Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
not help herself, and considered what a luck it was for her to marry so
celebrated a man, she bade him to dispose himself of her hand and fate;
and, after nearer conversation, King Olaf took Thyre in marriage. This
wedding was held in harvest after the king returned from Halogaland
(A.D. 999), and King Olaf and Queen Thyre remained all winter (A.D.
1000) at Nidaros.
The following spring Queen Thyre complained often to King Olaf, and wept
bitterly over it, that she who had so great property in Vindland had no
goods or possessions here in the country that were suitable for a queen;
and sometimes she would entreat the king with fine words to get her
property restored to her, and saying that King Burizleif was so great
a friend of King Olaf that he would not deny King Olaf anything if they
were to meet. But when King Olaf's friends heard of such speeches, they
dissuaded him from any such expedition. It is related at the king one
day early in spring was walking in the street, and met a man in the
market with many, and, for that early season, remarkably large angelica
roots. The king took a great stalk of the angelica in his hand, and went
home to Queen Thyre's lodging. Thyre sat in her room weeping as the king
came in. The king said, "Set here, queen, is a great angelica stalk,
which I give thee." She threw it away, and said, "A greater present
Harald Gormson gave to my mother; and he was not afraid to go out of the
land and take his own. That was shown when he came here to Norway, and
laid waste the greater part of the land, and seized on all the scat and
revenues; and thou darest not go across the Danish dominions for this
brother of mine, King Svein." As she spoke thus, King Olaf sprang up,
and answered with loud oath, "Never did I fear thy brother King Svein;
and if we meet he shall give way before me!"
101. OLAF'S LEVY FOR WAR.
Soon after the king convoked a Thing in the town, and proclaimed to all
the public, that in summer would go abroad upon an expedition out of the
country, and would raise both ships and men from every district; and at
the same time fixed how many ships would have from the whole Throndhjem
fjord. Then he sent his message-token south and north, both along the
sea-coast and up in the interior of the country, to let an army be
gathered. The king ordered the Long Serpent to be put into the water,
along with all his other ships both small and great. He himself steered
the Long Serpent. When the crews were taken out for the ships, they were
so carefully selected that no man on board the Long Serpent was older
than sixty or younger than twenty years, and all were men distinguished
for strength and courage. Those who were Olaf's bodyguard were in
particular chosen men, both of the natives and of foreigners, and the
boldest and strongest.
102. CREW ON BOARD OF THE LONG SERPENT.
Ulf the Red was the name of the man who bore King Olaf's banner, and
was in the forecastle of the Long Serpent; and with him was Kolbjorn the
marshal, Thorstein Uxafot, and Vikar of Tiundaland, a brother of Arnliot
Gelline. By the bulkhead next the forecastle were Vak Raumason from Gaut
River, Berse the Strong, An Skyte from Jamtaland, Thrand the Strong from
Thelamork, and his brother Uthyrmer. Besides these were, of Halogaland
men, Thrand Skjalge and Ogmund Sande, Hlodver Lange from Saltvik,
and Harek Hvasse; together with these Throndhjem men--Ketil the High,
Thorfin Eisle, Havard and his brothers from Orkadal. The following were
in the fore-hold: Bjorn from Studla, Bork from the fjords. Thorgrim
Thjodolfson from Hvin, Asbjorn and Orm, Thord from Njardarlog, Thorstein
the White from Oprustadar, Arnor from More, Halstein and Hauk from the
Fjord district, Eyvind Snak, Bergthor Bestil, Halkel from Fialer, Olaf
Dreng, Arnfin from Sogn, Sigurd Bild, Einar from Hordaland, and Fin, and
Ketil from Rogaland and Grjotgard the Brisk. The following were in the
hold next the mast: Einar Tambaskelfer, who was not reckoned as fully
experienced, being only eighteen years old; Thorstein Hlifarson,
Thorolf, Ivar Smetta, and Orm Skogarnef. Many other valiant men were
in the Serpent, although we cannot tell all their names. In every half
division of the hold were eight men, and each and all chosen men; and in
the fore-hold were thirty men. It was a common saying among people, that
the Long Serpent's crew was as distinguished for bravery, strength, and
daring, among other men, as the Long Serpent was distinguished among
other ships. Thorkel Nefja, the king's brother, commanded the Short
Serpent; and Thorkel Dydril and Jostein, the king's mother's brothers,
had the Crane; and both these ships were well manned. King Olaf had
eleven large ships from Throndhjem, besides vessels with twenty rowers'
benches, smaller vessels, and provision-vessels.
103. ICELAND BAPTIZED.
When King Olaf had nearly rigged out his fleet in Nidaros, he appointed
men over the Throndhjem country in all districts and communities. He
also sent to Iceland Gissur the White and Hjalte Skeggjason, to proclaim
Christianity there; and sent with them a priest called Thormod, along
with several men in holy orders. But he retained with him, as hostages,
four Icelanders whom he thought the most important; namely, Kjartan
Olafson, Haldor Gudmundson, Kolbein Thordson, and Sverting Runolfson.
Of Gissur and Hjalte's progress, it is related that they came to
Iceland before the Althing, and went to the Thing; and in that Thing
Christianity was introduced by law into Iceland, and in the course of
the summer all the people were baptized (A.D. 1000).
104. GREENLAND BAPTIZED
The same spring King Olaf also sent Leif Eirikson (A.D. 1000) to
Greenland to proclaim Christianity there, and Leif went there that
summer. In the ocean he took up the crew of a ship which had been lost,
and who were clinging to the wreck. He also found Vinland the Good;
arrived about harvest in Greenland; and had with him for it a priest and
other teachers, with whom he went to Brattahild to lodge with his father
Eirik. People called him afterwards Leif the Lucky: but his father Eirik
said that his luck and ill luck balanced each other; for if Leif had
saved a wreck in the ocean, he had brought a hurtful person with him to
Greenland, and that was the priest.
105. RAGNVALD SENDS MESSENGERS TO OLAF.
The winter after King Olaf had baptized Halogaland, he and Queen Thyre
were in Nidaros; and the summer before Queen Thyre had brought King Olaf
a boy child, which was both stout and promising, and was called
Harald, after its mother's father. The king and queen loved the infant
exceedingly, and rejoiced in the hope that it would grow up and inherit
after its father; but it lived barely a year after its birth, which both
took much to heart. In that winter were many Icelanders and other clever
men in King Olaf's house, as before related. His sister Ingebjorg,
Trygve's daughter, King Olaf's sister, was also at the court at that
time. She was beautiful in appearance, modest and frank with the people,
had a steady manly judgment, and was beloved of all. She was very fond
of the Icelanders who were there, but most of Kjartan Olafson, for he
had been longer than the others in the king's house; and he found it
always amusing to converse with her, for she had both understanding and
cleverness in talk. The king was always gay and full of mirth in his
intercourse with people; and often asked about the manners of the
great men and chiefs in the neighbouring countries, when strangers
from Denmark or Sweden came to see him. The summer before Halfred
Vandredaskald had come from Gautland, where he had been with Earl
Ragnvald, Ulf's son, who had lately come to the government of West
Gautland. Ulf, Ragnvald's father, was a brother of Sigurd the Haughty;
so that King Olaf the Swede and Earl Ragnvald were brother's and
sister's children. Halfred told Olaf many things about the earl: he said
he was an able chief, excellently fitted for governing, generous with
money, brave and steady in friendship. Halfred said also the earl
desired much the friendship of King Olaf, and had spoken of making court
Ingebjorg, Trygve's daughter. The same winter came ambassadors from
Gautland, and fell in with King Olaf in the north, in Nidaros, and
brought the message which Halfred had spoken of,--that the earl desired
to be King Olaf's entire friend, and wished to become his brother-in-law
by obtaining his sister Ingebjorg in marriage. Therewith the ambassadors
laid before the king sufficient tokens in proof that in reality they
came from the earl on this errand. The king listened with approbation
to their speech; but said that Ingebjorg must determine on his assent to
the marriage. The king then talked to his sister about the matter, and
asked her opinion about it. She answered to this effect,--"I have been
with you for some time, and you have shown brotherly care and tender
respect for me ever since you came to the country. I will agree
therefore to your proposal about my marriage, provided that you do not
marry me to a heathen man." The king said it should be as she wished.
The king then spoke to the ambassadors; and it was settled before they
departed that in summer Earl Ragnvald should meet the king in the east
parts of the country, to enter into the fullest friendship with each
other, and when they met they would settle about the marriage. With this
reply the earl's messengers went westward, and King Olaf remained all
winter in Nidaros in great splendour, and with many people about him.
106. OLAF SENDS EXPEDITION TO VINDLAND.
King Olaf proceeded in summer with his ships and men southwards along
the land (and past Stad. With him were Queen Thyre and Ingebjorg,
Trygveis daughter, the king's sister). Many of his friends also joined
him, and other persons of consequence who had prepared themselves to
travel with the king. The first man among these was his brother-in-law,
Erling Skjalgson, who had with him a large ship of thirty benches of
rowers, and which was in every respect well equipt. His brothers-in-law
Hyrning and Thorgeir also joined him, each of whom for himself steered
a large vessel; and many other powerful men besides followed him. (With
all this war-force he sailed southwards along the land; but when he
came south as far as Rogaland he stopped there, for Erling Skjalgson had
prepared for him a splendid feast at Sole. There Earl Ragnvald, Ulf's
son, from Gautland, came to meet the king, and to settle the business
which had been proposed in winter in the messages between them, namely,
the marriage with Ingebjorg the king's sister. Olaf received him kindly;
and when the matter came to be spoken of, the king said he would keep
his word, and marry his sister Ingebjorg to him, provided he would
accept the true faith, and make all his subjects he ruled over in his
land be baptized; The earl agreed to this, and he and all his followers
were baptized. Now was the feast enlarged that Erling had prepared, for
the earl held his wedding there with Ingebjorg the king's sister. King
Olaf had now married off all his sisters. The earl, with Ingebjorg, set
out on his way home; and the king sent learned men with him to baptize
the people in Gautland, and to teach them the right faith and morals.
The king and the earl parted in the greatest friendship.)
107. OLAF'S EXPEDITION VINDLAND.
(After his sister Ingebjorg's wedding, the king made ready in all haste
to leave the country with his army, which was both great and made up
of fine men.) When he left the land and sailed southwards he had sixty
ships of war, with which he sailed past Denmark, and in through the
Sound, and on to Vindland. He appointed a meeting with King Burizleif;