Heimskringla

by Snorri Sturluson

  It is told that when the king was near death, Harold was present with few others. Then Harold bent down over the king and said, “I call you all to witness that the king just now gave me the kingdom and all power in England.” A short while afterwards the king’s [lifeless] body was lifted out of the bed. The same day there was a meeting of the chieftains, and the succession to the kingship was discussed. Then Harold produced his witnesses that King Eadward in his dying hour had bestowed the kingdom on him. And the meeting ended with Harold being chosen king and consecrated as such on the thirteenth day afterwards in Saint Paul’s Church. Then all chieftains swore allegiance to him, and all the people.

  But when Earl Tostig, his brother, learned of that he took it in ill part, thinking he was no less entitled to the crown. “It is my wish,” he said, “that the chieftains of the land choose him as king whom they deem most fitting.” And these words passed between the brothers. King Harold declared that he would not surrender the crown, seeing that he now had ascended the throne in the place designated for that, and had since been anointed and consecrated as king. Also, he had on his side the great majority of the people. Besides, he had all the king’s treasuries in his keeping.

  Chapter 78. Earl Tostig Seeks King Svein’s Help

  When Harold became aware that Tostig, his brother, intended to deprive him of the crown, he grew mistrustful of him, because Tostig was an astute man as well as a great warrior and a good friend of important chieftains. Then King Harold deprived Earl Tostig of his command of the army and of all the power greater than other earls in the land which he had before. Earl Tostig would under no circumstances submit to be the underling of his brother born of the same parents. So he left the country with his force and sailed south over the sea to Flanders, remained there for a while, then sailed to Frísia, and from there to Denmark to meet King Svein, his kinsman. Earl Úlf, King Svein’s father, was the brother of Eadgytha, the mother of Earl Tostig. Earl Tostig asked King Svein for assistance and armed support. King Svein offered him his hospitality and an earldom in Denmark sufficient to make him an honored chieftain there.

  The earl made this reply: “I long to return to England and to my possessions there. And if I obtain no support for that from you, sir king, then I would rather make this offer to you to assist you with all the force on which I can count in England, if you will with your Danish fleet sail to England to win that land, as did Knút, your mother’s brother.”

  The king answered, “So much am I a lesser man than my kinsman, King Knút, that I am scarcely able to hold my power in Denmark against the Norwegians. Knút the Old obtained Denmark by inheritance, and gained England by warfare and battle; and yet for a time it looked as though he might lose his life there; and Norway he gained without a blow. Now I know my limitations, [and wish] to live in accordance with my circumscribed power, rather than vie with the prowess of my kinsman, King Knút.”

  Then the earl said, “The outcome of my business here is less than I had thought you would make it, so powerful a man as you are, and considering the need I, your kinsman, have [of your aid]. Now I may possibly seek friendly support in a quarter which is more unlikely. Yet it may well be that I shall find the chieftain who is less faint-hearted than you to engage in a great enterprise, sir king.”

  After that the king and the earl parted in none too cordial a fashion.

  Chapter 79. Earl Tostig Wins over King Harald to Help Him

  Then Earl Tostig turned to another direction and ended up in Norway, where he sought out King Harald. He was in the district of Vík. And when they met, the earl brought up his business before the king, telling him all about his journey after leaving England, and asked the king to support him in regaining his kingdom in England. The king replied, saying that Norwegians would hardly be eager to sail to England and harry there, only to have an English overlord. “It is people’s opinion,” he said, “that the English are not altogether reliable.”

  The earl replied, “I wonder if it is true, as I have heard people say in England, that King Magnús, your kinsman, sent messengers to King Eadward, and that their message was that King Magnús was entitled to England as well as to Denmark which he inherited after Hortha-Knút, according to agreements between them?”

  The king replied, “Why, then, did he not have possession of it if he had a right to it?”

  The earl said, “Why do you not possess Denmark as King Magnús did before you?”

  The king said, “The Danes do not need to brag to us Norwegians. Many a mark have we left on those kinsmen of yours.”

  Then the earl said, “If you will not tell me, then I shall tell you: King Magnús took possession of Denmark, because the chiefs of that land aided him; and you did not, because all the people stood against you. King Magnús did not fight to gain England, because all the people wanted Eadward for king. If you wish to gain possession of England, then I may bring it about that most of the chieftains in England will be on your side and support you. As against my brother Harold, I lack only the royal title. All men know that no greater warrior has arisen in the North than you; and it seems strange to me that you fought fifteen years to gain possession of Denmark and don’t want to have England which is yours for the having.”

  King Harald weighed closely what the earl said, and he concluded that much the earl had said was true; and also, he was eager to gain possession of that kingdom. Thereafter the king and the earl talked together long and often, and they agreed on this plan that in the summer following they would sail to England and win possession of it.

  King Harald sent word all about Norway, ordering out a half levy of men and ships. This became widely known, and many surmises were made as to how this expedition would turn out. There were some who counted up all the great deeds of King Harald, and said nothing would be impossible for him; but some said that England would be difficult to conquer, having a great population and there being the army called in England “the king’s housecarls.” This consisted of men so valiant that one of them was better than two of Harald’s best men. Then Úlf, the king’s marshal, made answer with this verse:

  (149.)

  516. Need no more king’s marshals

  move about—I surely

  boggle not at booty—on

  board King Harald’s sea-steed,

  if, linen-dight lady—

  learned I otherwise in

  youth—two yeomen were to

  yield to one king’s housecarl.

  Marshal Úlf died that spring. King Harald stood over his grave and said as he turned away, “There lies the man who was the most faithful and loyal of all to me.”

  In spring Earl Tostig sailed west to Flanders to join the body of men who had followed him when he left England and that flock which gathered about him, both from England and there in Flanders.

  Chapter 80. Gyrth’s Foreboding Dream

  The army of King Harald gathered in the Sólund Islands. But when the king was ready to sail from Nitharós he first went to the shrine of King Óláf. He opened it, clipped the king’s hair and nails, and then locked it again and threw the key out into the Nith River; nor has the shrine of Holy King Óláf been opened since that time. Thirty-five years had elapsed since his fall. His life in this world also had lasted thirty-five years.

  King Harald sailed south with his fleet to join the force assembled there. A huge fleet was gathered there. It is said that King Harald had nearly two hundred [240] ships, not counting merchant ships carrying provisions and lesser vessels.

  When they lay in the Sólund Islands a certain man called Gyrth, who was stationed on the king’s ship, had a dream. It seemed to him that he was on the king’s ship and looked up on an island and there stood a big troll woman who had a sword in one hand and a trough in the other. And it seemed to him he looked over all their ships and that a bird sat on every prow. These were all eagles and ravens. The troll woman spoke this verse:

  (150.)

  517. That wot I well: enticed is

 
westward the king, to

  fore-gather—my gain it is—with

  glorious knuckles many.1

  Keen-eyed carrion birds will

  carve them plenteous tid-bits,

  and famished ravens feast on

  fallen—we’re leagued ever.2

  Chapter 81. Thórth’s Warning Dream

  A certain man by the name of Thórth was on a ship not far from that of the king. One night he dreamed that he saw King Harald’s fleet come to land, and it seemed to him that land was England. On the land he saw an army in battle array, and it looked as though both parties prepared to do battle and had many banners aloft, and in front of the army of the inhabitants of that land a big troll woman rode on a wolf, and the wolf had the corpse of a man in his mouth, and blood dripping from his chops, and when he had eaten that man she tossed another one into his jaws, and so with one after another, and he swallowed them all. She spoke this verse:

  (151.)

  518. Red shield the troll shows as

  shine forth swords for battle.

  Seen is the dear lord’s downfall

  dire by etin1 woman.

  In wolf’s wide jaws she tosses

  warriors’ bloody corpses;

  ravening reddens his chops with

  reeking gore of men slain,

  the reeking gore of men slain.2

  Chapter 82. King Harald Has a Warning Dream of Saint Óláf

  Still further, King Harald dreamed one night that he was in Nitharós and met King Óláf, his brother, and that he spoke a verse for him:

  (152.)

  519. Honor earned him portly

  atheling1 by his victories.

  A holy death I had, on

  homeland falling, glorious.

  Fear I that, folk-ruler,

  fey thou wilt be yonder,

  gorging the greedy mount-of-

  ghouls.2 ’Tis not God’s doing.

  Many other dreams were told there, as well as other forebodings, most of them gloomy. Before sailing from Trondheim King Harald had his son Magnús proclaimed king, and set him on the throne before leaving the country. Thóra, the daughter of Thorberg, also remained behind, but Queen Ellisif went with him together with her two daughters, Máría and Ingigerth. Óláf, [another] son of King Harald, also left the country with him.

  Chapter 83. King Harald Ravages the Coast of England

  Now when King Harald had fully equipped his fleet and a favorable breeze sprang up he set out to sea, and made land in the Shetland Islands; but part of his fleet landed in the Orkneys. King Harald stopped in the Shetland Islands for a while, then sailed on to the Orkneys. And when departing from there he had a mighty host of men with him, including the Earls Pál and Erlend, the sons of Earl Thorfinn, but he left behind there Queen Ellisif and the daughters he had by her, Máría and Ingigerth. From there he sailed south along the coast of Scotland and England, and landed in the district of Cleveland. There he disembarked and at once began to ravage the country and bring it under subjection, without meeting any resistance. Thereupon King Harald besieged Scarborough and fought with its garrison. He went up on the cliff which is there and had a great fire made. And when it blazed high they took long gaff-poles and hurled brands upon the town. Then one house after the other began to blaze, and the whole town went up in flames. The Norwegians slew many there and took everything they laid hands on. The English then had no choice, if they wanted to save their lives, but to swear allegiance to King Harald. Then he made subject to him all the land where his course lay. Thereupon King Harald with all his army sailed south along the land and landed at Holderness. There, they met a force that had gathered to oppose him, they gave battle, and King Harald was victorious.

  Chapter 84. The Earls Morkere and Wæltheow Oppose King Harald

  Thereupon King Harald sailed to the Humber and up the river, and anchored there. At that time there were two earls in York, Morkere and his brother Wæltheow, with a huge army. King Harald lay in the Ouse when the army of the earls came down from the land to oppose him. Then the king went on land and began to array his army for battle. One wing stood on the bank of the river, the other was arrayed further up on land, and extended to a ditch. There was a swamp, deep and broad and full of water. The earls deployed their army down along the river with the whole body of their men. The royal banner was close by the river. There the king’s men stood thickest, and the lines were thinnest by the ditch, with the troops he could least rely on. Then the earls proceeded down along the ditch. There the wing of the Norwegian army extending to the ditch gave way, and the English followed them up, thinking that the Norwegians were about to flee. That part of the English army was led by Morkere.

  Chapter 85. King Harald Defeats the Earls

  But when King Harald saw that the battle array of the English had come down along the ditch right opposite them, he had the trumpets blown and sharply urged on his men to the attack, raising his banner called Landwaster. And there so strong an attack was made by him that nothing held against it. Then there was a great slaughter among the earls’ men. Soon their army took to flight. Some fled up or down along the river, but most leapt into the ditch. There the bodies of the fallen lay so thick that the Norwegians could walk dry-shod over the swamp. There Earl Morkere lost his life. As says Stein Herdísarson:

  (153.)

  520. Their lives lost there many,

  left this world by drowning.

  Mired in the marsh, lay by

  Morkere young a legion.

  Pursued the sea-king this

  smitten host. They madly

  fled before the brave king.

  Foremost under heaven—1

  This drápa Stein Herdísarson composed about Óláf, the son of King Harald; and we are told here that Óláf took part in the battle with King Harald, his father. This is mentioned also in the poem called Haraldsstikki:2

  (154.)

  521. Lay the fallen

  in fen thickly,

  Wæltheow’s men, by

  weapons slaughtered;

  so that walk could

  warlike Northmen

  on dead bodies

  dryshod across.

  Earl Wæltheow and those who managed to escape fled to the 1066 fortified town of York. It had been a murderous battle. It took place on Wednesday, the day before Saint Matthew’s Day [September 21st].

  Chapter 86. The Town of York Surrenders to King Harald

  Earl Tostig had come north from Flanders to join King Harald as soon as he invaded England, and the earl had been in all these battles. Then it came about, as he had told Harald when they had been together before, that a great many English flocked to them, kinsmen and friends of Earl Tostig, and gave the king much reinforcement.

  After the battle just told of, all the people in the districts round about submitted to King Harald, but some fled. Then King Harald started to lay siege to the town [of York] and encamped with his army at Stamford Bridge. But because the king had won so great a victory against great chieftains and an overwhelming army, all the people were afraid and despaired of resistance. Then the townsmen decided to send messengers to King Harald in order to deliver themselves and their city into his power. It was arranged in such fashion that on Sunday King Harald and all his army advanced to the town, where the king and his men held an assembly to which came the men of the town. There all people submitted to King Harald, giving him as hostages the sons of eminent men, because Earl Tostig knew all the people in this town. Then the king after this easy victory went down to his ships and was of excellent cheer. An assembly was set for Monday early, in the city. Then King Harald was to appoint governors for the city and bestow fiefs and assign places of honor.

  That same evening, after sunset, King Harold, the son of Godwine, approached the town from the south with an immense army and entered the town at the wish and with the consent of all its citizens. All gates were manned and all roads guarded, so that no information should reach the Norwegians. This army remained insi
de the fortification during the night.

  Chapter 87. The Army of King Harold of England Approaches

  On Monday [September 26th], when Harald Sigurtharson had eaten his fill at breakfast, he ordered the trumpets to be blown for going ashore. He got his army ready, deciding which troops were to go with him and which were to stay behind. Out of every detachment two men were ordered to go on land, for one to stay behind. Earl Tostig and his company made ready to go on land with King Harald; but left behind, to guard the ships, were Óláf, the king’s son, together with the Orkney earls Pál and Erlend, and also Eystein Orri, the son of Thorberg Árnason, who at that time was the most eminent of all landed-men as well the most in favor with the king, who had promised him his daughter Máría in marriage.

  The weather on that day was excellent, with hot sunshine. The men left their mail coats behind and went on land with their shields and helmets and halberds, and girt with their swords. Many also had bows and arrows. They were in excellent good spirits. But when they approached the town, a great army was seen riding against them. They saw the cloud of dust raised by horses, and under it, fine shields and shining coats of mail. Then the king stopped his army. He had Earl Tostig called to him and asked him what host that might be. The earl answered and said that it seemed to him that there rather was a likelihood of trouble, but it might be also that these were some of his kinsmen who were coming to ask for quarter and offer their friendship against the king’s granting them protection and his trust. The king said that first they were to come to a halt and learn more about that army. They did so; and the army grew the larger the nearer it came, and it looked like gleaming ice as the weapons shone.