Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
greater king than Sigurd Syr is, and die the death of old age." With
this the conference closed. King Olaf remained here a while with all his
men. King Sigurd entertained them, day about, the one day with fish and
milk, the other day with flesh-meat and ale.
34. KINGS IN THE UPLAND DISTRICTS.
At that time there were many kings in the Uplands who had districts to
rule over, and the most of them were descended from Harald Harfager. In
Hedemark two brothers ruled--Hrorek and Ring; in Gudbrandsdal, Gudrod;
and there was also a king in Raumarike; and one had Hadaland and Thoten;
and in Valders also there was a king. With these district-kings Sigurd
had a meeting up in Hadaland, and Olaf Haraldson also met with them. To
these district-kings whom Sigurd had assembled he set forth his stepson
Olaf's purpose, and asked their aid, both of men and in counsel and
consent; and represented to them how necessary it was to cast off the
yoke which the Danes and Swedes had laid upon them. He said that there
was now a man before them who could head such an enterprise; and he
recounted the many brave actions which Olaf had achieved upon his
war-expeditions.
Then King Hrorek says, "True it is that Harald Harfager's kingdom has
gone to decay, none of his race being supreme king over Norway. But
the people here in the country have experienced many things. When King
Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, was king, all were content; but when
Gunhild's sons ruled over the country, all were so weary of their
tyranny and injustice that they would rather have foreign men as kings,
and be themselves more their own rulers; for the foreign kings were
usually abroad and cared little about the customs of the people if the
scat they laid on the country was paid. When enmity arose between
the Danish king Harald and Earl Hakon, the Jomsborg vikings made an
expedition against Norway; then the whole people arose, and threw the
hostilities from themselves; and thereafter the people encouraged Earl
Hakon to keep the country, and defend it with sword and spear against
the Danish king. But when he had set himself fast in the kingdom with
the help of the people, he became so hard and overbearing towards the
country-folks, that they would no longer suffer him. The Throndhjem
people killed him, and raised to the kingly power Olaf Trygvason, who
was of the udal succession to the kingdom, and in all respects well
fitted to be a chief. The whole country's desire was to make him supreme
king, and raise again the kingdom which Harald Harfager had made for
himself. But when King Olaf thought himself quite firmly seated in his
kingdom, no man could rule his own concerns for him. With us small kings
he was so unreasonable, as to take to himself not only all the scat and
duties which Harald Harfager had levied from us, but a great deal more.
The people at last had so little freedom under him, that it was not
allowed to every man to believe in what god he pleased. Now since he
has been taken away we have kept friendly with the Danish king; have
received great help from him when we have had any occasion for it; and
have been allowed to rule ourselves, and live in peace and quiet in the
inland country, and without any overburden. I am therefore content that
things be as they are, for I do not see what better rights I am to enjoy
by one of my relations ruling over the country; and if I am to be no
better off, I will take no part in the affair."
Then said King Ring, his brother, "I will also declare my opinion that
it is better for me, if I hold the same power and property as now, that
my relative is king over Norway, rather than a foreign chief, so that
our family may again raise its head in the land. It is, besides, my
opinion about this man Olaf, that his fate and luck must determine
whether he is to obtain the kingdom or not; and if he succeed in making
himself supreme king, then he will be the best off who has best deserved
his friendship. At present he has in no respect greater power than any
of us; nay, indeed, he has less; as we have lands and kingdoms to rule
over, and he has nothing, and we are equally entitled by the udal right
to the kingdom as he is himself. Now, if we will be his men, give him
our aid, allow him to take the highest dignity in the country, and stand
by him with our strength, how should he not reward us well, and hold
it in remembrance to our great advantage, if he be the honourable man
I believe him to be, and all say he is? Therefore let us join the
adventure, say I, and bind ourselves in friendship with him."
Then the others, one after the other, stood up and spoke; and the
conclusion was, that the most of them determined to enter into a league
with King Olaf. He promised them his perfect friendship, and that he
would hold by and improve the country's laws and rights, if he became
supreme king of Norway. This league was confirmed by oath.
35. OLAF GETS THE TITLE OF KING FROM THE THING.
Thereafter the kings summoned a Thing, and there King Olaf set forth
this determination to all the people, and his demand on the kingly
power. He desires that the bondes should receive him as king; and
promises, on the other hand, to allow them to retain their ancient laws,
and to defend the land from foreign masters and chiefs. On this point he
spoke well, and long; and he got great praise for his speech. Then the
kings rose and spoke, the one after the other, and supported his cause,
and this message to the people. At last it came to this, that King Olaf
was proclaimed king over the whole country, and the kingdom adjudged to
him according to law in the Uplands (A.D. 1014).
36. KING OLAF TRAVELS IN THE UPLANDS.
King Olaf began immediately his progress through the country, appointing
feasts before him wherever there were royal farms. First he travelled
round in Hadaland, and then he proceeded north to Gudbrandsdal. And now
it went as King Sigurd Syr had foretold, that people streamed to him
from all quarters; and he did not appear to have need for half of them,
for he had nearly 300 men. But the entertainments bespoken did not
half serve; for it had been the custom that kings went about in
guest-quarters in the Uplands with 60 or 70 men only, and never with
more than 100 men. The king therefore hastened over the country, only
stopping one night at the same place. When he came north to Dovrefield,
he arranged his journey so that he came over the mountain and down upon
the north side of it, and then came to Opdal, where he remained all
night. Afterwards he proceeded through Opdal forest, and came out at
Medaldal, where he proclaimed a Thing, and summoned the bondes to meet
him at it. The king made a speech to the Thing, and asked the bondes to
accept him as king; and promised, on his part, the laws and rights which
King Olaf Trygvason had offered them. The bondes had no strength to
make opposition to the king; so the result was that they received him as
king, and confirmed it by oath: but they sent word to Orkadal and Skaun
of all that they knew concerning Olaf's proceedings.
37. LEVY AGAINST OLAF IN THRONDHJEM.
Einar Tambaskelfer had a farm and house at Husaby in Skaun; and now when
he got news of Olaf's proceedings, he immediately split up a war-arrow,
and sent it out as a token to the four quarters--north, south, east,
west,--to call together all free and unfree men in full equipment of
war: therewith the message, that they were to defend the land against
King Olaf. The message-stick went to Orkadal, and thence to Gaulardal,
where the whole war-force was to assemble.
38. OLAF'S PROGRESS IN THRONDHJEM.
King Olaf proceeded with his men down into Orkadal, and advanced in
peace and with all gentleness; but when he came to Griotar he met the
assembled bondes, amounting to more than 700 men. Then the king arrayed
his army, for he thought the bondes were to give battle. When the bondes
saw this, they also began to put their men in order; but it went on
very slowly, for they had not agreed beforehand who among them should be
commander. Now when King Olaf saw there was confusion among the bondes,
he sent to them Thorer Gudbrandson; and when he came he told them King
Olaf did not want to fight them, but named twelve of the ablest men in
their flock of people, who were desired to come to King Olaf. The bondes
agreed to this; and the twelve men went over a rising ground which is
there, and came to the place where the king's army stood in array. The
king said to them, "Ye bondes have done well to give me an opportunity
to speak with you, for now I will explain to you my errand here to the
Throndhjem country. First I must tell you, what ye already must have
heard, that Earl Hakon and I met in summer; and the issue of our meeting
was, that he gave me the whole kingdom he possessed in the Throndhjem
country, which, as ye know, consists of Orkadal, Gaulardal, Strind, and
Eyna district. As a proof of this, I have here with me the very men who
were present, and saw the earl's and my own hands given upon it, and
heard the word and oath, and witnessed the agreement the earl made
with me. Now I offer you peace and law, the same as King Olaf Trygvason
offered before me."
The king spoke well, and long; and ended by proposing to the bondes two
conditions--either to go into his service and be subject to him, or to
fight him. Thereupon the twelve bondes went back to their people, and
told the issue of their errand, and considered with the people what they
should resolve upon. Although they discussed the matter backwards and
forwards for a while, they preferred at last to submit to the king; and
it was confirmed by the oath of the bondes. The king now proceeded on
his journey, and the bondes made feasts for him. The king then proceeded
to the sea-coast, and got ships; and among others he got a long-ship of
twenty benches of rowers from Gunnar of Gelmin; another ship of twenty
benches he got from Loden of Viggia; and three ships of twenty benches
from the farm of Angrar on the ness which farm Earl Hakon had possessed,
but a steward managed it for him, by name Bard White. The king had,
besides, four or five boats; and with these vessels he went in all haste
into the fjord of Throndhjem.
39. OF EARL SVEIN'S PROCEEDINGS.
Earl Svein was at that time far up in the Throndhjem fjord at Steinker,
which at that time was a merchant town, and was there preparing for
the yule festival (A.D. 1015). When Einar Tambaskelfer heard that the
Orkadal people had submitted to King Olaf, he sent men to Earl Svein
to bring him the tidings. They went first to Nidaros, and took a
rowing-boat which belonged to Einar, with which they went out into the
fjord, and came one day late in the evening to Steinker, where they
brought to the earl the news about all King Olaf's proceedings. The earl
owned a long-ship, which was lying afloat and rigged just outside the
town: and immediately, in the evening, he ordered all his movable goods,
his people's clothes, and also meat and drink, as much as the
vessel could carry, to be put on board, rowed immediately out in the
night-time, and came with daybreak to Skarnsund. There he saw King Olaf
rowing in with his fleet into the fjord. The earl turned towards the
land within Masarvik, where there was a thick wood, and lay so near the
rocks that the leaves and branches hung over the vessel. They cut down
some large trees, which they laid over the quarter on the sea-side,
so that the ship could not be seen for leaves, especially as it was
scarcely clear daylight when the king came rowing past them. The weather
was calm, and the king rowed in among the islands; and when the king's
fleet was out of sight the earl rowed out of the fjord, and on to
Frosta, where his kingdom lay, and there he landed.