Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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 harp-playing, singing, and
music instruments.
ENDNOTES: (1) Fireworks, or the Greek fire, probably were used.--L.
13. 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