Chapter I: Denmark

B.C. 40—A.D. 1014.

ANCIENT KINGS OF DENMARK.—THEY WERE NUMEROUS.—FRODE I.—LEGEND OF
SWAFURLAMI AND THE SWORD TYRFING.—INCANTATION OF HERVOR.—THE
BERSERKS.—STERKODDER, THE HERCULES OF THE NORTH—HIS ROMANTIC
ADVENTURES.—WONDERFUL VOYAGE OF GORM I.—ONE EQUALLY WONDERFUL OF
THORKIL.—KINGS OF DENMARK, CONTINUED: GURDIG AND GODFREY—RAGNAR
LODBROG—SIGURD RING—HEMMING—GORM THE OLD—HARALD
BLAATAND—SWEYN—INVASION OF ENGLAND.

Confusion and Uncertainty with respect 66
to the Kings who reigned in
Scandinavia prior to the Christian
Era; the Discrepancy continued to the
ninth Century

Causes of this Discrepancy; Rex Danorum 67
applied to the Governors of Jutland,
as well as to those of Zealand and
Scania; Uncertainty of the Case

Little Dependence to be placed on any 68
List of Kings given by northern
Historians to the present Day; Denmark
had three or four Sovereigns at the
same Time; difficult to say which was
the legitimate Rex Danorum; Adam of
Bremen complains of the Uncertainty

Little known of these Kings to the ninth 69
Century; most of them petty Chiefs;
the Danish Islands not united under
one Sceptre until the fourth Century;
first united under Dan Mykillati; too
early a Period assigned to this event;
independent States in the Danish
Islands as late as the eighth Century

B.C. 4. SKIOLD, the reputed Founder of the 70
to Danish Monarchy, probably King of
A.D. 35. Zealand, with a Superiority over the
rest; his Valour. Frode I., a valiant
and conquering King, probably joined
some one of the Confederations against
Rome; his good Deeds and Laws

His Laws and Institutions successful; 71
the North had numerous Kings in his
Age, probably all subordinate to him

ARNGRIM, the Hero who shed the greatest 72
Lustre on the Reign of Frode; his
magic Sword Tyrfing, the Destroyer of
Men; Osura, Daughter of Frode; Saxo’s
Description of the Finns; their Magic

Arngrim’s Conquests; marries Osura; 73
their twelve Sons, eminent Pirates,
destroyed at Samsoe; Song of the
Scalds on the Subject, which throws
much light upon the History of the
Period; Swafurlam

Swafurlam’s rencounter with Dwarfs or 75
Fairies; obtains a wonderful Sword

Slain by Arngrim, who marries his 76
Daughter Eyvor

Scaldic Story of their twelve Sons 77

All slain; Arngrim’s Granddaughter by 78
his eldest Son; Angantyr and Swafa;
her extraordinary Character

Becomes a Chief of Pirates, under the 79
Name of _Herward_; her Boldness and
Incantations in the Island of Samsoe

Obtains the Magic Sword Tyrfing, which 81
had been buried there

Her Fame for Valour and Beauty; Marries 82
Hafod, the Son of King Godmund; their
Issue, two Sons, Angantyr and Heidrek,
the former noted for his good, the
latter for his mischievous, qualities;
Hafod succeeds his Father; Heidrek
exiled by his Father; his Mother
presents him with the Magic Sword; he
slays his Brother with it by rashly
drawing it; frees Harald of Sweden
from two great Chiefs; marries the
Monarch’s Daughter; has a Son, whom he
names Angantyr; Tyrfing fatal to
Harald; his Wife hangs herself

Is slain by the fatal Tyrfing, which is 83
drawn by his Slaves; his Son,
Angantyr, with it slays his Half
Brother, in whose Tomb it is finally
buried

ANGANTYR, like all his Race, a Hero by 83
Profession; Champions and Duels of the
North

Associations of Heroes sealed with their 84
Blood and indissoluble; their Laws and
Duties; Rolf’s famous Society of this
kind; their necessary Qualifications
and Discipline; Exceptions to this
Discipline; Abduction common; the
_berserks_

Their Turbulence and Bloodshed among 85
themselves; often became Bandits

FRIDLEIF II. destroys one of these Bands 85

Fridleif slays Asmund, King of Norway, 86
and seizes upon his Daughter Frogerth;
is unfaithful to her; is succeeded by
his Son Frode II.; the Name of this
Prince, and of his Son _Ingel_, only
interesting from their association
with the Name of STERKODDER, the
Hercules of the North

Story, Adventures, and Fame of 87
Sterkodder; the Intention of the
Deities in forming him was to destroy
Wikar, a King of Norway

He effects Wikar’s Destruction; becomes 87
a Pirate; his Continence and great
Fame; his Abstemiousness; probably
several of this Name, and their
exploits all ascribed to one

Kills nine Champions in defence of 88
Helga, Sister of Ingel

His Revenge on the Murderers of Frode 89

His remarkable Death 90

Legend of _Gorm I._ King of Denmark 91

Importance of such Legends as 99
illustrative of the Opinions of
Mankind

Gorm, according to Saxo, contemporary 100
with the first of the Carlovingian
Kings, probably King of Jutland;
proofs that he was

794–935. RAGNAR 101

Probability that there were two of the 102
Name; the Actions of Ragnar and
Regnier, a Jutish Pirate, probably
confounded; his Death; doubtful
whether his Sons revenged his Death,
and made Northumberland a Danish State

SIGURD II. succeeds Ragnar in Scania and 102
the Isles, while Jutland had its
separate Kings; Hemming, King of
Jutland, contemporary with Sigurd;
Hemming succeeded by HARALD, who is
exiled by the Sons of Godfrey, turns
Christian, and returns in triumph,
through the Assistance of Louis le
Debonnaire; again, about 828, deprived
of his Throne, and passes his future
Days in religious Contemplation; his
Baptism, and efforts to introduce
Christianity in Jutland; St. Anscar;
SIGURD, the other King of Denmark, a
good and peaceable Prince

803. _Harda Canute_ succeeds his Father, 103
Sigurd, but according to Saxo, Eric I.

Several Kings ruled in Denmark and 104
Jutland at the same time; all finally
subdued by GORM _the Old_; Gorm’s
Conquests; he is defeated by Henry the
Fowler, and compelled to admit the
Christian Missionaries

His good Policy in respect to Civil 106
Affairs, yet hostile to the Diffusion
of Christianity; married to a
Christian Lady; restores the Pagan
Temples; slays and exiles the
Christian Teachers; his Sons noted
Pirates; his Death, in 935 or 941

935–964. Harald II. succeeds his Father in 941; 107
he assists the Normans; vanquishes and
captures the King of France, and
reinstates the young Duke of Normandy;
places Harald Graafeld on the Throne
of Norway; Harald being murdered, he
divides Norway into three States,
reserving the best to himself; his
Expedition against Otho I.

Is compelled by the Emperor, with his 108
Son Sweyn, to receive Baptism and
encourage Christianity

964. Proofs that Harald did homage to Otho 108

964. Harald joins the rebel Duke of Bavaria 110
against Otho II.; the Events of the
War as respects Harald doubtful; he
fails in an Expedition against Norway;
his Son Sweyn rebels against him

He flees to Normandy and is restored to 111
Part of his Dominions by Duke Richard;
is assassinated; his Character, and
the Reverence in which he was
afterwards held

991. SWEYN; he encourages the old Religion, 112
and rebuilds many of the Temples;
Jomsburg, a famous City founded by
Harald, as a piratical Fortress; the
Laws of its community; no Christian
admitted; Planotoko, Governor of
Jomsburg, the Assassin of Harald, had
been Tutor to Sweyn; his great Skill
in Archery; a similar Story to that of
William Tell told of him

GWEYN. Much Obscurity and Contradiction 113
respecting the early Part of his Reign

False Statements of ancient and modern 114
Historians respecting him refuted and
rectified

991–993. Leads an Armament against Hako, the 115
Usurper of Norway; his Pirates
defeated by Hako

And put to death; their resolute 116
bearing; the generous Conduct of Eric,
the Son of Hako, towards them

991–1001. Invasion of England; Brithnoth the 117
Governor of Essex slain; Treacherous
Conduct of Alfric of Mercia; Sweyn and
his Ally, Olaf the Son of Trygve,
appear in the Thames with a formidable
Fleet

Their Attack upon London repelled; their 117
dreadful Depredations in Essex, Kent,
Sussex, and Hampshire; Money paid them
by Ethelred; Olaf visits the Court of
the Saxon King, and, having been
previously baptized, receives the Rite
of Confirmation, and visits the Coast
of England no more; Sweyn returns
Three Years after, and wastes England
without Opposition; Returns to contend
with Olaf of Norway; the Danes return,
1001, exact another heavy Ransom, and
procure extensive Estates in many
Parts of the Kingdom

1001–1003. Massacre of the Danes 118

Cowardly and horrid Manner of it; 118
Sweyn’s terrible Retribution

1003–1009. Sweyn again visits England, 1004 119

But returns in consequence of a Famine 119
caused by the former Depredations;
Deplorable Cowardice and Imbecility of
the English King and Nobles; Ethelred
marries Emma of Normandy; his brutal
Conduct to her draws upon him the
Hostility of Duke Richard;

1010. Danegelt exacted as an annual Tribute; 120
the Danes possess sixteen English
Counties; exact 48,000_l._ for sparing
the others; recommence their
Atrocities; St. Elphege’s Description
of the woful Condition of the Country

Their Cruelties in Kent; Destruction of 121
the City and Cathedral of Canterbury;
admirable Conduct of St. Elphege; his
Martyrdom

1013–1014. In 1013 Sweyn receives the Submission of 122
all England as their Sovereign;
Ethelred flees to Normandy; Sweyn dies
or is killed one Year after his
Elevation; his Character

CHAP. II.

SWEDEN.

A.C. 70-A.D. 1001.

UNCERTAINTY AND CONTRADICTION IN THE CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES OF KINGS
EXPLAINED BY THE FACT THAT THE GOTHS AND SWIONES WERE UNDER DISTINCT
RULERS—HENCE THEIR CONFUSION.—THE YNGLINGS, OR SACRED FAMILY OF ODIN,
REIGN AT UPSAL.—KINGS OF THAT RACE: ODIN—NIORD—FREYR—FREYA—
FIOLNER—SWEGDIR—VANLAND—VISBUR—DOMALD—DOMAR—DYGVE—DAG —AGNE, ETC.—FATE
OF THE PRINCES OF THIS HOUSE, OF WHOM MOST DIE TRAGICALLY.—LEGEND OF
AUN THE OLD.—INGIALD ILLRADA.—CONQUEST OF SWEDEN BY IVAR
VIDFADME.—GOTHIC KINGS FROM GYLFO TO IVAR VIDFADME.—KINGS OF THE
SWEDES AND THE GOTHS.

Difficulty attending all Researches into 124
the early History of Sweden

The Gothones were in Possession of 126
Sweden previously to the Arrival of
Odin and the Swiones; the People long
under different Rulers; the
Discrepancy in the Lists of Swedish
Kings accounted for

A.C. 40. The Race of Odin, the Pontiff Kings of 127
to the Swedes who reigned at Upsal.
A.D. 14. _Niord_ succeeds his Father Odin as
Prophet, Priest, and King in the
Capital of Sigtuna; Numerous Kings in
Sweden at the Time; Skiold, the Son of
Odin, King of Ledra in Zealand; Freyr,
Pontiff Chief of Upsal; Heimdal, over
the Temple at Hemenbiorg; Thor, at
Thrudvang and Balder Breidablik; The
happy Reign of Niord

His Death and Funeral; He is worshipped 128
as a Deity; Succeeded by his Son
_Freyr_; Freyr’s prosperous Reign; He
builds the great Temple at Upsal; more
esteemed than his Predecessors; his
Surname of _Yngve_ adopted by his
Posterity, the _Ynglings_, as a proud
Distinction; a magnificent Tomb
erected for him; is succeeded by
_Freya_, the last of the Divine
Personages who accompanied Odin from
Asia; her Celebrity while living and
after Death; her Statue placed with
those of Odin and Thor; succeeded by
FIOLNER, the Son of Freyr; Fiolner’s
accidental Death while on a friendly
Visit to Frode I. King of Denmark

_Swegdir_ goes with twelve Nobles to 128
Asia, to inquire into the Family and
Exploits of Odin, where he found many
of his Blood; he marries a Lady in the
Land of the Vanir, and after five
Years returns to Upsal; his Second
Journey to Asia; Legend of his Death

34–220. VANLAND succeeds his Father Swegdir; his 129
warlike Character; he marries the
Daughter of a Swede established among
the Finns, whom he soon abandons

He refuses to return to his Wife, and 130
is, in consequence, destroyed by
Witchcraft

VISBUR, the Son of Vanland by his 130
neglected Wife, succeeds; he dismisses
his Wife and two Sons, and takes
another; Donald, his Son by the second
Marriage; the Sons of the repudiated
Queen, Gisle and Ondur, claim their
Mother’s Dowry of Visbur, especially a
precious Necklace, which is refused;
they apply to Hulda the Witch, who had
destroyed the Father of Visbur; she
promises to destroy him also, and to
leave his Doom to the whole of the
Ynglings

He, with his House, is burned by Gisle 131
and Ondur

_Domald_ succeeds; is sacrificed by the 131
People to propitiate the Gods and
induce them to avert a Famine;
_Domar_, the Son of Domald; _Dygve_,
the Son of Domar

DAG THE WISE, the Son of Dygve, 131
celebrated in Northern History; his
wonderful Sparrow; his Death

AGNE, the Son of Dag, succeeds; he slays 131
the Finnish King, and makes his
Daughter Skiolfa his Wife; is, while
drunk in his Tent, hanged by her

ALARIC and ERIC, his Sons, divide the 132
supreme Power between them; they
destroy each other. YNGVE and ALF, the
Sons of Alaric, divide the Government
between them, and also destroy each
other

HUGLEIK, the Son of Alf, succeeds; he is 133
slain, and the Swiones subdued by
Hako, a Danish Sea King; Hako is slain
by Eric and Jorund, the Sons of
Hugleik; Eric also slain, and JORUND
hailed as the Monarch of the Swedes;
he is defeated and hung by Gylang, the
Son of Gudlaug, King of Halogia, and
is succeeded by AUN, surnamed _‘Hinn’
Gamle_, or The Old; Kings of the Danes
contemporary with Aun; he is expelled
his Kingdom by Halfdan

Returns to his Kingdom; consults the 134
Gods respecting the Duration of his
Life; sacrifices his Sons on the Altar
of Odin; Fables respecting him

448–545. He is succeeded by his Son EGIL; 134
Rebellion of Tunne, a Slave, and
formerly Treasurer to Aun

The Rebel defeated by Egil, with the 135
Assistance of Danish Troops, for which
he promised to pay Tribute; Egil is
killed by a wild Bull, and is
succeeded by _Ottar_, his Son, who,
refusing to pay the Tribute to
Denmark, is defeated and slain, and is
succeeded by his Son ADILS, a noted
Pirate; he marries Ursa, a Saxon Lady,
his Captive; is expelled his Kingdom
by Helge, Son of Halfdan of Ledra; the
Victor marries Ursa, and has by her a
Son, Rolf Krake

Ursa discovered to be Helge’s Daughter, 136
and returns to Adils; his Death by a
Fall from his Horse; he is succeeded
by his Son EYSTEIN; his troublesome
Reign; the Sea Kings; he is burnt,
with his House, by Solvi, a Jutish
Chief, who is killed in his turn by
the People of Sigtuna

YNGVAR succeeds his father Eystein; 136
leads many piratical Expeditions;
killed on the Coast of Esthonia, 545

545–623. BRAUT-ONUND, a wise Prince, next fills 136
the Throne of the Ynglings; his great
agricultural Improvements

He is killed by an Avalanche, and 137
succeeded by INGIALD ILLRADA, his Son;
fabulous Account of his Youth; he
burns Six Reguli and Jarls on the
Night of his Inauguration, and by that
atrocious Act becomes absolute Master
of all Swionia, except Sudermania, the
Dominion of King Grammar

Grammar enters into an Alliance with 138
Hiorvardar, a famous Sea King, to whom
he gives his Daughter Hildegund;
characteristic Description of the
Wedding Feast; Ingiald defeated by the
Allies; Peace between them; Ingiald
treacherously burns Grammar and
Hiovardar in a Country House

623–630. Asa, the wicked Daughter of Ingiald, 139
persuades her Husband, the King of
Scania, to murder his Brother, Halfdan
III., King of Zealand; joins in the
Destruction of her Husband; flees to
Upsal; Ivar Vidfadme, to revenge the
Murder of his Father, invades Swionia;
Ingiald, by the Advice of his
Daughter, in despair, burns her, his
Guests, the House, and himself, and is
succeeded by _Ivar Vidfadme_, while
Olaf _Trætelia_, the Son Ingiald, the
Last of the Ynglings, retires to the
Desert Lands North and West of the
Vener Lake, and by clearing them,
founds the State of Vermeland; he is
the Ancestor of Harald Harfager

Reflections on the Crimes and 140
Misfortunes of the Ynglings; Sweden
henceforth under the Sway of the
Skioldungs, also of Odin’s Race

The Goths and Swiones always under 141
different Kings; the more powerful
Monarch always called King of the
Goths; the Kings of all the Provinces,
except Jutland, confounded

Confused Chronology of Northern 142
Historians

Gylfo, King of the Goths at the Period 143
of Odin’s Arrival in the North

The Swiar become the dominant Caste more 144
by the moral Influence of Odin and his
Successors than by Force; the
different Races in Scandinavia
probably from Asiatic Scythia

Cause of the rapid Progress of the 145
Odinic Religion; the moral Influence
of the Pontiff Sovereigns often
resisted by the Gothic Kings, who
frequently slew and dethroned them

70–260. The Line of the Gothic Kings imperfectly 146
recorded; one of the Gothlands the
Seat of Gylfo’s Empire; succeeded by
_Frode_; Frode by _Sigtrug_; Sigtrug
slain by Gram, a Danish King, who
rescues his Daughter from a Giant,
marries her, and obtains the Gothic
Kingdom; like the Daughter of Alcinos,
he found her washing with her Maidens;
Gram is slain by Swibdager of Norway,
who seizes upon Gothia and Scania;
Swibdager slain by Hadding, the Son of
Gram; Asmund, the Son and Successor of
Swibdager, also slain by Hadding, who
seizes upon his States; Hadding is
defeated by Uffo, the Son of Asmund;
Uffo treacherously murdered by
Hadding, who gives the vacant Throne
to _Hunding_, Uffo’s Brother

Doubts as to the Reign of Madding; 147
Ragnar, the Son of Uffo, ascends the
Gothic Throne; Gothland invaded by
Frode of Denmark, who dies in the
Expedition; Death of Ragnar; the
Throne seized by HOLWARD or HODBROD;
he invades Denmark, and kills Roe, one
of her joint Kings; is mortally
wounded by Helge, the remaining Danish
King, who makes a Prize of his
Kingdom; ATIL I. marries Helge’s
Daughter, and is raised to the Throne;
their Son HODER becomes in the sequel
King of Scania and Gothland

RURIC, the Son of Hoder, King of Scania 148
and Gothland; ATTIL II. assassinated;
_Hogmor_ and _Hogrin_, joint Kings,
killed in Battle with the Danes;
succeeded by Alaric or Ebric Prince of
the Swedes; the Goths and Swedes at
this Time united; Confusion of
Chronology; Halfdan; Siward; Eric;
Halfdan II.; Ragnald; Asmund; Haquin
(or Hako); the Story of Birnam Wood,
admitted by Shakspeare into the
Tragedy of Macbeth, taken from a
similar Story told by Hako, while
marching to revenge the Death of his
Brothers upon the Danish King

448–623. EGIL AUNIFF, King of the Goths and 149
Swedes; Identity of many of the Kings
mentioned by Snorro and the Swedish
Writers; the Subject rendered more
intelligible

623–794. The four next Kings of the Swedes and 150
Goths also Kings of the Danes; Ivar
Vidfadme; his Conquests extend to
England

HARALD HILDETAND, Grandson and Successor 151
of Ivar, exceeded him in Glory; his
Valour; his Death in Battle against
his Nephew, Sigurd Ring

Doubts as to the Kings who reigned 152
between Harald and _Ragnar Lodbrog_

794–1001. _Ragnar_ succeeded on the Throne of 154
Sweden by his Son Biorn I., who
tolerates the Christian Mission,
allowing St. Anscar to exercise his
Functions unmolested; Olaf, a doubtful
King; Eric I., the Son of Biorn; Eric
II.; Edmund; Biorn II.; no Records of
their Reigns; Biorn III. (923) enjoyed
a long reign; Eric IV. (993) a longer
still

ERIC V. closes the List of Pagan Kings; 154
the Confusion of Swedish History from
the eighth to the tenth Century; Cause
of that Confusion; Eric IV., the
Victorious, King of the Goths and
Swedes

Eric V., King, surnamed _Arsael_, King 155
of the two Provinces; embraces
Christianity; much Obscurity over his
Reign

CHAP. III.

NORWAY.

ABOUT 70 B.C.-A.D. 1030.

NEW KINGDOM OF THE YNGLINGS IN VERMELAND.—KINGS FROM OLAF TRÆTELIA TO
HALFDAN THE BLACK.—HALFDAN THE TRUE FOUNDER OF THE NORWEGIAN
MONARCHY.—HARALD HARFAGER.—ERIC OF THE BLOODY AXE.—HAKO THE
GOOD.—HARALD GRAAFELD.—HAKO THE JARL.—SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF OLAF
TRYGVESON.—HIS EARLY PIRATICAL EXPLOITS.—HIS ROMANTIC FORTUNES.—HE
BECOMES KING OF NORWAY.—HIS DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOLS.—HIS INTOLERANT
BIGOTRY AND CRUEL PERSECUTIONS.—HIS TRAGICAL DEATH, OR, ACCORDING TO
SOME WRITERS, HIS MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE FROM THE WORLD.—OLAF THE
SAINT.—HIS ADVENTURES OF A PIRATE.—HIS ACCESSION TO THE CROWN OF
NORWAY,—HIS PERSECUTING CHARACTER.—HIS QUARRELS AND SUBSEQUENT
ALLIANCE WITH SWEDEN.—IS DRIVEN INTO EXILE BY CANUTE THE GREAT.—HE
RETURNS, AND IS SLAIN.—HIS PRETENDED SANCTITY.

Early Chiefs of Norway 156

630–640 Olaf Trætelia lays the Foundation of 158
Vermeland; put to Death as the
supposed Cause of a Famine; his
Character; his Children by the
Daughter of Halfdan, King of Soleyr

640–840 Halfdan, the Son of Olaf, is demanded by 160
the Swedes for their King; his
Grandfather refuses to surrender him;
a Battle ensues, and the King of
Soleyr is slain; Halfdan governs both
States; conquers Raumarik; marries the
Daughter of the King of Hedmark;
acquires half that State, and subdues
part of Westfold

730–840 EYSTEIN, the Son of Halfden, succeeds to 161
the united Crowns of Raumarik and
Westfold; becomes a Pirate; is killed
in one of his Expeditions, and is
succeeded by his Son, Halfdan II.

His Inconsistency of Character; is 162
succeeded by his Son _Gudred_; he
receives as the Dowry of his Wife part
of Vingulmark; demands as his second
Wife the Daughter of Harald, Chief of
Adger, who, refusing Compliance, falls
in Battle, and Adger becomes the Prey
of Halfdan; is murdered; his Sons Olaf
and Halfdan divide his States

840–850 HALFDAN THE BLACK only a Year old when 163
his Father died; his Territories
(except Adger, his maternal
Inheritance) seized by Olaf; at
eighteen demands and obtains part of
his Inheritance; obtains by Force half
of Vingulmark; recovers Raumarik;
defeats the King of Hedmark; but
grants his Brother one half of
Hedmark; subdues two small States
bordering on Hedmark

850. Marries the Daughter of the King of 164
Sogne; on her Death and that of her
Son, takes Possession of that State;
defeated by some Chiefs of Vingulmark;
is Victor in his turn, and subdues the
whole Province

852–863 SIGURD HIORT, King of Ringarik, killed 165
by _Hako_ the Berserk and his Company,
who capture Guthrum the Son, and
Ragnilda the Daughter, of Sigurd; they
are rescued by Halfdan

Who marries Ragnilda; Issue, Harald 166
Harfager; Character of Harald the
Black; his Laws; wonderful Vision
preceding his Death; he is drowned

863. HARALD HARFAGER a Child at his Father’s 167
Death; his Youth is taken advantage of
by the neighbouring Reguli; is
defended by his Uncle Guthrum

865–868 His General and Minister; his Enemies 168
defeated and spoiled of their
Territories; he demands the Hand of
Gyda of the King of Hordaland; her
proud Reply

Harald vows never to cut or comb his 169
Hair until he has subdued all Norway;
subdues many Districts, in which he
establishes the feudal System; his
local Administration and Revenue

867–882 Is joined by Jarl Hako; subdues Orkadal, 170
Strinda, Spordal, Veradal, Scaunia,
Sparbyggia, and the Islands in the
West; the two Kings of Naumdal submit,
and are made Jarls; returns to
Drontheim, builds a Town as his Seat
of Government, and marries Asa,
Daughter of Jarl Hako; his military
Preparations and System of Discipline

He subdues the Möre Tylk, south of 171
Drontheim, and slays their Chiefs;
makes the celebrated Rognevald, Father
of Rollo, first Duke of Normandy,
their Governor; Sunmore and the Fiords
subdued

Quarrels among his Chiefs 172

882–884 War with Eric of Sweden, who conquers 172
Vermeland; Interview between Harald
and Eric; strange Expedient of Aki,
their Host

Resented by Eric, by whom he is 173
treacherously slain; mutual
Hostilities; Conspiracy of the subdued
Reguli against Harald

The combined Chiefs defeated, and the 174
celebrated Victory of the Bay of
Hafursfiord gained by Harald

The Conspirators go into Exile, or 175
become Pirates, and infest his Coasts,
and those of Britain; Norway being
conquered, he cuts his Locks, and
obtains the Epithet of Harfager or
Fair-haired; marries Gyda, who bears
him a Daughter and four Sons

Wonderful Story of his Marriage with 176
Snæfrida, the Daughter of a Finnish
Magician, who bears him four Sons,
Sigurd, Halfdan, Gudred, Rognevald;
miraculous Story of her Death, and
Harald’s Infatuation

He dismisses his four Sons, by the Witch 177
Snæfrida; receives them again at the
Intercession of Jarl Hiodulf; they
excel in military Exercises; his
numerous Wives and Offspring

The Crimes and Ambition of most of his 178
Sons shortened their Days; the Sons of
Snæfrida burn Rognevald

Harald appoints his Sons Kings over the 179
Provinces; Thorgils and Frode conquer
Dublin; end their Days tragically

Eric Blodöxe burns his Brother 180
_Rognevald_, with eighty pretended
Wizards; slays his Brother _Biorn_,
King of Westfold

910–913 Harald’s unaccountable Attachment to 181
Eric; Eric’s early piratical
Depredations; his marvellous Adventure
in Finland with Gunhilda and two
Magicians; he marries Gunhilda

930–934 Gudred, the Son of Harald, lost at Sea; 182
Harald resigns the Imperial Dignity to
Eric

He is opposed by Halfdan the Black, with 183
Olaf, the Brother of the murdered
Biorn, King of Westfold; Harald dies
at the age of eighty; his Character;
military Prowess almost his only great
Quality

934–936 Hostilities between Eric and his 185
Brothers, Olaf and Sigurd; they are
defeated and slain; the People look
for a Deliverer from the Tyranny of
Eric in the Person of Hako, who had
been educated in the Court of
Athelstane of England, where he then
resided

Hako, being supplied with Ships and 185
Money, sails for Norway

937–946 He lands at Drontheim; is proclaimed 186
King in a General Assembly of Freemen;
he is joined by many Chiefs in the
Uplands; he makes Sigurd King of
Westfold

And Drygve King of Raumarik and 187
Vingulmark; Eric, abandoned by the
People, flees to the Orkneys; he
ravages the Scottish Coast; he
embraces Christianity, and receives
the Government of Northumbria from
Athelstane

His continual Ravages on the Coasts of 188
Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; his Fame
draws many Norwegians, Danes, and
Swedes to his Standard; he is absent
from Northumbria during the Reign of
Edmund the Elder; returns in the first
Year of Edred’s Reign, and lays waste
the English Coast; is defeated and
slain by Edred; Northumbria becomes
henceforth an English Province

939–940 Hako’s Hostilities with the Danes and 188
Gothlanders, whom he defeats

The piratical Sons of Eric, encouraged 189
by the Danish King, commit
Depredations on the Coasts of Norway;
King Trygve retaliates upon Denmark;
Hako encourages Christianity in
Norway; sends to England for a Bishop
and Priests

Pagan Sacrifices; Sigurd’s Zeal for the 190
Religion of Odin

941. Hako proposes the Establishment of the 191
Christian Religion in a National
Assembly; is opposed by Gaulandal

942–956 Hako’s Unwillingness to comply with the 192
Rites of Paganism

He is compelled partially to comply, and 193
vows Revenge

956–958 The Sons of Eric invade his Coasts; he 194
defeats them, and kills Guthrum with
his own Hand; Law for the Protection
of the Coasts

Eric’s Sons again invade Norway; are 195
defeated by Hako

958. The Sons of Eric again defeated by Hako, 194
who is mortally wounded; he declares
them his Heirs; dies; probably died a
Pagan; his Character

963–969 HARALD Graafeld, eldest Son of Eric, 196
declared King

His Power limited by five Chiefs, or 198
Kings; he procures the Murder of
Sigurd

He betrays and murders King Trygve, and 199
King Gudred

969. Unpopularity of the Sons of Eric; two of 200
them killed by the People

Harald betrayed, and killed in Battle; 201
Harald of Denmark becomes supreme
Monarch of Norway

Deeds of Jarl Hako, Son of Sigurd, 202
Governor of seven Norwegian Provinces;
joins Harald against Otho; both
compelled to receive Baptism by the
Emperor

He relapses into Paganism; proclaims his 203
Independence; fabulous Guardians of
Iceland; Harald dies

His Son Sweyn assails Norway; Story of 204
Harald Grenske and Sigfrida; he is
killed by her; Birth of his posthumous
Son, Olaf

993–995 Hako’s licentious Conduct; Olaf, the Son 205
of Trygve

Flight of his Mother Astridda; romantic 206
Circumstances attending his Birth;
their miraculous Escapes; they find an
Asylum with Hako the Old

964–966 Gunhilda’s deceitful Attempts to obtain 208
Possession of his Person

976–984 Astridda flees to her Brother Sigurd, to 209
the Court of Waldemar, King of
Gardarik; they are captured by
Pirates, and sold

Mother and Son separated; Olaf becomes 210
his Master’s Favourite; with his
Foster-brother Thorgils, redeemed by
his Uncle Sigurd, who accidentally
discovers them, and introduces them at
the Court of his Master; his
Education; becomes a Pirate at twelve
Years of Age; protects the Coasts of
Gardarik; in favour with the King; he
pursues his Fortunes on the Deep

985–994 His great Fame; he marries the Widow of 211
Duke Borislaf of Pomerania, and
protects her Dominions; treacherous
Attempt on his Life

Which he defeats, with the Slaughter of 212
his Enemies; he ravages the Coasts of
the Baltic; assists the Emperor
against the Danes; his Aversion to
Idolatry; he returns to Pomerania

His Wife dies; he leaves Pomerania; a 213
Christian, yet a Pirate; Visits the
Coasts of Britain; marries an Irish
Princess

967–993 Fate of Astridda after her Capture; she 214
is ransomed by a noble Pirate of
Norway, whom she marries

995–996 Snares laid for Olaf by Hako of Norway, 215
who employs Thorer, a Pirate, to
entrap him

Olaf sails for Norway; compels the Jarl 216
of Orkney to embrace Christianity, and
do him Homage

He discovers Thorer’s Treachery, and 217
slays the Traitor; Hako’s licentious
Conduct causes a Conspiracy of the
Nobles against him

995. Romantic Adventures of Hako and his 218
Slave; Dream in the Cave; Death of
Erleng, Son of Hako

Second Dream in the Cave; Hako and Kark 219
repair to the House of Thora, and are
concealed in a subterraneous Recess;
they are pursued by Olaf; Hako killed
by his Slave

Character of Jarl Hako 222

Olaf, now King of Norway, commences his 222
Persecution of Idolaters

997–999 Olaf and the Magicians; he is honoured 224
by a Visit from Odin

998. Opposition which his religious Zeal 226
encounters from the Pagans; politic
Manner in which he evaded the Demand
of his Chiefs that he should sacrifice
to the Gods

He overthrows the Idols in the great 227
Temple of Drontheim; individual
Conversions

999. He proceeds on a missionary Tour into 228
Helogia; Legend concerning Bishop
Sigurd; Destruction of a noted Pagan

Atrocious Manner in which, through his 230
Poet Halfrod, he punishes a Chief who
had refused to embrace Christianity

His Brutality offends Sigrida, a Swedish 232
Princess, who devotes her future Life
to Revenge; marries a Danish Princess

999–1000 His new Wife persuades him to equip an 234
Armament for the Coast of Pomerania;
Sweden and Denmark oppose him; he is
defeated and slain

Character of this Monarch 235

1000–1012 Division of Norway by the Conquerors 236

Youth of St. Olaf 237

1007–1014 He becomes a Sea King; his Adventures on 238
several Maritime Coasts, especially on
those of Finland and England

1012. He returns to Norway, and captures Hako 240
the Jarl, the Lieutenant of the Danish
King; proceeds into the Uplands; his
Reception by his Mother; curious
Picture of domestic Manners

1014. He consults with his Friends as to the 242
meditated Seizure of the Throne, and
is encouraged by them to proceed

He is promised Support by the Upland 243
Kings, obtains Possession of Nidaros,
but is expelled by Sweyn, another Jarl

1015. His Victory over his domestic Enemies, 245
and consequent Recognition as Monarch
of Norway

1016. His legal and religious Reforms; his 246
punctual Attendance at public Worship
the chief Cause of his subsequent
Apotheosis

His Disputes with Sweden; he hangs the 247
Ambassadors of that Prince, and
encroaches on her Frontiers

1017. Negotiations for Peace at the Court of 249
the Swede long fruitless; Diet of the
Kingdom; bold Language of the
venerable Thorgnyr; Olaf compelled to
promise Obedience to the Wish of his
People

1018. Olaf of Sweden resolves to evade his 252
Promise of marrying his Daughter
Ingigerda to Olaf of Norway; Rage of
the latter; he clandestinely marries
Astridda, another Daughter of the
Swedish King

Reconciliation between the two Kings, 255
who play at Dice for a Frontier
Province

Zeal of St. Olaf in the Diffusion of 255
Christianity; a Conspiracy against him
by the Pagan Kings of the Uplands; it
is discovered, and the Actors punished

1019. Ruric, one of the Captive Kings whom 257
Olaf had blinded, plots his
Destruction; Banishment of the Royal
Pagan

1020–1021. Severity of Olaf against the secret 259
Pagans of Naumdal and Drontheim

1021. He is equally severe in the Uplands; 261
Opposition of Gunbrund, King of the
Dales; dispersed by Olaf; new Pagan
reinforcements; Interview in the
Defiles; the Idol Thor broken to
pieces by the Followers of the Saint;
Baptism of the foolish Wretches

1022–1025 Furious Persecution of the Pagans 264

1026–1027 Canute the Great threatens the Invasion 265
of Norway; St. Olaf combines his Fleet
with that of Sweden; Hostilities on
the Coasts of Zealand and Scania

1027. Canute arrives in the North; orders the 267
Assassination of Ulf, his
Brother-in-law

1027–1028 St. Olaf finds Treachery in his 268
Councils; Lukewarmness of the People;
his great Unpopularity the Result of
his own Misconduct

1028–1029 Triumphant Invasion of Canute, who is 270
acknowledged Monarch of Norway; Olaf
flees with Precipitation, first into
Sweden, and then into Russia

1029. His good Reception by the King and Queen 271
of Holmgard; is at length enabled to
return into Sweden

1030. Aided by Swedish Forces, he returns 272
towards Norway; his unfavourable
reception by his former Subjects; he
dies in Battle

Character of this precious Saint 273

CHAP. IV.

MARITIME EXPEDITIONS OF THE NORTHMEN DURING THE PAGAN AGE.