Heimskringla

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He replied, "Sir, who are you?"

"I am King Olaf, on whom thou hast called."

"Oh, my good lord! gladly would I raise myself; but I lie bound
with iron and with chains on my legs, and also the other men who
lie here."

Thereupon the king accosts him with the words, "Stand up at once
and be not afraid; for thou art loose."

He awoke immediately, and told his comrades what, had appeared to
him in his dream. They told him to stand up, and try if it was
true. He stood up, and observed that he was loose. Now said his
fellow-prisoners, this would help him but little, for the door
was locked both on the inside and on the outside. Then an old
man who sat there in a deplorable condition put in his word, and
told him not to doubt the mercy of the man who had loosened his
chains; "For he has wrought this miracle on thee that thou
shouldst enjoy his mercy, and hereafter be free, without
suffering more misery and torture. Make haste, then, and seek
the door; and if thou are able to slip out, thou art saved."

He did so, found the door open, slipped out, and away to the
forest. As soon as the Vindland people were aware of this they
set loose the dogs, and pursued him in great haste; and the poor
man lay hid, and saw well where they were following him. But now
the hounds lost the trace when they came nearer, and all the eyes
that sought him were struck with a blindness, so that nobody
could find him, although he lay before their feet; and they all
returned home, vexed that they could not find him. King Olaf did
not permit this man's destruction after he had reached the
forest, and restored him also to his health and hearing; for they
had so long tortured and beaten him that he had become deaf. At
last he came on board of a ship, with two other Christian men who
had been long afflicted in that country. All of them worked
zealously in this vessel, and so had a successful flight. Then
he repaired to the holy man's house, strong and fit to bear arms.
Now he was vexed at his vow, went from his promise to the holy
king, ran away one day, and came in the evening to a bonde who
gave him lodging for God's sake. Then in the night he saw three
girls coming to him; and handsome and nobly dressed were they.
They spoke to him directly, and sharply reprimanded him for
having been so bold as to run from the good king who had shown so
much compassion to him, first in freeing him from his irons, and
then from the prison; and yet he had deserted the mild master
into whose service he had entered. Then he awoke full of terror,
got up early, and told the house-father his dream. The good man
had nothing so earnest in life as to send him-back to the holy
place. This miracle was first written down by a man who himself
saw the man, and the marks of the chains upon his body.

40. KING SIGURD MARRIES CECILIA.

In the last period of King Sigurd's life, his new and
extraordinary resolution was whispered about, that he would be
divorced from his queen, and would take Cecilia, who was a great
man's daughter, to wife. He ordered accordingly a great feast to
be prepared, and intended to hold his wedding with her in Bergen.
Now when Bishop Magne heard this, he was very sorry; and one day
the bishop goes to the king's hall, and with him a priest called
Sigurd, who was afterwards bishop of Bergen. When they came to
the king's hall, the bishop sent the king a message that he would
like to meet him; and asked the king to come out to him. He did
so, and came out with a drawn sword in his hand. He received the
bishop kindly and asked him to go in and sit down to table with
him.

The bishop replies, "I have other business now. Is it true,
sire, what is told me, that thou hast the intention of marrying,
and of driving away thy queen, and taking another wife?"

The king said it was true.

Then the bishop changed countenance, and angrily replied, "How
can it come into your mind, sire, to do such an act in our
bishopric as to betray God's word and law, and the holy church?
It surprises me that you treat with such contempt our episcopal
office, and your own royal office. I will now do what is my
duty; and in the name of God, of the holy King Olaf, of Peter the
apostle, and of the other saints, forbid thee this wickedness."

While he thus spoke he stood straight up, as if stretching out
his neck to the blow, as if ready if the king chose to let the
sword fall; and the priest Sigurd. who afterwards was bishop, has
declared that the sky appeared to him no bigger than a calf's
skin, so frightful did the appearance of the king present itself
to him. The king returned to the hall, however, without saying a
word; and the bishop went to his house and home so cheerful and
gay that he laughed, and saluted every child on his way, and was
playing with his fingers. Then the priest Sigurd asked him the
reason, saying, "Why are you so cheerful, sir? Do you not
consider that the king may be exasperated against you? and would
it not be better to get out of the way?"

Then said the bishop, "It appears to me more likely that he will
not act so; and besides, what death could be better, or more
desirable, than to leave life for the honour of God? or to die
for the holy cause of Christianity and our own office, by
preventing that which is not right? I am so cheerful because I
have done what I ought to do."

There was much noise in the town about this. The king got ready
for a journey, and took with him corn, malt and honey. He went
south to Stavanger, and prepared a feast there for his marriage
with Cecilia. When a bishop who ruled there heard of this he
went to the king, and asked if it were true that he intended to
marry in the lifetime of the queen.

The king said it was so.

The bishop answers, "If it be so, sire, you must know how much
such a thing is forbidden to inferior persons. Now it appears as
if you thought it was allowable for you, because you have great
power, and that it is proper for you, although it is against
right and propriety; but I do not know how you will do it in our
bishopric, dishonouring thereby God's command, the holy Church,
and our episcopal authority. But you must bestow a great amount
of gifts and estates on this foundation, and thereby pay the
mulct due to God and to us for such transgression."

Then said the king, "Take what thou wilt of our possessions.
Thou art far more reasonable than Bishop Magne."

Then the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill
pleased with him who had laid a prohibition on him. Thereafter
the king married the girl, and loved her tenderly.

41. IMPROVEMENT OF KONUNGAHELLA.

King Sigurd improved the town of Konungahella so much, that there
was not a greater town in Norway at the time, and he remained
there long for the defence of the frontiers. He built a king's
house in the castle, and imposed a duty on all the districts in
the neighbourhood of the town, as well as on the townspeople,
that every person of nine years of age and upwards should bring
to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or as many large
stakes sharp at one end and five ells long. In the castle the
king built a cross-church of timber, and carefully put together,
as far as regards the wood and other materials. The cross-church
was consecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign (A.D.
1127). Here the king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and
many other holy relics. It was called the castle church; and
before the high altar he placed the tables he had got made in the
Greek country, which were of copper and silver, all gilt, and
beautifully adorned with jewels. Here was also the shrine which
the Danish king Eirik Eimune had sent to King Sigurd; and the
altar book, written with gold letters, which the patriarch had
presented to King Sigurd.

42. KING SIGURD'S DEATH.

Three years after the consecration of the cross-church, when King
Sigurd was stopping at Viken, he fell sick (A.D. 1130). He died
the night before Mary's-mass (August 15), and was buried in
Halvard's church, where he was laid in the stone wall without the
choir on the south side. His son Magnus was in the town at the
time and took possession of the whole of the king's treasury when
King Sigurd died. Sigurd had been king of Norway twenty-seven
years (A.D. 1104-1130), and was forty years of age when he died.
The time of his reign was good for the country; for there was
peace, and crops were good.

SAGA OF MAGNUS THE BLIND AND OF HARALD GILLE.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

An age of conflict now begins in Norway. On his death, in 1130,
Sigurd left his son Magnus and his brother Harald. They soon
divided the government, and then entered upon a five-years'
conflict, until Magnus, in 1135, with eyes picked out, went into
a convent.

The next year, 1136, a new pretender appeared in the person of
Sigurd Slembe, who took King Harald's life in 1137. Magnus died
in 1139.

Other literature in regard to this epoch is "Fagrskinna" and
"Morkinskinna". The corresponding part of "Agrip" is lost.

Skalds quoted are: Haldor Skvaldre, Einar Skulason, and Ivar
Ingemundson.

1. MAGNUS AND HARALD PROCLAIMED KINGS.

King Sigurd's son Magnus was proclaimed in Oslo king of all the
country immediately after his father's death, according to the
oath which the whole nation had sworn to King Sigurd; and many
went into his service, and many became his lendermen. Magnus was
the handsomest man then in Norway; of a passionate temper, and
cruel, but distinguished in bodily exercises. The favour of the
people he owed most to the respect for his father. He was a
great drinker, greedy of money, hard, and obstinate.

Harald Gille, on the other hand, was very pleasing in
intercourse, gay, and full of mirth; and so generous that he
spared in nothing for the sake of his friends. He willingly
listened to good advice, so that he allowed others to consult
with him and give counsel. With all this he obtained favour and a
good repute, and many men attached themselves as much to him as
to King Magnus. Harald was in Tunsberg when he heard of his
brother King Sigurd's death. He called together his friends to a
meeting, and it was resolved to hold the Hauga Thing (1) there in
the town. At this Thing, Harald was chosen king of half the
country, and it was called a forced oath which had been taken
from him to renounce his paternal heritage. Then Harald formed a
court, and appointed lendermen; and very soon he had as many
people about him as King Magnus. Then men went between them, and
matters stood in this way for seven days; but King Magnus,
finding he had fewer people, was obliged to give way, and to
divide the kingdom with Harald into two parts. The kingdom
accordingly was so divided (October 3, 1130) that each of them
should have the half part of the kingdom which King Sigurd had
possessed; but that King Magnus alone should inherit the fleet of
ships, the table service, the valuable articles and the movable
effects which had belonged to his father, King Sigurd. He was
notwithstanding the least satisfied with his share. Although
they were of such different dispositions, they ruled the country
for some time in peace. King Harald had a son called Sigurd, by
Thora, a daughter of Guthorm Grabarde. King Harald afterwards
married Ingerid, a daughter of Ragnvald, who was a son of the
Swedish King Inge Steinkelson. King Magnus was married to a
daughter of Knut Lavard, and she was a sister of the Danish King
Valdernar; but King Magnus having no affection for her, sent her
back to Denmark; and from that day everything went ill with him,
and he brought upon himself the enmity of her family.

ENDNOTES:
(1) Hauga-thing means a Thing held at the tumuli or burial
mounds. -- L.

2. OF THE FORCES OF HARALD AND MAGNUS.

When the two relations, Harald and Magnus, had been about three
years kings of Norway (A.D. 1131-1133), they both passed the
fourth winter (A.D. 1134) in the town of Nidaros, and invited
each other as guests; but their people were always ready for a
fight. In spring King Magnus sailed southwards along the land
with his fleet, and drew all the men he could obtain out of each
district, and sounded his friends if they would strengthen him
with their power to take the kingly dignity from Harald, and give
him such a portion of the kingdom, as might be suitable;
representing to them that King Harald had already renounced the
kingdom by oath. King Magnus obtained the consent of many
powerful men. The same spring Harald went to the Uplands, and by
the upper roads eastwards to Viken; and when he heard what King
Magnus was doing, he also drew together men on his side.
Wheresoever the two parties went they killed the cattle, or even
the people, upon the farms of the adverse party. King Magnus had
by far the most people, for the main strength of the country lay
open to him for collecting men from it. King Harald was in Viken
on the east side of the fjord, and collected men, while they were
doing each other damage in property and life. King Harald had
with him Kristrod, his brother by his mother's side, and many
other lendermen; but King Magnus had many more. King Harald was
with his forces at a place called Fors in Ranrike, and went from
thence towards the sea. The evening before Saint Lawrence day
(August 10), they had their supper at a place called Fyrileif,
while the guard kept a watch on horseback all around the house.
The watchmen observed King Magnus's army hastening towards the
house, and consisting of full 6000 men, while King Harald had but
1500. Now come the watchmen who had to bring the news to King
Harald of what was going on and say that King Magnus's army was
now very near the town.

The king says, "What will my relation King Magnus Sigurdson have?
He wants not surely to fight us."

Thjostolf Alason replies, "You must certainly, sire, make
preparation for that, both for yourself and your, men. King
Magnus has been drawing together an army all the summer for the
purpose of giving you battle when he meets you."

Then King Harald stood up, and ordered his men to take their
arms. "We shall fight, if our relative King Magnus wants to
fight us."

Then the war-horns sounded, and all Harald's men went out from
the house to an enclosed field, and set up their banners. King
Harald had on two shirts of ring-mail, but his brother Kristrod
had no armour on; and a gallant man he was. When King Magnus and
his men saw King Harald's troop they drew up and made their
array, and made their line so long that they could surround the
whole of King Harald's troop. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"King Magnus on the battle-plain
From his long troop-line had great gain;
The plain was drenched with warm blood,
Which lay a red and reeking flood."

3. BATTLE AT FYRILEIF.

King Magnus had the holy cross carried before him in this battle,
and the battle was great and severe. The king's brother,
Kristrod, had penetrated with his troop into the middle of King
Magnus's array, and cut down on each side of him, so that people
gave way before him everywhere. But a powerful bonde who was in
King Harald's array raised his spear with both hands, and drove
it through between Kristrod's shoulders, so that it came out at
his breast; and thus fell Kristrod. Many who were near asked the
bonde why he had done so foul a deed.

The bonde replies, "He knows the consequences now of slaughtering
my cattle in summer, and taking all that was in my house, and
forcing me to follow him here. I determined to give him some
return when the opportunity came."

After this King Harald's army took to flight, and he fled
himself, with all his men. Many fell; and Ingemar Sveinson of
Ask, a great chief and lenderman, got there his death-wound, and
nearly sixty of King Harald's court-men also fell. Harald
himself fled eastward to Viken to his ships, and went out of the
country to King Eirik Eimune in Denmark, and found him in Seeland
and sought aid from him. King Eirik received him well, and
principally because they had sworn to each other to be as
brothers (1); and gave him Halland as a fief to rule over, and
gave him seven long-ships, but without equipment. Thereafter
King Harald went northwards through Halland, and many Northmen
came to meet him. After this battle King Magnus subdued the
whole country, giving life and safety to all who were wounded,
and had them taken care of equally with his own men. He then
called the whole country his own, and had a choice of the best
men who were in the country. When they held a council among
themselves afterwards, Sigurd Sigurdson, Thorer Ingeridson, and
all the men of most understanding, advised that they should keep
their forces together in Viken, and remain there, in case Harald
should return from the south; but King Magnus would take his own
way, and went north to Bergen. There he sat all winter (A.D.
1135), and allowed his men to leave him; on which the lendermen
returned home to their own houses.

ENDNOTES:
(1) These brotherhoods, by which one man was bound by oath to
aid or avenge another, were common in the Middle Ages among
all ranks. "Sworn brothers" is still a common expression
with us. -- L.

4. DEATH OF ASBJORN AND OF NEREID.

King Harald came to Konungahella with the men who had followed
him from Denmark. The lendermen and town's burgesses collected a
force against him, which they drew up in a thick array above the
town. King Harald landed from his ships, and sent a message to
the bondes, desiring that they would not deny him his land, as he
wanted no more than what of right belonged to him. Then
mediators went between them; and it came to this, that the bondes
dismissed their troops, and submitted to him. Thereupon he
bestowed fiefs and property on the lendermen, that they might
stand by him, and paid the bondes who joined him the lawful
mulcts for what they had lost. A great body of men attached
themselves, therefore, to King Harald; and he proceeded westwards
to Viken, where he gave peace to all men, except to King Magnus's
people, whom he plundered and killed wherever he found them. And
when he came west to Sarpsborg he took prisoners two of King
Magnus s lendermen, Asbjorn and his brother Nereid; and gave them
the choice that one should be hanged, and the other thrown into
the Sarpsborg waterfall, and they might choose as they pleased.
Asbjorn chose to be thrown into the cataract, for he was the
elder of the two, and this death appeared the most dreadful; and
so it was done. Halder Skvaldre tells of this: --

"Asbjorn, who opposed the king,
O'er the wild cataract they fling:
Nereid, who opposed the king,
Must on Hagbard's high tree swing.
The king given food in many a way
To foul-mouthed beasts and birds of prey:
The generous men who dare oppose
Are treated as the worst of foes."

Thereafter King Harald proceeded north to Tunsberg, where he was
well received, and a large force gathered to him.

5. OF THE COUNSELS PROPOSED.

When King Magnus, who was in Bergen, heard these tidings, he
called together all the chiefs who were in the town, and asked
them their counsel, and what they should now do. Then Sigurd
Sigurdson said, "Here I can give a good advice. Let a ship be
manned with good men, and put me, or any other lenderman, to
command it; send it to thy relation, King Harald, and offer him
peace according to the conditions upright men may determine upon,
and offer him the half of the kingdom. It appears to me probable
that King Harald, by the words and counsel of good men, may
accept this offer, and thus there may be a peace established
between you."

Then King Magnus replied, "This proposal I will not accept of;
for of what advantage would it be, after we have gained the whole
kingdom in summer to give away the half of it now? Give us some
other counsel."

Then Sigurd Sigurdson answered, "It appears to me, sire, that
your lendermen who in autumn asked your leave to return home will
now sit at home and will not come to you. At that time it was
much against my advice that you dispersed so entirely the people
we had collected; for I could well suppose that Harald would come
back to Viken as soon as he heard that it was without a chief.
Now there is still another counsel, and it is but a poor one; but
it may turn out useful to us. Send out your pursuivants, and
send other people with them, and let them go against the
lendermen who will not join you in your necessity, and kill them;
and bestow their property on others who will give you help
although they may have been of small importance before. Let them
drive together the people, the bad as well as the good; and go
with the men you can thus assemble against King Harald, and give
him battle."

The king replies, "It would be unpopular to put to death people
of distinction, and raise up inferior people who often break
faith and law, and the country would be still worse off. I would
like to hear some other counsel still."

Sigurd replies, "It is difficult for me now to give advice, as
you will neither make peace nor give battle. Let us go north to
Throndhjem, where the main strength of the country is most
inclined to our side; and on the way let us gather all the men we
can. It may be that these Elfgrims will be tired of such a long
stride after us."

The king replies, "We must not fly from those whom we beat in
summer. Give some better counsel still."

Then Sigurd stood up and said, while he was preparing to go out,
"I will now give you the counsel which I see you will take, and
which must have its course. Sit here in Bergen until Harald
comes with his troops, and then you will either suffer death or
disgrace."

And Sigurd remained no longer at that meeting.

6. OF HARALD'S FORCE.

King Harald came from the East along the coast with a great army,
and this winter (A.D. 1135) is called on that account the
Crowd-winter. King Harald came to Bergen on Christmas eve, and
landed with his fleet at Floruvagar; but would not fight on
account of the sacred time. But King Magnus prepared for defence
in the town. He erected a stone-slinging machine out on the
holm, and had iron chains and wooden booms laid across over the
passage from the king's house to Nordnes, and to the Monks
bridge. He had foot-traps made, and thrown into Saint John's
field, and did not suspend these works except during the three
sacred days of Christmas. The last holyday of Yule, King Harald
ordered his war-horns to sound the gathering of his men for going
to the town; and, during the Yule holydays, his army had been
increased by about 900 men.

7. KING MAGNUS TAKEN PRISONER.

King Harald made a promise to King Olaf the Saint for victory,
that he would build an Olaf's church in the town at his own
expense. King Magnus drew up his men in the Christ church yard;
but King Harald laid his vessels first at Nordnes. Now when King
Magnus and his people saw that, they turned round towards the
town, and to the end of the shore; but as they passed through the
streets many of the burgesses ran into their houses and homes,
and those who went across the fields fell into the foot-traps.
Then King Magnus and his men perceived that King Harald had rowed
with all his men across to Hegravik, and landed there, and had
gone from thence the upper road up the hill opposite the town.
Now Magnus returned back again through the streets, and then his
men fled from him in all directions; some up to the mountains,
some up to the neighbourhood of the convent of nuns, some to
churches, or hid themselves as they best could. King Magnus fled
to his ship; but there was no possibility of getting away, for
the iron chains outside prevented the passage of vessels. He had
also but few men with him, and therefore could do nothing. Einar
Skulason tells of this in the song of Harald: --

"For a whole week an iron chain
Cut off all sailing to the main:
Bergen's blue stable was locked fast, --
Her floating wains could not get past."

Soon after Harald's people came out to the ships, and then King
Magnus was made prisoner. He was sitting behind in the
forecastle upon the chests of the high-seat, and at his side
Hakon Fauk, his mother's brother, who was very popular but was
not considered very wise, and Ivar Assurson. They, and many
others of King Magnus's friends, were taken, and some of them
killed on the spot.

8. KING MAGNUS MUTILATED.

Thereafter King Harald had a meeting of his counsellors, and
desired their counsel; and in this meeting the judgment was given
that Magnus should be deposed from his dominions, and should no
longer be called king. Then he was delivered to the king's
slaves, who mutilated him, picked out both his eyes, cut off one
foot, and at last castrated him. Ivar Assurson was blinded, and
Hakon Fauk killed. The whole country then was reduced to
obedience under King Harald. Afterwards it was diligently
examined who were King Magnus's best friends, or who knew most of
his concealments of treasure or valuables. The holy cross King
Magnus had kept beside him since the battle of Fyrileif, but
would not tell where it was deposited for preservation. Bishop
Reinald of Stavanger, who was an Englishman, was considered very
greedy of money. He was a great friend of King Magnus, and it
was thought likely that great treasure and valuables had been
given into his keeping. Men were sent for him accordingly, and
he came to Bergen, where it was insisted against him that he had
some knowledge of such treasure; but he denied it altogether,
would not admit it, and offered to clear himself by ordeal. King
Harald would not have this, but laid on the bishop a money fine
of fifteen marks of gold, which he should pay to the king. The
bishop declared he would not thus impoverish his bishop's see,
but would rather offer his life. On this they hanged the bishop
out on the holm, beside the sling machine. As he was going to
the gallows he threw the sock from his foot, and said with an
oath, "I know no more about King Magnus's treasure than what is
in this sock;" and in it there was a gold ring. Bishop Reinald
was buried at Nordnes in Michael's church, and this deed was much
blamed. After this Harald Gille was sole king of Norway as long
as he lived.