Chapter 8. King Ingi Sends a Letter to King Sigurth
The people of the District of Vík as well as the townsfolk of Bergen said it was a disgrace that King Sigurth, the son of Harald Gilli, and his friends remained quietly north in Kaupang while the killers of his father were sailing along the sea lane outside the Trondheimfjord and while King Ingi and his men were exposed to danger in Vík in the east, defending the land and fighting many battles.
Then King Ingi sent a letter north to Kaupang. In it were these words:
“King Ingi, son of King Harald, sends greetings, both God’s and his own, to King Sigurth, his brother, and to Sátha-Gyrth, Ogmund Sviptir, Óttar Birting, and all landed-men, bodyguardsmen, housecarls, and to all the people, both the rich and the poor, the young and the old. All people know of the difficulties we have, and also of our youth, you being five years old and I, three years. We cannot undertake to do anything except with the aid of our friends and of men of honest intentions. Now we consider that I and my friends are closer to the difficulties and dangers with which both of us are bestead than you and your friends. Now then be so good to join me as soon, and with as large a force, as you can; and let us stay together whatever may befall us. Now he is the best friend of both of us who gives as his opinion that we two should ever be well agreed and hold together in every matter. But if you delay to do this and still refuse to come notwithstanding my urgent message, as you have done so far, then be prepared that I shall proceed against you with an army, when God will decide between us; because we shall no longer abide with being saddled with such great expense to entertain an army, which is required here because of hostile incursions, while you receive half of all the taxes and other income of Norway. The peace of God be with you!”
Thereupon Óttar Birting arose and answered as follows in the Assembly.
Chapter 9. King Sigurth Replies to King Ingi and Joins Him
“This is the answer King Sigurth will make to King Ingi, his brother: that God may reward him for his good greetings and also for the labor and difficulties which [he] and [his] friends are undergoing in this our realm in behalf of both of us. And although some of the words of King Ingi to King Sigurth may seem rather harsh, yet in many ways he has good cause for them. Now I shall make known my opinion and learn whether King Sigurth and other men of note agree with me in holding that you, King Sigurth and all who will follow you, make ready to defend your land, and that you proceed with as many men as possible to meet King Ingi, your brother, and as soon as possible, so that one may support the other in all matters advantageous to both of you; and may God protect both of you. Now I would hear what you say, sir king.”
Péter, the son of Sautha-Úlf carried King Sigurth to the assembly—the one who later was called Pétr Byrtharsvein [Burden-Carrier].
Then the king said, “Know all men that if I prevail then I shall proceed to join King Ingi, my brother, at the earliest possibility.”
Then one man after another spoke up, each in his own way but all coming to the same conclusion as had Óttar Birting, and it was agreed to summon an army and march east. Later, King Sigurth journeyed east to Vík and there joined his brother, King Ingi.
Chapter 10. Sigurth Slembidjákn Is Defeated and Magnús Slain
That same fall Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon and Magnús the Blind came north from Denmark with thirty ships, manned by both Norwegians and Danes. That was at the beginning of winter. As soon as the kings and their army heard of this, they sailed east [south] toward them. They 1139 met by the Hvalir Islands1 at Grey Holm. That was the day after Martin Mass [November 11th], on a Sunday.
King Ingi and King Sigurth had twenty ships, all large. There ensued a hard battle. But after the first onset the Danes with eighteen ships fled home south. Thereupon the ships of Sigurth and Magnús were cleared of men. Now when Magnús’ ship was nearly cleared to where he rested on a couch, Hreithar Grjótgarthsson, a man who had long been with him as one of his bodyguard, took up King Magnús in his arms in order to leap with him into another ship. At that moment Hreithar was struck with a spear between his shoulders, so that it pierced him; and it is told that King Magnús was killed with the same spear. Hreithar fell backward onto the deck and Magnús on top of him. But it was all men’s opinion that Hreithar had stood by his liege lord bravely and manfully. Fortunate he who achieves such renown.
In that battle there fell Lothin Saupruth of Línustathir on board King Magnús’ ship, as also Brúsi Thormótharson, the forecastleman of Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon, Ívar Kolbeinsson, and Hallvarth Fægir, the man stationed before the poop of the ship of Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon. It was Ívar who had been the first to attack and wound King Harald. Then there fell a great number of the troops of Magnús and Sigurth, because the men of Ingi let no one escape whom they could reach, even though I mention only a few here. On one islet alone they slew more than sixty men. Two Icelanders were slain there, Sigurth the Priest, the son of Bergthor Másson, and Klémet, the son of Ari Einarsson. Ívar Skrauthanki, the son of Kálf the Crooked, who later became bishop north in Trondheim and was the father of Archbishop Eirík—this Ívar had steadily followed Magnús. He managed to get on board the ship of Jón Katha, his brother. Jón was married to Cécilía, the daughter of Gyrth Bártharson, and was one of Ingi’s force. These three, then, managed to get on board Jón’s ship, [Ívar], Arnbjorn Ambi, who later married the daughter of Thorstein of Authsholt, and Ívar Dynta Starason—he was a brother of Helgi Starason, of Trondheim ancestry on his mother’s side, an exceptionally handsome man. But as soon as the men of Ingi’s force became aware of their presence, they seized their arms and attacked Jón and his followers; but they prepared to resist them, and they were on the point of fighting one another. But they came to an agreement to the effect that Jón got his brother Ívar ransomed, as well as Arnbjorn, by pledging money for them; but that payment was remitted to him later. Ívar Dynta, however, was taken on shore and slain, because Sigurth and Gyrth, the sons of Kolbein, would not take money for his life: they accused him of having been an accomplice in the slaying of Bentein, their brother.
Hreithar Grotgarthsson seeks to rescue King Magnús.
Bishop Ívar related [later] that nothing had ever affected him so much as when he saw Ívar Dynta led up on land and beheaded, having before that kissed them and hoped that they would meet again.2 This was told Eirík Oddsson by Guthríth, the daughter of Birgir and sister of Bishop Jón. She said she had heard Bishop Ívar tell that.
Chapter 11. Sigurth Slembidjákn Is Captured
Thránd Gjaldkeri [Treasurer] was the name of the man who was steersman of one of the ships in Ingi’s fleet. By that time Ingi’s men rowed in small boats after the men who were swimming about, and killed everyone they found. Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon had dived into the sea from his ship when it was cleared of men. He divested himself of his mail coat while under water, and then swam, holding his shield over his head. Now some men of Thránd’s ship caught a man swimming and were about to kill him, but he begged for his life and said he would tell them where Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon was, and they let him do that. Shields and spears and dead men and garments were floating far and wide about the ships. “You can see,” he said, “that red shield floating there. He is under that.” Then they rowed there, captured him, and took him to Thránd’s ship; and Thránd sent word to Thjóstólf and Óttar and Ámundi.
Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon had on him a tinder-box, with the tinder inside a walnut shell which was sealed with wax. Mention is made of this, because it seemed ingenious to fix it so that it would never become wet. His shield he had held over his head when swimming, because then no one would know whether it was his or someone else’s, because many were swimming in the sea. Men said that they never would have found him if they hadn’t been told.
When Thránd came ashore with him the troops were told that he had been captured. Thereupon shouts of joy broke out in the army. But when Sigurth heard that he said: “Many a rascal will be glad to see me beheaded here today.”<
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Then Thjóstólf Álason went up to where he sat and swept a silk cap with laces off his head. Then Thjóstólf said, “Why were you so bold, you son of a thrall, as to call yourself the son of King Magnús?”
He answered, “You don’t need to liken my father to a thrall, because your father was of little worth compared to my father.”
Hall, the son of Thorgeir Steinsson, the physician, was one of King Ingi’s bodyguard and was present at these happenings. He related them to Eirík Oddsson1 who wrote down this account. Eirík wrote the book which is called Hryggjarstykki. In that book we are told about Harald Gilli and his two sons; also of Magnús the Blind and of Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon, down to their death. Eirík was a man of good understanding and had at that time been long in Norway. Some of his account he wrote according to what he was told by Hákon Maw, a landed-man under the two sons of Harald. Hákon and his sons took part in all these fights and counsels. Eirík mentions still other men who told him about these events, men who were both of good understanding and reliable. They were close by, so that they heard or saw what was happening. But some things he wrote according to what he himself heard or saw.
Chapter 12. Sigurth Slembidjákn Is Tortured to Death
Hall relates that the chieftains wanted to have Sigurth Gadabout-Deacon put to death immediately. But those men who were most cruel-minded and considered they had to revenge themselves for wrongs done to them, were responsible for the tortures inflicted on him. In that connection are mentioned the brothers of Bentein, Sigurth and Gyrth Kolbeinsson; and Peter Byrtharsvein wanted to avenge his brother Finn. But the chieftains and most others left the place.
They broke his leg bones and arm bones with the hammers of their axes. Then they stripped him of his clothes and wanted to flay him alive, and did scalp him. But they could not carry out their intention on account of the flow of blood. Then they took whips of walrus-hide and flogged him until his skin was completely off as if he had been flayed. Then they took a pole and broke his backbone. Then they dragged him to a tree and hanged him. They cut off his head and then they dragged his carcass away and buried it in a heap of stones.
It is the opinion of all, both friends and enemies, that within the memory of man, no one in all Norway had been more capable, in every way, than Sigurth. But in some respects he was pursued by ill luck. Hall relates that he spoke and answered little, even though they cast insults at him; and according to Hall he did not budge anymore than if they struck stone or wood. But he added that it took a man of rare strength of mind to stand being tortured in such fashion as not to say a word or to budge; nor did he raise his voice anymore than if he sat drinking. He did not speak with a higher or lower voice, nor more tremulously, than was his custom. He spoke until the very last, and sang a third part of the psalter. Hall thought that betokened endurance and strength beyond that of other men.
Now the priest who served a church nearby had Sigurth’s corpse brought to the church. This priest was a partisan of the sons of Harald. Nevertheless, when this was learned they turned upon him in wrath and had the corpse returned to where it had been before, and mulcted the priest for what he had done. But later on the adherents of Sigurth came north from Denmark in a ship after the body and brought it to Álaborg and buried it by Saint Mary’s Church in that town. So Eirík was told by the provost Ketil who had charge of Saint Mary’s Church in that town, affirming that Sigurth was buried there. Thjóstólf Álason had the body of King Magnús brought to Ósló where it was interred in Saint Hallvarth’s Church by the side of King Sigurth, his father. The body of Lothin Saupruth they took to Túnsberg, but all the others who had fallen were buried on the spot.
Chapter 13. Eystein Haraldsson Is Given a Third of the Realm
Sigurth and Ingi had ruled over Norway for six years when 1142 Eystein, in spring, came over east from Scotland. He was a son of Harald Gilli. Árni Sturla, Thorleif Brynjólfsson, and Kolbein Hrúga had sailed across the sea to fetch Eystein and had accompanied him to the land, steering straightway to Trondheim. And the men of the district received him well, and he was chosen king at the Eyra Assembly in the Rogation Days [May 25th-27th], with the intent that he was to have a third part of Norway together with his brothers. At that time Sigurth and Ingi were in the eastern part of the country. Men went to mediate beween the kings and came to the agreement that Eystein was to have a third of the kingdom. [No tests of paternity were made],1 but it was believed what King Harald had said about the matter. King Eystein’s mother was Bjathok, and she accompanied him to Norway.
Chapter 14. Óttar Birting Is Assassinated
Magnús was the name of a fourth son of King Harald. He was fostered by Kyrpinga-Orm. He also was chosen king and had his share of the land. Magnús was diseased in his legs. He lived but a short time and died a natural death. Einar Skúlason makes mention of him in this stanza:
(217.)
585. Wins wealth for all Eystein,
wages Sigurth battles,
swords sing out for Ingi,
seemly peace gives Magnús.
Nobler brothers never—
ness-of-swords1 aye reddened
beloved liege’s offspring—
lived beneath the sun’s rays.
After the death of King Harald Gilli his queen, Ingiríth, was married to Óttar Birting. He was a landed-man and a great chieftain from the Trondheim District. He was a stanch supporter of King Ingi when Ingi was still a child. King Sigurth was no great friend of his, for the reason that he considered Óttar to be altogether too much inclined to favor his kinsman, King Ingi. Óttar Birting was killed north in Kaupang in an affray one evening as he was going to vespers. When he heard the whistle of the blow he lifted his arm and cloak to ward it off, thinking it was a snowball thrown at him, as is often done by young boys. He fell with the blow. But, at that moment, Álf Hrothi, his son, entered the churchyard. He saw his father fall and also [saw] that the man who had done the deed ran east around the church. Álf ran after him and killed him at the corner of the choir. People said that he avenged himself well, and he was considered a man of greater stature than before for having done that.
Chapter 15. Óttar’s Death Is Attributed to King Sigurth
King Eystein Haraldsson was in the Trondheim District when he learned of the fall of Óttar, and summoned a force of farmers. He marched to the town with a considerable host. The kinsmen of Óttar and other friends of his attributed the deed to King Sigurth who at that time was in Kaupang, and the farmers were exceedingly enraged at him. But he offered to undergo the ordeal of [red-hot] iron, in order to put his word to the proof, and that was agreed upon. After that King Sigurth travelled south, so that this ordeal never took place.
Chapter 16. Queen Ingiríth’s Marriages
Queen Ingiríth had a son by Ívar Sneis. He was called Orm, and later, King’s Brother. He was exceedingly handsome and became a great chieftain, as will be told later. Queen Ingiríth was married to Árni of Stothreim who later was called King’s Stepfather. Their children were Ingi, Níkolás, Philippús of Herthla, and Margrét. She was married, first to Bjorn Bukk, and later to Símon Kárason.
Chapter 17. Erling and Eindrithi Sail to the Holy Land
Erling was the name of the son of Kyrpinga-Orm and Ragnhild, the daughter of Sveinki Steinarsson. Kyrpinga-Orm was the son of Svein Sveinsson, who was the son of Erlend of Gerthi. Orm’s mother was Ragna, a daughter of Earl Orm Eilífsson and Ingibjorg, daughter of Earl Finn Árnason. The mother of Earl Orm was Ragnhild, a daughter of Earl Hákon the Powerful. Erling was a man of excellent understanding and a great friend of King Ingi, and through his influence Erling married Kristín, the daughter of King Sigurth and Queen Málmfríth. Erling resided at Stuthla in South Horthaland. Erling went abroad, and with him Eindrithi the Young and several other landed-men, with a picked troop. They had made preparations to go to the Holy Land and sailed west across the sea to the 1151 Orkneys. There they were joined by Earl Rognvald, surnamed Kali, and Bishop Viljalm. They had alt
ogether fifteen long-ships when they sailed from the Orkneys, and proceeded to the Hebrides, and from there west [south] to France, and along the same route Sigurth the Jerusalem-farer had followed, all the way to Norva Sound, harrying far and wide about heathen Spain. Shortly after they had sailed through the Sound, Eindrithi the Young and those with him parted company with six ships, and afterwards both fleets proceeded separately.
Earl Rognvald and Erling Skakki encountered a large warship. They attacked it with their nine ships and fought with it. In the end they fastened their ships to the warship. Then the Saracens hurled down upon them both missiles and rocks and pots full of boiling pitch and oil. Erling with his ship lay closest to them, so that the missiles of the Saracens flew beyond it. Thereupon Erling and his men hacked holes in the warship, some below the water-line, some in the sides so that they could enter there. As says Thorbjorn Skakkaskáld1 in his Erlingsdrápa:
(218.)
586. Hacked with whetted axes
holes the daring Northmen,
little fearing, below the
line in the ship’s broadside.
Saw your wiles the wilding
wolfbrood’s-hunger-saters,2
how you broke a breach a-
bove the line of water.
Authun the Red, the forecastleman on Erling’s ship was the first to board the warship. They conquered it and killed an enormous number of men in it. They took immense booty and had won a fine victory.
Earl Rognvald and Erling Skakki on this expedition reached Palestine and went as far as the River Jordan, whereupon they returned by way of Miklagarth. There they left their ships and returned by the landway from abroad, continuing until they reached Norway, hale and well, and 1153 their expedition won great praise. Erling was now considered a more important man than before, both by reason of this expedition and the match he had made. Also, he was a man of keen understanding, wealthy and high-born, of great eloquence. As between the brothers, he was most inclined to side with Ingi.
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