Heimskringla

by Snorri Sturluson

  Eirík was a large and handsome man, strong and of great prowess, a great and victorious warrior, violent of disposition, cruel, gruff, and taciturn. Gunnhild, his wife, was a very beautiful woman, shrewd and skilled in magic, friendly of speech, but full of deceit and cruelty. The following were the children of Eirík and Gunnhild. Gamli was the eldest, then Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfröth, Ragnhild, Erling, Guthröth, Sigurth Slefa. All of Eirík’s children were handsome and promising.

  The Saga of Hákon the Good

  Chapter 1. Hákon Returns to Norway from England

  Hákon, the foster son of Æthelstān, was in England at the time when he learned of the death of King Harald, his father. Then he made ready at once for his journey. King Æthelstān gave him a body of men and good ships, outfitting the expedition most magnificently. He arrived in Norway 934 toward autumn. Then he heard of the fall of his brothers, and also that King Eirík was in the District of Vík right then. Thereupon Hákon sailed north to Trondheim to seek Sigurth, the earl of Hlathir, the shrewdest man in all Norway. He was received well by him, and they entered into an agreement. Hákon promised him great power if he became king. They called together an assembly which was attended by many people, and at this assembly Earl Sigurth spoke in behalf of Hákon and counseled them to choose Hákon as their king. Thereupon Hákon himself arose and spoke. Then people said, one turning to another, that in him Harald Fairhair had been reborn.

  Hákon began his speech by asking the farmers to give him the title of king, and also, to stand by him and lend him their support to maintain him in his kingship. On his part he offered to confirm all landholders in the possession of their ancestral estates and let them have the family homestead in which they lived [unentailed].

  When they heard these particulars there was much applause; so much so that the whole host of farmers made acclaim and called out that they wanted to have him as their king. And so was done, and the people of the Trondheim District declared Hákon king over the whole land. He was fifteen at that time. He assembled a bodyguard and made his royal progress around the country. The news was brought to the Uppland districts1 that the people of Trondheim had chosen as king one who in all respects was like Harald Fairhair, with the difference that Harald had made slaves of all the people in the land and oppressed them, whereas this Hákon wished everyone well and offered to return to the landholders their estates which King Harald had taken away from them. Hearing these tidings all became glad, and everyone told it to others, and it spread like wildfire all the way east to the very ends of the country. Many farmers travelled from Uppland to meet King Hákon, others sent messengers, still others, messages and tokens, all to the effect that they wanted to be his followers; and the king was grateful to them.

  King Hákon addresses the assembly.

  Chapter 2. Hákon Is Accepted as King in the Uppland Districts

  At the beginning of winter King Hákon journeyed to the Uppland districts where he summoned assemblies; and all the people who could, crowded to see him, and in all districts he was accepted as king. Then he journeyed east [south] to the District of Vík. There he was joined by Tryggvi and Guthröth, his nephews, as well as by many others, who recounted to him the ill treatment they had suffered at the hands of Eirík, Hákon’s brother. Eirík’s unpopularity grew the greater the more all people wished to gain King Hákon’s friendship and took courage to speak about what dwelled in their hearts. King Hákon bestowed the royal title on Tryggvi and Guthröth, together with the lands which King Harald had given their fathers. To Tryggvi he gave Ranríki and Vingulmork, and to Guthröth, Westfold. But because they were young and childish, he set noble and wise men to administer the land with them. He gave them [these] lands with the understanding, which had existed before, that they were to have the half of the taxes and revenues together with him. Toward spring King Hákon returned overland to Trondheim by way of Uppland.

  Chapter 3. King Eirík Flees to England

  King Hákon gathered a large army in the Trondheim District 935 during the spring, procuring ships. The people of Vík also had a large force and meant to join Hákon. Eirík also levied troops in the center of the country, but with little success, because many prominent chieftains failed him, joining Hákon. And when he saw he had no means to resist Hákon’s army, he sailed west across the sea with such troops as wished to follow him. First, he went to the Orkneys, and from there he led away a great force.

  Then he sailed south to England, harrying along the Scottish coast wherever he touched land. He harried also in the northern parts of England.

  King Æthelstān, the king of England, sent word to Eirík to the effect that he offered him a dominion in England, saying that King Harald, his father, had been a great friend of his and that he would take that into consideration with his son. Then messengers went between the kings, and special agreements were made that King Eirík was to have Northumberland in fief from King Æthelstān, and defend that land against Danes and other vikings. Eirík was to let himself be baptized, together with his wife and children and all the force that had followed him to England. Eirík accepted these conditions. Thereupon he was baptized, accepting the true faith.

  Northumberland is called a fifth part of England. Eirík made his residence in York where, it is said, the sons of Lothbrók had resided. Northumberland was settled by Norwegians, chiefly after the sons of Lothbrók had conquered the land. Danes and Norwegians often harried there after they had lost control of the country. Many place names in that land have Scandinavian forms, such as Grimsby, Hauksfljót,1 and many others.

  Chapter 4. King Eirík Ravages the British Islands and Is Slain

  King Eirík surrounded himself with many men. There were a great number of Norwegians who had sailed to the west with him, and they were augmented by many friends of his from Norway. His land was small in size, and therefore he always went on plundering expeditions in summer, harrying in Scotland, the Hebrides, Ireland, and Bretland [Wales], and thus gained wealth for himself.

  King Æthelstān died from sickness. He had been king for fourteen 940 years, eight weeks, and three days. He was succeeded by Eadmund, his brother. He did not care for Norwegians. He and King Eirík were no friends, and there was the rumor that King Eadmund would appoint another chieftain for Northumberland. But when King Eirík heard of that he went on a viking expedition to the west. From the Orkneys he had with him Arnkel and Erlend, the sons of Turf-Einar. From there he sailed to the Hebrides, and there were many vikings and warrior chieftains who joined his expedition. Then he first sailed to Ireland with all his forces, and took with him as many men from there as he could get. Thereupon he sailed to Wales and harried there. Then he sailed south along the English coast, harrying there as elsewhere, and all the people fled where he came. And because Eirík was a leader of great prowess and had a large army, he dared depend on his army to such an extent that he went far inland, harrying and recruiting men. Óláf was the name of the king whom Eadmund had appointed to protect that part of the country. He gathered a huge host and made a stand against Eirík, and there was a great battle. Many of the English fell, but when one fell, three came in his stead from inland. And toward the end of the day more Norwegians than English fell. Many died there, and at the close of that day King Eirík fell, together with five other kings. Their names were Guthorm and his two sons, Ívar and Hárek. Among the dead were also Sigurth and Rognvald. There fell also Arnkel and Erlend, the sons of Turf-Einar. There was a great slaughter of Norwegians. Those who escaped sailed to Northumberland and informed Gunnhild and her sons of these happenings.

  Chapter 5. Queen Gunnhild Retires to the Orkneys

  When Gunnhild and her sons learned that King Eirík had fallen after having harried in the land of the English king, they felt certain that they would not be allowed to stay there in peace. They made ready at once to depart from Northumberland with all the ships King Eirík had had and all the men who wanted to go with them. They had along with them also a huge quantity of valuables w
hich had collected there from taxes in England, though some had been gotten by plundering. With their force they sailed north to the Orkneys and made their abode there for a while. At that time Earl Thorfinn Hausakljúf [Skullcleaver], the son of Turf-Einar ruled there. Then the sons of Eirík took possession of the Orkneys and of the Shetland Islands, laying them under tribute. They resided there in wintertime and made viking expeditions in the summers, harrying in Scotland and Ireland. Glúm Geirason1 makes mention of this in these verses:

  (60.)

  60. Thence, a stripling, steered the

  steed-of-sea’s bold reiner,

  matchless mariner, to

  make inroads on Skáney.2

  Ravaging, the war-worker

  wasted Scotland wholly,

  sending, sword-hewn in battle,

  sons of men to Óthin.

  (61.)

  61. Irish hosts the hero

  whelmed in bitter combat—

  ravenous ravens he gladdened—

  routing amain his foeman!

  Reddened the Freyr-of-folklands,3

  fearless, his broadsword with

  gore—was grim fray won—of

  gallant men, in Southland.

  Chapter 6. King Hákon Pursues the Danes to Jutland

  King Hákon, the foster son of Æthelstān, brought all Norway to submission after his brother Eirík had fled abroad. During his first winter in Norway, King Hákon sought out the western part of the country, thereafter residing north in the District of Trondheim. But because peace was not to be expected if King Eirík should cross the sea with his army, he kept with his forces in the middle of the country, in the Fjord and Sogn districts, in Horthaland and Rogaland. Hákon set Sigurth, the earl of Hlathir, to govern the entire District of Trondheim, as Sigurth, as well as his father Hákon, had done under King Harald Fairhair. But when King Hákon learned of the death of his brother, King Eirík, and that King Eirík’s sons found no support in England he thought there was not much to be feared from them, and so one summer he journeyed east to Vík with his army. At that time the Danes were much given to harrying in the District of Vík and often did much damage there. But when they heard that King Hákon had arrived there with a large army, all of them fled; some south, to Halland, and some who were closer to Hákon took to the sea, sailing south to Jutland. But when King Hákon became aware of that he sailed after them with all his forces. Now when he arrived in Jutland and the population heard of that, they gathered an army to protect their country and prepared to resist King Hákon, and there was a great battle. King Hákon fought so valiantly that he advanced in front of his standard without either helmet or coat of mail. He was victorious and pursued the enemy far inland. As says Guthorm Sindri1 in his Hákonardrápa:

  (62.)

  62. Trod the king the track of

  tiller-horses2 with oar blades.

  Fey Jutes felled he in the

  fray-of-battle-maidens.3

  Pursued the ravens’-sater

  since their fleeing army.

  To howling wolves the hardy

  hero gave food aplenty.

  Chapter 7. King Hákon Is Victorious over Eleven Viking Ships

  Then King Hákon led his forces south to Seeland, looking for the vikings. With two swift-sailing ships he proceeded into the Sound. There he found eleven viking ships and at once joined battle with them, and in the end came out as victor, clearing all the viking ships of their crews. As says Guthorm Sindri:

  (63.)

  63. Sailed from the south toward

  Selund’s1 green sea-nesses

  the elmbow-shower’s-urger,2 with

  only two swift sail-ships,

  when the liege eleven

  long-ships cleared of Danish

  crews—far-famed that fray—in

  fierce-fought battle clashing.

  Chapter 8. King Hákon Ravages Seeland, Scania, and Gautland

  After that King Hákon harried far and wide in Seeland, plundering the people, killing some and leading others into captivity. From some he took a large ransom. He found no resistance then. As says Guthorm Sindri:

  (64.)

  64. Selund overset the

  sea-king with his power

  as far as falcon freely

  flies, wind blows—and Skáney.

  Thereupon King Hákon sailed east along the coast of Scania, harrying everywhere and taking tribute and taxes from the land. He killed all the vikings he found, both Danes and Wends. Then he proceeded east along Gautland, harrying and exacting a large tribute from the land. As says Guthorm Sindri:

  (65.)

  65. Gained the Gauts’ subduer

  gold and tribute from them.

  Stirred the sea-nag’s-steerer1

  Strife wherever he fared there.

  In the fall, King Hákon returned with his force, having gotten an immense amount of booty. During the winter he stayed in Vík to defend it if Danes and Gauts made inroads there.

  Chapter 9. King Hákon Appoints Tryggvi to Defend Vík

  That same fall King Tryggvi Óláfsson returned from a viking expedition to the west, after harrying in Ireland and Scotland. In the spring King Hákon journeyed north and appointed King Tryggvi, his brother’s son, to defend Vík against any incursions and to take possession of those lands in Denmark which King Hákon had laid under tribute during the preceding summer. As says Guthorm Sindri:

  (66.)

  66. The ring-dight-helmets’-reddener1

  rule gave to doughty Tryggvi

  over Ónar’s daughter’s2

  oak-grown eastern folk-land—

  him who ere from Ireland,

  eager for deeds, came on

  sea-steeds o’er the swans’-road

  sailing in force thither.

  Chapter 10. Queen Gunnhild and Her Sons Take Refuge with King Harald of Denmark

  At that time King Harald Gormsson ruled in Denmark. He was much incensed that King Hákon had harried in his land, and there was a rumor that the Danish king would take revenge; but nothing came of that immediately. But when Gunnhild and her sons learned that there was war between Denmark and Norway, they made ready to return to Norway. They gave Ragnhild, Eirík’s daughter, in marriage to Arnfinn, the son of Thorfinn Hausakljúf. Earl Thorfinn reestablished himself in the Orkneys, and the sons of Eirík sailed away. Gamli Eiríksson was somewhat older than his brothers, but still not full-grown. Now when Gunnhild arrived in Denmark with her sons she went to the court of King Harald and found a good reception there. King Harald gave them revenues in his kingdom large enough to support themselves and their followers. He accepted Harald Eiríksson as his foster son and adopted him. He was brought up there at the court of the Danish king. Some of the sons of Eirík went on warlike expeditions as soon as they were old enough for that, acquiring possessions by harrying in the Baltic. At an early age they were handsome men, and ahead of their age in strength and accomplishments. Glúm Geirason makes mention of this in his Gráfeldardrápa:1

  (67.)

  67. Lands in the east the liege brought—

  lavished he weapons on his

  skalds—unscathèd fought he

  skirmishes—’neath his sway then.

  The sword-play’s-sire2 made sheath-tongues3

  sing; and doughty, gold-dight

  warriors laid he low in

  lusty games-of-Skogul.4

  The sons of Eirík then turned with their fleet against Vík and harried there, but King Tryggvi had his forces ready and resisted them; and they fought many battles, with now one, now the other victorious, the sons of Eirík sometimes harrying in Vík, and Tryggvi, sometimes in Halland and Seeland.

  Chapter 11. King Hákon’s Character and Legislation

  While Hákon was king in Norway good peace obtained for both farmers and merchants, so that no one harmed the other or his property. Abundance reigned both on sea and land. King Hákon was a most cheerful person, very eloquent, and most kindly disposed. He was a man of keen understa
nding and laid great stress on legislation. He devised the Gulathings Law with the help of Thorleif the Wise; and the Frostathings Law, with the advice of Earl Sigurth and other men from the Trondheim District who were accounted wisest. But the Heithsævis Law1 had been given by Hálfdan the Black, as mentioned before. King Hákon held his Yule celebration in the Trondheim District. Earl Sigurth had made a banquet ready for him at Hlathir. In the first night of Yule, Bergljót, the earl’s wife, gave birth to a boy child. On the day after, King Hákon sprinkled that boy with water, giving him his own name. He grew up to be a man, powerful and of mark. Earl Sigurth was a close friend of King Hákon.

  Chapter 12. King Eystein Sets the Dog Saur over Trondheim

  Eystein, the King of the Uppland districts, who by some is called the Powerful, but by some, the Evil, [had, in times long before that] harried in the Trondheim District and conquered the counties of Eynafylki and Sparbyggja District and set his son———1 over them. But the people of Trondheim killed him. Then King Eystein made another expedition against Trondheim, harrying far and wide, and subduing it. Then he offered the people of Trondheim the choice whether they would rather have as king over them his thrall, whose name was Thórir Faxi, or the dog called Saur. They chose the dog, thinking that under him they would rather have their own way. By magic they had put into the dog the understanding of three men. He barked twice but spoke every third word. A neckband was fashioned for him, and also a chain of silver and gold. And whenever the ways were muddy his followers carried him on their shoulders. A high-seat was prepared for him, and he sat on a hill, as kings do, and lived on the Inner Island,2 residing at the place called Saur’s Hill. It is told that the cause of his death was this that wolves attacked his flock, and his followers urged him to defend his sheep; and so he came down from his hill to fight the wolves, and they promptly tore him to pieces.