It was often the custom of powerful kings to let their queens have half their bodyguard, maintaining them at their own expense, and for that purpose [to let them] have such revenues and taxes as were needed. That was the case also with King Valdamar; the queen had a bodyguard no smaller than that of the king, and they vied with each other to obtain men of prominence, both wanting to get hold of such.
It so happened that the king came to believe such words which people addressed to him, and he became somewhat cool to Óláf, showing displeasure. As soon as Óláf discovered that, he told the queen about it, and also that he was eager to go to the northern lands; also, that his kinsmen had had dominion there before and that he thought it likeliest that he would prosper most there. The queen bade him to go if he so pleased and said that he would be considered a man of distinction wherever he was. Thereupon he prepared to leave. He boarded a ship and sailed out into 986 the Baltic. And as he sailed west he touched on Borgundarholm,2 where he made a descent and harried. The men of the country rushed down to the strand and gave battle to him, but Óláf was victorious and got much booty.
Chapter 22. Óláf Tryggvason Marries Princess Geira
While Óláf lay with his ship by Borgundarholm he experienced a sharp gale with strong seas and could not hold himself there, so he sailed south to Wendland,1 where he found a good harbor. He proceeded peaceably and stayed there for some time. Búrizláf2 was the name of the king of Wendland. His daughters were Geira, Gunnhild, and Ástríth. At the place where Óláf had landed, Princess Geira had sway and power, and a man called Dixin had most to say with her. And when it was learned that unknown men had landed there who were of lordly appearance and were peaceably inclined, Dixin went to meet them, bringing a message from Queen Geira to the effect that she would offer winter quarters to the men who had come there; because summer was well-nigh past and the weather was severe, with hard storms. And when Dixin met them he soon was aware that their chieftain was a man distinguished both in appearance and by birth. Dixin told them that the queen invited them to her court with an offer of friendship. Óláf accepted that invitation and proceeded to Queen Geira’s court to spend the winter there. They took a great liking to one another; so much so that Óláf asked for Princess Geira’s hand, and it was decided that Óláf was to marry her that winter. Then he became the governor of that country with her. Hallfröth Vandræthaskáld3 mentions this in the drápa which he composed about King Óláf:
(119.)
136. On the island Óláf
arrows with blood colored—
why should that be hidden?
Hólmgarth also felt him.4
Chapter 23. Earl Hákon Retains the Tribute to Denmark
Earl Hákon ruled over Norway and paid no tribute, for the reason that the king of Denmark forgave him all the tribute which was due to him from Norway, because of the trouble and expense the earl had been put to in defending his country against the sons of Gunnhild.
Chapter 24. King Harald Summons Earl Hákon to Aid Him against Emperor Otto
At that time Otto1 was emperor in Saxland. He sent word to King Harald of Denmark, demanding that he should let himself be baptized and adopt the true faith, together with the people he ruled, or else he would move against him with his army. Thereupon Harald had the defences of his land put in order. He had the Danavirki2 maintained and his warships made ready for action. Then he sent messengers to Earl Hákon in Norway requesting him to join him early in the spring with all the forces he could muster. 988 So in spring Earl Hákon summoned a levy in all his dominions, and a great force it was; and with it he sailed to Denmark to join the king of Denmark. The king received him most graciously. Many other chieftains were with the king of Denmark at that time in order to lend him support, so he had a huge force.
Chapter 25. Óláf Harries in the Baltic
As was set down before, Óláf Tryggvason had been in Wendland during the winter. During that season he proceeded to those districts in Wendland which had been subject to Queen Geira, but had at that time forsworn all allegiance to her and refused to pay tribute. Óláf harried there, killing many, burning the houses down for others, and took much booty, subduing these shires, whereupon he returned to his stronghold.
Early in spring Óláf got his ships ready and sailed out to sea. He sailed along the coast of Scania and went on land there [to harry], but the men of the country gathered and fought him. Óláf was victorious and took much booty. Then he sailed east to the Island of Gotland. There he captured a merchantman which was owned by men from Jamtaland. They offered stout resistance. In the end, Óláf cleared the ship of men, killing many, and took all their goods. A third battle he had on Gotland, where Óláf was the victor and took much booty. As says Hallfröth Vandræthaskáld:
(120.)
137. Erstwhile, the fanes’-flouter1
felled in battle—early
was he wont to war-play—
Wends and Jamts in the Baltic.
Mortal was to many
men of Gotland he who
the stern storm-of-spears did
stir on shores of Scania.
Chapter 26. Earl Hákon Helps Defend the Danavirki
Emperor Otto drew together a great army. He had troops from Saxony, Franconia, and Frísia, from Wendland King Búrizláf had joined him with many troops; and in that force there was, in company with him, Óláf Tryggvason, his son-in-law. The emperor had a large force of knights, and an even greater one of foot soldiers. Also from Holstein he was joined by a large army. King Harald sent Earl Hákon and the Norwegians with him south to the Danavirki, there to defend his land. As is said in Vellekla:
(121.)
138. Eke ’neath the nimble-footed
nags-of-Áli1 fared he
early in din-of-darts with
Denmark’s king to battle.
Helm-clad, Sigurth’s son and
Sogn’s lord and the Horthar’s,2
sailed over the salt waves
south to join the Danish.
(122.)
139. And toward winter would the
wealth-dispending Danish
folk-king test the troth of
tough-minded Earl Hákon,
when the breastwork’s builder3
bade the doughty fighter
guard the goodly ramparts
’gainst the Saxons’ onrush.
Emperor Otto proceeded with his army from the south to the Danavirki, but Earl Hákon with his troops defended the wall of the fortification. The Danavirki is disposed in this fashion: two fjords penetrate the land, each from its side; and between the heads of these fjords the Danes had constructed a great fortified wall of stone and turf and timbers, and dug a broad and deep moat outside of it, and there were strongholds in front of the gates of the fortification. A great battle began. In Vellekla this is said about it:
(123.)
140. Not easy was’t to enter
into breastwork by him4
defended, fiercely though the
foeman stormed against it,
when with Franks and Frisians
fared the battle-urger5—
had the roller-steed’s rider
raised a host—from southward.
Earl Hákon stationed troops in all strongholds, but the greater part of his forces he disposed along the walls to put up a defence where the attack was heaviest. Many in the emperor’s army fell there, and they were not able to take the stronghold. Then the emperor desisted and tried no longer there. As is said in Vellekla:
(124.)
141. Fray most fierce arose, when
foemen, shield ’gainst shield, clashed.
Stalwart steerer-of-sea-nags
stood his ground ’gainst Southrons.
Promptly the prow-steed’s-rider6
put to flight the Saxons.
There it was he threw back
throngs of the assailants.
After this battle Earl Hákon returned to his ships, intending to sail ba
ck north to Norway, but he had contrary winds. So he remained anchored in the Limfjord.
Chapter 27. King Harald and Earl Hákon Are Baptized
Emperor Otto then withdrew with his army to the Slé[fjord]. There he gathered a fleet and moved his troops across the fjord into Jutland. When Harald, the king of Denmark learned of that he advanced against him with his army. A great battle arose, and in the end the emperor won the victory, and the Danish king fled to the Limfjord, where he rowed over to the Island of Mársey. Thereupon messages were interchanged between emperor and king, and an armistice was set and a meeting between them arranged to take place on the Island of Mársey. Then Poppo, a holy bishop, preached the faith to King Harald. He bore a glowing iron in his hand, and showed his hand unburned to King Harald. Thereupon King Harald let himself be baptized, together with the whole Danish army.
Before, when King Harald was settled on the Island of Mársey, he had sent messengers to Earl Hákon to come to his support. And the earl had arrived at the island when the king had let himself be baptized. Then the king sent him word to come to him, and when they met, the king forced the earl to accept baptism. So Earl Hákon and all the men who had accompanied him were baptized. Then the king gave him priests and other learned men along and commanded that the earl was to have all the people in Norway baptized. Thereupon they parted. Earl Hákon sailed to the mouth of the fjord and there waited for a favorable breeze. And when a breeze arose which he thought would carry him out to sea, he set ashore all learned men and sailed out to sea.
The wind veered to southwest and west, and the earl then sailed east [north] through the Eyrar Sound,1 harrying on both sides. Then he crossed over to Scania and harried wherever he landed. And when he arrived at the Gauta Skerries2 in the east, he anchored and made a great sacrifice. Then two ravens came flying, croaking loudly. Then the earl believed that Óthin had accepted the sacrifice and that it was a propitious time to fight. He burned all his ships and went up on land with all his troops and proceeded, harrying wherever he came.
Earl Hákon puts the clerics on land.
Then Earl Óttar who ruled over Gautland advanced against him. There was a great battle. Earl Hákon was the victor, and Earl Óttar and many of his men fell. Earl Hákon went about Gautland, both east and west, harrying everywhere, until he arrived in Norway, when he took the way overland north till he arrived in Trondheim. This is related in Vellekla:
(125.)
142. Asked he then the oracle,
up on land he wended.
Got him the god-of-war3 for
game-of-swords a day set.
And the rampart-reddener
ravens twain saw flying.
Would the shield-shatterer
shorten the lives of Gautar.
(126.)
143. Fought the earl, where ere this
atheling under Sorli’s
house4 never had harried,
high-souled, storm-of-arrows.
Farther from the swans’-road
fared no man ’neath gold-dight
helmet: Hákon through the
whole of Gautland wended.
(127.)
144. Battlefields with bloody
bodies covered were by
god-descended scion of
sea-kings. Got Óthin the fallen.
Who can doubt but deities
deign to govern his life-course.
Chapter 28. Óláf Tryggvason Returns to Wendland with King Búrizláf
Emperor Otto returned to his realm of Saxland. He and the king of Denmark parted in friendship. It is said that Emperor Otto became godfather to Svein, the son of Harald, and bestowed his name upon him and had him baptized with the name of Otto Svein. King Harald of Denmark held fast to the Christian faith till his dying day. King Búrizláf then returned to Wendland, and with him, Óláf, his son-in-law. Of this battle Hallfröth Vandræthaskáld makes mention in his Óláfsdrápa:
(128.)
145. The steerer-of-sea-steeds then
steel-clad warriors in Denmark
from sarks of mail severed,
south of Heithabýr Town.1
Chapter 29. Óláf Tryggvason Reverts to the Viking Life
Óláf Tryggvason had been three years in Wendland when his 990 wife Geira was stricken with a disease which brought about her death. This grieved Óláf so that he liked it no longer in Wendland. So he procured himself warships and again went on viking expeditions, harrying first in Frísia and then in Saxland and even in the land of the Flemings. As Hallfröth Vandræthaskáld says [in his Óláfsdrápa]:
(129.)
146. Slew oft Tryggvi’s scion
Saxon warriors—food he
furnished wilding wolves by
weapon-thing1—in Southland.
Far and wide the foe of
Frisians gave the witch’s-
steed2 dark blood to drink, by
dealing many the death-blow.
(130.)
147. He who helps men’s strife to
halt,3 killed many on Valkeren,4
and with Flemings’ flesh he
fattened hungry ravens.
Chapter 30. Óláf Harries in the British Islands
After that, Óláf Tryggvason sailed to England, harrying far and wide in that land. He sailed all the way north to Northumberland and harried there. From there he sailed north to Scotland and harried there far and wide. Then he set his course to the Hebrides, where he had some battles. From there he sailed south to the Isle of Man and had some engagements there. He also harried far and wide in Ireland. Then he sailed to Wales, harrying that land far and wide, and also the country called Cumberland. From there he sailed west [south] to Valland [France] and harried there. Thereupon he steered east [north], intending to reach England. Then he arrived at the Scilly Islands, which lie in the sea west of England. As says Hallfröth Vandræthaskáld:
(131.)
148. Difficult to deal with
did he prove to the English;
the arrow-storm’s urger
awed the Northumbrians.
Wasted the wolves’-feeder
widely Scottish folklands.
The gold-ring-giver reddened
glaives boldly on Man Isle.
(132.)
149. The bender-of-the-bow then let
British islanders perish,
Irishmen eke—was he
eager ever for glory.
Smote he those on Celtic
soil who dwelled—the ravens’
hunger dwindled—hewed eke
hordes of Cymric peasants.
Óláf Tryggvason passed four years on viking expeditions after leaving Wendland and before arriving at the Scilly Islands.
Chapter 31. Óláf Tryggvason Meets a Hermit and Is Converted
When Óláf Tryggvason was anchored in the Scilly Islands he heard that on one of the islands there lived a soothsayer who prophesied future events which to many seemed to come true. Óláf grew curious and wished to test the prophecies of this man. He sent to him one of his handsomest and tallest men, attiring him most splendidly, and bade him say that he was the king, because Óláf had become famous in all lands for being handsomer and more stately and taller than any other man. After having left Gartharíki he had not used his own name but called himself Óla and given out that he was from Gartharíki.
But when this messenger came to the soothsayer and said he was the king, he received this answer: “You are not the king, and I give you the advice to be faithful to your king.” Nor did he say more to this man. The messenger returned and related this to Óláf, and Óláf was all the more eager to meet this man after hearing that he had answered in this wise, and he doubted no longer that he was a prophet. Then Óláf himself sought him out and spoke with him and asked what he would prophesy concerning whether he would attain a kingdom or be fortunate otherwise. The hermit replied with a holy prophecy.
“You will become a famous king and work famous deeds. You will bring
many men to the true faith and baptism, and in so doing benefit both yourself and many others. And lest you doubt my answer, let this be a token: when you come to your ships you shall encounter a traitor band, and that will lead to fighting, and you will put to death some of the band, and you will yourself receive a mortal wound and be borne on your shield to the ship. But you will recover from this wound within seven days and be baptized soon thereafter.”
Thereupon Óláf returned to his ships, and there he met a hostile band aiming to kill him and his crew, and it all turned out as the hermit had predicted—Óláf was borne wounded to his ship and, too, he recovered in seven days. Then Óláf believed that this man had told him the truth and that he was a real prophet, from whatever source he had the gift of prophecy.
Then Óláf again visited this man, spoke about many things with him, and asked him whence he had this wisdom that he could foretell the future. The hermit said that it was the god of Christian men himself who let him know all he was anxious to know. He told Óláf of many miracles of God, and persuaded Óláf to be baptized; and so Óláf and all his men were baptized 993 there. He remained there for a long time, learning about the true faith, and took with him priests and other learned men from there.
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