter Hakon formed a court, and then proceeded to the
Uplands, where he gave the Upland people the same privileges as
the Throndhjem people; so that they also were perfectly well
affected to him, and were his friends. The people in Throndhjem
sang this ballad about him: --
"Young Hakon was the Norseman's pride,
And Steig-Thorer was on his side.
Young Hakon from the Upland came,
With royal birth, and blood, and name.
Young Hakon from the king demands
His royal birthright, half the lands;
Magnus will not the kingdom break, --
The whole or nothing he will take."
2. HAKON'S DEATH.
King Magnus proceeded north to the merchant town (Nidaros), and
on his arrival went straight to the king's house, and there took
up his abode. He remained here the first part of the winter
(A.D. 1094), and kept seven longships in the open water of the
river Nid, abreast of the king's house. Now when King Hakon
heard that King Magnus was come to Throndhjem, he came from the
East over the Dovrefield, and thence down from Throndhjem to the
merchant town, where he took up his abode in the house of Skule,
opposite to Clement's church, which had formerly been the king's
house. King Magnus was ill pleased with the great gifts which
Hakon had given to the bondes to gain their favour, and thought
it was so much given out of his own property. This irritated his
mind; and he thought he had suffered injustice from his relative
in this respect, that he must now put up with less income than
his father and his predecessors before him had enjoyed; and he
gave Thorer the blame. When King Hakon and Thorer observed this,
they were alarmed for what Magnus might do; and they thought it
suspicious that Magnus kept long-ships afloat rigged out, and
with tents. The following spring, after Candlemas, King Magnus
left the town in the night with his ships; the tents up, and
lights burning in the tents. They brought up at Hefring,
remained there all night, and kindled a fire on the land. Then
Hakon and the men in the town thought some treachery was on foot,
and he let the trumpets call all the men together out on the
Eyrar, where the whole people of the town came to him, and the
people were gathering together the whole night. When it was
light in the morning, King Magnus saw the people from all
districts gathered together on the Eyrar; and he sailed out of
the fjord, and proceeded south to where the Gulathing is held.
Hakon thanked the people for their support which they had given
him, and got ready to travel east to Viken. But he first held a
meeting in the town, where, in a speech, he asked the people for
their friendship, promising them his; and added, that he had some
suspicions of his relation, King Magnus's intentions. Then King
Hakon mounted his horse, and was ready to travel. All men
promised him their good-will and support whenever he required
them, and the people followed him out to the foot of Steinbjorg.
From thence King Hakon proceeded up the Dovrefield; but as he was
going over the mountains he rode all day after a ptarmigan, which
flew up beside him, and in this chase a sickness overfell him,
which ended in his death; and he died on the mountains. His body
was carried north, and came to the merchant town just half a
month after he left it. The whole townspeople went to meet the
body, sorrowing, and the most of them weeping; for all people
loved him with sincere affection. King Hakon's body was interred
in Christ church, and Hakon and Magnus had ruled the country for
two years. Hakon was a man full twenty-five years old, and was
one of the chiefs the most beloved by all the people. He had
made a journey to Bjarmaland, where he had given battle and
gained a victory.
3. OF A FORAY IN HALLAND.
King Magnus sailed in winter (A.D. 1095) eastward to Viken; but
when spring approached he went southwards to Halland, and
plundered far and wide. He laid waste Viskardal and many other
districts, and returned with a great booty back to his own
kingdom. So says Bjorn Krephende in his song on Magnus: --
"Through Halland wide around
The clang and shriek resound;
The houses burn,
The people mourn,
Through Halland wide around.
The Norse king strides in flame,
Through Viskardal he came;
The fire sweeps,
The widow weeps,
The Norse king strides in flame."
Here it is told that King Magnus made the greatest devastation
through Halland.
4. OF THORER OF STEIG.
"There was a man called Svein, a son of Harald Fietter. He was a
Danish man by family, a great viking and champion, and a very
clever man, and of high birth in his own country. He had been
some time with King Hakon Magnuson, and was very dear to him; but
after King Hakon's decease Thorer of Steig, his foster-father,
had no great confidence in any treaty or friendship with King
Magnus, if the whole country came into his power, on account of
the position in which Thorer had stood to King Magnus, and the
opposition he had made to him. Thereupon Thorer and Svein took
counsel with each other, which they afterwards carried into
effect, -- to raise, with Thorer's assistance, and his men, a
troop against Magnus. But as Thorer was old and heavy, Svein
took the command, and name of leader of the troop. In this
design several chiefs took part, among whom the principal was
Egil Aslakson of Aurland. Egil was a lenderman, and married to
Ingebjorg, a daughter of Ogmund Thorbergson, a sister of Skopte
of Giske. The rich and powerful man, Skjalg Erlingson, also
joined their party. Thorkel Hamarskald speaks of this in his
ballad of Magnus:
"Thorer and Egil were not wise,
They aimed too high to win a prize:
There was no reason in their plan,
And it hurt many a udalman.
The stone, too great for them to throw,
Fell back, and hurt them with the blow,
And now the udalmen must rue
That to their friends they were so true."
Thorer and Svein collected a troop in the Uplands, and went down
through Raumsdal into Sunmore, and there collected vessels, with
which they afterwards sailed north to Throndhjem.
5. OF THORER'S ADVENTURES.
The lenderman Sigurd Ulstreng, a son of Lodin Viggiarskalle,
collected men by sending round the war-token, as soon as he heard
of Thorer and the troop which followed him, and had a rendezvous
with all the men he could raise at Viggia. Svein and Thorer also
met there with their people, fought with Sigurd, and gained the
victory after giving him a great defeat; and Sigurd fled, and
joined King Magnus. Thorer and his followers proceeded to the
town (Nidaros), and remained there some time in the fjord, where
many people joined them. King Magnus hearing this news
immediately collected an army, and proceeded north to Throndhjem.
And when he came into the fjord Thorer and his party heard of it
while they lay at Herring, and they were ready to leave the
fjord; and they rowed their ships to the strand at Vagnvik, and
left them, and came into Theksdal in Seliuhverfe, and Thorer was
carried in a litter over the mountains. Then they got hold of
ships and sailed north to Halogaland. As soon as King Magnus was
ready for sea, he sailed from Throndhjem in pursuit of them.
Thorer and his party went north all the way to Bjarkey; and Jon,
with his son Vidkun, fled from thence. Thorer and his men robbed
all the movable goods, and burnt the house, and a good long-ship
that belonged to Vidkun. While the hull was burning the vessel
keeled to one side, and Thorer called out, "Hard to starboard,
Vidkun!" Some verses were made about this burning in Bjarkey: --
"The sweetest farm that I have seen
Stood on Bjarkey's island green;
And now, where once this farmhouse stood,
Fire crackles through a pile of wood;
And the clear red flame, burning high,
Flashes across the dark-night sky.
Jon and Vidkun, this dark night,
Will not be wandering without light."
6. DEATH OF THORER AND EGIL.
Jon and Vidkun travelled day and night till they met King Magnus.
Svein and Thorer proceeded northwards with their men, and
plundered far and wide in Halogaland. But while they lay in a
fjord called Harm, Thorer and his party saw King Magnus coming
under sail towards them; and thinking they had not men enough to
fight him, they rowed away and fled. Thorer and Egil brought up
at Hesjutun; but Svein rowed out to sea, and some of their people
rowed into the fjords. King Magnus pursued Thorer, and the
vessels struck together while they were landing. Thorer stood in
the forecastle of his ship, and Sigurd Ulstreng called out to
him, and asked, "Art thou well, Thorer?" Thorer replied, "I am
well in hands, but ill on my feet."
Then all Thorer's men fled up the country, and Thorer was taken
prisoner. Egil was also taken prisoner, for he would not leave
his wife. King Magnus then ordered both of them to be taken out
to Vambarholm; and when they were leading Thorer from the ship he
tottered on his legs. Then Vidkun called out, "More to the
larboard, Thorer!" When he was being led to the gallows he sang:
--
"We were four comrades gay, --
Let one by the helm stay."
When he came to the gallows he said, "Bad counsel comes to a bad
end." Then Thorer was hanged; but when he was hoisted up the
gallows tree he was so heavy that his neck gave way, and the body
fell down to the ground; for Thorer was a man exceedingly stout,
both high of stature and thick. Egil was also led to the
gallows, and when the king's thralls were about hanging him he
said, "Ye should not hang me, for in truth each of you deserves
much more to be hanged." People sang these verses about it: --
"I hear, my girl, that Egil said,
When to the gallows he was led,
That the king's thralls far more than he
Deserved to hang on gallows-tree.
It might be so; but, death in view,
A man should to himself be true, --
End a stout life by death as stout,
Showing no fear; or care, or doubt."
King Magnus sat near while they were being hanged, and was in
such a rage that none of his men was so bold as to ask mercy for
them. The king said, when Egil was spinning at the gallows, "Thy
great friends help thee but poorly in time of need." From this
people supposed that the king only wanted to have been entreated
to have spared Egil's life. Bjorn Krephende speaks of these
things: --
"King Magnus in the robbers' gore
Dyed red his sword; and round the shore
The wolves howled out their wild delight,
At corpses swinging in their sight.
Have ye not heard how the king's sword
Punished the traitors to their lord?
How the king's thralls hung on the gallows
Old Thorer and his traitor-fellows?"
7. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
After this King Magnus sailed south to Throndhjem, and brought up
in the fjord, and punished severely all who had been guilty of
treason towards him; killing some, and burning the houses of
others. So says Bjorn Krephende: --
"He who despises fence of shields
Drove terror through the Throndhjem fields,
When all the land through which he came
Was swimming in a flood of flame.
The raven-feeder, will I know,
Cut off two chieftans at a blow;
The wolf could scarcely ravenous be,
The ernes flew round the gallows-tree."
Svein Harald Fletter's son, fled out to sea first, and sailed
then to Denmark, and remained there; and at last came into great
favour with King Eystein, the son of King Magnus, who took so
great a liking to Svein that he made him his dish-bearer, and
held him in great respect. King Magnus had now alone the whole
kingdom, and he kept good peace in the land, and rooted out all
vikings and lawless men. He was a man quick, warlike, and able,
and more like in all things to his grandfather, King Harald, in
disposition and talents than to his father.
8. OF THE BONDE SVEINKE, AND SIGURD ULSTRENG.
There was a man called Sveinke Steinarson, who was very wealthy,
and dwelt in Viken at the Gaut river. He had brought up Hakon
Magnuson before Thorer of Steig took him. Sveinke had not yet
submitted to King Magnus. King Magnus ordered Sigurd Ulstreng to
be called, and told him he would send him to Sveinke with the
command that he should quit the king's land and domain. "He has
not yet submitted to us, or shown us due honour." He added, that
there were some lendermen east in Viken, namely Svein Bryggjufot,
Dag Eilifson, and Kolbjorn Klakke, who could bring this matter
into right bearing. Then Sigurd said, "I did not know there was
the man in Norway against whom three lendermen besides myself
were needful." The king replied, "Thou needst not take this
help, unless it be necessary." Now Sigurd made himself ready for
the journey with a ship, sailed east to Viken, and there summoned
the lendermen to him. Then a Thing was appointed to Viken, to
which the people were called who dwelt on the Gaut river, besides
others; so that it was a numerous assembly. When the Thing was
formed they had to wait for Sveinke. They soon after saw a troop
of men coming along, so well furnished with weapons that they
looked like pieces of shining ice; and now came Sveinke and his
people to the Thing, and set themselves down in a circle. All
were clad in iron, with glowing arms, and 500 in number. Then
Sigurd stood up, and spoke. "My master, King Magnus, sends God's
salutation and his own to all friends, lendermen and others, his
subjects in the kingdom; also to the powerful bondes, and the
people in general, with kind words and offers of friendship; and
to all who will obey him he offers his friendship and good will.
Now the king will, with all cheerfulness and peace, show himself
a gracious master to all who will submit to him, and to all in
his dominions. He will be the leader and defender of all the men
of Norway; and it will be good for you to accept his gracious
speech, and this offer."
Then stood up a man in the troop of the Elfgrims, who was of
great stature and grim countenance, clad in a leather cloak, with
a halberd on his shoulder, and a great steel hat upon his head.
He looked sternly, and said, "Here is no need of wheels, says the
fox, when he draws the trap over the ice." He said nothing more,
but sat down again.
Soon after Sigurd Ulstreng stood up again, and spoke thus: "But
little concern or help have we for the king's affairs from you,
Elfgrims, and but little friendship; yet by such means every man
shows how much he respects himself. But now I shall produce more
clearly the king's errand." Thereupon he demanded land-dues and
levy-dues, together with all other rights of the king, from the
great bondes. He bade each of them to consider with himself how
they had conducted themselves in these matters; and that they
should now promote their own honour, and do the king justice, if
they had come short hitherto in doing so. And then he sat down.
Then the same man got up in the troop of Elfgrims who had spoken
before, lifted his hat a little up, and said, "The lads run well,
say the Laplanders, who have skates for nothing." Then he sat
himself down again.
Soon after Sigurd arose, after speaking with the lendermen, and
said that so weighty a message as the king's ought not to be
treated lightly as a jest. He was now somewhat angry; and added,
that they ought not to receive the king's message and errand so
scornfully, for it was not decent. He was dressed in a red or
scarlet coat, and had a blue coat over it. He cast off his upper
coat and said, "Now it is come so far that every one must look to
himself, and not loiter and jest with others; for by so doing
every man will show what he is. We do not require now to be
taught by others; for now we can see ourselves how much we are
regarded. But this may be borne with; but not that ye treat so
scornfully the king's message. Thereby every one shows how
highly he considers himself. There is one man called Sveinke
Steinarson, who lives east at the Gaut river; and from him the
king will have his just land-dues, together with his own land, or
will banish him from the country. It is of no use here to seek
excuses, or to answer with sharp words; for people are to be
found who are his equals in power, although he now receives our
speech so unworthily; and it is better now than afterwards to
return to the right way, and do himself honour, rather than await
disgrace for his obstinancy." He then sat down.
Sveinke then got up, threw back his steel-hat, and gave Sigurd
many scornful words, and said, "Tut! tut! 'tis a shame for the
dogs, says the proverb, when the fox is allowed to cast their
excrements in the peasant's well. Here will be a miracle! Thou
useless fellow! with a coat without arms, and a kirtle with
skirts, wilt thou drive me out of the country? Thy relation,
Sigurd Woolsack, was sent before on this errand, and one called
Gille the Backthief, and one who had still a worse name. They
were a night in every house, and stole wherever they came. Wilt
thou drive me out of the country? Formerly thou wast not so
mighty, and thy pride was less when King Hakon, my foster-son,
was in life. Then thou wert as frightened for him when he met
thee on the road as a mouse in a mouse-trap, and hid thyself
under a heap of clothes, like a dog on board a ship. Thou wast
thrust into a leather-bag like corn in a sack, and driven from
house and farm like a year-old colt from the mares; and dost thou
dare to drive me from the land? Thou shouldst rather think
thyself lucky to escape from hence with life. Let us stand up
and attack him."
Then all his men stood up, and made a great clash with their
weapons. Then Svein Bryggjufot and the other lendermen saw there
was no other chance for Sigurd but to get him on horseback, which
was done, and he rode off into the forest. The end was that
Sveinke returned home to his farm, and Sigurd Ulstreng came, with
great difficulty, by land north to Throndhjem to King Magnus, and
told the result of his errand. "Did I not say," said the king,
"that the help of my lendermen would be needed?" Sigurd was ill
pleased with his journey; insisted that he would be revenged,
cost what it will; and urged the king much. The king ordered
five ships to be fitted out; and as soon as they were ready for
sea he sailed south along the land, and then east to Viken, where
he was entertained in excellent guest-quarters by his lendermen.
The king told them he would seek out Sveinke. "For I will not
conceal my suspicion that he thinks to make himself king of
Norway." They said that Sveinke was both a powerful and an
ungovernable man. Now the king went from Viken until he came to
Sveinke's farm. Then the lendermen desired that they might be
put on shore to see how matters stood; and when they came to the
land they saw that Sveinke had already come down from the farm,
and was on the road with a number of well-armed men. The
lendermen held up a white shield in the air, as a peace-token;
and when Sveinke saw it he halted his men, and they approached
each other. Then said Kolbjorn Klakke, "King Magnus sends thee
God's salutation and his own, and bids thee consider what becomes
thee, and do him obedience, and not prepare thyself to give him
battle." Kolbjorn offered to mediate peace between them, if he
could, and told him to halt his troops.
Sveinke said he would wait for them where he was. "We came out to
meet you," he said, "that ye might not tread down our cornfields."
The lendermen returned to the king, and told him all was now at
his pleasure.
The king said, "My doom is soon delivered. He shall fly the
country, and never come back to Norway as long as the kingdom is
mine; and he shall leave all his goods behind."
"But will it not be more for thy honour," said Kolbjorn, "and
give thee a higher reputation among other kings, if, in banishing
him from the country, thou shouldst allow him to keep his
property, and show himself among other people? And we shall take
care that he never comes back while we live. Consider of this,
sire, by yourself, and have respect for our assurance."
The king replied, "Let him then go forth immediately."
They went back, therefore, to Sveinke, and told him the king's
words; and also that the king had ordered him out of the country,
and he should show his obedience, since he had forgotten himself
towards the king. "It is for the honour of both that thou
shouldst show obedience to the king."
Then Sveinke said, "There must be some great change if the king
speaks agreeably to me; but why should I fly the country and my
properties? Listen now to what I say. It appears to me better
to die upon my property than to fly from my udal estates. Tell
the king that I will not stir from them even an arrow-flight."
Kolbjorn replied, "This is scarcely prudent, or right; for it is
better for one's own honour to give way to the best chief, than
to make opposition to one's own loss. A gallant man succeeds
wheresoever he goes; and thou wilt be the more respected
wheresoever thou art, with men of power, just because thou hast
made head so boldly against so powerful a chief. Hear our
promises, and pay some attention to our errand. We offer thee to
manage thy estates, and take them faithfully under our
protection; and also never, against thy will, to pay scat for thy
land until thou comest back. We will pledge our lives and
properties upon this. Do not throw away good counsel from thee,
and avoid thus the ill fortune of other good men."
Then Sveinke was silent for a short time, and said at last, "Your
endeavours are wise; but I have my suspicions that ye are
changing a little the king's message. In consideration, however,
of the great good-will that ye show me, I will hold your advice
in such respect that I will go out of the country for the whole
winter, if, according to your promises, I can then retain my
estates in peace. Tell the king, also, these my words, that I do
this on your account, not on his."
Thereupon they returned to the king, and said, that Sveinke left
all in the king's hands. "But entreats you to have respect to
his honour. He will be away for three years, and then come back,
if it be the king's pleasure. Do this; let all things be done
according to what is suitable for the royal dignity and according
to our entreaty, now that the matter is entirely in thy power,
and we shall do all we can to prevent his returning against thy
will."
The king replied, "Ye treat this matter like men, and, for your
sakes, shall all things be as ye desire. Tell him so."
They thanked the king, and then went to Sveinke, and told him the
king's gracious intentions. "We will be glad," said they, "if ye
can be reconciled. The king requires, indeed that thy absence
shall be for three years; but, if we know the truth rightly, we
expect that before that time he will find he cannot do without
thee in this part of the country. It will be to thy own future
honour, therefore, to agree to this."
Sveinke replies, "What condition is better than this? Tell the
king that I shall not vex him longer with my presence here, and
accept of my goods and estates on this condition."
Thereupon he went home with his men, and set off directly; for he
had prepared everything beforehand. Kolbjorn remains behind, and
makes ready a feast for King Magnus, which also was thought of
and prepared. Sveinke, on the other hand, rides up to Gautland
with all the men he thought proper to take with him. The king
let himself be entertained in guest-quarters at his house,
returned to Viken, and Sveinke's estates were nominally the
king's, but Kolbjorn had them under his charge. The king
received guest-quarters in Viken, proceeded from thence
northwards, and there was peace for a while; but now that the
Elfgrims were without a chief, marauding gangs infested them, and
the king saw this eastern part of the kingdom would be laid
waste. It appeared to him, therefore, most suitable and
advisable to make Sveinke himself oppose the stream, and twice he
sent messages to him. But he did not stir until King Magnus
himself was south in Denmark, when Sveinke and the king met, and
made a full reconciliation; on which Sveinke returned home to his
house and estates, and was afterwards King Magnus's best and
trustiest friend, who strengthened his kingdom on the eastern
border; and their friendship continued as long as they lived.
9. KING MAGNUS MAKES WAR ON THE SOUTHERN HEBUDES.
King Magnus undertook an expedition out of the country, with many
fine men and a good assortment of shipping. With this armament
he sailed out into the West sea, and first came to the Orkney
Islands. There he took the two earls, Paul and Erlend,
prisoners, and sent them east to Norway, and placed his son
Sigurd as chief over the islands, leaving some counsellors to
assist him. From thence King Magnus, with his followers,
proceeded to the Southern Hebudes, and when he came there began
to burn and lay waste the inhabited places, killing the people
and plundering wherever he came with his men; and the country
people fled in all directions, some into Scotland-fjord, others
south to Cantire, or out to Ireland; some obtained life and
safety by entering into his service. So says Bjorn Krephende: --
"In Lewis Isle with fearful blaze
The house-destroying fire plays;
To hills and rocks the people fly,
Fearing all shelter but the sky.
In Uist the king deep crimson made
The lightning of his glancing blade;
The peasant lost his land and life
Who dared to bide the Norseman's strife.
The hunger battle-birds were filled
In Skye with blood of foemen killed,
And wolves on Tyree's lonely shore
Dyed red their hairy jaws in gore.
The men of Mull were tired of flight;
The Scottish foemen would not fight,
And many an island-girl's wail
Was heard as through the isles we strife sail."
10. OF LAGMAN, KING GUDROD'S SON.
King Magnus came with his forces to the Holy Island (Iona), and
gave peace and safety to all men there. It is told that the king
opened the door of the little Columb's Kirk there, but did not go
in, but instantly locked the door again, and said that no man
should be so bold as to go into that church hereafter; which has
been the case ever since. From thence King Magnus sailed to
Islay, where he plundered and burnt; and when he had taken that
country he proceeded south around Cantire, marauding on both
sides in Scotland and Ireland, and advanced with his foray to
Man, where he plundered. So says Bjorn Krephende: --
"On Sandey's plain our shield they spy:
From Isla smoke rose heaven-high,
Whirling up from the flashing blaze
The king's men o'er the island raise.
South of Cantire the people fled,
Scared by our swords in blood dyed red,
And our brave champion onward goes
To meet in Man the Norseman's foes."
Lagman (Lawman) was the name of the son of Gudrod, king of the
Hebudes. Lawman was sent to defend the most northerly islands;
but when King Magnus and his army came to the Hebudes, Lawman
fled here and there about the isles, and at last King Magnus's
men took him and his ship's crew as he was flying over to
Ireland. The king put him in irons to secure him. So says Bjorn
Krephende: --
"To Gudrod's son no rock or cave,
Shore-side or hill, a refuge gave;
Hunted around from isle to isle,
This Lawman found no safe asyle.
From isle to isle, o'er firth and sound,
Close on his track his foe he found.
At Ness the Agder chief at length
Seized him, and iron-chained his strength."
11. OF THE FALL OF EARL HUGE THE BRAVE.
Afterwards King Magnus sailed to Wales; and when he came to the
sound of Anglesey there came against him an army from Wales,
which was led by two earls -- Hugo the brave, and Hugo the Stout.
They began immediately to give battle, and there was a severe
conflict. King Magnus shot with the bow; but Huge the Brave was
all over in armour, so that nothing was bare about him excepting
one eye. King Magnus let fly an arrow at him, as also did a
Halogaland man who was beside the king. They both shot at once.
The one shaft hit the nose-screen of the helmet, which was bent
by it to one side, and the other arrow hit the earl's eye, and
went through his head; and that was found to be the king's. Earl
Huge fell, and the Britons fled with the loss of many people. So
says Bjorn Krephende: --
"The swinger of the sword
Stood by Anglesey's ford;
His quick shaft flew,
And Huge slew.
His sword gleamed a while
O'er Anglesey Isle,
And his Norsemen's band
Scoured the Anglesey land."
There was also sung the following verse about it: --
"On the panzers arrows rattle,
Where our Norse king stands in battle;
From the helmets blood-streams flow,
Where our Norse king draws his bow:
His bowstring twangs, -- its biting hail
Rattles against the ring-linked mail.
Up in the land in deadly strife
Our Norse king took Earl Huge's life."
King Magnus gained the victory in this battle, and then took
Anglesey Isle, which was the farthest south the Norway kings of
former days had ever extended their rule. Anglesey is a third
part of Wales. After this battle King Magnus turned back with
his fleet, and came first to Scotland. Then men went between the
Scottish king, Melkolm and King Magnus, and a peace was made
between them; so that all the islands lying west of Scotland,
between which and the mainland he could pass in a vessel with her
rudder shipped, should be held to belong to the king of Norway.
Now when King Magnus came north to Cantire, he had a skiff drawn
over the strand at Cantire, and shipped the rudder of it. The
king himself sat in the stern-sheets, and held the tiller; and
thus he appropriated to himself the land that lay on the farboard
side. Cantire is a great district, better than the best of the
southern isles of the Hebudes, excepting Man; and there is a
small neck of land between it and the mainland of Scotland, over
which longships are often drawn.
12. DEATH OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.
King Magnus was all the winter in the southern isles, and his men
went over all the fjords of Scotland, rowing within all the
inhabited and uninhabited isles, and took possession for the king
of Norway of all the islands west of Scotland. King Magnus
contracted in marriage his son Sigurd to Biadmynia, King
Myrkjartan's daughter. Myrkjartan was a son of the Irish king
Thialfe, and ruled over Connaught. The summer after, King
Magnus, with his fleet, returned east to Norway. Earl Erland
died of sickness at Nidaros, and is buried there; and Earl Paul
died in Bergen.
Skopte Ogmundson, a grandson of Thorberg, was a gallant
lenderman, who dwelt at Giske in Sunmore, and was married to
Gudrun, a daughter of Thord Folason. Their children were Ogmund,
Fin, Thord, and Thora, who was married to Asolf Skulason.
Skopte's and Gudrun's sons were the most promising and popular
men in their youth.
13. QUARRELS OF KING MAGNUS AND KING INGE.
Steinkel, the Swedish king, died about the same time (A.D. 1066)
as the two Haralds fell, and the king who came after him in
Svithjod was called Hakon. Afterwards Inge, a son of Steinkel,
was king, and was a good and powerful king, strong and stout
beyond most men; and he was king of Svithjod when King Magnus was
king of Norway. King Magnus insisted that the boundaries of the
countries in old times had been so, that the Gaut river divided
the kingdoms of the Swedish and Norwegian kings, but afterwards
the Vener lake up to Vermaland. Thus King Magnus insisted that
he was owner of all the places lying west of the Vener lake up to
Vermaland, which are the districts of Sundal, Nordal, Vear, and
Vardyniar, with all the woods belonging thereto. But these had
for a long time been under the Swedish dominion, and with respect
to scat were joined to West Gautland; and, besides, the forestsettlers
preferred being under the Swedish king. King Magnus
rode from Viken up to Gautland with a great and fine army, and
when he came to the forest-settlements he plundered and burnt all
round; on which the people submitted, and took the oath of
fidelity to him. When he came to the Vener lake, autumn was
advanced and he went out to the island Kvaldinsey, and made a
stronghold of turf and wood, and dug a ditch around it. When the
work was finished, provisions and other necessaries that might be
required were brought to it. The king left in it 300 men, who
were the chosen of his forces, and Fin Skoptason and Sigurd
Ulstreng as their commanders. The king himself returned to
Viken.
14. OF THE NORTHMEN.
When the Swedish king heard this he drew together people, and the
report came that he would ride against these Northmen; but there
was delay about his riding, and the Northmen made these lines: --
"The fat-hipped king, with heavy sides,
Finds he must mount before he rides."
But when the ice set in upon the Vener lake King Inge rode down,
and had near 300 men with him. He sent a message to the Northmen
who sat in the burgh that they might retire with all the booty
they had taken, and go to Norway. When the messengers brought
this message, Sigurd Ulstreng replied to it; saying that King
Inge must take the trouble to come, if he wished to drive them
away like cattle out of a grass field, and said he must come
nearer if he wished them to remove. The messengers returned with
this answer to the king, who then rode out with all his army to
the island, and again sent a message to the Northmen that they
might go away, taking with them their weapons, clothes, and
horses; but must leave behind all their booty. This they
refused. The king made an assault upon them, and they shot at
each other. Then the king ordered timber and stones to be
collected, and he filled up the ditch; and then he fastened
anchors to long spars which were brought up to the timber-walls,
and, by the strength of many hands, the walls were broken down.
Thereafter a large pile of wood was set on fire, and the lighted
brands were flung in among them. Then the Northmen asked for
quarter. The king ordered them to go out without weapons or
cloaks. As they went out each of them received a stroke with a
whip, and then they set off for Norway, and all the forest-men
submitted again to King Inge. Sigurd and his people went to King
Magnus, and told him their misfortune.
15. KING MAGNUS AND GIPARDE.
When King Magnus was east in Viken, there came to him a foreigner
called Giparde. He gave himself out for a good knight, and
offered his services to King Magnus; for he understood that in
the king's dominions there was something to be done. The king
received him well. At that time the king was preparing to go to
Gautland, on which country the king had pretensions; and besides
he would repay the Gautland people the disgrace they had
occasioned him in spring, when he was obliged to fly from them.
He had then a great force in arms, and the West Gautlanders in
the northern districts submitted to him. He set up his camp on
the borders, intending to make a foray from thence. When King
Inge heard of this he collected troops, and hastened to oppose
King Magnus; and when King Magnus heard of this expedition, many
of the chiefs of the people urged him to turn back; but this the
king would not listen to, but in the night time went
unsuspectedly against the Swedish king. They met at Foxerne; and
when he was drawing up his men in battle order he asked, "Where
is Giparde?" but he was not to be found. Then the king made
these verses: --
"Cannot the foreign knight abide
Our rough array? -- where does he hide?"
Then a skald who followed the king replied: --
"The king asks where the foreign knight
In our array rides to the fight:
Giparde the knight rode quite away
When our men joined in bloody fray.
When swords were wet the knight was slow
With his bay horse in front to go;
The foreign knight could not abide
Our rough array, and went to hide."
There was a great slaughter, and after the battle the field was
covered with the Swedes slain, and King Inge escaped by flight.
King Magnus gained a great victory. Then came Giparde riding
down from the country, and people did not speak well of him for
not being in the fight. He went away, and proceeded westward to
England; and the voyage was stormy, and Giparde lay in bed.
There was an Iceland man called Eldjarn, who went to bale out the
water in the ship's hold, and when he saw where Giparde was lying
he made this verse: --
"Does it beseem a courtman bold
Here to be dozing in the hold?
The bearded knight should danger face:
The leak gains on our ship apace.
Here, ply this bucket! bale who can;
We need the work of every man.
Our sea-horse stands full to the breast, --
Sluggards and cowards must not rest."
When they came west to England, Giparde said the Northmen had
slandered him. A meeting was appointed, and a count came to it,
and the case was brought before him for trial. He said he was
not much acquainted with law cases, as he was but young, and had
only been a short time in office; and also, of all things, he
said what he least understood to judge about was poetry. "But
let us hear what it was." Then Eldjarn sang: --
"I heard that in the bloody fight
Giparde drove all our foes to flight:
Brave Giparde would the foe abide,
While all our men ran off to hide.
At Foxerne the fight was won
By Giparde's valour all alone;
Where Giparde fought, alone was he;
Not one survived to fight or flee."
Then said the count, "Although I know but little about skaldcraft,
I can hear that this is no slander, but rather the highest
praise and honour." Giparde could say nothing against it, yet he
felt it was a mockery.
16. BATTLE OF FOXERNE.
The spring after, as soon as the ice broke up, King Magnus, with
a great army, sailed eastwards to the Gaut river, and went up the
eastern arm of it, laying waste all that belonged to the Swedish
dominions. When they came to Foxerne they landed from their
vessels; but as they came over a river on their way an army of
Gautland people came against them, and there was immediately a
great battle, in which the Northmen were overwhelmed by numbers,
driven to flight, and many of them killed near to a waterfall.
King Magnus fled, and the Gautlanders pursued, and killed those
they could get near. King Magnus was easily known. He was a
very stout man, and had a red short cloak over him, and bright
yellow hair like silk that fell over his shoulders. Ogmund
Skoptason, who was a tall and handsome man, rode on one side of
the king. He said, "Sire, give me that cloak."
The king said, "What would you do with it?"
"I would like to have it," said Ogmund; "and you have given me
greater gifts, sire."
The road was such that there were great and wide plains, so that
the Gautlanders and Northmen were always in sight of each other,
unless where clumps of wood and bushes concealed them from each
other now and then. The king gave Ogmund the cloak and he put it
on. When they came out again upon the plain ground, Ogmund and
his people rode off right across the road. The Gautlanders,
supposing this must be the king, rode all after him, and the king
proceeded to the ships. Ogmund escaped with great difficulty;
however, he reached the ships at last in safety. King Magnus
then sailed down the river, and proceeded north to Viken.
17. MEETING OF THE KINGS AT THE GAUT RIVER.
The following summer a meeting of the kings was agreed upon at
Konghelle on the Gaut river; and King Magnus, the Swedish king,
Inge, and the Danish king, Eirik Sveinson, all met there, after
giving each other safe conduct to the meeting. Now when the
Thing had sat down the kings went forward upon the plain, apart
from the rest of the people, and they talked with each other a
little while. Then they returned to their people, and a treaty
was brought about, by which each should possess the dominions his
forefathers had held before him; but each should make good to his
own men the waste and manslaughter suffered by them, and then
they should agree between themselves about settling this with
each other. King Magnus should marry King Inge's daughter
Margaret, who afterwards was called Peace-offering. This was
proclaimed to the people; and thus, within a little hour, the
greatest enemies were made the best of friends.
It was observed by the people that none had ever seen men with
more of the air of chiefs than these had. King Inge was the
largest and stoutest, and, from his age, of the most dignified
appearance. King Magnus appeared the most gallant and brisk, and
King Eirik the most handsome. But they were all handsome men;
stout, gallant, and ready in speech. After this was settled they
parted.
18. KING MAGNUS'S MARRIAGE.
King Magnus got Margaret, King Inge's daughter, as above related;
and she was sent from Svithjod to Norway with an honourable
retinue. King Magnus had some children before, whose names shall
here be given. The one of his sons who was of a mean mother was
called Eystein; the other, who was a year younger, was called
Sigurd, and his mother's name was Thora. Olaf was the name of a
third son, who was much younger than the two first mentioned, and
whose mother was Sigrid, a daughter of Saxe of Vik, who was a
respectable man in the Throndhjem country; she was the king's
concubine. People say that when King Magnus came home from his
viking cruise to the Western countries, he and many of his people
brought with them a great deal of the habits and fashion of
clothing of those western parts. They went about on the streets
with bare legs, and had short kirtles and over-cloaks; and
therefore his men called him Magnus Barefoot or Bareleg. Some
called him Magnus the Tall, others Magnus the Strife-lover. He
was distinguished among other men by his tall stature. The mark
of his height is put down in Mary church, in the merchant town of
Nidaros, which King Harald built. In the northern door there
were cut into the wall three crosses, one for Harald's stature,
one for Olaf's, and one for Magnus's; and which crosses each of
them could with the greatest ease kiss. The upper was Harald's
cross; the lowest was Magnus's; and Olaf's was in the middle,
about equally distant from both.
It is said that Magnus composed the following verses about the
emperor's daughter: --
"The ring of arms where blue swords gleam,
The battle-shout, the eagle's scream,
The Joy of war, no more can please:
Matilda is far o'er the seas.
My sword may break, my shield be cleft,
Of land or life I may be reft;
Yet I could sleep, but for one care, --
One, o'er the seas, with light-brown hair."
He also composed the following: --
"The time that breeds delay feels long,
The skald feels weary of his song;
What sweetens, brightens, eases life?
'Tis a sweet-smiling lovely wife.
My time feels long in Thing affairs,
In Things my loved one ne'er appears.
The folk full-dressed, while I am sad,
Talk and oppose -- can I be glad?"
When King Magnus heard the friendly words the emperor's daughter
had spoken about him -- that she had said such a man as King
Magnus was appeared to her an excellent man, he composed the
following: --
"The lover hears, -- across the sea,
A favouring word was breathed to me.
The lovely one with light-brown hair
May trust her thoughts to senseless air;
Her thoughts will find like thoughts in me;
And though my love I cannot see,
Affection's thoughts fly in the wind,
And meet each other, true and kind."
19. OF THE QUARREL OF KING MAGNUS AND SKOPTE.
Skopte Ogmundson came into variance with King Magnus, and they
quarrelled about the inheritance of a deceased person which
Skopte retained; but the king demanded it with so much
earnestness, that it had a dangerous appearance. Many meetings
were held about the affair, and Skopte took the resolution that
he and his son should never put themselves into the king's power
at the same time; and besides there was no necessity to do so.
When Skopte was with the king he represented to him that there
was relationship between the king and him; and also that he,
Skopte, had always been the king's friend, and his father's
likewise, and that their friendship had never been shaken. He
added, "People might know that I have sense enough not to hold a
strife, sire, with you, if I was wrong in what I asked; but it is
inherited from my ancestors to defend my rights against any man,
without distinction of persons." The king was just the same on
this point, and his resolution was by no means softened by such a
speech. Then Skopte went home.
20. FIN SKOPTASON'S PROCEEDINGS.
Then Fin Skoptason went to the king, spoke with him, and
entreated him to render justice to the father and son in this
business. The king answers angrily and sharply. Then said Fin,
"I expected something else, sire, from you, than that you would
use the law's vexations against me when I took my seat in
Kvaldinsey Island, which few of your other friends would do; as
they said, what was true, that those who were left there were
deserted and doomed to death, if King Inge had not shown greater
generosity to us than you did; although many consider that we
brought shame and disgrace only from thence." The king was not
to be moved by this speech, and Fin returned home.
21. OGMUND SKOPTASON'S PROCEEDINGS.
Then came Ogmund Skoptason to the king; and when he came before
him he produced his errand, and begged the king to do what was
right and proper towards him and his father. The king insisted
that the right was on his side, and said they were "particularly
impudent."
Then said Ogmund, "It is a very easy thing for thee, having the
power, to do me and my father injustice; and I must say the old
proverb is true, that one whose life you save gives none, or a
very bad return. This I shall add, that never again shall I come
into thy service; nor my father, if I can help it." Then Ogmund
went home, and they never saw each other again.
22. SKOPTE OGMUNDSON'S VOYAGE ABROAD.
The spring after, Skopte Ogmundson made ready to travel out of
the country. They had five long-ships all well equipped. His
sons, Ogmund, Fin, and Thord, accompanied him on this journey.
It was very late before they were ready, and in autumn they went
over to Flanders, and wintered there. Early in spring they
sailed westward to Valland, and stayed there all summer. Then
they sailed further, and through Norvasund; and came in autumn to
Rome, where Skopte died. All, both father and sons, died on this
journey. Thord, who died in Sicily, lived the longest. It is a
common saying among the people that Skopte was the first Northman
who sailed through Norvasund; and this voyage was much
celebrated.
23. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF THE SAINT AT A FIRE.
It happened once in the merchant town (Nidaros) where King Olaf
reposes, that there broke out a fire in the town which spread
around. Then Olaf's shrine was taken out of the church, and set
up opposite the fire. Thereupon came a crazy foolish man, struck
the shrine, threatened the holy saint, and said all must be
consumed by the flames, both churches and other houses, if he did
not save them by his prayers. Now the burning of the church did
cease, by the help of Almighty God; but the insane man got sore
eyes on the following night, and he lay there until King Olaf
entreated God A1mighty to be merciful to him; after which he
recovered in the same church.
24. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF ON A LAME WOMAN.
It happened once in the merchant town that a woman was brought to
the place where the holy King Olaf reposes. She was so miserably
shaped, that she was altogether crumpled up; so that both her
feet lay in a circle against her loins. But as she was diligent
in her prayers, often weeping and making vows to King Olaf, he
cured her great infirmities; so that feet, legs, and other limbs
straightened, and every limb and part came to the right use for
which they were made. Before she could not creep there, and now
she went away active and brisk to her family and home.
25. WAR IN IRELAND.
When King Magnus had been nine years king of Norway (A.D. 1094-
1102), he equipped himself to go out of the country with a great
force. He sailed out into the West sea with the finest men who
could be got in Norway. All the powerful men of the country
followed him; such as Sigurd Hranason, Vidkun Jonson, Dag
Eilifson, Serk of Sogn, Eyvind Olboge, the king's marshal Ulf
Hranason, brother of Sigurd, and many other great men. With all
this armament the king sailed west to the Orkney Islands, from
whence he took with him Earl Erlend's sons, Magnus and Erling,
and then sailed to the southern Hebudes. But as he lay under the
Scotch land, Magnus Erlendson ran away in the night from the
king's ship, swam to the shore, escaped into the woods, and came
at last to the Scotch king's court. King Magnus sailed to
Ireland with his fleet, and plundered there. King Myrkjartan
came to his assistance, and they conquered a great part of the
country, both Dublin and Dyflinnarskire (Dublin shire). King
Magnus was in winter (A.D. 1102) up in Connaught with King
Myrkjartan, but set men to defend the country he had taken.
Towards spring both kings went westward with their army all the
way to Ulster, where they had many battles, subdued the country,
and had conquered the greatest part of Ulster when Myrkjartan
returned home to Connaught.
26. KING MAGNUS'S FORAY ON THE LAND.
King Magnus rigged his ships, and intended returning to Norway,
but set his men to defend the country of Dublin. He lay at
Ulster ready for sea with his whole fleet. As they thought they
needed cattle for ship-provision, King Magnus sent a message to
King Myrkjartan, telling him to send some cattle for slaughter;
and appointed the day before Bartholomew's day as the day they
should arrive, if the messengers reached him in safety; but the
cattle had not made their appearance the evening before
Bartholomew's mass. On the mass-day itself, when the sun rose in
the sky, King Magnus went on shore himself with the greater part
of his men, to look after his people, and to carry off cattle
from the coast. The weather was calm, the sun shone, and the
road lay through mires and mosses, and there were paths cut
through; but there was brushwood on each side of the road. When
they came somewhat farther, they reached a height from which they
had a wide view. They saw from it a great dust rising up the
country, as of horsemen, and they said to each other, "That must
be the Irish army;" but others said, "It was their own men
returning with the cattle." They halted there; and Eyvind Olboge
said, "How, sire, do you intend to direct the march? The men
think we are advancing imprudently. You know the Irish are
treacherous; think, therefore, of a good counsel for your men."
Then the king said, "Let us draw up our men, and be ready, if
there be treachery." This was done, and the king and Eyvind went
before the line. King Magnus had a helmet on his head; a red
shield, in which was inlaid a gilded lion; and was girt with the
sword of Legbit, of which the hilt was of tooth (ivory), and
handgrip wound about with gold thread; and the sword was
extremely sharp. In his hand he had a short spear, and a red
silk short cloak, over his coat, on which, both before and
behind, was embroidered a lion in yellow silk; and all men
acknowledged that they never had seen a brisker, statelier man.
Eyvind had also a red silk cloak like the king's; and he also was
a stout, handsome, warlike man.
27. FALL OF KING MAGNUS.
When the dust-cloud approached nearer they knew their own men,
who were driving the cattle. The Irish king had been faithful to
the promises he had given the king, and had sent them. Thereupon
they all turned towards the ships, and it was mid-day. When they
came to the mires they went but slowly over the boggy places; and
then the Irish started up on every side against them from every
bushy point of land, and the battle began instantly. The
Northmen were going divided in various heaps, so that many of
them fell.
Then said Eyvind to the king, "Unfortunate is this march to our
people, and we must instantly hit upon some good plan."
The king answered, "Call all the men together with the war-horns
under the banner, and the men who are here shall make a rampart
with their shields, and thus we will retreat backwards out of the
mires; and we will clear ourselves fast enough when we get upon
firm ground."
The Irish shot boldly; and although they fell in crowds, there
came always two in the place of one. Now when the king had come
to the nearest ditch there was a very difficult crossing, and few
places were passable; so that many Northmen fell there. Then the
king called to his lenderman Thorgrim Skinhufa, who was an Upland
man, and ordered him to go over the ditch with his division. "We
shall defend you," said he, "in the meantime, so that no harm
shall come to you. Go out then to those holms, and shoot at them
from thence; for ye are good bowmen."
When Thorgrim and his men came over the ditch they cast their
shields behind their backs, and set off to the ships.
When the king saw this, he said, "Thou art deserting thy king in
an unmanly way. I was foolish in making thee a lenderman, and
driving Sigurd Hund out of the country; for never would he have
behaved so."
King Magnus received a wound, being pierced by a spear through
both thighs above the knees. The king laid hold of the shaft
between his legs, broke the spear in two, and said, "Thus we
break spear-shafts, my lads; let us go briskly on. Nothing hurts
me." A little after King Magnus was struck in the neck with an
Irish axe, and this was his death-wound. Then those who were
behind fled. Vidkun Jonson instantly killed the man who had
given the king his death-wound, and fled, after having received
three wounds; but brought the king's banner and the sword Legbit
to the ships. Vidkun was the last man who fled; the other next
to him was Sigurd Hranason, and the third before him, Dag
Eilifson. There fell with King Magnus, Eyvind Olboge, Ulf
Hranason, and many other great people. Many of the Northmen
fell, but many more of the Irish. The Northmen who escaped
sailed away immediately in autumn. Erling, Earl Erlend's'son,
fell with King Magnus in Ireland; but the men who fled from
Ireland came to the Orkney Islands. Now when King Sigurd heard
that his father had fallen, he set off immediately, leaving the
Irish king's daughter behind, and proceeded in autumn with the
whole fleet directly to Norway.
28. OF KING MAGNUS AND VIDKUN JONSON.
King Magnus was ten years king of Norway (A.D. 1094-1105), and in
his days there was good peace kept within the country; but the
people were sorely oppressed with levies. King Magnus was
beloved by his men, but the bondes thought him harsh. The words
have been transmitted from him that he said when his friends
observed that he proceeded incautiously when he was on his
expeditions abroad, -- "The kings are made for honour, not for
long life." King Magnus was nearly thirty years of age when he
fell. Vidkun did not fly until he had killed the man who gave
the king his mortal wound, and for this cause King Magnus's sons
had him in the most affectionate regard.
SAGA OF SIGURD THE CRUSADER AND HIS BROTHERS EYSTEIN AND OLAF.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
"Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna" more or less complete
the story of the sons of Magnus. They contain some things omitted
by Snorre, while, on the other hand, some facts related by Snorre
are not found in the above sources.
Thjodrek the Monk tells of Sigurd that he made a Journey to
Jerusalem, conquered many heathen cities, and among them Sidon;
that he captured a cave defended by robbers, received presents
from Baldwin, returned to Norway in Eystein's lifetime, and
became insane, as a result, as some say, of a poisonous drink.
The three brothers became kings in the year A.D. 1103. Olaf died
1115, Eystein 1122 or 1123, Sigurd 1130.
Skalds quoted in this saga are: Thorarin Stutfeld, Einar
Skulason, Haldor Skvaldre, and Arne Fjoruskeif.
1. BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS'S SONS.
After King Magnus Barefoot's fall, his sons, Eystein, Sigurd, and
Olaf, took the kingdom of Norway. Eystein got the northern, and
Sigurd the southern part of the country. King Olaf was then four
or five years old, and the third part of the country which he had
was under the management of his two brothers. King Sigurd was
chosen king when he was thirteen or fourteen years old, and
Eystein was a year older. King Sigurd left west of the sea the
Irish king's daughter. When King Magnus's sons were chosen
kings, the men who had followed Skopte Ogmundson returned home.
Some had been to Jerusalem, some to Constantinople; and there
they had made themselves renowned, and they had many kinds of
novelties to talk about. By these extraordinary tidings many men
in Norway were incited to the same expedition; and it was also
told that the Northmen who liked to go into the military service
at Constantinople found many opportunities of getting property.
Then these Northmen desired much that one of the two kings,
either Eystein or Sigurd, should go as commander of the troop
which was preparing for this expedition. The kings agreed to
this, and carried on the equipment at their common expense. Many
great men, both of the lendermen and bondes, took part in this
enterprise; and when all was ready for the journey it was
determined that Sigurd should go, and Eystein in the meantime,
should rule the kingdom upon their joint account.
2. OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.
A year or two after King Magnus Barefoot's fall, Hakon, a son of
Earl Paul, came from Orkney. The kings gave him the earldom and
government of the Orkney Islands, as the earls before him, his
father Paul or his Uncle Erland, had possessed it; and Earl Hakon
then sailed back immediately to Orkney.
3. KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
Four years after the fall of King Magnus (A.D. 1107), King Sigurd
sailed with his people from Norway. He had then sixty ships. So
says Thorarin Stutfeld: --
"A young king just and kind,
People of loyal mind:
Such brave men soon agree, --
To distant lands they sail with glee.
To the distant Holy Land
A brave and pious band,
Magnificent and gay,
In sixty long-ships glide away."
King Sigurd sailed in autumn to England, where Henry, son of
William the Bastard, was then king, and Sigurd remained with him
all winter. So says Einar Skulason: --
"The king is on the waves!
The storm he boldly braves.
His ocean-steed,
With winged speed,
O'er the white-flashing surges,
To England's coast he urges;
And there he stays the winter o'er:
More gallant king ne'er trod that shore."
4. OF KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY.
In spring King Sigurd and his fleet sailed westward to Valland
(A.D. 1108), and in autumn came to Galicia, where he stayed the
second winter (A.D. 1109). So says Einar Skulason: --
"Our king, whose land so wide
No kingdom stands beside,
In Jacob's land next winter spent,
On holy things intent;
And I have heard the royal youth
Cut off an earl who swerved from truth.
Our brave king will endure no ill, --
The hawks with him will get their fill."
It went thus: -- The earl who ruled over the land made an
agreement with King Sigurd, that he should provide King Sigurd
and his men a market at which they could purchase victuals all
the winter; but this he did not fulfil longer than to about Yule.
It began then to be difficult to get food and necessaries, for it
is a poor barren land. Then King Sigurd with a great body of men
went against a castle which belonged to the earl; and the earl
fled from it, having but few people. King Sigurd took there a
great deal of victuals and of other booty, which he put on board
of his ships, and then made ready and proceeded westward to
Spain. It so fell out, as the king was sailing past Spain, that
some vikings who were cruising for plunder met him with a fleet
of galleys, and King Sigurd attacked them. This was his first
battle with heathen men; and he won it, and took eight galleys
from them. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"Bold vikings, not slow
To the death-fray to go,
Meet our Norse king by chance,
And their galleys advance.
The bold vikings lost
Many a man of their host,
And eight galleys too,
With cargo and crew."
Thereafter King Sigurd sailed against a castle called Sintre and
fought another battle. This castle is in Spain, and was occupied
by many heathens, who from thence plundered Christian people.
King Sigurd took the castle, and killed every man in it, because
they refused to be baptized; and he got there an immense booty.
So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"From Spain I have much news to tell
Of what our generous king befell.
And first he routs the viking crew,
At Cintra next the heathens slew;
The men he treated as God's foes,
Who dared the true faith to oppose.
No man he spared who would not take
The Christian faith for Jesus' sake."
5. LISBON TAKEN.
After this King Sigurd sailed with his fleet to Lisbon, which is
a great city in Spain, half Christian and half heathen; for there
lies the division between Christian Spain and heathen Spain, and
all the districts which lie west of the city are occupied by
heathens. There King Sigurd had his third battle with the
heathens, and gained the victory, and with it a great booty. So
says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"The son of kings on Lisbon's plains
A third and bloody battle gains.
He and his Norsemen boldly land,
Running their stout ships on the strand."
Then King Sigurd sailed westwards along heathen Spain, and
brought up at a town called Alkasse; and here he had his fourth
battle with the heathens, and took the town, and killed so many
people that the town was left empty. They got there also immense
booty. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"A fourth great battle, I am told,
Our Norse king and his people hold
At Alkasse; and here again
The victory fell to our Norsemen."
And also this verse: --
"I heard that through the town he went,
And heathen widows' wild lament
Resounded in the empty halls;
For every townsman flies or falls."
3. BATTLE IN THE ISLAND FORMINTERRA.
King Sigurd then proceeded on his voyage, and came to Norfasund;
and in the sound he was met by a large viking force, and the king
gave them battle; and this was his fifth engagement with heathens
since the time he left Norway. He gained the victory here also.
So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"Ye moistened your dry swords with blood,
As through Norfasund ye stood;
The screaming raven got a feast,
As ye sailed onward to the East."
King Sigurd then sailed eastward along the coast of Serkland, and
came to an island there called Forminterra. There a great many
heathen Moors had taken up their dwelling in a cave, and had
built a strong stone wall before its mouth. They harried the
country all round, and carried all their booty to their cave.
King Sigurd landed on this island, and went to the cave; but it
lay in a precipice, and there was a high winding path to the
stone wall, and the precipice above projected over it. The
heathens defended the stone wall, and were not afraid of the
Northmen's arms; for they could throw stones, or shoot down upon
the Northmen under their feet; neither did the Northmen, under
such circumstances, dare to mount up. The heathens took their
clothes and other valuable things, carried them out upon the
wall, spread them out before the Northmen, shouted, and defied
them, and upbraided them as cowards. Then Sigurd fell upon this
plan. He had two ship's boats, such as we call barks, drawn up
the precipice right above the mouth of the cave; and had thick
ropes fastened around the stem, stern, and hull of each. In
these boats as many men went as could find room, and then the
boats were lowered by the ropes down in front of the mouth of the
cave; and the men in the boats shot with stones and missiles into
the cave, and the heathens were thus driven from the stone wall.
Then Sigurd with his troops climbed up the precipice to the foot
of the stone wall, which they succeeded in breaking down, so that
they came into the cave. Now the heathens fled within the stone
wall that was built across the cave; on which the king ordered
large trees to be brought to the cave, made a great pile in the
mouth of it, and set fire to the wood. When the fire and smoke
got the upper hand, some of the heathens lost their lives in it;
some fled; some fell by the hands of the Northmen; and part were
killed, part burned; and the Northmen made the greatest booty
they had got on all their expeditions. So says Halder Skvaldre:
--
"Forminterra lay
In the victor's way;
His ships' stems fly
To victory.
The bluemen there
Must fire bear,
And Norsemen's steel
At their hearts feel."
And also thus:--
"'Twas a feat of renown, --
The boat lowered down,
With a boat's crew brave,
In front of the cave;
While up the rock scaling,
And comrades up trailing,
The Norsemen gain,
And the bluemen are slain."
And also Thorarin Stutfeld says:--
"The king's men up the mountain's side
Drag two boats from the ocean's tide;
The two boats lay,
Like hill-wolves grey.
Now o'er the rock in ropes they're swinging
Well manned, and death to bluemen bringing;
They hang before
The robber's door."
7. OF THE BATTLES OF IVIZA AND MINORCA.
Thereafter King Sigurd proceeded on his expedition, and came to
an island called Iviza (Ivica), and had there his seventh battle,
and gained a victory. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"His ships at Ivica now ride,
The king's, whose fame spreads far and wide;
And hear the bearers of the shield
Their arms again in battle wield."
Thereafter King Sigurd came to an island called Manork (Minorca),
and held there his eighth battle with heathen men, and gained the
victory. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"On green Minorca's plains
The eighth battle now he gains:
Again the heathen foe
Falls at the Norse king's blow."
8. DUKE ROGER MADE A KING.
In spring King Sigurd came to Sicily (A.D. 1109), and remained a
long time there. There was then a Duke Roger in Sicily, who
received the king kindly, and invited him to a feast. King
Sigurd came to it with a great retinue, and was splendidly
entertained. Every day Duke Roger stood at the company's table,
doing service to the king; but the seventh day of the feast, when
the people had come to table, and had wiped their hands, King
Sigurd took the duke by the hand, led him up to the high-seat,
and saluted him with the title of king; and gave the right that
there should be always a king over the dominion of Sicily,
although before there had only been earls or dukes over that
country.
9. OF KING ROGER.
King Roger of Sicily was a very great king. He won and subdued
all Apulia, and many large islands besides in the Greek sea; and
therefore he was called Roger the Great. His son was William,
king of Sicily, who for a long time had great hostility with the
emperor of Constantinople. King William had three daughters, but
no son. One of his daughters he married to the Emperor Henry, a
son of the Emperor Frederik; and their son was Frederik, who for
a short time after was emperor of Rome. His second daughter was
married to the Duke of Kipr. The third daughter, Margaret, was
married to the chief of the corsairs; but the Emperor Henry
killed both these brothers-in-law. The daughter of Roger the
Great, king of Sicily, was married to the Emperor Manuel of
Constantinople; and their son was the Emperor Kirjalax.
10. KING SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.
In the summer (A.D. 1110) King Sigurd sailed across the Greek sea
to Palestine, and thereupon went up to Jerusalem, where he met
Baldwin, king of Palestine. King Baldwin received him
particularly well, and rode with him all the way to the river
Jordan, and then back to the city of Jerusalem. Einar Skulason
speaks thus of it: --
"Good reason has the skald to sing
The generous temper of the king,
Whose sea-cold keel from northern waves
Ploughs the blue sea that green isles laves.
At Acre scarce were we made fast,
In holy ground our anchors cast,
When the king made a joyful morn
To all who toil with him had borne."
And again he made these lines: --
"To Jerusalem he came,
He who loves war's noble game,
(The skald no greater monarch finds
Beneath the heaven's wide hall of winds)
All sin and evil from him flings
In Jordan's wave: for all his sins
(Which all must praise) he pardon wins."
King Sigurd stayed a long time in the land of Jerusalem
(Jorsalaland) in autumn, and in the beginning of winter.
11. SIDON TAKEN.
King Baldwin made a magnificent feast for King Sigurd and many of
his people, and gave him many holy relics. By the orders of King
Baldwin and the patriarch, there was taken a splinter off the
holy cross; and on this holy relic both made oath, that this wood
was of the holy cross upon which God Himself had been tortured.
Then this holy relic was given to King Sigurd; with the condition
that he, and twelve other men with him, should swear to promote
Christianity with all his power, and erect an archbishop's seat
in Norway if he could; and also that the cross should be kept
where the holy King Olaf reposed, and that he should introduce
tithes, and also pay them himself. After this King Sigurd
returned to his ships at Acre; and then King Baldwin prepared to
go to Syria, to a heathen town called Saet. On this expedition
King Sigurd accompanied him, and after the kings had besieged the
town some time it surrendered, and they took possession of it,
and of a great treasure of money; and their men found other
booty. King Sigurd made a present of his share to King Baldwin.
So say Haldor Skvaldre: --
"He who for wolves provides the feast
Seized on the city in the East,
The heathen nest; and honour drew,
And gold to give, from those he slew."
Einar Skulason also tells of it: --
"The Norsemen's king, the skalds relate,
Has ta'en the heathen town of Saet:
The slinging engine with dread noise
Gables and roofs with stones destroys.
The town wall totters too, -- it falls;
The Norsemen mount the blackened walls.
He who stains red the raven's bill
Has won, -- the town lies at his will."
Thereafter King Sigurd went to his ships and made ready to leave
Palestine. They sailed north to the island Cyprus; and King
Sigurd stayed there a while, and then went to the Greek country,
and came to the land with all his fleet at Engilsnes. Here he
lay still for a fortnight, although every day it blew a breeze
for going before the wind to the north; but Sigurd would wait a
side wind, so that the sails might stretch fore and aft in the
ship; for in all his sails there was silk joined in, before and
behind in the sail, and neither those before nor those behind the
ships could see the slightest appearance of this, if the vessel
was before the wind; so they would rather wait a side wind.
12. SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO CONSTANTINOPLE.
When King Sigurd sailed into Constantinople, he steered near the
land. Over all the land there are burghs, castles, country
towns, the one upon the other without interval. There from the
land one could see into the bights of the sails; and the sails
stood so close beside each other, that they seemed to form one
enclosure. All the people turned out to see King Sigurd sailing
past. The Emperor Kirjalax had also heard of King Sigurd's
expedition, and ordered the city port of Constantinople to be
opened, which is called the Gold Tower, through which the emperor
rides when he has been long absent from Constantinople, or has
made a campaign in which he has been victorious. The emperor had
precious cloths spread out from the Gold Tower to Laktjarna,
which is the name of the emperor's most splendid hall. King
Sigurd ordered his men to ride in great state into the city, and
not to regard all the new things they might see; and this they
did. King Sigurd and his followers rode with this great
splendour into Constantinople, and then came to the magnificent
hall, where everything was in the grandest style.
King Sigurd remained here some time. The Emperor Kirjalax sent
his men to him to ask if he would rather accept from the emperor
six lispund of gold, or would have the emperor give the games in
his honour which the emperor was used to have played at the
Padreim. King Sigurd preferred the games, and the messengers
said the spectacle would not cost the emperor less than the money
offered. Then the emperor prepared for the games, which were
held in the usual way; but this day everything went on better for
the king than for the queen; for the queen has always the half
part in the games, and their men, therefore, always strive
against each other in all games. The Greeks accordingly think
that when the king's men win more games at the Padreim than the
queen's, the king will gain the victory when he goes into battle.
People who have been in Constantinople tell that the Padreim is
thus constructed: -- A high wall surrounds a flat plain, which
may be compared to a round bare Thing-place, with earthen banks
all around at the stone wall, on which banks the spectators sit;
but the games themselves are in the flat plain. There are many
sorts of old events represented concerning the Asas, Volsungs,
and Giukungs, in these games; and all the figures are cast in
copper, or metal, with so great art that they appear to be living
things; and to the people it appears as if they were really
present in the games. The games themselves are so artfully and
cleverly managed, that people appear to be riding in the air; and
at them also are used shot-fire (1), and all kinds of harpplaying,
singing, and music instruments.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Fireworks, or the Greek fire, probably were used. -- L.
12. SIGURD AND THE EMPEROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
It is related that King Sigurd one day was to give the emperor a
feast, and he ordered his men to provide sumptuously all that was
necessary for the entertainment; and when all things were
provided which are suitable for an entertainment given by a great
personage to persons of high dignity, King Sigurd ordered his
men to go to the street in the city where firewood was sold, as
they would require a great quantity to prepare the feast. They
said the king need not be afraid of wanting firewood, for every
day many loads were brought into the town. When it was
necessary, however, to have firewood, it was found that it was
all sold, which they told the king. He replied, "Go and try if
you can get walnuts. They will answer as well as wood for fuel."
They went and got as many as they needed. Now came the emperor,
and his grandees and court, and sat down to table. All was very
splendid; and King Sigurd received the emperor with great state,
and entertained him magnificently. When the queen and the
emperor found that nothing was wanting, she sent some persons to
inquire what they had used for firewood; and they came to a house
filled with walnuts, and they came back and told the queen.
"Truly," said she, "this is a magnificent king, who spares no
expense where his honour is concerned." She had contrived this
to try what they would do when they could get no firewood to
dress their feast with.
14. KING SIGURD THE CRUSADER'S RETURN HOME.
King Sigurd soon after prepared for his return home. He gave the
emperor all his ships; and the valuable figureheads which were on
the king's ships were set up in Peter's church, where they have
since been to be seen. The emperor gave the king many horses and
guides to conduct him through all his dominions. Then King
Sigurd left Constantinople; but a great many Northmen remained,
and went into the emperor's pay. Then King Sigurd traveled from
Bulgaria, and through Hungary, Pannonia. Suabia, and Bavaria,
where he met the Roman emperor, Lotharius, who received him in
the most friendly way, gave him guides through his dominions, and
had markets established for him at which he could purchase all he
required. When King Sigurd came to Slesvik in Denmark, Earl
Eilif made a sumptuous feast for him; and it was then midsummer.
In Heidaby he met the Danish king, Nikolas, who received him in
the most friendly way, made a great entertainment for him,
accompanied him north to Jutland, and gave him a ship provided
with everything needful. From thence the king returned to
Norway, and was joyfully welcomed on his return to his kingdom
(A.D. 1110). It was the common talk among the people, that none
had ever made so honourable a journey from Norway as this of King
Sigurd. He was twenty years of age, and had been three years on
these travels. His brother Olaf was then twelve years old.
15. EYSTEIN'S DOINGS IN THE MEANTIME.
King Eystein had also effected much in the country that was
useful while King Sigurd was on his journey. He established a
monastery at Nordnes in Bergen, and endowed it with much
property. He also built Michael's church, which is a very
splendid stone temple. In the king's house there he also built
the Church of the Apostles, and the great hall, which is the most
magnificent wooden structure that was ever built in Norway. He
also built a church at Agdanes with a parapet; and a harbour,
where formerly there had been a barren spot only. In Nidaros he
built in the king's street the church of Saint Nikolas, which was
particularly ornamented with carved work, and all in wood. He
also built a church north in Vagar in Halogaland, and endowed it
with property and revenues.
16. OF KING EYSTEIN.
King Eystein sent a verbal message to the most intelligent and
powerful of the men of Jamtaland, and invited them to him;
received them all as they came with great kindness; accompanied
them part of the way home, and gave them presents, and thus
enticed them into a friendship with him. Now as many of them
became accustomed to visit him and receive gifts from him, and he
also sent gifts to some who did not come themselves, he soon
gained the favour of all the people who had most influence in the
country. Then he spoke to the Jamtaland people, and told them
they had done ill in turning away from the kings of Norway, and
withdrawing from them their taxes and allegiance. He began by
saying how the Jamtaland people had submitted to the reign of
Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstane, and had long afterwards been
subjected to the kings of Norway, and he represented to them how
many useful things they could get from Norway, and how
inconvenient it was for them to apply to the Swedish king for
what they needed. By these speeches he brought matters so far
that the Jamtaland people of their own accord offered to be
subject to him, which they said was useful and necessary for
them; and thus, on both sides, it was agreed that the
Jamtalanders should put their whole country under King Eystein.
The first beginning was with the men of consequence, who
persuaded the people to take an oath of fidelity to King Eystein;
and then they went to King Eystein and confirmed the country to
him by oath; and this arrangement has since continued for a long
time. King Eystein thus conquered Jamtaland by his wisdom, and
not by hostile inroads, as some of his forefathers had done.
17. OF KING EYSTEIN'S PERFECTIONS.
King Eystein was the handsomest man that could be seen. He had
blue open eyes; his hair yellow and curling; his stature not
tall, but of the middle size. He was wise, intelligent, and
acquainted with the laws and history. He had much knowledge of
mankind, was quick in counsel, prudent in words, and very
eloquent and very generous. He was very merry, yet modest; and
was liked and beloved, indeed, by all the people. He was married
to Ingebjorg, a daughter of Guthorm, son of Thorer of Steig; and
their daughter was Maria, who afterwards married Gudbrand
Skafhogson.
18. OF IVAR INGIMUNDSON.
King Eystein had in many ways improved the laws and priveleges of
the country people, and kept strictly to the laws; and he made
himself acquainted with all the laws of Norway, and showed in
everything great prudence and understanding. What a valuable man
King Eystein was, how full of friendship, and how much he turned
his mind to examining and avoiding everything that could be of
disadvantage to his friends, may be seen from his friendship to
an Iceland man called Ivar Ingimundson. The man was witty, of
great family, and also a poet. The king saw that Ivar was out of
spirits, and asked him why he was so melancholy. "Before, when
thou wast with us, we had much amusement with thy conversation.
I know thou art a man of too good an understanding to believe
that I would do anything against thee. Tell me then what it is."
He replied, "I cannot tell thee what it is."
Then said the king, "I will try to guess what it is. Are there
any men who displease thee?"
To this he replied, "No."
"Dost thou think thou art held in less esteem by me than thou
wouldst like to be?"
To this he also replied, "No."
"Hast thou observed anything whatever that has made an impression
on thee at which thou art ill pleased?"
He replied, it was not this either.
The king: "Would you like to go to other chiefs or to other men?"
To this he answered, "No."
The king: "It is difficult now to guess. Is there any girl here,
or in any other country, to whom thy affections are engaged?"
He said it was so.
The king said, "Do not be melancholy on that account. Go to
Iceland when spring sets in, and I shall give thee money, and
presents, and with these my letters and seal to the men who have
the principal sway there; and I know no man there who will not
obey my persuasions or threats."
Ivar replied, "My fate is heavier, sire; for my own brother has
the girl."
Then said the king, "Throw it out of thy mind; and I know a
counsel against this. After Yule I will travel in
guest-quarters. Thou shalt come along with me, and thou will
have an opportunity of seeing many beautiful girls; and, provided
they are not of the royal stock, I will get thee one of them in
marriage."
Ivar replies, "Sire, my fate is still the heavier; for as oft as
I see beautiful and excellent girls I only remember the more that
girl, and they increase my misery."
The king: "Then I will give thee property to manage, and estates
for thy amusement."
He replied, "For that I have no desire."
The king: "Then I will give thee money, that thou mayest travel
in other countries."
He said he did not wish this.
Then said the king, "It is difficult for me to seek farther, for
I have proposed everything that occurs to me. There is but one
thing else; and that is but little compared to what I have
offered thee. Come to me every day after the tables are removed,
and, if I am not sitting upon important business, I shall talk
with thee about the girl in every way that I can think of; and I
shall do so at leisure. It sometimes happens that sorrow is
lightened by being brought out openly; and thou shalt never go
away without some gift."
He replied, "This I will do, sire, and return thanks for this
inquiry."
And now they did so constantly; and when the king was not
occupied with weightier affairs he talked with him, and his
sorrow by degrees wore away, and he was again in good spirits.
19. OF KING SIGURD.
King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, with brown hair; of a
manly appearance, but not handsome; well grown; of little speech,
and often not friendly, but good to his friends, and faithful;
not very eloquent, but moral and polite. King Sigurd was selfwilled,
and severe in his revenge; strict in observing the law;
was generous; and withal an able, powerful king. His brother
Olaf was a tall, thin man; handsome in countenance; lively,
modest, and popular. When all these brothers, Eystein, Sigurd
and Olaf were kings of Norway, they did away with many burthens
which the Danes had laid upon the people in the time that Svein
Alfifason ruled Norway; and on this account they were much
beloved, both by the people and the great men of the country.
20. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.
Once King Sigurd fell into low spirits, so that few could get him
to converse, and he sat but a short time at the drinking table.
This was heavy on his counsellors, friends, and court; and they
begged King Eystein to consider how they could discover the cause
why the people who came to the king could get no reply to what
they laid before him. King Eystein answered them, that it was
difficult to speak with the king about this; but at last, on the
entreaty of many, he promised to do it. Once, when they were
both together, King Eystein brought the matter before his
brother, and asked the cause of his melancholy. "It is a great
grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like
to know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard
any news of great weight?"
King Sigurd replies, that it was not so.
"Is it then, brother," says King Eystein, "that you would like to
travel out of the country, and augment your dominions as our
father did?"
He answered, that it was not that either.
"Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?"
To this also the king said "No."
"Then I would like to know if you have dreamt anything that has
occasioned this depression of mind?"
The king answered that it was so.
"Tell me, then, brother, thy dream."
King Sigurd said, "I will not tell it, unless thou interpret it
as it may turn out; and I shall be quick at perceiving if thy
interpretation be right or not."
King Eystein replies, "This is a very difficult matter, sire, on
both sides; as I am exposed to thy anger if I cannot interpret
it, and to the blame of the public if I can do nothing in the
matter; but I will rather fall under your displeasure, even if my
interpretation should not be agreeable."
King Sigurd replies, "It appeared to me, in a dream, as if we
brothers were all sitting on a bench in front of Christ church in
Throndhjem; and it appeared to me as if our relative, King Olaf
the Saint, came out of the church adorned with the royal raiment
glancing and splendid, and with the most delightful and joyful
countenance. He went to our brother King Olaf, took him by the
hand, and said cheerfully, to him, `Come with me, friend.' On
which he appeared to stand up and go into the church. Soon after
King Olaf the Saint came out of the church, but not so gay and
brilliant as before. Now he went to thee, brother, and said to
thee that thou shouldst go with him; on which he led thee with
him, and ye went into the church. Then I thought, and waited for
it, that he would come to me, and meet me; but it was not so.
Then I was seized with great sorrow, and great dread and anxiety
fell upon me, so that I was altogether without strength; and then
I awoke."
King Eystein replies, "Thus I interpret your dream, sire, -- That
the bench betokens the kingdom we brothers have; and as you
thought King Olaf came with so glad a countenance to our brother,
King Olaf, he will likely live the shortest time of us brothers,
and have all good to expect hereafter; for he is amiable, young
in years, and has gone but little into excess, and King Olaf the
Saint must help him. But as you thought he came towards me, but
not with so much joy, I may possibly live a few years longer, but
not become old, and I trust his providence will stand over me;
but that he did not come to me with the same splendour and glory
as to our brother Olaf, that will be because, in many ways, I
have sinned and transgressed his command. If he delayed coming
to thee, I think that in no way betokens thy death, but rather a
long life; but it may be that some heavy accident may occur to
thee, as there was an unaccountable dread overpowering thee; but
I foretell that thou will be the oldest of us, and wilt rule the
kingdom longest."
Then said Sigurd, "This is well and intelligently interpreted,
and it is likely it will be so." And now the king began to be
cheerful again.
21. OF KING SIGURD'S MARRIAGE.
King Sigurd married Malmfrid, a daughter of King Harald
Valdemarson, eastward in Novgorod. King Harald Valdemarson's
mother was Queen Gyda the Old, a daughter of the Swedish king,
Inge Steinkelson. Harald Valdemarson's other daughter, sister to
Malmfrid, was Ingebjorg, who was married to Canute Lavard, a son
of the Danish king, Eirik the Good, and grandson of King Svein
Ulfson. Canute's and Ingebjorg's children were, the Danish king,
Valdemar, who came to the Danish kingdom after Svein Eirikson;
and daughters Margaret, Christina, and Catherine. Margaret was
married to Stig Hvitaled; and their daughter was Christina,
married to the Swedish king, Karl Sorkvison, and their son was
King Sorkver.
22. OF THE CASES BEFORE THE THING.
The king's relative, Sigurd Hranason, came into strife with King
Sigurd. He had had the Lapland collectorship on the king's
account, because of their relationship and long friendship, and
also of the many services Sigurd Hranason had done to the kings;
for he was a very distinguished, popular man. But it happened to
him, as it often does to others, that persons more wicked and
jealous than upright slandered him to King Sigurd, and whispered
in the king's ear that he took more of the Laplander's tribute to
himself than was proper. They spoke so long about this, that
King Sigurd conceived a dislike and anger to him, and sent a
message to him. When he appeared before the king, the king
carried these feelings with him, and said, "I did not expect that
thou shouldst have repaid me for thy great fiefs and other
dignities by taking the king's property, and abstracting a
greater portion of it than is allowable."
Sigurd Hranason replies, "It is not true that has been told you;
for I have only taken such portion as I had your permission to
take."
King Sigurd replies, "Thou shalt not slip away with this; but the
matter shall be seriously treated before it comes to an end."
With that they parted.
Soon after, by the advice of his friends, the king laid an action
against Sigurd Hranason at the Thing-meeting in Bergen, and would
have him made an outlaw. Now when the business took this turn,
and appeared so dangerous, Sigurd Hranason went to King Eystein,
and told him what mischief King Sigurd intended to do him, and
entreated his assistance. King Eystein replied, "This is a
difficult matter that you propose to me, to speak against my
brother; and there is a great difference between defending a
cause and pursuing it in law;" and added, that this was a matter
which concerned him and Sigurd equally. "But for thy distress,
and our relationship, I shall bring in a word for thee."
Soon after Eystein visited King Sigurd, and entreated him to
spare the man, reminding him of the relationship between them and
Sigurd Hranason, who was married to their aunt, Skialdvor; and
said he would pay the penalty for the crime committed against the
king, although he could not with truth impute any blame to him in
the matter. Besides, he reminded the king of the long friendship
with Sigurd Hranason. King Sigurd replied, that it was better
government to punish such acts. Then King Eystein replied, "If
thou, brother, wilt follow the law, and punish such acts
according to the country's privileges, then it would be most
correct that Sigurd Hranason produce his witnesses, and that the
case be judged at the Thing, but not at a meeting; for the case
comes under the law of the land, not under Bjarkey law." Then
said Sigurd, "It may possibly be so that the case belongs to it,
as thou sayest, King Eystein; and if it be against law what has
hitherto been done in this case, then we shall bring it before
the Thing." Then the kings parted, and each seemed determined to
take his own way. King Sigurd summoned the parties in the case
before the Arnarnes Thing, and intended to pursue it there. King
Eystein came also to the Thing-place; and when the case was
brought forward for judgment, King Eystein went to the Thing
before judgment was given upon Sigurd Hranason. Now King Sigurd
told the lagmen to pronounce the judgment; but King Eystein
replied thus: "I trust there are here men acquainted sufficiently
with the laws of Norway, to know that they cannot condemn a
lendermen to be outlawed at this Thing." And he then explained
how the law was, so that every man clearly understood it. Then
said King Sigurd, "Thou art taking up this matter very warmly,
King Eystein, and it is likely the case will cost more trouble
before it comes to an end than we intended; but nevertheless we
shall follow it out. I will have him condemned to be outlawed in
his native place." Then said King Eystein, "There are certainly
not many things which do not succeed with thee, and especially
when there are but few and small folks to oppose one who has
carried through such great things." And thus they parted,
without anything being concluded in the case. Thereafter King
Sigurd called together a Gula Thing, went himself there, and
summoned to him many high chiefs. King Eystein came there also
with his suite; and many meetings and conferences were held among
people of understanding concerning this case, and it was tried
and examined before the lagmen. Now King Eystein objected that
all the parties summoned in any cases tried here belonged to the
Thing-district; but in this case the deed and the parties
belonged to Halogaland. The Thing accordingly ended in doing
nothing, as King Eystein had thus made it incompetent. The kings
parted in great wrath; and King Eystein went north to Throndhjem.
King Sigurd, on the other hand, summoned to him all lendermen,
and also the house-servants of the lendermen, and named out of
every district a number of the bondes from the south parts of the
country, so that he had collected a large army about him; and
proceeded with all this crowd northwards along the coast to
Halogaland, and intended to use all his power to make Sigurd
Hranason an outlaw among his own relations. For this purpose he
summoned to him the Halogaland and Naumudal people, and appointed
a Thing at Hrafnista. King Eystein prepared himself also, and
proceeded with many people from the town of Nidaros to the Thing,
where he made Sigurd Hranason, by hand-shake before witnesses,
deliver over to him the following and defending this case. At
this Thing both the kings spoke, each for his own side. Then
King Eystein asks the lagmen where that law was made in Norway
which gave the bondes the right to judge between the kings of the
country, when they had pleas with each other. "I shall bring
witnesses to prove that Sigurd has given the case into my hands;
and it is with me, not with Sigurd Hranason, that King Sigurd has
to do in this case." The lagmen said that disputes between kings
must be judged only at the Eyra Thing in Nidaros.
King Eystein said, "So I thought that it should be there, and the
cases must be removed there."
Then King Sigurd said, "The more difficulties and inconvenience
thou bringest upon me in this matter, the more I will persevere
in it." And with that they parted.
Both kings then went south to Nidaros town, where they summoned a
Thing from eight districts. King Eystein was in the town with a
great many people, but Sigurd was on board his ships. When the
Thing was opened, peace and safe conduct was given to all; and
when the people were all collected, and the case should be gone
into, Bergthor, a son of Svein Bryggjufot, stood up, and gave his
evidence that Sigurd Hranason had concealed a part of the
Laplanders' taxes.
Then King Eystein stood up and said, "If thy accusation were
true, although we do not know what truth there may be in thy
testimony, yet this case has already been dismissed from three
Things, and a fourth time from a town meeting; and therefore I
require that the lagmen acquit Sigurd in this case according to
law." And they did so.
Then said King Sigurd, "I see sufficiently, King Eystein, that
thou hast carried this case by law-quirks (1), which I do not
understand. But now there remains, King Eystein, a way of
determining the case which I am more used to, and which I shall
now apply."
He then retired to his ships, had the tents taken down, laid his
whole fleet out at the holm, and held a Thing of his people; and
told them that early in the morning they should land at
Iluvellir, and give battle to King Eystein. But in the evening,
as King Sigurd sat at his table in his ship taking his repast,
before he was aware of it a man cast himself on the floor of the
forehold, and at the king's feet. This was Sigurd Hranason, who
begged the king to take what course with regard to him the king
himself thought proper. Then came Bishop Magne and Queen
Malmfrid, and many other great personages, and entreated
forgiveness for Sigurd Hranason; and at their entreaty the king
raised him up, took him by the hand, and placed him among his
men, and took him along with himself to the south part of the
country. In autumn the king gave Sigurd Hranason leave to go
north to his farm, gave him an employment, and was always
afterward his friend. After this day, however, the brothers were
never much together, and there was no cordiality or cheerfulness
among them.
ENDNOTES:
(1) These law-quirks show a singularly advanced state of law.
and deference to the Law Things, amidst such social disorder
and misdeeds. -- L.
23. OF KING OLAF'S DEATH.
King Olaf Magnuson fell into a sickness which ended in his death.
He was buried in Christ church in Nidaros, and many were in great
grief at his death. After Olaf's death, Eystein and Sigurd ruled
the country, the three brothers together having been kings of
Norway for twelve years (A.D. 1104-1115); namely, five years
after King Sigurd returned home, and seven years before. King
Olaf was seventeen years old when he died, and it happened on the
24th of December.
24. MAGNUS THE BLIND; HIS BIRTH.
King Eystein had been about a year in the east part of the
country at that time, and King Sigurd was then in the north.
King Eystein remained a long time that winter in Sarpsborg.
There was once a powerful and rich bonde called O1af of Dal, who
dwelt in Great Dal in Aumord, and had two children, -- a son
called Hakon Fauk, and a daughter called Borghild, who was a very
beautiful girl, and prudent, and well skilled in many things.
Olaf and his children were a long time in winter in Sarpsborg,
and Borghild conversed very often with King Eystein; so that many
reports were spread about their friendship. The following summer
King Eystein went north, and King Sigurd came eastward, where he
remained all winter, and was long in Konungahella, which town he
greatly enlarged and improved. He built there a great castle of
turf and stone, dug a great ditch around it, and built a church
and several houses within the castle. The holy cross he allowed
to remain at Konungahella, and therein did not fulfill the oath
he had taken in Palestine; but, on the other hand, he established
tithe, and most of the other things to which he had bound himself
by oath. The reason of his keeping the cross east at the
frontier of the country was, that he thought it would be a
protection to all the land; but it proved the greatest misfortune
to place this relic within the power of the heathens, as it
afterwards turned out.
When Borghild, Olaf's daughter, heard it whispered that people
talked ill of her conversations and intimacy with King Eystein,
she went to Sarpsborg; and after suitable fasts she carried the
iron as proof of her innocence, and cleared herself thereby fully
from all offence. When King Sigurd heard this, he rode one day
as far as usually was two days' travelling, and came to Dal to
Olaf, where he remained all night, made Borghild his concubine,
and took her away with him. They had a son, who was called
Magnus, and he was sent immediately to Halogaland, to be fostered
at Bjarkey by Vidkun Jonson; and he was brought up there. Magnus
grew up to be the handsomest man that could be seen, and was very
soon stout and strong.
25. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO KINGS.
King Eystein and King Sigurd went both in spring to
guest-quarters in the Uplands; and each was entertained in a
separate house, and the houses were not very distant from each
other. The bondes, however, thought it more convenient that both
should be entertained together by turns in each house; and thus
they were both at first in the house of King Eystein. But in the
evening, when the people began to drink, the ale was not good; so
that the guests were very quiet and still. Then said King
Eystein, "Why are the people so silent? It is more usual in
drinking parties that people are merry, so let us fall upon some
jest over our ale that will amuse people; for surely, brother
Sigurd, all people are well pleased when we talk cheerfully."
Sigurd replies, bluntly, "Do you talk as much as you please, but
give me leave to be silent."
Eystein says, "It is a common custom over the ale-table to
compare one person with another, and now let us do so." Then
Sigurd was silent.
"I see," says King Eystein, "that I must begin this amusement.
Now I will take thee, brother, to compare myself with, and will
make it appear so as if we had both equal reputation and
property, and that there is no difference in our birth and
education."
Then King Sigurd replies, "Do you remember that I was always able
to throw you when we wrestled, although you are a year older?"
Then King Eystein replied, "But I remember that you was not so
good at the games which require agility."
Sigurd: "Do you remember that I could drag you under water, when
we swam together, as often as I pleased?"
Eystein: "But I could swim as far as you, and could dive as well
as you; and I could run upon snow-skates so well that nobody
could beat me, and you could no more do it than an ox."
Sigurd: "Methinks it is a more useful and suitable accomplishment
for a chief to be expert at his bow; and I think you could
scarcely draw my bow, even if you took your foot to help."
Eystein: "I am not strong at the bow as you are, but there is
less difference between our shooting near; and I can use the
skees much better than you, and in former times that was held a
great accomplishment."
Sigurd: "It appears to me much better for a chief who is to be
the superior of other men, that he is conspicuous in a crowd, and
strong and powerful in weapons above other men; easily seen, and
easily known, where there are many together."
Eystein: "It is not less a distinction and an ornament that a man
is of a handsome appearance, so as to be easily known from others
on that account; and this appears to me to suit a chief best,
because the best ornament is allied to beauty. I am moreover
more knowing in the law than you, and on every subject my words
flow more easily than yours."
Sigurd: "It may be that you know more law-quirks, for I have had
something else to do; neither will any deny you a smooth tongue.
But there are many who say that your words are not to be trusted;
that what you promise is little to be regarded; and that you talk
just according to what those who are about you say, which is not
kingly."
Eystein: "This is because, when people bring their cases before
me, I wish first to give every man that satisfaction in his
affairs which he desires; but afterwards comes the opposite
party, and then there is something to be given or taken away very
often, in order to mediate between them, so that both may be
satisfied. It often happens, too, that I promise whatever is
desired of me, that all may be joyful about me. It would be an
easy matter for me to do as you do, -- to promise evil to all;
and I never hear any complain of your not keeping this promise to
them."
Sigurd: "It is the conversation of all that the expedition that I
made out of the country was a princely expedition, while you in
the meantime sat at home like your father's daughter."
Eystein: "Now you touched the tender spot. I would not have
brought up this conversation if I had not known what to reply on
this point. I can truly say that I equipt you from home like a
sister, before you went upon this expedition."
Sigurd: "You must have heard that on this expedition I was in
many a battle in the Saracen's land, and gained the victory in
all; and you must have heard of the many valuable articles I
acquired, the like of which were never seen before in this
country, and I was the most respected wherever the most gallant
men were; and, on the other hand, you cannot conceal that you
have only a home-bred reputation."
Eystein: "I have heard that you had several battles abroad, but
it was more useful for the country what I was doing in the
meantime here at home. I built five churches from the
foundations, and a harbour out at Agdanes, where it before was
impossible to land, and where vessels ply north and south along
the coast. I set a warping post and iron ring in the sound of
Sinholm, and in Bergen I built a royal hall, while you were
killing bluemen for the devil in Serkland. This, I think, was of
but little advantage to our kingdom."
King Sigurd said: "On this expedition I went all the way to
Jordan and swam across the river. On the edge of the river there
is a bush of willows, and there I twisted a knot of willows, and
said this knot thou shouldst untie, brother, or take the curse
thereto attached."
King Eystein said: "I shall not go and untie the knot which you
tied for me; but if I had been inclined to tie a knot for thee,
thou wouldst not have been king of Norway at thy return to this
country, when with a single ship you came sailing into my fleet."
Thereupon both were silent, and there was anger on both sides.
More things passed between the brothers, from which it appeared
that each of them would be greater than the other; however, peace
was preserved between them as long as they lived.
26. OF KING SIGURD'S SICKNESS.
King Sigurd was at a feast in the Upland, and a bath was made
ready for him. When the king came to the bath and the tent was
raised over the bathing-tub, the king thought there was a fish in
the tub beside him; and a great laughter came upon him, so that
he was beside himself, and was out of his mind, and often
afterwards these fits returned.
Magnus Barefoot's daughter, Ragnhild, was married by her brothers
to Harald Kesia, a son of the Danish king, Eirik the Good; and
their sons were Magnus, Olaf, Knut and Harald.
27. OF KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.
King Eystein built a large ship at Nidaros, which, in size and
shape, was like the Long Serpent which King Olaf Trygvason had
built. At the stem there was a dragon's head, and at the stern a
crooked tail, and both were gilded over. The ship was highsided;
but the fore and aft parts appeared less than they should
be. He also made in Nidaros many and large dry-docks of the best
material, and well timbered.
Six years after King Olaf's death, it happened that King Eystein,
at a feast at Hustadir in Stim, was seized with an illness which
soon carried him off. He died the 29th of August, 1123, and his
body was carried north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church;
and it is generally said that so many mourners never stood over
any man's grave in Norway as over King Eystein's, at least since
the time Magnus the Good, Saint Olaf's son, died. Eystein had
been twenty years (A.D. 1104-1123) king of Norway; and after his
decease his brother, King Sigurd, was the sole king of Norway as
long as he lived.
28. BAPTIZING THE PEOPLE OF SMALAND.
The Danish king, Nikolas, a son of Svein Ulfson, married
afterwards the Queen Margaret, a daughter of King Inge, who had
before been married to King Magnus Barefoot; and their sons were
Nikolas and Magnus the Strong. King Nikolas sent a message to
King Sigurd the Crusader, and asked him if he would go with him
with all his might and help him to the east of the Swedish
dominion, Smaland, to baptize the inhabitants; for the people who
dwelt there had no regard for Christianity, although some of them
had allowed themselves to be baptized. At that time there were
many people all around in the Swedish dominions who were
heathens, and many were bad Christians; for there were some of
the kings who renounced Christianity, and continued heathen
sacrifices, as Blotsvein, and afterwards Eirik Arsale, had done.
King Sigurd promised to undertake this journey, and the kings
appointed their meeting at Eyrarsund. King Sigurd then summoned
all people in Norway to a levy, both of men and ships; and when
the fleet was assembled he had about 300 ships. King Nikolas
came very early to the meeting-place, and stayed there a long
time; and the bondes murmured much, and said the Northmen did not
intend to come. Thereupon the Danish army dispersed, and the
king went away with all his fleet. King Sigurd came there soon
afterwards, and was ill pleased; but sailed east to Svimraros,
and held a House-thing, at which Sigurd spoke about King
Nikolas's breach of faith, and the Northmen, on this account,
determined to go marauding in his country. They first plundered
a village called Tumathorp, which is not far from Lund; and then
sailed east to the merchant-town of Calmar, where they plundered,
as well as in Smaland, and imposed on the country a tribute of
1500 cattle for ship provision; and the people of Smaland
received Christianity. After this King Sigurd turned about with
his fleet, and came back to his kingdom with many valuable
articles and great booty, which he had gathered on this
expedition; and this levy was called the Calmar levy. This was
the summer before the eclipse. This was the only levy King
Sigurd carried out as long as he was king.
29. OF THORARIN STUTFELD.
It happened once when King Sigurd was going from the drinkingtable
to vespers, that his men were very drunk and merry; and
many of them sat outside the church singing the evening song, but
their singing was very irregular. Then the king said, "Who is
that fellow I see standing at the church with a skin jacket on?"
They answered, that they did not know. Then the king said: --
"This skin-clad man, in sorry plight,
Puts all our wisdom here to flight."
Then the fellow came forward and said: --
"I thought that here I might be known,
Although my dress is scanty grown.
'Tis poor, but I must be content:
Unless, great king, it's thy intent
To give me better; for I have seen
When I and rags had strangers been."
The king answered, "Come to me to-morrow when I am at the drinktable."
The night passed away; and the morning after the
Icelander, who was afterwards called Thorarin Stutfetd, went into
the drinking-room. A man stood outside of the door of the room
with a horn in his hand, and said, "Icelander! the king says
that if thou wilt deserve any gift from him thou shalt compose a
song before going in, and make it about a man whose name is Hakon
Serkson, and who is called Morstrut (1); and speak about that
surname in thy song." The man who spoke to him was called Arne
Fioruskeif. Then they went into the room; and when Thorarin came
before the king's seat he recited these verses: --
"Throndhjem's warrior-king has said
The skald should be by gifts repaid,
If he before this meeting gave
The king's friend Serk a passing stave.
The generous king has let me know
My stave, to please, must be framed so
That my poor verse extol the fame
Of one called Hakon Lump by name."
Then said the king, "I never said so, and somebody has been
making a mock of thee. Hakon himself shall determine what
punishment thou shalt have. Go into his suite." Hakon said, "He
shall be welcome among us, for I can see where the joke came
from;" and he placed the Icelander at his side next to himself,
and they were very merry. The day was drawing to a close, and
the liquor began to get into their heads, when Hakon said, "Dost
thou not think, Icelander, that thou owest me some penalty? and
dost thou not see that some trick has been played upon thee?"
Thorarin replies, "It is true, indeed, that I owe thee some
compensation."
Hakon says, "Then we shall be quits, if thou wilt make me another
stave about Arne."
He said he was ready to do so; and they crossed over to the side
of the room where Arne was sitting, and Thorarin gave these
verses: --
"Fioruskeif has often spread,
With evil heart and idle head,
The eagle's voidings round the land,
Lampoons and lies, with ready hand.
Yet this landlouper we all know,
In Africa scarce fed a crow,
Of all his arms used in the field,
Those in most use were helm and shield."
Arne sprang up instantly, drew his sword, and was going to fall
upon him; but Hakon told him to let it alone and be quiet, and
bade him remember that if it came to a quarrel he would come off
the worst himself. Thorarin afterwards went up to the king, and
said he had composed a poem which he wished the king to hear.
The king consented, and the song is known by the name of the
Stutfeld poem. The king asked Thorarin what he intended to do.
He replied, it was his intention to go to Rome. Then the king
gave him much money for his pilgrimage, and told him to visit him
on his return, and promised to provide for him.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Morstrut is a short, fat, punchy fellow. -- L.
30. OF SIGURD AND OTTAR BIRTING.
It is told that King Sigurd, one Whitsunday, sat at table with
many people, among whom were many of his friends; and when he
came to his high-seat, people saw that his countenance was very
wild, and as if he had been weeping, so that people were afraid
of what might follow. The king rolled his eyes, and looked at
those who were seated on the benches. Then he seized the holy
book which he had brought with him from abroad, and which was
written all over with gilded letters; so that never had such a
costly book come to Norway. His queen sat by his side. Then
said King Sigurd, "Many are the changes which may take place
during a man's lifetime. I had two things which were dear to me
above all when I came from abroad, and these were this book and
the queen; and now I think the one is only worse and more
loathsome than the other, and nothing I have belonging to me that
I more detest. The queen does not know herself how hideous she
is; for a goat's horn is standing out on her head, and the better
I liked her before the worse I like her now." Thereupon he cast
the book on the fire which was burning on the hall-floor, and
gave the queen a blow with his fist between the eyes. The queen
wept; but more at the king's' illness than at the blow, or the
affront she had suffered.
Then a man stood up before the king; his name was Ottar Birting;
and he was one of the torch-bearers, although a bonde's son, and
was on service that day. He was of small stature, but of
agreeable appearance; lively, bold, and full of fun; black
haired, and of a dark skin. He ran and snatched the book which
the king had cast into the fire, held it out, and said,
"Different were the days, sire, when you came with great state
and splendour to Norway, and with great fame and honour; for then
all your friends came to meet you with joy, and were glad at your
coming. All as one man would have you for king, and have you in
the highest regard and honour. But now days of sorrow are come
over us; for on this holy festival many of your friends have come
to you, and cannot be cheerful on account of your melancholy and
ill health. It is much to be desired that you would be merry
with them; and do, good king, take this saving advice, make peace
first with the queen, and make her joyful whom you have so highly
affronted, with a friendly word; and then all your chiefs,
friends, and servants; that is my advice."
Then said King Sigurd, "Dost thou dare to give me advice, thou
great lump of a houseman's lad!" And he sprang up, drew his
sword, and swung it with both hands as if going to cut him down.
But Ottar stood quiet and upright; did not stir from the spot,
nor show the slightest sign of fear; and the king turned round
the sword-blade which he had waved over Ottar's head, and gently
touched him on the shoulder with it. Then he sat down in silence
on his high-seat.
All were silent who were in the hall, for nobody dared to say a
word. Now the king looked around him, milder than before, and
said, "It is difficult to know what there is in people. Here sat
my friends, and lendermen, marshals and shield-bearers, and all
the best men in the land; but none did so well against me as this
man, who appears to you of little worth compared to any of you,
although now he loves me most. I came here like a madman, and
would have destroyed my precious property; but he turned aside my
deed, and was not afraid of death for it. Then he made an able
speech, ordering his words so that they were honourable to me,
and not saying a single word about things which could increase my
vexation; but even avoiding what might, with truth, have been
said. So excellent was his speech, that no man here, however
great his understanding, could have spoken better. Then I sprang
up in a pretended rage, and made as if I would have cut him down;
but he was courageous as if he had nothing to fear; and seeing
that, I let go my purpose; for he was altogether innocent. Now
ye shall know, my friends, how I intend to reward him; he was
before my torchbearer, and shall now be my lenderman; and there
shall follow what is still more, that he shall be the most
distinguished of my lendermen. Go thou and sit among the
lendermen, and be a servant no longer."
Ottar became one of the most celebrated men in Norway for various
good and praiseworthy deeds.
31. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.
In King Sigurd's latter days he was once at an entertainment at
one of his farms; and in the morning when he was dressed he was
silent and still, so that his friends were afraid he was not able
to govern himself. Now the farm bailiff, who was a man of good
sense and courage, brought him into conversation, and asked if he
had heard any news of such importance that it disturbed his
mirth; or if the entertainment had not satisfied him; or if there
was anything else that people could remedy.
King Sigurd said, that none of the things he had mentioned was
the cause. "But it is that I think upon the dream I had in the
night."
"Sire," replied he, "may it prove a lucky dream! I would gladly
hear it."
The king: "I thought that I was in Jadar, and looked out towards
the sea; and that I saw something very black moving itself; and
when it came near it appeared to be a large tree, of which the
branches stretched far above the water, and the roots were down
in the sea. Now when the tree came to the shore it broke into
pieces, and drove all about the land, both the mainland and the
out-islands, rocks and strands; and it appeared to me as if I saw
over all Norway along the sea-coast, and saw pieces of that tree,
some small and some large, driven into every bight."
Then said the bailiff, "It is likely that you an best interpret
this dream yourself; and I would willingly hear your
interpretation of it."
Then said the king, "This dream appears to me to denote the
arrival in this country of some man who will fix his seat here,
and whose posterity will spread itself over the land; but with
unequal power, as the dream shows."
32. OF ASLAK HANE.
It so happened once, that King Sigurd sat in a gloomy mood among
many worthy men. It was Friday evening, and the kitchen-master
asked what meat should be made ready.
The king replies, "What else but flesh-meat?" And so harsh were
his words that nobody dared to contradict him, and all were ill
at ease. Now when people prepared to go to table, dishes of warm
flesh-meat were carried in; but all were silent, and grieved at
the king's illness. Before the blessing was pronounced over the
meat, a man called Aslak Hane spoke. He had been a long time
with King Sigurd on his journey abroad, and was not a man of any
great family; and was small of stature, but fiery. When he
perceived how it was, and that none dared to accost the king, he
asked, "What is it, sire, that is smoking on the dish before
you?"
The king replies, "What do you mean, Aslak? what do you think it
is?"
Aslak: "I think it is flesh-meat; and I would it were not so."
The king: "But if it be so, Aslak?"
He replied, "It would be vexatious to know that a gallant king,
who has gained so much honour in the world, should so forget
himself. When you rose up out of Jordan, after bathing in the
same waters as God himself, with palm-leaves in your hands, and
the cross upon your breast, it was something else you promised,
sire, than to eat flesh-meat on a Friday. If a meaner man were
to do so, he would merit a heavy punishment. This royal hall is
not so beset as it should be, when it falls upon me, a mean man,
to challenge such an act."
The king sat silent, and did not partake of the meat; and when
the time for eating was drawing to an end, the king ordered the
flesh dishes to be removed and other food was brought in, such as
it is permitted to use. When the meal-time was almost past, the
king began to be cheerful, and to drink. People advised Aslak to
fly, but he said he would not do so. "I do not see how it could
help me; and to tell the truth, it is as good to die now that I
have got my will, and have prevented the king from committing a
sin. It is for him to kill me if he likes."
Towards evening the king called him, and said, "Who set thee on,
Aslak Hane, to speak such free words to me in the hearing of so
many people?"
"No one, sire, but myself."
The king: "Thou wouldst like, no doubt, to know what thou art to
have for such boldness; what thinkest thou it deserves."
He replies, "If it be well rewarded, sire, I shall be glad; but
should it be otherwise, then it is your concern."
Then the king said, "Smaller is thy reward than thou hast
deserved. I give thee three farms. It has turned out, what
could not have been expected, that thou hast prevented me from a
great crime, -- thou, and not the lendermen, who are indebted to
me for so much good." And so it ended.
33. OF A WOMAN BROUGHT TO THE KING.
One Yule eve the king sat in the hall, and the tables were laid
out, and the king said, "Get me flesh-meat."
They answered, "Sire, it is not the custom to eat flesh-meat on
Yule eve."
The king said, "If it be not the custom I will make it the
custom."
They went out, and brought him a dolphin. The king stuck his
knife into it, but did not eat of it. Then the king said, "Bring
me a girl here into the hall." They brought him a woman whose
head-dress went far down her brows. The king took her hand in
his hands, looked at her, and said, "An ill looking girl!"
((LACUNA -- The rest of this story is missing))
34. HARALD GILLE COMES TO NORWAY.
Halkel Huk, a son of Jon Smiorbalte, who was lenderman in More,
made a voyage in the West sea, all the way to the South Hebudes.
A man came to him out of Ireland called Gillikrist, and gave
himself out for a son of King Magnus Barefoot. His mother came
with him, and said his other name was Harald. Halkel received
the man, brought him to Norway with him, and went immediately to
King Sigurd with Harald and his mother. When they had told their
story to the king, he talked over the matter with his principal
men, and bade them give their opinions upon it. They were of
different opinions, and all left it to the king himself, although
there were several who opposed this; and the king followed his
own counsel. King Sigurd ordered Harald to be called before him,
and told him that he would not deny him the proof, by ordeal, of
who his father was; but on condition that if he should prove his
descent according to his claim, he should not desire the kingdom
in the lifetime of King Sigurd, or of King Magnus: and to this he
bound himself by oath. King Sigurd said he must tread over hot
iron to prove his birth; but this ordeal was thought by many too
severe, as he was to undergo it merely to prove his father, and
without getting the kingdom; but Harald agreed to it, and fixed
on the trial by iron: and this ordeal was the greatest ever made
in Norway; for nine glowing plowshares were laid down, and Harald
went over them with bare feet, attended by two bishops.
Three days after the iron trial the ordeal was taken to proof,
and the feet were found unburnt. Thereafter King Sigurd
acknowledged Harald's relationship; but his son Magnus conceived
a great hatred of him, and in this many chiefs followed Magnus.
King Sigurd trusted so much to his favour with the whole people
of the country, that he desired all men, under oath, to promise
to accept Magnus after him as their king; and all the people took
this oath.
35. RACE BETWEEN MAGNUS AND HARALD GILLE.
Harald Gille was a tall, slender-grown man, of a long neck and
face, black eyes, and dark hair, brisk and quick, and wore
generally the Irish dress of short light clothes. The Norse
language was difficult for Harald, and he brought out words which
many laughed at. Harald sat late drinking one evening. He spoke
with another man about different things in the west in Ireland;
and among other things, said that there were men in Ireland so
swift of foot that no horse could overtake them in running.
Magnus, the king's son, heard this, and said, "Now he is lying,
as he usually does."
Harald replies, "It is true that there are men in Ireland whom no
horse in Norway could overtake." They exchanged some words about
this, and both were drunk. Then said Magnus, "Thou shalt make a
wager with me, and stake thy head if thou canst not run so fast
as I ride upon my horse, and I shall stake my gold ring."
Harald replies, "I did not say that I could run so swiftly; but I
said that men are to be found in Ireland who will run as fast;
and on that I would wager."
The king's son Magnus replies, "I will not go to Ireland about
it; we are wagering here, and not there."
Harald on this went to bed, and would not speak to him more about
it. This was in Oslo. The following morning, when the early
mass was over, Magnus rode up the street, and sent a message to
Harald to come to him. When Harald came he was dressed thus. He
had on a shirt and trousers which were bound with ribands under
his foot-soles, a short cloak, an Irish hat on his head, and a
spear-shaft in his hand. Magnus set up a mark for the race.
Harald said, "Thou hast made the course too long;" but Magnus
made it at once even much longer, and said it was still too
short. There were many spectators. They began the race, and
Harald followed always the horse's pace; and when they came to
the end of the race course, Magnus said, "Thou hadst hold of the
saddle-girth, and the horse dragged thee along." Magnus had his
swift runner, the Gautland horse. They began the race again, and
Harald ran the whole race-course before the horse. When came to
the end Harald asked, "Had I hold of the saddle-girths now?"
Magnus replied, "Thou hadst the start at first."
Then Magnus let his horse breathe a while, and when he was ready
he put the spurs to him, and set off in full gallop. Harald
stood still, and Magnus looked back, and called, "Set off now."
Then Harald ran quickly past the horse, and came to the end of
the course so long before him that he lay down, and got up and
saluted Magnus as he came in."
Then they went home to the town. In the meantime King Sigurd had
been at high mass, and knew nothing of this until after he had
dined that day. Then he said to Magnus angrily, "Thou callest
Harald useless; but I think thou art a great fool, and knowest
nothing of the customs of foreign people. Dost thou not know
that men in other countries exercise themselves in other feats
than in filling themselves with ale, and making themselves mad,
and so unfit for everything that they scarcely know each other?
Give Harald his ring, and do not try to make a fool of him again,
as long as I am above ground."
36. OF SIGURD'S SWIMMING.
It happened once that Sigurd was out in his ship, which lay in
the harbour; and there lay a merchant ship, which was an Iceland
trader, at the side of it. Harald Gille was in the forecastle of
the king's ship, and Svein Rimhildson, a son of Knut Sveinson of
Jadar, had his berth the next before him. There was also Sigurd
Sigurdson, a gallant lenderman, who himself commanded a ship. It
was a day of beautiful weather and warm sunshine, and many went
out to swim, both from the long-ship and the merchant vessel. An
Iceland man, who was among the swimmers, amused himself by
drawing those under water who could not swim so well as himself;
and at that the spectators laughed. When King Sigurd saw and
heard this, he cast off his clothes, sprang into the water, and
swam to the Icelander, seized him, and pressed him under the
water, and held him there; and as soon as the Icelander came up
the king pressed him down again, and thus the one time after the
other.
Then said Sigurd Sigurdson, "Shall we let the king kill this
man?"
Somebody said, "No one has any wish to interfere."
Sigurd replies, that "If Dag Eilifson were here, we should not be
without one who dared."
Then Sigurd sprang overboard, swam to the king, took hold of him,
and said, "Sire, do not kill the man. Everybody sees that you
are a much better swimmer."
The king replies, "Let me loose, Sigurd: I shall be his death,
for he will destroy our people under water."
Sigurd says, "Let us first amuse ourselves; and, Icelander, do
thou set off to the land," which he did. The king now got loose
from Sigurd, and swam to his ship, and Sigurd went his way: but
the king ordered that Sigurd should not presume to come into his
presence; this was reported to Sigurd, and so he went up into the
country.
37. OF HARALD AND SVEIN RIMHILDSON.
In the evening, when people were going to bed, some of the ship's
men were still at their games up in the country. Harald was with
those who played on the land, and told his footboy to go out to
the ship, make his bed, and wait for him there. The lad did as
he was ordered. The king had gone to sleep; and as the boy
thought Harald late, he laid himself in Harald's berth. Svein
Rimhildson said, "It is a shame for brave men to be brought from
their farms at home, and to have here serving boys to sleep
beside them." The lad said that Harald had ordered him to come
there. Svein Rimhildson said, "We do not so much care for Harald
himself lying here, if he do not bring here his slaves and
beggars;" and seized a riding-whip, and struck the boy on the
head until the blood flowed from him. The boy ran immediately up
the country, and told Harald what had happened, who went
immediately out to the ship, to the aft part of the forecastle,
and with a pole-axe struck Svein so that he received a severe
wound on his hands; and then Harald went on shore. Svein ran to
the land after him, and, gathering his friends, took Harald
prisoner, and they were about hanging him. But while they were
busy about this, Sigurd Sigurdson went out to the king's ship and
awoke him. When the king opened his eyes and recognised Sigurd,
he said. "For this reason thou shalt die, that thou hast intruded
into my presence; for thou knowest that I forbade thee:" and with
these words the king sprang up.
Sigurd replied, "That is in your power as soon as you please; but
other business is more urgent. Go to the land as quickly as
possible to help thy brother; for the Rogaland people are going
to hang him."
Then said the king, "God give us luck, Sigurd! Call my
trumpeter, and let him call the people all to land, and to meet
me."
The king sprang on the land, and all who knew him followed him to
where the gallows was being erected. The king instantly took
Harald to him; and all the people gathered to the king in full
armour, as they heard the trumpet. Then the king ordered that
Svein and all his comrades should depart from the country as
outlaws; but by the intercession of good men the king was
prevailed on to let them remain and hold their properties, but no
mulct should be paid for Svein's wound.
Then Sigurd Sigurdson asked if the king wished that he should go
forth out of the country.
"That will I not," said the king; "for I can never be without
thee."
38. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLE.
There was a young and poor man called Kolbein; and Thora, King
Sigurd the Crusader's mother, had ordered his tongue to be cut
out of his mouth, and for no other cause than that this young man
had taken a piece of meat out of the king-mother's tub which he
said the cook had given him, and which the cook had not ventured
to serve up to her. The man had long gone about speechless. So
says Einar Skulason in Olaf's ballad: --
"The proud rich dame, for little cause,
Had the lad's tongue cut from his jaws:
The helpless man, of speech deprived,
His dreadful sore wound scarce survived.
A few weeks since at Hild was seen,
As well as ever he had been,
The same poor lad -- to speech restored
By Olaf's power, whom he adored."
Afterwards the young man came to Nidaros, and watched in the
Christ church; but at the second mass for Olaf before matins he
fell asleep, and thought he saw King Olaf the Saint coming to
him; and that Olaf talked to him, and took hold with his hands of
the stump of his tongue and pulled it. Now when he awoke he
found himself restored, and joyfully did he thank our Lord and
the holy Saint Olaf, who had pitied and helped him; for he had
come there speechless, and had gone to the holy shrine, and went
away cured, and with his speech clear and distinct.
39. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE WITH A PRISONER.
The heathens took prisoner a young man of Danish family and
carried him to Vindland, where he was in fetters along with other
prisoners. In the day-time he was alone in irons, without a
guard; but at night a peasant's son was beside him in the chain,
that he might not escape from them. This poor man never got
sleep or rest from vexation and sorrow, and considered in many
ways what could help him; for he had a great dread of slavery,
and was pining with hunger and torture. He could not again
expect to be ransomed by his friends, as they had already
restored him twice from heathen lands with their own money; and
he well knew that it would be difficult and expensive for them to
submit a third time to this burden. It is well with the man who
does not undergo so much in the world as this man knew he had
suffered. He saw but one way; and that was to get off and escape
if he could. He resolved upon this in the night-time, killed
the peasant, and cut his foot off after killing him, and set off
to the forest with the chain upon his leg. Now when the people
knew this, soon after daylight in the morning, they pursued him
with two dogs accustomed to trace any one who escaped, and to
find him in the forest however carefully he might be concealed.
They got him into their hands and beat him, and did him all kinds
of mischief; and dragging him home, left barely alive, and showed
him no mercy. They tortured him severely; put him in a dark
room, in which there lay already sixteen Christian men; and bound
him both with iron and other tyings, as fast as they could. Then
he began to think that the misery and pain he had endured before
were but shadows to his present sufferings. He saw no man before
his eyes in this prison who would beg for mercy for him; no one
had compassion on his wretchedness, except the Christian men who
lay bound with him, who sorrowed with him, and bemoaned his fate
together with their own misfortunes and helplessness. One day
they advised him to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, to devote
himself to some office in his sacred house, if he, by God's
compassion and Saint Olaf's prayers could get away from this
prison. He gladly agreed to this, and made a vow and prepared
himself for the situation they mentioned to him. The night after
he thought in his sleep that he saw a man, not tall, standing at
his side, who spoke to him thus, "Here, thou wretched man, why
dost thou not get up?"
He replied, "Sir, who are you?"
"I am King Olaf, on whom thou hast called."
"Oh, my good lord! gladly would I raise myself; but I lie bound
with iron and with chains on my legs, and also the other men who
lie here."
Thereupon the king accosts him with the words, "Stand up at once
and be not afraid; for thou art loose."
He awoke immediately, and told his comrades what, had appeared to
him in his dream. They told him to stand up, and try if it was
true. He stood up, and observed that he was loose. Now said his
fellow-prisoners, this would help him but little, for the door
was locked both on the inside and on the outside. Then an old
man who sat there in a deplorable condition put in his word, and
told him not to doubt the mercy of the man who had loosened his
chains; "For he has wrought this miracle on thee that thou
shouldst enjoy his mercy, and hereafter be free, without
suffering more misery and torture. Make haste, then, and seek
the door; and if thou are able to slip out, thou art saved."
He did so, found the door open, slipped out, and away to the
forest. As soon as the Vindland people were aware of this they
set loose the dogs, and pursued him in great haste; and the poor
man lay hid, and saw well where they were following him. But now
the hounds lost the trace when they came nearer, and all the eyes
that sought him were struck with a blindness, so that nobody
could find him, although he lay before their feet; and they all
returned home, vexed that they could not find him. King Olaf did
not permit this man's destruction after he had reached the
forest, and restored him also to his health and hearing; for they
had so long tortured and beaten him that he had become deaf. At
last he came on board of a ship, with two other Christian men who
had been long afflicted in that country. All of them worked
zealously in this vessel, and so had a successful flight. Then
he repaired to the holy man's house, strong and fit to bear arms.
Now he was vexed at his vow, went from his promise to the holy
king, ran away one day, and came in the evening to a bonde who
gave him lodging for God's sake. Then in the night he saw three
girls coming to him; and handsome and nobly dressed were they.
They spoke to him directly, and sharply reprimanded him for
having been so bold as to run from the good king who had shown so
much compassion to him, first in freeing him from his irons, and
then from the prison; and yet he had deserted the mild master
into whose service he had entered. Then he awoke full of terror,
got up early, and told the house-father his dream. The good man
had nothing so earnest in life as to send him-back to the holy
place. This miracle was first written down by a man who himself
saw the man, and the marks of the chains upon his body.
40. KING SIGURD MARRIES CECILIA.
In the last period of King Sigurd's life, his new and
extraordinary resolution was whispered about, that he would be
divorced from his queen, and would take Cecilia, who was a great
man's daughter, to wife. He ordered accordingly a great feast to
be prepared, and intended to hold his wedding with her in Bergen.
Now when Bishop Magne heard this, he was very sorry; and one day
the bishop goes to the king's hall, and with him a priest called
Sigurd, who was afterwards bishop of Bergen. When they came to
the king's hall, the bishop sent the king a message that he would
like to meet him; and asked the king to come out to him. He did
so, and came out with a drawn sword in his hand. He received the
bishop kindly and asked him to go in and sit down to table with
him.
The bishop replies, "I have other business now. Is it true,
sire, what is told me, that thou hast the intention of marrying,
and of driving away thy queen, and taking another wife?"
The king said it was true.
Then the bishop changed countenance, and angrily replied, "How
can it come into your mind, sire, to do such an act in our
bishopric as to betray God's word and law, and the holy church?
It surprises me that you treat with such contempt our episcopal
office, and your own royal office. I will now do what is my
duty; and in the name of God, of the holy King Olaf, of Peter the
apostle, and of the other saints, forbid thee this wickedness."
While he thus spoke he stood straight up, as if stretching out
his neck to the blow, as if ready if the king chose to let the
sword fall; and the priest Sigurd. who afterwards was bishop, has
declared that the sky appeared to him no bigger than a calf's
skin, so frightful did the appearance of the king present itself
to him. The king returned to the hall, however, without saying a
word; and the bishop went to his house and home so cheerful and
gay that he laughed, and saluted every child on his way, and was
playing with his fingers. Then the priest Sigurd asked him the
reason, saying, "Why are you so cheerful, sir? Do you not
consider that the king may be exasperated against you? and would
it not be better to get out of the way?"
Then said the bishop, "It appears to me more likely that he will
not act so; and besides, what death could be better, or more
desirable, than to leave life for the honour of God? or to die
for the holy cause of Christianity and our own office, by
preventing that which is not right? I am so cheerful because I
have done what I ought to do."
There was much noise in the town about this. The king got ready
for a journey, and took with him corn, malt and honey. He went
south to Stavanger, and prepared a feast there for his marriage
with Cecilia. When a bishop who ruled there heard of this he
went to the king, and asked if it were true that he intended to
marry in the lifetime of the queen.
The king said it was so.
The bishop answers, "If it be so, sire, you must know how much
such a thing is forbidden to inferior persons. Now it appears as
if you thought it was allowable for you, because you have great
power, and that it is proper for you, although it is against
right and propriety; but I do not know how you will do it in our
bishopric, dishonouring thereby God's command, the holy Church,
and our episcopal authority. But you must bestow a great amount
of gifts and estates on this foundation, and thereby pay the
mulct due to God and to us for such transgression."
Then said the king, "Take what thou wilt of our possessions.
Thou art far more reasonable than Bishop Magne."
Then the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill
pleased with him who had laid a prohibition on him. Thereafter
the king married the girl, and loved her tenderly.
41. IMPROVEMENT OF KONUNGAHELLA.
King Sigurd improved the town of Konungahella so much, that there
was not a greater town in Norway at the time, and he remained
there long for the defence of the frontiers. He built a king's
house in the castle, and imposed a duty on all the districts in
the neighbourhood of the town, as well as on the townspeople,
that every person of nine years of age and upwards should bring
to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or as many large
stakes sharp at one end and five ells long. In the castle the
king built a cross-church of timber, and carefully put together,
as far as regards the wood and other materials. The cross-church
was consecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign (A.D.
1127). Here the king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and
many other holy relics. It was called the castle church; and
before the high altar he placed the tables he had got made in the
Greek country, which were of copper and silver, all gilt, and
beautifully adorned with jewels. Here was also the shrine which
the Danish king Eirik Eimune had sent to King Sigurd; and the
altar book, written with gold letters, which the patriarch had
presented to King Sigurd.
42. KING SIGURD'S DEATH.
Three years after the consecration of the cross-church, when King
Sigurd was stopping at Viken, he fell sick (A.D. 1130). He died
the night before Mary's-mass (August 15), and was buried in
Halvard's church, where he was laid in the stone wall without the
choir on the south side. His son Magnus was in the town at the
time and took possession of the whole of the king's treasury when
King Sigurd died. Sigurd had been king of Norway twenty-seven
years (A.D. 1104-1130), and was forty years of age when he died.
The time of his reign was good for the country; for there was
peace, and crops were good.
SAGA OF MAGNUS THE BLIND AND OF HARALD GILLE.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
An age of conflict now begins in Norway. On his death, in 1130,
Sigurd left his son Magnus and his brother Harald. They soon
divided the government, and then entered upon a five-years'
conflict, until Magnus, in 1135, with eyes picked out, went into
a convent.
The next year, 1136, a new pretender appeared in the person of
Sigurd Slembe, who took King Harald's life in 1137. Magnus died
in 1139.
Other literature in regard to this epoch is "Fagrskinna" and
"Morkinskinna". The corresponding part of "Agrip" is lost.
Skalds quoted are: Haldor Skvaldre, Einar Skulason, and Ivar
Ingemundson.
1. MAGNUS AND HARALD PROCLAIMED KINGS.
King Sigurd's son Magnus was proclaimed in Oslo king of all the
country immediately after his father's death, according to the
oath which the whole nation had sworn to King Sigurd; and many
went into his service, and many became his lendermen. Magnus was
the handsomest man then in Norway; of a passionate temper, and
cruel, but distinguished in bodily exercises. The favour of the
people he owed most to the respect for his father. He was a
great drinker, greedy of money, hard, and obstinate.
Harald Gille, on the other hand, was very pleasing in
intercourse, gay, and full of mirth; and so generous that he
spared in nothing for the sake of his friends. He willingly
listened to good advice, so that he allowed others to consult
with him and give counsel. With all this he obtained favour and a
good repute, and many men attached themselves as much to him as
to King Magnus. Harald was in Tunsberg when he heard of his
brother King Sigurd's death. He called together his friends to a
meeting, and it was resolved to hold the Hauga Thing (1) there in
the town. At this Thing, Harald was chosen king of half the
country, and it was called a forced oath which had been taken
from him to renounce his paternal heritage. Then Harald formed a
court, and appointed lendermen; and very soon he had as many
people about him as King Magnus. Then men went between them, and
matters stood in this way for seven days; but King Magnus,
finding he had fewer people, was obliged to give way, and to
divide the kingdom with Harald into two parts. The kingdom
accordingly was so divided (October 3, 1130) that each of them
should have the half part of the kingdom which King Sigurd had
possessed; but that King Magnus alone should inherit the fleet of
ships, the table service, the valuable articles and the movable
effects which had belonged to his father, King Sigurd. He was
notwithstanding the least satisfied with his share. Although
they were of such different dispositions, they ruled the country
for some time in peace. King Harald had a son called Sigurd, by
Thora, a daughter of Guthorm Grabarde. King Harald afterwards
married Ingerid, a daughter of Ragnvald, who was a son of the
Swedish King Inge Steinkelson. King Magnus was married to a
daughter of Knut Lavard, and she was a sister of the Danish King
Valdernar; but King Magnus having no affection for her, sent her
back to Denmark; and from that day everything went ill with him,
and he brought upon himself the enmity of her family.
ENDNOTES:
(1) Hauga-thing means a Thing held at the tumuli or burial
mounds. -- L.
2. OF THE FORCES OF HARALD AND MAGNUS.
When the two relations, Harald and Magnus, had been about three
years kings of Norway (A.D. 1131-1133), they both passed the
fourth winter (A.D. 1134) in the town of Nidaros, and invited
each other as guests; but their people were always ready for a
fight. In spring King Magnus sailed southwards along the land
with his fleet, and drew all the men he could obtain out of each
district, and sounded his friends if they would strengthen him
with their power to take the kingly dignity from Harald, and give
him such a portion of the kingdom, as might be suitable;
representing to them that King Harald had already renounced the
kingdom by oath. King Magnus obtained the consent of many
powerful men. The same spring Harald went to the Uplands, and by
the upper roads eastwards to Viken; and when he heard what King
Magnus was doing, he also drew together men on his side.
Wheresoever the two parties went they killed the cattle, or even
the people, upon the farms of the adverse party. King Magnus had
by far the most people, for the main strength of the country lay
open to him for collecting men from it. King Harald was in Viken
on the east side of the fjord, and collected men, while they were
doing each other damage in property and life. King Harald had
with him Kristrod, his brother by his mother's side, and many
other lendermen; but King Magnus had many more. King Harald was
with his forces at a place called Fors in Ranrike, and went from
thence towards the sea. The evening before Saint Lawrence day
(August 10), they had their supper at a place called Fyrileif,
while the guard kept a watch on horseback all around the house.
The watchmen observed King Magnus's army hastening towards the
house, and consisting of full 6000 men, while King Harald had but
1500. Now come the watchmen who had to bring the news to King
Harald of what was going on and say that King Magnus's army was
now very near the town.
The king says, "What will my relation King Magnus Sigurdson have?
He wants not surely to fight us."
Thjostolf Alason replies, "You must certainly, sire, make
preparation for that, both for yourself and your, men. King
Magnus has been drawing together an army all the summer for the
purpose of giving you battle when he meets you."
Then King Harald stood up, and ordered his men to take their
arms. "We shall fight, if our relative King Magnus wants to
fight us."
Then the war-horns sounded, and all Harald's men went out from
the house to an enclosed field, and set up their banners. King
Harald had on two shirts of ring-mail, but his brother Kristrod
had no armour on; and a gallant man he was. When King Magnus and
his men saw King Harald's troop they drew up and made their
array, and made their line so long that they could surround the
whole of King Harald's troop. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --
"King Magnus on the battle-plain
From his long troop-line had great gain;
The plain was drenched with warm blood,
Which lay a red and reeking flood."
3. BATTLE AT FYRILEIF.
King Magnus had the holy cross carried before him in this battle,
and the battle was great and severe. The king's brother,
Kristrod, had penetrated with his troop into the middle of King
Magnus's array, and cut down on each side of him, so that people
gave way before him everywhere. But a powerful bonde who was in
King Harald's array raised his spear with both hands, and drove
it through between Kristrod's shoulders, so that it came out at
his breast; and thus fell Kristrod. Many who were near asked the
bonde why he had done so foul a deed.
The bonde replies, "He knows the consequences now of slaughtering
my cattle in summer, and taking all that was in my house, and
forcing me to follow him here. I determined to give him some
return when the opportunity came."
After this King Harald's army took to flight, and he fled
himself, with all his men. Many fell; and Ingemar Sveinson of
Ask, a great chief and lenderman, got there his death-wound, and
nearly sixty of King Harald's court-men also fell. Harald
himself fled eastward to Viken to his ships, and went out of the
country to King Eirik Eimune in Denmark, and found him in Seeland
and sought aid from him. King Eirik received him well, and
principally because they had sworn to each other to be as
brothers (1); and gave him Halland as a fief to rule over, and
gave him seven long-ships, but without equipment. Thereafter
King Harald went northwards through Halland, and many Northmen
came to meet him. After this battle King Magnus subdued the
whole country, giving life and safety to all who were wounded,
and had them taken care of equally with his own men. He then
called the whole country his own, and had a choice of the best
men who were in the country. When they held a council among
themselves afterwards, Sigurd Sigurdson, Thorer Ingeridson, and
all the men of most understanding, advised that they should keep
their forces together in Viken, and remain there, in case Harald
should return from the south; but King Magnus would take his own
way, and went north to Bergen. There he sat all winter (A.D.
1135), and allowed his men to leave him; on which the lendermen
returned home to their own houses.
ENDNOTES:
(1) These brotherhoods, by which one man was bound by oath to
aid or avenge another, were common in the Middle Ages among
all ranks. "Sworn brothers" is still a common expression
with us. -- L.
4. DEATH OF ASBJORN AND OF NEREID.
King Harald came to Konungahella with the men who had followed
him from Denmark. The lendermen and town's burgesses collected a
force against him, which they drew up in a thick array above the
town. King Harald landed from his ships, and sent a message to
the bondes, desiring that they would not deny him his land, as he
wanted no more than what of right belonged to him. Then
mediators went between them; and it came to this, that the bondes
dismissed their troops, and submitted to him. Thereupon he
bestowed fiefs and property on the lendermen, that they might
stand by him, and paid the bondes who joined him the lawful
mulcts for what they had lost. A great body of men attached
themselves, therefore, to King Harald; and he proceeded westwards
to Viken, where he gave peace to all men, except to King Magnus's
people, whom he plundered and killed wherever he found them. And
when he came west to Sarpsborg he took prisoners two of King
Magnus s lendermen, Asbjorn and his brother Nereid; and gave them
the choice that one should be hanged, and the other thrown into
the Sarpsborg waterfall, and they might choose as they pleased.
Asbjorn chose to be thrown into the cataract, for he was the
elder of the two, and this death appeared the most dreadful; and
so it was done. Halder Skvaldre tells of this: --
"Asbjorn, who opposed the king,
O'er the wild cataract they fling:
Nereid, who opposed the king,
Must on Hagbard's high tree swing.
The king given food in many a way
To foul-mouthed beasts and birds of prey:
The generous men who dare oppose
Are treated as the worst of foes."
Thereafter King Harald proceeded north to Tunsberg, where he was
well received, and a large force gathered to him.
5. OF THE COUNSELS PROPOSED.
When King Magnus, who was in Bergen, heard these tidings, he
called together all the chiefs who were in the town, and asked
them their counsel, and what they should now do. Then Sigurd
Sigurdson said, "Here I can give a good advice. Let a ship be
manned with good men, and put me, or any other lenderman, to
command it; send it to thy relation, King Harald, and offer him
peace according to the conditions upright men may determine upon,
and offer him the half of the kingdom. It appears to me probable
that King Harald, by the words and counsel of good men, may
accept this offer, and thus there may be a peace established
between you."
Then King Magnus replied, "This proposal I will not accept of;
for of what advantage would it be, after we have gained the whole
kingdom in summer to give away the half of it now? Give us some
other counsel."
Then Sigurd Sigurdson answered, "It appears to me, sire, that
your lendermen who in autumn asked your leave to return home will
now sit at home and will not come to you. At that time it was
much against my advice that you dispersed so entirely the people
we had collected; for I could well suppose that Harald would come
back to Viken as soon as he heard that it was without a chief.
Now there is still another counsel, and it is but a poor one; but
it may turn out useful to us. Send out your pursuivants, and
send other people with them, and let them go against the
lendermen who will not join you in your necessity, and kill them;
and bestow their property on others who will give you help
although they may have been of small importance before. Let them
drive together the people, the bad as well as the good; and go
with the men you can thus assemble against King Harald, and give
him battle."
The king replies, "It would be unpopular to put to death people
of distinction, and raise up inferior people who often break
faith and law, and the country would be still worse off. I would
like to hear some other counsel still."
Sigurd replies, "It is difficult for me now to give advice, as
you will neither make peace nor give battle. Let us go north to
Throndhjem, where the main strength of the country is most
inclined to our side; and on the way let us gather all the men we
can. It may be that these Elfgrims will be tired of such a long
stride after us."
The king replies, "We must not fly from those whom we beat in
summer. Give some better counsel still."
Then Sigurd stood up and said, while he was preparing to go out,
"I will now give you the counsel which I see you will take, and
which must have its course. Sit here in Bergen until Harald
comes with his troops, and then you will either suffer death or
disgrace."
And Sigurd remained no longer at that meeting.
6. OF HARALD'S FORCE.
King Harald came from the East along the coast with a great army,
and this winter (A.D. 1135) is called on that account the
Crowd-winter. King Harald came to Bergen on Christmas eve, and
landed with his fleet at Floruvagar; but would not fight on
account of the sacred time. But King Magnus prepared for defence
in the town. He erected a stone-slinging machine out on the
holm, and had iron chains and wooden booms laid across over the
passage from the king's house to Nordnes, and to the Monks
bridge. He had foot-traps made, and thrown into Saint John's
field, and did not suspend these works except during the three
sacred days of Christmas. The last holyday of Yule, King Harald
ordered his war-horns to sound the gathering of his men for going
to the town; and, during the Yule holydays, his army had been
increased by about 900 men.
7. KING MAGNUS TAKEN PRISONER.
King Harald made a promise to King Olaf the Saint for victory,
that he would build an Olaf's church in the town at his own
expense. King Magnus drew up his men in the Christ church yard;
but King Harald laid his vessels first at Nordnes. Now when King
Magnus and his people saw that, they turned round towards the
town, and to the end of the shore; but as they passed through the
streets many of the burgesses ran into their houses and homes,
and those who went across the fields fell into the foot-traps.
Then King Magnus and his men perceived that King Harald had rowed
with all his men across to Hegravik, and landed there, and had
gone from thence the upper road up the hill opposite the town.
Now Magnus returned back again through the streets, and then his
men fled from him in all directions; some up to the mountains,
some up to the neighbourhood of the convent of nuns, some to
churches, or hid themselves as they best could. King Magnus fled
to his ship; but there was no possibility of getting away, for
the iron chains outside prevented the passage of vessels. He had
also but few men with him, and therefore could do nothing. Einar
Skulason tells of this in the song of Harald: --
"For a whole week an iron chain
Cut off all sailing to the main:
Bergen's blue stable was locked fast, --
Her floating wains could not get past."
Soon after Harald's people came out to the ships, and then King
Magnus was made prisoner. He was sitting behind in the
forecastle upon the chests of the high-seat, and at his side
Hakon Fauk, his mother's brother, who was very popular but was
not considered very wise, and Ivar Assurson. They, and many
others of King Magnus's friends, were taken, and some of them
killed on the spot.
8. KING MAGNUS MUTILATED.
Thereafter King Harald had a meeting of his counsellors, and
desired their counsel; and in this meeting the judgment was given
that Magnus should be deposed from his dominions, and should no
longer be called king. Then he was delivered to the king's
slaves, who mutilated him, picked out both his eyes, cut off one
foot, and at last castrated him. Ivar Assurson was blinded, and
Hakon Fauk killed. The whole country then was reduced to
obedience under King Harald. Afterwards it was diligently
examined who were King Magnus's best friends, or who knew most of
his concealments of treasure or valuables. The holy cross King
Magnus had kept beside him since the battle of Fyrileif, but
would not tell where it was deposited for preservation. Bishop
Reinald of Stavanger, who was an Englishman, was considered very
greedy of money. He was a great friend of King Magnus, and it
was thought likely that great treasure and valuables had been
given into his keeping. Men were sent for him accordingly, and
he came to Bergen, where it was insisted against him that he had
some knowledge of such treasure; but he denied it altogether,
would not admit it, and offered to clear himself by ordeal. King
Harald would not have this, but laid on the bishop a money fine
of fifteen marks of gold, which he should pay to the king. The
bishop declared he would not thus impoverish his bishop's see,
but would rather offer his life. On this they hanged the bishop
out on the holm, beside the sling machine. As he was going to
the gallows he threw the sock from his foot, and said with an
oath, "I know no more about King Magnus's treasure than what is
in this sock;" and in it there was a gold ring. Bishop Reinald
was buried at Nordnes in Michael's church, and this deed was much
blamed. After this Harald Gille was sole king of Norway as long
as he lived.
9. WONDERFUL OMENS IN KONUNGAHELLA.
Five years after King Sigurd's death remarkable occurrences took
place in Konungahella (A.D. 1135). Guthorm, a son of Harald
Fletter, and Saemund Husfreyja, were at that time the king's
officers there. Saemund was married to Ingebjorg, a daughter of
the priest Andres Brunson. Their sons were Paul Flip and Gunne
Fis. Saemund's natural son was called Asmund. Andres Brunson
was a very remarkable man, who carried on divine service in the
Cross church. His wife (1) was called Solveig. Jon Loptson, who
was then eleven years old, was in their house to be fostered and
educated. The priest Lopt Saemundson, Jon's father, was also in
the town at that time. The priest Andres and Solveig had a
daughter by name Helga, who was Einar's wife. It happened now in
Konungahella, the next Sunday night after Easter week, that there
was a great noise in the streets through the whole town as if the
king was going through with all his court-men. The dogs were so
affected that nobody could hold them, but they slipped loose; and
when they came out they ran mad, biting all that came in their
way, people and cattle. All who were bitten by them till the
blood came turned raging mad; and pregnant women were taken in
labour prematurely, and became mad. From Easter to
Ascension-day, these portentous circumstances took place almost
every night. People were dreadfully alarmed at these wonders;
and many made themselves ready to remove, sold their houses, and
went out to the country districts, or to other towns. The most
intelligent men looked upon it as something extremely remarkable;
were in dread of it; and said, as it proved to be, that it was an
omen of important events which had not yet taken place. And the
priest Andres, on Whit Sunday, made a long and excellent speech,
and turned the conclusion of it to the distressing situation of
the townspeople; telling them to muster courage, and not lay
waste their excellent town by deserting it, but rather to take
the utmost care in all things, and use the greatest foresight
against all dangers, as of fire or the enemy, and to pray to God
to have mercy on them.
ENDNOTES:
(1) The Catholic priests appear to have had wives at that time
in Norway, and celibacy to have been confined to the monks.
-- L.
10. THE RISE OF WAR IN KONUNGAHELLA.
Thirteen loaded merchant ships made ready to leave the town,
intending to proceed to Bergen; but eleven of them were lost, men
and goods, and all that was in them; the twelfth was lost also,
but the people were saved, although the cargo went to the bottom.
At that time the priest Lopt went north to Bergen, with all that
belonged to him, and arrived safely. The merchant vessels were
lost on Saint Lawrence eve (August 10). The Danish king Eirik
and the Archbishop Assur, both sent notice to Konungahella to
keep watch on their town; and said the Vindland people had a
great force on foot with which they made war far around on
Christian people, and usually gained the victory. But the
townspeople attended very little to this warning, were
indifferent, and forgot more and more the dreadful omens the
longer it was since they happened. On the holy Saint Lawrence
day, while the words of high mass were spoken, came to the
Vindland king Rettibur to Konungahella with 550 Vindland cutters,
and in each cutter were forty-four men and two horses. The
king's sister's son Dunimiz, and Unibur, a chief who ruled over
many people, were with him. These two chiefs rowed at once, with
a part of their troops, up the east arm of the Gaut river past
Hising Isle, and thus came down to the town; but a part of the
fleet lay in the western arm, and came so to the town. They made
fast their ships at the piles, and landed their horses, and rode
over the height of Bratsas, and from thence up around the town.
Einar, a relation of priest Andres, brought these tidings up to
the Castle church; for there the whole inhabitants of the town
were gathered to hear high mass. Einar came just as the priest
Andres was holding his discourse; and he told the people that an
army was sailing up against the town with a great number of ships
of war, and that some people were riding over Bratsas. Many said
it must be the Danish king Eirik, and from him they might expect
peace. The people ran down into the town to their properties,
armed themselves, and went down upon the piers, whence they
immediately saw there was an enemy and an immense army. Nine
East-country trading vessels belonging to the merchants were
afloat in the river at the piers. The Vindland people first
directed their course toward these and fought with the merchants,
who armed themselves, and defended themselves long, well, and
manfully. There was a hard battle, and resistance, before the
merchant vessels were cleared of their men; and in this conflict
the Vindland people lost 150 of their ships, with all the men on
board. When the battle was sharpest the townsmen stood upon the
piers, and shot at the heathens. But when the fight slackened
the burgesses fled up to the town, and from thence into the
castle; and the men took with them all their valuable articles,
and such goods as they could carry. Solveig and her daughters,
with two other women, went on shore when the Vindlanders took
possession of the merchant vessels. Now the Vindlanders landed,
and mustered their men, and discovered their loss. Some of them
went up into the town, some on board the merchant ships, and took
all the goods they pleased; and then they set fire to the town,
and burnt it and the ships. They hastened then with all their
army to assault the castle.
11. THE SECOND BATTLE.
King Rettibur made an offer to those who were in the castle that
they should go out, and he would give them their lives, weapons,
clothes, silver, and gold; but all exclaimed against it, and went
out on the fortification; some shot, some threw stones, some
sharp stakes. It was a great battle, in which many fell on both
sides, but by far the most of the Vindlanders. Solveig came up
to a large farm called Solbjorg, and brought the news. A message
war-token was there split, and sent out to Skurbagar, where there
happened to be a joint ale-drinking feast, and many men were
assembled. A bonde called Olver Miklimun (Mickle Mouth) was
there, who immediately sprang up, took helmet and shield, and a
great axe in his hand, and said, "Stand up, brave lads, and take
your weapons. Let us go help the townspeople; for it would
appear shameful to every man who heard of it, if we sit here
sipping our ale, while good men in the town are losing their
lives by our neglect."
Many made an objection, and said they would only be losing their
own lives, without being of any assistance to the townspeople.
Then said Olver, "Although all of you should hold back, I will go
alone; and one or two heathens, at any rate, shall fall before I
fall."
He ran down to the town, and a few men after him to see what he
would do, and also whether they could assist him in any way.
When he came near the castle, and the heathens saw him, they sent
out eight men fully armed against him; and when they met, the
heathen men ran and surrounded him on all sides. Olver lifted
his axe, and struck behind him with the extreme point of it,
hitting the neck of the man who was coming up behind him, so that
his throat and jawbone were cut through, and he fell dead
backwards. Then he heaved his axe forwards, and struck the next
man in the head, and clove him down to the shoulders. He then
fought with the others, and killed two of them; but was much
wounded himself. The four who remained took to flight, but Olver
ran after them. There was a ditch before them, and two of the
heathens jumped into it, and Olver killed them both; but he stuck
fast himself in the ditch, so that two of the eight heathens
escaped. The men who had followed Olver took him up, and brought
him back to Skurbagar, where his wounds were bound and healed;
and it was the talk of the people, that no single man had ever
made such a bloody onset. Two lendermen, Sigurd Gyrdson, a
brother of Philip, and Sigard, came with 600 men to Skurbagar; on
which Sigurd turned back with 400 men. He was but little
respected afterwards, and soon died. Sigard, on the other hand,
proceeded with 200 men towards the town; and they gave battle to
the heathens, and were all slain. While the Vindlanders were
storming the castle, their king and his chiefs were out of the
battle. At one place there was a man among the Vindlanders
shooting with a bow, and killing a man for every arrow; and two
men stood before him, and covered him with their shields. Then
Saemund Husfreyja said to his son Asmund, that they should both
shoot together at this bowman. "But I will shoot at the man who
holds the shield before him." He did so, and he knocked the
shield down a little before the man; and in the same instant
Asmund shot between the shields, and the arrow hit the bowman in
the forehead, so that it came out at his neck, and he fell down
dead. When the Vindlanders saw it they howled like dogs, or like
wolves. Then King Rettibur called to them that he would give
them safety and life, but they refused terms. The heathens again
made a hard assault. One of the heathens in particular fought so
bravely, and ventured so near, that he came quite up to the
castle-gate, and pierced the man who stood outside the gate with
his sword; and although they used both arrows and stones against
him, and he had neither shield nor helmet, nothing could touch
him, for he was so skilled in witchcraft that weapon could not
wound him. Then priest Andres took consecrated fire; blew upon
it; cut tinder in pieces, and laid it on the fire; and then laid
the tinder on the arrow-point, and gave it to Asmund. He shot
this arrow at the warlock; and the shaft hit so well that it did
its business, and the man of witchcraft fell dead. Then the
heathens crowded together as before, howling and whining
dreadfully; and all gathered about their king, on which the
Christians believed that they were holding a council about
retreating. The interpreters, who understood the Vindland
tongue, heard the chief Unibur make the following speech: "These
people are brave, and it is difficult to make anything of them;
and even if we took all the goods in their town, we might
willingly give as much more that we had never come here, so great
has been our loss of men and chiefs. Early in the day, when we
began to assault the castle, they defended themselves first with
arrows and spears; then they fought against us with stones; and
now with sticks and staves, as against dogs. I see from this
that they are in want of weapons and means of defense; so we
shall make one more hard assault, and try their strength." It
was as he said, that they now fought with stakes; because, in the
first assault, they had imprudently used up all their missile
weapons and stones; and now when the Christians saw the number of
their stakes diminishing, they clave each stake in two. The
heathens now made a very hot attack, and rested themselves
between whiles, and on both sides they were exhausted. During a
rest the Vindland king Rettibur again offered terms, and that
they should retain the weapons, clothes, and silver they could
carry out of the castle. Saemund Husfreyja had fallen, and the
men who remained gave the counsel to deliver up the castle and
themselves into the power of the heathens; but it was a foolish
counsel; for the heathens did not keep their promises, but took
all people, men, women, and children, and killed all of them who
were wounded or young, or could not easily be carried with them.
They took all the goods that were in the castle; went into the
Cross church, and plundered it of all its ornaments. The priest
Andres gave King Rettibur a silver-mounted gilt sceptre, and to
his sister's son Dunimiz he gave a gold ring. They supposed from
this that he was a man of great importance in the town, and held
him in higher respect than the others. They took away with them
the holy cross, and also the tables which stood before the altar,
which Sigurd had got made in the Greek country, and had brought
home himself. These they took, and laid flat down on the steps
before the altar. Then the heathens went out of the church.
Rettibur said, "This house has been adorned with great zeal for
the God to whom it is dedicated; but, methinks, He has shown
little regard for the town or house: so I see their God has been
angry at those who defended them." King Rettibur gave the priest
Andres the church, the shrine, the holy cross, the Bible, the
altar-book, and four clerks (prisoners); but the heathens burnt
the Castle church, and all the houses that were in the castle.
As the fire they had set to the church went out twice, they hewed
the church down, and then it burnt like other houses. Then the
heathens went to their ships with the booty; but when they
mustered their people and saw their loss, they made prisoners of
all the people, and divided them among the vessels. Now priest
Andres went on board the king's ship with the holy cross, and
there came a great terror over the heathens on account of the
portentous circumstance which took place in the king's ship;
namely, it became so hot that all thought they were to be burnt
up. The king ordered the interpreter to ask the priest why this
happened. He replied, that the Almighty God on whom the
Christians believed, sent them a proof of His anger, that they
who would not believe in their Creator presumed to lay hands on
the emblem of His suffering; and that there lay so much power in
the cross, that such, and even clearer miracles, happened to
heathen men who had taken the cross in their hands. The king had
the priest put into the ship's boat, and the priest Andres
carried the holy cross in his grasp. They led the boat along
past the ship's bow, and then along the side of the next ship,
and then shoved it with a boat-hook in beside the pier. Then
Andres went with the cross by night to Solbjorg, in rain and
dreadful weather; but brought it in good preservation. King
Rettibur, and the men he had remaining, went home to Vindland,
and many of the people who were taken at Konungahella were long
afterwards in slavery in Vindland; and those who were ransomed
and came back to Norway to their udal lands and properties,
throve worse than before their capture. The merchant town of
Konungahella has never since risen to the importance it was of
before this event.
12. OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.
King Magnus, after he was deprived of sight, went north to
Nidaros, where he went into the cloister on the holm, and assumed
the monk's dress. The cloister received the farm of Great Hernes
in Frosta for his support. King Harald alone ruled the country
the following winter, gave all men peace and pardon who desired
it, and took many of the men into his court-service who had been
with King Magnus. Einar Skulason says that King Harald had two
battles in Denmark; the one at Hvedn Isle, and the other at
Hlesey Isle: --
"Unwearied champion! who wast bred
To stain thy blue-edged weapons red!
Beneath high Hvedn's rocky shore,
The faithless felt thy steel once more."
And again, thus: --
"On Hlesey's plain the foe must quail
'Fore him who dyes their shirts of mail.
His storm-stretched banner o'er his head
Flies straight, and fills the foe with dread."
13. OF KING HARALD GILLE AND BISHOP MAGNUS.
King Harald Gille was a very generous man. It is told that in
his time Magnus Einarson came from Iceland to be consecrated a
bishop, and the king received him well, and showed him much
respect. When the bishop was ready to sail for Iceland again,
and the ship was rigged out for sea, he went to the hall where
the king was drinking, saluted him politely and warmly, and the
king received him joyfully. The queen was sitting beside the
king.
Then said the king, "Are you ready, bishop, for your voyage?"
He replied that he was.
The king said, "You come to us just now at a bad time; for the
tables are just removed, and there is nothing at hand suitable to
present to you. What is there to give the bishop?"
The treasurer replies, "Sire, as far as I know, all articles of
any value are given away."
The king: "Here is a drinking goblet remaining; take this,
bishop; it is not without value."
The bishop expressed his thanks for the honour shown him.
Then said the queen, "Farewell, bishop! and a happy voyage."
The king said to her, "When did you ever hear a noble lady say so
to a bishop without giving him something?"
She replies, "Sire, what have I to give him?"
The king: "Thou hast the cushion under thee."
Thereupon this, which was covered with costly cloth, and was a
valuable article, was given to the bishop. When the bishop was
going away the king took the cushion from under himself and gave
it him, saying, "They have long been together." When the bishop
arrived in Iceland to his bishop's see, it was talked over what
should be done with the goblet that would be serviceable for the
king; and when the bishop asked the opinion of other people, many
thought it should be sold, and the value-bestowed on the poor.
Then said the bishop, "I will take another plan. I will have a
chalice made of it for this church, and consecrate it, so that
all the saints of whom there are relics in this church shall let
the king have some good for his gift every time a mass is sung
over it." This chalice has since belonged to the bishopric of
Skalholt; and of the costly cloth with which the cushions given
him by the king were covered, were made the choristers' cloaks
which are now in Skalholt. From this the generous spirit of King
Harald may be seen, as well as from many other things, of which
but a few are set down here.
14. BEGINNING OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.
There was a man, by name Sigurd, who was brought up in Norway,
and was called priest Adalbrikt's son. Sigurd's mother was
Thora, a daughter of Saxe of Vik, a sister of Sigrid, who was
mother of King Olaf Magnuson, and of Kare, the king's brother who
married Borghild, a daughter of Dag Eilifson. Their sons were
Sigurd of Austrat and Dag. Sigurd of Austrat's sons were Jon of
Austrat, Thorstein, and Andres the Deaf. Jon was married to
Sigrid, a sister of King Inge and of Duke Skule. This Sigurd, in
his childhood, was kept at his book, became a clerk, and was
consecrated a deacon; but as he ripened in years and strength he
became a very clever man, stout, strong, distinguished for all
perfections and exercises beyond any of his years, -- indeed,
beyond any man in Norway. Sigurd showed early traces of a
haughty ungovernable spirit, and was therefore called
Slembidjakn. He was as handsome a man as could be seen, with
rather thin but beautiful hair. When it came to Sigurd's ears
that his mother said King Magnus was his father, he laid aside
all clerkship; and as soon as he was old enough to be his own
master, he left the country. He was a long time on his travels,
went to Palestine; was at the Jordan river; and visited many holy
places, as pilgrims usually do. When he came back, he applied
himself to trading expeditions. One winter he was in Orkney with
Earl Harald, and was with him when Thorkel Fostre Summarlidason
was killed. Sigurd was also in Scotland with the Scottish king
David, and was held in great esteem by him. Thereafter Sigurd
went to Denmark; and according to the account of himself and his
men, he there submitted to the iron ordeal to confirm his
paternal descent, and proved by it, in the presence of five
bishops, that he was a son of King Magnus Barefoot. So says Ivar
Ingemundson, in Sigurd's song: --
"The holiest five
Of men alive, --
Bishops were they, --
Solemnly say,
The iron glowing
Red hot, yet showing
No scaith on skin,
Proves cause and kin."
King Harald Gille's friends, however, said this was only a lie,
and deceit of the Danes.
15. SIGURD IN ICELAND.
It is told before of Sigurd that he passed some years in merchant
voyages, and he came thus to Iceland one winter, and took up his
lodging with Thorgils Odson in Saurby; but very few knew where he
was. In autumn, when the sheep were being driven into a fold to
be slaughtered, a sheep that was to be caught ran to Sigurd; and
as Sigurd thought the sheep ran to him for protection, he
stretched out his hands to it and lifted it over the fold dyke,
and let it run to the hills, saying, "There are not many who seek
help from me, so I may well help this one." It happened the same
winter that a woman had committed a theft, and Thorgils, who was
angry at her for it, was going to punish her; but she ran to
Sigurd to ask his help, and he set her upon the bench by his
side. Thorgils told him to give her up, and told him what she
had committed; but Sigurd begged forgiveness for her since she
had come to him for protection, and that Thorgils would dismiss
the complaint against her, but Thorgils insisted that she should
receive her punishment. When Sigurd saw that Thorgils would not
listen to his entreaty, he started up, drew his sword, and bade
him take her if he dared; and Thorgils seeing that Sigurd would
defend the woman by force of arms, and observing his commanding
mien, guessed who he must be, desisted from pursuing the woman,
and pardoned her. There were many foreign men there, and Sigurd
made the least appearance among them. One day Sigurd came into
the sitting-room, and a Northman who was splendidly clothed was
playing chess with one of Thorads house-servants. The Northman
called Sigurd, and asked him his advice how to play; but when
Sigurd looked at the board, he saw the game was lost. The man
who was playing against the Northman had a sore foot, so that one
toe was bruised, and matter was coming out of it. Sigurd, who
was sitting on the bench, takes a straw, and draws it along the
floor, so that some young kittens ran after it. He drew the
straw always before them, until they came near the houseservant's
foot, who jumping up with a scream, threw the chessmen
in disorder on the board; and thus it was a dispute how the game
had stood. This is given as a proof of Sigurd's cunning. People
did not know that he was a learned clerk until the Saturday
before Easter, when he consecrated the holy water with chant; and
the longer he stayed there the more he was esteemed. The summer
after, Sigurd told Thorgils before they parted, that he might
with all confidence address his friends to Sigurd Slembidjakn.
Thorgils asked how nearly he was related to him, on which he
replies, "I am Sigurd Slembidjakn, a son of King Magnus
Barefoot." He then left Iceland.
16. OF SIGURD SLEMBE.
When Harald Gille had been six years (A.D. 1136), king of Norway,
Sigurd came to the country and went to his brother King Harald,
and found him in Bergen. He placed himself entirely in the
king's hands, disclosed who his father was, and asked him to
acknowledge their relationship. The king gave him no hasty or
distinct reply; but laid the matter before his friends in a
conference at a specially appointed meeting. After this
conference it became known that the king laid an accusation
against Sigurd, because he had been at the killing of Thorkel
Fostre in the West. Thorkel had accompanied Harald to Norway
when he first came to the country, and had been one of Harald's
best friends. This case was followed up so severely, that a
capital accusation against Sigurd was made, and, by the advice of
the lendermen, was carried so far, that some of the king's
pursuivants went one evening late to Sigurd, and called him to
them. They then took a boat and rowed away with Sigurd from the
town south to Nordnes. Sigurd sat on a chest in the stern of the
boat, and had his suspicions that foul play was intended. He was
clothed in blue trousers, and over his shirt he had a hood tied
with ribands, which served him for a cloak. He sat looking down,
and holding his hood-strings; and sometimes moved them over his
head, sometimes let them fall again before him. Now when they
had passed the ness, they were drunk, and merry, were rowing so
eagerly that they were not taking notice of anything. Sigurd
stood up, and went on the boat's deck; but the two men who were
placed to guard him stood up also, and followed him to the side
of the vessel, holding by his cloak, as is the custom in guarding
people of distinction. As he was afraid that they would catch
hold of more of his clothes, he seized them both, and leaped
overboard with them. The boat, in the meantime, had gone on a
long way, and it was a long time before those on board could turn
the vessel, and long before they could get their own men taken on
board again; and Sigurd dived under water, and swam so far away
that he reached the land before they could get the boat turned to
pursue him. Sigurd, who was very swift of foot, hied up to the
mountains, and the king's men travelled about the whole night
seeking him without finding him. He lay down in a cleft of the
rocks; and as he was very cold he took off his trousers, cut a
hole in the seat of them, and stuck his head through it, and put
his arms in the legs of them. He escaped with life this time;
and the king's men returned, and could not conceal their
unsuccessful adventure.
17. TREACHERY TOWARDS KING HARALD.
Sigurd thought now that it would be of no use to seek any help
from King Harald again; and he kept himself concealed all the
autumn and the beginning of the winter. He lay hid in Bergen, in
the house of a priest. King Harald was also in the town, and
many great people with him. Now Sigurd considered how, with his
friends' help, he might take the king by surprise, and make an
end of him. Many men took part in this design; and among them
some who were King Harald's court-men and chamberlains, but who
had formerly been King Magnus's court-men. They stood in great
favour with the king, and some of them sat constantly at the
king's table. On Saint Lucia's day (December 13), in the evening
when they proposed to execute this treason, two men sat at the
king's table talking together; and one of them said to the king,
"Sire, we two table-companions submit our dispute to your
judgment, having made a wager of a basket of honey to him who
guesses right. I say that you will sleep this night with your
Queen Ingerid; and he says that you will sleep with Thora,
Guthorm's daughter."
The king answered laughing, and without suspecting in the least
that there lay treachery under the question, that he who had
asked had lost his bet.
They knew thus where he was to be found that night; but the main
guard was without the house in which most people thought the king
would sleep, viz., that which the queen was in.
18. MURDER OF KING HARALD.
Sigurd Slembe, and some men who were in his design, came in the
night to the lodging in which King Harald was sleeping; killed
the watchman first; then broke open the door, and went in with
drawn swords. Ivar Kolbeinson made the first attack on King
Harald; and as the king had been drunk when he went to bed he
slept sound, and awoke only when the men were striking at him.
Then he said in his sleep, "Thou art treating me hardly, Thora."
She sprang up, saying, "They are treating thee hardly who love
thee less than I do." Harald was deprived of life. Then Sigurd
went out with his helpers, and ordered the men to be called to
him who had promised him their support if he should get King
Harald taken out of the way. Sigurd and his men then went on,
and took a boat, set themselves to the oars, and rowed out in
front of the king's house; and then it was just beginning to be
daylight. Then Sigurd stood up, spoke to those who were standing
on the king's pier, made known to them the murder of King Harald
by his hand, and desired that they would take him, and choose him
as chief according to his birth. Now came many swarming down to
the pier from the king's house; and all with one voice replied,
that they would never give obedience or service to a man who had
murdered his own brother. "And if thou are not his brother, thou
hast no claim from descent to be king." They clashed their
weapons together, and adjudged all murderers to be banished and
outlawed men. Now the king's horn sounded, and all lendermen and
courtmen were called together. Sigurd and his companions saw it
was best for them to get way; and he went northward to North
Hordaland, where he held a Thing with the bondes, who submitted
to him, and gave him the title of king. From thence he went to
Sogn, and held a Thing there with the bondes and was proclaimed
king. Then he went north across the fjords, and most people
supported his cause. So says Ivar Ingemundson: --
"On Harald's fall
The bondes all,
In Hord and Sogn,
Took Magnus' son.
The Things swore too
They would be true
To this new head
In Harald's stead."
King Harald was buried in the old Christ church.
SAGA OF SIGURD, INGE, AND EYSTEIN, THE SONS OF HARALD
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
Sigurd died A.D. 1155, Eystein 1157, and Inge 1161.
Other literature is "Morkinskinna" and "Fagrskinna."
Sigurd Slembe is the subject of a drama by Bjornstjerne Bjornson,
translated into English by William Morton Payne, and published by
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1888.
Skalds quoted are: Kolle, Einar Skulason, and Thorbjorn
Skakkaskald.
1. HISTORY OF KINGS SIGURD AND INGE.
Queen Ingerid, and with her the lendermen and the court which had
been with King Harald, resolved to send a fast-sailing vessel to
Throndhjem to make known King Harald's death, and also to desire
the Throndhjem people to take King Harald's son Sigurd for king.
He was then in the north, and was fostered by Sadagyrd Bardson.
Queen Ingerid herself proceeded eastward immediately to Viken.
Inge was the name of her son by King Harald, and he was then
fostered by Amunde Gyrdson, a grandson of Logberse. When they
came to Viken a Borgar-thing was immediately called together, at
which Inge, who was in the second year of his age, was chosen
king. This resolution was supported by Amunde and Thjostolf
Alason, together with many other great chiefs. Now when the
tidings came north to Throndhjem that King Harald was murdered,
the Throndhjem people took Sigurd, King Harald's son, to be the
king; and this resolution was supported by Ottar Birting, Peter
Saudaulfson, the brothers Guthorm of Reine, and Ottar Balle, sons
of Asolf and many other great chiefs. Afterwards the whole
nation almost submitted to the brothers, and principally because
their father was considered holy; and the country took the oath
to them, that the kingly power should not go to any other man as
long as any of King Harald's sons were alive.
2. OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.
Sigurd Slembe sailed north around Stad; and when he came to North
More, he found that letters and full powers had arrived before
him from the leaders who had given in their allegiance to
Harald's sons; so that there he got no welcome or help. As
Sigurd himself had but few people with him, he resolved to go
with them to Throndhjem, and seek out Magnus the Blind; for he
had already sent a message before him to Magnus's friends. Now
when they came to the town, they rowed up the river Nid to meet
King Magnus, and fastened their land-ropes on the shore at the
king's house; but were obliged to set off immediately, for all
the people rose against them. They then landed at Monkholm, and
took Magnus the Blind out of the cloister against the will of the
monks; for he had been consecrated a monk. It is said by some
that Magnus willingly went with them; although it was differently
reported, in order to make his cause appear better. Sigurd,
immediately after Yule (January, A.D. 1137), went forth with his
suite, expecting aid from his relations and Magnus's friends, and
which they also got. Sigurd sailed with his men out of the
fjord, and was joined afterwards by Bjorn Egilson, Gunnar of
Gimsar, Haldor Sigurdson, Aslak Hakonson, the brothers Bendikt
and Eirik, and also the court which had before been with King
Magnus, and many others. With this troop they went south to
More, and down to the mouth of Raumsdal fjord. Here Sigurd and
Magnus divided their forces, and Sigurd went immediately
westwards across the sea. King Magnus again proceeded to the
Uplands, where he expected much help and strength, and which he
obtained. He remained there the winter and all the summer (A.D.
1137), and had many people with him; but King Inge proceeded
against him with all his forces, and they met at a place called
Mynne. There was a great battle, at which King Magnus had the
most people. It is related that Thjostolf Alason carried King
Inge in his belt as long as the battle lasted, and stood under
the banner; but Thjostolf was hard pressed by fatigue and
fighting; and it is commonly said that King Inge got his ill
health there, and which he retained as long as he lived, so that
his back was knotted into a hump, and the one foot was shorter
than the other; and he was besides so infirm that he could
scarcely walk as long as he lived. The defeat began to turn upon
Magnus and his men; and in the front rank of his array fell
Haldor Sigurdson, Bjorn Egilson, Gunnar of Gimsar, and a great
number of his men, before he himself would take to his horse and
fly. So says Kolle: --
"Thy arrow-storm on Mynne's banks
Fast thinn'd the foemen's strongest ranks;
Thy good sword hewed the raven's feast
On Mynne's banks up in the East.
Shield clashed on shield, and bucklers broke
Under thy battle-axe's stroke;
While thou, uncovered, urged the fray,
Thy shield and mail-coat thrown away."
And also this: --
"The king to heaven belonging fled,
When thou, in war's quick death-game bred,
Unpanzered, shieldless on the plain
His heavy steel-clad guards hadst slain.
The painted shield, and steel-plate mail,
Before thy fierce attack soon fail,
To Magnus who belongs to heaven,
Was no such fame in battle given."
Magnus fled eastward to Gautland, and then to Denmark. At that
time there was in Gautland an earl, Karl Sonason, who was a great
and ambitious man. Magnus the Blind and his men said, wherever
they happened to meet with chiefs, that Norway lay quite open to
any great chieftain who would attack it; for it might well be
said there was no king in the country, and the kingdom was only
ruled by lendermen, and, among those who had most sway, there
was, from mutual jealousy, most discord. Now Karl, being
ambitious of power, listens willingly to such speeches; collects
men, and rides west to Viken, where many people, out of fear,
submit to him. When Thjostolf Alason and Amunde heard of this,
they went with the men they could get together, and took King
Inge with them. They met Earl Karl and the Gautland army
eastward in Krokaskog, where there was a great battle and a great
defeat, King Inge gaining the victory. Munan Ogmundson, Earl
Karl's mother's brother, fell there. Ogmund, the father of
Munan, was a son of Earl Orm Eilifson, and Sigrid, a daughter of
Earl Fin Arnason. Astrid, Ogrnund's daughter, was the mother of
Earl Karl. Many others of the Gautland people fell at Krokaskog;
and the earl fled eastward through the forest. King Inge pursued
them all the way out of the kingdom; and this expedition turned
out a great disgrace to them. So says Kolle: --
"I must proclaim how our great lord
Coloured deep red his ice-cold sword;
And ravens played with Gautland bones,
And wolves heard Gautlanders' last groans.
Their silly jests were well repaid, --
In Krokaskog their laugh was laid:
Thy battle power was then well tried,
And they who won may now deride."
3. KING EIRIK'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.
Magnus the Blind then went to Denmark to King Eirik Eimune, where
he was well received. He offered the king to follow him if he
would invade Norway with a Danish army, and subdue the country;
saying, that if he came to Norway with his army, no man in Norway
would venture to throw a spear against him. The king allowed
himself to be moved by Magnus's persuasions, ordered a levy, and
went north to Norway with 200 ships; and Magnus and his men were
with him on this expedition. When they came to Viken, they
proceeded peacefully and gently on the east side of the fjord;
but when the fleet came westward to Tunsberg, a great number of
King Inge's lendermen came against them. Their leader was
Vatnorm Dagson, a brother of Gregorius. The Danes could not land
to get water without many of them being killed; and therefore
they went in through the fjord to Oslo, where Thjostolf Alason
opposed them. It is told that some people wanted to carry the
holy Halvard's coffin out of the town in the evening when the
fleet was first observed, and as many as could took hold of it;
but the coffin became so heavy that they could not carry it over
the church floor. The morning after, however, when they saw the
fleet sailing in past the Hofud Isle, four men carried the coffin
out of the town, and Thjostolf and all the townspeople followed
it.
4. THE TOWN OF OSLO BURNT.
King Eirik and his army advanced against the town; and some of
his men hastened after Thjostolf and his troop. Thjostolf threw
a spear at a man named Askel, which hit him under the throat, so
that the spear point went through his neck; and Thjostolf thought
he had never made a better spear-cast, for, except the place he
hit, there was nothing bare to be seen. The shrine of St.
Halvard, was taken up to Raumarike, where it remained for three
months. Thjostolf went up to Raumarike, and collected men during
the night, with whom he returned towards the town in the morning.
In the meantime King Eirik set fire to Halvard's church, and to
the town, which was entirely burnt. Thjostolf came soon after to
the town with the men he had assembled, and Eirik sailed off with
his fleet; but could not land anywhere on that side of the fjord,
on account of the troops of the lendermen who came down against
them; and wherever they attempted a landing, they left five or
six men or more upon the strand. King Inge lay with a great
number of people into Hornborusund, but when he learned this, he
turned about southwards to Denmark again. King Inge pursued him,
and took from him all the ships he could get hold of; and it was
a common observation among people, that never was so poor an
expedition made with so great an armament in another king's
dominions. King Eirik was ill pleased at it, and thought King
Magnus and his men had been making a fool of him by encouraging
him to undertake this expedition, and he declared he would never
again besuch friends with them as before.
5. OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.
Sigurd Slembidjakn came that summer from the West sea to Norway,
where he heard of his relation King Magnus's unlucky expedition;
so he expected no welcome in Norway, but sailed south, outside
the rocks, past the land, and set over to Denmark, and went into
the Sound. He fell in with some Vindland cutters south of the
islands, gave them battle, and gained the victory. He cleared
eight ships, killing many of the men, and he hanged the others.
He also had a battle off the Island Mon with the Vindland men,
and gained a victory. He then sailed from the south and came to
the eastern arm of the Gaut river, and took three ships of the
fleet of Thorer Hvinantorde, and Olaf, the son of Harald Kesia,
who was Sigurd's own sister's son; for Ragnhild, the mother of
Olaf, was a daughter of King Magnus Barefoot. He drove Olaf up
the country.
Thjostolf was at this time in Konungahella, and had collected
people to defend the country, and Sigurd steered thither with his
fleet. They shot at each other, but he could not effect a
landing; and, on both sides, many were killed and many wounded.
Ulfhedin Saxolfson, Sigurd's forecastle man, fell there. He was
an Icelander, from the north quarter. Sigurd continued his
course northwards to Viken and plundered far and wide around.
Now when Sigurd lay in a harbour called Portyrja on Limgard's
coast, and watched the ships going to or coming from Viken to
plunder them, the Tunsberg men collected an armed force against
him, and came unexpectedly upon them while Sigurd and his men
were on shore dividing their booty. Some of the men came down
from the land, but some of the other party laid themselves with
their ships right across the harbour outside of them. Sigurd ran
up into his ship, and rowed out against them. Vatnorm's ship was
the nearest, and he let his ship fall behind the line, and Sigurd
rowed clear past, and thus escaped with one ship and the loss of
many men. This verse was made upon Vatnorm (1): --
"The water serpent, people say,
From Portyrja slipped away."
ENDNOTES:
(1) Vatnorm, the name of this man, means the water-serpent, and
appears to have been a favourite name for war-ships also;
hence the pun in the lines upon Vatnorm. -- L.
6. THE MURDER OF BEINTEIN.
Sigurd Slembidjakn sailed from thence to Denmark; and at that
time a man was lost in his ship, whose name was Kolbein
Thorliotson of Batald. He was sitting in a boat which was made
fast to the vessel, and upset because she was sailing quickly.
When they came south to Denmark, Sigurd's ship itself was cast
away; but he got to Alaborg, and was there in winter. The summer
after (A.D. 1138) Magnus and Sigurd sailed together from the
south with seven ships, and came unexpectedly in the night to
Lister, where they laid their ships on the land. Beintein
Kolbeinson, a court-man of King Inge, and a very brave man, was
there. Sigurd and his men jumped on shore at daylight, came
unexpectedly on the people, surrounded the house, and were
setting fire to the buildings; but Beintein came out of a storehouse
with his weapons, well armed, and stood within the door
with drawn sword, his shield before him, helmet on, and ready to
defend himself. The door was somewhat low. Sigurd asked which
of his lads had most desire to go in against Beintein, which he
called brave man's work; but none was very hurried to make ready
for it. While they were discussing this matter Sigurd rushed
into the house, past Beintein. Beintein struck at him, but
missed him. Sigurd turned instantly on Beintein; and after
exchanging blows, Sigurd gave him his death-stroke, and came out
presently bearing his head in his hands.
They took all the goods that were in the farm-house, carried the
booty to their ships, and sailed away. When King Inge and his
friends, and also Kolbein's sons, Sigurd and Gyrd, the brothers
of Beintein, heard of Beintein's murder, the king sent a great
force against Sigurd Slembe and his followers; and also travelled
himself, and took a ship from Hakon Paulson Pungelta, who was a
daughter's son of Aslak, a son of Erling Skjalgson of Sole, and
cousin of Hakon Mage. King Inge drove Hakon and his followers up
the country, and took all their gear. Sigurd Stork, a son of
Eindride of Gautdal, and his brother, Eirik Hael, and Andres
Kelduskit, son of Grim of Vist, all fled away into the fjords.
But Sigurd Slembe, Magnus the Blind and Thorieif Skiappa sailed
outside the isles with three ships north to Halogaland; and
Magnus was in winter (A.D. 1139) north in Bjarkey Isle with
Vidkun Jonson. But Sigurd had the stem and stern-post of his
ship cut out, made a hole in her, and sank her in the inner part
of Egisfjord, and thereafter he passed the winter at Tialdasund
by Gljufrafjord in Hin. Far up the fjord there is a cave in the
rock; in that place Sigurd sat with his followers, who were above
twenty men, secretly, and hung a grey cloth before the mouth of
the hole, so that no person could see them from the strand.
Thorleif Skiappa, and Einar, son of Ogmund of Sand, and of
Gudrun, daughter of Einar Arason of Reikiaholar, procured food
for Sigurd during the winter. It is said that Sigurd made the
Laplanders construct two boats for him during the winter up in
the fjord; and they were fastened together with deer sinews,
without nails, and with twigs of willow instead of knees, and
each boat could carry twelve men. Sigurd was with the Laplanders
while they were making the boats; and the Laplanders had good
ale, with which they entertained Sigurd. Sigurd made these lines
on it: --
"In the Lapland tent
Brave days we spent.
Under the grey birch tree;
In bed or on bank
We knew no rank,
And a merry crew were we.
"Good ale went round
As we sat on the ground,
Under the grey birch tree;
And up with the smoke
Flew laugh and joke,
And a merry crew were we."
These boats were so light that no ship could overtake them in the
water, according to what was sung at the time: --
"Our skin-sewed Fin-boats lightly swim,
Over the sea like wind they skim.
Our ships are built without a nail;
Few ships like ours can row or sail."
In spring Sigurd and Magnus went south along the coast with the
two boats which the Laplanders had made; and when they came to
Vagar they killed Svein the priest and his two sons.
7. OF SIGURD'S SLEMBE'S CAMPAIGN.
Thereafter Sigurd came south to Vikar, and seized King Sigurd's
lendermen, William Skinnare and Thorald Kept, and killed them
both. Then Sigurd turned south-wards along the coast, and met
Styrkar Glaesirofa south of Byrda, as he was coming from the
south from the town of Nidaros, and killed him. Now when Sigurd
came south to Valsnes, he met Svinagrim outside of the ness, and
cut off his right hand. From thence he went south to More, past
the mouth of the Throndhjem fjord, where they took Hedin Hirdmage
and Kalf Kringluauge. They let Hedin escape, but killed Kalf.
When King Sigurd, and his foster-father, Sadagyrd, heard of
Sigurd Slembidjakn's proceedings, and what he was doing, they
sent people to search for him; and their leader was Jon Kauda, a
son of Kalf Range. Bishop Ivar's brother, and besides the priest
Jon Smyril. They went on board the ship the Reindeer, which had
twenty-two rowing benches, and was one of the swiftest sailing
vessels, to seek Sigurd; but as they could not find him, they
returned north-wards with little glory; for people said that they
had got sight of Sigurd and his people, and durst not attack
them. Afterwards Sigurd proceeded southwards to Hordaland, and
came to Herdla, where Einar, a son of Laxapaul, had a farm; and
went into Hamar's fjord, to the Gangdaga-thing. They took all
the goods that were at the farm, and a long-ship of twenty-two
benches which belonged to Einar; and also his son, four years
old, who was living with one of his labouring people. Some
wanted to kill the boy, but others took him and carried him with
them. The labouring man said, "It will not be lucky for you to
kill the child; and it will be of no use to you to carry him
away, for it is my son, and not Einar's." And on his word they
let the boy remain, and went away. When Einar came home he gave
the labourer money to the value of two ore of gold, and thanked
him for his clever invention, and promised him his constant
friendship. So says Eirik Odson, who first wrote down this
relation; and he heard himself Einar Paulson telling these
circumstances in Bergen. Sigurd then went southward along the
coast all the way east to Viken, and met Fin Saudaulfson east at
Kvildar, as he was engaged in drawing in King Inge's rents and
duties, and hanged him. Then they sailed south to Denmark.
8. OF KING INGE'S LETTER TO KING SIGURD.
The people of Viken and of Bergen complained that it was wrong
for King Sigurd and his friends to be sitting quietly north in
the town of Nidaros, while his father's murderer was cruising
about in the ordinary passage at the mouth of the Throndhjem
fjord; and King Inge and his people, on the other hand, were in
Viken in the midst of the danger, defending the country and
holding many battles. Then King Inge sent a letter north to the
merchant-town Nidaros, in which were these words: "King Inge
Haraldson sends his brother King Sigurd, as also Sadagyrd, Ogmund
Svipte, Ottar Birting, and all lendermen, court-men, housepeople,
and all the public, rich and poor, young and old, his own
and God's salutation. The misfortune is known to all men that on
account of our childhoods -- thou being five, and I but three
years of age -- we can undertake nothing without the counsel of
our friends and other good men. Now I and my men think that we
stand nearer to the danger and necessity common to us both, than
thou and thy friends; therefore make it so that thou, as soon as
possible, come to me, and as strong in troops as possible, that
we may be assembled to meet whatever may come. He will be our
best friend who does all he can that we may be united, and may
take an equal part in all things. But if thou refuse, and wilt
not come after this message which I send thee in need, as thou
hast done before, then thou must expect that I will come against
thee with an armament; and let God decide between us; for we are
not in a condition to sit here at so great an expense, and with
so numerous a body of troops as are necessary here on account of
the enemy, and besides many other pressing charges, whilst thou
hast half of all the land-tax and other revenues of Norway. Live
in the peace of God!"
9. OTTAR BIRTING'S SPEECH.
Then Ottar Birting stood up in the Thing, and first of all
answered thus: "This is King Sigurd's reply to his brother King
Inge -- that God will reward him for his good salutation, and
likewise for the trouble and burden which he and his friends have
in this kingdom, and in matters of necessity which effect them
both. Although now some think there is something sharp in King
Inge's message to his brother Sigurd, yet he has in many respects
sufficient cause for it. Now I will make known to you my
opinion, and we will hear if King Sigurd and the other people of
power will agree to it; and it is, that thou, King Sigurd, make
thyself ready, with all the people who will follow thee, to
defend thy country; and go as strong in men as possible to thy
brother King Inge as soon as thou art prepared, in order to
assist each other in all things that are for the common good; and
may God Almighty strengthen and assist you both! Now, king, we
will have thy words."
Peter, a son of Saudaulf, who was afterwards called Peter
Byrdarsvein, bore King Sigurd to the Thing. Then the king said,
"Ye must know that, if I am to advise, I will go as soon as
possible to my brother King Inge." Then others spoke, one after
the other; but although each began his speech in his own way, he
ended with agreeing to what Ottar Birting had proposed; and it
was determined to call together the war-forces, and go to the
east part of the country. King Sigurd accordingly went with
great armament east to Viken, and there he met his brother King
Inge.
10. FALL OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.
The same autumn (A.D. 1139) Sigurd Slembe and Magnus the Blind
came from Denmark with thirty ships, manned both with Danes and
Northmen. It was near to winter. When the kings heard of this,
they set out with their people eastwards to meet them. They met
at Hvalar, near Holm the Grey, the day after Martinmas, which was
a Sunday. King Inge and King Sigurd had twenty ships, which were
all large. There was a great battle; but, after the first
assault, the Danes fled home to Denmark with eighteen ships. On
this Sigurd's and Magnus's ships were cleared; and as the last
was almost entirely bare of men, and Magnus was lying in his bed,
Hreidar Griotgardson, who had long followed him, and been his
courtman, took King Magnus in his arms, and tried to run with him
on board some other ship. But Hreidar was struck by a spear,
which went between his shoulders; and people say King Magnus was
killed by the same spear. Hreidar fell backwards upon the deck,
and Magnus upon him; and every man spoke of how honourably he had
followed his master and rightful sovereign. Happy are they who
have such praise! There fell, on King Magnus's ship, Lodin
Saupprud of Linustadar, Bruse Thormodson; and the forecastle-men
to Sigurd Slembidjakn, Ivar Kolbeinson and Halyard Faeger, who
had been in Sigurd Slembe's fore-hold. This Ivar had been the
first who had gone in, in the night, to King Harald, and had laid
hands on him. There fell a great number of the men of King
Magnus and Sigurd Slembe, for Inge's men let not a single one
escape if they got hold of him; but only a few are named here.
They killed upon a holm more than forty men, among whom were two
Icelanders -- the priest Sigurd Bergthorson, a grandson of Mas;
the other Clemet, a son of Are Einarson. But three Icelanders
obtained their lives: namely, Ivar Skrauthanke, a son of Kalf
Range, and who afterwards was bishop of Throndhjem, and was
father of the archbishop Eirik. Ivar had always followed King
Magnus, and he escaped into his brother Jon Kauda's ship. Jon
was married to Cecilia, a daughter of Gyrd Bardson, and was then
in King Inge's and Sigurd's armament. There were three in all
who escaped on board of Jon's ship. The second was Arnbjorn
Ambe, who afterwards married Thorstein's daughter in Audsholt;
the third was Ivar Dynta, a son of Stare, but on the mother's
side of a Throndhjem family, -- a very agreeable man. When the
troops came to know that these three were on board his ship, they
took their weapons and assaulted the vessel, and some blows were
exchanged, and the whole fleet had nearly come to a fight among
themselves; but it came to an agreement, so that Jon ransomed his
brothers Ivar and Arnbjorn for a fixed sum in ransom, which,
however, was afterwards remitted. But Ivar Dynta was taken to
the shore, and beheaded; for Sigurd and Gyrd, the sons of
Kolbein, would not take any mulct for him, as they knew he had
been at their brother Beintein's murder. Ivar the bishop said,
that never was there anything that touched him so nearly, as
Ivar's going to the shore under the axe, and turning to the
others with the wish that they might meet in joy here-after.
Gudrid Birger's daughter, a sister of Archbishop Jon, told Eirik
Odson that she heard Bishop Ivar say this.
11. SIGURD SLEMBE TAKEN PRISONER.
A man called Thrand Gialdkere was the steersman of King Inge's
ship. It was come so far, that Inge's men were rowing in small
boats between the ships after those who were swimming in the
water, and killed those they could get hold of. Sigurd Slembe
threw himself overboard after his ship had lost her crew,
stripped off his armour under the water, and then swam with his
shield over him. Some men from Thrand's vessel took prisoner a
man who was swimming, and were about to kill him; but he begged
his life, and offered to tell them where Sigurd Slembe was, and
they agreed to it. Shields and spears, dead men, weapons, and
clothes, were floating all around on the sea about the ships, "Ye
can see," said he, "a red shield floating on the water; he is
under it." They rowed to it immediately, took him, and brought
him on board of Thrand's ship. Thrand then sent a message to
Thjostolf, Ottar, and Amunde. Sigurd Slembe had a tinder box on
him; and the tinder was in a walnut-shell, around which there was
wax. This is related, because it seems an ingenious way of
preserving it from ever getting wet. He swam with a shield over
him, because nobody could know one shield from another where so
many were floating about; and they would never have hit upon him,
if they had not been told where he was. When Thrand came to the
land with Sigurd, and it was told to the troops that he was
taken, the army set up a shout of joy. When Sigurd heard it he
said, "Many a bad man will rejoice over my head this day." Then
Thjostolf Alason went to where Sigurd was sitting, struck from
his head a silk hat with silver fringes, and said. "Why wert thou
so impudent, thou son of a slave! to dare to call thyself King
Magnus Barefoot's son?"
Sigurd replied, "Presume not to compare my father to a slave; for
thy father was of little worth compared to mine."
Hal, a son of the doctor Thorgeir Steinson, King Inge's courtman,
was present at this circumstance, and told it to Eirik
Odson, who afterwards wrote these relations in a book, which he
called "Hryggjarstykke". In this book is told all concerning
Harald Gille and his sons, and Magnus the Blind, and Sigurd
Slembidjakn, until their deaths. Eirik was a sensible man, who
was long in Norway about that time. Some of his narratives he
wrote down from Hakon Mage's account; some were from lendermen of
Harald's sons, who along with his sons were in all this feud, and
in all the councils. Eirik names, moreover, several men of
understanding and veracity, who told him these accounts, and were
so near that they saw or heard all that happened. Something he
wrote from what he himself had heard or seen.
12. TORTURE OF SIGURD SLEMBE.
Hal says that the chiefs wished to have Sigurd killed instantly;
but the men who were the most cruel, and thought they had
injuries to avenge, advised torturing him; and for this they
named Beintein's brothers, Sigurd and Gyrd, the sons of Kolbein.
Peter Byrdarsvein would also avenge his brother Fin. But the
chiefs and the greater part of the people went away. They broke
his shin-bones and arms with an axe-hammer. Then they stripped
him, and would flay him alive; but when they tried to take off
the skin, they could not do it for the gush of blood. They took
leather whips and flogged him so long, that the skin was as much
taken off as if he had been flayed. Then they stuck a piece of
wood in his back until it broke, dragged him to a tree and hanged
him; and then cut off his head, and brought the body and head to
a heap of stones and buried them there. All acknowledge, both
enemies and friends, that no man in Norway, within memory of the
living, was more gifted with all perfections, or more
experienced, than Sigurd, but in some respects he was an unlucky
man. Hal says that he spoke little, and answered only a few, and
in single words, under his tortures, although they spoke to him.
Hal says further, that he never moved when they tortured him,
more than if they were striking a stock or a stone. This Hal
alleged as proof that he was a brave hero, who had courage to
endure tortures; for he still held his tongue, and never moved
from the spot. And farther he says, that he never altered his
voice in the least, but spoke with as much ease as if he was
sitting at the ale-table; neither speaking higher nor lower, nor
in a more tremulous voice than he was used to do. He spoke until
he gave up the ghost, and sang between whiles parts of the Psalmbook,
and which Hal considered beyond the powers and strength of
ordinary men. And the priest who had the church in the
neighbourhood let Sigurd's body be transported thither to the
church. This priest was a friend of Harald's sons: but when they
heard it they were angry at him, had the body carried back to
where it had been, and made the priest pay a fine. Sigurd's
friends afterwards came from Denmark with a ship for his body,
carried it to Alaborg, and interred it in Mary church in that
town. So said Dean Ketil, who officiated as priest at Mary
church, to Eirik; and that Sigurd was buried there. Thjostolf
Alason transported Magnus the Blind's body to Oslo, and buried it
in Halvard's church, beside King Sigurd his father. Lodin
Saupprud was transported to Tunsberg; but the others of the slain
were buried on the spot.
13. EYSTEIN HARALDSON COMES TO NORWAY.
When the kings Sigurd and Inge had ruled over Norway about six
years, Eystein, who was a son of Harald Gille, came in spring
from Scotland (A.D. 1142). Arne Sturla, Thorleif Brynjolfson,
and Kolbein Hruga had sailed westward over the sea after Eystein,
accompanied him to Norway, and sailed immediately with him to
Throndhjem. The Throndhjem people received him well; and at the
Eyra-thing of Ascension-day he was chosen king, so that he should
have the third part of Norway with his brothers Sigurd and Inge.
They were at this time in the east part of the country; and men
went between the kings who brought about a peace, and that
Eystein should have a third part of the kingdom. People believed
what he said of his paternal descent, because King Harald himself
had testified to it, and he did not resort to the ordeal of iron.
King Eystein's mother was called Bjadok, and she followed him to
Norway. Magnus was the name of King Harald Gille's fourth son,
who was fostered by Kyrpingaorm. He also was chosen king, and
got a fourth part of the country; but Magnus was deformed in his
feet, lived but a short time, and died in his bed. Einar
Skulason speaks of them: --
"The generous Eystein money gave;
Sigurd in fight was quick and brave;
Inge loved well the war-alarm;
Magnus to save his land from harm.
No country boasts a nobler race
The battle-field, or Thing, to grace.
Four brothers of such high pretence
The sun ne'er shone upon at once."
14. MURDER OF OTTAR BIRTING.
After King Harald Gille's death Queen Ingerid married Ottar
Birting, who was a lendermen and a great chief, and of a
Throndhjem family, who strengthened King Inge's government much
while he was in his childhood. King Sigurd was not very friendly
to Ottar; because, as he thought, Ottar always took King Inge's
side. Ottar Birting was killed north in the merchant town
(Nidaros), in an assault upon him in the twilight as he was going
to the evening song. When he heard the whistling of the blow he
held up his cloak with his hands against it; thinking, no doubt,
it was a snowball thrown at him, as young boys do in the streets.
Ottar fell by the stroke; but his son, Alf Hrode, who just at the
same moment was coming into the churchyard, saw his father's
fall, and saw that the man who had killed him ran east about the
church. Alf ran after him, and killed him at the corner of the
choir; and people said that he had good luck in avenging his
father, and afterwards was much more respected than he had been
before.
15. BEGINNING OF KING EYSTEIN.
King Eystein Haraldson was in the interior of the Throndhjem
district when he heard of Ottar's murder, and summoned to him the
bonde-army, with which he proceeded to the town; and he had many
men. Ottar's relations and other friends accused King Sigurd,
who was in the town, of having instigated this deed; and the
bondes were much enraged against him. But the king offered to
clear himself by the ordeal of iron, and thereby to establish the
truth of his denial; and accordingly a peace was made. King
Sigurd went to the south end of the country, and the ordeal was
never afterwards heard of.
16. BEGINNING OF ORM THE KING-BROTHER.
Queen Ingerid had a son to Ivar Sneis, and he was called Orm, and
got the surname of King-brother. He was a handsome man in
appearance, and became a great chief, as shall be told hereafter.
Ingerid afterwards married Arne of Stodreim, who was from this
called King's-mate; and their children were Inge, Nikolas, Philip
of Herdla, and Margaret, who was first married to Bjorn Buk, and
afterwards to Simon Karason.
17. JOURNEY OF ERLING SKAKKE AND EARL RAGNVALD.
Kyrpingaorm and Ragnhild, a daughter of Sveinke Steinarson, had a
son called Erling. Kyrpingaorm was a son of Svein Sveinson, who
was a son of Erling of Gerd. Otto's mother was Ragna, a daughter
of Earl Orm Eilifson and Sigrid, a daughter of Earl Fin Arnason.
The mother of Earl Orm was Ragnhild, a daughter of Earl Hakon the
Great. Erling was a man of understanding, and a great friend of
King Inge, by whose assistance and counsel Erling obtained in
marriage Christina, a daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader and
Queen Malmfrid. Erling possessed a farm at Studla in South
Hordaland. Erling left the country; and with him went Eindride
Unge and several lendermen, who had chosen men with them. They
intended to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and went across the
West sea to Orkney. There Earl Ragnvald and Bishop William
joined them; and they had in all fifteen ships from Orkney, with
which they first sailed to the South Hebrides, from thence west
to Valland, and then the same way King Sigurd the Crusader had
sailed to Norvasund; and they plundered all around in the heathen
part of Spain. Soon after they had sailed through the Norvasund,
Eindride Unge and his followers, with six ships, separated from
them; and then each was for himself. Earl Ragnvald and Erling
Skakke fell in with a large ship of burden at sea called a
dromund, and gave battle to it with nine ships. At last they
laid their cutters close under the dromund; but the heathens
threw both weapons and stones, and pots full of pitch and boiling
oil. Erling laid his ship so close under the dromund, that the
missiles of the heathens fell without his ship. Then Erling and
his men cut a hole in the dromund, some working below and some
above the water-mark; and so they boarded the vessel through it.
So says Thorbjorn Skakkaskald, in his poem on Erling: --
"The axes of the Northmen bold
A door into the huge ships' hold
Hewed through her high and curved side,
As snug beneath her bulge they ride.
Their spears bring down the astonished foe,
Who cannot see from whence the blow.
The eagle's prey, they, man by man,
Fall by the Northmen's daring plan."
Audunraude, Erling's forecastle-man, was the first man who got
into the dromund. Then they carried her, killing an immense
number of people; making an extraordinarily valuable booty, and
gaining a famous victory. Earl Ragnvald and Erling Skakke came
to Palestine in the course of their expedition, and all the way
to the river Jordan. From thence they went first to
Constantinople, where they left their ships, travelled northwards
by land, and arrived in safety in Norway, where their journey was
highly praised. Erling Skakke appeared now a much greater man
than before, both on account of his journey and of his marriage;
besides he was a prudent sensible man, rich, of great family,
eloquent, and devoted to King Inge by the strictest friendship
more than to the other royal brothers.
18. BIRTH OF HAKON HERDEBREID.
King Sigurd went to a feast east in Viken along with his court,
and rode past a house belonging to a great bonde called Simon.
While the king was riding past the house, he heard within such
beautiful singing that he was quite enchanted with it, and rode
up to the house, and saw a lovely girl standing at the handmill
and grinding. The king got off his horse, and went to the girl
and courted her. When the king went away, the bonde Simon came
to know what the object of the king's visit had been. The girl
was called Thora, and she was Simon the bonde's servant-girl.
Simon took good care of her afterwards, and the girl brought
forth a male child (A.D. 1047), who was called Hakon, and was
considered King Sigurd's son. Hakon was brought up by Simon
Thorbergson and his wife Gunhild. Their own sons also, Onund and
Andreas, were brought up with Hakon, and were so dear to him that
death only could have parted them.
19. EYSTEIN AND THE PEASANTS OF HISING ISLE.
While King Eystein Haraldson was in Viken, he fell into disputes
with the bondes of Reine and the inhabitants of Hising Isle, who
assembled to oppose him; but he gave them battle at a place
called Leikberg, and afterwards burnt and destroyed all around in
Hising; so that the bondes submitted to his will, paid great
fines to the king, and he took hostages from them. So says Einar
Skulason: --
"The Viken men
Won't strive again,
With words or blows,
The king to oppose.
None safety found
On Viken's ground,
Till all, afraid,
Pledge and scat paid."
And further: --
"The king came near;
He who is dear
To all good men
Came down the glen,
By Leikberg hill.
They who do ill,
The Reine folk, fly
Or quarter cry."
20. WAR EXPEDITION OF KING HARALDSON.
Soon after King Eystein began his journey out of the country over
sea to the West (A.D. 1153), and sailed first to Caithness. Here
he heard that Earl Harald Maddad's son was in Thursa, to which he
sailed directly in three small boats. The earl had a ship of
thirty banks of oars, and nearly eighty men in her. But they
were not prepared to make resistance, so that King Eystein was
able to board the ship with his men; and he took the earl
prisoner, and carried him to his own ship, but the earl ransomed
himself with three marks of gold: and thus they parted. Einar
Skulason tells of it thus: --
"Earl Harald in his stout ship lay
On the bright sand in Thursa bay;
With fourscore men he had no fear,
Nor thought the Norse king was so near,
He who provides the eagle's meals
In three small boats along-shore steals;
And Maddad's son must ransom pay
For his bad outlook that fair day."
From thence King Eystein sailed south along the east side of
Scotland, and brought up at a merchant-town in Scotland called
Aberdeen, where he killed many people, and plundered the town.
So says Einar Skulason: --
"At Aberdeen, too, I am told,
Fell many by our Norsemen bold;
Peace was disturbed, and blue swords broke
With many a hard and bloody stroke."
The next battle was at Hartlepool in the south, with a party of
horsemen. The king put them to flight, and seized some ships
there. So says Einar: --
"At Hartlepool, in rank and row,
The king's court-men attack the foe.
The king's sharp sword in blood was red,
Blood dropped from every Norse spear-head.
Ravens rejoice o'er the warm food
Of English slain, each where he stood;
And in the ships their thirst was quenched:
The decks were in the foe's blood drenched."
Then he went southwards to England, and had his third battle at
Whitby, and gained the victory, and burnt the town. So says
Einar: --
"The ring of swords, the clash of shields,
Were loud in Whitby's peaceful fields;
For here the king stirred up the strife. --
Man against man, for death or life.
O'er roof and tower, rose on high
The red wrath-fire in the sky;
House after house the red fiend burns;
By blackened walls the poor man mourns."
Thereafter he plundered wide around in England, where Stephen was
then the king. After this King Eystein fought with some cavalry
at Skarpasker. So says Einar: --
"At Skarpasker the English horse
Retire before the Norse king's force:
The arrow-shower like snow-drift flew,
And the shield-covered foemen slew."
He fought next at Pilavik, and gained the victory. So says
Einar: --
"At Pilavik the wild wolf feeds,
Well furnished by the king's brave deeds
He poured upon the grass-green plain
A red shower from the Perthmen slain.
On westwards in the sea he urges,
With fire and sword the country purges:
Langtown he burns; the country rang,
For sword on shield incessant clang."
Here they burnt Langatun, a large village; and people say that
the town has never since risen to its former condition. After
this King Eystein left England in autumn, and returned to Norway.
People spoke in various ways about this expedition.
21. OF HARALD'S SONS.
There was good peace maintained in Norway in the first years of
the government of Harald's sons; and as long as their old
counsellors were alive, there was some kind of unanimity among
them. While Inge and Sigurd were in their childhood, they had a
court together; but Eystein, who was come to age of discretion,
had a court for himself. But when Inge's and Sigurd's
counsellors were dead, -- namely, Sadagyrd Bardson, Ottar
Birting, Amunde Gyrdson, Thjostolf Alason, Ogmund Svipter, and
Ogmund Denger, a brother of Erling Skakke (Erling was not much
looked up to while Ogmund lived), -- the two kings, Inge and
Sigurd divided their courts. King Inge then got great assistance
from Gregorius Dagson, a son of Dag Eilifson by Ragnhild a
daughter of Skapte Ogmundson. Gregorius had much property, and
was himself a thriving, sagacious man. He presided in the
governing the country under King Inge, and the king allowed him
to manage his property for him according to his own judgment.
22. HABITS AND MANNERS OF HARALD'S SONS.
When King Sigurd grew up he was a very ungovernable, restless man
in every way; and so was King Eystein, but Eystein was the more
reasonable of the two. King Sigurd was a stout and strong man,
of a brisk appearance; he had light brown hair, an ugly mouth;
but otherwise a well-shaped countenance. He was polite in his
conversation beyond any man, and was expert in all exercises.
Einar Skulason speaks of this: --
"Sigurd, expert in every way
To wield the sword in bloody fray,
Showed well that to the bold and brave
God always luck and victory gave.
In speech, as well as bloody deeds,
The king all other men exceeds;
And when he speaks we think that none
Has said a word but he alone."
King Eystein was dark and dingy in complexion, of middle height,
and a prudent able man; but what deprived him of consideration
and popularity with those under him were his avarice and
narrowness. He was married to Ragna, a daughter of Nicolas Mase.
King Inge was the handsomest among them in countenance. He had
yellow but rather thin hair, which was much curled. His stature
was small; and he had difficulty in walking alone, because he had
one foot withered, and he had a hump both on his back and his
breast. He was of cheerful conversation, and friendly towards
his friends; was generous, and allowed other chiefs to give him
counsel in governing the country. He was popular, therefore,
with the public; and all this brought the kingdom and the mass of
the people on his side. King Harald Gille's daughter Brigida was
first married to the Swedish king Inge Halsteinson, and
afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to the Swedish king
Magnus. She and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the mother's
side. At last Brigida married Earl Birger Brose, and they had
four sons, namely, Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke, and Magnus.
Their daughters were Ingegerd, who was married to the Swedish
king Sorkver, and their son was King Jon; a second daughter was
called Kristin, and a third Margaret. Harald Gille's second
daughter was called Maria, who was married to Simon Skalp, a son
of Halkel Huk; and their son was called Nikolas. King Harald
Gille's third daughter was called Margaret, who was married to
Jon Halkelson, a brother of Simon. Now many things occurred
between the brothers which occasioned differences and disputes;
but I will only relate what appears to me to have produced the
more important events.
23. CARDINAL NIKOLAS COMES TO THE COUNTRY.
In the days of Harald's sons Cardinal Nikolas came from Rome to
Norway, being sent there by the pope. The cardinal had taken
offence at the brothers Sigurd and Eystein, and they were obliged
to come to a reconciliation with him; but, on the other hand, he
stood on the most affectionate terms with King Inge, whom he
called his son. Now when they were all reconciled with him, he
moved them to let Jon Birgerson be consecrated archbishop of
Throndhjem and gave him a vestment which is called a pallium; and
settled moreover that the archbishop's seat should be in Nidaros,
in Christ church, where King Olaf the Saint reposes. Before that
time there had only been common bishops in Norway. The cardinal
introduced also the law, that no man should go unpunished who
appeared with arms in the merchant-town, excepting the twelve men
who were in attendancce on the king. He improved many of the
customs of the Northmen while he was in the country. There never
came a foreigner to Norway whom all men respected so highly, or
who could govern the people so well as he did. After some time
he returned to the South with many friendly presents, and
declared ever afterwards that he was the greatest friend of the
people of Norway. When he came south to Rome the former pope
died suddenly, and all the people of Rome would have Cardinal
Nikolas for pope, and he was consecrated under the name of
Adrian; and according to the report of men who went to Rome in
his days, he had never any business, however important, to settle
with other people, but he would break it off to speak with the
Northmen who desired to see him. He was not long pope, and is
now considered a saint.
24. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF.
In the time of Harald Gille's sons, it happened that a man called
Haldor fell into the hands of the Vindland people, who took him
and mutilated him, cut open his neck, took out the tongue through
the opening, and cut out his tongue root. He afterwards sought
out the holy King Olaf, fixed his mind entirely on the holy man,
and weeping besought King Olaf to restore his speech and health.
Thereupon he immediately recovered his speech by the good king's
compassion, went immediately into his service for all his life,
and became an excellent trustworthy man. This miracle took place
a fortnight before the last Olafsmas, upon the day that Cardinal
Nikolas set foot on the land of Norway.
25. MIRACLES OF KING OLAF ON RICHARD.
In the Uplands were two brothers, men of great family, and men of
fortune, Einar and Andres, sons of Guthorm Grabard, and brothers
of King Sigurd Haraldson's mother; and they had great properties
and udal estates in that quarter. They had a sister who was very
handsome, but did not pay sufficient regard to the scandal of
evil persons, as it afterwards appeared. She was on a friendly
footing with an English priest called Richard, who had a welcome
to the house of her brothers, and on account of their friendship
for him she did many things to please him, and often to his
advantage; but the end of all this was, that an ugly report flew
about concerning this girl. When this came into the mouth of the
public all men threw the blame on the priest. Her brothers did
the same, and expressed publicly, as soon as they observed it,
that they laid the blame most on him. The great friendship that
was between the earl and the priest proved a great misfortune to
both, which might have been expected, as the brothers were silent
about their secret determination, and let nothing be observed.
But one day they called the priest to them, who went, expecting
nothing but good from them; enticed him from home with them,
saying that they intended to go to another district, where they
had some needful business, and inviting him to go with them.
They had with them a farm-servant who knew their purpose. They
went in a boat along the shore of a lake which is called Rands
lake, and landed at a ness called Skiptisand, where they went on
shore and amused themselves awhile. Then they went to a retired
place, and commanded their servant-man to strike the priest with
an axe-hammer. He struck the priest so hard that he swooned; but
when he recovered he said, "Why are ye playing so roughly with
me?" They replied, "Although nobody has told thee of it before,
thou shalt now find the consequence of what thou hast done."
They then upbraided him; but he denied their accusations, and
besought God and the holy King Olaf to judge between them. Then
they broke his leg-bones, and dragged him bound to the forest
with them; and then they put a string around his head, and put a
board under his head and shoulders, and made a knot on the
string, and bound his head fast to the board. Then the elder
brother, Einar, took a wedge, and put it on the priest's eye, and
the servant who stood beside him struck upon it with an axe, so
that the eye flew out, and fell upon the board. Then he set the
pin upon the other eye, and said to the servant, "Strike now more
softly." He did so, and the wedge sprang from the eye-stone, and
tore the eyelid loose. Then Einar took up the eyelid in his
hand, and saw that the eye-stone was still in its place; and he
set the wedge on the cheek, and when the servant struck it the
eye-stone sprang out upon the cheek-bone. Thereafter they opened
his mouth, took his tongue and cut it off, and then untied his
hands and his head. As soon as he came to himself, he thought of
laying the eye-stones in their place under the eyelids, and
pressing then with both hands as much as he could. Then they
carried him on board, and went to a farm called Saeheimrud, where
they landed. They sent up to the farm to say that a priest was
lying in the boat at the shore. While the message was going to
the farm, they asked the priest if he could talk; and he made a
noise and attempted to speak. Then said Einar to his brother,
"If he recover and the stump of his tongue grow, I am afraid he
will get his speech again." Thereupon they seized the stump with
a pair of tongs, drew it out, cut it twice, and the third time to
the very roots, and left him lying half dead. The housewife in
the farm was poor; but she hastened to the place with her
daughter, and they carried the priest home to their farm in their
cloaks. They then brought a priest, and when he arrived he bound
all his wounds; and they attended to his comfort as much as they
were able. And thus lay the wounded priest grievously handled,
but trusting always to God's grace, and never doubting; and
although he was speechless, he prayed to God in thought with a
sorrowful mind, but with the more confidence the worse he was.
He turned his thoughts also to the mild King Olaf the Saint,
God's dear favourite, of whose excellent deeds he had heard so
much told, and trusted so much more zealously on him with all his
heart for help in his necessity. As he lay there lame, and
deprived of all strength, he wept bitterly, moaned, and prayed
with a sore heart that the dear King Olaf would help him. Now
when this wounded priest was sleeping after midnight, he thought
he saw a gallant man coming to him, who spoke these words, "Thou
art ill off, friend Richard, and thy strength is little." He
thought he replied to this assentingly. Then the man accosted
him again, "Thou requirest compassion?" The priest replies, "I
need the compassion of Almighty God and the holy King Olaf." He
answered, "Thou shalt get it." Thereupon he pulled the tonguestump
so hard that it gave the priest pain; then he stroked with
his hands his eyes, and legs, and other wounded members. Then
the priest asked who he was. He looked at him, and said, "Olaf,
come here from Throndhjem;" and then disappeared. But the priest
awoke altogether sound, and thus he spoke: "Happy am I, and
thanks be to the Almighty God and the holy King Olaf, who have
restored me!" Dreadfully mishandled as he had been, yet so
quickly was he restored from his misfortune that he scarcely
thought he had been wounded or sick. His tongue was entire; both
his eyes were in their places, and were clear-sighted; his broken
legs and every other wound were healed, or were free from pain;
and, in short, he had got perfect health. But as a proof that
his eyes had been punched out, there remained a white scar on
each eyelid, in order that this dear king's excellence might be
manifest on the man who had been so dreadfully misused.
26. KING INGE AND SIGURD HOLD A THING.
King Eystein and King Sigurd had quarrelled, because King Sigurd
had killed King Eystein's court-man Harald, the Viken man, who
owned a house in Bergen, and also the priest Jon Tapard, a son of
Bjarne Sigurdson. On account of this affair, a conference to
settle it was appointed in winter in the Uplands. The two sat
together in the conference for a long time, and so much was known
of their conference that all three brothers were to meet the
following summer in Bergen. It was added, that their conference
was to the effect that King Inge should have two or three farms,
and as much income as would keep thirty men beside him, as he had
not health to be a king. When King Inge and Gregorius heard this
report, they came to Bergen with many followers. King Sigurd
arrived there a little later, and was not nearly so strong in
men. Sigurd and Inge had then been nineteen years kings of
Norway (A.D. 1155). King Eystein came later still from the south
than the other two from the north. Then King Inge ordered the
Thing to be called together on the holm by the sound of trumpet;
and Sigurd and Inge came to it with a great many people.
Gregorius had two long-ships, and at the least ninety men, whom
he kept in provisions. He kept his house-men better than other
lendermen; for he never took part in any entertainment where each
guest brings his liquor, without having all his house-men to
drink with him. He went now to the Thing in a gold-mounted
helmet, and all his men had helmets on. Then King Inge stood up,
and told the assembly what he had heard; how his brothers were
going to use him, and depose him from his kingdom; and asked for
their assistance. The assembled people made a good return to his
speech, and declared they would follow him.
27. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.
Then King Sigurd stood up and said it was a false accusation that
King Inge had made against him and his brother, and insisted that
Gregorius had invented it; and insinuated that it would not be
long, if he had his will, before they should meet so that the
golden helmet should be doffed; and ended his speech by hinting
that they could not both live. Gregorius replied, that Sigurd
need not long so much for this, as he was ready now, if it must
be so. A few days after, one of Gregorius's house-men was killed
out upon the street, and it was Sigurd's house-men who killed
him. Gregorius would then have fallen upon King Sigurd and his
people; but King Inge, and many others, kept him back. But one
evening, just as Queen Ingerid, King Inge's mother, was coming
from vespers, she came past where Sigurd Skrudhyrna, a courtman
of King Inge, lay murdered. He was then an old man, and had
served many kings. King Sigurd's courtmen, Halyard Gunnarson,
and Sigurd, a son of Eystein Trafale, had killed him; and people
suspected it was done by order of King Sigurd. She went
immediately to King Inge, and told him he would be a little king
if he took no concern, but allowed his court-men to be killed,
the one after the other, like swine. The king was angry at her
speech; and while they were scolding about it, came Gregorius in
helmet and armour, and told the king not to be angry, for she was
only saying the truth. "And I am now," says he, "come to thy
assistance, if thou wilt attack King Sigurd; and here we are,
above 100 men in helmets and armour, and with them we will attack
where others think the attack may be worst." But the most
dissuaded from this course, thinking that Sigurd would pay the
mulct for the slaughter done. Now when Gregorius saw that there
would be no assault, he accosted King Inge thus: "Thou wilt
frighten thy men from thee in this way; for first they lately
killed my house-man, and now thy court-man, and afterwards they
will chase me, or some other of thy lendermen whom thou wouldst
feel the loss of, when they see that thou art indifferent about
such things; and at last, after thy friends are killed, they will
take the royal dignity from thee. Whatever thy other lendermen
may do, I will not stay here longer to be slaughtered like an ox;
but Sigurd the king and I have a business to settle with each
other to-night, in whatever way it may turn out. It is true that
there is but little help in thee on account of thy ill health,
but I should think thy will should not be less to hold thy hand
over thy friends, and I am now quite ready to go from hence to
meet Sigurd, and my banner is flying in the yard."
Then King Inge stood up, and called for his arms, and ordered
every man who wished to follow him to get ready, declaring it was
of no use to try to dissuade him; for he had long enough avoided
this, but now steel must determine between them.
28. OF KING SIGURD'S FALL.
King Sigurd sat and drank in Sigrid Saeta's house ready for
battle, although people thought it would not come to an assault
at all. Then came King Inge with his men down the road from the
smithy shops, against the house. Arne, the king's brother-inlaw,
came out from the Sand-bridge, Aslak Erlendson from his own
house, and Gregorius from the street where all thought the
assault would be worst. King Sigurd and his men made many shots
from the holes in the loft, broke down the fireplaces, and threw
stones on them. Gregorius and his men cut down the gates of the
yard; and there in the port fell Einar, a son of Laxapaul, who
was of Sigurd's people, together with Halvard Gunnarson, who was
shot in a loft, and nobody lamented his death. They hewed down
the houses, and many of King Sigurd's men left him, and
surrendered for quarter. Then King Sigurd went up into a loft,
and desired to be heard. He had a gilt shield, by which they
knew him, but they would not listen to him, and shot arrows at
him as thick as snow in a snow-shower, so that he could not stay
there. As his men had now left him, and the houses were being
hewn down, he went out from thence, and with him his court-man
Thord Husfreyja from Viken. They wanted to come where King Inge
was to be found, and Sigurd called to his brother King Inge, and
begged him to grant him life and safety; but both Thord and
Sigurd were instantly killed, and Thord fell with great glory.
King Sigurd was interred in the old Christ church out on the
holm. King Inge gave Gregorius the ship King Sigurd had owned.
There fell many of King Sigurd's and King Inge's men, although I
only name a few; but of Gregorius's men there fell four; and also
some who belonged to no party, but were shot on the piers, or out
in the ships. It was fought on a Friday, and fourteen days
before Saint John the Baptist's day (June 10, 1155). Two or
three days after King Eystein came from the eastward with thirty
ships, and had along with him his brother's son Hakon, a son of
King Sigurd. Eystein did not come up to the town, but lay in
Floruvagar, and good men went between to get a reconciliation
made. But Gregorius wanted that they should go out against him,
thinking there never would be a better opportunity; and offered
to be himself the leader. "For thou, king, shalt not go, for we
have no want of men." But many dissuaded from this course, and
it came to nothing. King Eystein returned back to Viken, and
King Inge to Throndhjem, and they were in a sort reconciled; but
they did not meet each other.
29. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.
Somewhat later than King Eystein, Gregorius Dagson also set out
to the eastward and came to his farm Bratsberg in Hofund; but
King Eystein was up in the fjord at Oslo, and had his ships drawn
above two miles over the frozen sea, for there was much ice at
that time in Viken. King Eystein went up to Hofund to take
Gregorius; but he got news of what was on foot, and escaped to
Thelemark with ninety men, from thence over the mountains, and
came down in Hardanger; and at last to Studla in Etne, to Erling
Skakke's farm. Erling himself had gone north to Bergen; but his
wife Kristin, a daughter of King Sigurd, was at home, and offered
Gregorius all the assistance he wanted; and he was hospitably
received. He got a long-ship there which belonged to Erling, and
everything else he required. Gregorius thanked her kindly, and
allowed that she had behaved nobly, and as might have been
expected of her. Gregorius then proceeded to Bergen, where he
met Erling, who thought also that his wife had done well.
30. RECONCILIATION OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.
Then Gregorius went north to Throndhjem, and came there before
Yule. King Inge was rejoiced at his safety, and told him to use
his property as freely as his own, King Eystein having burnt
Gregorius's house, and slaughtered his stock of cattle. The
ship-docks which King Eystein the Elder had constructed in the
merchant town of Nidaros, and which had been exceedingly
expensive, were also burnt this winter, together with some good
vessels belonging to King Inge. This deed was ascribed to King
Eystein and Philip Gyrdson, King Sigurd's foster-brother, and
occasioned much displeasure and hatred. The following summer
King Inge went south with a very numerous body of men; and King
Eystein came northwards, gathering men also. They met in the
east (A.D. 1156) at the Seleys, near to the Naze; but King Inge
was by far the strongest in men. It was nearly coming to a
battle; but at last they were reconciled on these conditions,
that King Eystein should be bound to pay forty-five marks of
gold, of which King Inge should have thirty marks, because King
Eystein had occasioned the burning of the docks and ships; and,
besides, that Philip, and all who had been accomplices in the
deed, should be outlawed. Also that the men should be banished
the country, against whom it could be proved that they gave blow
or wound to King Sigurd; for King Eystein accused King Inge of
protecting these men; and that Gregorius should have fifteen
marks of gold for the value of his property burnt by King
Eystein. King Eystein was ill pleased with these terms, and
looked upon the treaty as one forced upon him. From that meeting
King Inge went eastward to Viken, and King Eystein north to
Throndhjem; and they had no intercourse with each other, nor were
the messages which passed between them very friendly, and on both
sides they killed each other's friends. King Eystein, besides,
did not pay the money; and the one accused the other of not
fulfilling what was promised. King Inge and Gregorius enticed
many people from King Eystein; among others, Bard Standale
Brynjolfson, Simon Skalp, a son of Halkel Huk, Halder
Brynjolfson, Jon Halkelson, and many other lendermen.
31. OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.
Two years after King Sigurd's fall (A.D. 1157) both kings
assembled armaments; namely, King Inge in the east of the
country, where he collected eighty ships; and King Eystein in the
north, where he had forty-five, and among these the Great Dragon,
which King Eystein Magnuson had built after the Long Serpent; and
they had on both sides many and excellent troops. King Inge lay
with his ships south at Moster Isle, and King Eystein a little to
the north in Graeningasund. King Eystein sent the young Aslak
Jonson, and Arne Sturla, a son of Snaebjorn, with one ship to
meet King Inge; but when the king's men knew them, they assaulted
them, killed many of their people, and took all that was in the
ship belonging to them. Aslak and Arne and a few more escaped to
the land, went to King Eystein, and told him how King Inge had
received them. Thereupon King Eystein held a House-thing, and
told his followers how ill King Inge had treated his men, and
desired the troops to follow him. "I have," said he, "so many,
and such excellent men, that I have no intention to fly, if ye
will follow me." But this speech was not received with much
favour. Halkel Huk was there; but both his sons, Simon and Jon,
were with King Inge. Halkel replied, so loud that many heard
him, "Let thy chests of gold follow thee, and let them defend thy
land."
32. KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.
In the night many of King Eystein's ships rowed secretly away,
some of them joining King Inge, some going to Bergen, or up into
the fjords; so that when it was daylight in the morning the king
was lying behind with only ten ships. Then he left the Great
Dragon, which was heavy to row, and several other vessels behind;
and cut and destroyed the Dragon, started out the ale, and
destroyed all that they could not take with them. King Eystein
went on board of the ship of Eindride, a son of Jon Morner,
sailed north into Sogn, and then took the land-road eastwards to
Viken. King Inge took the vessels, and sailed with them outside
of the isles to Viken. King Eystein had then got east as far as
Fold, and had with him 1200 men; but when they saw King Inge's
force, they did not think themselves sufficiently strong to
oppose him, and they retired to the forest. Every one fled his
own way, so that the king was left with but one man. King Inge
and his men observed King Eystein's flight, and also that he had
but few people with him, and they went immediately to search for
him. Simon Skalp met the king just as he was coming out of a
willow bush. Simon saluted him. "God save you, sire," said he.
The king replied, "I do not know if thou are not sire here."
Simon replied, "That is as it may happen."
The king begged him to conceal him, and said it was proper to do
so. "For there was long friendship between us, although it has
now gone differently."
Simon replied, it could not be.
Then the king begged that he might hear mass before he died,
which accordingly took place. Then Eystein laid himself down on
his face on the grass, stretched out his hands on each side, and
told them to cut the sign of the cross between his shoulders, and
see whether he could not bear steel as King Inge's followers had
asserted of him. Simon told the man who had to put the king to
death to do so immediately, for the king had been creeping about
upon the grass long enough. He was accordingly slain, and he
appears to have suffered manfully. His body was carried to Fors,
and lay all night under the hill at the south side of the church.
King Eystein was buried in Fors church, and his grave is in the
middle of the church-floor, where a fringed canopy is spread over
it, and he is considered a saint. Where he was executed, and his
blood ran upon the ground, sprang up a fountain, and another
under the hill where his body lay all night. From both these
waters many think they have received a cure of sickness and pain.
It is reported by the Viken people that many miracles were
wrought at King Eystein's grave, until his enemies poured upon it
soup made of boiled dog's flesh. Simon Skalp was much hated for
this deed, which was generally ascribed to him; but some said
that when King Eystein was taken Simon sent a message to King
Inge, and the king commanded that King Eystein should not come
before his face. So King Sverre has caused it to be written; but
Einar Skulason tells of it thus: --
"Simon Skalp, the traitor bold,
For deeds of murder known of old,
His king betrayed; and ne'er will he
God's blessed face hereafter see."
SAGA OF HAKON HERDEBREID (HAKON THE BROAD-SHOULDERED) (1)
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
This saga describes the feud between Hakon Sigurdson and his
uncle Inge.
The only skald quoted is Einar Skulason.
ENDNOTES:
(1) The period is from A.D. 1157 to 1161. -- L.
1. BEGINNING OF HAKON HERDEBREID.
Hakon, King Sigurd's son, was chosen chief of the troop which had
followed King Eystein, and his adherents gave him the title of
king. He was ten years old. At that time he had with him
Sigurd, a son of Halvard Hauld of Reyr, and Andreas and Onund,
the sons of Simon, his foster-brothers, and many chiefs, friends
of King Sigurd and King Eystein; and they went first up to
Gautland. King Inge took possession of all the estates they had
left behind, and declared them banished. Thereafter King Inge
went to Viken, and was sometimes also in the north of the
country. Gregorius Dagson was in Konungahella, where the danger
was greatest, and had beside him a strong and handsome body of
men, with which he defended the country.
2. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.
The summer after (A.D. 1158) Hakon came with his men, and
proceeded to Konungahella with a numerous and handsome troop.
Gregorius was then in the town, and summoned the bondes and
townspeople to a great Thing, at which he desired their aid; but
he thought the people did not hear him with much favour, so he
did not much trust them. Gregorius set off with two ships to
Viken, and was very much cast down. He expected to meet King
Inge there, having heard he was coming with a great army to
Viken. Now when Gregorius had come but a short way north he met
Simon Skalp, Haldor Brynjolfson, and Gyrd Amundason, King Inge's
foster-brothers. Gregorius was much delighted at this meeting,
and turned back with them, being all in one body, with eleven
ships. As they were rowing up to Konungahella, Hakon, with his
followers, was holding a Thing without the town, and saw their
approach; and Sigurd of Reyr said, "Gregorius must be fey to be
throwing himself with so few men into our hands." Gregorius
landed opposite the town to wait for King Inge, for he was
expected, but he did not come. King Hakon put himself in order
in the town, and appointed Thorliot Skaufaskalle, who was a
viking and a robber, to be captain of the men in the merchant
ships that were afloat in the river; and King Hakon and Sigurd
were within the town, and drew up the men on the piers, for all
the townspeople had submitted to King Hakon.
3. KING HAKON'S FLIGHT.
Gregorius rowed up the river, and let the ship drive down with
the stream against Thorliot. They shot at each other a while,
until Thorliot and his comrades jumped overboard; and some of
them were killed, some escaped to the land. Then Gregorius rowed
to the piers, and let a gangway be cast on shore at the very feet
of Hakon's men. There the man who carried his banner was slain,
just as he was going to step on shore. Gregorius ordered Hal, a
son of Audun Halson, to take up the banner, which he did, and
bore the banner up to the pier. Gregorius followed close after
him, held his shield over his head, and protected him as well as
himself. As soon as Gregorius came upon the pier, and Hakon's
men knew him, they gave way, and made room for him on every side.
Afterwards more people landed from the ships, and then Gregorius
made a severe assault with his men; and Hakon's men first moved
back, and then ran up into the town. Gregorius pursued them
eagerly, drove them twice from the town, and killed many of them.
By the report of all men, never was there so glorious an affair
as this of Gregorius; for Hakon had more than 4000 men, and
Gregorius not full 400. After the battle, Gregorius said to Hal
Audunson, "Many men, in my opinion, are more agile in battle than
ye Icelanders are, for ye are not so exercised as we Norwegians;
but none, I think, are so bold under arms as ye are." King Inge
came up soon after, and killed many of the men who had taken part
with Hakon; made some pay heavy fines, burnt the houses of some,
and some he drove out of the country, or treated otherwise very
ill. Hakon fled at first up to Gautland with all his men; but
the winter after (A.D. 1159), he proceeded by the upper road to
Throndhjem, and came there before Easter. The Throndhjem people
received him well, for they had always served under that shield.
It is said that the Throndhjem people took Hakon as king, on the
terms that he should have from Inge the third part of Norway as
his paternal heritage. King Inge and Gregorius were in Viken,
and Gregorius wanted to make an expedition against the party in
the north; but it came to nothing that winter, as many dissuaded
from it.
4. FALL OF GYRD AND HAVARD.
King Hakon left Throndhjem in spring with thirty ships nearly;
and some of his men sailed before the rest with seven ships, and
plundered in North and South More. No man could remember that
there ever before had been plundering between the two towns
(Bergen and Nidaros). Jon the son of Halkel Huk collected the
bondes in arms, and proceeded against them; took Kolbein Ode
prisoner, killed every woman's son of them in his ship. Then
they searched for the others, found them all assembled in seven
ships, and fought with them; but his father Halkel not coming to
his assistance as he had promised, many good bondes were killed,
and Jon himself was wounded. Hakon proceeded south to Bergen
with his forces; but when he came to Stiornvelta, he heard that
King Inge and Gregorius had arrived a few nights before from the
east at Bergen, and therefore he did not venture to steer
thither. They sailed the outer course southwards past Bergen,
and met three ships of King Inge's fleet, which had been
outsailed on the voyage from the east. On board of them were
Gyrd Amundason, King Inge's foster-brother, who was married to
Gyrid a sister of Gregorius, and also lagman Gyrd Gunhildson, and
Havard Klining. King Hakon had Gyrd Amundason and Havard Klining
put to death; but took lagman Gyrd southwards, and then proceeded
east to Viken.
5. OF THE CONSULTATIONS OF KING INGE.
When King Inge heard of this he sailed east after them, and they
met east in the Gaut river. King Inge went up the north arm of
the river, and sent out spies to get news of Hakon and his fleet;
but he himself landed at Hising, and waited for his spies. Now
when the spies came back they went to the king, and said that
they had seen King Hakon's forces, and all his ships which lay at
the stakes in the river, and Hakon's men had bound the stems of
their vessels to them. They had two great East-country trading
vessels, which they had laid outside of the fleet, and on both
these were built high wooded stages (castles). When King Inge
heard the preparations they had made, he ordered a trumpet to
call a House-thing of all the men; and when the Thing was seated
he asked his men for counsel, and applied particularly to
Gregorius Dagson, his brother-in-law Erling Skakke, and other
lendermen and ship-commanders, to whom he related the
preparations of Hakon and his men.
Then Gregorius Dagson replied first, and made known his mind in
the following words: -- "Sometimes we and Hakon have met, and
generally they had the most people; but, notwithstanding, they
fell short in battle against us. Now, on the other hand, we have
by far the greatest force; and it will appear probable to the men
who a short time ago lost gallant relations by them, that this
will be a good occasion to get vengeance, for they have fled
before us the greater part of the summer; and we have often said
that if they waited for us, as appears now to be the case, we
would have a brush with them. Now I will tell my opinion, which
is, that I will engage them, if it be agreeable to the king's
pleasure; for I think it will go now as formerly, that they must
give way before us if we attack them bravely; and I shall always
attack where others may think it most difficult."
The speech was received with much applause, and all declared they
were ready to engage in battle against Hakon. Then they rowed
with all the ships up the river, until they came in sight of each
other, and then King Inge turned off from the river current under
the island. Now the king addressed the lendermen again, and told
them to get ready for battle. He turned himself especially to
Erling Skakke, and said, what was true, that no man in the army
had more understanding and knowledge in fighting battles,
although some were more hot. The king then addressed himself to
several of the lendermen, speaking to them by name; and ended by
desiring that each man should make his attack where he thought it
would be of advantage, and thereafter all would act together.
6. ERLING'S SPEECH.
Erling Skakke replied thus to the king's speech: "It is my duty,
sire, not to be silent; and I shall give my advice, since it is
desired. The resolution now adopted is contrary to my judgment;
for I call it foolhardy to fight under these circumstances,
although we have so many and such fine men. Supposing we make an
attack on them, and row up against this river-current; then one
of the three men who are in each half room must be employed in
rowing only, and another must be covering with the shield the man
who rows; and what have we then to fight with but one third of
our men? It appears to me that they can be of little use in the
battle who are sitting at their oars with their backs turned to
the enemy. Give me now some time for consideration, and I
promise you that before three days are over I shall fall upon
some plan by which we can come into battle with advantage."
It was evident from Erling's speech that he dissuaded from an
attack; but, notwithstanding, it was urged by many who thought
that Hakon would now, as before, take to the land. "And then,"
said they, "we cannot get hold of him; but now they have but few
men, and we have their fate in our own hands."
Gregorius said but little; but thought that Erling rather
dissuaded from an attack that Gregorius's advice should have no
effect, than that he had any better advice to give.
7. OF HAKON'S FLEET.
Then said King Inge to Erling, "Now we will follow thy advice,
brother, with regard to the manner of attacking; but seeing how
eager our counsellors are for it, we shall make the attack this
day."
Erling replied, "All the boats and light vessels we have should
row outside the island, and up the east arm of the river, and
then down with the stream upon them, and try if they cannot cut
them loose from the piles. Then we, with the large ships, shall
row from below here against them; and I cannot tell until it be
tried, if those who are now so furiously warm will be much
brisker at the attack than I am."
This counsel was approved by all. There was a ness stretched out
between their fleet and Hakon's, so that they could not see each
other. Now when Hakon and his men, who had taken counsel with
each other in a meeting, saw the boat-squadron rowing down the
river, some thought King Inge intended to give them battle; but
many believed they did not dare, for it looked as if the attack
was given up; and they, besides, were very confident, both in
their preparations and men. There were many great people with
Hakon: there were Sigurd of Reyr, and Simon's sons; Nikolas
Skialdvarson; Eindride, a son of Jon Mornef, who was the most
gallant and popular man in the Throndhjem country; and many other
lendermen and warriors. Now when they saw that King Inge's men
with many ships were rowing out of the river, Hakon and his men
believed they were going to fly; and therefore they cut their
land-ropes with which they lay fast at the piles, seized their
oars, and rowed after them in pursuit. The ships ran fast down
with the stream; but when they came further down the river,
abreast of the ness, they saw King Inge's main strength lying
quiet at the island Hising. King Inge's people saw Hakon's ships
under way, and believed they were coming to attack them; and now
there was great bustle and clash of arms, and they encouraged
each other by a great war-shout. Hakon with his fleet turned
northwards a little to the land, where there was a turn in the
bight of the river, and where there was no current. They made
ready for battle, carried land-ropes to the shore, turned the
stems of their ships outwards, and bound them all together. They
laid the large East-country traders without the other vessels,
the one above, the other below, and bound them to the long-ships.
In the middle of the fleet lay the king's ship, and next to it
Sigurd's; and on the other side of the king's ship lay Nikolas,
and next to him Endride Jonson. All the smaller ships lay
farther off, and they were all nearly loaded with weapons and
stones.
8. SIGURD OF REYR'S SPEECH.
Then Sigurd of Reyr made the following speech: "Now there is hope
that the time is come which has been promised us all the summer,
that we shall meet King Inge in battle. We have long prepared
ourselves for this; and many of our comrades have boasted that
they would never fly from or submit to King Inge and Gregorius,
and now let them remember their words. But we who have sometimes
got the toothache in our conflicts with them, speak less
confidently; for it has happened, as all have heard, that we very
often have come off without glory. But, nevertheless, it is now
necessary to fight manfully, and stand to it with steadiness; for
the only escape for us is in victory. Although we have somewhat
fewer men than they, yet luck determines which side shall have
the advantage, and God knows that the right is on our side. Inge
has killed two of his brothers; and it is obvious to all men that
the mulct he intends to pay King Hakon for his father's murder is
to murder him also, as well as his other relations, which will be
seen this day to be his intent. King Hakon desired from the
beginning no more of Norway than the third part, which his father
had possessed, and which was denied him; and yet, in my opinion,
King Hakon has a better right to inherit after his father's
brother, King Eystein, than Inge or Simon Skalp, or the other men
who killed King Eystein. Many of them who would save their
souls, and yet have defiled their hands with such bloody deeds as
Inge has done, must think it a presumption before God that he
takes the name of king; and I wonder God suffers such monstrous
wickedness as his; but it may be God's will that we shall now put
him down. Let us fight then manfully, and God will give us
victory; and, if we fall, will repay us with joys unspeakable for
now allowing the might of the wicked to prevail over us. Go
forth then in confidence, and be not afraid when the battle
begins. Let each watch over his own and his comrade's safety,
and God protect us all." There went a good report abroad of this
speech of Sigurd, and all promised fairly, and to do their duty.
King Hakon went on board of the great East-country ship, and a
shield-bulwark was made around him; but his standard remained on
the long-ship in which it had been before.
9. OF KING INGE'S MEN.
Now must we tell about King Inge and his men. When they saw that
King Hakon and his people were ready for battle, and the river
only was between them, they sent a light vessel to recall the
rest of the fleet which had rowed away; and in the meantime the
king waited for them, and arranged the troops for the attack.
Then the chiefs consulted in presence of the army, and told their
opinions; first, which ships should lie nearest to the enemy; and
then where each should attack.
Gregorius spoke thus: "We have many and fine men; and it is my
advice, King Inge, that you do not go to the assault with us, for
everything is preserved if you are safe. And no man knows where
an arrow may hit, even from the hands of a bad bowman; and they
have prepared themselves so, that missiles and stones can be
thrown from the high stages upon the merchant ships, so that
there is less danger for those who are farthest from them. They
have not more men than we lendermen can very well engage with. I
shall lay my ship alongside their largest ship, and I expect the
conflict between us will be but short; for it has often been so
in our former meetings, although there has been a much greater
want of men with us than now." All thought well of the advice
that the king himself should not take part in the battle.
Then Erling Skakke said, "I agree also to the counsel that you,
sire, should not go into the battle. It appears to me that their
preparations are such, that we require all our precaution not to
suffer a great defeat from them; and whole limbs are the easiest
cured. In the council we held before to-day many opposed what I
said, and ye said then that I did not want to fight; but now I
think the business has altered its appearance, and greatly to our
advantage, since they have hauled off from the piles, and now it
stands so that I do not dissuade from giving battle; for I see,
what all are sensible of, how necessary it is to put an end to
this robber band who have gone over the whole country with
pillage and destruction, in order that people may cultivate the
land in peace, and serve a king so good and just as King Inge who
has long had trouble and anxiety from the haughty unquiet spirit
of his relations, although he has been a shield of defence for
the whole people, and has been exposed to manifold perils for the
peace of the country." Erling spoke well and long, and many
other chiefs also; and all to the same purpose -- all urging to
battle. In the meantime they waited until all the fleet should
be assembled. King Inge had the ship Baekisudin; and, at the
entreaty of his friends, he did not join the battle, but lay
still at the island.
10. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.
When the army was ready they rowed briskly against the enemy, and
both sides raised a war-shout. Inge's men did not bind their
ships together, but let them be loose; for they rowed right
across the current, by which the large ships were much swayed.
Erling Skakke laid his ship beside King Hakon's ship, and ran the
stem between his and Sigurd's ship, by which the battle began.
But Gregorius's ship swung upon the ground, and heeled very much
over, so that at first she could not come into the battle; and
when Hakon's men saw this they laid themselves against her, and
attacked Gregorius's ship on all sides. Ivar, Hakon Mage's son,
laid his ship so that the stems struck together; and he got a
boat-hook fastened on Gregorius, on that part of his body where
the waist is smallest, and dragged him to him, by which Gregorius
stumbled against the ship's rails; but the hook slipped to one
side, or Gregorius would have been dragged over-board.
Gregorius, however, was but little wounded, for he had on a plate
coat of armour. Ivar called out to him, that he had a "thick
bark." Gregorius replied, that if Ivar went on so he would
"require it all, and not have too much." It was very near then
that Gregorius and his men had sprung overboard; but Aslak Unge
threw an anchor into their ship, and dragged them off the ground.
Then Gregorius laid himself against Ivar's ship, and they fought
a long while; but Gregorius's ship being both higher sided and
more strongly manned, many people fell in Ivar's ship, and some
jumped overboard. Ivar was so severely wounded that he could not
take part in the fight. When his ship was cleared of the men,
Gregorius let Ivar be carried to the shore, so that he might
escape; and from that time they were constant friends.
11. KING HAKON'S FLIGHT.
When King Inge and his men saw that Gregorius was aground, he
encouraged his crew to row to his assistance. "It was," he said,
"the most imprudent advice that we should remain lying here,
while our friends are in battle; for we have the largest and best
ship in all the fleet. But now I see that Gregorius, the man to
whom I owe the most, is in need of help; so we must hasten to the
fight where it is sharpest. It is also most proper that I should
be in the battle; for the victory, if we win it, will belong to
me. And if I even knew beforehand that our men were not to gain
the battle, yet our place is where our friends are; for I can do
nothing if I lose the men who are justly called the defence of
the country, who are the bravest, and have long ruled for me and
my kingdom." Thereupon he ordered his banner to be set up, which
was done; and they rowed across the river. Then the battle
raged, and the king could not get room to attack, so close lay
the ships before him. First he lay under the East-country
trading ship, and from it they threw down upon his vessel spears,
iron-shod stakes, and such large stones that it was impossible to
hold out longer there, and he had to haul off. Now when the
king's people saw that he was come they made place for him, and
then he laid alongside of Eindride Jonson's ship. Now King
Hakon's men abandoned the small ships, and went on board the
large merchant vessels; but some of them sprang on shore. Erling
Skakke and his men had a severe conflict. Erling himself was on
the forecastle, and called his forecastlemen, and ordered them to
board the king's ship; but they answered, this was no easy
matter, for there were beams above with an iron comb on them.
Then Erling himself went to the bow, and stayed there a while,
until they succeeded in getting on board the king's ship: and
then the ship was cleared of men on the bows, and the whole army
gave way. Many sprang into the water, many fell, but the greater
number got to the land. So says Einar Skulason: --
"Men fall upon the slippery deck --
Men roll off from the blood-drenched wreck;
Dead bodies float down with the stream,
And from the shores witch-ravens scream.
The cold blue river now runs red
With the warm blood of warriors dead,
And stains the waves in Karmt Sound
With the last drops of the death-wound.
"All down the stream, with unmann'd prow,
Floats many an empty long-ship now,
Ship after ship, shout after shout,
Tell that Kign Hakon can't hold out.
The bowmen ply their bows of elm,
The red swords flash o'er broken helm:
King Hakon's men rush to the strand,
Out of their ships, up through the land."
Einar composed a song about Gregorius Dagson, which is called the
River-song. King Inge granted life and peace to Nikolas
Skialdvarson when his ship was deserted, and thereupon he went
into King Inge's service, and remained in it as long as the king
lived. Eindride Jonson leaped on board of King Inge's ship when
his own was cleared of men, and begged for his life. King Inge
wished to grant it; but Havard Klining's son ran up, and gave him
a mortal wound, which was much blamed; but he said Eindride had
been the cause of his father's death. There was much lamentation
at Eindride's death, but principally in the Throndhjem district.
Many of Hakon's people fell here, but not many chiefs. Few of
King Inge's people fell, but many were wounded. King Hakon fled
up the country, and King Inge went north to Viken with his
troops; and he, as well as Gregorius, remained in Viken all
winter (A.D. 1160). When King Inge's men, Bergliot and his
brothers, sons of Ivar of Elda, came from the battle to Bergen,
they slew Nickolas Skeg, who had been Hakon's treasurer, and then
went north to Throndhjem.
King Hakon came north before Yule, and Sigurd was sometimes home
at Reyr; for Gregorius, who was nearly related to Sigurd, had
obtained for him life and safety from King Inge, so that he
retained all his estates. King Hakon was in the merchant-town of
Nidaros in Yule; and one evening in the beginning of Yule his men
fought in the room of the court, and in this affray eight men
were killed, and many were wounded. The eighth day of Yule, King
Hakon's man Alf Rode, son of Ottar Birting, with about eighty
men, went to Elda, and came in the night unexpectedly on the
people, who were very drunk, and set fire to the room; but they
went out, and defended themselves bravely. There fell Bergliot,
Ivar's son, and Ogmund, his brother, and many more. They had
been nearly thirty altogether in number. In winter died, north
in the merchant-town, Andres Simonson, King Hakon's fosterbrother;
and his death was much deplored. Erling Skakke and
Inge's men, who were in Bergen, threatened that in winter they
would proceed against Hakon and his men; but it came to nothing.
Gregorius sent word from the east, from Konungahella, that if he
were so near as Erling and his men, he would not sit quietly in
Bergen while Hakon was killing King Inge's friends and their
comrades in war north in the Throndhjem country.
12. THE CONFLICT UPON THE PIERS.
King Inge and Gregorius left the east in spring, and came to
Bergen; but as soon as Hakon and Sigurd heard that Inge had left
Viken, they went there by land. When King Inge and his people
came to Bergen, a quarrel arose between Haldor Brynjolfson and
Bjorn Nikolason. Bjorn's house-man asked Haldor's when they met
at the pier, why he looked so pale.
He replied, because he had been bled.
"I could not look so pale if I tried, at merely being bled."
"I again think," retorted the other, "that thou wouldst have
borne it worse, and less manfully." And no other beginning was
there for their quarrel than this. Afterwards one word followed
another, till from brawling they came to fighting. It was told
to Haldor Brynjolfson, who was in the house drinking, that his
house-man was wounded down on the pier and he went there
immediately. But Bjorn's house-men had come there before, and as
Haldor thought his house-man had been badly treated, he went up
to them and beat them; and it was told to Bjorn Buk that the
people of Viken were beating his house-men on the pier. Then
Bjorn and his house-men took their weapons, hurried down to the
pier, and would avenge their men; and a bloody strife began. It
was told Gregorius that his relation Haldor required assistance,
and that his house-men were being cut down in the street; on
which Gregorius and his men ran to the place in their armour.
Now it was told Erling Skakke that his sister's son Bjorn was
fighting with Gregorius and Haldor down on the piers, and that he
needed help. Then he proceeded thither with a great force, and
exhorted the people to stand by him; saying it would be a great
disgrace never to be wiped out, if the Viken people should
trample upon them in their own native place. There fell thirteen
men, of whom nine were killed on the spot, and four died of their
wounds, and many were wounded. When the word came to King Inge
that Gregorius and Erling were fighting down on the piers, he
hastened there, and tried to separate them; but could do nothing,
so mad were they on both sides. Then Gregorius called to Inge,
and told him to go away; for it was in vain to attempt coming
between them, as matters now stood. He said it would be the
greatest misfortune if the king mixed himself up with it; for he
could not be certain that there were not people in the fray who
would commit some great misdeed if they had opportunity. Then
King Inge retired; and when the greatest tumult was over,
Gregorius and his men went to Nikolas church, and Erling behind
them, calling to each other. Then King Inge came a second time,
and pacified them; and both agreed that he should mediate between
them.
When King Inge and Gregorius heard that King Hakon was in Viken,
they went east with many ships; but when they came King Hakon
fled from them, and there was no battle. Then King Inge went to
Oslo, and Gregorius was in Konungahella.
13. MUNAN'S DEATH.
Soon after Gregorius heard that Hakon and his men were at a farm
called Saurby, which lies up beside the forest. Gregorius
hastened there; came in the night; and supposing that King Hakon
and Sigurd would be in the largest of the houses, set fire to the
buildings there. But Hakon and his men were in the smaller
house, and came forth, seeing the fire, to help their people.
There Munan fell, a son of Ale Uskeynd, a brother of King Sigurd
Hakon's father. Gregorius and his men killed him, because he was
helping those whom they were burning within the house. Some
escaped, but many were killed. Asbjorn Jalda, who had been a
very great viking, escaped from the house, but was grievously
wounded. A bonde met him, and he offered the man money to let
him get away; but the bonde replied, he would do what he liked
best; and, adding that he had often been in fear of his life for
him, he slew him. King Hakon and Sigurd escaped, but many of
their people were killed. Thereafter Gregorius returned home to
Konungahella. Soon after King Hakon and Sigurd went to Haldor
Brynjolfson's farm of Vettaland, set fire to the house, and burnt
it. Haldor went out, and was cut down instantly with his housemen;
and in all there were about twenty men killed. Sigrid,
Haldor's wife, was a sister of Gregorius, and they allowed her to
escape into the forest in her night-shift only; but they took
with them Amunde, who was a son of Gyrd Amundason and of Gyrid
Dag's daughter, and a sister's son of Gregorius, and who was then
a boy about five years old.
14. OF THE FALL OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.
When Gregorius heard the news he took it much to heart, and
inquired carefully where they were. Gregorius set out from
Konungahella late in Yule, and came to Fors the thirteenth day of
Yule, where he remained a night, and heard vespers the last day
of Yule, which was a Saturday, and the holy Evangel was read
before him. When Gregorius and his followers saw the men of King
Hakon and Sigurd, the king's force appeared to them smaller than
their own. There was a river called Befia between them, where
they met; and there was unsound ice on the river, for there went
a stream under the ice from it. King Hakon and his men had cut a
rent in the ice, and laid snow over it, so that nobody could see
it. When Gregorius came to the ice on the river the ice appeared
to him unsound, he said; and he advised the people to go to the
bridge, which was close by, to cross the river. The bonde-troops
replied, that they did not know why he should be afraid to go
across the ice to attack so few people as Hakon had, and the ice
was good enough. Gregorius said it was seldom necessary to
encourage him to show bravery, and it should not be so now. Then
he ordered them to follow him, and not to be standing on the land
while he was on the ice, and he said it was their council to go
out upon the dangerous ice, but he had no wish to do so, or to be
led by them. Then he ordered the banner to be advanced, and
immediately went out on the ice with the men. As soon as the
bondes found that the ice was unsound they turned back.
Gregorius fell through the ice, but not very deep, and he told
his men to take care. There were not more than twenty men with
him, the others having turned back. A man of King Hakon's troop
shot an arrow at Gregorius, which hit him under the throat, and
thus ended his life. Gregorius fell, and ten men with him. It
is the talk of all men that he had been the most gallant
lenderman in Norway that any man then living could remember; and
also he behaved the best towards us Icelanders of any chief since
King Eystein the Elder's death. Gregorius's body was carried to
Hofund, and interred at Gimsey Isle, in a nunnery which is there,
of which Gregorius's sister, Baugeid, was then the abbess.
15. KING INGE HEARS OF GREGORIUS'S FALL.
Two bailiffs went to Oslo to bring the tidings to King Inge.
When they arrived they desired to speak to the king: and he
asked, what news they brought.
"Gregorius Dagson's death," said they.
"How came that misfortune?" asked the king.
When they had told him how it happened, he said, "They gave
advice who understood the least."
It is said he took it so much to heart that he cried like a
child. When he recovered himself he said, "I wanted to go to
Gregorius as soon as I heard of Haldor's murder; for I thought
that Gregorius would not sit long before thinking. of revenge.
But the people here would think nothing so important as their
Yule feasts, and nothing could move them away; and I am confident
that if I had been there, he would either have proceeded more
cautiously, or I and Gregorius would now have shared one lodging.
Now he is gone, the man who has been my best friend, and more
than any other has kept the kingdom in my hands; and I think it
will be but a short space between us. Now I make an oath to go
forth against Hakon, and one of two things shall happen: I shall
either come to my death, or shall walk over Hakon and his people;
and such a man as Gregorius is not avenged, even if all were to
pay the penalty of their lives for him."
There was a man present who replied, "Ye need not seek after
them, for they intend to seek you."
Kristin, King Sigurd's daughter and King Inge's cousin, was then
in Oslo. The king heard that she intended going away. He sent a
message to her to inquire why she wished to leave the town.
She thought it was dangerous and unsafe for a female to be there.
The king would not let her go. "For if it go well with me, as I
hope, you will be well here; and if I fall, my friends may not
get leave to dress my body; but you can ask permission, and it
will not be denied you, and you will thereby best requite what I
have done for you."
16. OF KING INGE.
On Saint Blasius' day (February 3, 1161), in the evening, King
Inge's spies brought him the news that King Hakon was coming
towards the town. Then King Inge ordered the war-horns to call
together all the troops up from the town; and when he drew them
up he could reckon them to be nearly 4000 men. The king let the
array be long, but not more than five men deep. Then some said
that the king should not be himself in the battle, as they
thought the risk too great; but that his brother Orm should be
the leader of the army. The king replied, "I think if Gregorius
were alive and here now, and I had fallen and was to be avenged,
he would not lie concealed, but would be in the battle. Now,
although I, on account of my ill health, am not fit for the
combat as he was, yet will I show as good will as he would have
had; and it is not to be thought of that I should not be in the
battle."
People say that Gunhild, who was married to Simon, King Hakon's
foster-brother, had a witch employed to sit out all night and
procure the victory for Hakon; and that the answer was obtained,
that they should fight King Inge by night, and never by day, and
then the result would be favourable. The witch who, as people
say, sat out was called Thordis Skeggia; but what truth there may
be in the report I know not.
Simon Skalp had gone to the town, and was gone to sleep, when the
war-shouts awoke him. When the night was well advanced, King
Inge's spies came to him, and told him that King Hakon and his
army were coming over the ice; for the ice lay the whole way from
the town to Hofud Isle.
17. KING INGE'S SPEECH.
Thereupon King Inge went with his army out on the ice, and he
drew it up in order of battle in front of the town. Simon Skalp
was in that wing of the array which was towards Thraelaberg; and
on the other wing, which was towards the Nunnery, was Gudrod, the
king of the South Hebudes, a son of Olaf Klining, and Jon, a son
of Svein Bergthor Buk. When King Hakon and his army came near to
King Inge's array, both sides raised a war-shout. Gudrod and Jon
gave King Hakon and his men a sign, and let them know where they
were in the line; and as soon as Hakon's men in consequence
turned thither, Gudrod immediately fled with 1500 men; and Jon,
and a great body of men with him, ran over to King Hakon's army,
and assisted them in the fight. When this news was told to King
Inge, he said, "Such is the difference between my friends. Never
would Gregorius have done so in his life!" There were some who
advised King Inge to get on horseback, and ride from the battle
up to Raumarike; "where," said they, "you would get help enough,
even this very day." The king replied, he had no inclination to
do so. "I have heard you often say, and I think truly, that it
was of little use to my brother, King Eystein, that he took to
flight; and yet he was a man distinguished for many qualities
which adorn a king. Now I, who labour under so great
decrepitude, can see how bad my fate would be, if I betook myself
to what proved so unfortunate for him; with so great a difference
as there is between our activity, health, and strength. I was in
the second year of my age when I was chosen king of Norway, and I
am now twenty-five; and I think I have had misfortune and sorrow
under my kingly dignity, rather than pleasure and peaceful days.
I have had many battles, sometimes with more, sometimes with
fewer people; and it is my greatest luck that I have never fled.
God will dispose of my life, and of how long it shall be; but I
shall never betake myself to flight."
18. KING INGE'S FALL.
Now as Jon and his troop had broken the one wing of King Inge's
array, many of those who were nearest to him fled, by which the
whole array was dispersed, and fell into disorder. But Hakon and
his men went briskly forwards; and now it was near daybreak. An
assault was made against King Inge's banner, and in this conflict
King Inge fell; but his brother Orm continued the battle, while
many of the army fled up into the town. Twice Orm went to the
town after the king's fall to encourage the people, and both
times returned, and went out again upon the ice to continue the
battle. Hakon's men attacked the wing of the array which Simon
Skalp led; and in that assault fell of King Inge's men his
brother-in-law, Gudbrand Skafhogson. Simon Skalp and Halvard
Hikre went against each other with their troops, and fought while
they drew aside past Thraelaberg; and in this conflict both Simon
and Halvard fell. Orm, the king's brother, gained great
reputation in this battle; but he at last fled. Orm the winter
before had been contracted with Ragna, a daughter of Nikolas
Mase, who had been married before to King Eystein Haraldson; and
the wedding was fixed for the Sunday after Saint Blasius's mass,
which was on a Friday. Orm fled east to Svithjod, where his
brother Magnus was then king; and their brother Ragnvald was an
earl there at that time. They were the sons of Queen Ingerid and
Henrik Halte, who was a son of the Danish king Svein Sveinson.
The princess Kristin took care of King Inge's body, which was
laid on the stone wall of Halvard's church, on the south side
without the choir. He had then been king for twenty-three years
(A.D. 1137-1161). In this battle many fell on both sides, but
principally of King Inge's men. Of King Hakon's people fell Arne
Frirekson. Hakon's men took all the feast and victuals prepared
for the wedding, and a great booty besides.
19. OF KING HAKON AND QUEEN KRISTIN.
Then King Hakon took possession of the whole country, and
distributed all the offices among his own friends, both in the
towns and in the country. King Hakon and his men had a meeting
in Halvard's church, where they had a private conference
concerning the management of the country. Kristin the princess
gave the priest who kept the church keys a large sum of money to
conceal one of her men in the church, so that she might know what
Hakon and his counsellors intended. When she learnt what they
had said, she sent a man to Bergen to her husband Erling Skakke,
with the message that he should never trust Hakon or his men.
20. OF OLAF'S MIRACLE.
It happened at the battle of Stiklestad, as before related, that
King Olaf threw from him the sword called Hneiter when he
received his wound. A Swedish man, who had broken his own sword,
took it up, and fought with it. When this man escaped with the
other fugitives he came to Svithjod, and went home to his house.
From that time he kept the sword all his days, and afterwards his
son, and so relation after relation; and when the sword shifted
its owner, the one told to the other the name of the sword and
where it came from. A long time after, in the days of Kirjalax
the emperor of Constantinople, when there was a great body of
Varings in the town, it happened in the summer that the emperor
was on a campaign, and lay in the camp with his army. The
Varings who had the guard, and watched over the emperor, lay on
the open plain without the camp. They changed the watch with
each other in the night, and those who had been before on watch
lay down and slept; but all completely armed. It was their
custom, when they went to sleep, that each should have his helmet
on his head, his shield over him, sword under the head, and the
right hand on the sword-handle. One of these comrades, whose lot
it was to watch the latter part of the night, found, on awakening
towards morning, that his sword was gone. He looked after it,
and saw it lying on the flat plain at a distance from him. He
got up and took the sword, thinking that his comrades who had
been on watch had taken the sword from him in a joke; but they
all denied it. The same thing happened three nights. Then he
wondered at it, as well as they who saw or heard of it; and
people began to ask him how it could have happened. He said that
his sword was called Hneiter, and had belonged to King Olaf the
Saint, who had himself carried it in the battle of Stiklestad;
and he also related how the sword since that time had gone from
one to another. This was told to the emperor, who called the man
before him to whom the sword belonged, and gave him three times
as much gold as the sword was worth; and the sword itself he had
laid in Saint Olaf's church, which the Varings supported, where
it has been ever since over the altar. There was a lenderman of
Norway while Harald Gille's sons, Eystein, Inge, and Sigurd
lived, who was called Eindride Unge; and he was in Constantinople
when these events took place. He told these circumstances in
Norway, according to what Einar Skulason says in his song about
King Olaf the Saint, in which these events are sung.
21. OLAF'S MIRACLE IN FAVOUR OF THE VARINGS.
It happened once in the Greek country, when Kirjalax was emperor
there, that he made an expedition against Blokumannaland. When
he came to the Pezina plains, a heathen king came against him
with an innumerable host. He brought with him many horsemen, and
many large waggons, in which were large loop-holes for shooting
through. When they prepared for their night quarters they drew
up their waggons, one by the side of the other, without their
tents, and dug a great ditch without; and all which made a
defence as strong as a castle. The heathen king was blind. Now
when the Greek king came, the heathens drew up their array on the
plains before their waggon-fortification. The Greeks drew up
their array opposite, and they rode on both sides to fight with
each other; but it went on so ill and so unfortunately, that the
Greeks were compelled to fly after suffering a great defeat, and
the heathens gained a victory. Then the king drew up an array of
Franks and Flemings, who rode against the heathens, and fought
with them; but it went with them as with the others, that many
were killed, and all who escaped took to flight. Then the Greek
king was greatly incensed at his men-at-arms; and they replied,
that he should now take his wine-bags, the Varings. The king
says that he would not throw away his jewels, and allow so few
men, however bold they might be, to attack so vast an army. Then
Thorer Helsifig, who at that time was leader of the Varings
replied to the king's words, "If there was burning fire in the
way, I and my people would run into it, if I knew the king's
advantage required it." Then the king replied, "Call upon your
holy King Olaf for help and strength." The Varings, who were 450
men, made a vow with hand and word to build a church in
Constantinople, at their own expense and with the aid of other
good men, and have the church consecrated to the honour and glory
of the holy King Olaf; and thereupon the Varings rushed into the
plain. When the heathens saw them, they told their king that
there was another troop of the Greek king's army come out upon
the plain; but they were only a handful of people. The king
says, "Who is that venerable man riding on a white horse at the
head of the troop?" They replied, "We do not see him." There
was so great a difference of numbers, that there were sixty
heathens for every Christian man; but notwithstanding the Varings
went boldly to the attack. As soon as they met terror and alarm
seized the army of the heathens, and they instantly began to fly;
but the Varings pursued, and soon killed a great number of them.
When the Greeks and Franks who before had fled from the heathens
saw this, they hastened to take part, and pursue the enemy with
the others. Then the Varings had reached the waggonfortification,
where the greatest defeat was given to the enemy.
The heathen king was taken in the flight of his people, and the
Varings brought him along with them; after which the Christians
took the camp of the heathens, and their waggon-fortification.
MAGNUS ERLINGSON'S SAGA.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
With this saga, which describes a series of conflicts, Snorre's
"Heimskringla" ends. King Eystein died in 1177, but Magnus
Erlingson continued to reign until his death in 1184. The
conflicts continued until the opposition party was led to victory
by King Sverre.
The only skald quoted is Thorbjorn Skakkaskald.
1. OF MAGNUS ERLINGSON'S BEGINNING.
When Erling got certain intelligence of the determinations of
Hakon and his counsellors, he sent a message to all the chiefs
who he knew had been steady friends of King Inge, and also to his
court-men and his retinue, who had saved themselves by flight,
and also to all Gregorius's house-men, and called them together
to a meeting. When they met, and conversed with each other, they
resolved to keep their men together; and which resolution they
confirmed by oath and hand-shake to each other. Then they
considered whom they should take to be king. Erling Skakke first
spoke, and inquired if it was the opinion of the chiefs and other
men of power that Simon Skalp's son, the son of the daughter of
King Harald Gille, should be chosen king, and Jon Halkelson be
taken to lead the army; but Jon refused it. Then it was inquired
if Nikolas Skialdvarson, a sister's son of King Magnus Barefoot,
would place himself at the head of the army; but he answered
thus: -- It was his opinion that some one should be chosen king
who was of the royal race; and, for leader of the troops, some
one from whom help and understanding were to be looked for; and
then it would be easier to gather an army. It was now tried
whether Arne would let any of his sons, King Inge's brothers, be
proclaimed king. Arne replies, that Kristin's son, she was the
daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader, was nearest by propinquity
of descent to the crown of Norway. "And here is also a man to be
his adviser, and whose duty it is to take care of him and of the
kingdom; and that man is his father Erling, who is both prudent,
brave, experienced in war, and an able man in governing the
kingdom; he wants no capability of bringing this counsel into
effect, if luck be with him." Many thought well of this advice.
Erling replied to it, "As far as I can see or hear in this
meeting, the most will rather be excused from taking upon
themselves such a difficult business. Now it appears to me
altogether uncertain, provided we begin this work, whether he who
puts himself at the head of it will gain any honour; or whether
matters will go as they have done before when any one undertakes
such great things, that he loses all his property and possibly
his life. But if this counsel be adopted, there may be men who
will undertake to carry it through; but he who comes under such
an obligation must seek, in every way, to prevent any opposition
or enmity from those who are now in this council."
All gave assurance that they would enter into this confederacy
with perfect fidelity. Then said Erling, "I can say for myself
that it would almost be my death to serve King Hakon; and however
dangerous it may be, I will rather venture to adopt your advice,
and take upon me to lead this force, if that be the will,
counsel, and desire of you all, and if you will all bind
yourselves to this agreement by oath."
To this they all agreed; and in this meeting it was determined to
take Erling's son Magnus to be king. They afterwards held a
Thing in the town; and at this Thing Magnus Erlingson, then five
years old, was elected king of the whole country. All who had
been servants of King Inge went into his service, and each of
them retained the office and dignity he had held under King Inge
(A.D. 1161).
2. KING MAGNUS GOES TO DENMARK.
Erling Skakke made himself ready to travel, fitted out ships, and
had with him King Magnus, together with the household-men who
were on the spot. In this expedition were the king's relatives,
-- Arne; Ingerid, King Inge's mother, with her two sons; besides
Jon Kutiza, a son of Sigurd Stork, and Erling's house-men, as
well as those who had been Gregorius's house-men; and they had in
all ten ships. They went south to Denmark to King Valdemar and
Buriz Heinrekson, King Inge's brother. King Valdemar was King
Magnus's blood-relation; for Ingebjorg, mother of King Valdemar,
and Malmfrid, mother of Kristin, King Magnus's mother, were
cousins. The Danish king received them hospitably, and he and
Erling had private meetings and consultations: and so much was
known of their counsels, that King Valdemar was to aid King
Magnus with such help as might be required from his kingdom to
win and retain Norway. On the other hand, King Valdemar should
get that domain in Norway which his ancestors Harald Gormson and
Svein Forked-beard had possessed; namely, the whole of Viken as
far north as Rygiarbit. This agreement was confirmed by oath and
a fixed treaty. Then Erling and King Magnus made themselves
ready to leave Denmark, and they sailed out of Vendilskage.
3. BATTLE OF TUNSBERG.
King Hakon went in spring, after the Easter week, north to
Throndhjem, and had with him the whole fleet that had belonged to
King Inge. He held a Thing there in the merchant-town, and was
chosen king of the whole country. Then he made Sigurd of Reyr an
earl, and gave him an earldom, and afterwards proceeded
southwards with his followers all the way to Viken. The king
went to Tunsberg; but sent Earl Sigurd east to Konungahella, to
defend the country with a part of the forces in case Erling
should come from the south. Erling and his fleet came to Agder,
and went straight north to Bergen, where they killed Arne
Brigdarskalle, King Hakon's officer, and came back immediately
against King Hakon. Earl Sigurd, who had not observed the
journey of Erling and his followers from the south, was at that
time east in the Gaut river, and King Hakon was in Tunsberg.
Erling brought up at Hrossanes, and lay there some nights. In
the meantime King Hakon made preparations in the town. When
Erling and his fleet were coming up to the town, they took a
merchant vessel, filled it with wood and straw, and set fire to
it; and the wind blowing right towards the town, drove the vessel
against the piers. Erling had two cables brought on board the
vessel, and made fast to two boats, and made them row along as
the vessel drove. Now when the fire was come almost abreast of
the town, those who were in the boats held back the vessel by the
ropes, so that the town could not be set on fire; but so thick a
smoke spread from it over the town, that one could not see from
the piers where the king's array was. Then Erling drew the whole
fleet in where the wind carried the fire, and shot at the enemy.
When the townspeople saw that the fire was approaching their
houses, and many were wounded by the bowmen, they resolved to
send the priest Hroald, the long-winded speaker, to Erling, to
beg him to spare them and the town; and they dissolved the array
in favour of Hakon, as soon as Hroald told them their prayer was
granted. Now when the array of towns-people had dispersed, the
men on the piers were much thinned: however, some urged Hakon's
men to make resistance: but Onund Simonson, who had most
influence over the army, said, "I will not fight for Earl
Sigurd's earldom, since he is not here himself." Then Onund
fled, and was followed by all the people, and by the king
himself; and they hastened up the country. King Hakon lost many
men here; and these verses were made about it: --
"Onund declares he will not go
In battle 'gainst Earl Sigurd's foe,
If Earl Sigurd does not come,
But with his house-men sits at home.
King Magnus' men rush up the street,
Eager with Hakon's troop to meet;
But Hakon's war-hawks, somewhat shy,
Turn quick about, and off they fly."
Thorbjorn Skakkaskald also said: --
"The Tunsberg men would not be slow
In thy good cause to risk a blow;
And well they knew the chief could stain
The wolves' mouths on a battle-plain.
But the town champion rather fears
The sharp bright glance of levelled spears;
Their steel-clad warrior loves no fight
Where bowstring twangs, or fire flies bright."
King Hakon then took the land-road northwards to Throndhjem.
When Earl Sigurd heard of this, he proceeded with all the ships
he could get the seaway north-wards, to meet King Hakon there.
4. OF ERLING AND HAKON.
Erling Skakke took all the ships in Tunsberg belonging to King
Hakon, and there he also took the Baekisudin which had belonged
to King Inge. Then Erling proceeded, and reduced the whole of
Viken in obedience to King Magnus, and also the whole country
north wheresoever he appeared up to Bergen, where he remained all
winter. There Erling killed Ingebjorn Sipil, King Hakon's
lenderman of the north part of the Fjord district. In winter
(A.D. 1162) King Hakon was in Throndhjem; but in the following
spring he ordered a levy, and prepared to go against Erling. He
had with him Earl Sigurd, Jon Sveinson, Eindride Unge, Onund
Simonson, Philip Peterson, Philip Gyrdson, Ragnvald Kunta, Sigurd
Kapa, Sigurd Hiupa, Frirek Keina, Asbjorn of Forland, Thorbjorn,
a son of Gunnar the treasurer, and Stradbjarne.
5. OF ERLING'S PEOPLE.
Erling was in Bergen with a great armament, and resolved to lay a
sailing prohibition on all the merchant vessels which were going
north to Nidaros; for he knew that King Hakon would soon get
tidings of him, if ships were sailing between the towns.
Besides, he gave out that it was better for Bergen to get the
goods, even if the owners were obliged to sell them cheaper than
they wished than that they should fall into the hands of enemies
and thereby strengthen them. And now a great many vessels were
assembled at Bergen, for many arrived every day, and none were
allowed to go away. Then Erling let some of the lightest of his
vessels be laid ashore, and spread the report that he would wait
for Hakon, and, with the help of his friends and relations,
oppose the enemy there. He then one day called a meeting of the
ship-masters, and gave them and all the merchant ships and their
steersmen leave to go where they pleased. When the men who had
charge of the cargoes, and were all ready to sail away with their
goods, some for trade, others on various business, had got leave
from Erling Skakke to depart, there was a soft and favourable
wind for sailing north along the coast. Before the evening all
who were ready had set sail, and hastened on as fast as they
could, according to the speed of their vessels, the one vying
with the other. When this fleet came north to More, Hakon's
fleet had arrived there before them: and he himself was there
fully engaged in collecting people, and summoning to him the
lendermen, and all liable to serve in the levy, without having
for a long time heard any news from Bergen. Now, however, they
heard, as the latest news, that Erling Skakke had laid his ships
up in Bergen, and there they would find him; and also that he had
a large force with him. King Hakon sailed from thence to Veey,
and sent away Earl Sigurd and Onund Simonson to gather people,
and sent men also to both the More districts. After King Hakon
had remained a few days at the town he sailed farther, and
proceeded to the South, thinking that it would both promote his
journey and enable new levies to join him sooner.
Erling Skakke had given leave on Sunday to all the merchant
vessels to leave Bergen; and on Tuesday, as soon as the early
mass was over, he ordered the warhorns to sound, summoned to him
the men-at-arms and the townsmen, and let the ships which were
laid up on shore be drawn down into the water. Then Erling held
a House-Thing with his men and the people of the levy; told them
his intentions; named ship commanders; and had the names called
over of the men who were to be on board of the king's ship. This
Thing ended with Erling's order to every man to make himself
ready in his berth wherever a place was appointed him; and
declared that he who remained in the town after the Baekisudin
was hauled out, should be punished by loss of life or limb. Orm,
the king's brother, laid his ships out in the harbour immediately
that evening, and many others, and the greater number were afloat
before.
6. OF ERLING SKAKKE.
On Wednesday, before mass was sung in the town, Erling sailed
from Bergen with all his fleet, consisting of twenty-one ships;
and there was a fresh breeze for sailing northwards along the
coast. Erling had his son King Magnus with him, and there were
many lendermen accompanied by the finest men. When Erling came
north, abreast of the Fjord district, he sent a boat on shore to
Jon Halkelson's farm, and took Nikolas, a son of Simon Skalp and
of Maria, Harald Gille's daughter, and brought him out to the
fleet, and put him on board the king's ship. On Friday,
immediately after matins, they sailed to Steinavag, and King
Hakon, with thirteen ships, was lying in the harbour in the
neighbourhood. He himself and his men were up at play upon the
island, and the lendermen were sitting on the hill, when they saw
a boat rowing from the south with two men in it, who were bending
back deep towards the keel, and taking hasty strokes with their
oars. When they came to the shore they did not belay the boat,
but both ran from it. The great men seeing this, said to each
other, "These men must have some news to tell;" and got up to
meet them. When they met, Onund Simonson asked, "Have ye any
news of Erling Skakke, that ye are running so fast?"
They answered, as soon as they could get out the words, for they
had lost their breath, "Here comes Erling against you, sailing
from the south, with twenty-one ships, or thereabouts, of which
many are great enough; and now ye will soon see their sails."
Then said Eindride Unge, "Too near to the nose, said the peasant,
when his eye was knocked out."
They went in haste now to where the games were playing, and
immediately the war-horns resounded, and with the battle-call all
the people were gathered down to the ships in the greatest haste.
It was just the time of day when their meat was nearly cooked.
All the men rushed to the ships, and each ran on board the vessel
that was nearest to him, so that the ships were unequally manned.
Some took to the oars; some raised the masts, turned the heads of
the vessels to the north, and steered for Veey, where they
expected much assistance from the towns.
7. FALL OF KING HAKON.
Soon after they saw the sails of Erling's fleet, and both fleets
came in sight of each other. Eindride Unge had a ship called
Draglaun, which was a large buss-like long-ship, but which had
but a small crew; for those who belonged to her had run on board
of other ships, and she was therefore the hindmost of Hakon's
fleet. When Eindride came abreast of the island Sek, the
Baekisudin, which Erling Skakke himself commanded, came up with
her; and these two ships were bound fast together. King Hakon
and his followers had arrived close to Veey; but when they heard
the war-horn they turned again to assist Eindride. Now they
began the battle on both sides, as the vessels came up. Many of
the sails lay midships across the vessels; and the ships were not
made fast to each other, but they lay side by side. The conflict
was not long before there came disorder in Hakon's ship; and some
fell, and others sprang overboard. Hakon threw over him a grey
cloak, and jumped on board another ship; but when he had been
there a short time he thought he had got among his enemies; and
when he looked about him he saw none of his men nor of his ships
near him. Then he went into the Baekisudin to the forecastlemen,
and begged his life. They took him in their keeping, and
gave him quarter. In this conflict there was a great loss of
people, but principally of Hakon's men. In the Baekisudin fell
Nikolas, Simon Skalp's son; and Erling's men are accused of
having killed him themselves. Then there was a pause in the
battle, and the vessels separated. It was now told to Erling
that Hakon was on board of his ship; that the forecastle-men had
taken him, and threatened that they would defend him with arms.
Erling sent men forwards in the ship to bring the forecastle-men
his orders to guard Hakon well, so that he should not get away.
He at the same time let it be understood that he had no objection
to giving the king life and safety, if the other chiefs were
willing, and a peace could be established. All the forecastlemen
gave their chief great credit and honour for these words.
Then Erling ordered anew a blast of the war-horns, and that the
ships should be attacked which had not lost their men; saying
that they would never have such another opportunity of avenging
King Inge. Thereupon they all raised a war-shout, encouraged
each other, and rushed to the assault. In this tumult King Hakon
received his death-wound. When his men knew he had fallen they
rowed with all their might against the enemy, threw away their
shields, slashed with both hands, and cared not for life. This
heat and recklessness, however, proved soon a great loss to them;
for Erling's men saw the unprotected parts of their bodies, and
where their blows would have effect. The greater part of Hakon's
men who remained fell here; and it was principally owing to the
want of numbers, as they were not enough to defend themselves.
They could not get quarter, also excepting those whom the chiefs
took under their protection and bound themselves to pay ransom
for. The following of Hakon's people fell: Sigurd Kapa, Sigurd
Hiupa, and Ragnvald Kunta; but some ships crews got away, rowed
into the fjords, and thus saved their lives. Hakon's body was
carried to Raumsdal, and buried there; but afterwards his
brother, King Sverre, had the body transported north to the
merchant town Nidaros, and laid in the stone wall of Christ
church south of the choir.
8. FLIGHT OF THE CHIEFS OF HAKON'S MEN.
Earl Sigurd, Eindride Unge, Onund Simonson, Frirek Keina, and
other chiefs kept the troop together, left the ships in Raumsdal,
and went up to the Uplands. King Magnus and his father Erling
sailed with their troops north to Nidaros in Throndhjem, and
subdued the country as they went along. Erling called together
an Eyra-thing, at which King Magnus was proclaimed king of all
Norway. Erling, however, remained there but a short time; for he
thought the Throndhjem people were not well affected towards him
and his son. King Magnus was then called king of the whole
country.
King Hakon had been a handsome man in appearance, well grown,
tall and thin; but rather broad-shouldered, on which account his
men called him Herdebreid. As he was young in years, his
lendermen ruled for him. He was cheerful and friendly in
conversation, playful and youthful in his ways, and was much
liked by the people.
9. OF KING SIGURD'S BEGINNING.
There was an Upland man called Markus of Skog, who was a relation
of Earl Sigurd. Markus brought up a son of King Sigurd Mun, who
was also called Sigurd. This Sigurd was chosen king (A.D. 1162)
by the Upland people, by the advice of Earl Sigurd and the other
chiefs who had followed King Hakon. They had now a great army,
and the troops were divided in two bodies; so that Markus and the
king were less exposed where there was anything to do, and Earl
Sigurd and his troop, along with the lendermen, were most in the
way of danger. They went with their troops mostly through the
Uplands, and sometimes eastwards to Viken. Erling Skakke had his
son King Magnus always with him, and he had also the whole fleet
and the land defence under him. He was a while in Bergen in
autumn; but went from thence eastward to Viken, where he settled
in Tunsberg for his winter quarters (A.D. 1163), and collected in
Viken all the taxes and revenues that belonged to Magnus as king;
and he had many and very fine troops. As Earl Sigurd had but a
small part of the country, and kept many men on foot, he soon was
in want of money; and where there was no chief in the
neighbourhood he had to seek money by unlawful ways, -- sometimes
by unfounded accusations and fines, sometimes by open robbery.
10. EARL SIGURD'S CONDEMNATION.
At that time the realm of Norway was in great prosperity. The
bondes were rich and powerful, unaccustomed to hostilities or
violence, and the oppression of roving troops; so that there was
soon a great noise and scandal when they were despoiled and
robbed. The people of Viken were very friendly to Erling and
King Magnus, principally from the popularity of the late King
Inge Haraldson; for the Viken people had always served under his
banner. Erling kept a guard in the town, and twelve men were on
watch every night. Erling had Things regularly with the bondes,
at which the misdeeds of Sigurd's people were often talked over;
and by the representations of Erling and his adherents, the
bondes were brought unanimously to consider that it would be a
great good fortune if these bands should be rooted out. Arne,
the king's relation, spoke well and long on this subject, and at
last severely; and required that all who were at the Thing, --
men-at-arms, bondes, towns-men, and merchants, -- should come to
the resolution to sentence according to law Earl Sigurd and all
his troop, and deliver them to Satan, both living and dead. From
the animosity and hatred of the people, this was agreed to by
all; and thus the unheard-of deed was adopted and confirmed by
oath, as if a judgment in the case was delivered there by the
Thing according to law. The priest Hroald the Long-winded, who
was a very eloquent man, spoke in the case; but his speech was to
the same purpose as that of others who had spoken before. Erling
gave a feast at Yule in Tunsberg, and paid the wages of the
men-at-arms at Candlemas.
11. OF ERLING.
Earl Sigurd went with his best troops down to Viken, where many
people were obliged to submit to his superior force, and many had
to pay money. He drove about thus widely higher up the country,
penetrating into different districts. But there were some in his
troop who desired privately to make peace with Erling; but they
got back the answer, that all who asked for their lives should
obtain quarter, but they only should get leave to remain in the
country who had not been guilty of any great offenses against
Erling. And when Sigurd's adherents heard that they would not
get leave to remain in the country, they held together in one
body; for there were many among them who knew for certain that
Erling would look upon them as guilty of offences against him.
Philip Gyrdson made terms with Erling, got his property back, and
went home to his farm; but soon after Sigurd's men came there,
and killed him. They committed many crimes against each other,
and many men were slain in their mutual persecution; but here
what was committed by the chiefs only is written down.
12. ERLING GETS NEWS OF EARL SIGURD.
It was in the beginning of Lent that news came to Erling that
Earl Sigurd intended to come upon him; and news of him came here
and there, sometimes nearer, sometimes farther off. Erling sent
out spies in all quarters around to discover where they were.
Every evening he assembled all the men-at-arms by the war-horn
out of the town; and for a long time in the winter they lay under
arms all night, ready to be drawn up in array. At last Erling
got intelligence that Sigurd and his followers were not far
distant, up at the farm Re. Erling then began his expedition out
of the town, and took with him all the towns-people who were able
to carry arms and had arms, and likewise all the merchants; and
left only twelve men behind to keep watch in the town. Erling
went out of the town on Thursday afternoon, in the second week of
Lent (February 19); and every man had two days' provisions with
him. They marched by night, and it was late before they got out
of the town with the men. Two men were with each shield and each
horse; and the people, when mustered, were about 1200 men. When
they met their spies, they were informed that Sigurd was at Re,
in a house called Rafnnes, and had 500 men. Then Erling called
together his people; told them the news he had received, and all
were eager to hasten their march, fall on them in the houses, or
engage them by night.
Erling replied to them thus: -- "It is probable that we and Earl
Sigurd shall soon meet. There are also many men in this band
whose handy-work remains in our memories; such as cutting down
King Inge, and so many more of our friends, that it would take
long to reckon them up. These deeds they did by the power of
Satan, by witchcraft, and by villainy; for it stands in our laws
and country rights, that however highly a man may have been
guilty, it shall be called villainy and cowardly murder to kill
him in the night. This band has had its luck hitherto by
following the counsel of men acquainted with witchcraft and
fighting by night, and not in the light of day; and by this
proceeding have they been victorious hitherto over the chiefs
whose heads they have laid low on the earth. Now we have often
seen, and proved, how unsuitable and improper it is to go into
battle in the nighttime; therefore let us rather have before our
eyes the example of chiefs better known to us, and who deserve
better to be imitated, and fight by open day in regular battle
array, and not steal upon sleeping men in the night. We have
people enough against them, so few as they are. Let us,
therefore, wait for day and daylight, and keep together in our
array in case they attack us."
Thereafter the whole army sat down. Some opened up bundles of
hay, and made a bed of it for themselves; some sat upon their
shields, and thus waited the daydawn. The weather was raw, and
there was a wet snowdrift.
13. OF EARL SIGURD'S BATTLE ARRAY.
Earl Sigurd got the first intelligence of Erling's army, when it
was already near to the house. His men got up, and armed
themselves; but not knowing how many men Erling had with him,
some were inclined to fly, but the most determined to stand.
Earl Sigurd was a man of understanding, and could talk well, but
certainly was not considered brave enough to take a strong
resolution; and indeed the earl showed a great inclination to
fly, for which he got many stinging words from his men-at-arms.
As day dawned, they began on both sides to draw up their battle
array. Earl Sigurd placed his men on the edge of a ridge between
the river and the house, at a place at which a little stream runs
into the river. Erling and his people placed their array on the
other side of the river; but at the back of his array were men on
horseback well armed, who had the king with them. When Earl
Sigurd's men saw that there was so great a want of men on their
side, they held a council, and were for taking to the forest.
But Earl Sigurd said, "Ye alleged that I had no courage, but it
will now be proved; and let each of you take care not to fail, or
fly, before I do so. We have a good battle-field. Let them
cross the bridge; but as soon as the banner comes over it let us
then rush down the hill upon them, and none desert his
neighbour."
Earl Sigurd had on a red-brown kirtle, and a red cloak, of which
the corners were tied and turned back; shoes on his feet; and a
shield and sword called Bastard. The earl said, "God knows that
I would rather get at Erling Skakke with a stroke of Bastard,
than receive much gold."
14. EARL SIGURD'S FALL.
Erling Skakke's army wished to go on to the bridge; but Erling
told them to go up along the river, which was small, and not
difficult to cross, as its banks were flat; and they did so.
Earl Sigurd's array proceeded up along the ridge right opposite
to them; but as the ridge ended, and the ground was good and
level over the river, Erling told his men to sing a Paternoster,
and beg God to give them the victory who best deserved it. Then
they all sang aloud "Kyrie Eleison", and struck with their
weapons on their shields. But with this singing 300 men of
Erling's people slipped away and fled. Then Erling and his
people went across the river, and the earl's men raised the
war-shout; but there was no assault from the ridge down upon
Erling's array, but the battle began upon the hill itself. They
first used spears then edge weapons; and the earl's banner soon
retired so far back, that Erling and his men scaled the ridge.
The battle lasted but a short time before the earl's men fled to
the forest, which they had close behind them. This was told Earl
Sigurd, and his men bade him fly; but he replied, "Let us on
while we can." And his men went bravely on, and cut down on all
sides. In this tumult fell Earl Sigurd and Jon Sveinson, and
nearly sixty men. Erling lost few men, and pursued the fugitives
to the forest. There Erling halted his troops, and turned back.
He came just as the king's slaves were about stripping the
clothes off Earl Sigurd, who was not quite lifeless. He had put
his sword in the sheath, and it lay by his side. Erling took it,
struck the slaves with it, and drove them away. Then Erling,
with his troops, returned, and sat down in Tunsberg. Seven days
after Earl Sigurd's fall Erling's men took Eindride Unge
prisoner, and killed him, with all his ship's crew.
15. MARKUS OF SKOG, AND SIGURD SIGURDSON.
Markus of Skog, and King Sigurd, his foster-son, rode down to
Viken towards spring, and there got a ship; but when Erling heard
it he went eastwards against them, and they met at Konungahella.
Markus fled with his followers to the island Hising; and there
the country people of Hising came down in swarms, and placed
themselves in Markus's and Sigurd's array. Erling and his men
rowed to the shore; but Markus's men shot at them. Then Erling
said to his people, "Let us take their ships, but not go up to
fight with a land force. The Hisingers are a bad set to quarrel
with, -- hard, and without understanding. They will keep this
troop but a little while among them, for Hising is but a small
spot." This was done: they took the ships, and brought them over
to Konungahella. Markus and his men went up to the forest
district, from which they intended to make assaults, and they had
spies out on both sides. Erling had many men-at-arms with him,
whom he brought from other districts, and they made attacks on
each other in turn.
16. BEGINNING OF ARCHBISHOP EYSTEIN.
Eystein, a son of Erlend Himaide, was selected to be archbishop,
after Archbishop Jon's death; and he was consecrated the same
year King Inge was killed. Now when Archbishop Eystein came to
his see, he made himself beloved by all the country, as an
excellent active man of high birth. The Throndhjem people, in
particular, received him with pleasure; for most of the great
people in the Throndhjem district were connected with the
archbishop by relationship or other connection, and all were his
friends. The archbishop brought forward a request to the bondes
in a speech, in which he set forth the great want of money for
the see, and also how much greater improvement of the revenues
would be necessary to maintain it suitably, as it was now of much
more importance than formerly when the bishop's see was first
established. He requested of the bondes that they should give
him, for determining law-suits, an ore of silver value, instead
of what they had before paid, which was an ore of judgment money,
of that kind which was paid to the king in judging cases; and the
difference between the two kinds of ore was, that the ore he
desired was a half greater than the other. By help of the
archbishop's relations and friends, and his own activity, this
was carried; and it was fixed by law in all the Throndhjem
district, and in all the districts belonging to his
archbishopric.
17. OF MARKUS AND KING SIGURD.
When Sigurd and Markus lost their ships in the Gaut river, and
saw they could get no hold on Erling, they went to the Uplands,
and proceeded by land north to Throndhjem. Sigurd was received
there joyfully, and chosen king at an Eyra-thing; and many
gallant men, with their sons, attached themselves to his party.
They fitted out ships, rigged them for a voyage, and proceeded
when summer came southwards to More, and took up all the royal
revenues wheresoever they came. At this time the following
lendermen were appointed in Bergen for the defence of the
country: -- Nikolas Sigurdson, Nokve Palson, and several military
leaders; as Thorolf Dryl, Thorbjorn Gjaldkere, and many others.
As Markus and Sigurd sailed south, they heard that Erling's men
were numerous in Bergen; and therefore they sailed outside the
coast-rocks, and southwards past Bergen. It was generally
remarked, that Markus's men always got a fair wind, wherever they
wished to sail to.
18. MARKUS AND KING SIGURD KILLED.
As soon as Erling Skakke heard that Sigurd and Markus had sailed
southwards, he hastened to Viken, and drew together an armed
force; and he soon had a great many men, and many stout ships.
But when he came farther in Viken, he met with a strong contrary
wind, which kept him there in port the whole summer. Now when
Sigurd and Markus came east to Lister, they heard that Erling had
a great force in Viken; so they turned to the north again. But
when they reached Hordaland, with the intention of sailing to
Bergen, and came opposite the town, Nikolas and his men rowed out
against them, with more men and larger ships than they had.
Sigurd and Markus saw no other way of escaping but to row away
southwards. Some of them went out to sea, others got south to
the sound, and some got into the Fjords. Markus, and some people
with him, sprang upon an isle called Skarpa. Nikolas and his men
took their ships, gave Jon Halkelson and a few others quarter,
but killed the most of them they could get hold of. Some days
after Eindride Heidafylja found Sigurd and Markus, and they were
brought to Bergen. Sigurd was beheaded outside of Grafdal, and
Markus and another man were hanged at Hvarfsnes. This took place
on Michaelmas day (September 29, 1163), and the band which had
followed them was dispersed.
19. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF HISING ISLE.
Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad, Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa
had rowed out to sea with some ships, and sailed outside along
the land to the east. Wheresoever they came to the land they
plundered, and killed Erling's friends. Now when Erling heard
that Sigurd and Markus were killed, he gave leave to the
lendermen and people of the levy to return home; but he himself,
with his men, set his course eastward across the Folden fjord,
for he heard of Markus's men there. Erling sailed to
Konungahella, where he remained the autumn; and in the first week
of winter Erling went out to the island Hising with his men, and
called the bondes to a Thing. When the Hising people came to the
Thing, Erling laid his law-suit against them for having joined
the bands of Sigurd and Markus, and having raised men against
him. Assur was the name of one of the greatest of the bondes on
the island, and he answered Erling on account of the others. The
Thing was long assembled; but at the close the bondes gave the
case into Erling's own power, and he appointed a meeting in the
town within one week, and named fifteen bondes who should appear
there. When they came, he condemned them to pay a penalty of 300
head of cattle; and the bondes returned home ill pleased at this
sentence. Soon after the Gaut river was frozen, and Erling's
ships were fast in the ice; and the bondes kept back the mulct,
and lay assembled for some time. Erling made a Yule feast in the
town; but the Hising people had joint-feasts with each other, and
kept under arms during Yule. The night after the fifth day of
Yule Erling went up to Hising, surrounded Assur's house, and
burnt him in it. He killed one hundred men in all, burnt three
houses, and then returned to Konungahella. The bondes came then,
according to agreement, to pay the mulct.
20. DEATH OF FRIREK KEINA AND BJARNE.
Erling Skakke made ready to sail in spring as soon as he could
get his ships afloat for ice, and sailed from Konungahella; for
he heard that those who had formerly been Markus's friends were
marauding in the north of Viken. Erling sent out spies to learn
their doings, searched for them, and found them lying in a
harbour. Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa escaped, but Frirek
Keina and Bjarne the Bad were taken, and many of their followers
were killed. Erling had Frirek bound to an anchor and thrown
overboard; and for that deed Erling was much detested in the
Throndhjem country, for the most powerful men there were
relatives of Frirek. Erling ordered Bjarne the Bad to be hanged;
and he uttered, according to his custom, many dreadful
imprecations during his execution. Thorbjorn Skakkaskald tells
of this business: --
"East of the Fjord beyond the land,
Unnoticed by the pirate band,
Erling stole on them ere they knew,
And seized and killed all Keina's crew.
Keina, fast to an anchor bound,
Was thrown into the deep-blue Sound;
And Bjarne swung high on gallows-tree,
A sight all good men loved to see."
Onund and Ornolf, with the band that had escaped, fled to
Denmark; but were sometimes in Gautland, or in Viken.
21. CONFERENCE BETWEEN ERLING AND EYSTEIN.
Erling Skakke sailed after this to Tunsberg, and remained there
very long in spring (A.D. 1164); but when summer came he
proceeded north to Bergen, where at that time a great many people
were assembled. There was the legate from Rome, Stephanus; the
Archbishop Eystein, and other bishops of the country. There was
also Bishop Brand, who was consecrated bishop of Iceland, and Jon
Loptson, a daughter's son of King Magnus Barefoot; and on this
occasion King Magnus and Jon's other relations acknowledged the
relationship with him.
Archbishop Eystein and Erling Skakke often conversed together in
private; and, among other things, Erling asked one day, "Is it
true, sir, what people tell me, that you have raised the value of
the ore upon the people north in Throndhjem, in the law cases in
which money-fees are paid you ?"
"It is so," said the archbishop, "that the bondes have allowed me
an advance on the ore of law casualties; but they did it
willingly, and without any kind of compulsion, and have thereby
added to their honour for God and the income of the bishopric."
Erling replies, "Is this according to the law of the holy Olaf?
or have you gone to work more arbitrarily in this than is written
down in the lawbook?"
The archbishop replies, "King Olaf the Holy fixed the laws, to
which he received the consent and affirmative of the people; but
it will not be found in his laws that it is forbidden to increase
God's right."
Erling: "If you augment your right, you must assist us to augment
as much the king's right."
The archbishop: "Thou hast already augmented enough thy son's
power and dominion; and if I have exceeded the law in taking an
increase of the ore from the Throndhjem people, it is, I think, a
much greater breach of the law that one is king over the country
who is not a king's son, and which has neither any support in the
law, nor in any precedent here in the country."
Erling: "When Magnus was chosen king, it was done with your
knowledge and consent, and also of all the other bishops here in
the country."
Archbishop: "You promised then, Erling, that provided we gave our
consent to electing Magnus king, you would, on all occasions, and
with all your power, strengthen God's rights."
Erling: "I may well admit that I have promised to preserve and
strengthen God's commands and the laws of the land with all my
power, and with the king's strength; and now I consider it to be
much more advisable, instead of accusing each other of a breach
of our promises, to hold firmly by the agreement entered into
between us. Do you strengthen Magnus in his dominion, according
to what you have promised; and I will, on my part, strengthen
your power in all that can be of advantage or honour."
The conversation now took a more friendly turn; and Erling said,
"Although Magnus was not chosen king according to what has been
the old custom of this country, yet can you with your power give
him consecration as king, as God's law prescribes, by anointing
the king to sovereignty; and although I be neither a king, nor of
kingly race, yet most of the kings, within my recollection, have
not known the laws or the constitution of the country so well as
I do. Besides, the mother of King Magnus is the daughter of a
king and queen born in lawful wedlock, and Magnus is son of a
queen and a lawfully married wife. Now if you will give him
royal consecration, no man can take royalty from him. William
Bastard was not a king's son; but he was consecrated and crowned
king of England, and the royalty in England has ever since
remained with his race, and all have been crowned. Svein Ulfson
was not a king's son in Denmark, and still he was a crowned king,
and his sons likewise, and all his descendants have been crowned
kings. Now we have here in Norway an archiepiscopal seat, to the
glory and honour of the country; let us also have a crowned king,
as well as the Danes and Englishmen."
Erling and the archbishop afterwards talked often of this matter,
and they were quite agreed. Then the archbishop brought the
business before the legate, and got him easily persuaded to give
his consent. Thereafter the archbishop called together the
bishops, and other learned men, and explained the subject to
them. They all replied in the same terms, that they would follow
the counsels of the archbishop, and all were eager to promote the
consecration as soon as the archbishop pleased.
22. KING MAGNUS'S CONSECRATION.
Erling Skakke then had a great feast prepared in the king's
house. The large hall was covered with costly cloth and
tapestry, and adorned with great expense. The court-men and all
the attendants were there entertained, and there were numerous
guests, and many chiefs. Then King Magnus received the royal
consecration from the Archbishop Eystein; and at the consecration
there were five other bishops and the legate, besides a number of
other clergy. Erling Skakke, and with him twelve other
lendermen, administered to the king the oath of the law; and the
day of the consecration the king and Erling had the legate, the
archbishop, and all the other bishops as guests; and the feast
was exceedingly magnificent, and the father and son distributed
many great presents. King Magnus was then eight years of age,
and had been king for three years.
23. KING VALDEMAR'S EMBASSY.
When the Danish king Valdemar heard the news from Norway that
Magnus was become king of the whole country, and all the other
parties in the country were rooted out, he sent his men with a
letter to King Magnus and Erling, and reminded them of the
agreement which Erling had entered into, under oath, with King
Valdemar, of which we have spoken before; namely, that Viken from
the east to Rygiarbit should be ceded to King Valdemar, if Magnus
became the sole king of Norway. When the ambassadors came
forward and showed Erling the letter of the Danish king, and he
heard the Danish king's demand upon Norway, he laid it before the
other chiefs by whose counsels he usually covered his acts. All,
as one man, replied that the Danes should never hold the
slightest portion of Norway; for never had things been worse in
the land than when the Danes had power in it. The ambassadors of
the Danish king were urgent with Erling for an answer, and
desired to have it decided; but Erling begged them to proceed
with him east to Viken, and said he would give his final answer
when he had met with the men of most understanding and influence
in Viken.
24. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF VIKEN.
Erling Skakke proceeded in autumn to Viken, and stayed in
Tunsberg, from whence he sent people to Sarpsborg to summon a
Thing (1) of four districts; and then Erling went there with his
people.
When the Thing was seated Erling made a speech in which he
explained the resolutions which had been settled upon between him
and the Danish king, the first time he collected troops against
his enemies. "I will," said Erling, "keep faithfully the
agreement which we then entered into with the king, if it be your
will and consent, bondes, rather to serve the Danish king than
the king who is now consecrated and crowned king of this
country."
The bondes replied thus to Erling's speech: "Never will we become
the Danish king's men, as long as one of us Viken men is in
life." And the whole assembly, with shouts and cries, called on
Erling to keep the oath he had taken to defend his son's
dominions, "should we even all follow thee to battle." And so
the Thing was dissolved.
The ambassadors of the Danish king then returned home, and told
the issue of their errand. The Danes abused Erling, and all
Northmen, and declared that evil only proceeded from them; and
the report was spread, that in Spring the Danish king would send
out an army and lay waste Norway. Erling returned in autumn
north to Bergen, stayed there all winter, and gave their pay to
his people.
ENDNOTES:
(1) This reference to a Thing of the people in the affairs of
the country is a striking example of the right of the Things
being recognised, in theory at least, as fully as the right
of our parliaments in later times. -- L.
25. LETTERS OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.
The same winter (A.D. 1165) some Danish people came by land
through the Uplands, saying they were to go, as was then the
general practice, to the holy King Olaf's festival. But when
they came to the Throndhjem country, they went to many men of
influence, and told their business; which was, that the Danish
king had sent them to desire their friendship, and consent, if he
came to the country, promising them both power and money. With
this verbal message came also the Danish king's letter and seal,
and a message to the Throndhjem people that they should send back
their letters and seals to him. They did so, and the most of
them received well the Danish king's message; whereupon the
messengers returned back towards Lent. Erling was in Bergen; and
towards spring Erling's friends told him the loose reports they
had heard by some merchant vessels that had arrived from
Throndhjem, that the Throndhjem people were in hostility openly
against him; and had declared that if Erling came to Throndhjem,
he should never pass Agdanes in life. Erling said this was mere
folly and idle talk. Erling now made it known that he would go
to Unarheim to the Gangdag-thing; and ordered a cutter of twenty
rowing benches to be fitted out, a boat of fifteen benches, and a
provision-ship. When the vessels were ready, there came a strong
southerly gale. On the Thursday of the Ascension week, Erling
called his people by sound of trumpet to their departure; but the
men were loath to leave the town, and were ill inclined to row
against the wind. Erling brought his vessels to Biskupshafn.
"Well," said Erling, "since ye are so unwilling to row against
the wind, raise the mast, hoist the sails, and let the ship go
north." They did so, and sailed northwards both day and night.
On Wednesday, in the evening, they sailed in past Agdanes, where
they found a fleet assembled of many merchant vessels, rowing
craft, and boats, all going towards the town to the celebration
of the festival, -- some before them, some behind them -- so that
the townspeople paid no attention to the long-ships coming.
26. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF THRONDHJEM.
Erling came to the town just as vespers was being sung in Christ
church. He and his men ran into the town, to where it was told
them that the lenderman, Alf Rode, a son of Ottar Birting, was
still sitting at table, and drinking with his men. Erling fell
upon them; and Alf was killed, with almost all his men. Few
other men were killed; for they had almost all gone to church, as
this was the night before Christ's Ascension-day. In the morning
early, Erling called all the people by sound of trumpet to a
Thing out upon Evrar. At the Thing Erling laid a charge against
the Throndhjem people, accusing them of intending to betray the
country, and take it from the king; and named Bard Standale, Pal
Andreason, and Razabard, who then presided over the town's
affairs, and many others. They, in their defence, denied the
accusation; but Erling's writer stood up, produced many letters
with seals, and asked if they acknowledged their seals which they
had sent to the Danish king; and thereupon the letters were read.
There was also a Danish man with Erling who had gone with the
letters in winter, and whom Erling for that purpose had taken
into his service. He told to these men the very words which each
of them had used. "And you, Razabard, spoke, striking your
breast; and the very words you used were, `Out of this breast are
all these counsels produced.'" Bard replied, "I was wrong in the
head, sirs, when I spoke so." There was now nothing to be done
but to submit the case entirely to the sentence Erling might give
upon it. He took great sums of money from many as fines, and
condemned all those who had been killed as lawless, and their
deeds as lawless; making their deaths thereby not subject to
mulct. Then Erling returned south to Bergen.
27. KING VALDEMAR'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.
The Danish king Valdemar assembled in spring (A.D. 1165) a great
army, and proceeded with it north to Viken. As soon as he
reached the dominions of the king of Norway, the bondes assembled
in a great multitude. The king advanced peacefully; but when
they came to the mainland, the people shot at them even when
there were only two or three together, from which the ill-will of
the country people towards them was evident. When they came to
Tunsberg, King Valdemar summoned a Hauga-thing; but nobody
attended it from the country parts. Then Valdemar spoke thus to
his troops: "It is evident that all the country-people are
against us; and now we have two things to choose: the one to go
through the country, sword in hand, sparing neither man nor
beast; the other is to go back without effecting our object. And
it is more my inclination to go with the army to the East against
the heathens, of whom we have enough before us in the East
country, than to kill Christian people here, although they have
well deserved it." All the others had a greater desire for a
foray; but the king ruled, and they all returned back to Denmark
without effecting their purpose. They pillaged, however, all
around in the distant islands, or where the king was not in the
neighbourhood. They then returned south to Denmark without doing
anything.
28. ERLING'S EXPEDITION TO JUTLAND.
As soon as Erling heard that a Danish force had come to Viken, he
ordered a levy through all the land, both of men and ships, so
that there was a great assemblage of men in arms; and with this
force he proceeded eastward along the coast. But when he came to
Lidandisnes, he heard that the Danish army had returned south to
Denmark, after plundering all around them in Viken. Then Erling
gave all the people of the levy permission to return home; but he
himself and some lendermen, with many vessels, sailed to Jutland
after the Danes. When they came to a place called Dyrsa, the
Danes who had returned from the expedition lay there with many
ships. Erling gave them battle, and there was a fight, in which
the Danes soon fled with the loss of many people; and Erling and
his men plundered the ships and the town, and made a great booty,
with which they returned to Norway. Thereafter, for a time,
there was hostility between Norway and Denmark.
29. ERLING'S EXPEDITION TO DENMARK.
The princess Krisfin went south in autumn (A.D. 1165) to Denmark,
to visit her relation King Valdemar, who was her cousin. The
king received her kindly, and gave her fiefs in his kingdom, so
that she could support her household well. She often conversed
with the king, who was remarkably kind towards her. In the
spring following (A.D. 1166) Kristin sent to Erling, and begged
him to pay a visit to the Danish king, and enter into a peace
with him. In summer Erling was in Viken, where he fitted out a
long-ship, manned it with his finest lads, and sailed (a single
ship) over to Jutland. When he heard that the Danish king
Valdemar was in Randaros, Erling sailed thither, and came to the
town just as the king sat at the dinner-table, and most of the
people were taking their meal. When his people had made
themselves ready according to Erling's orders, set up the
ship-tents, and made fast the ship, Erling landed with twelve
men, all in armour, with hats over their helmets, and swords
under their cloaks. They went to the king's lodging, where the
doors stood open, and the dishes were being carried in. Erling
and his people went in immediately, and drew up in front of the
high-seat. Erling said, "Peace and safe conduct we desire, king,
both here and to return home."
The king looked at him, and said, "Art thou here, Erling?"
He replies, "Here is Erling; and tell us, at once, if we shall
have peace and safe conduct."
There were eighty of the king's men in the room, but all unarmed.
The king replies, "Peace ye shall have, Erling, according to thy
desire; for I will not use force or villainy against a man who
comes to visit me."
Erling then kissed the king's hand, went out, and down to his
ship. Erling stayed at Randaros some time with the king, and
they talked about terms of peace between them and between the
countries. They agreed that Erling should remain as hostage with
the Danish king; and that Asbjorn Snara, Bishop Absalon's
brother, should go to Norway as hostage on the other part.
30. KING VALDEMAR AND ERLING.
In a conference which King Valdemar and Erling once had together.
Erling said, "Sire, it appears to me likely that it might lead to
a peace between the countries if you got that part of Norway
which was promised you in our agreement; but if it should be so,
what chief would you place over it? Would he be a Dane?"
"No," replied the king; "no Danish chief would go to Norway,
where he would have to manage an obstinate hard people, when he
has it so easy here with me."
Erling: "It was on that very consideration that I came here; for
I would not on any account in the world deprive myself of the
advantage of your friendship. In days of old other men, Hakon
Ivarson and Fin Arnason, came also from Norway to Denmark, and
your predecessor, King Svein, made them both earls. Now I am not
a man of less power in Norway than they were then, and my
influence is not less than theirs; and the king gave them the
province of Halland to rule over, which he himself had and owned
before. Now it appears to me, sire, that you, if I become your
man and vassal, can allow me to hold of you the fief which my son
Magnus will not deny me, by which I will be bound in duty, and
ready, to undertake all the service belonging to that title."
Erling spoke such things, and much more in the same strain, until
it came at last to this, that Erling became Valdemar's man and
vassal; and the king led Erling to the earl's seat one day, and
gave him the title of earl, and Viken as a fief under his rule.
Earl Erling went thereafter to Norway, and was earl afterwards as
long as he lived; and also the peace with the Danish king was
afterwards always preserved. Earl Erling had four sons by his
concubines. The one was called Hreidar, the next Ogmund; and
these by two different mothers: the third was called Fin; the
fourth Sigurd: these were younger, and their mother was Asa the
Fair. The princess Kristin and Earl Erling had a daughter called
Ragnhild, who was married to Jon Thorbergson of Randaberg.
Kristin went away from the country with a man called Grim Rusle;
and they went to Constantinople, where they were for a time, and
had some children.
31. BEGINNING OF OLAF.
Olaf, a son of Gudbrand Skafhaug, and Maria, a daughter of King
Eystein Magnuson, were brought up in the house of Sigurd Agnhot
in the Uplands. While Earl Erling was in Denmark (A.D. 1166),
Olaf and his foster-father gathered a troop together, and many
Upland people joined them; and Olaf was chosen king by them.
They went with their bands through the Uplands, and sometimes
down to Viken, and sometimes east to the forest settlements; but
never came on board of ships. Now when, Earl Erling got news of
this troop, he hastened to Viken with his forces; and was there
in summer in his ships, and in Oslo in autumn (A.D. 1167) and
kept Yule there. He had spies up the country after this troop,
and went himself, along with Orm, the King-brother, up the
country to follow them. Now when they came to a lake called....
.... (1) they took all the vessels that were upon the lake.
ENDNOTES:
(1) The name of the lake not given.
32. OF ERLING.
The priest who performed divine service at a place called
Rydiokul, close by the lake, invited the earl to a feast at
Candlemas. The earl promised to come; and thinking it would be
good to hear mass there, he rowed with his attendants over the
lake the night before Candlemas day. But the priest had another
plan on hand. He sent men to bring Olaf news of Earl Erling's
arrival. The priest gave Erling strong drink in the evening, and
let him have an excessive quantity of it. When the earl wished
to lie down and sleep, the beds were made ready in the drinkingroom;
but when they had slept a short time the earl awoke, and
asked if it was not the hour for matins. The priest replied,
that only a small part of the night was gone, and told him to
sleep in peace. The earl replied, "I dream of many things
to-night, and I sleep ill." He slumbered again, but awoke soon,
and told the priest to get up and sing mass. The priest told the
earl to sleep, and said it was but midnight. Then the earl again
lay down, slept a little while, and, springing out of bed,
ordered his men to put on their clothes. They did so; took their
weapons, went to the church, and laid their arms outside while
the priest was singing matins.
33. BATTLE AT RYDIOKUL.
As Olaf got the message in the evening, they travelled in the
night six miles, which people considered an extraordinarily long
march. They arrived at Rydiokul while the priest was still
singing mass, and it was pitch-dark. Olaf and his men went into
the room, raised a war-shout, and killed some of the earl's men
who had not gone to the early mass. Now when Erling and his men
heard the war-shout, they ran to their weapons, and hastened down
to their ships. Olaf and his men met them at a fence, at which
there was a sharp conflict. Erling and his men retreated along
the fence, which protected them. Erling had far fewer men, and
many of them had fallen, and still more were wounded. What
helped Earl Erling and his men the most was, that Olaf's men
could not distinguish them, it was so dark; and the earl's men
were always drawing down to their ships. Are Thorgeirson, father
of Bishop Gudmund fell there, and many other of Erling's courtmen.
Erling himself was wounded in the left side; but some say
he did it himself in drawing his sword. Orm the King-brother was
also severely wounded; and with great difficulty they escaped to
their ships, and instantly pushed off from land. It was
generally considered as a most unlucky meeting for Olaf's people,
as Earl Erling was in a manner sold into their hands, if they had
proceeded with common prudence. He was afterwards called Olaf
the Unlucky; but others called his people Hat-lads. They went
with their bands through the Uplands as before. Erling again
went down to Viken to his ships, and remained there all summer.
Olaf was in the Uplands, and sometimes east in the forest
districts, where he and his troop remained all the next winter
(A.D. 1168).
34. BATTLE AT STANGAR.
The following spring the Hat-lads went down to Viken, and raised
the king's taxes all around, and remained there long in summer.
When Earl Erling heard this, he hastened with his troops to meet
them in Viken, and fell in with them east of the Fjord, at a
place called Stangar; where they had a great battle, in which
Erling was victorious. Sigurd Agnhot, and many others of Olaf's
men, fell there; but Olaf escaped by flight, went south to
Denmark, and was all winter (A.D. 1169) in Alaborg in Jutland.
The following spring Olaf fell into an illness which ended in
death, and he was buried in the Maria church; and the Danes call
him a saint.
35. HARALD'S DEATH.
King Magnus had a lenderman called Nikolas Kufung, who was a son
of Pal Skaptason. He took Harald prisoner, who called himself a
son of King Sigurd Haraldson and the princess Kristin, and a
brother of King Magnus by the mother's side. Nikolas brought
Harald to Bergen, and delivered him into Earl Erling's hands. It
was Erling's custom when his enemies came before him, that he
either said nothing to them, or very little, and that in all
gentleness, when he had determined to put them to death; or rose
with furious words against them, when he intended to spare their
lives. Erling spoke but little to Harald, and many, therefore,
suspected his intentions; and some begged King Magnus to put in a
good word for Harald with the earl; and the king did so. The
earl replies, "Thy friends advise thee badly. Thou wouldst
govern this kingdom but a short time in peace and safety, if thou
wert to follow the counsels of the heart only." Earl Erling
ordered Harald to be taken to Nordnes, where he was beheaded.
36. EYSTEIN EYSTEINSON AND THE BIRKEBEINS.
There was a man called Eystein, who gave himself out for a son of
King Eystein Haraldson. He was at this time young, and not full
grown. It is told of him that he one summer appeared in
Svithjod, and went to Earl Birger Brosa, who was then married to
Brigida, Eystein's aunt, a daughter of King Harald Gille.
Eystein explained his business to him, and asked their
assistance. Both Earl Birger and his wife listened to him in a
friendly way, and promised him their confidence, and he stayed
with them a while. Earl Birger gave him some assistance of men,
and a good sum for travelling expenses; and both promised him
their friendship on his taking leave. Thereafter Eystein
proceeded north into Norway (A.D. 1174), and when he came down to
Viken people flocked to him in crowds; and Eystein was there
proclaimed king, and he remained in Viken in winter. As they
were very poor in money, they robbed all around, wherefore the
lendermen and bondes raised men against them; and being thus
overpowered by numbers, they fled away to the forests and
deserted hill grounds, where they lived for a long time. Their
clothes being worn out, they wound the bark of the birch-tree
about their legs, and thus were called by the bondes Birkebeins.
They often rushed down upon the settled districts, pushed on here
or there, and made an assault where they did not find many people
to oppose them. They had several battles with the bondes with
various success; and the Birkebeins held three battles in regular
array, and gained the victory in them all. At Krokaskog they had
nearly made an unlucky expedition, for a great number of bondes
and men-at-arms were assembled there against them; but the
Birkebeins felled brushwood across the roads, and retired into
the forest. They were two years (A.D. 1175-1176) in Viken before
they showed themselves in the northern parts of the country.
37. BIRKEBEINS, KING EYSTEIN, AND SKAKKE.
Magnus had been king for thirteen years when the Birkebeins first
made their appearance. They got themselves ships in the third
summer (A.D. 1176), with which they sailed along the coast
gathering goods and men. They were first in Viken; but when
summer advanced they proceeded northwards, and so rapidly that no
news preceded them until they came to Throndhjem. The
Birkebeins' troop consisted principally of hill-men and Elfgrims,
and many were from Thelemark; and all were well armed. Their
king, Eystein, was a handsome man, and with a little but good
countenance; and he was not of great stature, for his men called
him Eystein Meyla. King Magnus and Earl Erling were in Bergen
when the Birkebeins sailed past it to the north; but they did not
hear of them.
Earl Erling was a man of great understanding and power, an
excellent leader in war, and an able and prudent ruler of the
country; but he had the character of being cruel and severe. The
cause of this was principally that he never allowed his enemies
to remain in the country, even when they prayed to him for mercy;
and therefore many joined the bands which were collected against
him. Erling was a tall strong-made man, somewhat short-necked
and high-shouldered; had a long and sharp countenance of a light
complexion, and his hair became very grey. He bore his head a
little on one side; was free and agreeable in his manners. He
wore the old fashion of clothes, -- long body-pieces and long
arms to his coats, foreign cloak, and high shoes. He made the
king wear the same kind of dress in his youth; but when he grew
up, and acted for himself, he dressed very sumptuously.
King Magnus was of a light turn of mind, full of jokes; a great
lover of mirth, and not less of women.
38. OF NIKOLAS.
Nikolas was a son of Sigurd Hranason and of Skialdvor, a daughter
of Brynjolf Ulfalde, and a sister of Haldor Brynjolfson by the
father's side, and of King Magnus Barefoot by the mother's side.
Nikolas was a distinguished chief, who had a farm at Ongul in
Halogaland, which was called Steig. Nikolas had also a house in
Nidaros, below Saint Jon's church, where Thorgeir the scribe
lately dwelt. Nikolas was often in the town, and was president
of the townspeople. Skialdvor, Nikolas's daughter, was married
to Eirik Arnason, who was also a lenderman.
39. OF EIRIK AND NIKOLAS.
As the people of the town were coming from matins the last day of
Marymas (September 8th), Eirik came up to Nikolas, and said,
"Here are some fishermen come from the sea, who report that some
long-ships are sailing into the fjord; and people conjecture that
these may be the Birkebeins. It would be advisable to call the
townspeople together with the war-horns, to meet under arms out
on Eyrar."
Nikolas replies, "I don't go after fishermen's reports; but I
shall send out spies to the fjord, and in the meantime hold a
Thing to-day."
Eirik went home; but when they were ringing to high mass, and
Nikolas was going to church, Eirik came to hint again, and said,
"I believe the news to be true; for here are men who say they saw
them under sail; and I think it would be most advisable to ride
out of town, and gather men with arms; for it appears to me the
townspeople will be too few."
Nikolas replies, "Thou art mixing everything together; let us
first hear mass, and then take our resolution."
Nikolas then went into the church. When the mass was over Eirik
went to Nikolas, and said, "My horses are saddled; I will ride
away."
Nikolas replies, "Farewell, then: we will hold a Thing to-day on
the Eyrar, and examine what force of men there may be in the
town."
Eirik rode away, and Nikolas went to his house, and then to
dinner.
40. THE FALL OF NIKOLAS.
The meat was scarcely put on the table, when a man came into the
house to tell Nikolas that the Birkebeins were roving up the
river. Then Nikolas called to his men to take their weapons.
When they were armed Nikolas ordered them to go up into the loft.
But that was a most imprudent step; for if they had remained in
the yard, the townspeople might have come to their assistance;
but now the Birkebeins filled the whole yard, and from thence
scrambled from all sides up to the loft. They called to Nikolas,
and offered him quarter, but he refused it. Then they attacked
the loft. Nikolas and his men defended themselves with bow-shot,
hand-shot, and stones of the chimney; but the Birkebeins hewed
down the houses, broke up the loft, and returned shot for shot
from bow or hand. Nikolas had a red shield in which were gilt
nails, and about it was a border of stars. The Birkebeins shot
so that the arrows went in up to the arrow feather. Then said
Nikolas, "My shield deceives me." Nikolas and a number of his
people fell, and his death was greatly lamented. The Birkebeins
gave all the towns-people their lives.
41. EYSTEIN PROCLAIMED KING.
Eystein was then proclaimed king, and all the people submitted to
him. He stayed a while in the town, and then went into the
interior of the Throndhjem land, where many joined him, and among
them Thorfin Svarte of Snos with a troop of people. When the
Birkebeins, in the beginning of winter (A.D. 1177), came again
into the town, the sons of Gudrun from Saltnes, Jon Ketling,
Sigurd, and William, joined them; and when they proceeded
afterwards from Nidaros up Orkadal, they could number nearly 2000
men. They afterwards went to the Uplands, and on to Thoten and
Hadaland, and from thence to Ringerike, and subdued the country
wheresover they came.
42. THE FALL OF KING EYSTEIN.
King Magnus went eastward to Viken in autumn with a part of his
men and with him Orm, the king's brother; but Earl Erling
remained behind in Bergen to meet the Berkebeins in case they
took the sea route. King Magnus went to Tunsberg, where he and
Orm held their Yule (A.D. 1177). When King Magnus heard that the
Birkebeins were up in Re, the king and Orm proceeded thither with
their men. There was much snow, and it was dreadfully cold.
When they came to the farm they left the beaten track on the
road, and drew up their array outside of the fence, and trod a
path through the snow with their men, who were not quite 1500 in
number. The Birkebeins were dispersed here and there in other
farms, a few men in each house. When they perceived King
Magnus's army they assembled, and drew up in regular order; and
as they thought their force was larger than his, which it
actually was, they resolved to fight; but when they hurried
forward to the road only a few could advance at a time, which
broke their array, and the men fell who first advanced upon the
beaten way. Then the Birkebeins' banner was cut down; those who
were nearest gave way and some took to flight. King Magnus's men
pursued them, and killed one after the other as they came up with
them. Thus the Birkebeins could never form themselves in array;
and being exposed to the weapons of the enemy singly, many of
them fell, and many fled. It happened here, as it often does,
that although men be brave and gallant, if they have once been
defeated and driven to flight, they will not easily be brought to
turn round. Now the main body of the Birkebeins began to fly,
and many fell; because Magnus's men killed all they could lay
hold of, and not one of them got quarter. The whole body became
scattered far and wide. Eystein in his flight ran into a house,
and begged for his life, and that the bonde would conceal him;
but the bonde killed him, and then went to King Magnus, whom he
found at Rafnnes, where the king was in a room warming himself by
the fire along with many people. Some went for the corpse, and
bore it into the room, where the king told the people to come and
inspect the body. A man was sitting on a bench in the corner,
and he was a Birkebein, but nobody had observed him; and when he
saw and recognised his chief's body he sprang up suddenly and
actively, rushed out upon the floor, and with an axe he had in
his hands made a blow at King Magnus's neck between the
shoulders. A man saw the axe swinging, and pulled the king to a
side, by which the axe struck lower in the shoulder, and made a
large wound. He then raised the axe again, and made a blow at
Orm, the King-brother, who was lying on a bench, and the blow was
directed at both legs; but Orm seeing the man about to kill him,
drew in his feet instantly, threw them over his head, and the
blow fell on the bench, in which the axe stuck fast; and then the
blows at the Birkebein came so thick that he could scarcely fall
to the ground. It was discovered that he had dragged his
entrails after him over the floor; and this man's bravery was
highly praised. King Magnus's men followed the fugitives, and
killed so many that they were tired of it. Thorfin of Snos, and
a very great number of Throndhjem people, fell there.
43. OF THE BIRKEBEINS.
The faction which called itself the Birkebeins had gathered
together in great numbers. They were a hardy people, and the
boldest of men under arms; but wild, and going forward madly when
they had a strong force. They had few men in their faction who
were good counsellors, or accustomed to rule a country by law, or
to head an army; and if there were such men among them who had
more knowledge, yet the many would only allow of those measures
which they liked, trusting always to their numbers and courage.
Of the men who escaped many were wounded, and had lost both their
clothes and their arms, and were altogether destitute of money.
Some went east to the borders, some went all the way east to
Svithjod; but the most of them went to Thelemark, where they had
their families. All took flight, as they had no hope of getting
their lives from King Magnus or Earl Erling.
44. OF KING MAGNUS ERLINGSON.
King Magnus then returned to Tunsberg, and got great renown by
this victory; for it had been an expression in the mouths of all,
that Earl Erling was the shield and support of his son and
himself. But after gaining a victory over so strong and numerous
a force with fewer troops, King Magnus was considered by all as
surpassing other leaders, and that he would become a warrior as
much greater than his father, Earl Erling, as he was younger.