Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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 high-seat 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
guild-brethren 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 torch-bearers, 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 guest-quarters 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