Heimskringla

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15. KING INGE HEARS OF GREGORIUS'S FALL.

Two bailiffs went to Oslo to bring the tidings to King Inge.
When they arrived they desired to speak to the king: and he
asked, what news they brought.

"Gregorius Dagson's death," said they.

"How came that misfortune?" asked the king.

When they had told him how it happened, he said, "They gave
advice who understood the least."

It is said he took it so much to heart that he cried like a
child. When he recovered himself he said, "I wanted to go to
Gregorius as soon as I heard of Haldor's murder; for I thought
that Gregorius would not sit long before thinking. of revenge.
But the people here would think nothing so important as their
Yule feasts, and nothing could move them away; and I am confident
that if I had been there, he would either have proceeded more
cautiously, or I and Gregorius would now have shared one lodging.
Now he is gone, the man who has been my best friend, and more
than any other has kept the kingdom in my hands; and I think it
will be but a short space between us. Now I make an oath to go
forth against Hakon, and one of two things shall happen: I shall
either come to my death, or shall walk over Hakon and his people;
and such a man as Gregorius is not avenged, even if all were to
pay the penalty of their lives for him."

There was a man present who replied, "Ye need not seek after
them, for they intend to seek you."

Kristin, King Sigurd's daughter and King Inge's cousin, was then
in Oslo. The king heard that she intended going away. He sent a
message to her to inquire why she wished to leave the town.

She thought it was dangerous and unsafe for a female to be there.
The king would not let her go. "For if it go well with me, as I
hope, you will be well here; and if I fall, my friends may not
get leave to dress my body; but you can ask permission, and it
will not be denied you, and you will thereby best requite what I
have done for you."

16. OF KING INGE.

On Saint Blasius' day (February 3, 1161), in the evening, King
Inge's spies brought him the news that King Hakon was coming
towards the town. Then King Inge ordered the war-horns to call
together all the troops up from the town; and when he drew them
up he could reckon them to be nearly 4000 men. The king let the
array be long, but not more than five men deep. Then some said
that the king should not be himself in the battle, as they
thought the risk too great; but that his brother Orm should be
the leader of the army. The king replied, "I think if Gregorius
were alive and here now, and I had fallen and was to be avenged,
he would not lie concealed, but would be in the battle. Now,
although I, on account of my ill health, am not fit for the
combat as he was, yet will I show as good will as he would have
had; and it is not to be thought of that I should not be in the
battle."

People say that Gunhild, who was married to Simon, King Hakon's
foster-brother, had a witch employed to sit out all night and
procure the victory for Hakon; and that the answer was obtained,
that they should fight King Inge by night, and never by day, and
then the result would be favourable. The witch who, as people
say, sat out was called Thordis Skeggia; but what truth there may
be in the report I know not.

Simon Skalp had gone to the town, and was gone to sleep, when the
war-shouts awoke him. When the night was well advanced, King
Inge's spies came to him, and told him that King Hakon and his
army were coming over the ice; for the ice lay the whole way from
the town to Hofud Isle.

17. KING INGE'S SPEECH.

Thereupon King Inge went with his army out on the ice, and he
drew it up in order of battle in front of the town. Simon Skalp
was in that wing of the array which was towards Thraelaberg; and
on the other wing, which was towards the Nunnery, was Gudrod, the
king of the South Hebudes, a son of Olaf Klining, and Jon, a son
of Svein Bergthor Buk. When King Hakon and his army came near to
King Inge's array, both sides raised a war-shout. Gudrod and Jon
gave King Hakon and his men a sign, and let them know where they
were in the line; and as soon as Hakon's men in consequence
turned thither, Gudrod immediately fled with 1500 men; and Jon,
and a great body of men with him, ran over to King Hakon's army,
and assisted them in the fight. When this news was told to King
Inge, he said, "Such is the difference between my friends. Never
would Gregorius have done so in his life!" There were some who
advised King Inge to get on horseback, and ride from the battle
up to Raumarike; "where," said they, "you would get help enough,
even this very day." The king replied, he had no inclination to
do so. "I have heard you often say, and I think truly, that it
was of little use to my brother, King Eystein, that he took to
flight; and yet he was a man distinguished for many qualities
which adorn a king. Now I, who labour under so great
decrepitude, can see how bad my fate would be, if I betook myself
to what proved so unfortunate for him; with so great a difference
as there is between our activity, health, and strength. I was in
the second year of my age when I was chosen king of Norway, and I
am now twenty-five; and I think I have had misfortune and sorrow
under my kingly dignity, rather than pleasure and peaceful days.
I have had many battles, sometimes with more, sometimes with
fewer people; and it is my greatest luck that I have never fled.
God will dispose of my life, and of how long it shall be; but I
shall never betake myself to flight."

18. KING INGE'S FALL.

Now as Jon and his troop had broken the one wing of King Inge's
array, many of those who were nearest to him fled, by which the
whole array was dispersed, and fell into disorder. But Hakon and
his men went briskly forwards; and now it was near daybreak. An
assault was made against King Inge's banner, and in this conflict
King Inge fell; but his brother Orm continued the battle, while
many of the army fled up into the town. Twice Orm went to the
town after the king's fall to encourage the people, and both
times returned, and went out again upon the ice to continue the
battle. Hakon's men attacked the wing of the array which Simon
Skalp led; and in that assault fell of King Inge's men his
brother-in-law, Gudbrand Skafhogson. Simon Skalp and Halvard
Hikre went against each other with their troops, and fought while
they drew aside past Thraelaberg; and in this conflict both Simon
and Halvard fell. Orm, the king's brother, gained great
reputation in this battle; but he at last fled. Orm the winter
before had been contracted with Ragna, a daughter of Nikolas
Mase, who had been married before to King Eystein Haraldson; and
the wedding was fixed for the Sunday after Saint Blasius's mass,
which was on a Friday. Orm fled east to Svithjod, where his
brother Magnus was then king; and their brother Ragnvald was an
earl there at that time. They were the sons of Queen Ingerid and
Henrik Halte, who was a son of the Danish king Svein Sveinson.
The princess Kristin took care of King Inge's body, which was
laid on the stone wall of Halvard's church, on the south side
without the choir. He had then been king for twenty-three years
(A.D. 1137-1161). In this battle many fell on both sides, but
principally of King Inge's men. Of King Hakon's people fell Arne
Frirekson. Hakon's men took all the feast and victuals prepared
for the wedding, and a great booty besides.

19. OF KING HAKON AND QUEEN KRISTIN.

Then King Hakon took possession of the whole country, and
distributed all the offices among his own friends, both in the
towns and in the country. King Hakon and his men had a meeting
in Halvard's church, where they had a private conference
concerning the management of the country. Kristin the princess
gave the priest who kept the church keys a large sum of money to
conceal one of her men in the church, so that she might know what
Hakon and his counsellors intended. When she learnt what they
had said, she sent a man to Bergen to her husband Erling Skakke,
with the message that he should never trust Hakon or his men.

20. OF OLAF'S MIRACLE.

It happened at the battle of Stiklestad, as before related, that
King Olaf threw from him the sword called Hneiter when he
received his wound. A Swedish man, who had broken his own sword,
took it up, and fought with it. When this man escaped with the
other fugitives he came to Svithjod, and went home to his house.
From that time he kept the sword all his days, and afterwards his
son, and so relation after relation; and when the sword shifted
its owner, the one told to the other the name of the sword and
where it came from. A long time after, in the days of Kirjalax
the emperor of Constantinople, when there was a great body of
Varings in the town, it happened in the summer that the emperor
was on a campaign, and lay in the camp with his army. The
Varings who had the guard, and watched over the emperor, lay on
the open plain without the camp. They changed the watch with
each other in the night, and those who had been before on watch
lay down and slept; but all completely armed. It was their
custom, when they went to sleep, that each should have his helmet
on his head, his shield over him, sword under the head, and the
right hand on the sword-handle. One of these comrades, whose lot
it was to watch the latter part of the night, found, on awakening
towards morning, that his sword was gone. He looked after it,
and saw it lying on the flat plain at a distance from him. He
got up and took the sword, thinking that his comrades who had
been on watch had taken the sword from him in a joke; but they
all denied it. The same thing happened three nights. Then he
wondered at it, as well as they who saw or heard of it; and
people began to ask him how it could have happened. He said that
his sword was called Hneiter, and had belonged to King Olaf the
Saint, who had himself carried it in the battle of Stiklestad;
and he also related how the sword since that time had gone from
one to another. This was told to the emperor, who called the man
before him to whom the sword belonged, and gave him three times
as much gold as the sword was worth; and the sword itself he had
laid in Saint Olaf's church, which the Varings supported, where
it has been ever since over the altar. There was a lenderman of
Norway while Harald Gille's sons, Eystein, Inge, and Sigurd
lived, who was called Eindride Unge; and he was in Constantinople
when these events took place. He told these circumstances in
Norway, according to what Einar Skulason says in his song about
King Olaf the Saint, in which these events are sung.

21. OLAF'S MIRACLE IN FAVOUR OF THE VARINGS.

It happened once in the Greek country, when Kirjalax was emperor
there, that he made an expedition against Blokumannaland. When
he came to the Pezina plains, a heathen king came against him
with an innumerable host. He brought with him many horsemen, and
many large waggons, in which were large loop-holes for shooting
through. When they prepared for their night quarters they drew
up their waggons, one by the side of the other, without their
tents, and dug a great ditch without; and all which made a
defence as strong as a castle. The heathen king was blind. Now
when the Greek king came, the heathens drew up their array on the
plains before their waggon-fortification. The Greeks drew up
their array opposite, and they rode on both sides to fight with
each other; but it went on so ill and so unfortunately, that the
Greeks were compelled to fly after suffering a great defeat, and
the heathens gained a victory. Then the king drew up an array of
Franks and Flemings, who rode against the heathens, and fought
with them; but it went with them as with the others, that many
were killed, and all who escaped took to flight. Then the Greek
king was greatly incensed at his men-at-arms; and they replied,
that he should now take his wine-bags, the Varings. The king
says that he would not throw away his jewels, and allow so few
men, however bold they might be, to attack so vast an army. Then
Thorer Helsifig, who at that time was leader of the Varings
replied to the king's words, "If there was burning fire in the
way, I and my people would run into it, if I knew the king's
advantage required it." Then the king replied, "Call upon your
holy King Olaf for help and strength." The Varings, who were 450
men, made a vow with hand and word to build a church in
Constantinople, at their own expense and with the aid of other
good men, and have the church consecrated to the honour and glory
of the holy King Olaf; and thereupon the Varings rushed into the
plain. When the heathens saw them, they told their king that
there was another troop of the Greek king's army come out upon
the plain; but they were only a handful of people. The king
says, "Who is that venerable man riding on a white horse at the
head of the troop?" They replied, "We do not see him." There
was so great a difference of numbers, that there were sixty
heathens for every Christian man; but notwithstanding the Varings
went boldly to the attack. As soon as they met terror and alarm
seized the army of the heathens, and they instantly began to fly;
but the Varings pursued, and soon killed a great number of them.
When the Greeks and Franks who before had fled from the heathens
saw this, they hastened to take part, and pursue the enemy with
the others. Then the Varings had reached the waggon-
fortification, where the greatest defeat was given to the enemy.
The heathen king was taken in the flight of his people, and the
Varings brought him along with them; after which the Christians
took the camp of the heathens, and their waggon-fortification.

MAGNUS ERLINGSON'S SAGA.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

With this saga, which describes a series of conflicts, Snorre's
"Heimskringla" ends. King Eystein died in 1177, but Magnus
Erlingson continued to reign until his death in 1184. The
conflicts continued until the opposition party was led to victory
by King Sverre.

The only skald quoted is Thorbjorn Skakkaskald.

1. OF MAGNUS ERLINGSON'S BEGINNING.

When Erling got certain intelligence of the determinations of
Hakon and his counsellors, he sent a message to all the chiefs
who he knew had been steady friends of King Inge, and also to his
court-men and his retinue, who had saved themselves by flight,
and also to all Gregorius's house-men, and called them together
to a meeting. When they met, and conversed with each other, they
resolved to keep their men together; and which resolution they
confirmed by oath and hand-shake to each other. Then they
considered whom they should take to be king. Erling Skakke first
spoke, and inquired if it was the opinion of the chiefs and other
men of power that Simon Skalp's son, the son of the daughter of
King Harald Gille, should be chosen king, and Jon Halkelson be
taken to lead the army; but Jon refused it. Then it was inquired
if Nikolas Skialdvarson, a sister's son of King Magnus Barefoot,
would place himself at the head of the army; but he answered
thus: -- It was his opinion that some one should be chosen king
who was of the royal race; and, for leader of the troops, some
one from whom help and understanding were to be looked for; and
then it would be easier to gather an army. It was now tried
whether Arne would let any of his sons, King Inge's brothers, be
proclaimed king. Arne replies, that Kristin's son, she was the
daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader, was nearest by propinquity
of descent to the crown of Norway. "And here is also a man to be
his adviser, and whose duty it is to take care of him and of the
kingdom; and that man is his father Erling, who is both prudent,
brave, experienced in war, and an able man in governing the
kingdom; he wants no capability of bringing this counsel into
effect, if luck be with him." Many thought well of this advice.

Erling replied to it, "As far as I can see or hear in this
meeting, the most will rather be excused from taking upon
themselves such a difficult business. Now it appears to me
altogether uncertain, provided we begin this work, whether he who
puts himself at the head of it will gain any honour; or whether
matters will go as they have done before when any one undertakes
such great things, that he loses all his property and possibly
his life. But if this counsel be adopted, there may be men who
will undertake to carry it through; but he who comes under such
an obligation must seek, in every way, to prevent any opposition
or enmity from those who are now in this council."

All gave assurance that they would enter into this confederacy
with perfect fidelity. Then said Erling, "I can say for myself
that it would almost be my death to serve King Hakon; and however
dangerous it may be, I will rather venture to adopt your advice,
and take upon me to lead this force, if that be the will,
counsel, and desire of you all, and if you will all bind
yourselves to this agreement by oath."

To this they all agreed; and in this meeting it was determined to
take Erling's son Magnus to be king. They afterwards held a
Thing in the town; and at this Thing Magnus Erlingson, then five
years old, was elected king of the whole country. All who had
been servants of King Inge went into his service, and each of
them retained the office and dignity he had held under King Inge
(A.D. 1161).

2. KING MAGNUS GOES TO DENMARK.

Erling Skakke made himself ready to travel, fitted out ships, and
had with him King Magnus, together with the household-men who
were on the spot. In this expedition were the king's relatives,
-- Arne; Ingerid, King Inge's mother, with her two sons; besides
Jon Kutiza, a son of Sigurd Stork, and Erling's house-men, as
well as those who had been Gregorius's house-men; and they had in
all ten ships. They went south to Denmark to King Valdemar and
Buriz Heinrekson, King Inge's brother. King Valdemar was King
Magnus's blood-relation; for Ingebjorg, mother of King Valdemar,
and Malmfrid, mother of Kristin, King Magnus's mother, were
cousins. The Danish king received them hospitably, and he and
Erling had private meetings and consultations: and so much was
known of their counsels, that King Valdemar was to aid King
Magnus with such help as might be required from his kingdom to
win and retain Norway. On the other hand, King Valdemar should
get that domain in Norway which his ancestors Harald Gormson and
Svein Forked-beard had possessed; namely, the whole of Viken as
far north as Rygiarbit. This agreement was confirmed by oath and
a fixed treaty. Then Erling and King Magnus made themselves
ready to leave Denmark, and they sailed out of Vendilskage.

3. BATTLE OF TUNSBERG.

King Hakon went in spring, after the Easter week, north to
Throndhjem, and had with him the whole fleet that had belonged to
King Inge. He held a Thing there in the merchant-town, and was
chosen king of the whole country. Then he made Sigurd of Reyr an
earl, and gave him an earldom, and afterwards proceeded
southwards with his followers all the way to Viken. The king
went to Tunsberg; but sent Earl Sigurd east to Konungahella, to
defend the country with a part of the forces in case Erling
should come from the south. Erling and his fleet came to Agder,
and went straight north to Bergen, where they killed Arne
Brigdarskalle, King Hakon's officer, and came back immediately
against King Hakon. Earl Sigurd, who had not observed the
journey of Erling and his followers from the south, was at that
time east in the Gaut river, and King Hakon was in Tunsberg.
Erling brought up at Hrossanes, and lay there some nights. In
the meantime King Hakon made preparations in the town. When
Erling and his fleet were coming up to the town, they took a
merchant vessel, filled it with wood and straw, and set fire to
it; and the wind blowing right towards the town, drove the vessel
against the piers. Erling had two cables brought on board the
vessel, and made fast to two boats, and made them row along as
the vessel drove. Now when the fire was come almost abreast of
the town, those who were in the boats held back the vessel by the
ropes, so that the town could not be set on fire; but so thick a
smoke spread from it over the town, that one could not see from
the piers where the king's array was. Then Erling drew the whole
fleet in where the wind carried the fire, and shot at the enemy.
When the townspeople saw that the fire was approaching their
houses, and many were wounded by the bowmen, they resolved to
send the priest Hroald, the long-winded speaker, to Erling, to
beg him to spare them and the town; and they dissolved the array
in favour of Hakon, as soon as Hroald told them their prayer was
granted. Now when the array of towns-people had dispersed, the
men on the piers were much thinned: however, some urged Hakon's
men to make resistance: but Onund Simonson, who had most
influence over the army, said, "I will not fight for Earl
Sigurd's earldom, since he is not here himself." Then Onund
fled, and was followed by all the people, and by the king
himself; and they hastened up the country. King Hakon lost many
men here; and these verses were made about it: --

"Onund declares he will not go
In battle 'gainst Earl Sigurd's foe,
If Earl Sigurd does not come,
But with his house-men sits at home.
King Magnus' men rush up the street,
Eager with Hakon's troop to meet;
But Hakon's war-hawks, somewhat shy,
Turn quick about, and off they fly."

Thorbjorn Skakkaskald also said: --

"The Tunsberg men would not be slow
In thy good cause to risk a blow;
And well they knew the chief could stain
The wolves' mouths on a battle-plain.
But the town champion rather fears
The sharp bright glance of levelled spears;
Their steel-clad warrior loves no fight
Where bowstring twangs, or fire flies bright."

King Hakon then took the land-road northwards to Throndhjem.
When Earl Sigurd heard of this, he proceeded with all the ships
he could get the seaway north-wards, to meet King Hakon there.

4. OF ERLING AND HAKON.

Erling Skakke took all the ships in Tunsberg belonging to King
Hakon, and there he also took the Baekisudin which had belonged
to King Inge. Then Erling proceeded, and reduced the whole of
Viken in obedience to King Magnus, and also the whole country
north wheresoever he appeared up to Bergen, where he remained all
winter. There Erling killed Ingebjorn Sipil, King Hakon's
lenderman of the north part of the Fjord district. In winter
(A.D. 1162) King Hakon was in Throndhjem; but in the following
spring he ordered a levy, and prepared to go against Erling. He
had with him Earl Sigurd, Jon Sveinson, Eindride Unge, Onund
Simonson, Philip Peterson, Philip Gyrdson, Ragnvald Kunta, Sigurd
Kapa, Sigurd Hiupa, Frirek Keina, Asbjorn of Forland, Thorbjorn,
a son of Gunnar the treasurer, and Stradbjarne.

5. OF ERLING'S PEOPLE.

Erling was in Bergen with a great armament, and resolved to lay a
sailing prohibition on all the merchant vessels which were going
north to Nidaros; for he knew that King Hakon would soon get
tidings of him, if ships were sailing between the towns.
Besides, he gave out that it was better for Bergen to get the
goods, even if the owners were obliged to sell them cheaper than
they wished than that they should fall into the hands of enemies
and thereby strengthen them. And now a great many vessels were
assembled at Bergen, for many arrived every day, and none were
allowed to go away. Then Erling let some of the lightest of his
vessels be laid ashore, and spread the report that he would wait
for Hakon, and, with the help of his friends and relations,
oppose the enemy there. He then one day called a meeting of the
ship-masters, and gave them and all the merchant ships and their
steersmen leave to go where they pleased. When the men who had
charge of the cargoes, and were all ready to sail away with their
goods, some for trade, others on various business, had got leave
from Erling Skakke to depart, there was a soft and favourable
wind for sailing north along the coast. Before the evening all
who were ready had set sail, and hastened on as fast as they
could, according to the speed of their vessels, the one vying
with the other. When this fleet came north to More, Hakon's
fleet had arrived there before them: and he himself was there
fully engaged in collecting people, and summoning to him the
lendermen, and all liable to serve in the levy, without having
for a long time heard any news from Bergen. Now, however, they
heard, as the latest news, that Erling Skakke had laid his ships
up in Bergen, and there they would find him; and also that he had
a large force with him. King Hakon sailed from thence to Veey,
and sent away Earl Sigurd and Onund Simonson to gather people,
and sent men also to both the More districts. After King Hakon
had remained a few days at the town he sailed farther, and
proceeded to the South, thinking that it would both promote his
journey and enable new levies to join him sooner.