Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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."