Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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