Chapter XXX: The Last of the Vikings

Though the viking period is generally spoken of as ending about A.D. 1100, it went on, as a matter of fact, long after that. The last of the great vikings--that is, of those whose entire life was spent in marauding expeditions--was Sweyn of Orkney, called Sweyn, Asleif’s son, from his mother’s name, because his father had been burnt in his house when he was entertaining a party at Yule. He was a wise man, and far-seeing in many things, but so dreaded that when it was heard that he was in any part of the islands all the inhabitants would hide their movable property under the ground or cover it with heaps of loose stones. When he was an old man he used to keep eighty men in his house at his sole expense; and his drinking-hall was the largest in the Orkneys. His plan of life was this: In the spring he would stay at home and sow the most part of his property with seed, doing a great share of the work himself; and while the seed was springing up he would be off marauding in the Hebrides or in Ireland, returning home after midsummer. This he called his spring viking. Then he stayed at home awhile to reap his crops and get in the harvest, and as soon as this was finished he would be away again up to the middle of winter, when it became too cold. Then he would return again till spring. This he called his autumn viking.

The most famous of his viking raids was that called the “Broad-cloth Voyage,” or in Norse “Skrud-viking.” Sweyn had been plundering with five rowing vessels, all of good size, in the Southern Hebrides, and thence he went south to the Isle of Man, but he had obtained very little booty, for the people had got wind of his coming and had concealed their goods. So he went across to Ireland, plundering on the north coast, and making his way down to Dublin. At the entrance to Dublin Bay they came across two English merchant ships going to Dublin with a cargo of English cloth and other merchandise. Sweyn made for the vessels and offered to fight them. Being merchantmen, they made little resistance, and Sweyn’s party took from them every penny’s-worth that was in the vessels, leaving the Englishmen only with the clothes they stood up in and enough provisions to give them a chance of getting home alive. They got away as quickly as they could, while Sweyn and his men set sail for the Sudreyar, or Hebrides, and landed there to divide their booty. As a piece of bravado, they sewed the cloth they had taken over their sails, so that they looked as if they were all made of the finest cloth, and so home to the Orkneys; and because of this the cruise was known as the “Broad-cloth Cruise.”

It was on one of his expeditions against Dublin that Sweyn met his fate. This was when he was an old man. Not long before, Earl Harald, who had been feasting with him after his return from the “Broad-cloth Cruise,” on the English mead and the wine captured from the vessels, said to him: “I wish now, Sweyn, that you would leave off your marauding expeditions. Your plundering has been successful a long while, but it might take a turn the other way; and it is good to drive home with a whole wain. Men who live by unfair means often perish by them in the end.” Sweyn answered the earl with a smile: “Excellent advice, my lord, and spoken like a friend. A bit of good counsel from you is worth the having. But I have heard it said that you have some little matters on your own account to answer for, not unlike those of which you complain to me.” “No doubt,” said the earl, “I have my own share to answer for; I but spoke as it came into my head.”

Sweyn answered: “I take your advice as it is offered to me, and, indeed, I begin to feel that I am growing old. Long fighting and hardships are beginning to tell upon me, and I had made up my mind to go only upon one expedition more. I will make my autumn viking as usual, and I hope it will go as well as my spring viking, and after that my warfaring shall be over.”

“It is difficult to know, friend,” said the earl, “whether death or lasting fame will overtake you first,” and there their conversation ended.

Shortly after this Sweyn prepared to go on his autumn viking cruise with seven warships. They found little booty in the Sudreyar, and went on to Ireland, getting again as far south as Dublin, and entering the town before the inhabitants were aware of their presence. His attack was so sudden that he took the rulers captive, and gathered a great deal of plunder, and the upshot of the matter was that the fort surrendered to Sweyn and promised him a heavy ransom, and that he might quarter his men on the town, and take hostages.

That night the chief men of the town had a meeting to consider the difficulties in which they were placed. They thought it grievous hardship that they should have to surrender their town to the Orkneymen, especially to him whom they knew to be the most exacting man in the whole West; and they agreed that they would cheat Sweyn if they could. Sweyn and his men were gone down to their ships for the night, but in the morning they were to come into the town to receive the hostages. The inhabitants resolved to dig deep trenches inside the city gates, and in other places between the houses in the streets through which Sweyn and his followers must pass, and armed men were concealed in the houses. They placed planks over the pits, which would fall in as soon as men stepped upon them, and strewed straw over the planks, so that they might not be observed. All that night they worked and in the morning they were ready.

With the morning’s dawn Sweyn’s men rose and armed themselves, to march into the town; and the Dublin men lined either side of the way from the city gate to the trenches. Not being on their guard, Sweyn and his men fell into them, and the Dublin people ran, some to the gates to close them, and some to the pits to kill the men who had fallen there. It was difficult to offer any defence, and Sweyn perished miserably with all who accompanied him. This is the end of Sweyn’s history, and after him few men gave themselves up to marauding, as was the custom in the old days. Sweyn would often raid a village and burn six or more homesteads in a morning, so that the inhabitants fled wherever he came. An Icelander named Eric, who went about with Sweyn and plundered with him, used to sing this ditty when they went out together:

“Half a dozen homesteads burning,
Half a dozen households plundered;
This was Sweyn’s work of a morning--
Wild his work, his vengeance cruel;
Every man who wanted fuel
Warmed him with his flaming homestead.”

Sweyn died between 1160–1165.

Chronology

A.D.
787 First appearance of the Norse in Northumbria
795 First plunderings of the Norse in Ireland
795 Irish monks in Iceland
822 Halfdan the Black, King of Norway (_d._ 860)
832 The Norse appear in Kent
847 First coming of the Danes to Ireland
853 Olaf the White, King of the Norse in Dublin
867 Ælla King of Northumbria
871 Alfred the Great, King of England (_d._ 901)
872 Harald Fairhair, King of Norway (_d._ 933)
875 The Danes are subdued by Alfred, and Guthrum is baptized
878 Harald Fairhair raids in the Orkneys and makes Ragnvald earl.
During Harald’s reign Iceland is peopled from Norway
890 Rolf Ganger, son of Ragnvald, Earl of More and Orkney, plunders
in Normandy
900 Torf-Einar in Orkney. Harald Fairhair’s second expedition to
the West
901 Edward the Elder, King of England (_d._ 925)
902 The foreigners are expelled from Dublin
917 Niall Glundubh (Black knee), King of Ireland, slain at battle
of Kilmashog
924 Edward the Elder is chosen as “Father and Lord” by the Scots,
Northumbria, and Strathclyde
925 Athelstan succeeds (_d._ 940)
933 Eric Bloodaxe, King of Norway
934 Hakon the Good returns to Norway and is crowned king
935 Eric Bloodaxe leaves Norway and gets a kingdom in England
937 Battle of Brunanburh
939 Murtough of the Leather Cloaks makes a warlike circuit in
Ireland
941 Olaf Cuaran (of the Sandal) chosen King of Northumbria
942 The Danes desert Dublin and flee across sea
944 Olaf Cuaran expelled from Northumbria
949 Olaf Cuaran returns; expelled a second time in 952
960 Battle of Stord, and death of King Hakon the Good
963 Olaf Trygveson born in exile. Norway ruled by the sons
of Eric Bloodaxe
979 Ethelred the Unready, King of England
985 Olaf Trygveson raids in the West and England. Sweyn
Fork-beard becomes King of Denmark.
988 He marries Gyda, a sister of Olaf Cuaran. He is baptised
in the Scilly Isles
993 Bambrough stormed
994 Olaf Trygveson and Sweyn Fork-beard are driven back from
London. Olaf promises never again to fight with England
995 Earl Hakon slain; Olaf Trygveson becomes king of Norway
1000 He dies at battle of Svold
1002 Massacre of the Danes on St Brice’s Day
1004 Sweyn Fork-beard burns Norwich
1009–10 England ravaged by the Danes
1010 Siege of London and battle of Hringmara Heath
1013 Sweyn Fork-beard, King of England (_d._ 1014)
1014 Battle of Clontarf in Dublin. Ethelred II. goes to Normandy
1015 Reign of St Olaf in Norway (_d._ 1030)
1016 Death of Ethelred II. Reign of Edmund Ironside. Battle of
Assandun and division of England between Edmund and Canute.
1017 Canute sole King of England
1028 Canute subjugates Norway
1030 Battle of Stiklestad and death of St Olaf
1030 Sweyn, Canute’s son, King of Norway (_d._ 1035)
1035 Magnus the Good, King of Norway (_d._ 1047)
1037 Harald, Canute’s son, King of England
1040 Hardacanute, King of England (_d._ 1042)
1043 Edward the Confessor, King of England
1065 Harold, Godwin’s son, consecrated king
1066 Battle of Stamford Bridge
1066 Battle of Hastings

FOOTNOTES

[1] Ethelwerd’s Chronicle, A.D. 786 (_recté_ 787).

[2] Saxo’s Danish annals speak of Hame, the father of Ælla, as King of Northumbria (see p. 18), but he is unknown to the English Chronicles.

[3] This is the account of Saxo; the Norse accounts differ from him as to the district over which Ragnar ruled.

[4] The Northern chronicles here throw much light on the internal affairs of Northumbria, which are only briefly dealt with in the English chronicles. But the general outline of events fits well into the English account.

[5] _i.e._ the horns from which the ale was quaffed, made from the branching or curved antlers of reindeer or ox.

[6] _i.e._ “the Wanderer,” another name for Woden.

[7] _i.e._ his sons, the children of Aslaug, his second wife.

[8] _i.e._ the sword of Woden. The prophecy was shortly afterwards fulfilled, for Lodbrog’s sons returned to Northumbria, dethroned Ælla, and put him to a cruel death.

[9] _i.e._ the High Gods, who dwelt in Valhalla, or the home of the immortals.

[10] The great province of Northumbria extended from the Humber to the Firth of Forth.

[11] The English Chronicle, dating his rule in Normandy from this, his first expedition thither, gives him a reign of fifty years; he actually reigned from 911–927 A.D. (see p. 110).

[12] In hot weather a tent was erected over the boat.

[13] Scat was a land-tax paid to the king in money, malt, meal, or flesh-meat, and was adjudged to each king on his succession by the “Thing,” or assembly of lawgivers.

[14] The bishop of the islands is still styled Bishop of Sodor (_i.e._ the Sudreys) and Man. Up to the fifteenth century these bishops had to go to Trondhjem in Norway for consecration.

[15] See chap. xv., “Wild Tales from the Orkneys,” p. 108.

[16] Probably Olaf, son of Godfrey, King of Dublin.

[17] _i.e._ Olaf Cuaran.

[18] A sort of fury of war which attacked the Northmen when engaged in battle, and made them half-mad with ferocity.

[19] _i.e._ the dead bodies of the warriors whom his arm had slain fed the falcons, or carrion-birds.

[20] Unnecessary doubt has been thrown upon this practice of pagan baptism, but the instances are too numerous to be set aside. Baptism is a widespread custom among different races. In pagan Ireland also there are instances recorded of a sort of child-naming, combined with christening, by pouring water over the child. Baptism was not invented by Christianity; it was adopted from the Jewish faith into the new religion.

[21] The “Thing” was a convention or parliament of the people assembled to make laws or come to decisions on important matters. There were both local and general “Things.” The place where the “Thing” was held was called the “Thing-mote.”

[22] The hammer of Thor was somewhat like a Greek cross.

[23] Chap. vi., page 48.

[24] Twenty benches probably meant forty rowers, besides other fighting men. Two rowers at least would sit to each bench.

[25] This cruel method of putting a foe to death was also practised on Ælla of Northumbria; it was probably, as here, a sacrifice to Odin.

[26] There are still a few _udal_, or allodial properties, in Orkney.

[27] See pp. 152–3.

[28] Chap. vi. p. 47.

[29] The name Gilli is evidently either Scotch or Irish, which explains the fact that he had an Irish girl among his slaves. He either was an inhabitant of these countries pretending to be a Russian merchant, or he was a Russian who had lived in Scotland.

[30] Sitric Silken-beard was son of Olaf Cuaran, or Olaf o’ the Sandal, and his wife Gormliath, or Kormlod.

[31] For the story of the burning of Nial, see chap. xx. pp. 157–175.

[32] The same description is given of the banner of the sons of Lodbrog, taken by Alfred the Great.

[33] Freeman (“Norman Conquest,” Vol. I., p. 342), considers that Thorkill acted throughout independently of Sweyn, and aimed at setting up a princedom of his own. He explains in this way Thorkill’s sudden alliance with Ethelred against Sweyn in 1013. Thorkill remained faithful to the English king until his flight, and later gave his adherence to Canute, who first enriched and afterwards banished him (see pp. 193–4).

[34] See note at end of this chapter.

[35] Freeman will not accept any part of this story of Olaf’s intervention in English affairs, because it is not found in any of the English Chronicles. It, however, reads like the record of an actual attack upon the Danish forces in London, although the time and circumstances may have become confused in the mind of the Northern Chronicler. Sigvat’s poem tends to confirm its general accuracy.

[36] pp. 102–107.

[37] pp. 95–99.

[38] The Norwegian chronicles say that Eirik died in England.

[39] This is the Norse account. The English Chronicle, which is likely to be correct in this matter, says that Canute was reconciled to Earl Thorkill in 1023, and that he committed Denmark and his son Hardacanute to his keeping, he himself taking Thorkill’s son back with him to England.

[40] Emma’s two sons by Ethelred were Alfred (see pp. 211–212) and Edward the Confessor; she also had a daughter. Ethelred had several sons by a former wife, of whom Edmund Ironside is the most famous.

[41] The same story is told of the landing of William the Conqueror at Pevensey; it is probably repeated from this incident in the life of Olaf.

[42] Magna Charta was then taken south by the barons to meet the King at Staines; it was signed by King John on an island in the Thames called Runnymede, on the 15th of June 1215.

[43] Baldwin, Earl of Flanders in the ninth century, had married a daughter of Alfred the Great, hence the connexion with England. The same earl was, by another wife, the ancestor of Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror.

[44] The English chronicles say of Thorkill the Tall.

[45] p. 201–3.

[46] See the whole of Edward’s speech in Snorre, “Saga of Magnus the Good,” Laing’s translation, 1889, vol. iii. p. 344–5.

[47] Westminster Abbey was consecrated on the 28th of December 1065.

[48] Nidaros, the old capital of Norway, was afterwards Throndhjem, or Drontheim.

[49] Freeman considers that some of the details of the battle of Stamford Bridge, as given in the Norse story, belong rightly to the battle of Hastings.

Index

Adils, E., 70, 71–74

Ælla, King of Northumbria, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21 and _n._, 26

Alfgeir, Earl, 65, 70–72

Alfred the Great, 14, 22–35, 37, 52, 56, 136;
his studies, 23, 24, 34;
his laws and navy, 32–33;
his “Manual,” 24;
his liberality, 33.
His “Life” (_see_ Asser)

Alfred “the Ætheling,” 185, 211–212, 217, 222

Alfvine, a champion, 93–94

Amazons, 17

Anglesea Sound, B. of, 237–238 (_see_ Mona)

Anses, the, 21

Antrim, 119

Ardee, B. of, 120

Armagh, 45–46, 118

Armour, 130, 152, 240

Ashdune, B. of, 27–28, 29

Aslang, w. of Raynar Lodbrog, 21 and _n._

Asser, 23, 28, 31, 34;
his “Life of Alfred,” 23, 24

Astrid, m. of Olaf Trygveson, 91, 92

Athelney, Isle of, 30, 32

Athelstan the Great, King of England, 46, 54, 56–77, 78–81, 84, 179

Aud (O. U. Audr), 47 (and _see_ Unn)

Augvaldness, B. of, 87

Baltic, 92, 103

Baptism, Christian, 81, 84, 114–115, 148;
Baptism, Pagan, 78–79 and _n._;
91 (and _see_ “Prime-signing”)

Bath, 184

Bedford, 53

Bergen, 89

Bergthora, w. of Nial, 157, 162, 168, 170, 172–73, 175

Bergthors-knoll, 166

Berkshire, E. of, 27

“Berserkin fury,” 72 and _n._

Bertric, King of Wessex, 12

Biorn, “the Eastman,” 6, 47–49, 50

Blacaire, Danish, Lord of Dublin, 120

“Bondes” or landowners, 88, 97, 98, 208, 242

“Book of Settlements,” 37

Brian Boru, King of Munster and Ireland, 135–142, 145, 148–152;
his hardships, 136;
King of Munster, 138;
his beneficent reign, 139;
his death at B. of Clontarf, 149–152

Britain, 6, 16

Brodir, a Viking, 146–147, 151–152

“Broad-cloth” Cruise, 245

Brunanburh, or Brumby, B. of, 60–77, 135

Burhred, King of Mercia, 22, 26, 29

Burial (in mounds), 41, 82, 89, 109;
(ship-burials), 51, 90

Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, 198

Caithness, 5, 48, 108, 154, 158

Callaghan, King of Munster, 117, 119

Canterbury, 25, 183, 189

Cantyre, 238

Canute, or Knut, “the Great” (King of England and Denmark), 6, 32,
55, 179, 180, 185, 186, 191–210, 214–217, 218, 227

Carlingford Lough, 118

Christianity, 12, 66, 114–115, 146;
forced upon Norway, 85–87, 100

Chronicles--
English Ch., 35 _n._, 60–61, 180, 192, 212;
Ethelwerd’s Ch., 13 _n._;
William of Malmesbury’s Ch., 30, 34, 54, 57, 59, 61;
Asser’s “Life of Alfred the Great,” 23, 24

Clonmacnois, 45

Clontarf, B. of, 114, 116, 135, 148–156

Conang, nephew of King Brian, 141

Connaught, 119, 135

Constantine, King of the Scots, 59, 60

Cornwall, 57–58

Cumberland, 57

Dane’s, first arrival of, 11–13;
Conquests and Settlements, 5, 22, 25–27, 29, 46, 60–61, 111, 135,
179, 182, 184, 186, 187, 217–218;
called “Dark Foreigners,” 47

Danegeld, 179–180, 152, 225

Danish Kings, 6, 31, 179, 180, 186, 191, 198–199, 208, 209, 211–213,
217, 218, 219, 235

Danish Kings of Dublin and Northumbria, 6, 14, 29, 46–47, 58–59, 93,
118–119

Death-Song (of Raynor Lodbrog), 20, 21

Denmark, 31, 39, 40, 87, 123, 179, 191, 203, 209, 212, 213, 216, 217,
218, 219, 220

Derby, 53

Devon, 22, 30

Donagh, King of Ireland, 118, 120

Donovan, Munster Chief, 137

Dorchester, 13

Downpatrick, 242

Dublin, 19, 46, 96, 116, 117, 118, 142, 145, 148, 239, 245–47

East Anglia, 22, 27, 32, 38, 183, 189, 193, 194

Eddington, B. of, 31

Edgar, King of England, 179;
laws of, 198

Editha, w. of Edward the Confessor, 223, 224

Edmund “the Martyr,” King of E. Anglia, 185, 198

Edmund, b. of Athelstan, King of England, 61, 170

Edmund “Ironside,” 194, 225

Edric, Lord, of Mercia, 183, 194

Edward the Ætheling, 225

Edward “the Confessor,” King of England, 185, 212, 217, 219, 221–225,
226–227

Edward “the Elder,” 33, 38, 52–54

Edwy, King of England, 179

Edwy, s. of Ethelred the Unready, 195

Egil, s. of Skalligrim, 63, 65–66, 71–77

Egil’s Saga, 6, 60, 63–65

Einar (called “Torf-Einar,”) E. of Orkney, 111–113;
his son, 114

Einar Tambaskelfer, 106, 107

Eirik, King of Sweden, 39, 40

Eirik Hakonson, Earl, 102–107, 181, 186, 193, 194 and _n._ (and _see_
Eric)

Eithne or Audua, m. of E. Sigard, 114

Ely, 211

Emma, Queen of Ethelred II. and of Canute, 35, 182, 184–185, 195,
199, 211–212, 213–214, 221

Englefield Green, B. of, 27

English Channel, 5, 187, 194

“Enhazelling,” a battle-field, 67, 69

Erling Skialgson, 102

Eric, or Eirik, “Bloodaxe,” King of Norway, 82, 84, 85, 113;
King of Northumbria, 84;
his sons, 82, 87–90, 113

Essex, 189

Ethelbald, King, 26

Ethelbert, King, 26

Ethelfled, “the Lady of the Mercians,” 52–53, 56

Ethelred I., King of Wessex, 14, 26, 27–28, 29

Ethelred II., “the Unready,” 35, 179–189, 219, 221;
his sons, 195–196, 211, 212

Ethelred, Prince of Mercia, 53

Ethelwulf, King, 25, 26

Eyvind, 88–89

Eyvind, a Norwegian lord, 240–241

Faröe Isles, 36, 42, 48–49

Feudal System (in Norway), 42

Fife, 5

Fin-Barre, St, Gospel of, 137–138

Fingall, 11

Flanders, 65, 212 and _n._, 223, 224, 227

Flosi, an Icelander, 166, 170–174

Fosterage, 80–81, 128, 132–134, 157, 159

France, 18, 35, 52, 72, 92, 218

Freeman, “Norman Conquest,” 185 _n._, 190 _n._, 236 _n._

Gall-Gael, 12

Galloway, 5

Gaul, 23

Germany, 18

Gilli, the Russian, 123 and _n._, 125

Glen of the Gap, B. of, 138, 141

Gloucester, 53

Godfrey, Danish King of Dublin, 59–60, 118

Godred, King of Man, 158

Godwin, Earl, 211, 221–225;
sons of, 221, 223, 226

Gorm the Old, King of Denmark, 11, 39, 40, 179, 200

Gorm, or Guthrum, “the Englishman,” 31, 32, 35;
baptismal name, Athelstan, 32;
King of Denmark, 31, 32;
King of East Anglia, 32

Gormliath, or Kormlod, 139, 140, 142–143, 145–146, 148–149

Grani, Gunnar’s son, 166, 170–171

Greenwich, 185

Grim, s. of Nial, 157, 158, 161, 163, 173

Gudrek, Earl, 65

Gunhild, w. of Eric “Bloodaxe,” 82

Gunnar, Lambi’s son, 144–145, 157, 166, 170

Gyda, w. of Harald Fairhair, 40

Gyda, sister of Olaf Cuaran, 93–94

Hakon the Old, King of Sweden, 92

Hakon “the Good,” King of Norway, 54, 57, 79–90, 122–123, 179;
fostered by Athelstan, 80–81;
returns to Norway, 83–84;
forces the people to become Christians, 85–86, 100;
“Hakon’s Hill,” 89–90

Hakon, Earl, Governor of Norway, 95–99;
slain, 99, 193

Hakon, Earl, Eirik’s son, 193, 196, 197, 200, 208, 216

Halfdan, “Long-legs,” s. of Harald Fairhair, 112–113

Halfdan the Black, King of Norway, 39

Halfdene, s. of Raynar Lodbrog, 29

Halfred, Norse poet, 107

Hallad, s. of Ragnvald, 109–110

Hame, f. of Ælla, 14 _n._, 18

Hampshire, or Hants, 22, 30

Harald, King of England, s. of Canute, 195, 209, 211–212, 217

Harald “Blue-tooth,” s. of Gorm “the Old,” 179, 180

Harald Fairhair, King of Norway, 11, 36–44, 47, 52, 57, 78–81, 82,
83, 84, 96, 99, 113;
his policy, 5, 37, 39, 40, 42;
his sons, 112–113

Harald Sigurdson, “Hardrada,” King of Norway, 228–236, 237

“Harald Hardrada’s Stave,” 230

Harald, E. of Orkney, 245

Hardacanute, King of Denmark and England, 179, 195, 208, 209,
212–218, 221, 222

Harek of Throtta, 205–206

Harold, s. of Godwin, King of England, 211, 223, 224, 225, 226–236

Hastings, or Senlac, B. of, 235, 236 _n._

Hauk “Haabrok,” 80–81

Hebrides, or Sudreys, 5, 18, 37, 42, 43, 48, 52, 55, 110, 113, 119,
237, 238, 244

Helga River, B. of, 204–205, 215

Helgi, s. of “Ketill Flatnose,” 47, 50

Helgi, s. of Nial, 157, 158, 163, 169–172

Hellespont, 19

“Heptarchy,” 38

Hereford, 53

Herlang, King, 41

Hlodver, Earl of Orkney, 114

Hlodver, Sigurd’s son, “Whelp,” 115

Hogmanay night, 86

Hoskuld, f. of Olaf the Peacock, 51, 122

Hoskuld, foster son of Nial, 157, 159–165

Howel, King of Wales, 59

Humber, River, 14, 60

Hungary, King of, 225

Hrafn, the “Limerick trader,” 37

Hrafn, “the Red,” 153

Hrane, 196–197

Hring, Earl, 71–73

Hrollaug, King, 41

Hrollaug, s. of Ragnvald, 111

Iceland, 5, 6, 37, 42, 47, 49–50, 63, 66, 114, 121, 122, 144, 154, 157

Inti. Gall (_see_ Hebrides)

Iona, 12

Ireland, 5, 6, 11, 16, 19, 20, 37, 38, 42, 45–47, 53, 114, 116, 117,
145, 146, 223, 244

Irish hermits, 12

Ivar the Boneless, s. of Ragnar Lodbrog, 11 _n._, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30;
called Ivar Vidfadme, 11

Ivar, Prince of Limerick, 137

Jorunn, w. of Hoskuld, 123, 125–126

Jutland, 16, 18

Kari, Solmund’s son, 145, 158, 161–164, 168, 170, 174

Kark, a slave, 98–99

Kennedy, f. of King Brian, 136

Kent, 13, 25, 26, 223

Ketill “Flatnose,” 47–48

Killaloe, 141

Kincora, Palace of, 136, 140–142

Kingston-on-Thames, 57

Kjartan, s. of Olaf “Pa,” 134

Law-courts in Iceland, 157–160

Laxdæla Saga, 121, 122

Lay of the Darts (“Darradar-Liod”), 155–156

Leicester, 53

Leinster, 119, 138–139, 142;
Melmora, king of, 139–141;
palace of, 138

Liffey, River, 148

Limerick, 37, 46, 137

Lincolnshire, 22

London, 25, 32, 80, 180, 183, 185, 187, 193, 217

London Bridge, B. of, 188–190

Maelbride (Melbrik), King of Dublin, 19

Magna Charta, 198–199 and _n._

Magnus the Good, s. of St Olaf, King of Norway, 219–220, 223

Magnus the Good’s Saga, 220

Magnus “Barelegs,” King of Norway, 237–243;
ballad of, 243

Magnus, St, E. of Orkney, 237–238

Mahon, f. of King Brian, 136–138

Man, Isle of, 5, 20, 135, 142, 145, 158

Melaughlan, King of Ireland, 139

Melbrigd “the Toothy,” 108–109

Melkorka, m. of Olaf “Pa,” 122, 126–128, 131–134

Melmora, King of Leinster, 139–142

Mercia, 22, 26, 52–53, 183, 193, 194

Molloy, Munster chief, 137–138

Mona, or Anglesea, 20, 237–238

Morcar, Earl, 229, 230

Mord, s. of Valgard, 160–164

Morrogh, s. of King Brian, 139, 141, 150–151

Munster, 119, 135, 139;
Callaghan, king of, 117, 119;
Brian, king of, 135, 138;
men of, 148, 151;
standard of, 150

Murtough, King of Connaught, 238–239

Murtough “of the Leather Cloaks,” 117–121;
or Myrkjartan, 127, 130–133, 134

Myrkjartan (_see_ Murtough)

Nial, 144, 157–175

Nial’s Saga (Njala), 157

Niall “Glundubh,” or “Black-knee,” King of Ireland, 117

Nidaros (Throndhjem, or Drontheim), 228, 235 and _n._, 242

Normandy, 35, 109–110, 185, 189, 211, 218, 225, 229, 235;
Dukedom of, 6, 35, 109–110, 182, 218

Norsemen--
Direction of their conquests, 5, 12, 45–46, 135, 138, 148–149, 154;
called “Fair Foreigners,” 47

Northampton, 53

Northmen (_see also_ Norsemen), 11, 12, 13, 14, 46–47, 118, 120, 138,
142

Northumbria, 5, 12, 13, 18, 19, 22 and _n._, 26, 29, 38, 52, 61, 193,
224, 227, 233;
Danish kingdom of, 6, 46–47, 54, 58–59, 78, 84, 113, 118, 194, 196

Norway, 36, 42, 43, 55, 66, 78, 100, 113, 114, 123, 158, 179, 187,
191, 196, 199, 203, 209, 215, 216, 218, 219, 227, 237

Ockley, or Aclea, B. of, 25

Olaf Cuaran “o’ the Sandal,” Danish King of Dublin, 46, 58–75, 96;
called Olaf “the Red,” 65

Olaf “Feilan,” 49–51

Olaf “Pa,” or “the Peacock,” 51, 121, 126–134

Olaf “the White,” King of Dublin, 47–48, 108

Olaf Trygveson, King of Norway, 54, 91–107, 114–116, 179, 180, 181,
186, 193;
called Ole, 92–93, 95–96;
becomes King, 98–99;
his Irish hound, 94–95;
his war-vessels, 95, 101–107;
he disappears, 107

Olaf “the Thick,” King of Norway (called “St Olaf”), 183, 186–190,
195–197, 199–209, 216, 228

Olaf, King of Sweden, 101, 102, 105, 181, 193, 201, 203–205

Olaf “Kyrre,” s. of Harald Hardrada, 229, 235, 237

O’Neills, Prince of, 117

Orkney Isles, 5, 18, 36, 37, 42, 43, 48, 52, 108, 109, 110, 113–115,
117, 135, 142, 229, 235, 237, 238, 242, 247;
Earldom of, 6, 43, 111

Osbert, King of Northumbria, 13, 14

Ospac, a Viking, 146–148

Otto, Emperor, 58, 78

Ouse, River, 229

Oxford, 184

Pagan army, 14, 26;
religion, 45, 66, 78, 85–87, 101, 146–147, 159

Paris, 35

Patrick, St, 45

Paul and Erlend, Earls of Orkney, 229, 231, 235, 237

Pentland Firth, 114

Pevensey, 235

Pictland, 18

Poets (called “bards” or “skalds”), 107, 135, 190, 202–203

Portents, 147, 151, 154–156, 166–167, 168, 228

Priesthood in Norway, 86, 159

“Prime-signing,” 66

Radbard, s. of Ragnar Lodbrog, 18

Ragnar Lodbrog, 5, 11 _n._, 15, 113;
origin of his sobriquet, 15, 16;
his kingdom in Britain, 18;
his death, 19, 20;
his death-song, 21;
sons of, 14, 26, 29, 31, 37

Ragnhild, m. of Harald Fairhair, 39

Ragnvald, E. of More, 43–44, 108–111

“Raven Banner,” 30, 114, 152–154

Reading, 27

Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy, 35, 182

Richard the Good, Duke of Normandy, 184–185, 195

Rolf, or Rollo “the Ganger,” 35, 52, 109–110, 218

Rome, 29, 192

Ross, 48, 108

Russia, 92, 96, 209

Russian slaves, 92, 123–124

Sacrifices, Pagan, 85, 86–87, 113 and _n._, 159

Sagas--
Egils, 6, 60, 63–65;
Ynglinga, 11;
Laxdæla, 47, 121, 122

Sandwich, 183, 184, 223

Saxo “Grammaticus,” 14 _n._, 16 _n._

Saxon Pilgrims in Rome, 29;
Saxon Sword, 56;
Saxon Poetry, 34

Saxony, 18

Scandinavia, 6, 183

Scarborough, 229

Scilly Isles, 92

Scotland, 18, 20, 37, 43, 48–49, 52, 55, 60, 108, 135, 194, 238;
Scottish warriors, 74

“Second Sight,” belief in, 157, 167

Shannon, River, 136

Shetland Isles, 5, 36, 42, 43, 108, 111, 114

“Shield-burgh” of soldiers, 71

Ships of War, called “Dragon-ships,” 95, 101–107, 111, 196, 201,
203–206;
iron-plated, 103;
lashed together, 104;
prepared for war, 129–130;
as gifts, 57;
(and _see_ “Boats”)

Sigrid “the Haughty” (w. of Sweyn), 101, 181

Sigurd “the Mighty,” Earl of Orkney, 43, 108–109

Sigurd “the Stout,” Earl of Orkney, 113, 114–116, 144–146, 152–154,
157, 158

Sigurd, s. of Magnus “Barefoot,” 242

Sigurd, Earl of Lade, 78–79, 83, 86–87

Sigvalde, Earl, 101, 102, 103

Sigvat (Norse poet), 189–190 and _n._, 202–203

Silver, chests of, 76–77

Sitric, Danish lord of Dublin, 119

Sitric “Gale,” King of Northumbria, 58–59, 60, 78, 118

Sitric “Silken beard,” Danish King of Dublin, 139 and _n._, 140,
142–143, 144–146, 148–149

Siward or Sigurd, “Snake eye,” 17, 18

Skalligrim, f. of Egil, 63–64

Skarphedinn, s. of Nial, 157, 161–164, 167–175

Slavery, 92, 121, 122, 123–126

Somerset, 23, 30

Southampton, 180

Southwark, 188–189, 223

Stafford, 53

Stamford Bridge, B. of, 230–236 and _n._

Stiklestad, B. of, 209, 216, 236

Stord, B. of, 90

St Brice’s Day, Massacre of, 182–183

Strathclyde, 52, 61

Sudreys, 43 and _n._, and _see_ Hebrides

Surrey, 25, 26

Sussex, 22, 23, 26

Svold, B. of, 102–105, 181, 186, 193

Sweyn “Forkbeard,” King of Denmark and England, 55, 101, 179–185,
187, 191, 192, 193, 209

Sweyn, or Svein, n. of Canute, King of Denmark, 213–214, 227;
Sweyn, s. of Canute, 216

Sweyn, Godwin’s son, 223

Sweyn, Asleif’s son, 244–248

Sweden, 18, 39, 40, 123, 199, 213, 215
(and _see_ Olaf, King of Sweden)

Swedes, King of, 15, 101–102

Tadhg “of the Towers,” King of Connaught, 119

Tamworth, 53, 59

Temple pillars, 47–48

Thorstein, “the Red,” 48–49, 108

Thorstein, s. of Hall “o’ the Side,” 153–154

Thames, River, 25, 27, 188–189, 194, 217

“Thing” and “Thing-mote,” 46, 83, 86 and _n._, 93, 99, 208, 231

Thing-men or Soldiers, 189

Thora, Ragnar’s wife, 17

Thora, m. of Hakon “the Good,” 78

Thord, Kari’s son, 172–173, 175

Thorer, a Norwegian lord, 207

Thorer, a woman, 97

Thorer “Klakka,” 96–97

Thorfin “Skull splitter,” 114

Thorkill “the Tall,” 53–54, 183, 185, 187, 193–195 and _n._

Thorolf, s. of Skalligrim, 63, 65–66, 71–77

Tomar’s Wood, 148, 150, 151

Tosti, Godwin’s son, 223, 224, 226–229, 232–235

Trondhjem, 41

Trygve, f. of Olaf Trygveson, 91, 96

Turgesins, or Thorgils, 45

Turlough, King Brian’s grandson, 149

Ubba, s. of Ragnar Lodbrog, 18, 29, 30

“Udal-right,” 83, 113 and _n._

Ulf, Earl, 213, 215–216

Ulf “the Red,” 104

Ulster, 117, 142, 239, 242;
Murtough, King of, 117–120

Unn, or Aud, “the deep minded,” 47–51, 108, 122

Valgard “the Guileful,” 160

Valland, 110

Vidkun Jonson, 242–243

Vige, Olaf’s Irish hound, 94–95

Viken, in Norway, 110

Vikings, 15, 43, 145–146;
raids of, 18, 42, 108–109, 111, 244–248;
as traders, 6;
kingdom of, 14

Vin-heath, 66–67

Wales, 22, 23, 53, 57–59, 137, 237

Warwick, 53

Waterford, 46

Wedmore, 32

Week, names of, 85

Wessex, 12, 22, 25, 26, 27, 33, 38, 193

Wight, Isle of, 25, 184, 223, 228

William the Conqueror, 35, 42, 197 _n._, 218, 225, 229, 235;
his genealogy, 35

Wiltshire, 23, 30, 31

Winchester, 184, 199, 210, 212, 218, 222

Woden, or Odin, 20, 21, 78, 85, 167, 190;
his goblet, 85, 87

Worcester, 217

Ynglinga Saga, 11

York, City of, 14, 19, 53, 57, 84, 113, 229, 231;
B. of, 19

Yorkshire, 13

Yule, or Christmas, 85–86, 144

Zealand, 16

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they were not changed.

Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left unbalanced.

Illustrations in this eBook have been positioned between paragraphs and outside quotations. In versions of this eBook that support hyperlinks, the page references in the List of Illustrations lead to the corresponding illustrations.

Footnotes, originally at the bottoms of pages, have been collected, renumbered, and placed just before the Index.

The index was not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page references.

Index entries were printed in boldface in the original book, but representing boldface in the Plain Text version of this eBook would make the Index harder to read, so that representation has been omitted here. The HTML versions of this eBook do use boldface.

Page 22: “During the reigns of Alfred and his brother” should be “son”.