King Hálfdan breaks through the ice.
The Saga of Harald Fairhair
Chapter 1. King Harald Overcomes His Enemies
Harald succeeded to the kingdom after his father. He was ten 860 years old at the time. He was exceedingly tall and strong, very handsome, wise, and a man of parts. Guthorm, his maternal uncle, assumed leadership of the hirð1 and took upon himself the governance of the country. He was the commander of the army.
After the death of Hálfdan the Black, many chieftains made incursions into the realm he left behind. The first were King Gandálf and the brothers Hogni and Fróthi, sons of King Eystein of Heithmork; and Hogni, the son of Kára, invaded large parts of Hringaríki. Then Haki, the son of Gandálf, proceeded against Westfold with three hundred [360]2 men, taking the landway across several valleys, with the intention of coming upon Harald unawares; whilst King Gandálf remained in Lóndir3 with his army, planning to cross the fjord [and march] against Westfold.
But when Guthorm, the commander of the army, heard of this, he collected troops and, together with King Harald, marched against Haki through the countryside. They met in some valley. There was a battle, and King Harald was victorious. King Haki fell there, together with a large number of his men. The place later received the name of Haka Dale.4 Thereupon King Harald and Guthorm, his commander, turned against King Gandálf who had invaded Westfold. They advanced against each other, and when they met there was a hard fight. King Gandálf took to flight after losing most of his men and managed to get back to his own kingdom. And when the sons of King Eystein of Heithmork heard this, they expected that their turn would come next. They sent messengers to Hogni, the son of Kára, and to Hersir Guthbrand and arranged a meeting at Hringisakr in Heithmork.
Chapter 2. King Harald Subjugates Central Norway
After these battles King Harald and Guthorm, his commander, together with all the troops they could muster, proceeded to Uppland, travelling mostly through the forests. They learned where the meeting of the Upplending kings was to be and arrived there at midnight. Before the sentinels discovered their presence a force surrounded the house Hogni Káruson slept in and the one Guthbrand slept in, and set fire to them. The sons of Eystein managed to get out with their men and fought for a while till both Hogni and Fróthi fell.
Gytha sends King Harald’s messengers away.
After the fall of these four chieftains King Harald, owing to the power and prowess of his kinsman Guthorm, took possession of Hringaríki and Heithmork, Guthbrands Dale and Hathaland, Thótn, Raumaríki, and the entire northern part of Vingulmork. Following that, King Harald and his marshal, Guthorm, contended and had battles with King Gandálf. Finally, in the last battle King Gandálf fell and King Harald took possession of all the land as far south as the Raum Elf [Glommen] River.
Chapter 3. Gytha Turns Down King Harald’s Suit
King Harald sent his messengers to fetch a maiden called Gytha, the daughter of King Eirík of Horthaland—at that time she was being fostered in Valdres with a powerful franklin—whom he desired to have as his concubine, because she was a maiden of great beauty and high spirits. And when the messengers arrived there they delivered their message to the maiden. She answered to this effect that she did not intend to cast away her maidenhood to marry a king who did not dispose of more than a couple of shires. “But it seems strange to me,” she said, “that there is no king ambitious enough to claim Norway as his own and be sole king over it as is King Gorm in Denmark and Eirík in Uppsala.”
The messengers were of the opinion that her answer showed extraordinary haughtiness and asked her what she meant by her answer, saying that Harald was a king powerful enough to bestow her hand upon. But though her answer was different from what they had expected, they saw no other way, for the time being, to accomplish their mission; so, despairing of having her with them against her will, they prepared to leave. But when they departed, her men accompanied them on their way. Then she spoke to the messengers and asked them to carry this message from her to King Harald: that she would consent to be his lawful wife only if, before that, he would, for her sake, conquer all of Norway and govern that realm as independently as did King Eirík of Sweden and King Gorm of Denmark theirs. “Because [only] then,” she said, “it would seem to me, could he be called a sovran king.”
Chapter 4. King Harald Vows to Conquer All of Norway
The messengers then returned to King Harald and reported to him the words of the maiden. They told him that she was the most insolent and foolish woman, and it would be right if the king dispatched a great force to bring her to him in disgrace. Then King Harald answered that the maiden had not spoken evil or done anything meriting revenge. He bade her [on the contrary] have many thanks for her words.
“She has reminded me,” said he, “of what it seems strange that I never thought of before.” And still further he said, “I make this vow, and call God to witness, him who created me and governs all,1 that I shall neither cut nor comb my hair before I have conquered all of Norway, with all its taxes and revenues, and govern it altogether, or else die.” His marshal, Guthorm, thanked him much for these words and said it was a royal task to fulfil his vow.
The captive King Grýting is led before King Harald.
Chapter 5. King Harald Overcomes King Grýting
Thereupon he and his kinsman collected a large army and journeyed to Uppland, then north through the Dales, and north from there over the Dofra Mountains. And when he descended into the settled district, he had everyone killed and their houses burned down. But when the people learned of this, all who could, fled, some down to Orka Dale, some to Gaular Dale, some into the forests. Some begged for mercy, and that was granted to all who came to the king and swore allegiance to him. The king found no resistance until he arrived in Orka Dale. There an army had gathered, and a man whose name was Grýting fought the first battle against the king. Harald was victorious. Grýting was made captive and many of his men were slain. He made submission to Harald, swearing allegiance to him. Thereupon all the people in the Orka Dale District submitted to King Harald and became his followers.
Chapter 6. King Harald Appropriates All Ancestral Possessions
Wherever King Harald gained power he made it the law that all ancestral lands and possessions belonged to him; also, that all farmers had to pay a tax to him, both the great and the humble. He appointed an earl for every district, whose duty it was to administer the law and justice and to collect fines and taxes. And the earl was to have a third of the taxes and penalties for his maintenance and other expenses. Every earl was to have under him four or more hersar, and every hersir was to have twenty marks of revenue. Every earl was to furnish the king sixty soldiers for his army, and every hersir, twenty. But King Harald increased imposts and taxes to such an extent that his earls had greater power than kings had had before. When this was learned in the Trondheim districts,1 many men of influence joined the king and became his followers.
Chapter 7. King Harald Subdues the Trondheim District
We are told that Earl Hákon, the son of Grjótgarth, came to King Harald from the outer district of Yrjar and brought with him a great force in support of King Harald. Thereupon King Harald proceeded into Gaular Dale and there had a battle, slaying two kings and taking possession of their lands, to wit the Gaular Dale and the Strinda districts. Then he gave Earl Hákon rule over the Strinda District. Subsequently, King Harald marched into Stjóra Dale, where he had the third battle. He was victorious and took possession of that district. Thereupon the men from the inner reaches of the Trondheimfjord collected an army [against Harald]. One of their kings ruled Vera Dale, another Skaun, a third the Sparbyggva District, the fourth the Inner Eyin—the one who also ruled the Eyin District. These four kings advanced against King Harald. He fought a battle with them and was victorious, slaying some of them and putting others to flight. Altogether, King Harald had eight or more battles in the Trondheim districts, but after laying eight of their kings low he took poss
ession of the whole of Trondheim.
Chapter 8. King Herlaug Immures Himself
North in Naumu Dale two brothers, Herlaug and Hrollaug, were kings. They had been three summers about fashioning a funeral mound. This mound was constructed of stones, mortar, and timber. But when this mound was completed, the brothers learned that King Harald was marching against them with an army. Then King Herlaug had much food and drink brought to the mound, and then entered it with eleven other men, whereupon he had it walled up [from the outside].
King Hrollaug went up on the mound on which the kings were wont to sit. There he had a king’s high-seat prepared for himself, and seated himself on it. Then he had down pillows laid on the footstool where it was the custom of earls to sit. Thereupon King Hrollaug rolled himself down from the king’s high-seat and onto the earl’s seat1 and gave himself the title of “earl.” Then he went to meet King Harald and gave to him all his realm, offering to become his follower and informing him about the procedure he had taken. Then King Harald took a sword and fastened it in Hrollaug’s belt. He hung the shield around his shoulder and named him his earl and led him to the high-seat. He gave him the District of Naumu Dale to rule, setting him as earl over it.
Chapter 9. King Harald’s Fleet and Bodyguard
Thereupon King Harald returned to Trondheim and resided there during the winter; and ever after he regarded Trondheim as his place of residence. There he established his chief estate, called Hlathir. That same winter he married Ása, daughter of Earl Hákon, the son of Grjótgarth, and the king conferred great honors on Hákon.
In the spring King Harald had his ships put in readiness. During the winter he had a large dragon ship1 built and outfitted richly. On it he quartered his bodyguard and berserkers. Most carefully he chose his forecastle-men, because they carried the king’s banner. The space from the forecastle benches back to the bailing space was called á rausn [forecastle room], and there the berserkers were quartered.
Only those men were accepted into King Harald’s bodyguard who were of unusual strength and bravery and had all sorts of achievements. Only they were allowed on the ship, but then he had good choice in picking out men for his bodyguard from every district. King Harald had a large army and many large vessels, and many men of influence were his henchmen. The skald Hornklofi2 mentions in his poem Glymdrápa that King Harald had had battles in the Uppdale Forest against the people of Orkn Dale3 before he had issued this levy:
(33.)
33. Harald on heights wooded—
hardily he fought aye—
battled against banner-
bearers wishing combat;
ere that the king, ever-
eager, led his shield-clad
roller-horses,4 ready for
riding, ’gainst his foemen.
(34.)
34. Bore into wolves’ wilding
wastes the evil-doers’-
foeman5 the fear of his
flashing snake-of-combat,6
ere that Baron Nokkvi’s
bitter foeman with his
stained steeds-of-sea-ways7
steered into the swans-road.8
Chapter 10. King Harald Is Victorious in the Battle of Sólskel
King Harald with his fleet sailed out of the Trondheim[fjord] and turned south to Mœr. The king who ruled this district was called Húnthjóf, and his son, Solvi Klofi. Both were great warriors. The king who ruled over Raums Dale bore the name of Nokkvi, and he was the maternal uncle of Solvi. These chieftains gathered a fleet when they heard of King Harald’s coming, and proceeded against him. They met at the island of Sólskel. There ensued a great battle, and King Harald was victorious. As says Hornklofi:
The battle of Sólskel.
(35.)
35. From the north the nags-of-
Njorth1 by storm were driven,
so with twain kings he came to
clash broadside to broadside.
Words none—long the lance-fight
lasted—the kings bandied,
but whining hail-of-steel they
hurled in murderous combat.
Both kings fell there, but Solvi escaped by flight. Then King Harald took possession of these two districts and dwelt there long during the summer, giving laws to the people. He set governors over them and assured himself of the loyalty of the people.2 But in the fall he made ready to return to Trondheim.
In the course of the summer, Rognvald, earl of Mœr and son of Eystein Glumra, had sworn allegiance to King Harald, and the king had set him as governor over the two districts of North Mœr and Raums Dale, lending him the support of both large landholders and farmers, as well as the naval strength to defend the land against invasions. He was called Rognvald the Powerful and the Resourceful; and it is said that both names were appropriate. The winter following was passed by King Harald in Trondheim.
Chapter 11. King Harald Overcomes Kings Arnvith and Authbjorn
In the spring following, King Harald collected a large army and announced that with this army he would proceed to South Mœr. Solvi Klofi had during the winter been at sea with [his] warships and had harried in North Mœr and killed many of King Harald’s men. He had plundered some, burnt down the houses of others, and had ravaged the land greatly. Part of the winter he had passed in South Mœr, staying with King Arnvith, his kinsman. But when they learned that King Harald had gone aboard his ships and had a large force, they gathered their troops and managed to have a considerable number of men, because many wanted to avenge themselves on King Harald.
Solvi Klofi sailed south to the Fjord District to meet King Authbjorn, who ruled there, and asked him to support and join him and King Arnvith—“and then we may well expect to be successful if all of us rise up against King Harald, because then we shall have ample forces, and then let fate decide who will be victorious. The other alternative—and that is unacceptable to men who are of no less exalted birth than King Harald—is to become his thralls. My father preferred to fall in battle in his kingdom, rather than of his own free will serve King Harald or to fail to stand up under attack, as did the kings of the Naumdalers.”
So successful was Solvi with his persuasive speeches that King Authbjorn promised to join him. He collected troops and sailed north to join King Arnvith. They had a very large fleet. Then they learned that King Harald had come from the north. They met on the land side of the island of Sólskel.
It was the custom [in those days] that when a sea battle was fought the ships were lashed together, so that men fought in the forecastles. That was done in this case. King Harald laid his ship against King Arnvith’s. The battle raged furiously, and many men fell on both sides. Finally King Harald grew so wrathful and furious that he went forward in his ship and fought so valiantly that all the men in the bow of King Arnvith’s ship retreated to the mast and some fell. Then King Harald boarded King Arnvith’s ship. Thereupon King Arnvith’s men took to flight, and he himself fell on his ship. King Authbjorn fell, too, but Solvi saved himself by flight. As says Hornklofi:
(36.)
36. Waged the warrior dauntless
weapon-thing1 against them—
red blood rushed—then fiercely
raged the fray—from gashes.
In storm-of-Hild2 when foemen
struggled and fell in ship’s prow—
savage swords ’gainst shields rang—
sithen he gained victory.
In that battle there fell on King Harald’s side his earls Ásgaut and Ásbjorn, and also his relatives Grjótgarth and Herlaug, the sons of Earl Hákon. For a long time Solvi continued as a powerful viking and often inflicted heavy damage in King Harald’s realm.
Chapter 12. Earl Rognvald Burns King Vémund in His Hall
Thereupon King Harald took possession of South Mœr. Vémund, the brother of King Authbjorn, held onto the Fjord District and made himself king over it. That was late in fall, and King Harald and his men agreed that he was not to sail south around the promontory of Stath1 so la
te in fall. Then King Harald set Earl Rognvald over both North and South Mœr and Raums Dale. The earl had many henchmen about him [at that time]. King Harald himself then returned north to Trondheim.
The same winter Earl Rognvald marched overland across the Eith neck-of-land and from there south into the Fjord District. He had learned from his scouts that King Vémund was in a place called Naust Dale, and he arrived there at nighttime. Vémund was there on a visitation. Earl Rognvald surrounded the house and burned the king in it, together with ninety men. Thereupon Berthlu-Kári joined Earl Rognvald with a fully manned warship, and both sailed north to Mœr. Earl Rognvald appropriated the ships which had belonged to King Vémund, together with all the chattels he could lay his hands on. Berthlu-Kári sailed north to Trondheim where he joined King Harald and became his man. He was a great berserker.
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