Heimskringla

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"From Spain I have much news to tell
Of what our generous king befell.
And first he routs the viking crew,
At Cintra next the heathens slew;
The men he treated as God's foes,
Who dared the true faith to oppose.
No man he spared who would not take
The Christian faith for Jesus' sake."

5. LISBON TAKEN.

After this King Sigurd sailed with his fleet to Lisbon, which is
a great city in Spain, half Christian and half heathen; for there
lies the division between Christian Spain and heathen Spain, and
all the districts which lie west of the city are occupied by
heathens. There King Sigurd had his third battle with the
heathens, and gained the victory, and with it a great booty. So
says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"The son of kings on Lisbon's plains
A third and bloody battle gains.
He and his Norsemen boldly land,
Running their stout ships on the strand."

Then King Sigurd sailed westwards along heathen Spain, and
brought up at a town called Alkasse; and here he had his fourth
battle with the heathens, and took the town, and killed so many
people that the town was left empty. They got there also immense
booty. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"A fourth great battle, I am told,
Our Norse king and his people hold
At Alkasse; and here again
The victory fell to our Norsemen."

And also this verse: --

"I heard that through the town he went,
And heathen widows' wild lament
Resounded in the empty halls;
For every townsman flies or falls."

3. BATTLE IN THE ISLAND FORMINTERRA.

King Sigurd then proceeded on his voyage, and came to Norfasund;
and in the sound he was met by a large viking force, and the king
gave them battle; and this was his fifth engagement with heathens
since the time he left Norway. He gained the victory here also.
So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"Ye moistened your dry swords with blood,
As through Norfasund ye stood;
The screaming raven got a feast,
As ye sailed onward to the East."

King Sigurd then sailed eastward along the coast of Serkland, and
came to an island there called Forminterra. There a great many
heathen Moors had taken up their dwelling in a cave, and had
built a strong stone wall before its mouth. They harried the
country all round, and carried all their booty to their cave.
King Sigurd landed on this island, and went to the cave; but it
lay in a precipice, and there was a high winding path to the
stone wall, and the precipice above projected over it. The
heathens defended the stone wall, and were not afraid of the
Northmen's arms; for they could throw stones, or shoot down upon
the Northmen under their feet; neither did the Northmen, under
such circumstances, dare to mount up. The heathens took their
clothes and other valuable things, carried them out upon the
wall, spread them out before the Northmen, shouted, and defied
them, and upbraided them as cowards. Then Sigurd fell upon this
plan. He had two ship's boats, such as we call barks, drawn up
the precipice right above the mouth of the cave; and had thick
ropes fastened around the stem, stern, and hull of each. In
these boats as many men went as could find room, and then the
boats were lowered by the ropes down in front of the mouth of the
cave; and the men in the boats shot with stones and missiles into
the cave, and the heathens were thus driven from the stone wall.
Then Sigurd with his troops climbed up the precipice to the foot
of the stone wall, which they succeeded in breaking down, so that
they came into the cave. Now the heathens fled within the stone
wall that was built across the cave; on which the king ordered
large trees to be brought to the cave, made a great pile in the
mouth of it, and set fire to the wood. When the fire and smoke
got the upper hand, some of the heathens lost their lives in it;
some fled; some fell by the hands of the Northmen; and part were
killed, part burned; and the Northmen made the greatest booty
they had got on all their expeditions. So says Halder Skvaldre:
--

"Forminterra lay
In the victor's way;
His ships' stems fly
To victory.
The bluemen there
Must fire bear,
And Norsemen's steel
At their hearts feel."

And also thus:--

"'Twas a feat of renown, --
The boat lowered down,
With a boat's crew brave,
In front of the cave;
While up the rock scaling,
And comrades up trailing,
The Norsemen gain,
And the bluemen are slain."

And also Thorarin Stutfeld says:--

"The king's men up the mountain's side
Drag two boats from the ocean's tide;
The two boats lay,
Like hill-wolves grey.
Now o'er the rock in ropes they're swinging
Well manned, and death to bluemen bringing;
They hang before
The robber's door."

7. OF THE BATTLES OF IVIZA AND MINORCA.

Thereafter King Sigurd proceeded on his expedition, and came to
an island called Iviza (Ivica), and had there his seventh battle,
and gained a victory. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"His ships at Ivica now ride,
The king's, whose fame spreads far and wide;
And hear the bearers of the shield
Their arms again in battle wield."

Thereafter King Sigurd came to an island called Manork (Minorca),
and held there his eighth battle with heathen men, and gained the
victory. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"On green Minorca's plains
The eighth battle now he gains:
Again the heathen foe
Falls at the Norse king's blow."

8. DUKE ROGER MADE A KING.

In spring King Sigurd came to Sicily (A.D. 1109), and remained a
long time there. There was then a Duke Roger in Sicily, who
received the king kindly, and invited him to a feast. King
Sigurd came to it with a great retinue, and was splendidly
entertained. Every day Duke Roger stood at the company's table,
doing service to the king; but the seventh day of the feast, when
the people had come to table, and had wiped their hands, King
Sigurd took the duke by the hand, led him up to the high-seat,
and saluted him with the title of king; and gave the right that
there should be always a king over the dominion of Sicily,
although before there had only been earls or dukes over that
country.

9. OF KING ROGER.

King Roger of Sicily was a very great king. He won and subdued
all Apulia, and many large islands besides in the Greek sea; and
therefore he was called Roger the Great. His son was William,
king of Sicily, who for a long time had great hostility with the
emperor of Constantinople. King William had three daughters, but
no son. One of his daughters he married to the Emperor Henry, a
son of the Emperor Frederik; and their son was Frederik, who for
a short time after was emperor of Rome. His second daughter was
married to the Duke of Kipr. The third daughter, Margaret, was
married to the chief of the corsairs; but the Emperor Henry
killed both these brothers-in-law. The daughter of Roger the
Great, king of Sicily, was married to the Emperor Manuel of
Constantinople; and their son was the Emperor Kirjalax.

10. KING SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.

In the summer (A.D. 1110) King Sigurd sailed across the Greek sea
to Palestine, and thereupon went up to Jerusalem, where he met
Baldwin, king of Palestine. King Baldwin received him
particularly well, and rode with him all the way to the river
Jordan, and then back to the city of Jerusalem. Einar Skulason
speaks thus of it: --

"Good reason has the skald to sing
The generous temper of the king,
Whose sea-cold keel from northern waves
Ploughs the blue sea that green isles laves.
At Acre scarce were we made fast,
In holy ground our anchors cast,
When the king made a joyful morn
To all who toil with him had borne."

And again he made these lines: --

"To Jerusalem he came,
He who loves war's noble game,
(The skald no greater monarch finds
Beneath the heaven's wide hall of winds)
All sin and evil from him flings
In Jordan's wave: for all his sins
(Which all must praise) he pardon wins."

King Sigurd stayed a long time in the land of Jerusalem
(Jorsalaland) in autumn, and in the beginning of winter.

11. SIDON TAKEN.

King Baldwin made a magnificent feast for King Sigurd and many of
his people, and gave him many holy relics. By the orders of King
Baldwin and the patriarch, there was taken a splinter off the
holy cross; and on this holy relic both made oath, that this wood
was of the holy cross upon which God Himself had been tortured.
Then this holy relic was given to King Sigurd; with the condition
that he, and twelve other men with him, should swear to promote
Christianity with all his power, and erect an archbishop's seat
in Norway if he could; and also that the cross should be kept
where the holy King Olaf reposed, and that he should introduce
tithes, and also pay them himself. After this King Sigurd
returned to his ships at Acre; and then King Baldwin prepared to
go to Syria, to a heathen town called Saet. On this expedition
King Sigurd accompanied him, and after the kings had besieged the
town some time it surrendered, and they took possession of it,
and of a great treasure of money; and their men found other
booty. King Sigurd made a present of his share to King Baldwin.
So say Haldor Skvaldre: --

"He who for wolves provides the feast
Seized on the city in the East,
The heathen nest; and honour drew,
And gold to give, from those he slew."

Einar Skulason also tells of it: --

"The Norsemen's king, the skalds relate,
Has ta'en the heathen town of Saet:
The slinging engine with dread noise
Gables and roofs with stones destroys.
The town wall totters too, -- it falls;
The Norsemen mount the blackened walls.
He who stains red the raven's bill
Has won, -- the town lies at his will."

Thereafter King Sigurd went to his ships and made ready to leave
Palestine. They sailed north to the island Cyprus; and King
Sigurd stayed there a while, and then went to the Greek country,
and came to the land with all his fleet at Engilsnes. Here he
lay still for a fortnight, although every day it blew a breeze
for going before the wind to the north; but Sigurd would wait a
side wind, so that the sails might stretch fore and aft in the
ship; for in all his sails there was silk joined in, before and
behind in the sail, and neither those before nor those behind the
ships could see the slightest appearance of this, if the vessel
was before the wind; so they would rather wait a side wind.

12. SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO CONSTANTINOPLE.

When King Sigurd sailed into Constantinople, he steered near the
land. Over all the land there are burghs, castles, country
towns, the one upon the other without interval. There from the
land one could see into the bights of the sails; and the sails
stood so close beside each other, that they seemed to form one
enclosure. All the people turned out to see King Sigurd sailing
past. The Emperor Kirjalax had also heard of King Sigurd's
expedition, and ordered the city port of Constantinople to be
opened, which is called the Gold Tower, through which the emperor
rides when he has been long absent from Constantinople, or has
made a campaign in which he has been victorious. The emperor had
precious cloths spread out from the Gold Tower to Laktjarna,
which is the name of the emperor's most splendid hall. King
Sigurd ordered his men to ride in great state into the city, and
not to regard all the new things they might see; and this they
did. King Sigurd and his followers rode with this great
splendour into Constantinople, and then came to the magnificent
hall, where everything was in the grandest style.

King Sigurd remained here some time. The Emperor Kirjalax sent
his men to him to ask if he would rather accept from the emperor
six lispund of gold, or would have the emperor give the games in
his honour which the emperor was used to have played at the
Padreim. King Sigurd preferred the games, and the messengers
said the spectacle would not cost the emperor less than the money
offered. Then the emperor prepared for the games, which were
held in the usual way; but this day everything went on better for
the king than for the queen; for the queen has always the half
part in the games, and their men, therefore, always strive
against each other in all games. The Greeks accordingly think
that when the king's men win more games at the Padreim than the
queen's, the king will gain the victory when he goes into battle.
People who have been in Constantinople tell that the Padreim is
thus constructed: -- A high wall surrounds a flat plain, which
may be compared to a round bare Thing-place, with earthen banks
all around at the stone wall, on which banks the spectators sit;
but the games themselves are in the flat plain. There are many
sorts of old events represented concerning the Asas, Volsungs,
and Giukungs, in these games; and all the figures are cast in
copper, or metal, with so great art that they appear to be living
things; and to the people it appears as if they were really
present in the games. The games themselves are so artfully and
cleverly managed, that people appear to be riding in the air; and
at them also are used shot-fire (1), and all kinds of harp-
playing, singing, and music instruments.

ENDNOTES:
(1) Fireworks, or the Greek fire, probably were used. -- L.

12. SIGURD AND THE EMPEROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

It is related that King Sigurd one day was to give the emperor a
feast, and he ordered his men to provide sumptuously all that was
necessary for the entertainment; and when all things were
provided which are suitable for an entertainment given by a great
personage to persons of high dignity, King Sigurd ordered his
men to go to the street in the city where firewood was sold, as
they would require a great quantity to prepare the feast. They
said the king need not be afraid of wanting firewood, for every
day many loads were brought into the town. When it was
necessary, however, to have firewood, it was found that it was
all sold, which they told the king. He replied, "Go and try if
you can get walnuts. They will answer as well as wood for fuel."
They went and got as many as they needed. Now came the emperor,
and his grandees and court, and sat down to table. All was very
splendid; and King Sigurd received the emperor with great state,
and entertained him magnificently. When the queen and the
emperor found that nothing was wanting, she sent some persons to
inquire what they had used for firewood; and they came to a house
filled with walnuts, and they came back and told the queen.
"Truly," said she, "this is a magnificent king, who spares no
expense where his honour is concerned." She had contrived this
to try what they would do when they could get no firewood to
dress their feast with.

14. KING SIGURD THE CRUSADER'S RETURN HOME.

King Sigurd soon after prepared for his return home. He gave the
emperor all his ships; and the valuable figureheads which were on
the king's ships were set up in Peter's church, where they have
since been to be seen. The emperor gave the king many horses and
guides to conduct him through all his dominions. Then King
Sigurd left Constantinople; but a great many Northmen remained,
and went into the emperor's pay. Then King Sigurd traveled from
Bulgaria, and through Hungary, Pannonia. Suabia, and Bavaria,
where he met the Roman emperor, Lotharius, who received him in
the most friendly way, gave him guides through his dominions, and
had markets established for him at which he could purchase all he
required. When King Sigurd came to Slesvik in Denmark, Earl
Eilif made a sumptuous feast for him; and it was then midsummer.
In Heidaby he met the Danish king, Nikolas, who received him in
the most friendly way, made a great entertainment for him,
accompanied him north to Jutland, and gave him a ship provided
with everything needful. From thence the king returned to
Norway, and was joyfully welcomed on his return to his kingdom
(A.D. 1110). It was the common talk among the people, that none
had ever made so honourable a journey from Norway as this of King
Sigurd. He was twenty years of age, and had been three years on
these travels. His brother Olaf was then twelve years old.

15. EYSTEIN'S DOINGS IN THE MEANTIME.

King Eystein had also effected much in the country that was
useful while King Sigurd was on his journey. He established a
monastery at Nordnes in Bergen, and endowed it with much
property. He also built Michael's church, which is a very
splendid stone temple. In the king's house there he also built
the Church of the Apostles, and the great hall, which is the most
magnificent wooden structure that was ever built in Norway. He
also built a church at Agdanes with a parapet; and a harbour,
where formerly there had been a barren spot only. In Nidaros he
built in the king's street the church of Saint Nikolas, which was
particularly ornamented with carved work, and all in wood. He
also built a church north in Vagar in Halogaland, and endowed it
with property and revenues.

16. OF KING EYSTEIN.

King Eystein sent a verbal message to the most intelligent and
powerful of the men of Jamtaland, and invited them to him;
received them all as they came with great kindness; accompanied
them part of the way home, and gave them presents, and thus
enticed them into a friendship with him. Now as many of them
became accustomed to visit him and receive gifts from him, and he
also sent gifts to some who did not come themselves, he soon
gained the favour of all the people who had most influence in the
country. Then he spoke to the Jamtaland people, and told them
they had done ill in turning away from the kings of Norway, and
withdrawing from them their taxes and allegiance. He began by
saying how the Jamtaland people had submitted to the reign of
Hakon, the foster-son of Athelstane, and had long afterwards been
subjected to the kings of Norway, and he represented to them how
many useful things they could get from Norway, and how
inconvenient it was for them to apply to the Swedish king for
what they needed. By these speeches he brought matters so far
that the Jamtaland people of their own accord offered to be
subject to him, which they said was useful and necessary for
them; and thus, on both sides, it was agreed that the
Jamtalanders should put their whole country under King Eystein.
The first beginning was with the men of consequence, who
persuaded the people to take an oath of fidelity to King Eystein;
and then they went to King Eystein and confirmed the country to
him by oath; and this arrangement has since continued for a long
time. King Eystein thus conquered Jamtaland by his wisdom, and
not by hostile inroads, as some of his forefathers had done.

17. OF KING EYSTEIN'S PERFECTIONS.

King Eystein was the handsomest man that could be seen. He had
blue open eyes; his hair yellow and curling; his stature not
tall, but of the middle size. He was wise, intelligent, and
acquainted with the laws and history. He had much knowledge of
mankind, was quick in counsel, prudent in words, and very
eloquent and very generous. He was very merry, yet modest; and
was liked and beloved, indeed, by all the people. He was married
to Ingebjorg, a daughter of Guthorm, son of Thorer of Steig; and
their daughter was Maria, who afterwards married Gudbrand
Skafhogson.

18. OF IVAR INGIMUNDSON.

King Eystein had in many ways improved the laws and priveleges of
the country people, and kept strictly to the laws; and he made
himself acquainted with all the laws of Norway, and showed in
everything great prudence and understanding. What a valuable man
King Eystein was, how full of friendship, and how much he turned
his mind to examining and avoiding everything that could be of
disadvantage to his friends, may be seen from his friendship to
an Iceland man called Ivar Ingimundson. The man was witty, of
great family, and also a poet. The king saw that Ivar was out of
spirits, and asked him why he was so melancholy. "Before, when
thou wast with us, we had much amusement with thy conversation.
I know thou art a man of too good an understanding to believe
that I would do anything against thee. Tell me then what it is."

He replied, "I cannot tell thee what it is."

Then said the king, "I will try to guess what it is. Are there
any men who displease thee?"

To this he replied, "No."

"Dost thou think thou art held in less esteem by me than thou
wouldst like to be?"

To this he also replied, "No."

"Hast thou observed anything whatever that has made an impression
on thee at which thou art ill pleased?"

He replied, it was not this either.

The king: "Would you like to go to other chiefs or to other men?"

To this he answered, "No."

The king: "It is difficult now to guess. Is there any girl here,
or in any other country, to whom thy affections are engaged?"

He said it was so.

The king said, "Do not be melancholy on that account. Go to
Iceland when spring sets in, and I shall give thee money, and
presents, and with these my letters and seal to the men who have
the principal sway there; and I know no man there who will not
obey my persuasions or threats."

Ivar replied, "My fate is heavier, sire; for my own brother has
the girl."

Then said the king, "Throw it out of thy mind; and I know a
counsel against this. After Yule I will travel in
guest-quarters. Thou shalt come along with me, and thou will
have an opportunity of seeing many beautiful girls; and, provided
they are not of the royal stock, I will get thee one of them in
marriage."

Ivar replies, "Sire, my fate is still the heavier; for as oft as
I see beautiful and excellent girls I only remember the more that
girl, and they increase my misery."

The king: "Then I will give thee property to manage, and estates
for thy amusement."

He replied, "For that I have no desire."

The king: "Then I will give thee money, that thou mayest travel
in other countries."

He said he did not wish this.

Then said the king, "It is difficult for me to seek farther, for
I have proposed everything that occurs to me. There is but one
thing else; and that is but little compared to what I have
offered thee. Come to me every day after the tables are removed,
and, if I am not sitting upon important business, I shall talk
with thee about the girl in every way that I can think of; and I
shall do so at leisure. It sometimes happens that sorrow is
lightened by being brought out openly; and thou shalt never go
away without some gift."

He replied, "This I will do, sire, and return thanks for this
inquiry."

And now they did so constantly; and when the king was not
occupied with weightier affairs he talked with him, and his
sorrow by degrees wore away, and he was again in good spirits.

19. OF KING SIGURD.

King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, with brown hair; of a
manly appearance, but not handsome; well grown; of little speech,
and often not friendly, but good to his friends, and faithful;
not very eloquent, but moral and polite. King Sigurd was self-
willed, and severe in his revenge; strict in observing the law;
was generous; and withal an able, powerful king. His brother
Olaf was a tall, thin man; handsome in countenance; lively,
modest, and popular. When all these brothers, Eystein, Sigurd
and Olaf were kings of Norway, they did away with many burthens
which the Danes had laid upon the people in the time that Svein
Alfifason ruled Norway; and on this account they were much
beloved, both by the people and the great men of the country.

20. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.

Once King Sigurd fell into low spirits, so that few could get him
to converse, and he sat but a short time at the drinking table.
This was heavy on his counsellors, friends, and court; and they
begged King Eystein to consider how they could discover the cause
why the people who came to the king could get no reply to what
they laid before him. King Eystein answered them, that it was
difficult to speak with the king about this; but at last, on the
entreaty of many, he promised to do it. Once, when they were
both together, King Eystein brought the matter before his
brother, and asked the cause of his melancholy. "It is a great
grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like
to know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard
any news of great weight?"

King Sigurd replies, that it was not so.

"Is it then, brother," says King Eystein, "that you would like to
travel out of the country, and augment your dominions as our
father did?"

He answered, that it was not that either.

"Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?"

To this also the king said "No."

"Then I would like to know if you have dreamt anything that has
occasioned this depression of mind?"

The king answered that it was so.