Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
he thought the difference between their ships in size was too great; so
in harvest he went north to Throndhjem, and staid there all winter (A.D.
971). King Ragnfred consequently had all the country south of Stad at
his mercy; namely, Fjord district, Hordaland, Sogn, Rogaland; and he had
many people about him all winter. When spring approached he ordered out
the people and collected a large force. By going about the districts he
got many men, ships, and warlike stores sent as he required.
18. BATTLE BETWEEN HAKON AND RAGNFRED.
Towards spring Earl Hakon ordered out all the men north in the country;
and got many people from Halogaland and Naumudal; so that from Bryda to
Stad he had men from all the sea-coast. People flocked to him from all
the Throndhjem district and from Raumsdal. It was said for certain that
he had men from four great districts, and that seven earls followed him,
and a matchless number of men. So it is said in the "Vellekla":--
"Hakon, defender of the land,
Armed in the North his warrior-band
To Sogn's old shore his force he led,
And from all quarters thither sped
War-ships and men; and haste was made
By the young god of the sword-blade,
The hero-viking of the wave,
His wide domain from foes to save.
With shining keels seven kings sailed on
To meet this raven-feeding one.
When the clash came, the stunning sound
Was heard in Norway's farthest bound;
And sea-borne corpses, floating far,
Brought round the Naze news from the war."
Earl Hakon sailed then with his fleet southwards around Stad; and when
he heard that King Ragnfred with his army had gone towards Sogn, he
turned there also with his men to meet him: and there Ragnfred and Hakon
met. Hakon came to the land with his ships, marked out a battle-field
with hazel branches for King Ragnfred, and took ground for his own men
in it. So it is told in the "Vellekla":--
"In the fierce battle Ragnfred then
Met the grim foe of Vindland men;
And many a hero of great name
Fell in the sharp sword's bloody game.
The wielder of fell Narve's weapon,
The conquering hero, valiant Hakon
Had laid his war-ships on the strand,
And ranged his warriors on the land."
There was a great battle; but Earl Hakon, having by far the most people,
gained the victory. It took place on the Thinganes, where Sogn and
Hordaland meet.
King Rangfred fled to his ships, after 300 of his men had fallen. So it
is said in the "Vellekla":--
"Sharp was the battle-strife, I ween,--
Deadly and close it must have been,
Before, upon the bloody plain,
Three hundred corpses of the slain
Were stretched for the black raven's prey;
And when the conquerors took their way
To the sea-shore, they had to tread
O'er piled-up heaps of foemen dead."
After this battle King Ragnfred fled from Norway; but Earl Hakon
restored peace to the country, and allowed the great army which had
followed him in summer to return home to the north country, and he
himself remained in the south that harvest and winter (A.D. 972).
19. EARL HAKON'S MARRIAGE.
Earl Hakon married a girl called Thora, a daughter of the powerful Skage
Skoptason, and very beautiful she was. They had two sons, Svein and
Heming, and a daughter called Bergljot who was afterwards married to
Einar Tambaskielfer. Earl Hakon was much addicted to women, and had many
children; among others a daughter Ragnhild, whom he married to Skopte
Skagason, a brother of Thora. The Earl loved Thora so much that he held
Thora's family in higher respect than any other people, and Skopte his
brother-in-law in particular; and he gave him many great fiefs in
More. Whenever they were on a cruise together, Skopte must lay his ship
nearest to the earl's, and no other ship was allowed to come in between.
20. DEATH OF SKOPTE.
One summer that Earl Hakon was on a cruise, there was a ship with him
of which Thorleif Spake (the Wise) was steersman. In it was also
Eirik, Earl Hakon's son, then about ten or eleven years old. Now in the
evenings, as they came into harbour, Eirik would not allow any ship but
his to lie nearest to the earl's. But when they came to the south, to
More, they met Skopte the earl's brother-in-law, with a well-manned
ship; and as they rowed towards the fleet, Skopte called out that
Thorleif should move out of the harbour to make room for him, and should
go to the roadstead. Eirik in haste took up the matter, and ordered
Skopte to go himself to the roadstead. When Earl Hakon heard that his
son thought himself too great to give place to Skopte, he called to them
immediately that they should haul out from their berth, threatening them
with chastisement if they did not. When Thorleif heard this, he ordered
his men to slip their land-cable, and they did so; and Skopte laid his
vessel next to the earl's as he used to do. When they came together,
Skopte brought the earl all the news he had gathered, and the earl
communicated to Skopte all the news he had heard; and Skopte was
therefore called Tidindaskopte (the Newsman Skopte). The winter after
(A.D. 973) Eirik was with his foster-father Thorleif, and early in
spring he gathered a crew of followers, and Thorleif gave him a boat
of fifteen benches of rowers, with ship furniture, tents, and ship
provisions; and Eirik set out from the fjord, and southwards to More.
Tidindaskopte happened also to be going with a fully manned boat of
fifteen rowers' benches from one of his farms to another, and Eirik went
against him to have a battle. Skopte was slain, but Eirik granted
life to those of his men who were still on their legs. So says Eyjolf
Dadaskald in the "Banda Lay":--
"At eve the youth went out
To meet the warrior stout--
To meet stout Skopte--he
Whose war-ship roves the sea
Like force was on each side,
But in the whirling tide
The young wolf Eirik slew
Skopte, and all his crew
And he was a gallant one,
Dear to the Earl Hakon.
Up, youth of steel-hard breast--
No time hast thou to rest!
Thy ocean wings spread wide--
Speed o'er the foaming tide!
Speed on--speed on thy way!
For here thou canst not stay."
Eirik sailed along the land and came to Denmark, and went to King Harald
Gormson, and staid with him all winter (A.D. 974). In spring the
Danish king sent him north to Norway, and gave him an earldom, and the
government of Vingulmark and Raumarike, on the same terms as the small
scat-paying kings had formerly held these domains. So says Eyjolf
Dadaskald:--
"South through ocean's spray
His dragon flew away
To Gormson's hall renowned.
Where the bowl goes bravely round.
And the Danish king did place
This youth of noble race
Where, shield and sword in hand,
He would aye defend his land."
Eirik became afterwards a great chief.
21. OLAF TRYGVASON'S JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.
All this time Olaf Trygvason was in Gardarike (Russia), and highly
esteemed by King Valdemar, and beloved by the queen. King Valdemar made
him chief over the men-at-arms whom he sent out to defend the land. So
says Hallarsteid:--
"The hater of the niggard band,
The chief who loves the Northman's land,
Was only twelve years old when he
His Russian war-ships put to sea.
The wain that ploughs the sea was then
Loaded with war-gear by his men--
With swords, and spears, and helms: and deep
Out to the sea his good ships sweep."
Olaf had several battles, and was lucky as a leader of troops. He
himself kept a great many men-at-arms at his own expense out of the pay
the king gave him. Olaf was very generous to his men, and therefore
very popular. But then it came to pass, what so often happens when a
foreigner is raised to higher power and dignity than men of the country,
that many envied him because he was so favoured by the king, and also
not less so by the queen. They hinted to the king that he should take
care not to make Olaf too powerful,--"for such a man may be dangerous to
you, if he were to allow himself to be used for the purpose of doing you
or your kingdom harm; for he is extremely expert in all exercises and
feats, and very popular. We do not, indeed, know what it is he can have
to talk of so often with the queen." It was then the custom among great
monarchs that the queen should have half of the court attendants,
and she supported them at her own expense out of the scat and revenue
provided for her for that purpose. It was so also at the court of King
Valdemar that the queen had an attendance as large as the king, and they
vied with each other about the finest men, each wanting to have such
in their own service. It so fell out that the king listened to such
speeches, and became somewhat silent and blunt towards Olaf. When Olaf
observed this, he told it to the queen; and also that he had a great
desire to travel to the Northern land, where his family formerly had
power and kingdoms, and where it was most likely he would advance
himself. The queen wished him a prosperous journey, and said he would
be found a brave man wherever he might be. Olaf then made ready, went on
board, and set out to sea in the Baltic.
As he was coming from the east he made the island of Borgundarholm
(Bornholm), where he landed and plundered. The country people hastened
down to the strand, and gave him battle; but Olaf gained the victory,
and a large booty.
22. OLAF TRYGVASON'S MARRIAGE.
While Olaf lay at Borgundarholm there came on bad weather, storm, and
a heavy sea, so that his ships could not lie there; and he sailed
southwards under Vindland, where they found a good harbour. They
conducted themselves very peacefully, and remained some time. In
Vindland there was then a king called Burizleif, who had three
daughters,--Geira, Gunhild, and Astrid. The king's daughter Geira had
the power and government in that part where Olaf and his people landed,
and Dixen was the name of the man who most usually advised Queen Geira.
Now when they heard that unknown people were came to the country, who
were of distinguished appearance, and conducted themselves peaceably,
Dixen repaired to them with a message from Queen Geira, inviting the
strangers to take up their winter abode with her; for the summer was
almost spent, and the weather was severe and stormy. Now when Dixen came
to the place he soon saw that the leader was a distinguished man,
both from family and personal appearance, and he told Olaf the queen's
invitation with the most kindly message. Olaf willingly accepted the
invitation, and went in harvest (A.D. 982) to Queen Geira. They liked
each other exceedingly, and Olaf courted Queen Geira; and it was so
settled that Olaf married her the same winter, and was ruler, along with
Queen Geira, over her dominions. Halfred Vandredaskald tells of these
matters in the lay he composed about King Olaf:--
"Why should the deeds the hero did
In Bornholm and the East he hid?
His deadly weapon Olaf bold
Dyed red: why should not this be told?"
23. EARL HAKON PAYS NO SCAT.
Earl Hakon ruled over Norway, and paid no scat; because the Danish king
gave him all the scat revenue that belonged to the king in Norway,
for the expense and trouble he had in defending the country against
Gunhild's sons.
24. HARALD OPPOSES CHRISTIANITY.
The Emperor Otta (Otto) was at that time in the Saxon country, and sent
a message to King Harald, the Danish king, that he must take on the true
faith and be baptized, he and all his people whom he ruled; "otherwise,"
says the emperor, "we will march against him with an army." The Danish