Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
"The Danes," answered the earl, "will rather say that it was better to
kill a Norwegian viking than a Danish, and your own brother's son."
They spoke so long over the matter, that they agreed on it.
11. HARALD GORMSON'S MESSAGE TO NORWAY.
Thereafter Gold Harald had a conference with Earl Hakon; and the earl
told him he had now advanced his business so far, that there was hope a
kingdom might stand open for him in Norway. "We can then continue," said
he, "our ancient friendship, and I can be of the greatest use to you in
Norway. Take first that kingdom. King Harald is now very old, and has
but one son, and cares but little about him, as he is but the son of a
concubine."
The Earl talked so long to Gold Harald that the project pleased him
well; and the king, the earl, and Gold Harald often talked over the
business together. The Danish king then sent messengers north to Norway
to Harald Grafeld, and fitted them out magnificently for their journey.
They were well received by Harald. The messengers told him that Earl
Hakon was in Denmark, but was lying dangerously sick, and almost out
of his senses. They then delivered from Harald, the Danish king, the
invitation to Harald Grafeld, his foster-son, to come to him and receive
investiture of the fiefs he and his brothers before him had formerly
held in Denmark; and appointing a meeting in Jutland. Harald Grafeld
laid the matter before his mother and other friends. Their opinions were
divided. Some thought that the expedition was not without its danger,
on account of the men with whom they had to deal; but the most were in
haste to begin the journey, for at that time there was such a famine in
Norway that the kings could scarcely feed their men-at-arms; and on this
account the Fjord, on which the kings resided, usually got the name
of Hardanger (Hardacre). In Denmark, on the other hand, there had been
tolerably good crops; so that people thought that if King Harald got
fiefs, and something to rule over there they would get some assistance.
It was therefore concluded, before the messengers returned, that Harald
should travel to Denmark to the Danish king in summer, and accept the
conditions King Harald offered.
12. TREACHERY OF HARALD AND HAKON.
Harald Grafeld went to Denmark in the summer (A.D. 969) with three
long-ships; and Herse Arinbjorn, from the Fjord district, commanded one
of them. King Harald sailed from Viken over to Limfjord in Jutland, and
landed at the narrow neck of land where the Danish king was expected.
Now when Gold Harald heard of this, he sailed there with nine ships
which he had fitted out before for a viking cruise. Earl Hakon had also
his war force on foot; namely, twelve large ships, all ready, with which
he proposed to make an expedition. When Gold Harald had departed Earl
Hakon says to the king, "Now I don't know if we are not sailing on an
expedition, and yet are to pay the penalty of not having joined it. Gold
Harald may kill Harald Grafeld, and get the kingdom of Norway; but you
must not think he will be true to you, although you do help him to so
much power, for he told me in winter that he would take your life if he
could find opportunity to do so. Now I will win Norway for you, and kill
Gold Harald, if you will promise me a good condition under you. I will
be your earl; swear an oath of fidelity to you, and, with your help,
conquer all Norway for you; hold the country under your rule; pay you
the scat and taxes; and you will be a greater king than your father, as
you will have two kingdoms under you." The king and the earl agreed upon
this, and Hakon set off to seek Gold Harald.
13. DEATH OF HARALD GRAFELD.
Gold Harald came to the neck of land at Limfjord, and immediately
challenged Harald Grafeld to battle; and although Harald had fewer men,
he went immediately on the land, prepared for battle, and drew up his
troops. Before the lines came together Harald Grafeld urged on his men,
and told them to draw their swords. He himself advanced the foremost of
the troop, hewing down on each side. So says Glum Geirason, in Grafeld's
lay:--
"Brave were thy words in battlefield,
Thou stainer of the snow-white shield!--
Thou gallant war-god! With thy voice
Thou couldst the dying man rejoice:
The cheer of Harald could impart
Courage and life to every heart.
While swinging high the blood-smeared sword,
By arm and voice we knew our lord."
There fell Harald Grafeld. So says Glum Geirason:--
"On Limfjord's strand, by the tide's flow,
Stern Fate has laid King Harald low;
The gallant viking-cruiser--he
Who loved the isle-encircling sea.
The generous ruler of the land
Fell at the narrow Limfjord strand.
Enticed by Hakon's cunning speech
To his death-bed on Limfjord's beach."
The most of King Harald's men fell with him. There also fell Herse
Arinbjorn.
This happened fifteen years after the death of Hakon, Athelstan's
foster-son, and thirteen years after that of Sigurd earl of Hlader. The
priest Are Frode says that Earl Hakon was thirteen years earl over his
father's dominions in Throndhjem district before the fall of Harald
Grafeld; but, for the last six years of Harald Grafeld's life, Are Frode
says the Earl Hakon and Gunhild's sons fought against each other, and
drove each other out of the land by turns.
14. GOLD HARALD'S DEATH.
Soon after Harald Grafeld's fall, Earl Hakon came up to Gold Harald, and
the earl immediately gave battle to Harald. Hakon gained the victory,
and Harald was made prisoner; but Hakon had him immediately hanged on a
gallows. Hakon then went to the Danish king, and no doubt easily settled
with him for the killing his relative Gold Harald.
15. DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY.
Soon after King Harald Gormson ordered a levy of men over all his
kingdom, and sailed with 600 ships (1). There were with him Earl Hakon,
Harald Grenske, a son of King Gudrod, and many other great men who had
fled from their udal estates in Norway on account of Gunhild's sons. The
Danish king sailed with his fleet from the south to Viken, where all
the people of the country surrendered to him. When he came to Tunsberg
swarms of people joined him; and King Harald gave to Earl Hakon the
command of all the men who came to him in Norway, and gave him the
government over Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn, Fjord-district, South More,
Raumsdal, and North More. These seven districts gave King Harald to Earl
Hakon to rule over, with the same rights as Harald Harfager gave with
them to his sons; only with the difference, that Hakon should there, as
well as in Throndhjem, have the king's land-estates and land-tax, and
use the king's money and goods according to his necessities whenever
there was war in the country. King Harald also gave Harald Grenske
Vingulmark, Vestfold, and Agder all the way to Lidandisnes (the Naze),
together with the title of king; and let him have these dominions with
the same rights as his family in former times had held them, and as
Harald Harfager had given with them to his sons. Harald Grenske was then
eighteen years old, and he became afterwards a celebrated man. Harald
king of Denmark returned home thereafter with all his army.
ENDNOTES:
(1) i.e., 720 ships, as they were counted by long hundreds,
100=120.
16. GUNHILD'S SONS LEAVE THE COUNTRY.
Earl Hakon proceeded northwards along the coast with his force; and when
Gunhild and her sons got the tidings they proceeded to gather troops,
but were ill off for men. Then they took the same resolution as before,
to sail out to sea with such men as would follow them away to the
westward (A.D. 969). They came first to the Orkney Islands, and remained
there a while. There were in Orkney then the Earls Hlodver. Arnfid,
Ljot, and Skule, the sons of Thorfin Hausakljufer.
Earl Hakon now brought all the country under him, and remained all
winter (A.D. 970) in Throndhjem. Einar Skalaglam speaks of his conquests
in "Vellekla":--
"Norway's great watchman, Harald, now
May bind the silk snood on his brow--
Seven provinces he seized. The realm
Prospers with Hakon at the helm."
As Hakon the earl proceeded this summer along the coast subjecting all
the people to him, he ordered that over all his dominions the temples
and sacrifices should be restored, and continued as of old. So it is
said in the "Vellekla":--
"Hakon the earl, so good and wise,
Let all the ancient temples rise;--
Thor's temples raised with fostering hand
That had been ruined through the land.
His valiant champions, who were slain
On battle-fields across the main,
To Thor, the thunder-god, may tell
How for the gods all turns out well.
The hardy warrior now once more
Offers the sacrifice of gore;
The shield-bearer in Loke's game
Invokes once more great Odin's name.
The green earth gladly yields her store,
As she was wont in days of yore,
Since the brave breaker of the spears
The holy shrines again uprears.
The earl has conquered with strong hand
All that lies north of Viken land:
In battle storm, and iron rain
Hakon spreads wide his sword's domain."
The first winter that Hakon ruled over Norway the herrings set in
everywhere through the fjords to the land, and the seasons ripened to
a good crop all that had been sown. The people, therefore, laid in
seed for the next year, and got their lands sowed, and had hope of good
times.
17. HAKON'S BATTLE WITH RAGNFRED.
King Ragnfred and King Gudrod, both sons of Gunhild and Eirik, were now
the only sons of Gunhild remaining in life. So says Glum Geirason in
Grafeld's lay:--
"When in the battle's bloody strife
The sword took noble Harald's life,
Half of my fortunes with him fell:
But his two brothers, I know well,
My loss would soon repair, should they
Again in Norway bear the sway,
And to their promises should stand,
If they return to rule the land."
Ragnfred began his course in the spring after he had been a year in the
Orkney Islands. He sailed from thence to Norway, and had with him fine
troops, and large ships. When he came to Norway he learnt that Earl
Hakon was in Throndhjem; therefore he steered northwards around Stad,
and plundered in South More. Some people submitted to him; for it often
happens, when parties of armed men scour over a country, that those who
are nearest the danger seek help where they think it may be expected. As
soon as Earl Hakon heard the news of disturbance in More, he fitted out
ships, sent the war-token through the land, made ready in all haste,
and proceeded out of the fjord. He had no difficulty in assembling men.
Ragnfred and Earl Hakon met at the north corner of More; and Hakon, who
had most men, but fewer ships, began the battle. The combat was severe,
but heaviest on Hakon's side; and as the custom then was, they fought
bow to bow, and there was a current in the sound which drove all the
ships in upon the land. The earl ordered to row with the oars to the
land where landing seemed easiest. When the ships were all grounded, the
earl with all his men left them, and drew them up so far that the
enemy might not launch them down again, and then drew up his men on a
grass-field, and challenged Ragnfred to land. Ragnfred and his men laid
their vessels in along the land, and they shot at each other a long
time; but upon the land Ragnfred would not venture: and so they
separated. Ragnfred sailed with his fleet southwards around Stad; for
he was much afraid the whole forces of the country would swarm around
Hakon. Hakon, on his part, was not inclined to try again a battle, for