that Harald should travel to Denmark to the Danish king in summer, and accept the conditions King Harald offered. CHAPTER XII.-Treachery of King Harald and Earl Hakon towards Gold Harald. Harald Grayskin went to Denmark in the summer [969] with three long-ships; and Herse Arinbiorn, from the Fiord district, commanded one of them. King Harald sailed from Viken over to Limfiord in Jutland, and landed at the narrow neck of land* where the Danish king was expected. Now when Gold Harald heard of this, he sailed there with nine ships which he had fitted out before for a viking cruise. Earl Hakon had also his war force on foot; namely, twelve large ships, all ready, with which he proposed to make an expedition. When Gold Harald had departed Earl Hakon says to the king, "Now I don't know if we are not sailing on an expedition, and yet are to pay the penalty of not having joined it. Gold Harald may kill Harald Grayskin, and get the kingdom of Norway; but you must not think he will be true to you, although you do help him to so much power, for he told me in winter that he would take your life if he could find opportunity to do so. Now I will win Norway for you, and kill Gold Harald, if you will promise me a good condition under you. * Limfiord, running in from the Baltic across the peninsula of Jutland, is only divided by a narrow neck of land from the North Sea. This neck has within these fifteen years been washed away, and there is now a channel into the Baltic by this new passage for small craft. The narrow neck of land is called by Snorre Hals.-L. I will be your earl; swear an oath of fidelity to you, and, with your help, conquer all Norway for you; hold the country under your rule; pay you the scat and taxes; and you will be a greater king than your father, as you will have two kingdoms under you." The king and the earl agreed upon this, and Hakon set off to seek Gold Harald. CHAPTER XIII.—Harald Grayskin falls at the neck of land at Limfiord. Gold Harald came to the neck of land at Limfiord, and immediately challenged Harald Grayskin to battle; and although Harald had fewer men, he went immediately on the land, prepared for battle, and drew up his troops. Before the lines came together Harald Grayskin urged on his men, and told them to draw their swords. He himself advanced the foremost of the troop, hewing down on each side. So says Glum Geirason, in Grayskin's lay: "Brave were thy words in battle-field, Thou stainer of the snow-white shield! While swinging high the blood-smeared sword, There fell Harald Grayskin. So says Glum "On Limfiord's strand, by the tide's flow, The gallant viking-cruiser-he To his death-bed on Limfiord's beach." The most of King Harald's men fell with him. There also fell Herse Arinbiorn. after the death of This happened fifteen years Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, and thirteen years after that of Sigurd earl of Lade. The priest Are Frode says that Earl Hakon was thirteen years earl over his father's dominions in Throndhjem district before the fall of Harald Grayskin; but, for the last six years of Harald Grayskin's life, Are Frode says the Earl Hakon and Gunhild's sons fought against each other, and drove each other out of the land in turns. CHAPTER XIV.-Gold Harald's Death. Soon after Harald Grayskin's fall, Earl Hakon came up to Gold Harald, and the earl immediately gave battle to Harald. Hakon gained the victory, and Harald was made prisoner; but Hakon had him immediately hanged on a gallows. Hakon then went to the Danish king, and no doubt easily settled with him for the killing his relative Gold Harald. * According to Snorre and Are Frode, Harald Grayskin ruled fifteen years, but according to Sæmund Frode, he ruled only nine years. Vigfusson, Hildebrand, and other recent authorities have adopted Sæmund's statement, and this gives us 969 as the year of Harald Grayskin's death. CHAPTER XV.-Division of the Country. Soon after King Harald Gormson ordered a levy of men over all his kingdom, and sailed with 600 ships. There were with him Earl Hakon, Harald Grenske, a son of King Gudrod, and many other great men who had fled from their udal estates in Norway on account of Gunhild's sons. The Danish king sailed with his fleet from the south to Viken, where all the people of the country surrendered to him. When he came to Tunsberg swarms of people joined him; and King Harald gave to Earl Hakon the command of all the men who came to him in Norway, and gave him the government over Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn, Fiord-district, South More, Raumsdal, and North More. These seven districts. gave King Harald to Earl Hakon to rule over, with the same rights as Harald Harfager gave with them to his sons; only with the difference, that Hakon should there, as well as in Throndhjem, have the king's land-estates and land-tax, and use the king's money and goods according to his necessities whenever there was war in the country. King Harald also gave Harald Grenske Vingulmark, Vestfold, and Agder all the way to the Naze,† together with the title of king; and let him have these dominions with the same rights as his family in former times had held them, and as Harald Harfager had given * I.e., 720 ships, as they were counted by long hundreds, 100=120. + The Naze is the most southern headland of Norway. Its name in Snorre is Lidandisnes, and it is now called in Norway Lindesnæs. with them to his sons. Harald Grenske was then eighteen years old, and he became afterwards a celebrated man. Harald king of Denmark returned home thereafter with all his army. CHAPTER XVI.-Gunhild's Sons leave the Country. Earl Hakon proceeded northwards along the coast with his force; and when Gunhild and her sons got the tidings they proceeded to gather troops, but were ill off for men. Then they took the same resolution as before, to sail out to sea with such men as would follow them away to the westward. They came first to the Orkney Islands, and remained there a while. There were in Orkney then the Earls Hlodver, Arnfid, Ljot, and Skule,* the sons of Thorfin Hausakliufer.t Earl Hakon now brought all the country under him, and remained all winter [970] in Throndhjem. Einar Skalaglam speaks of his conquests in Vellekla : "Norway's great watchman, Harald, now As Hakon the earl proceeded this summer along the coast subjecting all the people to him, he ordered that over all his dominions the temples and sacrifices *The ancient family of Scollay in Orkney may probably derive their name from this chief.-L. + In regard to Thorfin Hausakljufer's (Skull-cleaver) sons see the Saga of Saint Olaf, chapter 99. |