Heimskringla

by Snorri Sturluson

  One of the men answered, “You probably don’t know that for sure.”

  He replied, “I know it for sure, because I was told by one of the men who conveyed the king to land.”

  And then the saying proved true that “many are the king’s ears”: this was told the king, and straightway he had many horses saddled, and at once set out at night with two hundred [240] men.

  They met some men who were going to the town with flour and malt. A certain man with the name of Gamal was in the king’s company. He rode up to one of the farmers who was an acquaintance of his. They had some conversation by themselves. Gamal said, “I will give you money if you will ride to Earl Hákon the fastest you can by secret paths and the shortest way you know, and tell him that the king means to kill him. Because the king knows now that the earl helped King Svein to the land near the River Níz.”

  And they agreed on this. The farmer rode and came to the earl who was sitting up drinking, and had not yet gone to sleep. And when the farmer had delivered his message the earl rose at once, and all his men. The earl had all his movable property removed from his estate to the woods. Also all his men left the place during the night before the king arrived. The king stayed there during the night; but Earl Hákon rode on his way till he came to King Steinkel east in Sweden; and there he remained during the summer. King Harald afterwards returned to the town. He journeyed to Trondheim in summer, and dwelt there during the summer with his followers, but in fall returned east to Vík.

  Chapter 70. The King Is Denied His Revenues from the Upplands

  Earl Hákon straightway returned to Uppland in summer as soon as he learned that the king had journeyed north, and stayed there till the king returned to the south. Thereupon the earl journeyed east to Vermaland and dwelt there a long time during the winter. King Steinkel gave the earl the revenues from that district. As winter wore on he journeyed west, to Raumaríki, accompanied by a great host which the people from Gautland and Vermaland had gotten together for him. Then he levied the rents and revenues from Uppland which belonged to him. Thereupon he returned east to Gautland and remained there in the spring following.

  King Harald resided in Ósló during the winter and sent his men to the Uppland districts to fetch the revenues, rents, and fines due him. But the Uppland people said that they would pay all their just dues, and deliver them into Earl Hákon’s hands, as long as he lived and had not forfeited either his life or his possessions; and that winter the king received no revenues from that district.

  Chapter 71. King Harald and King Svein Conclude Peace

  That same winter, messages and emissaries fared between Norway and Denmark, with the intent that both Norwegians and Danes wished to arrange for peace and agreements between them and prayed the kings to be agreeable to that. These exchanges of messages seemed likely to bring about an agreement, and the result was that a meeting to come to terms about peace was set at the [Gaut Elf] River between King Harald and King Svein. And when spring came, both kings collected many troops and ships for the journey; and in one flokk the skald1 tells about both kings and their expeditions:

  (138.)

  505. Steers from Seeland’s strands with

  steeds-of-blueland2 he who

  feeds the wolves; his fleet does

  fence the Danish islands.

  Gash the gold-emblazoned

  galleons the waters

  west of Halland while that

  heavy seas assail them.

  (139.)

  506. Oft, to oaths true, Harald

  orders out his navy.

  Svein, too, the Sound furrows,

  seeking the other ruler.

  Large the force the liege of

  loyal Danes all summoned,

  the wolves’ feeder, with fleet who

  fences all bays to southward.

  Here we are told that these two kings came to the appointed meeting agreed on between them, and that both met at the boundary, as is told in this verse:

  (140.)

  507. South you sailed then, noble

  sire, as all Danes wanted:

  no less the cause for coming,

  king, than for a battle!

  Northward sailing, Svein did

  seek his kingdom’s border—

  windy weather swept the

  wide lands—to meet Harald.

  And when the kings met, men began to talk about peace between them; and no sooner was this matter broached than many complained about the great havoc they had suffered from pillage, harrying, and loss of life. And they held forth long about this as is told in these verses:

  (141.)

  508. As they met, they uttered

  angry words between them,

  withering words outspoken,

  wounding doughty yeomen.

  Men who quit not quarrelling

  constantly will hardly—

  rises the rulers’ vainglory—

  reach a fair agreement.

  (142.)

  509. Parlous to peace grows the

  princes’ rankling dudgeon.

  Wise men wanting truce will

  weigh all matters justly.

  ’Tis needful now to make this

  known to the folk-rulers:

  stubbornness will stir up

  strife between the sea-kings.

  Finally the most eminent men and the wisest intervened. Then a reconciliation of the two kings was brought about to this effect that Harald was to have Norway, and Svein, Denmark, to the boundaries which had been heretofore between Norway and Denmark. Neither was to make amends to the other. Incursions were to stop, and he who had made gains was to hold onto them. And this peace was to be in force as long as they lived. This agreement was confirmed by oaths. The kings gave each other hostages, as is told in this verse:

  (143.)

  510. Heard I have, how, gladly

  Harald and Svein each did

  give the other—God had

  granted it—hostages.

  May all their oaths kept be

  altogether, nor broken

  e’er the pact of peace by

  people sworn as witness.

  King Harald fared north to Norway with his force, and King Svein sailed south to Denmark.

  Chapter 72. Harald Defeats Earl Hákon—Thormóth Eindrithason Slays Hall

  King Harald stayed in the district of Vík in summer, and sent his men to Uppland to gather the dues and taxes owing to him there. Then the farmers there did not pay the dues they owed the king and declared they would wait with everything till Earl Hákon returned, if indeed he did.

  Earl Hákon at that time was inland in Gautland with a great host. When summer was nearly gone, King Harald sailed south to Konungahella. There he gathered all the light, fleet ships he could obtain and rowed up the river. He portaged around the Falls1 and moved his ships into Lake Vænir, then rowed east across the lake to where he had heard Earl Hákon was.

  But when the earl learned about the approach of the king he came down toward the lake, unwilling that the king should harry there. Earl Hákon had a considerable force which the people of Gautland had procured for him. King Harald anchored his ships in some large river and made ready to go on land, leaving behind some of his force to guard the ships. The king himself and some of his troops rode, but by far the most walked. They had to pass through some woods, and then they encountered some swamps with bushes growing in them, and then some stony ridges. And when they had gotten up on a ridge they saw the army of the earl. A swamp lay between them. Then both drew up their battle array. Then the king ordered his men to remain sitting on the hill—“let us first see if they mean to attack us. Hákon is impatient,” he said. It was frosty weather, with some driving snow. Harald and his men sat behind their shields, but the men from Gautland were scantily clad and became chilled. The earl bade them wait till the king attacked them, so that they were on a level with them. Earl Hákon used those battle flags which King Magnús Óláfsson had possessed.


  The lawman of the Gauts was called Thorvith. He sat on a horse, and the reins were tethered to a stump that stood in the swamp. He spoke and said, “God knows we have here a great force and exceedingly brave men. Let King Steinkel learn that we give good support to this excellent earl. I am sure that if the Norwegians attack us we shall make stanch resistance. But if your young men grumble and will not wait, then let us run no farther than to this brook here. And if the young men keep on grumbling, as I am sure will not be the case, then let us not run farther than to that hill.”

  Just then the Norwegian force stood up and raised their war whoop, beating their shields. Thereupon the Gauts raised their war whoop. But the lawman’s horse took fright at the war whoop and jerked the reins so hard that the stump was pulled out and hit the lawman on the head. He shouted, “Shoot, you wretch of a Norwegian,” and galloped away.

  King Harald had before told his troops, “Though we shout and halloo, let us not go down the hill before they come on against us.”

  Now as soon as his men raised their war whoop, the earl had his standard borne before him. But when they arrived at the foot of the hill the king’s men rushed down on them. Then part of the earl’s force fell and part fled. The Norwegians did not push the pursuit long because it was late in the day. They captured there Earl Hákon’s standard and such booty of weapons and garments as they could. The king had both standards borne before him when he returned [to the lake]. They discussed whether the earl might have fallen. But when they rode down through the forest only one could ride [along the path] at one time. A man leapt across the path and ran his halberd through the man who carried the earl’s standard. He seized the standard-pole and disappeared into the forest with the standard. But when the king was told this, he said, “The earl is alive! Bring me my coat of mail!”

  Then the king rode to his ships in the night. Many said that the earl had taken his revenge. Then Thjóthólf spoke this verse:

  (144.)

  511. Fallen the flock of Steinkel’s

  followers, given to Hel, who—

  brought the king2 it about thus—

  bid were to help Hákon.

  But since help from him3 did

  hapless prove, says he who

  thought that best, the baron

  beat a retreat quickly.

  King Harald passed the remainder of the night on his ships; but in the morning, when dawn came, it was seen that ice had formed about the ships, and of such thickness that one could walk around them. Then the king commanded his men to chop the ice from the ships [to make a way] out into open water. So men took to chopping the ice. Magnús, King Harald’s son, steered the ship which lay farthest down the river and nearest to open water. Now when the men had cleared nearly all the ice away, a man ran along over the ice to where it was to be cut away and began to chop like one possessed. Then somebody said, “Now you can see as always that no one is as good to lend a hand in whatever is called for as is Hall, the Slayer of Kothrán. Just look how he chops the ice.”

  Now there was a man on Magnús’ ship called Thormóth Eindrithason, and when he heard the name of Hall, the Slayer of Kothrán, he ran up to Hall and struck him a mortal blow. Kothrán was the son of Guthmund, the son of Eyólf; and Valgerth, the sister of Guthmund, was the mother of Jórunn, the mother of Thormóth. Thormóth was one year old when Kothrán was slain, and he had never seen Hall Ótryggson before.

  Thormóth Eindrithason slays Hall on the ice.

  By that time the ice was chopped out to open water and Magnús moved his ship into it. He hoisted sail at once and sailed west across the lake. But the king’s ship lay inmost [in the clearing made in the ice] and issued last. Hall had been a follower of the king and a great favorite of his, so the king was most furious. It was late in the day when he made harbor, and by that time Magnús had helped the slayer to escape into the woods, and now offered amends for him. But the king almost came to blows with Magnús and his men before mutual friends brought about a reconciliation.

  Chapter 73. The King Avenges Himself on the Uppland Farmers

  That winter, King Harald journeyed to Raumaríki with a great host. He accused the farmers of having withheld from him the dues and taxes and of having aided his enemy in hostile actions against him. He had the farmers seized. Some he had maimed, others killed, and of many he confiscated all their property. All those who could, fled. He had the district burned and laid waste far and wide. As says Thjóthólf:

  (145.)

  512. Direly the Danes’ humbler

  dealt with Raumaríki:

  harshly Harald’s men did

  harry ’mong the franklins.

  Farms were fired in vengeance

  fierce by the king, while tow’ring

  flames took down the farmers’

  froward bearing toward him.

  Thereupon King Harald marched up to Heithmork, burning and ravaging there no less than in Raumaríki. From there he proceeded to Hathaland, and thence to Hringaríki, burning and harrying. As says Thjóthólf:

  (146.)

  513. Burned the goods of grudging

  grangers, fire seized shingles.

  The unbeaten battle-lord dealt

  blows to men of Heithmork.

  Begged for their lives luckless

  landholders of Hringshire;

  nor was lifted Logi’s-

  loathly-doom1 ere they rued it.

  After that, the farmers submitted unconditionally to the king.

  Chapter 74. The King’s Feud with the People of Uppland Continues

  After the death of King Magnús, fifteen years elapsed before the battle off Níz River, and two more before Harald and Svein came to an agreement. As says Thjóthólf:

  (147.)

  514. Put the prince an end now—

  peace began the third year—

  were bucklers battered on Danish

  beaches—to horrid warfare.

  After this peace with Denmark, the feud of the king with the people of the Uppland districts lasted for a year and a half. As says Thjóthólf:

  (148.)

  515. Hard is ’t to tell, how that,

  high-handed, the atheling

  taught the oafs of Uppland

  idle to keep their ploughshares.1

  Regard so great has the

  gallant chieftain won him,

  these three half-years, that, hear I,

  hardly will’t be forgotten.

  Chapter 75. Of the Sons of King Eadward of England

  Eadward, the son of Æthelred, ruled over England after the death of his brother Hortha-Knút. He was named Eadward the Good. And he was that. The mother of King Eadward was Queen Emma, daughter of Richard, earl of Rouen. Her brother was Earl Robert, the father of William the Bastard, who then was duke of Rouen in Normandy. King Eadward was married to Queen Eadgyth, the daughter of Earl Godwine, the son of Wulfnoth. The brothers of Eadgyth were Earl Tostig—he was the oldest—the second, Earl Morkere, the third, Earl Wæltheow, the fourth, Earl Svein, the fifth, Harold. He was the youngest. He was brought up at the court of King Eadward as his foster son. The king loved him exceedingly and adopted him as his son, being childless himself.

  Chapter 76. Harold, the Son of Earl Godwine, Is Engaged to Earl William’s Daughter

  One summer Harold, the son of Godwine, was to journey to Bretland [Wales] by ship. But when they left harbor they had headwinds and were driven out to sea. They reached land to the west [south] in Normandy after having weathered a dangerous storm. They anchored by the town of Rouen and found there Earl William. He received Harold and his followers graciously. Harold remained there a long time during the fall, enjoying the earl’s hospitality, because the storms continued and it was not feasible to go out to sea.

  But when winter approached, the earl and Harold discussed the latter’s remaining there during the winter. Harold sat in the high-seat, with the earl on one side and the earl’s wife on the other. She was more beautiful than any other woman men had known
. At table they all always talked together for entertainment. The earl most often went to bed early, but Harold sat up long evenings, talking with the earl’s wife. Thus it continued for a long time during the winter. One time when they were conversing together she said, “Now the earl has spoken to me about it and asked what we talked about so constantly, and now he is furious.”

  Harold replied, “Then we shall let him know by the soonest what we have been talking about.” The next day Harold asked the earl to speak with him, and they went into the conference room. The earl’s wife and their councillors were present also. Then Harold spoke as follows: “I shall have to tell you, earl, that more was in my mind in coming here than I have given you to understand. It is my intention to ask for the hand of your daughter in marriage. This I have frequently discussed with her mother, and she has promised to support my suit with you.”

  Now as soon as Harold had proposed this, all those who heard it were favorably inclined and lent their support to it before the earl. And the outcome of it was that the maiden was betrothed to Harold. But because she was young, it was agreed that they were to wait several years for the marriage.

  Chapter 77. By a Ruse Harold Is Made King of England

  Now when spring came, Harold got his ship ready for his departure. The earl and he parted as great friends. Harold sailed to England and joined King Eadward’s court, and never afterwards returned to France to fetch his bride. Eadward was king of England for twenty-three years and died of a malady in London on the fifth of January (1066). He was buried in Saint Paul’s Church, and Englishmen considered him a saint.

  At that time the sons of Earl Godwine were the most powerful men in England. Tostig had been put in command of the army of the king of England; and he was charged with the defence of the country when the king began to grow aged. He was chief over all the other earls. Harold his brother always was nearest [to the king] in all services, and guarded all the treasures of the king.