In this book I have had written old stories about those rulers who have held power in the Northern lands and have spoken the Scandinavian language, as I have heard them told by learned men, and some of their genealogies according to what I have been taught, some of which is found in the records of paternal descent in which kings and other men of high rank have traced their ancestry, and some is written according to old poems or narrative songs which people used to use for their entertainment. And although we do not know how true they are, we know of cases where learned men of old have taken such things to be true. Þjóðólfr inn fróði  from Hvinir was a poet of King Haraldr inn hárfagri. He composed a poem in honour of King Rǫgnvaldr heiðumhæri, which is called Ynglingatal. Rǫgnvaldr was the son of Óláfr Geirstaðaálfr, brother of Hálfdan svarti. In that poem are named thirty of his paternal ancestors, and the death and burial place of each of them is related. The one called Fjǫlnir was son of Yngvi-Freyr, whom the Svíar worshipped for a long time afterwards. The Ynglingar are named after him. Eyvindr skáldaspillir also enumerated the paternal ancestors of Jarl Hákon inn ríki in the poem that is called Háleygjatal, which was composed in honour of Hákon. In that poem Sæmingr is named as a son of Yngvi-Freyr. There also the death and burial place of each of them is related. The history of the Ynglingar is written first according to Þjóðólfr’s account, and augmented according to the account of learned men. The first age is called the Age of Burning. At that time all dead people had to be burned and memorial stones raised for them, but after Freyr had been interred in a mound at Uppsalir, many rulers built mounds as well as memorial stones in memory of their kinsmen. But after Danr inn mikilláti, king of the Danes, had had a mound built for himself and commanded that he should be carried into it when he was dead with his royal robes and armour and his horse with all its saddle-gear and many other goods, and many people of his line had later done the same, then the Age of Mounds began there in Denmark, though the Age of Burning continued long after among the Svíar and Norwegians. And when Haraldr inn hárfagri was king in Norway, Iceland was settled. There were skalds with King Haraldr, and people still know their poems and poems about all the kings there have been in Norway since, and we have mostly used as evidence what is said in those poems that were recited before the rulers themselves or their sons. We regard as true everything that is found in those poems about their expeditions and battles. It is indeed the
habit of poets to praise most highly the one in whose presence they are at the time, but no one would dare to tell him to his face about deeds of his which all who listened, as well as the man himself, knew were falsehoods and fictions. That would be mockery and not praise. The priest Ari inn fróði, son of Þorgils, son of Gellir, was the first person in this country to write down history, both ancient and recent, in the Norse language. He wrote in the beginning of his book mostly about the settlement of Iceland and the establishment of the laws, then about the law-speakers, how long each had served, and he used that reckoning of years first to the point when Christianity came to Iceland, and then all the way down to his own time. He also included much other material, both the lives of kings in Norway and Denmark and also in England, and further the important events that had taken place in this country, and all his account seems to me most noteworthy. He was very wise, and so old that he was born in the year after the death of King Haraldr Sigurðarson. He wrote, as he himself says, lives of kings of Norway according to the account of Oddr son of Kolr, son of Hallr on Síða, and Oddr learned them from Þorgeirr afráðskollr, a wise man and so aged that he was living in Niðarnes when Jarl Hákon inn ríki was killed. In that same place Óláfr Tryggvason had a market town founded, where it still is now. At the age of seven, Ari the priest came to live with Hallr Þórarinsson in Haukadalr, and stayed there for fourteen years. Hallr was a very intelligent man with a good memory. He remembered being baptised by the priest Þangbrandr at the age of three. That was a year before Christianity was adopted into the law in Iceland. Ari was twelve years old when Bishop Ísleifr died. Hallr travelled from country to country and had business dealings with King Óláfr inn helgi, from which he gained great advancement. So he was knowledgeable about his reign. But when Bishop Ísleifr died almost eighty years had passed since the death of King Óláfr Tryggvason.
Hallr died nine years after Bishop Ísleifr. Hallr had then reached the age of ninety-four years. He had set up his farm in Haukadalr when he was thirty, and lived there for sixty-four years. So wrote Ari. Teitr, son of Bishop Ísleifr, was brought up by Hallr in Haukadalr and lived there afterwards. He taught Ari the priest and gave him much information which Ari afterwards wrote down. Ari also learned much information from Þuríðr, daughter of Snorri goði. She had a highly intelligent mind. She remembered her father Snorri, and he was nearly thirty-five when Christianity came to Iceland and died one year after the death of King Óláfr inn helgi. So it was not surprising that Ari was accurately informed about past events both here and abroad, since he had learned from old and wise people, and was himself eager to learn and retentive. As to the poems, I consider them to be least corrupted if they are correctly composed and meaningfully interpreted.

The disc of the world that mankind inhabits is very indented with bays. Large bodies of water run from the ocean into the land. It is known that a sea extends from Nǫrvasund all the way to Jórsalaland. From the sea a long gulf called Svartahaf extends to the north-east. It divides the world into thirds. To the east is the region called Asia, and the region to the west some call Europe, and some Enea. And from the north to Svartahaf extends Svíþjóð in mikla or in kalda. Some claim Svíþjóð in mikla to be no smaller than Serkland it mikla, others compare it to Bláland it mikla. The northern part of Svíþjóð remains uninhabited because of frost and cold, just as the southern part of Bláland is empty because of the heat of the sun. In Svíþjóð there are many large uninhabited areas. There are also nations of many kinds and many languages. There are giants there and dwarves, there are black people there, and many kinds of strange nations. There are also amazingly large wild animals and dragons. From the north, from the mountains that are beyond all habitations, flows a river through Svíþjóð that is properly called Tanais. It was formerly called Tanakvísl or Vanakvísl. It reaches the sea in Svartahaf. The land within Vanakvíslir was then called Vanaland or Vanaheimr. This river separates the thirds of the world. The region to the east is called Asia, that to the west, Europe. 
To the east of Tanakvísl in Asia it was called Ásaland or Ásaheimr, and the capital city that was in the land they called Ásgarðr. And in that town was the ruler who was called Óðinn. There was a great place of worship there. It was the custom there that twelve temple priests were of highest rank. They were in charge of the worship and judgements among people. They are known as díar or lords. They were to receive service and veneration from all people. Óðinn was a great warrior and very widely travelled and took power over many countries. He was so blessed with victory that in every battle he was the winner, and it came about that his people believed that he was able to assign victory in every battle. It was his custom, if he was sending his men into battle or on other missions, that he first laid his hands on their heads and gave them bjannak. They believed that then things would turn out well. It was also the case with his men that whenever they were in trouble on sea or on land, they called on his name, and always seemed to get help from that. They believed that all their security depended on him. He often went away so far that he spent many seasons on the journey.
Óðinn had two brothers. One was called Vé, the other Vílir. These brothers of his governed the realm while he was away. It happened once, when Óðinn had gone far away and had been away for a long time, that the Æsir lost hope of his return. Then his brothers began to divide up his estate between themselves, but his wife, Frigg, they made partner to them both. But soon after Óðinn came back. Then he took back his wife. 
Óðinn went with an army against the Vanir, but they put up a good fight and defended their land, and victory went alternately to both sides. They each raided the other’s land and did damage. But when both sides grew weary of this, they arranged a meeting of reconciliation between them and made peace and gave each other hostages. The Vanir put forward their noblest men, Njǫrðr the Wealthy and his son Freyr, and the Æsir in return the one called Hœnir, and they claimed that he was very suitable to be a ruler. He was a large and most handsome man. With him the Æsir sent the one called Mímir, a very clever man, and in return the Vanir put forward the wisest in their company. He was called Kvasir. But when Hœnir came to Vanaheimr he was at once made a lord. Mímir always told him what to do. But when Hœnir was present at councils or meetings where Mímir was not nearby, and any problem came before him, he always answered the same way: ‘Let others decide.’ Then the Vanir suspected that the Æsir must have cheated them in the exchange of men. Then they took Mímir and beheaded him and sent his head to the Æsir. Óðinn took the head and smeared it with herbs that prevented it from decaying, and recited spells over it and imbued it with magic power so that it spoke to him and told him many secret things. Njǫrðr and Freyr Óðinn appointed as sacrificial priests, and they were gods among the Æsir. Njǫrðr’s daughter was Freyja. She was a sacrificial priestess. She was the first to teach the Æsir black magic, which was customary among the Vanir. When Njǫrðr was among the Vanir he had been married to his sister, for that was the law there. Their children were Freyr and Freyja. But it was forbidden among the Æsir to cohabit with such close kin.
A great mountain range runs from the north-east to the south-west. It divides Svíþjóð in mikla from other realms. To the south of the mountains it is not far to Tyrkland. There Óðinn had large possessions. At that time the rulers of the Rúmverjar travelled widely around the world and conquered all nations, and many rulers fled their lands because of this aggression. And because Óðinn had prophetic and magical powers, he knew that his descendants would inhabit the northern region of the world. Then he appointed his brothers, Vé and Vílir, to rule Ásgarðr, while he, and all the gods with him and many other people, left. He went first west into Garðaríki and then south to Saxland. He had many sons. He made himself king over large parts of Saxland and established his sons there to guard the land. Then he went north to the sea and took up residence on a certain island. That place is now called Óðinsey on Fjón. Then he sent Gefjun north over the sound in search of lands. She came to Gylfi, and he gave her one ‘plough-land’. Then she went into Jǫtunheimar and had four sons with a certain giant. She changed them into the form of oxen and put them to the plough and hauled the land out into the sea and west next to Óðinsey, and that is called Selund. There she lived afterwards. Skjǫldr, son of Óðinn, married her. They lived at Hleiðra. A lake was left behind. It is called Lǫgrinn. The fiords in Lǫgrinn correspond to the headlands in Selund. So said Bragi inn gamli:
Gefjun dragged from Gylfi, gladly, a sea-ring homeland, Denmark’s addition, so that the draught-beasts were steaming. With eight orbs of the forehead the oxen, in front of the plundered isle, wide-pastured, paced; and four heads also.
But when Óðinn heard that good land was available from Gylfi to the east, he went there, and he and Gylfi came to terms, because Gylfi did not think he had the power to withstand the Æsir. Óðinn and Gylfi often competed in tricks and illusions, and the Æsir were always superior. Óðinn established his dwelling by Lǫgrinn at the place now called Old Sigtúnir, and built a large temple there and performed sacrifices according to the custom of the Æsir. He took possession of lands over the whole area that he gave the name Sigtúnir to. He gave dwelling places to the temple priests. Njǫrðr lived at Nóatún, Freyr at Uppsalir, Heimdallr at Himinbjǫrg, Þórr at Þrúðvangr, Baldr at Breiðablik. He provided them all with good residences.
When Óðinn of the Æsir came to the northern lands, and the gods with him, it is truthfully said that they originated and taught those skills that people went on practising long afterwards. Óðinn was superior to them all, and from him they learned all skills, because he knew them all first, and yet more. But there is this to be said about why he was so very exalted—there were these reasons for it: he was so fair and noble in countenance, when he was sitting among his friends, that it rejoiced the hearts of all. But when he went to battle he appeared ferocious to his enemies. And the reason was that he had the faculty of changing complexion and form in whatever manner he chose. Another was that he spoke so eloquently and smoothly that everyone who heard thought that only what he said was true. Everything he said was in rhyme, like the way what is now called poetry is composed. He and his temple priests were called craftsmen of poems, for that art originated with them in the Northern lands. Óðinn could bring it about that in battle his opponents were struck with blindness or deafness or panic, and their weapons would cut no better than sticks, while his men went without mail and were as wild as dogs or wolves, biting their shields, being as strong as bears or bulls. They killed the people, but neither fire nor iron took effect on them. That is called berserk fury.
Óðinn changed shapes. Then his body lay as if it was asleep or dead, while he was a bird or an animal, a fish or a snake, and travelled in an instant to distant lands, on his own or other people’s business. He also knew how to put out fire or calm the sea or turn the winds in any direction he wished with words alone, and he owned a ship called Skíðblaðnir, on which he sailed over high seas, but it could be folded together like a cloth. Óðinn kept Mímir’s head by him, and it told him much news from other worlds, and sometimes he awakened the dead from the earth or sat himself under hanged men. Because of this he was called draugadróttinn or hangadróttinn. He had two ravens which he had trained to speak. They flew over distant countries and told him much news. From these things he became extremely wise. All these skills he taught along with runes and those songs that are called galdrar. Because of this the Æsir are called galdrasmiðir. Óðinn knew, and practised himself, the art which is accompanied by greatest power, called seiðr, and from it he could predict the fates of men and things that had not yet happened, and also cause men death or disaster or disease, and also take wit or strength from some and give it to others. But this magic, when it is practised, is accompanied by such great perversion that it was not considered without shame for a man to perform it, and the skill was taught to the goddesses. Óðinn knew about all the treasure of the earth, where it was hidden, and he knew songs which would make the earth and cliffs and rocks and grave-mounds open up before him, and with words alone he would bind those who were in them and go in and take from there whatever he wanted. He became very famous because of these powers. His enemies feared him, but his friends trusted him and believed in his power and in him. And he taught most of his skills to his sacrificial priests. They were next to him in all lore and magic. And yet many others learned much of it, and from there heathendom spread widely and lasted for a long time. And people worshipped Óðinn and the twelve rulers and called them their gods and believed in them long afterwards. The name Auðunn comes from Óðinn, and people called their sons this, and from Þórr’s name come the names Þórir and Þórarinn, or it is combined with other elements, as in Steinþórr or Hafþórr, or changed further in other ways. 
Óðinn established in his land the laws that had previously been observed among the Æsir. He ordained that all dead people must be burned and that their possessions should be laid on a pyre with them. He said that everyone should come to Valhǫll with such wealth as he had on his pyre, and that each would also have the benefit of whatever he himself had buried in the earth. But the ashes were to be taken out to sea or buried down in the earth, and mounds were to be built as memorials to great men, and memorial stones were to be raised for all those who were of any account, and this custom lasted for a long time after that. Then one sacrifice was to be held towards winter for a good season, one in the middle of winter for the crops, and a third in summer; that was the sacrifice for victory. All over Svíþjóð tribute was paid to Óðinn, a penny for each nose, while he was to protect their land from hostility and make sacrifices for good seasons on their behalf. Njǫrðr married a woman called Skaði. She would not have relations with him and later married Óðinn. They had many sons. One of them was called Sæmingr. About him Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed this: 
Honoured by shields, the Æsir’s kin, on the troll-woman sired a tribute-bringer, when the poets’ friend and famous Skaði made their home in Manheimar. of sea’s bone Háleygjatal and sons in plenty the ski-goddess got with Óðinn. 
Jarl Hákon inn ríki traced back his paternal ancestry to Sæmingr. They called this Svíþjóð Mannheimar, but Svíþjóð inn mikla they called Goðheimar. They told many stories about Goðheimar. 
Óðinn died of sickness in Svíþjóð. And when he was on the point of death he had himself marked with the point of a spear and claimed as his own all men who were killed by weapons. He said he was going to go to Goðheimr and be reunited with his friends there. Now the Svíar believed that he had gone to the old Ásgarðr and would live there for ever. Then belief in Óðinn and invocation of him were renewed. The Svíar often thought he appeared to them before great battles were to take place. Then he gave victory to some of them, and others he summoned to himself. Both outcomes were considered good. Óðinn was burned when he was dead, and that burning was carried out most magnificently. Their belief was that the higher the smoke rose into the sky, the loftier in heaven would be the one who had been burned, and the better off the more wealth that was burned with him. Njǫrðr of Nóatun then became the ruler over the Svíar and maintained the worship. The Svíar then called him their lord. He received tribute payments from them. In his day very good peace prevailed and all kinds of such good harvest that the Svíar believed that Njǫrðr had power over the harvest and the prosperity of men. In his day most of the gods died and were all burned, and afterwards worshipped. Njǫrðr died of sickness. He also had himself marked for Óðinn before he died. The Svíar burned him and wept bitterly over his grave. 
Then Freyr took power after Njǫrðr. He was called lord over the Svíar and took tribute payments from them. He was popular and blessed with good seasons, like his father. Freyr built a great temple at Uppsalir and made it his capital, directing to it all his taxes in land and movable property. This was the origin of the Uppsalaauðr and it has continued ever since. The peace of Fróði began in his time. There was prosperity throughout all lands. The Svíar attributed that to Freyr. As a result of peace and good harvests, he was the more honoured than other gods the more prosperous the people of the land became in his time than before. His wife was called Gerðr Gymisdóttir. Their son was called Fjǫlnir. Another name for Freyr was Yngvi. The name Yngvi was used in his family long after as an honorific title, and his descendants were called Ynglingar. Freyr caught an illness, and as the illness progressed people thought out what to do, and they let few people come to him, and built a great tomb and put a doorway and three windows in it. And when Freyr was dead they carried him secretly into the tomb and told the Svíar that he was still alive, and kept him there for three years. And they poured all the tribute into the mound, the gold through one window, the silver through the second, and copper coins through the third. Then prosperity and peace continued. Freyja kept up the sacrifices, for she was the only one of the gods left alive, and she became the best known, so that all noble women came to be called by her name, just as now the name frúvur is used. Similarly everyone was called freyja of what she possessed, and húsfreyja if she is in charge of a dwelling. Freyja was rather fickle. Her husband was called Óðr. Her daughters were called Hnoss and Gersimi. They were very beautiful. The most precious treasures are called by their names. When all the Svíar knew that Freyr was dead, but prosperity and peace continued, they believed that that would last as long as Freyr remained in Svíþjóð, and they did not want to burn him, and they called him veraldargoð, and sacrificed to him ever afterwards for prosperity and peace. 
Fjǫlnir, son of Yngvi-Freyr, then ruled over the Svíar and the Uppsala wealth. He was powerful, and blessed with prosperity and peace. Then Frið-Fróði was at Hleiðra. There was friendship and exchange of visits between them. When Fjǫlnir went to visit Fróði on Selund, a great feast was ready prepared, and people were invited from far and wide. Fróði had a large farmhouse. A big vat was built there, many ells high and supported with big timber props. It stood in a lower room with a loft with an open floor above it so that liquid was poured down there and the vat was mixed full of mead. The drink in it was amazingly strong. In the evening Fjǫlnir was taken to his room in the next loft, together with his retinue. During the night he went out onto the balcony to relieve himself. He was dazed with sleep and dead drunk. When he turned back to the room he went on along the balcony to the door of the next loft and went in, missed his footing and fell into the vat of mead and perished there. So says Þjóðólfr of Hvinir: 
It befell where Fróði lived, the destiny that dropped on Fjǫlnir, and the prince the pointed ox-spears’ windless wave would destroy.
Sveigðir took power after his father. He swore an oath to seek out Goðheimr and Óðinn inn gamli. He went with eleven other men far and wide over the world. He ended up in Tyrkland and in Svíþjóð in mikla and there met many of his relatives and spent five years on this expedition came back to Svíþjóð. Then he stayed at home again for a while. He had married a woman called Vana out in Vanaheimr. Their son was Vanlandi. Sveigðir went to look for Goðheimr again. And in the eastern part of Svíþjóð there was a large farm called Steinn. There is a stone there as big as a large house. In the evening after sunset, when Sveigðir left the drinking to go to his sleeping chamber, he looked towards the stone and saw a dwarf sitting under it. Sveigðir and his men were very drunk, and ran towards the stone. The dwarf stood in the doorway and called to Sveigðir, telling him to go in there if he wanted to meet Óðinn. Sveigðir ran in, and the stone immediately closed behind him, and Sveigðir never came out. So says Þjóðólfr of Hvinir:
And the day-shy doorkeeper of Durnir’s tribe tricked Sveigðir, when into the stone the spirited kinsman of Dusli ran after a dwarf, and the bright hall of Sǫkmímir’s band, settled by giants, swallowed the king.
Vanlandi was the name of Sveigðir’s son, who took power after him and ruled over the Uppsala wealth. He was a great warrior, and travelled far and wide. He accepted winter quarters in Lappland with Snjár inn gamli, and married his daughter Drífa there. But in the spring he left, and Drífa stayed behind, and he promised to come back after an interval of three years, but after ten years he had not come. Then Drífa sent for a witch called Hulð, and sent Vísburr, her son with Vanlandi, to Svíþjóð. Drífa paid Hulð to transport Vanlandi to Lappland by magic, or else to kill him. And when the spell was cast, Vanlandi was at Uppsalir. Then he became eager to go to Lappland, but his friends and advisors forbade him and said that his enthusiasm must be caused by Lappish magic. Then he started to feel heavy with sleep, and lay down to sleep. And when he had been asleep for a short while he cried out and said that a mare was trampling him. His people rushed up and tried to help him. But as they held his head it trampled his legs so that they almost broke. When they held his feet it smothered his head so that he died. The Svíar took his body, and it was burned by the river called Skúta. His memorial stones were placed there. So says Þjóðólfr:
And to visit Vili’s brother a witch’s spell sent Vanlandi, when troll-kind trampled— ale-night’s Hildr— the enemy of men, and he burned on the bed of Skúta, the necklace-waster the nightmare smothered. 
Vísburr took over the inheritance after his father Vanlandi. He got the daughter of Auði inn auðgi in marriage, and gave her as bride-price three large estates and a gold necklace. They had two sons, Gísl and Ǫndurr. But Vísburr abandoned her and took another wife, while she went to her father with her sons. Vísburr had a son called Dómaldi. Dómaldi’s stepmother brought misfortune on him with a spell. And when Vísburr’s sons were twelve and thirteen years old, they went to see him and claimed their mother’s bride-price, but he would not pay it. Then they said that the gold necklace should cause the death of the best man in his family; they left and went home. Then more black magic was into play, and a spell cast that would enable them to kill their father. Then the witch Hulð told them that she would bring this about by spells, and along with it that there would always be killing of kindred in the line of the Ynglingar after that. They agreed to this. After that they gathered a troop and took Vísburr by surprise at night and burned him in his house. So says Þjóðólfr:
And Vísburr’s vault of wishes the sea’s kinsman swallowed up, when the throne-defenders the thieving scourge of forests set on their father; and in his hearth-ship the hound of embers, growling, bit the governor.
Dómaldi succeeded his father Vísburr, and ruled his lands. In his time there was famine and hunger in Svíþjóð. Then the Svíar held great sacrifices at Uppsalir. In the first autumn they sacrificed oxen, but even so there was no improvement in the season. The second autumn they held a human sacrifice, but the season was the same or worse. But the third autumn the Svíar came to Uppsalir in great numbers at the time when the sacrifices were to be held. Then the leaders held a council and came to an agreement among themselves that their king, Dómaldi, must be the cause of the famine, and moreover, that they should sacrifice him for their prosperity, and attack him and kill him and redden the altars with his blood, and that is what they did. So says Þjóðólfr:
Once it was that weapon-bearers with their ruler reddened the ground, and the land’s people left Dómaldi without life, their weapons bloody, when the Svíar seeking good harvests offered up the enemy of Jótar.
The son of Dómaldi, who ruled the kingdom next, was called Dómarr. He ruled the domains for a long time, and there were good seasons and peace in his day. Nothing is said of him other than that he died of sickness at Uppsalir and was taken to Fýrisvellir and burned on the river bank there, and his memorial stones are there. So says Þjóðólfr:
And I had often asked the wise about the end of the king, where Dómarr to the crackling bane of Hálfr had been borne. Now I know that gnawed by pain by Fýri was burned Fjǫlnir’s kin.
His son, who ruled the lands next, was called Dyggvi, and nothing is said of him other than that he died of sickness. So says Þjóðólfr: 
I call it no secret the corpse of Dyggvi the horse’s goddess has for pleasure, for the Wolf’s sister as well as Narfi’s chose to keep the king for herself, and Loki’s girl beguiled the lord of Yngvi’s race into her power. 
The mother of Dyggvi was Drótt, daughter of King Danpr, son of Rígr, who was the first to be called konungr in the Norse language. His descendants have used the name ‘king’ ever since for the title of the highest rank. Dyggvi was the first of his line to be called king, but before they had been called dróttnar, and their wives dróttningar, and the court the drótt. But all the men of that line were always called Yngvi or Ynguni, and Ynglingar collectively. Queen Drótt was the sister of King Danr inn mikilláti, after whom Denmark is named. 
King Dyggvi’s son, who inherited the kingdom from him, was called Dagr. He was such a wise man that he could understand the speech of birds. He had a sparrow which told him many things. It flew to various lands. It happened on one occasion that the sparrow flew into Reiðgotaland to a farm called Vǫrvi. It flew into the farmer’s field and got food there. The farmer came up and picked up a stone and struck the sparrow, killing it. King Dagr was greatly displeased when the sparrow did not return. Then he prepared a sacrificeof a boar to get news and got the answer that his sparrow had been killed at Vǫrvi. Then he called out a large army and went to Gotland. And when he got to Vǫrvi, he went ashore with his army and raided. The people fled in all directions. King Dagr took his army back to the ships in the evening, and had killed many people and captured many others. But as they were crossing a river at a place called Skjótansvað or Vápnavað, a slave workman came running out of the woods onto the river bank and threw a pitchfork into their company, and the missile hit the king on the head. Then he at once fell off his horse and was killed. At that time a chieftain who went raiding was called gramr and the warriors gramir. So says Þjóðólfr:
 Dagr, I heard, death’s judgement —keen for fame— encountered, when to Vǫrvi came the advancer of the sword, sagacious one, a sparrow to avenge. And on eastern ways this word the king’s host from combat brought: a serving-fork of Sleipnir’s food it was that gave that gramr his death. 
Agni was the name of Dagr’s son, who was king after him, a powerful and excellent man, a great warrior and a very capable man in all respects. It happened one summer that King Agni went with his army to Lappland, went ashore and raided there. The Lapps gathered together a large force and advanced to battle. Their leader was called Frosti. A great battle took place there, and King Agni won victory. There Frosti fell and a large number with him. King Agni went harrying through Lappland and took control of it, and took a huge amount of plunder. He captured and took with him Skjálf, Frosti’s daughter, and her brother Logi. But when he came back from the west, he sailed to Stokksund. He put up his tents in the meadow to the south. There was a wood there then. King Agni then owned the gold neck-ring that had belonged to Vísburr. King Agni proceeded to marry Skjálf. She asked the king to hold a funeral feast for her father. He then invited many powerful people to visit him and prepared a great feast. He had become very famous for this expedition. Then there was deep drinking there. And when King Agni got drunk, Skjálf told him to watch out for the neck-ring he was wearing round his neck. He took hold of it and fastened it securely around his neck before he went to sleep. But the tent was standing near the wood with a high tree above it, which was intended to shield it from the heat of the sun. And when King Agni was asleep Skjálf took a thick cord and fastened it under the neck-ring. Her men then took down the tent-poles and threw a loop of the cord up into the branches of the tree, then pulled on it, so that the king was hanging almost up against the branches, and that was the death of him. Skjálf and her men leapt aboard a ship and rowed away. King Agni was burned there, and that place, to the east of Taurr and west of Stokkssund, has since been called Agnafit. So says Þjóðólfr: 
I think it a wonder if Agni’s men found Skjólf’s plots acceptable, when Logi’s lady hauled aloft the great man with a gold circlet, he who by Taurr had to ride the chill stallion of Signý’s man. 
Agni’s sons, who were kings after him, were called Alrekr and Eiríkr. They were powerful men, great warriors and very skilled. It was their practice to ride horses, and to train them for both walking and galloping. They were outstandingly good at this. They competed a great deal over who rode better or had the better horses. It happened on one occasion that these two brothers were riding apart from other people with their best horses, and they rode out onto some fields and never came back. Then a search was made for them and they were both found dead, both with their heads battered. They had no weapons but the horses’ bridles, and it is thought they must have killed each other with those. So says Þjóðólfr: 
Alrekr fell where Eiríkr was brought down too by brother’s weapon, and Dagr’s kinsmen did each other to death, they said, with bridles of saddle-horses. Never known before nags’ reins used by Freyr’s offspring to fight each other. 
The sons of Alrekr, who took up kingship next in Svíþjóð, were Yngvi and Álfr. Yngvi was a great warrior and very successful in war, handsome and very skilful, strong and very fierce in battle, generous with money and very cheerful. Because of all this he grew famous and popular. His brother King Álfr stayed on his estates and did not take part in raiding. He was known as Elfsi. He was a quiet man, imperious and unfriendly. His mother was called Dageiðr, daughter of King Dagr inn ríki, from whom the Dǫglingar are descended. Álfr had a wife called Bera, a very beautiful and impressive woman, a most cheerful person. Yngvi Alreksson had then one autumn come back to Uppsalir from raiding, and was now very celebrated. He often sat drinking late into the evenings. King Álfr often went to bed early. Queen Bera often sat up in the evenings and she and Yngvi chatted together. Álfr often spoke about this, told her to go to bed earlier, said that he did not want to wait up for her. She answered and said it was a lucky woman who would get Yngvi rather than Álfr. He got very angry at this, for she said it often. One evening Álfr went into the hall when Yngvi and Bera were sitting in the high-seat talking to each other. Yngvi had his sword on his knee. People were very drunk and took no notice when the king came in. King Álfr went to the high seat, drew a sword from under his cloak and thrust it through his brother Yngvi. Yngvi jumped up and drew his sword and struck Álfr his death-blow, and they both fell dead on the floor. Álfr and Yngvi were placed in a burial mound at Fýrisvellir. So says Þjóðólfr:
Then must he too whom Álfr slew, guardian of altars, on ground lie, when Dagr’s grandson dyed his sword enviously in Yngvi’s blood. It could not be borne that Bera should whet to warfare workers of slaughter, when two brothers brought each other down, uselessly out of jealousy.
It was the son of Álfr called Hugleikr who became king over the Svíar after the brothers, because Yngvi’s sons were still children then. King Hugleikr was no warrior, and he stayed peaceably on his estates. He was very wealthy, and stingy with money. He had in his court a lot of all kinds of players, harpists and fiddlers. He also had with him sorcerers and all kinds of practitioners of magic. There were brothers called Haki and Hagbarðr who were very fine men. They were sea-kings and had many followers, travelling sometimes together, sometimes separately. They both had many champions with them. King Haki went with his force to Svíþjóð against King Hugleikr, and King Hugleikr assembled a force to meet them. Then two brothers, Svipdagr and Geigaðr, came to join his company, both outstanding men and great champions. King Haki had twelve champions with him. Starkaðr gamli was with him. King Haki was also a great champion. They met at Fýrisvellir. A great battle took place there. Hugleikr’s company fell quickly. Then the champions Svipdagr and Geigaðr advanced, but six of Haki’s champions went against each of them, and they were taken captive. Then King Haki penetrated the shield wall against King Hugleikr and killed him and his two sons there. After that the Svíar fled, and King Haki took power over the lands and made himself king over the Svíar. He stayed in the lands for three years, and in this time of peace his champions left him and went raiding and so gained wealth for themselves. 
Jǫrundr and Eiríkr were the sons of Yngvi Alreksson. They stayed out on warships all this time and were great warriors. One summer they raided in Denmark, and then they met Guðlaugr, king of the Háleygir, and fought a battle with him, and the end of it was that Guðlaugr’s ship was cleared and he was taken captive. They took him ashore at Straumeyrarnes and hanged him there. His men raised a burial mound over him there. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir: 
But Guðlaugr the grim steed —through overbearing of eastern kings— of Sigarr rode, when sons of Yngvi the ring-waster raised on a tree. 
And, death-laden, droops on the ness splitting the bays the swinging gallows; there, famous for fall of the king, marked with a stone, is Straumeyrarnes.
The brothers Eiríkr and Jǫrundr became very famous because of this deed. They considered themselves much more important people than before. They heard that King Haki in Svíþjóð had sent away his champions. Then they headed for Svíþjóð and after that gathered an army to them. And when the Svíar learned that the Ynglingar had come there they flocked to them in countless numbers. Then they sailed up into Lǫgrinn and made for Uppsalir against King Haki, and he came against them at Fýrisvellir and had a much smaller force. Then a great battle took place. King Haki advanced so strongly that he killed all those who got nearest to him, and in the end he brought down King Eiríkr and cut down the brothers’ standard. Then King Jǫrundr fled to the ships with all his troop. King Haki was so badly wounded that he realised that his days were numbered. Then he had a skeið taken that he owned, and had it loaded with dead men and weapons, then had it taken out to sea and had the rudder put in place and the sail hoisted, and resinous fir-wood set fire to and a pyre made on the ship. The wind was blowing off the land. Haki was at the point of death or already dead when he was laid on the pyre. Then the ship sailed blazing out to sea, and that was very famous for a long time afterwards. 
Jǫrundr, son of King Yngvi, was king at Uppsalir. He then ruled the lands and often went raiding in the summer. One summer he went with his army to Denmark. He raided around Jutland and in autumn went into Limafjǫrðr and raided there. He lay with his troop in Oddasund. Then Gýlaugr, king of the Háleygir, son of Guðlaugr who was mentioned above, arrived there with a large army. He engaged in battle with Jǫrundr, and when the local inhabitants realised this they flocked there from all directions with ships both large and small. Then Jǫrundr was overpowered and his ship cleared. He jumped into the water, but was captured and taken ashore. Then King Gýlaugr had a gallows raised and led Jǫrundr to it and had him hanged. Thus ended his life. So says Þjóðólfr:
Jǫrundr was, when he died long ago, deprived of life in Limafjǫrðr, when the high-towering hemp-noose horse had to bear the bane of Guðlaugr, and Hagbarðr’s goat-remains went round the neck of the ruler of chieftains.
The son of Jǫrundr, who was king over the Svíar after his father, was called Aun or Áni. He was a wise man and held many sacrifices. He was no warrior but stayed in his own territories. At the time when those kings who have been told about above were at Uppsalir, there was ruling Denmark first Danr inn mikilláti—he lived to a great age; then his son, Fróði inn mikilláti or inn friðsami, then his sons, Hálfdan and Friðleifr. They were great warriors. Hálfdan was the elder and took the lead in everything. He went with his army to Svíþjóð against King Aun, and they had some battles, and Hálfdan always won, and in the end King Aun fled to Vestra-Gautland. He had then been king over Uppsalir for twenty years. He stayed for a further twenty years in Gautland while King Hálfdan was at Uppsalir. King Hálfdan died of sickness at Uppsalir, and he is buried there. After that King Aun returned to Uppsalir. He was then sixty years of age. Then he held a great sacrifice for length of life, and offered up his son to Óðinn, and he was sacrificed. Then King Aun received from Óðinn the answer that he would live for a further sixty years. Aun was king at Uppsalir for another twenty years. Then Áli inn frœkni, son of Friðleifr, came with his army to Svíþjóð against King Aun, and they fought battles, and Áli always won. Then King Aun fled his kingdom a second time and went to Vestra-Gautland. Áli was king at Uppsalir for twenty years until Starkaðr inn gamli killed him. After the fall of Áli, King Aun went back to Uppsalir and then ruled the kingdom for another twenty years. Then he held a great sacrifice and offered up his second son. Then Óðinn told him that he would live forever as long as he sacrificed a son of his to Óðinn every ten years, and also that he must give a name to some district in his land based on the number of his sons he had sacrificed to Óðinn. And when he had sacrificed seven of his sons, he lived for ten years without being able to walk. Then he was carried on a chair. Then he sacrificed his eighth son, and lived for another ten years, lying bed-ridden. Then he sacrificed his ninth son and lived a further ten years. He had to drink from a horn like a baby. Then Aun had one son left, and he was going to sacrifice him, and was going to give Óðinn Uppsalir and the districts belonging to it, and have it called Tíundaland. The Svíar stopped him doing that, and no sacrifice was held. Then King Aun died, and he is buried at Uppsalir. Since then it has been called Ánasótt ‘Áni’s sickness’ if a man dies painlessly of old age. So says Þjóðólfr: 
Long ago it was old age Aun had to face at Uppsalir, clinging to life, on baby food he had to subsist a second time. And to himself he turned the thinner end of the ox’s sword when, lying, the killer of kindred drank from the tip of the yokereindeer’s weapon. The herd-sword the hoary one, the eastern king, could not hold up. 
The son of Aun inn gamli, who was king after his father in Svíþjóð, was called Egill. He was no warrior, and stayed peacefully in his own territories. He had a slave called Tunni who had been with Áni inn gamli as his treasurer. And when Áni was dead, Tunni took a huge quantity of valuables and buried them in the ground. And when Egill became king he treated Tunni the same as his other slaves. He was very displeased at that and ran away, and many other slaves with him, and they dug up the valuables that he had hidden. He gave them to his men, and they made him their leader. Then a lot of ruffians attached themselves to him; they kept out in the forests, and sometimes overran the settlements, robbing and killing people. King Egill heard of this and went to search for them with his troops. And when he had found a lodging for himself one night, Tunni arrived there with his gang and attacked them unawares and killed a large body of the king’s men. And when Egill became aware of the fighting, he moved to resist them and set up his standard, but much of his company fled. Tunni’s band attacked boldly. Then Egill saw no other choice but to flee. Tunni’s band pursued the rout all the way to the woods. Then they went back to the settlements, raided and robbed and met with no resistance. All the property that Tunni took in the area he gave to his followers. From this he gained popularity and a numerous following. King Egill mustered an army and went to battle against Tunni. They fought, and Tunni won, and Egill fled and lost many men. King Egill and Tunni fought eight battles, and Tunni won them all. After that King Egill fled the land and went out to Selund in Denmark, to Fróði inn frœkni. He promised King Fróði tribute from the Svíar in exchange for help. Then Fróði gave him an army and his champions. Then King Egill went to Svíþjóð, and when Tunni heard that, he advanced against him with his band. Then a great battle took place. Tunni fell in it, and King Egill took possession of his kingdom. The Danes went home. King Egill sent King Fróði fine and large gifts every season, but paid no tribute to the Danes, and yet his friendship with Fróði lasted. After Tunni fell, King Egill ruled the kingdom for three years. It happened in Svíþjóð that the bull that was intended for sacrifice was old and had been bred to be so fierce that it was vicious, and when people tried to catch it, it ran into the woods and turned frantic, and stayed in the forest for a long time, causing a lot of mischief for people. King Egill was a great huntsman. He often rode during the day into the forests to hunt animals. It happened one time that he had ridden out hunting with his men. The king had been pursuing one animal for a long time and chased it into the wood away from all the men. Then he noticed the bull and rode towards it and was going to kill it. The bull turned towards him, and the king got his spear into it, and the spear-head broke off. The bull plunged its horns into the horse’s flank so that it immediately fell flat, and so did the king. Then the king jumped to his feet and tried to draw his sword. The bull gored him in the chest so that its horns pierced deeply. Then the king’s men came up and killed the bull. The king lived for a short time, and he is buried at Uppsalir. So says Þjóðólfr:
And from the land fled the lauded kin of Týr Tunni’s realm. And on Egill the giant’s draught-beast reddened the bill of the bull’s snout, having worn in woods of Sweden its forehead-peak for a long time; the cattle-sword, scabbardless, of the Skilfingr prince pierced the heart. 
The son of Egill, who succeeded to the rule and the kingdom after him, was called Óttarr. He did not get on well with Fróði. Then Fróði sent men to King Óttarr to claim the tribute that Egill had promised him. Óttarr replied that the Svíar had never paid tribute to the Danes, and said that he would act likewise. The messengers returned. Fróði was a great warrior. It happened one summer that Fróði went to Svíþjóð with his army, attacked there and raided, killing many people and taking some captive. He took a large amount of plunder. He also burned settlements far and wide and did a lot of damage. The next summer Fróði went raiding in the eastern Baltic. King Óttarr found out that Fróði was not in his country. Then he embarked in a warship and went out to Denmark and raided there, and met no opposition. He found out that there was a great gathering on Selund. He then headed west into Eyrarsund, then sailed south to Jutland and laid into Limafjǫrðr, then raided in Vendill, burned there and caused great devastation. Fróði’s jarls were called Vǫttr and Fasti. Fróði had appointed them as guardians of Denmark while he was out of the country. And when the jarls found out that the king of the Svíar was raiding in Denmark, they gathered an army and leaped onto ships and sailed south to Limafjǫrðr, took King Óttarr completely by surprise there and at once engaged in battle. The Svíar put up a good resistance. Men fell on both sides, but as men fell on the Danish side, more came there from the surrounding settlements, and also all the ships that were in the vicinity joined in as well. The battle finished in such a way that King Óttarr fell there with the greater part of his troop. The Danes took his body and carried it to land and placed it up on a mound, leaving it there for animals and birds to tear at the corpse. They made a wooden crow and sent it to Svíþjóð, saying that their King Óttarr was worth no more than that. After that they called him Óttarr vendilkráka. So says Þjóðólfr: 
Óttarr fell under eagle’s claws the doughty one, from Danes’ weapons; him the carrion-bird, with corpse-stained feet, travelled from far, trampled on Vendill. It’s said the Svíar the story tell of famous deeds of Fasti and Vǫttr, that the islandjarls of Fróði had brought down the battle-forwarder. 
The son of King Óttarr, who succeeded to the kingdom after him, was called Aðils. He was king for a long time, and was very wealthy. He also spent some summers raiding. King Aðils came with his army to Saxland. The king reigning there was called Geirþjófr, and his wife was called Álof in ríka. No children of theirs are mentioned. The king was not in the country. King Aðils and his men rushed ashore to the king’s residence and plundered there. Some of them drove cattle down to the shore as plunder. Enslaved people, men and women, had tended the herd and they took them all along too. In that crowd there was a remarkably beautiful girl. She said her name was Yrsa. Then King Aðils went home with the plunder. Yrsa was not among the slave-girls. It was soon discovered that she was clever and well spoken and well informed in every way. People were very impressed by her, the king most of all. Then it came about that Aðils celebrated his marriage with her. Then Yrsa was queen in Svíþjóð, and was considered a very outstanding woman. 
Then King Helgi Hálfdanarson ruled over Hleiðra. He came to Svíþjóð with such a great army that King Aðils could see no alternative but to flee. King Helgi then went ashore with his army and raided, taking a great deal of plunder. He seized Queen Yrsa and took her with him to Hleiðra and proceeded to marry her. Their son was Hrólfr kraki. But when Hrólfr was three years old, Queen Álof came to Denmark. Then she told Yrsa that King Helgi, her husband, was her father, and Álof was her mother. Then Yrsa went back to Svíþjóð to Aðils and was queen there for the rest of her life. King Helgi died on a raid. Hrólfr kraki was eight years old then, and he was accepted as king at Hleiðra. King Aðils had great quarrels with the king called Áli inn upplenzki. He was from Norway. They fought a battle on the ice of Lake Vænir. There King Áli fell, and Aðils gained victory. There is a long account of this battle in Skjǫldunga saga, and also of how Hrólfr kraki came to Aðils at Uppsalir. Then Hrólfr kraki sowed the gold on Fýrisvellir. King Aðils was very fond of fine horses. He owned the best horses at that time. He had a horse called Sløngvir, and another called Hrafn. He took that one from Áli when he was dead, and from it was bred another horse that was called Hrafn. He sent it to Hálogaland to King Goðgestr. King Goðgestr rode it but was not able to curb it until he fell off its back and was killed. That was on Ǫmð in Hálogaland. King Aðils attended a sacrifice for the Dísir and rode a horse through the hall of the Dís. The horse stumbled under him and fell, and the king was thrown forward, and his head struck a stone so that the skull was broken and his brains lay on the stone. That was the death of him. He died at Uppsalir and his burial mound is there. The Svíar considered him a great king. So says Þjóðólfr: 
I learned further that the life of Aðils a witch’s work would destroy and, keen in deeds, the kinsman of Freyr had to fall from horse’s shoulders. And with soil the skull’s sea of the ruler’s son was blended, and he had to die, with days blessed, Áli’s foe at Uppsalir. 
The son of Aðils, who next ruled the realm of the Svíar, was called Eysteinn. In his days Hrólfr kraki fell at Hleiðra. At that time kings, both Danes and Norwegians, raided the realm of the Svíar a great deal. There were many sea-kings, who commanded large troops and had no lands. It was considered that a man could properly be called a sea-king only if he never slept under a sooty beam and never drank in the hearth corner. 
There was a sea-king called Sǫlvi, son of Hǫgni on Njarðey, who was raiding in the Baltic then. He held rule in Jutland. He went with his company to Svíþjóð. King Eysteinn was then at a feast in the district called Lófund. King Sǫlvi came there unexpectedly at night and seized the king’s house and burned him inside it with all his following. Then Sǫlvi went to Sigtúnir and demanded the title of king and to be accepted as king, but the Svíar mustered an army and intended to defend their land, and a battle took place, so great that it was said that it did not stop for eleven days. There King Sǫlvi gained victory, and he was then king over Svíþjóð for a long time until the Svíar betrayed him, and he was killed there. So says Þjóðólfr: 
I know the end of Eysteinn’s life was doomed to lie at Lófund, and among the Svíar, they say, the king by Jutish men was burned inside. And the biting scourge of slope-seaweed in his flame-vessel found the king, when the stout-built ship of the home-site, full of crew, around the ruler burned. 
The son of King Eysteinn, who was king over the realm of the Svíar then, was called Yngvarr. He was a great warrior and was often out on warships, because up to that time the land of the Svíar had been very much subject to raids, both from Danes and the eastern Baltic peoples. King Yngvarr made peace with the Danes, and then began to raid around the Baltic. One summer he took out an army and went to Eistland and raided during the summer, at the place called Steinn. Then Eistr came down with a large army, and they had a battle. The native army was so numerous that the Svíar could put up no resistance. Then King Yngvarr died and his army fled. He is buried there by the sea itself. This was in Aðalsýsla. The Svíar went home after this defeat. So says Þjóðólfr: 
It was said that Yngvarr was by Sýsla people put to death, and off ‘sea’s heart’ the host of Eistr slew the leader, the light-hued one, and the eastern sea sings the lay of Gymir to cheer the fallen king. 
The son of Yngvarr, who next became king in Svíþjóð, was called Ǫnundr. In his days there was good peace in Svíþjóð, and he was very wealthy in movable property. King Ǫnundr went with his army to Eistland to avenge his father, went ashore there with his army and raided widely through the land and took a large amount of plunder, and went back to Svíþjóð in the autumn. In his days there was great prosperity in Svíþjóð. Ǫnundr was the most popular of all kings. Svíþjóð is a very forested land, and there is so much uninhabited forest that it takes many days to cross it. King Ǫnundr put a lot of effort and expense into clearing forests and then settling the clearings. He also had roads made through uninhabited forests, and then expanses of land without trees were discovered within the forests, and these became large settled districts. In this way land came to be inhabited, for there were plenty of people to inhabit it. King Ǫnundr had roads opened throughout Svíþjóð, through both forests and marshlands and mountain passes. Because of this he was called Braut-Ǫnundr. King Ǫnundr established residences for himself in each major district in Svíþjóð and went all over the country attending banquets. 
Braut-Ǫnundr had a son who was called Ingjaldr. Yngvarr was at that time king in Fjaðryndaland. He had two sons by his wife. One was called Álfr and the other Agnarr. They were about the same age as Ingjaldr. At that time there were local kings in many parts of Svíþjóð. Braut-Ǫnundr ruled over Tíundaland. Uppsalir is there, the assembly place for all the Svíar. There were great sacrifices held there then. Many kings came to them. That was at midwinter. And one winter, when people had come to Uppsalir in great numbers, King Yngvarr was there with his sons. They were six years old. Álfr, King Yngvarr’s son, and Ingjaldr, King Ǫnundr’s son, started playing a boys’ game, and each was in charge of a team. And as they played, Ingjaldr was less strong than Álfr, and he was so upset by this that he cried bitterly. And then his foster-brother Gautviðr came up and led him away to Svipdagr blindi, his foster-father, and told him that it had gone badly because he was less strong and more feeble in the game than Álfr, King Yngvarr’s son. Then Svipdagr answered that it was a great shame. The following day Svipdagr had the heart cut out of a wolf and grilled on a stick and then gave it to the king’s son Ingjaldr to eat, and from then on he became the fiercest and worst-tempered of all men. And when Ingjaldr was grown up, Ǫnundr asked on his behalf for marriage to Gauthildr, daughter of King Algauti. He was son of King Gautrekr inn mildi, son of Gautr, after whom Gautland is named. King Algautr felt sure that his daughter would be well married if it were to the son of King Ǫnundr, if he had the temperament of his father, and the girl was sent to Svíþjóð, and Ingjaldr celebrated his marriage to her. 
King Ǫnundr was travelling between his residences with his following one autumn and went to a place called Himinheiðr. There are rather narrow mountain valleys, with high mountains on both sides. It was raining hard, but earlier there had been snow lying on the mountains. Then a great landslide came down with rocks and mud. Ǫnundr and his company were in its way. The king and many of his followers were killed. So says Þjóðólfr: 
Ǫnundr was with evil of Jónakr’s sons brought down under Himinfjǫll, and the bane of Eistrar bowed before the bitter hatred of a bastard’s wrath, and by earth’s bones was brought down the hastener of Hǫgni’s fall. 
Ingjaldr, son of King Ǫnundr, was king at Uppsalir. The kings of Uppsalir were the highest of the kings in Svíþjóð when there were many local kings there. Ever since Óðinn was ruler in Svíþjóð, those who had their seats at Uppsalir were supreme rulers over the whole of the domain of the Svíar until the death of Agni, and then the kingdom was divided between brothers for the first time, as has been written above, and after that the power and the kingdom were dispersed among family lines as they branched out, and some kings cleared large tracts of forest and settled them and thus augmented their kingdoms. And when Ingjaldr succeeded to the power and the kingdom, there were many local kings, as was written above. King Ingjaldr had a great feast prepared at Uppsalir and intended to commemorate his father King Ǫnundr. He had a hall built, in no way smaller or less splendid than Uppsalr was, and called it the Hall of Seven Kings. In it seven high seats were prepared. King Ingjaldr sent men all over Svíþjóð and invited kings and jarls and other important people. To this commemorative feast came King Algautr, Ingjaldr’s father-in-law, and King Yngvarr of Fjaðryndaland and his two sons, Agnarr and Álfr, King Sporsnjallr of Næríki and King Sigverkr of Áttundaland. King Granmarr of Suðrmannaland did not come. The six kings were assigned seats there in the new hall. There was thus one of the high seats that King Ingjaldr had had prepared left empty. All the company that had come was assigned places in the new hall. King Ingjaldr had placed his household and all his following in Uppsalr. It was customary at that time that when commemorative feasts were being held for kings or jarls, the one who was holding it and was about to come into his inheritance must sit on the step in front of the high seat right on until the toast that was called bragarfull was carried in; he was then to stand up to receive the bragarfull and swear an oath, then drink off the toast, and then he was to be set in the high seat that his father had had. Then he had entered fully into the inheritance after him. On this occasion it was done in such a way that when the bragarfull came in, Ingjaldr stood up and took a large animal’s horn, then swore an oath that he would extend his kingdom to double the size in all four directions or die in the attempt, and then drank off the contents of the horn. And in the evening when people were drunk, Ingjaldr told Fólkviðr and Hulviðr, the sons of Svipdagr, to arm themselves and their men as had been planned that evening. They went out to the new hall and set fire to it, and soon the hall burst into flames, and six kings and all their followers were burned there, and those who tried to get out were quickly killed. After that King Ingjaldr took control of all the kingdoms that these kings had ruled, and took tribute from them.
King Granmarr heard what had happened, and felt sure that the same fate was intended for him if he did not take precautions. That same summer King Hjǫrvarðr, who was known as Ylfingr, brought his troops to Svíþjóð and anchored in the fiord called Myrkvafjǫrðr. And when King Granmarr heard this he sent people to him and invited him to a banquet with all his following. He accepted that, because he had not raided in King Granmarr’s kingdom. And when he came to the banquet there was a splendid entertainment there. And in the evening when toasts were to be drunk, it was the custom with kings who were in their own countries or at banquets that they had arranged that people should drink in pairs in the evenings, each man with a woman, as far numbers allowed, and those left over drank singly. But it was the law of the vikings for all the company to drink together when they were at banquets. King Hjǫrvarðr’s high seat was set up opposite King Granmarr’s high seat, and all his men sat on that dais. Then King Granmarr said to his daughter Hildiguðr that she should make herself ready and serve ale to the vikings. She was the most beautiful woman. Then she took up a silver goblet and filled it and went before King Hjǫrvarðr and said: ‘All hail Ylfingar, in the toast to Hrólfr kraki.’ And she drank half the contents and passed it to King Hjǫrvarðr. Now he took hold of the goblet and her hand along with it, and said that she should come and sit next to him. She said that it was not the custom of vikings to drink in pairs with women. Hjǫrvarðr said it was more likely that he would change all that by instead abandoning the viking law and drinking in a pair with her. Then Hildiguðr sat beside him and they drank together and talked a great deal during the evening. The next day, when the kings, Granmarr and Hjǫrvarðr, met, Hjǫrvarðr began his suit and proposed marriage to Hildiguðr. King Granmarr put the matter to his wife Hildr and other important people and said that they could expect great support from King Hjǫrvarðr. And now there was applause for this, and everyone thought it advisable, and it ended with Hildiguðr being betrothed to King Hjǫrvarðr, and he celebrated marriage with her. Then King Hjǫrvarðr had to stay with King Granmarr, because he had no son to guard the kingdom alongside himself. 
That same autumn King Ingjaldr mustered an army for himself, planning to attack the father- and son-in-law. He got his host from all the kingdoms he had previously taken control of. And when the father- and son-in-law found out about this they mustered an army in their kingdom, and King Hǫgni and his son Hildir, who ruled over Eystra-Gautland, joined forces with them. Hǫgni was the father of Hildr, wife of King Granmarr. King Ingjaldr went ashore with all his army and had a much bigger force. Then battle was joined and it was a fierce one. And when the fighting had gone on for a short time, the leaders who ruled over Fjaðryndaland and the Vestr-Gautar, and those from Næríki and Áttundaland, and all the troops who had come from those countries, fled and went to their ships. After that King Ingjaldr found himself in trouble, and was wounded many times, and managed even so to flee to his ships, and his foster-father Svipdagr blindi, and both his sons, Gautviðr and Hulviðr. With that King Ingjaldr went back to Uppsalir, and was ill-pleased with his expedition, and felt sure that the army that he raised from his realm that he had gained by force must be disloyal to him. After that there was great hostility between King Ingjaldr and King Granmarr. Now when a long time had passed like this, friends of both brought it about that they reached agreement, and the kings arranged a meeting between themselves and met and made peace between themselves, King Ingjaldr and King Granmarr and his son-in-law King Hjǫrvarðr. This peace between them was to hold as long as the three kings lived. It was sealed with oaths and pledges. The following spring King Granmarr went to Uppsalir for a sacrifice, as was the custom as summer approached, to ensure peace. Then the lots fell out that he would not live long. Then he went back to his kingdom. 
The following autumn King Granmarr and his son-in-law King Hjǫrvarðr went to receive a banquet on the island that is called Sili, on their estates. And when they were at the banquet, King Ingjaldr arrived there with his army one night and seized the building they were in and burned them inside it with all their followers. After that he took power over all the kingdom that the kings had held, and set rulers over it. King Hǫgni and his son Hildir often rode up into the lands of the Svíar and killed the men that King Ingjaldr had set over the realm that had been ruled by their son- and brother-in-law King Granmarr. For a long time great hostility continued there between King Ingjaldr and King Hǫgni. Nevertheless King Hǫgni succeeded in defending his kingdom from King Ingjaldr right until the day he died. King Ingjaldr and his wife had two children, the elder called Ása and the second Óláfr trételgja, and Gauthildr, wife of King Ingjaldr, sent the boy to her foster-father Bóvi in Vestra-Gautland. He was brought up there with Bóvi’s son Saxi, who was called flettir. People say that King Ingjaldr killed twelve kings and betrayed them all under truce. He was called Ingjaldr inn illráði. He was king over the greater part of Svíþjóð. He married his daughter Ása to Guðrøðr, king in Skáni. She was similar in temperament to her father. Ása brought it about that he Guðrøðr killed his brother Hálfdan. Hálfdan was the father of Ívarr inn víðfaðmi. Ása was also behind the death of her husband Guðrøðr. 
Ívarr inn víðfaðmi came to Skáni after the death of his uncle Guðrøðr and at once assembled a great army, then went up into Svíþjóð. Ása in illráða had already gone to see her father. King Ingjaldr was present at a feast at Ræningr when he found out that King Ívarr’s army had arrived nearby. Ingjaldr did not consider that he had the power to fight against Ívarr. He also felt it a clear possibility that if he took to flight his enemies would throng against him from every side. So he and Ása took this course, as has become famous, that they made all the people dead drunk and then set fire to the hall. The hall, and all the people who were inside, were burned along with King Ingjaldr. So says Þjóðólfr: 
And Ingjaldr, alive, was trampled by the smoke-raiser at Ræningr, when the house-thief through those kin to the gods stepped with stockinged feet. And that death was deemed by all among the Svíar the most fitting, that he should himself be first to finish his fierce life. 
Ívarr inn víðfaðmi took power over all the realm of the Svíar. He also took possession of all the realm of the Danes and a large part of Saxland and all of Austrríki and a fifth part of England. From his line are descended the kings of the Danes and the Svíar who have held supreme power there. After Ingjaldr illráði rule in Uppsalir passed away from the line of the Ynglingar, as far as their paternal ancestors can be reckoned. 
King Ingjaldr’s son Óláfr, when he heard of his father’s death, went away with those people who were willing to accompany him, because all the common people of the Svíar rose up with one accord to drive out the family of King Ingjaldr and all his friends. Óláfr first went up to Næríki, but when the Svíar found out where he was he could not stay there. Then he took a course west through forest paths to the river which flows into Vænir from the north, which is called the Elfr. There they stayed, and began to clear and burn the forest and then settle there. That soon became a large settlement. They called it Vermaland. The land there was productive. And when it was learned in Svíþjóð that Óláfr was clearing forests, they called him trételgja, and thought what he was doing was ridiculous. Óláfr married a woman called Sǫlveig or Sǫlva, daughter of Hálfdan gulltǫnn of Sóleyjar in the west. Hálfdan was the son of Sǫlvi, son of Sǫlvarr, son of Sǫlvi inn gamli, who first cleared Sóleyjar. The mother of Óláfr trételgja was called Gauthildr, and her mother was Álof, daughter of Óláfr inn skyggni, a king from Næríki. Óláfr and Sǫlva had two sons, Ingjaldr and Hálfdan. Hálfdan was brought up in Sóleyjar with Sǫlvi, his maternal uncle. He was called Hálfdan hvítbeinn. 
It was a great multitude who left Svíþjóð as outlaws because of King Ívarr. They found out that Óláfr trételgja had productive land in Vermaland, and flocked to it in such great numbers that the land could not sustain it. A great dearth and famine set in there. They blamed it on their king, according to the custom of the Svíar of holding the king responsible for both good and bad seasons. King Óláfr was not in the habit of sacrificing. The Svíar were dissatisfied with that and thought it was the cause of the famine. Then the Svíar mustered an army, made an expedition against King Óláfr, seized his house and burned him in it, dedicating him to Óðinn and sacrificing him for a good season. That was by Vænir. So says Þjóðólfr: 
And by the water the withy-spoiler, alder-wolf, swallowed Óláfr’s corpse, from the Svíar lord the son of Fornjótr the armour stripped. Uppsalir that offspring of the royal line left long before.
Those who were wiser among the Svíar then realised that the cause of the dearth was that the population was too large for the land to sustain, and the king was not responsible. They now decided to go with the whole army west over Eiðaskógr and arrive in Sóleyjar quite without warning. They killed King Sǫlvi and captured Hálfdan hvítbeinn. They made him lord over them and gave him the title of king. Then he took possession of Sóleyjar. After that he went out with the army to Raumaríki and raided there and took that region by force. 
Hálfdan hvítbeinn was a powerful king. He married Ása, daughter of Eysteinn inn harðráði, king of the Upplendingar. He ruled over Heiðmǫrk. She and Hálfdan had two sons, Eysteinn and Guðrøðr. Hálfdan gained possession of a large part of Heiðmǫrk and Þótn and Haðaland and much of Vestfold. He lived to be an old man. He died of sickness at Þótn and was then taken out to Vestfold and placed in a mound at the place called Skæreið in Skíringssalr. So says Þjóðólfr: 
All have heard that Hálfdan was mourned by all mediators, and the goddess, guardian of stones thrown, the king at Þótn took. And Skæreið in Skíringssalr broods over the bones of the warrior.
Ingjaldr, brother of Hálfdan, was king in Vermaland, but after his death King Hálfdan took Vermaland under his power and took tribute from it and appointed jarls to rule there while he was alive.
Eysteinn, son of Hálfdan hvítbeinn, who was king after him in Raumaríki and Vestfold, married Hildr, daughter of Eiríkr Agnarsson, who was king in Vestfold. Agnarr, Eiríkr’s father, was the son of King Sigtryggr of Vendill. King Eiríkr had no son. He died while King Hálfdan hvítbeinn was alive. Father and son, Hálfdan and Eysteinn, took all of Vestfold under their power. Eysteinn ruled Vestfold while he was alive. There was a king then in Varna who was called Skjǫldr. He was very skilled in magic. King Eysteinn went across to Varna with a few warships and raided there, took whatever came to hand, clothes and other valuables and farmers’ goods, and made coastal raids, then went away. King Skǫldr came to the shore with his army. King Eysteinn had left by then and reached the other side of the fiord, and Skjǫldr saw their sails. Then he took his cloak and waved it round and blew into it. When they were sailing round Jarlsey, King Eysteinn was sitting at the rudder. Another ship sailed close to them. There was rather a swell. The tacking boom on the other ship knocked the king overboard. That was the death of him. His men retrieved his body. It was taken into Borró and a mound raised for him out on the ridge by the sea near the Vaðla river. So says Þjóðólfr: 
But a sail-boom sent Eysteinn to Býleistr’s brother’s girl, under sea’s bones the bidder of men rests now on the ridge’s crest, where, snow-cold, by the Gautish king, to the sea flows the stream of Vaðla.
The son of King Eysteinn, who succeeded to the kingdom after him, was called Hálfdan. He was called Hálfdan inn mildi ok inn matarilli. It is said that he paid his men as many gold coins as other kings gave silver, but he starved them of food. He was a great warrior and went raiding for long periods and gained property. He married Hlíf, daughter of King Dagr from Vestmarir. His main estate was Holtar in Vestfold. There he died of sickness, and his burial mound is at Borró. So says Þjóðólfr: 
And to a meeting the maid of Hveðrungr a third king called from the world, when Hálfdan— in Holtar he lived— reached the last of his allotted span. And at Borró they buried then, victorious ones, their warlike king. 
The son of Hálfdan, who succeeded to the kingdom after him, was called Guðrøðr. He was called Guðrøðr inn gǫfugláti, but some called him veiðikonungr. He married the woman called Álfhildr, daughter of King Alfarinn from Álfheimar, and with her got half of Vingulmǫrk. Their son was Óláfr, who was later known as Geirstaðaálfr. Álfheimar was the name given then to the area between the Raumelfr and Gautelfr rivers. But when Álfhildr was dead, King Guðrøðr sent his men west to Agðir to the king who ruled there—he was called Haraldr inn granrauði—to ask for his daughter Ása in marriage for the king, but Haraldr refused. The messengers came back and told the king the result of their mission. And some time later King Guðrøðr launched ships and then went with a large troop out to Agðir, arrived there quite unexpectedly and invaded the coast, and came to Haraldr’s dwelling at night. And when he realised that an army had come against him, he went out with the followers he had. Then a battle took place, between very unequal forces. There Haraldr and his son Gyrðr fell. King Guðrøðr seized a great deal of plunder. He took King Haraldr’s daughter Ása home with him and celebrated marriage with her. They had a son who was called Hálfdan. And in the autumn when Hálfdan was a year old, Guðrøðr travelled round receiving banquets. He lay with his ship in Stíflusund. There was a great deal of drinking. The king was very drunk. And in the evening, when it was dark, the king stepped off the ship, but when he reached the end of the gangway a man ran up to him and thrust a spear through him. That was the death of him. The man was killed at once. And the next morning when it got light the man was recognised. It was the page of Queen Ása. She did not conceal the fact that this was her plan. So says Þjóðólfr: 
It was long ago that Guðrøðr, the munificent, was trapped by treachery, and a plan when the prince was drunk the hate-driven queen hatched on the king, and Ása’s cunning errand-boy gained a cheating win against the king, and the ruler right on the bank of Stíflusund was stabbed to death. 
Óláfr succeeded to the kingdom after his father. He was a powerful man and a great warrior. He was the most handsome and tallest of all men. He had Vestfold, because King Álfgeirr had taken control of all of Vingulmǫrk. He put his son, King Gandálfr, in charge there. Then father and son went nearly all round Raumaríki and took possession of the greater part of that realm and district. The son of King Eysteinn inn ríki, king of the Upplendingar, was called Hǫgni. He took possession of all of Heiðmǫrk and Þótn and Haðaland. Then the sons of Guðrøðr also lost Vermaland, and then they changed into payers of tribute to the king of the Svíar. Óláfr was twenty years old when King Guðrøðr died. And when his brother King Hálfdan came to rule alongside him, they divided Vestfold between them. Óláfr had the western part and Hálfdan the inner part. King Óláfr had a residence at Geirstaðir. He got a pain in his leg and died of it, and he was placed in a mound at Geirstaðir. So says Þjóðólfr: 
And the kin-branch of power-Óðinna in Norway had flourished well. Long ago Óláfr governed the mighty wide extent of Vestmarir, until leg-pain laid him low by Fold’s shore, the fighting leader. Now, bold in war, the battle-king lies at Geirstaðir laid in a mound.
The son of Óláfr, who was king in Vestfold after his father, was called Rǫgnvaldr. He was known as heiðumhæri. In his honour Þjóðólfr of Hvinir composed. In it he says this: 
I know to be best under blue skies the byname borne by the king, for Rǫgnvaldr, ruler of the host, ‘Nobly Grey’ has as his name.

Hálfdan was a year old when his father died. His mother Ása straightway took him west to Agðir and established herself there in the position of power that her father Haraldr had had. Hálfdan grew up there. He was soon big and strong and black-haired. He was known as Hálfdan svarti. He was eighteen when he took over the kingdom in Agðir. He then immediately went into Vestfold and divided that realm between himself and his brother Óláfr, as was said above. In the autumn of the same year he took an army to Vingulmǫrk against King Gandálfr, and they fought many battles, and now one, now the other gained victory, and in the end they made peace, and Hálfdan was to have half of Vingulmǫrk, just as his father Guðrøðr had had. After that King Hálfdan went up into Raumaríki and made it subject to himself. King Sigtryggr, son of King Eysteinn, heard about this. At that time he had his residence in Heiðmǫrk and had previously subjected Raumaríki. Then King Sigtryggr went against King Hálfdan, and there was a great battle there, and Hálfdan had the victory. And when the flight broke out, King Sigtryggr was struck by an arrow under the left arm, and he fell there. Afterwards Hálfdan subjected the whole of Raumaríki to himself. Eysteinn was the name of the second son of King Eysteinn, brother to Sigtryggr. He was then king in Heiðmǫrk. And when King Hálfdan came out to Vestfold, King Eysteinn took his army out into Raumaríki and made many parts of it subject to himself. 
Hálfdan svarti heard that there was warfare in Raumaríki. Then he mustered an army and went to Raumaríki against King Eysteinn, and they had a battle. Hálfdan had the victory, and Eysteinn fled up into Heiðmǫrk. King Hálfdan then took his army up into Heiðmǫrk in pursuit of him, and there they had another battle, and Hálfdan had the victory, and Eysteinn fled north into Dalar to see Hersir Guðbrandr. From there he raised troops, afterwards in the winter going out to Heiðmǫrk. He met Hálfdan svarti on the great island that lies in Mjǫrs, and there they had a battle, and many men fell on both sides, and King Hálfdan had the victory. Hersir Guðbrandr’s son Guthormr fell there, who was held to be the most promising man in Upplǫnd. Then King Eysteinn fled north into Dalar again. Then he sent his kinsman Hallvarðr skálkr to see King Hálfdan to seek a settlement, and for kinship’s sake Hálfdan gave up to King Eysteinn half of Heiðmǫrk, just as it had been held by the kinsmen before. But Hálfdan subjected Þótn to himself, and the area known as Land, and Haðaland, for he made extensive raids. He was then also a very powerful king.
Hálfdan svarti married Ragnhildr, daughter of Haraldr gullskeggr. He was king in Sogn. They had a son, to whom King Haraldr gave his own name, and this boy was brought up in Sogn with his maternal grandfather, King Haraldr. And when King Haraldr was incapacitated by old age, he had no son, and gave his kingdom to his daughter’s son Haraldr, and had him made king. Shortly afterwards Haraldr gullskeggr died. In the winter of the same year, his daughter Ragnhildr died. And the following spring the young King Haraldr died of sickness in Sogn. He was then ten years old. As soon as Hálfdan svarti heard of his death, he set out with a great troop and went north to Sogn. He was welcomed there. He claimed the kingdom and inheritance there after his son, and there was no opposition there. He subjected the kingdom to himself. Then Jarl Atli inn mjóvi from Gaular came to him. He was a friend of King Hálfdan. The king put him in charge of Sygnafylki to administer the laws of the land there and to collect taxes on behalf of the king. Then the king went to Upplǫnd to his own kingdom.
King Hálfdan went in the autumn out to Vingulmǫrk. It happened one night when King Hálfdan was at a banquet, that at midnight a man came to him who had been keeping mounted guard, and told him that an army had approached the residence. The king immediately got up and told his men to arm. Then he goes out into the courtyard and drew up his men in battle order. Thereupon Hýsingr and Helsingr, sons of Gandálfr, arrived with a large troop. A great battle took place there, and because King Hálfdan was far outnumbered, he fled to the forest and lost a large number of men. Ǫlvir inn spaki, King Hálfdan’s foster-father, fell there. After this troops thronged to King Hálfdan. Then he went to search out Gandálfr’s sons, and they met at Eið by Eyi and fight there. Hýsingr and Helsingr fell there, but their brother Haki escaped by flight. After this King Hálfdan subjected the whole of Vingulmǫrk to himself, and Haki fled to Álfheimar.
There was a king called Sigurðr hjǫrtr in Hringaríki. He was larger and stronger than any other man. He was also the most handsome man to look at. His father was Helgi inn hvassi, and his mother was Áslaug, daughter of Sigurðr ormr-í-auga, son of Ragnarr loðbrók. It is said that Sigurðr was twelve winters old when he killed the berserk Hildibrandr and eleven others with him, fighting on his own. He achieved many mighty deeds and there is a long saga about him. Sigurðr had two children. His daughter was called Ragnhildr. She was the most splendid woman. She was aged twenty at this time. Her brother was called Guthormr. He was still a youth. And it is said of Sigurðr’s activities, that he used to ride out alone into the wildernesses. He hunted huge and dangerous beasts. He always put great energy into this. It happened one day that Sigurðr was riding out alone into the forests, as his custom was. And when he had been riding a long while, he came out into a clearing in the neighbourhood of Haðaland. Then the berserk Haki came against him with thirty men. They fought there. Sigurðr hjǫrtr fell there, and twelve of Haki’s men, and he himself lost an arm and had three other wounds. Afterwards Haki rode with his men to Sigurðr’s home and took away his daughter Ragnhildr and her brother Guthormr, and a great deal of wealth and many valuables and took them with him back to Haðaland. There he had great residences. Then he had a banquet prepared and was going to celebrate his wedding to Ragnhildr, but this was delayed because his wounds got worse. Haki Haðaberserkr was confined to his bed with his wounds through the autumn and the first part of winter. But over Yule King Hálfdan was attending a banquet in Heiðmǫrk. He had heard about all these doings. It was early one morning, when the king was dressed, that he summoned Hárekr gandr, told him that he was to go across to Haðaland, ‘and fetch me Sigurðr hjǫrtr’s daughter Ragnhildr’. Hárekr set out and took a hundred men, arranging his expedition so that they got across the lake to Haki’s dwelling in the small hours, and put guards on all the doors of the hall that the household were sleeping in. Then they went to the sleeping chamber that Haki slept in and broke into it, carried off Ragnhildr and her brother Guthormr and all the wealth that was there, and they burned the hall and all the men that were in it. They put a covering on a very splendid wagon and put Ragnhildr and her brother in it and went onto the ice. But Haki got up and followed them for a while, and when he got to the ice of the lake, he turned the hilt of his sword downwards and leaned on the point so that the sword pierced him through. There he met his death, and he is buried in a mound on the lakeshore. King Hálfdan saw them crossing the ice of the lake, for he had very good eyesight. He saw the covered wagon and felt certain that Hárekr and his men’s mission must have turned out as he wished. Then he had his table set and men sent round many parts of the district and invited many people to come and there was that day a great and splendidly prepared banquet, and at this banquet King Hálfdan married Ragnhildr, and she was afterwards a powerful queen. Ragnhildr’s mother was Þyrrni, daughter of King Klakk-Haraldr of Jutland and sister of Þyri Danmarkarbót, who was married to Gormr inn gamli, king of the Danes, who was ruling the realm of the Danes at that time.
Queen Ragnhildr dreamed great dreams, and she was highly intelligent. This was one dream that she dreamed, that she thought she was there in her herb garden and that she took a thorn from her shift. And as she held it, it grew so that it became a great shoot, so that one end reached the ground and was soon firmly rooted, and the other end reached high up into the air. And next the tree seemed so huge that she could hardly see up over it. It was also astonishingly thick. The lower part of the tree was red as blood, while the stem above was bright green and the branches white as snow. There were also many large twigs on the tree, some high up, some lower down. The branches of the tree were so huge that they seemed to her to spread across all Norway and much further still.
King Hálfdan never dreamed. He thought this was strange and consulted a man called Þorleifr spaki and asked for advice as to what could be done about it. Þorleifr told him what he did if he wanted to find out about something, that he went to sleep in a pigsty, and then he never failed to have a dream. And the king did this, and this dream appeared to him: It seemed to him that he had the finest hair of anyone, and his hair fell all in locks, some as long as down to the ground, some to halfway up his calves, some to his knee, some to his hip or halfway up his side, some to no lower than his neck, and some were no more than sprouting up from his head like little horns, and his locks were of all kinds of colours, but one lock surpassed them all in beauty and brightness and size. He told Þorleifr this dream, and Þorleifr interpreted it thus, that great progeny would come from him, and they would rule lands with great, though not all with equally great, glory, but there would be one come of his line who would be greatest and highest of all, and it is accepted as true that this lock symbolised King Óláfr the Saint. King Hálfdan was a man of great wisdom and truthfulness and justice, and established laws and observed them himself and forced everyone else to observe them, and so that arrogance might not overpower the law, he himself compiled a list of penalties and laid down the atonement for everyone according to their birth and status. Queen Ragnhildr gave birth to a son, and the boy was sprinkled with water and named Haraldr. He was soon big and most handsome. He grew up there and already early on became a man of accomplishments and gifted with great intelligence. His mother loved him greatly, but his father not so much.
King Hálfdan was receiving a Yule-banquet in Haðaland. There then took place there a marvellous event on Yule-eve, when people had sat down at table, and there was a very large number of them, that all the food disappeared from the tables and all the ale. The king remained sitting sadly, but everyone else set out for home. But in order that the king might ascertain what was behind this event, he had a Lapp brought who had knowledge of many kinds, and tried to compel him to tell the truth and tortured him and yet got nothing out of him. The Lapp turned insistently to Hálfdan’s son Haraldr for help, and Haraldr begged for mercy for him and it was not granted, and yet Haraldr got him away in spite of the king’s opposition and himself went with him. They came on their travels to where a nobleman was holding a great banquet and they were apparently given a good welcome there. And when they had stayed there until the spring, it happened one day that the nobleman said to Haraldr:
‘An amazingly damaging loss for himself your father made out of it when I took some food away from him last winter, but I will compensate you for it with joyful news. Your father is now dead, and you must go home. You will then get all the realm that he has ruled, and in addition you will gain all Norway.’
Hálfdan svarti was driving from the banquet in Haðaland, and his route happened to take him driving across the lake of Rǫnd. It was in the spring. The ice was thawing quickly in the sun. And as they were driving across Rykinsvík, there had been there in the winter a watering hole for cattle, and where the dung had fallen on the ice, there it had eaten into it in the thawing sun, and when the king drove across it, the ice collapsed, and King Hálfdan perished there and a large part of his men with him. He was then forty years old. His reign had been blessed with most prosperous seasons. People thought so much of him that when it became known that he was dead and his body was taken to Hringaríki and was going to be buried there, then the rulers came from Raumaríki and from Vestfold and Heiðmǫrk and all asked to take the body with them and bury it in a mound in their own district, and it was considered a promise of prosperity for whoever got it. And they came to this agreement that the body was divided into four parts, and the head was laid in a mound at Steinn in Hringaríki, and they each took back with them their own share and buried it, and these are all known as Hálfdan’s mounds.
Haraldr succeeded to the kingdom after his father. He was then ten winters old. He was of all men the biggest and strongest and most handsome to look at, a wise and most outstanding man. Guthormr, his maternal uncle, was put in charge of his personal following and the whole government of the country. He was commander of the army. After the death of Hálfdan svarti many noblemen began to encroach upon the realm that he had bequeathed. The first person was King Gandálfr, and the brothers Hǫgni and Fróði, sons of King Eysteinn of Heiðmǫrk, and Hǫgni Káruson advanced over much of Hringaríki. Then Haki Gandálfsson sets out for Vestfold with three hundred men and travelled by the upland route across some valleys and intended to take King Haraldr by surprise, but King Gandálfr stayed in Lóndir with his army, and there he planned to transport himself across the fiord to Vestfold. And when Duke Guthormr hears about this, he musters an army and goes with King Haraldr and first turns up inland against Haki, and they meet in a certain valley. There was a battle there, and King Haraldr gained victory. There King Haki fell and a great part of his army. The place has since been known as Hakadalr. After that they turn back, King Haraldr and Duke Guthormr, and by then King Gandálfr had reached Vestfold. And now each advances towards the other, and when they meet, a fierce battle takes place. King Gandálfr fled from it and lost the greatest part of his army and thus got back to his kingdom. And when the sons of King Gandálfr hear about these events in Heiðmǫrk, they thought an attack against them was imminent. They send word to Hǫgni Káruson and Hersir Guðbrandr and arrange to meet in Heiðmǫrk at Hringisakr.
After these battles King Haraldr and Duke Guthormr and all the troops they can muster set out, and turn towards Upplǫnd and travel largely through forest routes. They find out where the kings of the Upplanders have arranged to meet and get there about midnight. And the watchmen noticed nothing until the army had arrived before the chamber that Hǫgni Káruson was in, and also the one that Guðbrandr was sleeping in, and they set fire to both. But the sons of Eysteinn came out with their men and fought for a while, and both fell there, Hǫgni and Fróði. After the fall of these four leaders King Haraldr, by the strength and efficiency of his kinsman Guthormr, became master of Hringaríki and Heiðmǫrk, Guðbrandsdalir and Haðaland, Þótn and Raumaríki, Vingulmǫrk, the whole of the more northerly part. After this King Haraldr and Duke Guthormr had warfare and battles with King Gandálfr, and it ended with King Gandálfr falling in the last battle, and King Haraldr becoming master of the realm all the way south to the Raumelfr.
King Haraldr sent his men to fetch a girl whose name was Gyða, daughter of King Eiríkr of Hǫrðaland—she was being fostered in Valdres with a rich farmer—whom he wished to take as his mistress, since she was a very beautiful girl and rather proud. But when the messengers got there, they delivered their message to the girl. She replied in the following manner, that she is not willing to sacrifice her virginity in order to take as her husband a king who had no more of a realm than a few districts to administer. ‘But it seems strange to me,’ she says, ‘that there is no king who wants to take possession of Norway so as to be sole ruler over it, as King Gormr has in Denmark or Eiríkr at Uppsalir.’ The messengers thought she was replying astonishingly haughtily, and put the question to her, what good this reply can do, saying that Haraldr is such a powerful king, that he can do as he pleases in this. But although she is responding to their mission otherwise than they would wish, they see no alternative to carrying her off, unless she would agree to it, and they prepare to depart. And when they are ready, people came to see them off. Then Gyða spoke to the messengers, told them to take this message to King Haraldr, that she will only agree to being his wife if he will first do this for her sake, subject the whole of Norway to himself and rule that realm as independently as King Eiríkr rules the realm of the Svíar or King Gormr Denmark. ‘For then it seems to me,’ she says, ‘that he can be called a sovereign king.’
The messengers now go back to King Haraldr and tell him these words of the girl’s, and say they think that she is remarkably bold and silly, and they think it fitting that the king should send a great army to fetch her in disgrace. Then King Haraldr replies that this girl had not said or done anything wrong, so as to merit punishment, saying she should be heartily thanked for what she had said. ‘She has drawn my attention to things,’ he says, ‘which it now seems to me strange that I have not considered before.’ And he went on: 
‘I make this vow and I call to witness the god who created me and governs all things, that my hair shall never be cut or combed until I have gained the whole of Norway with its taxes and dues and government or die in the attempt.’ Duke Guthormr thanked him heartily for these words, and declared it was a kingly deed to keep his word.
After this the kinsmen muster a great army and set out to Upplǫnd and on north across Dalir and from there north over Dofrafjall, and when he got down into the inhabited areas, he had everyone killed and the settlements burned. And when the people found out about this, then everyone that could fled, some down to Orkadalr, some to Gaulardalr, some into the forests, some begged for quarter, and all those got it who came to see the king and became his men. They met no resistance until they came into Orkadalr. There they came up against a host. There they had the first battle against the king whose name was Grýtingr. King Haraldr gained victory, and Grýtingr was captured and a large part of his army killed, but he submitted to King Haraldr and swore him oaths of allegiance. After that the whole population of Orkdœlafylki submitted to King Haraldr and became his people.
King Haraldr made this law everywhere he established his dominion over, that he took possession of all inherited property and made all farmers pay him land dues, both rich and poor. He set a jarl in every district who was to administer the laws of the land and collect fines and land dues, and the jarl was to have one third of the taxes and dues for his maintenance and expenses. Each jarl was to have under him four or more lords and each of them was to have revenues of twenty marks. Each jarl was to provide the king with sixty fighting men for his army, and each lord twenty men. And so much had King Haraldr increased the taxation and land dues that his jarls had more power than kings had had in the past. And then, when this was learned in Þrándheimr, many of the ruling class went to see King Haraldr and became his men.
It is said that Jarl Hákon Grjótgarðsson came to King Haraldr from out in Yrjar bringing a great army in support of King Haraldr. After that King Haraldr went in to Gaulardalr and had a battle there and felled two kings and afterwards took possession of their kingdoms, and that was Gauldœlafylki and Strindafylki. Then he gave Jarl Hákon supervision of Strindafylki. After that King Haraldr went in to Stjóradalr and there had the third battle and gained victory and won that district. After that the inland Þrœndir gathered together, four kings assembling with their armies, the first, who ruled Veradalr, the second ruled over Skaun, the third Sparbyggvafylki, the fourth from Eyin iðri. He possessed Eynafylki. These four kings went with an army against King Haraldr, and he had a battle with them and gained victory, and having felled eight kings, gained possession of the whole of Þrándheimr.
North in Naumudalr two brothers were kings, Herlaugr and Hrollaugr. They had spent three summers constructing a mound. This mound was built with stone and lime and timber. And when the mound was finished, then the brothers heard the news that King Haraldr was going against them with an army. Then King Herlaugr had a great deal of food and drink driven to the mound. After that King Herlaugr went into the mound with eleven men. Then he had the mound closed. Kind Hrollaugr went up onto the mound that kings were accustomed to sit on, and had a royal throne set up there and sat in it. Then he had cushions placed on the platform where jarls were accustomed to sit. Then King Hrollaugr rolled himself out of the royal throne and into the jarl’s seat and gave himself the title of jarl. After that he went to meet King Haraldr and gave him his whole kingdom and offered to become his man and told the king his whole procedure. Then King Haraldr took a sword and fastened it on his belt, fastened a shield round his neck and made him his jarl and placed him on a high seat. Then he gave him Naumdœlafylki to supervise and set him as jarl over it.
King Haraldr then went back to Þrándheimr and stayed there for the winter. Always afterwards he called Þrándheimr his home. There he built a very large establishment as his chief residence, which is called Hlaðir. That winter King Haraldr married Ása, daughter of Jarl Hákon Grjótgarðsson, and Hákon was then given the highest honour by the king. In the spring King Haraldr took to his ships. During the winter he had had a large dragon-head ship built and very finely fitted out. He manned it with his personal following and berserks. Those whose stations were at the prow were most carefully chosen, because they were in charge of the king’s standard. Aft of the prow station as far as the bailing station it was called rausn. There the berserks were stationed. Only those were admitted to the king’s household who were outstanding men in strength and valour and all kinds of ability, only they were assigned to his ship, and he had then plenty of choice of followers for himself from every district. King Haraldr had a large army and many great ships, and many noblemen followed him. The poet Hornklofi says this in Glymdrápa, that King Haraldr had fought at Uppdalsskógr against the Orkndœlir before he took out this levy:
On the heath the ruler raging ever against stirring trees of banner-path chants waged battle-ski thunder, before the increaser of clamour of the high hall of Gripnir sailed splendidly to the conflict skis of the riding-beast. 
He caused, the battle-troop’s clash-Þróttr, who ushered Irish bandits hellwards, on the wolf-pack’s path, a crashing,
before out to sea with splendour the foe of Nǫkkvi, murderous, drove the rushing serpent of the sacred road of sea-teeth.
King Haraldr took his army out from Þrándheimr and turned south to Mœrr. Húnþjófr is the name of the king who ruled over Mœrafylki. Sǫlvi klofi was the name of his son. They were great warriors. And the king who ruled over Raumsdalr is named Nǫkkvi. He was Sǫlvi’s maternal grandfather. These rulers drew an army together when they heard about King Haraldr, and go against him. They met by Sólskel. A great battle took place there, and King Haraldr gained victory. So says Hornklofi:
There storm drove the plank-steed south, so that in battle the shield-bearer by the ship’s side did battle with two rulers. And challenging chieftains exchanged speechless greetings with loud shots in battle; the shouting of red shields continued.
There both kings fell, but Sǫlvi escaped by flight. Then King Haraldr subjected these two districts to himself and stayed there for a long time during the summer and laid down the laws for the people and set up supervisors and made sure the people were reliable, and in the autumn he set out to go north to Þrándheimr. Rǫgnvaldr jarl of the Mœrir, son of Eysteinn glumra, had that summer become King Haraldr’s man. The king made him ruler over these two districts, Norð-Mœrr and Raumsdalr, and gave him the support for it of both noblemen and farmers there, also a supply of ships to defend the land from attack. He was known as Rǫgnvaldr inn ríki and inn ráðsvinni, and people maintain that both were appropriate names. King Haraldr spent the following winter in Þrándheimr.
The next spring King Haraldr set out from Þrándheimr with a great army and said that he would make for Sunn-Mœrr with this army. Sǫlvi klofi had during the winter stayed out on warships and had raided over Norð-Mœrr and killed many of King Haraldr’s men, and plundered some and burned the buildings of others and caused very great damage, but sometimes in the winter he had been in Sunn-Mœrr with his kinsman Arnviðr. And when they learned that King Haraldr had come by ship and had a great army, they mustered troops and became very numerous, for many felt they needed to pay King Haraldr back for his hostility. Sǫlvi klofi went south to Firðir to see King Auðbjǫrn, who ruled there, and requested help from him, that he should go with his army in support of him and King Arnviðr. ‘It will then not be improbable that our expedition may turn out well, if we all rise against King Haraldr, for we will then have plenty of strength, and fate can determine the victory. The alternative, though it is no alternative for those men who are no less noble than King Haraldr, is to become his vassals. My father thought it the better course to fall in battle in his kingdom than to go of his own accord into King Haraldr’s service or not to face up to weapons, as the kings of the Naumdœlir did.’ Sǫlvi so managed his argument that Auðbjǫrn promised to go. He gathered together an army and went north to meet King Arnviðr. They then had a very large army. They then learned that King Haraldr was arrived from the north. They met each other on the landward side of Sólskel. It was usual, when men were fighting on ships, to tie the ships together and fight across the prows. This was done here. King Haraldr brought his ship against King Arnviðr’s ship. The fighting was fierce, and many people fell on both sides. And in the end King Haraldr got so angry and furious that he went forward to the forecastle on his ship and then fought so boldly that all the men in the forward part of King Arnviðr’s ship fell back to the mast, and some fell. Then King Haraldr went up onto King Arnviðr’s ship. King Arnviðr’s men then tried to flee, but he himself fell on his ship. King Auðbjǫrn also fell there, but Sǫlvi escaped by flight. So says Hornklofi:
The king stirred against soldiers a spear-storm, where red wounds spat blood; in din of Skǫgul sounded mail-coat goslings,
when on the prow in the prince’s presence, men fell lifeless; the sword on shields sang out; the stainer of blades had victory.
From King Haraldr’s army fell there his jarls Ásgautr and Ásbjǫrn, his brothers-in-law Grjótgarðr and Herlaugr, sons of Jarl Hákon. Sǫlvi was a great viking for a long time and frequently caused great damage in King Haraldr’s realm.
After that King Haraldr subjected Sunn-Mœrr to himself. King Auðbjǫrn’s brother Vémundr kept Firðafylki and became king over it. This was late in the autumn, and it was decided with King Haraldr that he should not travel south past Staðr in the autumn. Then King Haraldr set Jarl Rǫgnvaldr over both Mœrrs as well as Raumsdalr, and he kept a large number of men round him. King Haraldr then turned back north to Þrándheimr. The same winter Jarl Rǫgnvaldr went along the landward side of the islands across Eið and so south past Firðir. He got information about King Vémundr and reached the place called Naustdalr at night. King Vémundr was attending a banquet there. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr captured their house and burned the king in it with ninety men. After that Berðlu-Kári came to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr with a fully manned longship, and they both went north to Mœrr. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr took the ships that King Vémundr had had and all the valuables he could get. Berðlu-Kári went north to Þrándheimr to see King Haraldr and became his man. He was a great berserk. The next spring King Haraldr went south along the coast with a naval force and subjected Firðafylki. Then he sailed round the coast to the east and came out in Vík in the east. King Haraldr left Jarl Hákon Grjótgarðsson behind in Firðir and gave him Firðafylki to supervise. But then, when the king had gone to the east, Jarl Hákon sent word to Jarl Atli inn mjóvi that he should leave Sogn and be jarl in Gaular which he had had before. Atli said King Haraldr had given him Sygnafylki and said he would hold on to it until he met King Haraldr. The jarls disputed this with each other until they each mustered an army. They met in Stafanesvágr in Fjalir and had a great battle. There Jarl Hákon fell, and Jarl Atli was mortally wounded. His men took him to Atley and there he died. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
Ho̧kon, tree of Hǫgni’s daughter, was weapons’ target when he did battle; and as spear-points sounded, life the heir of Freyr at Fjalir lost. And where fell the friends of Ho̧kon, Stone-garðr’s son, at Stafanes the bay with men’s blood was mingled, in loud clash of Lóðurr’s friend.
King Haraldr brought his army east to Vík and made in to Túnsberg. At that time there was a market town there. King Haraldr had then spent four winters in Þrándheimr and had not been in all that time in the Vík. He got the news that Eiríkr Eymundarson, king of the Svíar, had subjected Vermaland to himself and was taking taxes from all the border forest districts and he claimed it was Vestra-Gautland all the way north to Svínasund and on the western side all the way along the sea; the king of the Svíar claimed it was all his realm and took taxes from it. He had set up a jarl there who was called Hrani inn gauzki. His realm was between Svínasund and the Gautelfr. He was a powerful jarl. The words of the king of the Svíar were reported to King Haraldr to the effect that he would not stop until he had the same extent of rule in the Vík as Sigurðr hringr or his son Ragnarr loðbrók had once had there, and that was Raumaríki and Vestfold, all the way out to Grenmarr, as well as Vingulmǫrk and everywhere south of there. There had by now turned to subservience to the king of the Svíar throughout all these districts many of the leading men and a large number of other folk. This greatly displeased King Haraldr, and he called a meeting with the farmers there in the Fold. He then brought charges against the farmers for what he claimed was treason against himself. Some of the farmers lodged denials on their own behalf, some paid fines, some received punishments. Thus he continued through this district during the summer. In the autumn he went up into Raumaríki, and there continued in the same manner, subjecting that district to himself. Then he learned in the early winter that King Eiríkr of the Svíar was riding across Vermaland to banquets with his following.
King Haraldr set out east through Eiðaskógr and came out in Vermaland. There he had banquets prepared for himself. There was a man called Áki. He was the most powerful farmer in Vermaland, very wealthy and by now old in years. He sent men to King Haraldr and invited him to a banquet. The king promised he would go on the given day. Áki also invited King Eiríkr to a banquet and appointed the same day for him. Áki had a great hall, an ancient one. Then he had another new banqueting hall built, no smaller, and all finely finished. He had this hall hung with all new hangings, but the ancient hall with ancient hangings. And when the kings came to the banquet, King Eiríkr was assigned to the ancient hall and his men, but King Haraldr to the new hall with his men. The tableware was all distributed in the same way, King Eiríkr and his men having all ancient vessels and also horns, though gilded and very finely decorated, but King Haraldr and his men had all new vessels and horns and all decorated with gold, they all had relief images on them and were polished like glass. The drink in both cases was of the best. The farmer Áki had previously been one of King Hálfdan’s men. And when the day came when the banquet was over, the kings got ready to depart. Then riding horses were waiting. Then Áki went before King Haraldr and took with him his son, twelve years old, called Ubbi. Áki said: ‘If you, king, think it worth your friendship in return for my goodwill, which I have shown you in my hospitality to you, then reward my son. I give him to you to enter your service.’ The king thanked him with many fine words for his entertainment and promised him in return his absolute friendship. Then he brought out great gifts which he gave to the king. Then Áki went to the king of the Svíar. Eiríkr was then clothed and ready to be off, and he was not very cheerful. Áki then took fine presents and gave them to him. The king makes little response and mounted his horse’s back. Áki went along the road with him and spoke with him. There was a forest near them, and the way lay across it. And when Áki came to the forest, then the king asked him: ‘Why did you make a difference between the hospitality for me and that for King Haraldr, so that he should have all the better share? And you realise that you are my man?’ ‘I thought,’ says Áki, ‘that you, king, and your men would find no entertainment lacking at this banquet. But as to there being ancient ornaments where you were drinking, the reason for that is that you are now old. But King Haraldr is now in the bloom of youth, so I gave him the new ornaments. But whereas you reminded me that I am your man, I know this for sure, that you are just as much my man.’ Then the king drew his sword and struck him his death-blow, then rode away. And when King Haraldr was ready to mount his horse, he ordered the farmer Áki to be summoned to him. And when people were looking for him, some ran in the direction that King Eiríkr had ridden. There they found Áki dead, then went back and told the king. And when he hears this, he calls on his men to avenge the farmer Áki. Then King Haraldr rides in the direction that King Eiríkr had previously ridden until each party becomes aware of the other. Then they each ride as hard as they can until King Eiríkr comes to the forest that separates Gautland and Vermaland. Then King Haraldr turns back to Vermaland, then subjects that land to himself and killed King Eiríkr’s men wherever he went. King Haraldr went back to Raumaríki in the winter.
King Haraldr went in the winter out to Túnsberg to his ships. He then gets the ships ready and sails east across the fiord, then subjects the whole of Vingulmǫrk to himself. He is out on warships all winter and raids on Ranríki. So says Þorbjǫrn hornklofi:
He will drink Yule at sea if he decides the matter, the prince forward-looking, Freyr’s game he will play; bored from youth, by fireside basking, indoors sitting, with ladies’ warm bower and wadded downy mittens.
The Gautar kept a host out against him all over the country.
In the spring, when the ice broke up, the Gautar staked the Gautelfr so that King Haraldr should not be able to take his ships inland. King Haraldr sailed his ships up into the river and took them up to the stakes, then raided the land on both sides and burned the settlement. So says Hornklofi:
South of the sea, the feeder of seagulls of war subjected—the prince had gods for patrons— people and land in battle, and the king, used to the helmet of the isle-trout, high-couraged, had the savage stag of limewood to a stake fastened by the land.
Then the Gautar rode with a great army and held a battle against King Haraldr and there was a great deal of loss of life, and King Haraldr gained victory. So says Hornklofi:
With a roar of raised axes and ringing of spears, men were bitten by black-polished blades of the great king’s forces, when the enemy of Gautar got victory; loud over the necks of spirited soldiers sang spears flight-bidden.
King Haraldr travelled widely over Gautland raiding and had many battles there on both sides of the river, and he was generally victorious, but in one battle Hrani gauzki fell. Then King Haraldr subjected to himself the whole land on the northern side of the river and west of Vænir and the whole of Vermaland. And when he turned away from there, then he set behind there to guard the land Duke Guthormr and a large troop with him, but he turned then to Upplǫnd and stayed there a while, then went north over Dofrafjall to Þrándheimr and stayed there for further long periods. Then he began to have children. He and Ása had these sons: Guthormr was the eldest, Hálfdan svarti, Hálfdan hvíti —they were twins—the fourth Sigfrøðr. They were all brought up in Þrándheimr in great honour.
The news came from the south of the country that the Hǫrðar and Rygir, Egðir and Þilir had gathered together and were making an uprising with both ships and weapons and large numbers of men. The instigators were Eiríkr king of Hǫrðaland, Súlki king of Rogaland and his brother Jarl Sóti, Kjǫtvi the Wealthy, king of Agðir, and his son Þórir haklangr, from Þelamǫrk two brothers, Hróaldr hryggr and Haddr inn harði. And then, when King Haraldr learned of these events, he mustered troops and launched ships into the water, then set out with the army and went south along the coast and took many men from each district. And then, when he came south past Staðr, King Eiríkr heard of it. He had then also mustered those troops that he could expect. Then he went south to meet the troops that he knew would be coming from the east as support for him. Then the whole army met up to the north of Jaðarr and then make in to Hafrsfjǫrðr. King Haraldr was already lying there with his army. Then a great battle begins there immediately, it was both hard and long. But in the end it came about that King Haraldr gained the victory, and there fell King Eiríkr and King Súlki and his brother Jarl Sóti. Þórir haklangr had laid his ship against King Haraldr’s ship. And Þórir was a great berserk. There was there a very fierce onslaught before Þórir haklangr fell. Then the whole of his ship was cleared of men. Then King Kjǫtvi also fled onto a certain little island, where there was a very good defensive position. Then all their troops fled, some on ships, but some leapt up ashore and so on the inland route south across Jaðarr. So says Hornklofi:
Hear now how there in Hafrsfjǫrðr grappled the king of high kin with Kjǫtvi the wealthy! Warships sailed westward willing for battle, with dragon-heads gaping and graven prows. They were laden with warriors and with white shields, spears brought from Britain, blades of Frankish forging. The berserks bellowed; battle was upon them. Howled wolfskin-wearers and weapons rattled. . The ambitious man they tested who taught them to flee, the lord of the Northmen who lives at Útsteinn. The prince changed, war in prospect, the places of vessels. Hard were shields hammered till Haklangr fell. The fat-necked king, flagging, defending the land against Shock-head, shielded his ships with an island; The wounded thrust themselves under thwarts, raising their arses heavenwards, heads stuck in the bilges. On their backs they bore, gleaming—bombarded with stones hall-tiles of Sváfnir, the timorous soldiers. Home from Hafrsfjǫrðr hastened eastern bumpkins, their minds on mead-drinking, made tracks over Jaðarr.
After this battle King Haraldr met no resistance in Norway. All the greatest of his enemies were now fallen, and some fled from the land, and that was a very large number of people, because then large uninhabited areas were settled. Then Jamtaland and Helsingjaland were settled, and yet both had been to a certain extent settled previously by Norwegians. During the warfare by which King Haraldr gained territory in Norway, outlying countries, Faeroes and Iceland, were discovered and settled. Then there was a great deal of travelling to Shetland, and many of the ruling classes of Norway fled as outlaws before King Haraldr and went on raids to the British Isles, were in Orkney and the Hebrides in winter, but in summer they raided in Norway and did much damage to the land there. There were also many of the ruling classes who submitted to King Haraldr and became his men and occupied lands with him.
King Haraldr had now become sole ruler of all Norway. Then he called to mind what that proud girl had said to him. He then sent men for her and had her brought to him and made her his mistress. These were their children: Álof was eldest, then was Hrœrekr, then Sigtryggr, Fróði and Þorgils.
King Haraldr had many wives and many children. He married a woman who was called Ragnhildr, daughter of King Eiríkr of Jutland. She was called Ragnhildr in ríka. Their son was Eiríkr blóðøx. He also married Svanhildr, daughter of Jarl Eysteinn. Their children were Óláfr Geirstaðaálfr, Bjǫrn and Ragnarr rykkill. King Haraldr also married Áshildr, daughter of Hringr Dagsson from up in Hringaríki. Their children were Dagr and Hringr, Guðrøðr skyrja, Ingigerðr. They say that when King Haraldr married Ragnhildr ríka he put away nine of his wives. Hornklofi alludes to this:
He would not have Hólmrygir or Hǫrðar women, any from Heiðmǫrk or Hǫlgi’s kindred, when the king of high birth chose a Danish bride.
King Haraldr’s children were all brought up in their maternal homes. Duke Guthormr had sprinkled King Haraldr’s eldest son with water and given him his own name. He had placed the boy on his knees and fostered him and kept him with him in Vík in the east. He was brought up there with Duke Guthormr. Duke Guthormr had complete charge of the whole of the land around the Vík and across Upplǫnd when the king was not in the vicinity.
King Haraldr heard that in many places in the central part of the country vikings were raiding, ones who spent the winters in the British Isles. He then took a levy out each summer and searched through the islands and outlying skerries, but wherever vikings became aware of his army, all fled, mostly out to the open sea. And then, when the king had got tired of this, it turned out one summer that King Haraldr sailed with his army to the British Isles. He came first to Shetland and there slew all the vikings who had not fled from there. Afterwards he sails south to Orkney and cleansed everywhere there of vikings. After that he goes right to the Hebrides and raids there. He slew there many vikings who had previously been leading bands. He had many battles there and was nearly always victorious. Then he raided in Scotland and had battles there. And when he came to Man in the west, then they had already heard of what depredation he had caused in that country, so all the people fled in to Scotland, and it was entirely empty of people and all the animals that could be, had been carried away. And then, when King Haraldr and his men went ashore, they found nothing to plunder. So says Hornklofi:
The ring-wrecker bore many rounds, shrewd, to the dwelling of the sand-ring; on the sand the stream-wolves’ tree did battle; till the Irish host, before the active lessener of the isthmus of the thruster, was all forced to flee from the fish-road country.
It was at this time that Ívarr, son of Rǫgnvaldr Mœrajarl, fell. And in compensation for this King Haraldr gave Jarl Rǫgnvaldr, when he sailed back from the British Isles, Orkney and Shetland, but Rǫgnvaldr immediately gave both countries to his brother Sigurðr, and he remained behind in the west when the king sailed back east. He first gave Sigurðr the jarldom. Then Þorsteinn rauðr, son of Óláfr hvíti and Auðr in djúpúðga, joined forces with him Sigurðr. They raided in Scotland and gained Katanes and Suðrland right as far as Ekkjálsbakki. Jarl Sigurðr slew Melbrigði tǫnn, a Scottish earl, and tied his head to his saddle-strap, and his calf-muscle struck against the tooth which was jutting out from the head. It became infected and he died as a result, and he is buried in a mound on Ekkjálsbakki. Then his son Guthormr ruled the countries for one year and died childless. Then vikings, Danes and Norwegians, established themselves in these countries.
King Haraldr was attending a banquet in Mœrr at Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s. He had now gained possession of the whole country. Then the king had a hot bath there, and then King Haraldr had his hair dressed, and then Jarl Rǫgnvaldr cut his hair, and before this it had been uncut and uncombed for ten years. During that time they called him Haraldr lúfa, but afterwards Rǫgnvaldr gave him a surname and called him Haraldr inn hárfagri and everyone said that this was an absolutely apt name, because he had hair that was both abundant and beautiful.
Rǫgnvaldr Mœrajarl was a most intimate friend of King Haraldr, and the king valued him highly. Rǫgnvaldr was married to Hildr, daughter of Hrólfr nefja. Their sons were Hrólfr and Þórir. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr also had sons by mistresses. One was called Hallaðr, the second Einarr, the third Hrollaugr. They were full-grown when their legitimate brothers were children. Hrólfr was a great viking. He was of such great size that no horse could carry him, and he walked wherever he went. He was known as GǫnguHrólfr. He raided a great deal in the eastern Baltic. One summer, when he returned to the Vík from raiding in the east, he made a coastal raid there. King Haraldr was in the Vík. He became very angry when he heard about this, for he had laid an absolute ban on plundering within the country. The king announced it at an assembly, that he was making Hrólfr an outlaw from Norway. And when Hrólfr’s mother Hildr heard about this, she went to see the king and begged for pardon for Hrólfr. The king was so angry that her begging did no good. Then Hildr uttered this:
Now you banish Nefja’s namesake, from the land outlawed drive the wise brother of heroes. Why do you act so, ruler? Unwise to be wolfish with such a wolf of Óðinn’s slaughter-board; he’ll treat the king’s flocks fiercely if he takes to the forest.
Gǫngu-Hrólfr then went west across the sea to the Hebrides, and from there he went west to Valland and raided there and won a great jarldom and settled it extensively with Norwegians, and it has since been known as Normandy. From Hrólfr’s line have come jarls in Normandy. Gǫngu-Hrólfr’s son was Viljálmr, father of Ríkarðr, father of another Ríkarðr, father of Roðbert lǫngumspaði, father of Viljálmr Bastard, king of England. From him all the kings of England since are descended. Queen Ragnhildr ríka lived for three years after she came to Norway. And after her death Eiríkr, son of her and King Haraldr, went for fostering to Firðir to Hersir Þórir Hróaldsson, and he was brought up there.
King Haraldr went one winter to attend banquets through Upplǫnd and had a Yule-banquet prepared for himself in Þoptar. On Yule-eve Svási came to the door while the king was sitting at table, and sent the king a message that he was to come out to him. But the king flew into a temper at this message and the same person carried the king’s anger out as had carried the message in to him. But none the less Svási bade the message be carried in a second time and said he was the same Lapp whom the king had permitted to set up his hut on the other side of the slope there. And the king went out and agreed to go to his home with him, and walked over the slope with the encouragement of some of his men, though some were against it. There Svási’s daughter Snæfríðr, a most beautiful woman, rose and served the king a goblet full of mead, and he took all into his grasp, including her hand, and it was immediately as if a fiery heat came into his flesh, and he wanted to have her straight away that night. But Svási said that it should not be except by force, unless the king betrothed himself to her and got her lawfully, and the king betrothed himself to Snæfríðr and married her and loved her so madly that his kingdom and all his duties he then neglected. They had four sons, one was Sigurðr hrísi, Hálfdan háleggr, Guðrøðr ljómi, Rǫgnvaldr réttilbeini. Then Snæfríðr died, but her colour changed not a bit, she was just as ruddy as when she was alive. The king sat over her continually and thought that she would return to life. So three years went by, that he mourned her dead while all the people of the land mourned him astray in his wits. But to put down this derangement Þorleifr spaki came to treat him who using his intelligence put down this derangement by first of all addressing him after this manner: ‘It is not, king, surprising that you should commemorate a woman so beautiful and of such noble descent, and should honour her with down and velvet, as she bade you, but your nobility is less than it ought to be, and so is hers, in that she lies too long on the same cloths, and it is much more proper that she should be moved and the cloths under her be changed.’ And as soon as she was moved from the bed, then decay and foul stench and all kinds of foul smells sprang out of the corpse. Then a pyre was hastily built and she was burned. Before that the whole body went black and there swarmed out of it worms and adders, frogs and toads, and all kinds of nasty maggots. Thus she descended to ashes, and the king ascended to wisdom and turned his mind from folly, afterwards ruled his kingdom and gained strength, rejoiced in his subjects and they in him, and the kingdom in both.
After King Haraldr had found out the fraud of the Lappish woman, he got so angry that he drove away his and the Lappish woman’s sons and refused to see them. But Guðrøðr ljómi went to see his foster-father Þjóðólfr of Hvinir and asked him to go with him to the king, since Þjóðólfr was an intimate friend of the king. But the king was then in Upplǫnd. Then they went, but when they came to the king late in the evening, they sat down among the lower seats and kept hidden. The king went down the centre of the room and looked at the benches, and he was holding some kind of banquet, and mead had been brewed. Then he uttered this in a low voice:
Much too mead-eager are my old warriors, come here all hoary. Why are you so many?
We have had our heads hewn in play of weapons with the wise gold-breaker. We weren’t then too many.
Þjóðólfr took off his hood and then the king recognised him and welcomed him. Then Þjóðólfr begged the king that he should not despise his sons. ‘For they would have willingly had a better maternal descent if you had let them have it.’ The king granted him this and bade him take Guðrøðr back with him where he had been before, but he bade Sigurðr and Hálfdan go to Hringaríki, and Rǫgnvaldr to Haðaland. They do as the king commanded. They all became valiant men and well endowed with skills. King Haraldr then remained peacefully in his own country and there was good peace and prosperity.
Jarl Rǫgnvaldr in Mœrr heard of his brother Sigurðr’s fall, and also that vikings were occupying his lands. Then he sent his son Hallaðr to the west and he took the title of jarl and took a great troop to the west, and then, when he came to Orkney, he established himself in his lands. But both in the autumn and in the winter and in the spring vikings went round the islands, plundered the headlands and made coastal raids. Then Jarl Hallaðr got tired of staying in the Islands. He threw himself down from the jarldom and took up the status of ho̧lðr. Then he went east to Norway. But when Jarl Rǫgnvaldr heard about this, he was displeased with Hallaðr’s behaviour, saying that his sons would turn out different from their forefathers. Then Einarr replied: ‘I have had little esteem from you. I have little affection to leave behind. I will go west to the Islands if you will give me some troops. I will promise you this, which will be a very great source of pleasure to you, that I shall not return to Norway.’ Rǫgnvaldr says it pleased him well that he would not return.
‘For I have little hope that you will be a credit to your family, for all your mother’s family is slave-born.’ Rǫgnvaldr gave Einarr one longship and provided it with a crew for him. Einarr sailed over the sea to the west. And when he came to Orkney, there lay there before him vikings on two ships, Þórir tréskegg and Kálfr skurfa. Einarr immediately engaged in battle with them, and gained victory, and they both fell. Then this was recited:
Then to trolls he gave Tréskegg, Torf-Einarr killed Skurfa.
He was called Torf-Einarr because he had turf cut and used it for firewood, for there was no forest in Orkney. Afterwards Einarr became jarl over the Islands, and he was a powerful person. He was an ugly person and one-eyed, and yet the most sharp-sighted of men.
Duke Guthormr usually stayed in Túnsberg and had supervision over the whole of the Vík when the king was not about, and was responsible for the defence of the land. It was very subject to raids by vikings there, and there was fighting up in Gautland as long as King Eiríkr Emundarson lived. He died when King Haraldr inn hárfagri had been king in Norway for ten years. After Eiríkr his son Bjǫrn was king in Svíþjóð for fifty years. He was father of Eiríkr inn sigrsæli and of Styrbjǫrn’s father Óláfr. Duke Guthormr died of sickness in Túnsberg. Then King Haraldr gave supervision of all that realm to his son Guthormr, and placed him there as ruler over it.
By the time King Haraldr was aged forty, many of his sons were pretty well grown up. They had all matured early. It came about that they were ill pleased that the king gave them no political power, but set a jarl in every district, and they believed the jarls to be of lower birth than they themselves were. Then one spring Hálfdan háleggr and Guðrøðr ljómi approached with a large troop of men and came unexpectedly to Rǫgnvaldr Mœrajarl and surrounded his house and burned him in it with sixty men. Then Hálfdan háleggr took three longships and manned them and then sails west over the sea, but Guðrøðr established himself there on the lands which Jarl Rǫgnvaldr had previously held. And when King Haraldr heard about this he went with a great troop against Guðrøðr. Guðrøðr saw no alternative but to give himself up into King Haraldr’s power, and the king sent him east to Agðir. But King Haraldr then set over Mœrr Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s son Þórir, and gave him his daughter Álof, who was known as árbót. Jarl Þórir þegjandi then had the same rule as his father Jarl Rǫgnvaldr had had.
Hálfdan háleggr came west to Orkney, very unexpectedly, and Jarl Einarr immediately fled from the islands and came back straight away the same autumn and then took Hálfdan by surprise. They met and there was a short battle and Hálfdan fled, and that was right at nightfall. Einarr and his men lay without tents during the night, and in the morning when it began to get light, they sought the men fleeing all over the islands and each one was killed wherever he was caught. Then said Jarl Einarr: ‘I am not sure,’ he said, ‘whether what I can see out on Rínansey is a man or a bird; sometimes it rises up, sometimes it lies down.’ Then they went over there and found there Hálfdan háleggr and took him prisoner. Jarl Einarr had uttered this verse in the evening before he began the battle:
have not seen from Hrollaugr, or the hand of Hrólfr, spears sent at the crowd of foes flying; our father’s vengeance befits us. And this evening, while I am creating tumult, over the vat’s stream silent sits Jarl Þórir at Mœrr. 
Then Einarr went up to Hálfdan. He cut an eagle on his back after this fashion, that he thrust a sword deep into his back and cut all the ribs right down to his rump, drawing out his lungs through the wound. This was the death of Hálfdan. Then spoke Einarr:
I’ve carried out for Rǫgnvaldr’s killing my quarter-share of vengeance; now the folk’s prop is fallen; the fates rightly decided. Heap up, wise warriors, for we have won victory— hard tribute I’ve chosen for him—stones on Long-Leg
Afterwards Jarl Einarr settled himself in Orkney, holding it as before. And then, when these events were heard about in Norway, Hálfdan’s brothers were very displeased with it and declared that it deserved vengeance, and many others agreed with this. And then, when Jarl Einarr hears that, he said this:
For my life are many men, not born lowly, of various families, eager, and with ample reason. But they have no knowledge, not yet having killed me, of which under the sole-thorn of the eagle will be lying.
King Haraldr called out troops and mustered a large army and then went west to Orkney. And when Jarl Einarr learned that the king was come from the east, he went across to Nes. Then he uttered a verse:
Many a man fair-bearded is made outlaw for sheep-killing, but I for the fall in the Islands of the young son of a ruler. They promise me peril from that prince high-couraged; I sheared a shard from Haraldr’s shield—but I’m not fearful.
Then men and messengers passed between the king and the jarl. So it came about that a meeting was arranged, and they meet in person, and the jarl submitted all to the king’s judgment. King Haraldr adjudged against Jarl Einarr and all the people of Orkney a fine of sixty marks of gold. The farmers thought this fine too high. Then the jarl offered them that he would pay it on his own, and he should then own all the ancestral property in the islands. They agreed to this, mostly for the reason that the poor owned little land, while the rich thought they would be able to redeem their patrimony when they wished to. The jarl paid all the money to the king. The following autumn the king went back east. It was for a long time afterwards that the jarls owned all the ancestral property, right on until Sigurðr Hlǫðvisson gave back the patrimonies.
King Haraldr’s son Guthormr was responsible for the defence of the land in the Vík, and he crossed with warships over the open sea. And when he was lying in the delta of the Elfr, Sǫlvi klofi came there and engaged in battle with him. There Guthormr fell. Hálfdan svarti and Hálfdan hvíti were out on viking raids and were raiding in the eastern Baltic. They had a great battle in Eistland. There Hálfdan hvíti fell. Eiríkr was being fostered by Hersir Þórir Hróaldsson in Firðir. King Haraldr loved him most out of all his sons and esteemed him most. When Eiríkr was twelve years old, King Haraldr gave him five longships, and he went raiding, first in the eastern Baltic, and then south round Denmark and around Frísland and Saxland, and spent four years on this expedition. After that he went west across the sea and raided round Scotland and Bretland, Ireland and Valland, and there spent another four years. After that he went north to Finnmǫrk and right on to Bjarmaland, and there he had a great battle and gained victory. When he came back to Finnmǫrk, his men found in a Lappish hut a woman whose equal in beauty they had never seen. She told them her name was Gunnhildr and said that her father lived in Hálogaland and was called Ǫzurr toti. ‘I have been staying here,’ she said, ‘in order to learn witchcraft from two Lapps who are the wisest in these forests. Now they have gone hunting, but both of them want to marry me, and they are both so clever that they can follow tracks like dogs both on thawed ground and on hard frozen snow, and they are so able on skis that nothing can escape them, neither men nor animals, and whatever they shoot at, they hit. Thus they have destroyed everyone that has approached here. And if they get angry, the earth turns upside down at their looks, and if anything living gets before their eyes, then it falls down dead. Now you can in no way get in their path unless I hide you here in my hut. We shall then try if we can kill them.
They agreed to this, that she should hide them. She took a linen bag, and they thought it was ash in it. She put her hand in it and strewed it over the hut both outside and in. Soon after the Lapps come home. They ask what had come there, and she said that nothing had come there. The Lapps found this strange, when they had traced the tracks right to the hut, and then they find nothing. Then they make themselves a fire and cook their food. And then, when they were fed, Gunnhildr made her bed. But the way it had gone for the three previous nights was that Gunnhildr had slept, but each of them had watched over the other in turns out of jealousy. Then she said: ‘Now come here, one of you lie on each side of me.’ They were pleased at this and did so. She held one arm round each of their necks. They fall asleep straight away, but she wakes them up. And then they soon fall asleep again, and so deeply that she can hardly wake them. And again they fall asleep, and she can in no way wake them up, and then she sits them up, and still they sleep. Then she takes two great sealskin bags and throws them over their heads and ties them up tightly below their arms. Then she makes a sign to the king’s men. They then rush out and use their weapons on the Lapps, and manage to kill them and drag them out of the hut. The following night there were such great thunderings that they could not go anywhere, but in the morning they went to their ship and took Gunnhildr with them and brought her to Eiríkr. Eiríkr and his men then went south to Hálogaland. He then summoned Ǫzurr toti to come to him. Eiríkr says that he wants to marry his daughter. Ǫzurr agrees to this. Eiríkr then marries Gunnhildr and takes her with him to the south of the country.
King Haraldr was fifty years of age by the time that many of his sons were grown up, but some of them were dead. Many of them then became very arrogant men within the country and quarrelled among themselves. They forced the king’s jarls off their estates, and slew some of them. King Haraldr then summoned a large assembly in the east of the country and called the people of Upplǫnd to it. Then he gave all his sons the title of king, and made it law that members of his family should each receive the kingdom from his father, but a jarldom any that was descended from his line through females. He divided the country between them, let them have Vingulmǫrk, Raumaríki, Vestfold, Þelamǫrk—these he gave to Óláfr, Bjǫrn, Sigtryggr, Fróði, Þorgísl, while Heiðmǫrk and Guðbrandsdalir he gave to Dagr and Hringr and Ragnarr; to the sons of Snæfríðr he gave Hringaríki, Haðaland, Þótn and whatever belongs to them. To Guthormr he had given from the Elfr across Ranríki to Svínasund to supervise. Him had he set for the defence of the land in the east by the border of the country, as is written above. King Haraldr himself was generally around the middle of the country. Hrœrekr and Guðrøðr were always within the household with the king and they had extensive revenues in Hǫrðaland and Sogn. Eiríkr was with his father, King Haraldr. He loved him most of any of his sons and esteemed him most. To him he gave Hálogaland and Norðmœrr and Raumsdalr. North in Þrándheimr he gave supervision to Hálfdan svarti and Hálfdan hvíti and Sigrøðr. He gave his sons in each of these districts half the revenues with himself and this also, that they should sit in a high seat a step higher than jarls and a step lower than himself. But that seat after his day each of his sons intended for himself, but he himself intended it for Eiríkr, and the Þrœndir intended it for Hálfdan svarti, but the Víkverjar and Upplendingar were happiest for those to have power whom they had there under their control. From this there arose great disagreement all over again between the brothers. But since they felt they had little rule, they went on raids, and as has been said, Guthormr fell in the delta of the Elfr at the hands of Sǫlvi klofi. After that Óláfr took over the realm that he had had. Hálfdan hvíti fell in Eistland, Hálfdan háleggr fell in Orkney. To Þorgísl and Fróði King Haraldr gave warships, and they went raiding in the British Isles and raided round Scotland and Bretland and Ireland. They, first of the Norwegians, gained possession of Dublin. They say that Fróði was given a poison drink, and Þorgísl was for a long time king over Dublin and was betrayed by the Irish and fell there.
Eiríkr blóðøx planned to be supreme king over all his brothers, and King Haraldr also wished to have it so. Father and son were together for long periods. Rǫgnvaldr réttilbeini had Haðaland. He learned witchcraft and became a magician. King Haraldr thought magicians were evil. In Hǫrðaland there was a magician who was called Vitgeirr. The king sent him word and commanded him to cease casting spells. He replied and said:
It does little harm if we do magic, the children of churls and crones, if so does Rǫgnvaldr réttilbeini, great son of Haraldr, in Haðaland.
And then, when King Haraldr heard this said, on his instruction Eiríkr blóðøx went to Upplǫnd and reached Haðaland. He burned his brother Rǫgnvaldr in his house with eighty magicians, and this deed was greatly praised. Guðrøðr ljómi stayed during the winter with his foster-father Þjóðólfr in Hvinir, while visiting kinsmen, and had a fully manned cruiser, and he wanted to go north to Rogaland. Then great storms set in, but Guðrøðr was committed to his voyage and could not put up with the delay. Then spoke Þjóðólfr:
Don’t set sail till the vessels’ smooth plain flattens, Guðrøðr; Geitir’s highway is hurling— on the high seas—boulders. The gale’s peak, far-reputed prince, await before leaving; stay till the weather settles. Surf breaks now on Jaðarr.
Guðrøðr went anyway, whatever Þjóðólfr said. And when they were passing Jaðarr, the ship capsized under them, and all perished there.
King Haraldr’s son Bjǫrn was at that time ruling over Vestfold and was generally in residence in Túnsberg, but did not go raiding much. Trading ships came frequently to Túnsberg both from there round the Vík and from the north of the country and from the south, from Denmark and from Saxland. King Bjǫrn also had trading ships on voyages to other countries and so acquired for himself valuable objects and other supplies which he felt he had the need for. His brothers called him seafarer or merchant. Bjǫrn was an intelligent person and very moderate and it was thought that he would make a good ruler. He had married well and suitably. He got a son who was called Guðrøðr. King Eiríkr returned from the eastern Baltic with warships and a large force. He demanded from his brother Bjǫrn that he should receive the taxes and revenues that were due to King Haraldr in Vestfold, but previously the custom had been for Bjǫrn to take the tax to the king himself or to send men with it. He wanted to go on doing this and refused to hand it over. But Eiríkr felt he needed food supplies and tapestry and drink. The brothers disputed this obstinately, and Eiríkr still did not get his way and went away from the residence. Bjǫrn also went away from the residence in the evening and up to Sæheimr. Eiríkr turned back, went up during the night to Sæheimr after Bjǫrn, got there while they were sitting over their drink. Eiríkr surrounded the building they were in, but Bjǫrn and his men went out and fought. Bjǫrn fell there and many men with him. Eiríkr took a great deal of plunder there and went to the north of the country. This greatly displeased Víkverjar, and Eiríkr was very unpopular there. The word went around that King Óláfr would avenge Bjǫrn if he got an opportunity to do so. King Bjǫrn lies in Farmannshaugr in Sæheimr.
King Eiríkr went the next winter back north to Mœrr and was receiving a banquet in Sǫlvi in from Agðanes. And when Hálfdan svarti learned this he went there with troops and surrounded the house they were in. Eiríkr was sleeping in an apartment outside the main building and managed to get out into the forest with four men, but Hálfdan and his men burned down the residence and all the troops that were in it. Eiríkr came to see King Haraldr with news of these events. The king became enormously angry at this and mustered an army and went against the people of Þrándheimr. And when Hálfdan svarti heard about this, he called out troops and ships and got together a very large number of men and sailed out to Staðr further in than Þorsbjǫrg. King Haraldr was then lying with his troops out off Reinslétta. Then men went between them. There was a certain noble person called Guthormr sindri . He was now in Hálfdan svarti’s troop, but he had previously been with King Haraldr and was a close friend of both of them. Guthormr was a great poet. He had composed poems about each of the two, father and son. They had offered him a reward, but he refused, and asked that they should grant him one request, and they had promised this. He then went to see King Haraldr and mediated for reconciliation between them and asked each of them to fulfil their promise and that they should be reconciled, and the kings held him in such great esteem that at his request they were reconciled. Many other noble persons supported this plea with him. It was brought about on these terms, that Hálfdan was to keep all the realm that he had previously held, he was also not to subject his brother Eiríkr to any attacks. About these events Jórunn skáldmær composed some verses in Sendibítr:
I learned, Hálfdan, that Haraldr heard of harsh actions, the blade-tester finds this poem black-looking —the Fine-Haired.
Hákon Grjótgarðsson jarl of Hlaðir had entire supervision of Þrándheimr whenever King Haraldr was elsewhere in the country and Hákon had the highest esteem from the king of anyone in Þrændalǫg. After Hákon’s fall his son Sigurðr took over the rule and became jarl in Þrándheimr. He had residence in Hlaðir. With him King Haraldr’s sons Hálfdan svarti and Sigrøðr were brought up, though previously they had been under the guardianship of his father Hákon. They were much the same age, Haraldr’s sons and Sigurðr. Jarl Sigurðr married Bergljót, daughter of Jarl Þórir þegjandi. Her mother was Álof árbót, daughter of Haraldr hárfagri. Jarl Sigurðr was the wisest of all men. And then, when King Haraldr began to grow old, he frequently spent his time in large residences that he owned in Hǫrðaland at Alreksstaðir or Sæheimr or Fitjar and in Rogaland at Útsteinn and at Ǫgvaldsnes on Kǫrmt. When King Haraldr was nearly seventy, he got a son by a woman called Þóra Morstrstǫng. Her family was from Morstr. She came of good kin, she was related to Hǫrða-Kári. She was the finest of women and most beautiful. She was said to be the king’s handmaid. At that time there were many in the king’s service who were of good family, both men and women. It was the custom with noblemen’s children to be very particular about who should sprinkle them with water or give them names. And then, when it came to the time when Þóra expected that she would give birth to a child, she wished to go to be with King Haraldr. He was then north in Sæheimr, but she was on Morstr. She then travelled north on Jarl Sigurðr’s ship. They lay during the night by the shore. There Þóra gave birth to a child on the slab of rock by the end of the jetty. It was a boy. Jarl Sigurðr sprinkled the child with water and called it Hákon after his father, Hákon Hlaðajarl. This boy was at an early age handsome and well built and much like his father. King Haraldr had the boy be with his mother, and they were at the king’s residences while the boy was young.
Aðalsteinn was at that time the name of the king in England who had then just taken over the kingdom. He was called the Victorious and the Firm in Faith. He sent men to Norway to see King Haraldr with this kind of message, that the messenger, going before the king, gives the king a sword ornamented with gold on hilt and handle, and the whole scabbard was decorated with gold and silver and set with precious stones. The messenger held it with the hilt towards the king and said: ‘Here is a sword, which King Aðalsteinn said you were to receive.’ The king took hold of the handle, and immediately the messenger said: ‘Now you have accepted it as our king wished, and now you shall be his subject, since you have received his sword.’ King Haraldr now realised that this was done in mockery, but he was not willing to become any man’s subject, and yet he remembered what his custom was, every time sudden fury or anger came over him, that he first calmed himself and thus let the anger pass off him and looked at the matter without anger. Now he again does the same, and put this before his friends, and they all agree together on what is best to do in this case, first of all to let the messengers go back unharmed.
The following summer King Haraldr sent a ship west to England and put on it as captain Haukr hábrók. He was a great warrior and very dear to the king. He gave into his charge his son Hákon. Haukr then went west to England to see King Aðalsteinn and met him in London. There was a reception taking place there and a splendid banquet. Haukr tells his men, when they came to the hall, how they are to organise their entrance, says that the one is to come out last who goes in first, and all are to stand in front of the table at the same distance from it and each have his sword on his left side and arrange their outer clothes in such a way that the sword cannot be seen. Then they go into the hall. There were thirty or them. Haukr went before the king and greeted him. The king bids him welcome. Then Haukr took the boy Hákon and put him on King Aðalsteinn’s knee. The king looks at the boy and asks Haukr why he does that. Haukr replies: ‘King Haraldr bade you foster a handmaid’s child for him.’
The king became very angry and grasped at a sword that was by him and drew it as if he was going to kill the boy. ‘You have now taken him on your knee,’ says Haukr. ‘Now you can murder him if you like, but you will not by doing that destroy all King Haraldr’s sons.’ After that Haukr went out and all his men and they go their way to their ship and sail out to sea as soon as they were ready to do so, and got back to Norway to see King Haraldr, and he was now pleased, because it is a common saying that a person who fosters a child for someone is of lower rank. In such exchanges between the kings it was evident that each of them wanted to be greater than the other, and even so no disparity between their status came about as a result. Each was supreme king in his realm until his dying day.
King Aðalsteinn had Hákon baptised and taught the true faith and good morality and all kinds of courtly behaviour. King Aðalsteinn loved him so much, more than he did all his kin, and after that everyone loved him who knew him. He was afterwards known as Aðalsteinn’s foster-son. He was the greatest man for sports, bigger and stronger and more handsome than any other man. He was intelligent and eloquent and a good Christian. King Aðalsteinn gave Hákon a sword whose hilt was of gold and the handle, though the blade was even better; Hákon clove a millstone to the eye with it. It was afterwards referred to as Kvernbítr. That was the best sword that has ever come to Norway. Hákon had it until his dying day.
King Haraldr was now eighty years of age; he now became infirm so that he felt he could not travel by land or manage the royal affairs. Then he took his son Eiríkr to his high seat and gave him rule over the whole country. But when King Haraldr’s other sons heard about this, then Hálfdan svarti sat himself on a king’s high seat. He then took the whole of Þrándheimr to rule over. All the Þrœndir backed him in this course of action. After the fall of Bjǫrn kaupmaðr his brother Óláfr took rule over Vestfold and adopted Bjǫrn’s son Guðrøðr. Óláfr’s son was called Tryggvi. He and Guðrøðr were foster-brothers and nearly the same age and both most promising and very able men. Tryggvi was bigger and stronger than anyone. And when the Víkverjar heard that the Hǫrðar had taken Eiríkr as supreme king, then they took Óláfr as supreme king in the Vík, and he kept that kingdom. Eiríkr was very displeased at this. Two years later Hálfdan svarti died suddenly inland in Þrándheimr at some banquet, and it was rumoured that Gunnhildr konungamóðir had bribed a woman skilled in magic to make him a poisoned drink. After that the Þrœndir took Sigrøðr as king.
King Haraldr lived three years after he had given Eiríkr sole rule of the kingdom; then he stayed in Rogaland or in Hǫrðaland in large residences that he owned. Eiríkr and Gunnhildr had a son whom King Haraldr sprinkled with water and gave his name to, saying that he should be king after his father Eiríkr. King Haraldr gave most of his daughters within the country to his jarls as wives, and from them are descended great family lines. King Haraldr died of sickness in Rogaland. He is buried in a mound at Haugar by Karmtsund. In Haugasund there stands a church, and by the very churchyard wall to the north-west is Haraldr hárfagri’s mound. To the west of the church lies King Haraldr’s tombstone, which lay over his tomb in the mound, and the stone is thirteen and a half feet long and nearly two ells broad. King Haraldr’s tomb was in the middle of the mound. One stone was put there at the head, and another at the foot, and the slab was laid on top, and it was heaped with stones round both sides underneath. The stones, which were then in the mound and have just been described, now stand there in the churchyard. Learned men say that Haraldr inn hárfagri has been the most handsome in appearance of all men, and strongest and biggest, the most liberal with money and very popular with his men. He was a great warrior in the early part of his life. And people now interpret it, those who have known about that great tree which appeared to his mother in a dream before his birth, where the lowest part of the tree was red as blood, while the trunk above it was fair and green, that this represented the blossoming of his reign. But in the upper part the tree was white: there it showed that he would become old and hoary. The twigs and branches of the tree signify his offspring which were spread over all the land, and kings in Norway have ever since been of his family line.
King Eiríkr took all the revenues which the king had had over the central part of the country the next winter after King Haraldr’s death, but Óláfr those in the east around the Vík, and their brother Sigrøðr had everything round Þrœndalǫg. Eiríkr was very displeased at this, and the word went round that he would by force seek from his brothers whether he might get sole rule over the whole country, as his father had given him. But when Óláfr and Sigrøðr hear this, then messengers go between them. Next they make an appointment for them to meet, and Sigrøðr goes in the spring east to Vík, and Óláfr and his brother meet in Túnsberg and stayed there for a while. The same spring Eiríkr calls out a great army and ships and turns east to Vík. King Eiríkr got such a strong favourable wind that he sailed day and night and no intelligence went before him. And when he got to Túnsberg, then Óláfr and Sigrøðr took their troops eastwards out of the town onto the slope and formed up there. Eiríkr had a much larger force, and he gained victory, but Óláfr and Sigrøðr both fell there, and the mounds of each of the two of them are there on the slope, where they lay fallen. Eiríkr then went round the Vík and subjected it to himself and stayed there much of the summer. Tryggvi and Guðrøðr then fled to Upplǫnd. Eiríkr was a big man and handsome, strong and a very valiant man, a great warrior and blessed with victory, an impetuous man in temper, fierce, unsociable and reserved. His wife Gunnhildr was the fairest of women, intelligent and of wide knowledge, cheerful in speech and a very deceitful person and the fiercest. These were the children of Eiríkr and Gunnhildr: Gamli was the eldest, Guthormr, Haraldr, Ragnfrøðr, Ragnhildr, Erlingr, Guðrøðr, Sigurðr slefa. All Eiríkr’s children were handsome and promising.
Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri was in England at the time when he heard of the death of his father King Haraldr. He immediately got ready to set out. King Aðalsteinn provided him with a troop of men and a good fleet of ships and fitted him out for the voyage very splendidly, and in the autumn he arrived in Norway. Then he learned of the fall of his brothers and also that King Eiríkr was now in the Vík. Then Hákon sailed north to Þrándheimr and went to see Sigurðr Hlaðajarl, who was the most sensible of men in Norway, and was given a good reception there, and they entered into fellowship with each other. Hákon promised him great power if he became king. Then they had a large assembly called, and at the assembly Jarl Sigurðr spoke on behalf of Hákon and proposed him to the farmers as king. After that Hákon himself stood up and spoke. Then they said to each other, each to his neighbour, that now Haraldr inn hárfagri was come there and had become young a second time. Hákon made this the beginning of his speech that he asked the farmers to give him the title of king and also to give him backing and support to hold on to the kingship, and in return he offered to make all farmers entitled to their patrimony and to give them their inherited land that they were dwelling in. There was such great applause for this that the whole crowd shouted and called out that they wanted to accept him as king. And thus it was done, that the Þrœndir took Hákon as king over the whole country. He was then fifteen years old. Then he got himself a following and travelled round the country. This news reached Upplǫnd, that the Þrœndir had taken a king for themselves similar in every way to what Haraldr inn hárfagri had been, except for the fact that Haraldr had enslaved and oppressed all people in the land, while this Hákon wished everyone well and offered to return the farmers their patrimonies which King Haraldr had taken from them. At this news everyone became glad and everyone passed it on. It flew like wildfire all the way east to the land’s end. Many farmers travelled from Upplǫnd to see King Hákon, some sent him men, some sent messages and tokens, all to the effect that they wanted to become his men. The king received this gratefully.
King Hákon went to Upplǫnd at the beginning of winter, summoned assemblies there, and everyone that was able thronged to see him. He was then accepted as king at every assembly. Then he went east to Vík. His nephews Tryggvi and Guðrøðr came there to him, and many others, reckoning up the troubles that they had been subject to at the hands of his brother Eiríkr. Eiríkr’s unpopularity grew ever the more as everyone became fonder of King Hákon and became more confident in speaking their minds. King Hákon gave Tryggvi and Guðrøðr the title of king and the same rule as King Haraldr had given their fathers. To Tryggvi he gave Ranríki and Vingulmǫrk, and to Guðrøðr Vestfold. But because they were young and still children, he set noble and wise men to rule the land with them. He gave them land on the same conditions that had applied previously, that they should share half the dues and taxes with him. King Hákon went north to Þrándheimr when spring came, by the higher route through Upplǫnd.
King Hákon mustered a great army in Þrándheimr when spring came and took to his ships. The Víkverjar also had a great army out and planned to go against Hákon. Eiríkr also called out troops in the centre of the country, and he found it difficult to get troops, since many of the ruling class forsook him and went over to Hákon. And when he saw he had no means of withstanding Hákon’s army, he sailed west across the sea with those troops who were willing to go with him. He went first to Orkney and got from there a large force. Then he sailed south to England and made raids around Scotland wherever he came close to land. He also raided everywhere round the north of England. King Aðalsteinn of the English sent word to Eiríkr and invited him to accept rule from him in England, saying this, that his father King Haraldr had been a great friend of King Aðalsteinn, and so he wanted to pay regard to that in dealings with his son. Then men went between the kings, and it was agreed on special terms that Eiríkr should take Norðimbraland to hold from King Aðalsteinn and defend the land there from Danes and other vikings. Eiríkr was to have himself and his wife and their children and all his men who had come there with him baptised. Eiríkr accepted this offer. He was then baptised and received the true faith. Norðimbraland is reckoned to be a fifth part of England. He had his residence in Jórvík, where it is said that earlier the sons of Loðbrók had resided. Norðimbraland had been mostly inhabited by Norwegians after the sons of Loðbrók conquered the land. Danes and Norwegians had often made raids on it after rule of the land had passed from them. Many place-names there are derived from the Norse tongue, Grímsbœr and Hauksfljót and many others.
King Eiríkr had large numbers of men around him, kept there a lot of Norwegians who had come with him from the east, and many more still of his friends came later from Norway. He held a small amount of land. Then he always went on raids in summer, raided Scotland and the Hebrides, Ireland and Bretland and so increased his wealth. King Aðalsteinn died of sickness. He had been king for fourteen years and eight weeks and three days. Afterwards his brother Játmundr was king in England. He was not keen on Norwegians. King Eiríkr was also not on friendly terms with him, and the word went round about King Játmundr that he was going to appoint another king over Norðimbraland. And when King Eiríkr heard this, he went raiding in the British Isles and took with him from Orkney Torf-Einarr’s sons Arnkell and Erlendr. Then he went to the Hebrides, and there were many vikings and war leaders there and they joined forces with Eiríkr. He then first of all took the whole army to Ireland and got from there whatever troops he could. Then he went to Bretland and raided there. After that he sailed south round the coast of England and raided there just as in other places, and all the people fled wherever he went. And because Eiríkr was a very courageous man and had a large army, he trusted his forces so well that he went a long way up inland and raided and sought followers. The name of the king that King Játmundr had set there to guard the land was Óláfr. He mustered an invincible army and went against King Eiríkr, and there was a great battle there. A lot of Englishmen fell, and wherever one fell, three came down from inland in his place. And in the latter part of the day, the casualties turned against the Norwegians, and many people fell there, and at the end of that day King Eiríkr fell and five kings with him. These are named: Guthormr and his two sons, Ívarr and Hárekr; Sigurðr and Rǫgnvaldr also fell there. Torf-Einarr’s sons Arnkell and Erlendr also fell there. A very great number of men fell from among the Norwegians, and those who got away went to Norðimbraland and told Gunnhildr and her sons what had happened.
And when Gunnhildr and her sons found out about this, that King Eiríkr was fallen, having previously made raids on the land of the king of the English, then they felt sure that it did not bode peace for them. They then got ready immediately to leave Norðimbraland, taking with them all the ships that King Eiríkr had had, and also took all the men who were willing to go with them, and a huge amount of wealth that had piled up there in taxes in England, though some had been got in raids. They take their troop north to Orkney and established themselves there for a while. At that time Torf-Einarr’s son Þorfiðr hausakljúfr was jarl there. Then Eiríkr’s sons subjected Orkney and Shetland to themselves and took taxes from them and stayed there the winter, and went on raids in the British Isles in summer, raiding round Scotland and Ireland. Glúmr Geirason mentions this:
The youth skilled in sailing to Skáney a fine voyage astride the stallion of sandbanks had made from there. With rage-flames the ruler ravaged, shield-Ullr, Scotland, sent an army of men’s sons sword-stricken to Óðinn.
The friend of men fostered fire of strife, to the pleasure of the valkyrie’s eagle; in flight went a host of Irish. The land-Freyr felled warriors, in favour of victory in the south, and stained red sword-blades in men’s blood.
King Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri subjected the whole of Norway to himself when his brother Eiríkr had fled away. King Hákon made his way the first winter to the west of the country, after that north to Þrándheimr and stayed there. But because the prospect did not seem peaceful, if King Eiríkr should make his way from the west over the sea with his army, he for this reason stayed with his troops in the centre of the country in Firðafylki and Sogn, in Hǫrðaland and Rogaland. Hákon put Sigurðr Hlaðajarl over all Þrœndalǫg, just as he and his father Hákon had held it from King Haraldr inn hárfagri. But when King Hákon heard of the fall of his brother King Eiríkr, and also that King Eiríkr’s sons had no support in England, then he felt there was little for him to fear from them; then he went one summer with his troops east to Vík. At that time Danes were raiding a great deal in the Vík and often caused great damage there. But when they heard that King Hákon was come there with a large army, they all fled away, some south to Halland, while those who were closer to where King Hákon was made out into the open sea and so south to Jutland. And when King Hákon found out about this, he sailed after them with all his army. And when he got to Jutland and people realised this, then they collected an army together and planned to defend their territory and engage in battle with King Hákon. Then a great battle took place. King Hákon fought so boldly that he was in advance of his standard and wore neither helmet nor coat of mail. King Hákon gained victory and pursued the flight of the enemy a long way up inland. So said Guthormr sindri in Hákonardrápa:
The king stepped with stream-oxen, on streets of blue, rowing. The splendid lord slew Jótar in storm of the battle-woman. The raven-wine pools’ swan’s sater with the scourge of the seducer of Óðinn’s roof, afterwards, at his will, pursued the fleeing.
Afterwards King Hákon took his troop north to Selund and sought for vikings. He rowed with two warships on into Eyrarsund. There he found eleven viking warships and immediately engaged in battle with them, and the outcome was that he gained victory and cleared all the viking ships of men. So says Guthormr sindri:
The bush of the bow-woman’s blaze-storm, with no more than two prow-steeds, to Sel-wound’s snout of green, went northwards, when the mover of the mast-steed, mad with rage, disabled the Danes’ ships, all eleven— it won him fame widely.
After this King Hákon made raids in many places round Selund and plundered the people, killing some of them, but taking some captive, exacting heavy tribute from some, and then met no resistance. So says Guthormr sindri:
Selund then the strife-tree succeeded in claiming as widely as ranged falcon and winds on Skáneyjarsíða.
Then King Hákon went east along Skáneyjarsíða and laid all waste, took tribute and taxes from the countryside and slew all vikings wherever he met them, both Danes and Vinðr. He went all the way east past Gautland and made raids there and got from the countryside there huge payments. So says Guthormr sindri:
The sail-bear’s steerer made subject to tribute the Gautar. Greatest destroyer of gold, he gave battle on that journey.
King Hákon returned in the autumn with his troops and had gained an immense amount of wealth. He stayed the winter in the Vík in case of attacks, should Danes and Gautar make them there.
That autumn King Tryggvi Óláfsson returned from raiding in the British Isles. Before this he had been raiding round Ireland and Scotland. In the spring King Hákon went to the north of the country and put his nephew King Tryggvi over the Vík to defend it from attacks and to take possession of those territories in Denmark that King Hákon had laid under tribute the previous summer. So says Guthormr sindri:
And over this Ónarr’s daughter, oak-grown, the reddener of strife-hood’s ice the mind-soother set, in the east, the bold one; him who had come from Ireland, careful in deeds, the splitter of Sveigðir’s hall, on skis of the swan’s plain, with his army.
King Haraldr Gormsson was then ruling Denmark. He was very displeased that King Hákon had made raids on his country, and it was rumoured that the king of the Danes would be planning vengeance, but this did not happen so soon. But when Gunnhildr and her sons heard this, that there was fighting between Denmark and Norway, then they set out on an expedition from the British Isles. They gave Eiríkr’s daughter Ragnhildr in marriage to Þorfiðr hausakljúfr’s son Arnfinnr. Then Jarl Þorfiðr established himself in Orkney again, and Eiríkr’s sons went away. Gamli Eiríksson was then just about the eldest and yet was not a full-grown man. And when Gunnhildr got to Denmark with her sons, she went to see King Haraldr and was received well there. King Haraldr granted them such great revenues in his realm that they were easily able to support themselves and their men. And he accepted as foster-son Haraldr Eiríksson and placed him on his knee. He was brought up there in the household of the king of the Danes. Some of Eiríkr’s sons went raiding as soon as they were old enough, and gained wealth for themselves, making raids in the eastern Baltic. They were handsome at an early age, and mature in strength and ability sooner than in years. Glúmr Geirason mentions this in Gráfeldardrápa :
The prince, who gave many poets piercers of war-temples—in strife he was successful—subdued eastern countries. The sword-play god set singing scabbard-tongues. The ruler brought armies, gold-adorned, active, to the ground.
 Eiríkr’s sons then also turned about with their army northwards to the Vík and made raids there, but King Tryggvi had an army out and sailed to meet them, and they had many battles and the victory went now one way, now the other. Eiríkr’s sons were sometimes making raids in the Vík, and Tryggvi sometimes round Halland and Sjáland.
While Hákon was king in Norway, the farmers and the merchants were on good peaceful terms with each other, so that neither harmed the other or the other’s property. Those were prosperous times both by sea and by land. King Hákon was the most cheerful of all men and the most eloquent and most condescending. He was a man of great wisdom and devoted great energy to lawmaking. He set up Gulaþingslǫg with the advice of Þorleifr spaki and he set up Frostaþingslǫg with the advice of Jarl Sigurðr and others of the Þrœndir who were the most sensible. But Heiðsævislǫg had been set up by Hálfdan svarti, as is written above. King Hákon attended a Yulebanquet in Þrándheimr. Jarl Sigurðr had prepared it for him at Hlaðir. In the night of the first day of Yule the jarl’s wife Bergljót gave birth to a boy child. Then next day King Hákon sprinkled the boy with water and gave him his own name, and this boy grew up and later became a powerful and noble person. Jarl Sigurðr was a very close friend of King Hákon.
King Eysteinn of the Upplendingar, whom some call the Great, and some the Evil, he made raids in Þrándheimr and subjected Eynafylki and Sparbygðafylki to himself and put over it his son whose name was . . . But the Þrœndir slew him. King Eysteinn made a second military expedition into Þrándheimr and made raids in many places there and subjected it to himself. Then he gave the Þrœndir the choice, whether they wanted to have as their king his slave, known as Þórir faxi, or a dog who was called Saurr, and they chose the dog because they thought that then they would be more independent. They had a spell cast on the dog giving him the intelligence of three men, and it barked for two words and spoke the third. A collar was made for it and a lead of silver and gold. And when it was muddy, courtiers carried it on their shoulders. A throne was made for it, and it sat on a mound as kings do, and dwelt on Eyin iðri and had a residence in the place called Saurshaugr. It is said that its death came about when wolves attacked its flock and courtiers urged it to defend its property; it left the mound and went to where the wolves were, and they immediately tore it to pieces. There were many other surprising things that King Eysteinn did to the Þrœndir. Because of this raiding and warfare many of the ruling class fled, and many people fled from their ancestral property. Ketill jamti, son of Jarl Ǫnundr of Sparabú, went east over Kjǫlr and a large number of men with him and took his household goods with him. They cleared forests and settled large districts there. It was afterwards called Jamtaland. Ketill’s grandson was Þórir helsingr. He moved away from Jamtaland because of some killings, east over the forests that are situated there, and settled there, and a large number of people made their way there with him. And that is known as Helsingjaland. It extends all the way to the sea. Svíar inhabited Helsingjaland all along the eastern side by the sea. And when King Haraldr inn hárfagri was fighting his way to power, then again numerous people fled before him out of the country, Þrœndir and Naumdœlir, and then further settlement took place east across Jamtaland, in some case extending all the way to Helsingjaland. The Helsingjar made trading expeditions into Svíþjóð, and their loyalties were entirely in that direction, but the Jamtr found themselves very much right in the middle, and no one took any notice of this until Hákon established peace and trade with Jamtaland and became friends with the ruling classes there. They afterwards travelled from the east to see him and consented to submission to him and payment of taxes and became his subjects, because they had had good reports of him. They preferred to be under his dominion rather than under the king of Svíþjóð, for they had come from Norwegian ancestry, and he established laws and privileges for them. All the Helsingjar did the same, those who originated from north of Kjǫl.
King Hákon was a good Christian when he came to Norway. But because that country was all heathen and there was a great deal of pagan worship and many powerful people, and he felt he was lacking support and popularity among the ordinary people, he decided to practise his Christianity in secret, observing Sundays and Friday fasts. He made it law that observance of Yule should begin at the same time as Christian people observed Christmas, and then everyone was to have a measure of ale, or else pay a fine, and keep holiday as long as the ale lasted. But previously observance of Yule began on midwinter night, and continued for three nights. What he was intending was that when he was established in the country and had subjected the whole country to himself without opposition, he would then put forward Christianity. What he did first, was attract the people who were closest to him to Christianity. Thus by means of his popularity it came about that many had themselves baptised, and some gave up pagan practices. He stayed for long periods in Þrándheimr, because most of the power in the country resided there. And when King Hákon felt that he had gained the support of some of the ruling class in upholding Christianity, then he sent to England for a bishop and some other clerics. And when they came to Norway, then King Hákon revealed publicly that he intended to preach Christianity throughout the country. But the Mœrir and the Raumdœlir referred their decision to the Þrœndir. King Hákon then had some churches consecrated and put priests in them. But when he came to Þrándheimr, he called an assembly with the farmers and preached Christianity to them. Their answer was that they would refer this matter to Frostaþing, and desired that people should come there from all the districts that were in Þrœndalǫg, saying that then they would respond to this difficult business.
Sigurðr Hlaðajarl was very keen on heathen worship, and so was his father Hákon. Jarl Sigurðr maintained all the ritual banquets on behalf of the king there in Þrœndalǫg. It was an ancient custom, when a ritual feast was to take place, that all the farmers should attend where the temple was and bring there their own supplies for them to use while the banquet lasted. At this banquet everyone had to take part in the ale-drinking. All kinds of domestic animals were slaughtered there, including horses, and all the blood that came from them was then called hlaut, and what the blood was contained in, hlaut-bowls, and hlaut-twigs, these were fashioned like holy water sprinklers; with these the altars were to be reddened all over, and also the walls of the temple outside and inside and the people also were sprinkled, while the meat was to be cooked for a feast. There would be fires down the middle of the floor in the temple with cauldrons over them. The toasts were handed across the fire, and the one who was holding the banquet and who was the chief person there, he had then to dedicate the toast and all the ritual food; first would be Óðinn’s toast—that was drunk to victory and to the power of the king—and then Njǫrðr’s toast and Freyr’s toast for prosperity and peace. Then after that it was common for many people to drink the bragafull. People also drank toasts to their kinsmen, those who had been buried in mounds, and these were called minni. Jarl Sigurðr was the most liberal of men. He did something that was very celebrated: he held a great ritual feast at Hlaðir and stood all the expenses. Kormakr Ǫgmundarson mentions this in Sigurðardrápa:
No man need take platter nor ash-wood cup’s offspring to give the goods-damager there. The gods fooled Þjazi. Each avoids the enmity of the temple’s keeper, for he hails the fire-Rǫgnir of the fen. Gramr fought for treasure.
King Hákon came to the Frostaþing, and a very large number of farmers was attending there. And when the assembly had been inaugurated, then King Hákon spoke, begining first of all with this, that it was his proposal and entreaty to the farmers and husbandmen, rich and poor, together with all ordinary people, young and old, wealthy and not well off, women as well as men, that everyone should have themselves baptised and believe in one God, Christ son of Mary, and abandon all heathen worship and pagan gods, keeping holy every seventh day, abstaining from all work, also fasting every seventh day. But when the king had put this to all the people, there was immediately a great murmuring. The farmers grumbled that the king wanted to deprive them of labour, and also that the land could not be cultivated like that. And the labourers and slaves declared that they could not work if they were not to get food, and also said that it was a defect in the character of King Hákon and his father and their whole family that they were mean with food, even though they were generous with gold. Ásbjǫrn of Meðalhús in Gaulardalr stood up and replied to the king’s proposal and said: ‘What we farmers thought, King Hákon, when you held the first assembly here in Þrándheimr and we had accepted you as king and received from you our ancestral rights, was that we then had heaven in our grasp, but now we are not sure which is more the case, that we will have received freedom or that you will have had us enslaved anew in an amazing way, that we should abandon the beliefs that our fathers held before us, and all our forefathers, first about the age of burning, and now about the age of mound-burial, and they have been far more noble than we, and yet these beliefs have served us well. We have become so fond of you that we have let you decide all our laws and privileges. Now this is what we desire and the farmers have agreed on, that we keep the laws which you established for us here at the Frostaþing and we consented to with you. We will all follow you and keep you as king, as long as any of the farmers who are now present at this assembly is alive, if you, king, will exercise some moderation in asking of us only what we can grant you and what is not impossible for us. But if you try to pursue this business with such great rigour as to treat us with physical force and tyranny, then we farmers have made our decision, all of us to part company with you and find ourselves another ruler who will carry on towards us so that we can hold to that belief which we wish in freedom. Now you, king, must choose from these alternatives before the assembly is broken up.’ The farmers gave loud applause to this speech and say that that is how they want it to be.
And when a hearing could be got, Jarl Sigurðr replied: ‘It is King Hákon’s desire to reach an agreement with you and never to bring about the loss of your friendship.’ The farmers say that they want the king to sacrifice for their prosperity and peace as his father had done. Then the grumbling stopped, and they break up the assembly. Then Jarl Sigurðr spoke to the king, that he should not absolutely refuse to do what the farmers wanted, saying that nothing else would do. ‘This, king, as you yourself can hear, is the desire and determination of the leaders and of all the people too. We shall, king, find some satisfactory way out.’ And this was agreed between the king and the jarl.
In the autumn towards winter there was a sacrificial feast at Hlaðir, and the king attended. Previously, he had always been accustomed, if he was present where sacrifices were being offered, to take his food in a small building with a few of his men. But the farmers objected to him not sitting on his throne when the principal entertainment was taking place. The jarl said that he should not do that then. So it was, that the king sat on his throne. And when the first toast was served, Jarl Sigurðr announced it and dedicated it to Óðinn and drank from the horn to the king. The king took it and made the sign of the Cross over it. Then Kárr of Grýtingr spoke: ‘Why does the king do that now? Does he not want to worship?’ Jarl Sigurðr replied: ‘The king is doing what all those do who trust in their might and main and dedicate their toast to Þórr. He made the sign of the hammer over it before he drank.’ It then stayed peaceful for that evening. The next day, when people went to table, the farmers rushed up to the king, saying that he must now eat horseflesh. The king wanted on no account to do that. Then they bade him drink some of the gravy. He would not do that. Then they bade him eat some of the fat. He would not do that either, and he was on the point of being attacked. Jarl Sigurðr says that he will settle the matter between them, and told them to stop the disturbance, and told the king to lean with his mouth open over the handle of the pot where the steam from the cooking of the horseflesh had risen up, and the handle was covered with fat. Then the king went up and wrapped a linen cloth round the handle and opened his mouth over it and then went to his throne, and neither side was well pleased.
The following winter, preparations were made for the king to celebrate Yule inland at Mærin. And when Yule approached, eight of the rulers who had most to do with the sacrificial feasts all over Þrœndalǫg arranged to meet together. Four of them were from the coastal side of Þrándheimr: Kárr of Grýtingr and Ásbjǫrn of Meðalhús, Þorbergr of Varnes, Ormr of Ljoxa, and from the inland Þrœndir: Blótólfr of Ǫlvishaugr, Narfi of Stafr in Veradalr, Þrándr haka of Egg, Þórir skegg  of Húsabœr in Eyin iðri. These eight men bound themselves as follows, that the four of the coastal Þrœndir should root out Christianity, and the four of the inland Þrœndir should force the king to offer sacrifice. The coastal Þrœndir sailed four ships south to Mœrr and there slew three priests and burned three churches, afterwards returning home. And when King Hákon and Jarl Sigurðr came inland to Mærin with their army, farmers had arrived there in great numbers. The first day at the feast the farmers attacked him and told him to offer sacrifice, promising him trouble if he didn’t. Jarl Sigurðr mediated between them. The outcome was that King Hákon ate a few pieces of horse-liver. He then drank all the toasts that the farmers poured for him without the sign of the Cross. And when this feast was finished, the king and the jarl immediately went out to Hlaðir. The king was not at all cheerful and immediately got ready to go away from Þrándheimr with all his troops, saying this, that next time he would come to Þrándheimr with more men and then repay the Þrœndir for the hostility that they had shown towards him. Jarl Sigurðr told the king not to make an issue out of this with the Þrœndir, saying that it would not do for the king to make threats or raids on the people of his own country, least of all in the area where the greatest strength of the country lay, which was in Þrándheimr. The king was so angry it was impossible to get him to listen. He went away from Þrándheimr and south to Mœrr, stayed there during the winter and during the spring. And when summer came, he gathered troops together, and word got about that he would be going with this army against the Þrœndir.
King Hákon had now taken to his ships and had a large force. Then news reached him from the south of the country that King Eiríkr’s sons were come from the south from Denmark into the Vík, and in addition that they had driven King Tryggvi Óláfsson from his ships east of Sótanes. They had then raided widely in the Vík and many people had submitted to them. And when the king heard about these events, then he felt he was in need of forces. Then he sent word to Jarl Sigurðr to come to him, and to other leaders as well from whom he could expect support. Jarl Sigurðr came to King Hákon and had a very large force. This included all the Þrœndir who in the winter had most pressed the king to force him to offer sacrifice. Then they were all granted reconciliation as a result of Jarl Sigurðr’s persuasion. King Hákon then went south along the coast. And when he came south round Staðr, he learned that Eiríkr’s sons had then reached Norðr-Agðir. Then each side advanced against the other. Their meeting was at Kǫrmt. Then each side left their ships and fought on Ǫgvaldsnes. Both sides had very large numbers. There was a great battle there. King Hákon pushed forward hard, and came up against King Guthormr Eiríksson with his troop, and they had an exchange of blows. King Guthormr fell there and his standard was cut down. A large number then fell with him. After this the army of the sons of Eiríkr took to flight, and they fled to their ships and rowed away, having lost a large number of troops. Guthormr sindri mentions this:
The giver of the arm’s girdle got battle-pins clashing over heads of slain heroes of the howl of slaughter-Þǫgn. There the Njǫrðr of the noise of the nail’s full moons left, weaponwounded, the Njǫrðr of the water of wide lands’ slaughter-fire.
King Hákon went to his ships and sailed east in pursuit of Gunnhildr’s sons. Both parties went as fast as they could until they came to Austr-Agðir. Then Eiríkr’s sons sailed out into the open sea and south to Jutland. Guthormr sindri mentions this :
Oftentimes—I recall it—the elm-band’s terrifier’s brother’s sons had to learn the wound-fish Baldr’s power. The seeker of strife of sea-planks drove snekkjur to sea, and sent fleeing all the sons of Eirekr, his brother.
After this King Hákon went north back to Norway, and Eiríkr’s sons then stayed in Denmark for a long time.
After this battle King Hákon made it law over the whole country along the coast and as far up inland as the furthest salmon go, that he organised every inhabited area and divided it into ship-levy sections and divided the ship-levy sections into districts. It was determined how many ships there should be and how large they should be fitted out from each district when the whole population was called out, and the population should be obliged to fit them out as soon as a foreign army came to be in the country. This also had to be done when such a levy took place, that a beacon should be lit on high mountains so that each one was visible from the next. It is said that in seven nights the war-summons passed from the southernmost beacon to the most northerly assembly district in Hálogaland.
Eiríkr’s sons did a lot of raiding in the eastern Baltic, and sometimes they made raids in Norway, as has been written above. But King Hákon was ruling Norway and was very popular. At that time there were also good harvests in the land and good peace.
When King Hákon had been king in Norway for twenty years, Eiríkr’s sons came from the south from Denmark and had a very large force. It was a large force that had followed them on their raids, and yet the army of Danes that Haraldr Gormsson had put at their disposal was much larger. They got a very favourable wind and sailed out from Vendill and approached the coast at Agðir, then set their course north along the coast and then sailed day and night. But beacons were not lit up because it was the practice for beacons to go across the country from the east, but there in the east they had not become aware of their expedition. Another reason was that the king had imposed a big penalty if beacons were wrongly set up on the people who were known to have done it and found guilty of doing it, because warships and vikings had gone round the outlying islands making raids and the local people thought it must be the sons of Eiríkr doing it; then beacons were lit and there was a rush to arms all over the country, but Eiríkr’s sons went back to Denmark and had not brought any Danish army except their own troops, and sometimes it was some other type of vikings. King Hákon got very angry at this, when labour and expense resulted from it, and no benefit. The farmers for their part also complained about it when this happened. And this was the reason why no reports came in advance of Eiríkr’s sons’ expedition until they got north to Úlfasund. They lay there seven nights. Then a report travelled by the higher route across the isthmus north across Mœrr, but King Hákon was then in Sunnmœrr on the island called Fræði, in a place called Birkistrǫnd, at his residence, and he had no force except his personal following and the farmers who had been invited there.
Informants came to King Hákon and told him their news, that Eiríkr’s sons were south of Staðr with a great army. Then he had called to him the wisest men that were there and asked advice from them, whether he should fight with Eiríkr’s sons, in spite of the great difference in numbers, or whether he should go away to the north and get himself more troops. Egill ullserkr is the name of one farmer who was there then, very aged, and had been bigger and stronger than anyone and a very great fighter. He had for a long time carried Haraldr inn hárfagri’s banner. Egill replied to the king’s speech: ‘I was in some battles with your father, King Haraldr. He fought sometimes against larger forces, sometimes against smaller. He was always victorious. I never heard him seek such counsel that his friends should advise him to flee. We also shall never give that advice, king, because we believe we have a trusty leader. You shall also have reliable support from us.’ Many others then also backed this speech. The king also said that he would rather fight with what was available. This was then decided upon. The king then had the war summons published and sent round in all directions from where he was and had a force mustered, whatever he could get. Then said Egill ullserkr: ‘I was afraid for a while, while this great peace lasted, that I would die of old age inside on my straw bed on the floor, but I would rather fall in battle and follow my ruler. Now it may turn out that it can be so.’
Eiríkr’s sons sailed north round Staðr as soon as they got a favourable wind. And when they came north round Staðr they found out where King Hákon was, and sailed to meet him. King Hákon had nine ships. He sailed north under Fræðarberg in Féeyarsund, and Eiríkr’s sons came to land on the south side of the cliff. They had more than twenty ships. King Hákon sent them a message, telling them to go ashore, saying that he had marked out a battlefield for them at Rastarkálfr. There are level and extensive fields there, and behind them a long and rather deep slope runs down. Eiríkr’s sons went from their ships there and north over the ridge on the landward side of Fræðarberg and so on to Rastarkálfr. Egill then spoke to King Hákon, asking him to give him ten men and ten banners. The king did so. Then Egill went with his men up to the foot of the slope. And King Hákon went up onto the battlefield with his force, set up his standard and drew up his troops and said this: ‘We shall have a long battle line, so that they cannot surround us, even if they have more troops.’ They did so. A great battle took place there and a fierce one. Then Egill made them raise the ten banners that he had, and organised the men carrying them so that they should walk as close as possible to the slope, and leave quite a distance between each of them. They did so and walked on along the slope as close as they could, as if they were planning to get behind Eiríkr’s sons. They saw, those who were standing highest up in Eiríkr’s sons’ battle line, that many banners were going at a furious pace and towering above the slope, and imagined that with them there must be a great force intending to get behind them, between them and the ships. Then there rose a great shouting. They all told each other what was happening. Next their troops took to flight, and when the kings saw this, they fled. King Hákon then pressed forward hard and pursued the rout and cut down a large number of men.
Eiríkr’s son Gamli, when he got up onto the ridge above the cliff, then turned back and then saw that no troops were coming after them other than those they had previously fought against, and that it was just a trick. Then King Gamli had a blast of war-trumpets blown and raised a banner and drew up his battle line. All the Norwegians gathered around this, but the Danes fled to the ships. And when King Hákon and his force came up to them, then a most fierce battle took place there a second time. King Hákon now had more troops. It ended with Eiríkr’s sons fleeing. They made their way south from the ridge, but some of their troops retreated south to the cliff, and King Hákon pursued them. There is a level field east of the ridge and westwards to the cliff and then steep precipices down to the west. Then Gamli’s men retreated away up to the cliff, and King Hákon attacked them so boldly that he killed some, and some leapt west over the cliff, and both lots were killed, and the king only parted from them when every mother’s son was dead.
Eiríkr’s son Gamli also fled from the ridge and down to the level ground south of the cliff. Then King Gamli again turned towards them and continued the battle. Then troops again gathered to him. Then all his brothers came up with great forces. Egill ullserkr was then leading Hákon’s men and delivered a hard attack, and he and King Gamli exchanged blows. King Gamli received great wounds, but Egill fell and many men with him. Then King Hákon came up with the troops who had been following him. Then a fresh battle took place again. King Hákon then again pushed forward hard and struck men on both sides of him and felled one after the other. Thus says Guthormr sindri:
The swords’ voice host fled, fearful, from the waster of weapons. The raiser of strife-fire, stout-hearted, strode before the standards. The king, in the spat of spear-wives, seeks himself no shelter, prince well-endowed with the wind of the wife of the moon’s downfall.
Eiríkr’s sons saw their men falling all round them. Then they turned in flight to their ships, but those who had fled to the ships earlier had then pushed out the ships, but some of the ships had now run aground. Then all Eiríkr’s sons leapt into the water, with the troops who were following them. There fell Eiríkr’s son Gamli, but the other brothers reached the ships and afterwards sailed away with the troops that were left, and then sailed south to Denmark.
King Hákon took the ships that had run aground there, which Eiríkr’s sons had owned, and had them dragged up onto the shore. Then King Hákon had Egill ullserkr laid in a ship and with him all the men of their forces who had fallen, having earth and stones brought up. King Hákon also had more ships brought ashore and the fallen put onto them, and these mounds can still be seen to the south of Fræðarberg. Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed this verse when Glúmr Geirason boasted about King Hákon’s fall in his verse:
Wary of flight, once the ruler washed in blood of Gamli Fenrir’s lip-stretcher; fury inflamed trees of weapon-storm, when into the sea, steadily, all the sons of Eiríkr he drove; now spears’ guarding-Gautar grieve for the prince’s downfall.
Tall memorial stones stand near Egill ullserkr’s grave-mound.
When King Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri had been king in Norway for twenty-six years after his brother Eiríkr left the country, then it came about that King Hákon was there in Hǫrðaland and was receiving a banquet on Storð at Fitjar. He had there his personal following and many farmers at his invitation. And while the king was sitting at table over his morning meal, then the watchmen who were outside saw many ships sailing from the south, and they were not far from the island. Then they all told each other that the king should be told that they thought that there must be an army coming against them. But no one was very keen to bring the king news of war, for he had set heavy penalties on anyone who did that, but it seemed nevertheless impossible to leave the king in ignorance of this. And then one of them goes into the room and asked Eyvindr Finnsson to go out with him quickly, saying that it was something of the highest importance. Eyvindr went straight away, when he came out, to where the ships could be seen from. Then he saw immediately that there was a great army coming there, went back into the room and before the king and said:
‘It takes a little time to sail, but a long time to eat a meal.’ The king looked at him and said: ‘What is going on?’ Eyvindr said:
Bold Blood-Axe’s avengers bid us to mailcoat-meeting of the strap’s pin; for sitting scarcely we have leisure. It’s hard—but I hoped to uphold, king, your honour— let us at once wield ancient weapons—to tell a lord war-news.
The king says: ‘You are such an honest fellow, Eyvindr, that you will not tell us news of war unless it is true.’ Then the king had the table cleared away. Then he went out and looked at the ships, saw that they were warships, and spoke then to his men about what course should be taken, whether they should fight with the force they had or go to the ships and sail away north. ‘It is obvious to us,’ says the king, ‘that we shall now be fighting against much greater odds than we have had to face before, and yet we have often thought our forces greatly outnumbered when we have fought a battle against Gunnhildr’s sons.’ People offered no quick opinion about this. Then Eyvindr says:
It suits not the brave soldier, spear-rain Njǫrðr, further northwards to lead the board land’s stallion; Landn we allow no hesitation. Now on the roaring roadway of Rakni, a great navy— with hard grip we hold war-boards— Haraldr from the south is driving.
The king replies: ‘Boldly is that spoken, and close to my disposition, and yet I would like to hear more people’s opinion on this matter.’ But when the men realised how the king wanted to have it, then many responded, saying that they would rather fall valiantly than flee before Danes without trying, and said that they had often been victorious when they had been fighting with a smaller force. The king thanked them warmly for their words and told them to arm, and men do so. The king throws on his coat of mail and girds on his sword Kvernbítr, puts on his head a gilded helmet, takes a halberd in his hand and a shield at his side. Then he arranges his following in battle order and the farmers as well, and raised his banner.
Haraldr Eiríksson was then leader of the brothers after the fall of Gamli. The brothers had brought there a great army from Denmark in the south. They had then joined forces with their maternal uncles Eyvindr skreyja and Álfr askmaðr. They were strong and valiant men and great slaughterers of men. Eiríkr’s sons sailed their ships to the island and went ashore and formed up. And what they say is, that the odds were no less than must have been six men to one, by which Eiríkr’s sons must have been more numerous.
King Hákon had now formed up his troops, and so it is said, that the king threw off his coat of mail before the battle began. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir in Hákonarmál:
They found that Bjǫrn’s brother, battle-shirt donning, the mighty monarch had marched with his standard; strife-poles stooped and spear quivered; then strife was started. He called on Háleygir as on Hólmrygir, the jarls’ sole slayer advanced to battle. Freehanded, he had a fine following of Norwegians, the scourge of island-Danes; he stood in brass helmet.
He threw off his armour; the army’s chief his mail-coat flung on the field before the battle. With men he made merry; he must defend his country; the king with glad spirit stood in golden helmet.
King Hákon selected men carefully for his personal following, for strength and valour, just as his father King Haraldr had done. Þórálfr inn sterki, son of Skólmr, was there and was positioned on one side of the king. He had helmet and shield, halberd and a sword that was called Fetbreiðr. It was claimed that he and King Hákon were equal in strength. Þórðr Sjáreksson mentions this in the drápa that he composed about Þórálfr:
There, where strove war-hardened wood of land-binder’s horses, the host came to swords’ clashing keenly, on Storð at Fitjar, and he dared go forth flourishing fire of the storm of the ogress of the ship’s sheltering moons by the shoulder of the king of Northmen.
And when the battle lines closed together, there was a furious and bloody battle. And when men had thrown their spears, they drew their swords. Then King Hákon and Þórálfr with him advanced before the standard and struck on both sides. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
So the sword pierced from the sovereign’s hand Váfuðr’s weeds, as if through water moving; spears were clashing, shields were smashed. Swords resounded on skulls of warriors. Trampled were targes by the Týr of neck-rings with hard limbs of hilts, as were heads of Norwegians. Clamour came to the island; the kings reddened bright banks of shields with blood of warriors.
King Hákon was easily recognised, bigger than other men. Light also gleamed from his helmet when the sun shone on it. There were many weapons aimed at him. Then Eyvindr Finnsson took a hood and placed it over the king’s helmet.
Eyvindr skreyja then shouted out: ‘Is the king of the Norwegians hiding now? Or has he fled? And where is the golden helmet now?’ Then Eyvindr advanced, and his brother Álfr with him, and they struck on both sides and went on as if they were mad or possessed. King Hákon shouted to Eyvindr: ‘Keep on in the same direction if you want to meet the king of the Norwegians.’ So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
The stirrer of the storm of slaughter-gate-Gefn, loyal to troops, not treasure, did not tell Skreyja to turn aside, ‘if, intent on winnning, you wish the wise wealth-waster to encounter, press onwards, ocean-rider, to the able king of Northmen.
There was also not long to wait before Eyvindr came up, swung up his sword and struck at the king. Þórálfr pushed his shield against him and it made Eyvindr stagger, while the king took his sword Kvernbítr in both hands and struck at Eyvindr down on his helmet, splitting the helmet and his head right down to his shoulders. Then Þórálfr slew Álfr askmaðr. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir:
I know that the sharp wound-wand, wielded by the king two-handed, cut the dubiously doughty dweller on the ski of cargo; the branch of boar-of-Áli’s bad weather, Danes’ harmer, through hair-barrows drove down, dauntless, his sword gold-hilted.
After the fall of the brothers King Hákon advanced so strongly that the whole host gave way before him. Panic and flight spread through Eiríkr’s sons’ troops, and King Hákon was in the van of his battle line and pursued the rout relentlessly and struck often and hard. Then an arrow flew, of the kind known as fleinn, and planted itself in King Hákon’s arm high up in the muscle just below the shoulder. And it was reported by many people that one of Gunnhildr’s servants called Kispingr, ran forward in the turmoil and shouted: ‘Make room for the king’s slayer’—and shot the long shaft at King Hákon. But some say that no one knows who shot it. And that may well be, for arrows and spears and all kinds of missiles were flying as thick as snow. A multitude of Eiríkr’s sons’ men fell both on the battlefield and on the way to the ships and also on the beach, and a multitude leapt into the water. A lot got onto the ships, all Eiríkr’s sons, and immediately rowed away, with King Hákon’s men after them. So says Þórðr Sjáreksson:
The criminals’ killer so calm should be broken—far in his front line fought; long rule men wished him. The struggle started when the son of Gunnhildr came northwards, gold’s flight not fearing, but fallen was the ruler. Weariness was clear, where wounded farmers sat at their rigid rowing-shafts; rendered up life many. Brave it was, when the bold battle-Njǫrðr in such tumult fought by the king, he who furnished refreshment for the raven.
King Hákon went out onto his warship, then had his wound bandaged, but it bled so much that it could not be stopped. And as the day passed, the king grew weak. Then he said that he wants to go north to Alreksstaðir to his residence. But when they got north to Konungahella, they came to land. The king was then nearly dead. Then he called his and told them the arrangements he wished to make for the kingdom. The only child he had was a daughter, who was called Þóra, and no son. He bade them send word to Eiríkr’s sons that they should be kings over the country, but he asked them to treat his friends and kinsmen kindly. ‘And even if it be granted me to live,’ he says, ‘I will still go from this country to be among Christian people and atone for what I have done to offend God, but if I die here in a heathen place, then give me whatever burial you think best.’ And soon after King Hákon died there on the slab of rock where he had been born. King Hákon was lamented so much that both friends and enemies wept for his death and declared that never again would such a king come to Norway. His friends moved his body north to Sæheimr in Norðr-Hǫrðaland and raised a great mound there and laid the king in it with all his arms and his best attire, but no other goods. They spoke over his burial as the custom of heathen people was, directed him to Valhǫll. Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed a poem about the fall of King Hákon, telling also about his reception there. This is called Hákonarmál, and this is how it begins:
Gǫndul and Skǫgul Gautatýr sent to choose among kings, which of Yngvi’s race was to go with Óðinn and dwell in Valhǫll. They found that Bjǫrn’s brother, battle-shirt donning, the mighty monarch had marched with his standard; strife-poles stooped and the spear quivered; then the strife was started.
He called on Háleygir as on Holmrygir, the jarls’ sole slayer, and advanced to battle. Freehanded, he had a fine following of Norwegians, the scourge of island-Danes; he stood in brass helmet. He threw off his armour; the army’s chief his mail-coat flung on the field before the battle. With men he made merry; he must defend his country; the king with glad spirit stood in golden helmet. So the sword pierced from the sovereign’s hand Váfuðr’s weeds, as if through water moving; spears were clashing, shields were smashed. Swords resounded on skulls of warriors. Trampled were targes by the Týr of neck-rings with hard limbs of hilts, as were heads of Norwegians. Clamour came to the islands; the kings reddened bright banks of shields with blood of warriors. Wound-blazes burned in bloody gashes, langobards lowered over lives of men, the wound-sea resounded on the swords’ headland, the arrows’ flow falling on the foreshore of Storð. Rednesses blended under the rim’s heaven. Skǫgul’s storms battered clouds of the shield-rims. Spear-waves thundered in storm of Óðinn. Many men sank in the sword’s current. Then with swords unsheathed sat the princes, with shields broken and battered armour, That host was not in good heart, going the way to Valhǫll. Gǫndul said this, on spear-shaft leaning: ‘The gods have gained forces now that Hǫkon, his great host with him, home they have bidden.’ The war-leader heard the words of the valkyries, mighty, horse-mounted. They showed their wisdom, wearing helmets, sitting, and held their shields before them.
‘Why did you settle,’ said Hǫkon, ‘the war thus, Spear-Skǫgul? We were worthy of gain from the gods.’ ‘We were the cause,’ said Skǫgul, ‘that you won the field, and your foemen fled.’ ‘We must ride now,’ said the mighty Skǫgul, ‘the green lands of the gods, to say to Óðinn that a king is coming to see him in person.’ ‘Hermóðr and Bragi,’ Hroptatýr called, ‘go to greet the ruler! For a king is coming, who is called a hero, here to our hall.’ The king spoke then, come from the battle, he stood all soaked in blood: ‘Great ill-will Óðinn seems to show us. We fear his hatred.’ ‘The truce of all the einherjar you shall enjoy; accept ale from the Æsir! Jarls’ enemy, you have in here eight brothers,’ said Bragi. ‘Our fighting gear,’ the good king said, ‘we will hold on to ourselves. Helmet and corselet will be kept fast. It is right to have all at the ready.’
Then it was made clear how this king had well honoured holy places, when Hǫkon was hailed in welcome by all the gods and powers. On a blessed day will be born that king who has such a heart. his age will always be given out as good. Ravaged will be The realms of men by Fenrisúlfr unfettered, before his equal on the empty path so fine a king will come. Cattle die, kinsmen die, land and fief lie ruined; since Hǫkon went among heathen gods, enslaved are many peoples.

Eiríkr’s sons then assumed the kingship over Norway after the fall of King Hákon. Haraldr was the most highly regarded of them, and he was the eldest of those who were still living. Their mother Gunnhildr shared a large part of the government of the country with them. She was now called Mother of Kings. In the country at this time, Tryggvi Óláfsson was ruler in the east of the country and Guðrøðr Bjarnarson in Vestfold, Sigurðr Hlaðajarl in Þrándheimr, and Gunnhildr’s sons had the centre of the country, the first winter. Then messages and ambassadors went between Gunnhildr’s sons and Tryggvi and Guðrøðr, and straight away proposals were made for settlement, that they should have the same share of rule from Gunnhildr’s sons as they had previously had from King Hákon. There is a man named Glúmr Geirason. He was King Haraldr’s poet and a very valiant man. He composed this verse after Hákon’s fall:
Haraldr has got good vengeance for Gamli; sword-wound-logs forfeit life; king fierce in battle, fine deeds you accomplished as the war-deity’s dark falcons drink Hákon’s blood; I heard that reeds of ruddy gashes were reddened beyond the water.
This verse was very popular, and when Eyvindr Finnsson heard it, he composed a verse, which was written above:
Wary of flight, once the ruler washed in blood of Gamli Fenrir’s lip-stretcher; fury inflamed trees of weapon-storm, when into the sea, steadily, the sons of Eiríkr he drove; now spears’ guarding-Gautar grieve for the prince’s downfall.
This verse too was recited far and wide. And when King Haraldr heard this, then he declared Eyvindr had committed a capital offence, right on until their friends reconciled them on these terms, that Eyvindr should become his poet, just as he had previously been King Hákon’s. There was close kinship between them, for Eyvindr’s mother was Jarl Hálfdan’s daughter Gunnhildr, and her mother was King Haraldr inn hárfagri’s daughter Ingibjǫrg. Then Eyvindr composed a verse about King Haraldr:
Little you let your spirit, land-guardian of Hǫrðalanders, weaken, they said, when wound-hail washed on armour; bows were bent; when unsheathed, sharp-bladed, shrieked from your hand, Haraldr, ice of the sword-straps, so that sated was the she-wolf.
Gunnhildr’s sons stayed mainly in the centre of the country, both because they did not think it safe to be within reach of the Þrœndir or Víkverjar, who had been closest friends of King Hákon, and also there were many powerful people in both places. Then people went to take offers of settlement between Gunnhildr’s sons and Jarl Sigurðr, because they had previously received no taxes from Þrándheimr, and the outcome was that they reached a settlement, the kings and the jarl, and confirmed it with oaths. Jarl Sigurðr was to hold the same rule from them in Þrándheimr as he had previously held from King Hákon. They were then said to be reconciled. All Gunnhildr’s sons were said to be miserly, and it was said that they hid money in the ground. About that Eyvindr skáldaspillir composed this:
We, Ullr of the war-leek, wore seed of Fýrisvellir on hawks’ hills through all of Ho̧kon’s lifetime; now the people’s foe the flour of Fróði’s sad slave-girls has hid in flesh of the mother of the harmer of the giantess. . The fading sun of the field of Fyllr’s brows shone on hills of the hull of Ullr in Ho̧kon’s time, for poets; now is the stream’s elf-circle concealed—great the counsels of mighty men—in the body of the mother of the foe of giants.
When King Haraldr heard the truth about these verses, he sent word to Eyvindr that he should come to see him. And when Eyvindr came, the king made charges against him and declared he was an enemy to him.
‘And it ill befits you,’ he says, ‘to behave disloyally to me, for you have previously become my follower.’ Then Eyvindr uttered a verse:
Before you I have followed, fine prince, one master old age, king, comes upon me—I crave not a third one. I was true to the dear ruler, two shields I never juggled; I fall in, lord, with your following; falls old age upon me.
King Haraldr had judgment on this matter assigned to himself. Eyvindr owned a large gold ring which was known as Moldi. It had been taken long before out of the ground. This ring, the king says, he shall have, and there was no alternative. Then spoke Eyvindr:
Steerer of skerry’s country’s ski, after this I ought to find favour in your fair wind of the giant’s lady, for I am forced, chooser of the field of slaughter, to give you the ling-chain’s lair long owned by my father.
Eyvindr then went home, and it is not reported that he met King Haraldr ever again.
Gunnhildr’s sons had accepted Christianity in England, as was related above. But when they came to power in Norway, they made no progress in converting people in the country to Christianity, but everywhere they could, they demolished temples and destroyed rituals and because of this became very unpopular. It was in their time that prosperity declined in the country, because there were many kings and each of them had their own following. They made great demands for expenses and they were most avaricious, and they did not uphold the laws very much which King Hákon had established except as they thought fit. They were all very handsome men, strong and big, and had a variety of skills. So says Glúmr Geirason in the drápa that he composed about Haraldr Gunnhildarson:
Twelve skills the terror-staff of teeth of Hallinskíði had; often he advanced ahead of other rulers.
The brothers were frequently all together, but sometimes each on his own. They were fierce men and valiant, great warriors and usually victorious.
Gunnhildr Mother of Kings and her sons often held conversations and conferences and managed the government of the country. And on one occasion, Gunnhildr asked her sons: ‘What do you intend to do about the rule in Þrándheimr? You bear the names of kings just as your forefathers have done, but you have small armies and lands and there are many of you to divide it between. The Vík in the east is in the possession of Tryggvi and Guðrøðr, and they have some claim because of their descent, but Jarl Sigurðr rules the whole of Þrœndalǫg, and I do not know what obligation made you let one jarl rule such a great part of your realm. I find it strange that you go raiding every summer in other countries, but let a jarl within the country take from you your patrimony. Your grandfather Haraldr, whom you are named after, would have thought it a small matter to deprive one jarl of rule and life, when he had subjected the whole of Norway to himself and then ruled it until his old age.’ Haraldr says: ‘It is not the same,’ he says, ‘depriving Jarl Sigurðr of life, as slaughtering a kid or calf. Jarl Sigurðr is of distinguished family and has numerous kinsmen, popular and wise. I believe, if he finds out for certain that he can expect hostility from us, that all the Þrœndir will be behind him. Then we shall have no business there but what is ill-fated. It seems to me that none of us brothers will find it safe to stay within reach of the Þrœndir.’ Then Gunnhildr says: ‘Then we shall undertake a quite different plan, try a smaller enterprise. Haraldr and Erlingr are to stay this autumn in Norð-Mœrr. I will go with you too. We shall then all together try what can be done.’ Now they follow this course.
Jarl Sigurðr’s brother was called Grjótgarðr. He was by far the younger of the two, and less highly regarded. He also had no title of high rank, yet he maintained a following and spent the summers raiding and increased his wealth. King Haraldr sent men inland to Þrándheimr to meet Jarl Sigurðr with friendly gifts and friendly words, saying that King Haraldr wishes to develop with him the same sort of friendship as Jarl Sigurðr had previously had with King Hákon. Accompanying these words came a message, that the jarl should come to meet King Haraldr, when they would confirm their friendship fully. Jarl Sigurðr welcomed the messengers and the king’s friendship, saying this, that he could not go to meet the king because of his many commitments, but he sent the king friendly gifts and kind and amiable words in return for his friendship. The messengers went away. They went to see Grjótgarðr and brought him the same message, King Haraldr’s friendship and an invitation to visit him and with it fine gifts. And when the messengers went back, Grjótgarðr promised that he would be coming. And on the appointed day Grjótgarðr comes to see King Haraldr and Gunnhildr. He was received very warmly. He was treated there with the greatest kindness, so that Grjótgarðr was admitted to private business and many secret matters. Eventually it came about, that the conversation turned to discussion of Jarl Sigurðr, as had been previously agreed between the king and queen. They argued to Grjótgarðr that the jarl had treated him as of no account, but if he wanted to be in on this plan with them, then, said the king, Grjótgarðr should be his jarl and have all the rule that Jarl Sigurðr had had previously. So it came about, that they settled it with a secret agreement that Grjótgarðr should keep watch for when it might be best to make an attack on Jarl Sigurðr and then send word to King Haraldr. Grjótgarðr then went home with matters thus and received fine gifts from the king.
Jarl Sigurðr went in the autumn inland to Stjóradalr and attended banquets there. From there he went out to Ǫgló and was to receive banquets there. The Jarl always had a large following with him when he was mistrustful of kings. Because words of friendship had now passed between him and King Haraldr, he did not at present have a large troop of men. Grjótgarðr then sent intelligence to King Haraldr that there would never be a more favourable time to attack the jarl. And immediately the same night the kings Haraldr and Erlingr went in through Þrándheimr, taking four ships and a large force, sailing at night by starlight. Then Grjótgarðr came to meet them; they came in the latter part of the night to Ǫgló, where Jarl Sigurðr was at a banquet, set fire to the building and burned the farm and the jarl inside it with all his following, going away early the next morning out along the fiord and so south to Mœrr, and stayed there for a long time.
Jarl Sigurðr’s son Hákon was at this time inland in Þrándheimr and heard what had happened. There was immediately a great rush to arms all over Þrándheimr. Every ship there that was fit for warfare was dragged into the water. And when this army was gathered together, they took as jarl and leader of the force Jarl Sigurðr’s son Hákon. They sailed this force out through Þrándheimr. And when Gunnhildr’s sons heard about this, they went south into Raumsdalr and on into Sunn-Mœrr. Each side had watch kept on the other. Jarl Sigurðr was killed two winters after the fall of King Hákon. So says Eyvindr skáldaspillir in Háleygjatal:
And Sigurðr, who to the swans of the god of cargoes. gave the beer of the birds of slain Haddingjar, land-rulers of life deprived at Ǫgló. And, fearless, the forearm snake’s master was in land-mackerel of life deprived, when land-rulers betrayed the trust of Týr’s kinsman.
Jarl Hákon held Þrándheimr with the support of his kinsmen for three years, without Gunnhildr’s sons receiving any revenues in Þrándheimr. He had some battles with Gunnhildr’s sons, and many men were killed as a result. Einarr skálaglamm speaks of this in Vellekla, which he composed about Jarl Hákon:
And the user of spear-points, oath-careful, took out a mighty fleet; in the gales of Gǫndul glad, the king brooked no faltering. And he raised, the ravager of red moons of Heðinn’s shoulders, the war-sail, keenly quenching kings’ eagerness for battle. None had to spur the sater of the swan of gushing sword-fiord to the spear-wife’s snowfall or strong wind of arrows.
Bows’ hail from Hlǫkk’s sails he scattered, the Rǫgnir of sword-crash; outlaws not sparing, he saved his own life bravely. Long lasted Áli’s storm, till lands east, to the gods’ pleasure, the shield-leek’s tending tree took over by force.
Einarr also speaks of how Jarl Hákon avenged his father:
Resounding praise I offer unsheathed it made the glinter for vengeance that the wave-Hrafns’ warden took for his father. The spear-shower of the strengthener of sword-storm rained widely on lords’ lives; the tree of uproarb added much to Þundr’s following. The steering-Viðurr of stallions of the sea set swelling with Óðinn’s shower the icy sword-wind against men’s lives.
After this friends of both became intermediaries and carried proposals of settlement between them, for the farmers were weary of warfare and hostility within the country. And so it came about by the counsel of men of the ruling class that settlement was made between them, to the effect that Jarl Hákon should have the same rule in Þrándheimr as his father Jarl Sigurðr had had, but kings should have the same power as King Hákon had had over them, and this was then ratified with firm pledges. Then there developed great intimacy between Jarl Hákon and Gunnhildr, though sometimes they schemed deceitfully against each other. So another three years passed. Now Hákon stayed peacefully within his realm.
King Haraldr stayed most often in Hǫrðaland and Rogaland and so did others of the brothers. They frequently stayed in Harðangr. It happened one summer that an ocean-going ship came from Iceland, owned by Icelanders. It was loaded with sheepskin wares, and they sailed the ship to Harðangr because they had heard that there the largest numbers of people were to be found. But when people came to do business with them, no one wanted to buy the sheepskin wares. Then the skipper goes to see King Haraldr, because he already knew him to speak to, and tells him of this problem. The king says that he will come to see them, and he does so. King Haraldr was an unpretentious person and a great one for fun. He had come there with a fully manned boat. He looked at their wares and said to the skipper: ‘Will you give me a grey cloak?’ ‘Willingly,’ says the skipper, ‘or more, if you like.’ Then the king took a cloak and put it over his shoulders. Then he went down to his boat. And before they rowed away, every one of his men had bought a cloak. A few days later so many people came there, each of whom wanted to buy a cloak, that only half of those who wanted to have one got it. After this he was known as Haraldr gráfeldr.
Jarl Hákon went one winter to Upplǫnd and to a certain lodging and slept with a certain woman, and she was of low birth. And when some time had passed, this woman was with child. And when the child was born, it was a boy and was sprinkled with water and called Eiríkr. His mother took the child to Jarl Hákon and says that he was the father. The jarl had the child brought up with a man called Þorleifr inn spaki. He lived up in Meðaldalr. He was a powerful man and wealthy and a great friend of the jarl. Eiríkr soon became a promising person, very handsome in appearance, very soon big and strong. The jarl took little notice of him. Jarl Hákon was also the most handsome of men in appearance, not a tall man, pretty strong and with a variety of skills, of great intelligence and a very great fighter.
It happened one autumn that Jarl Hákon went to Upplǫnd. And when he came out in Heiðmǫrk, then there came there to meet him King Tryggvi Óláfsson and King Guðrøðr Bjarnarson. Dala-Guðbrandr also came there. They held a conference together and sat in private talk for a long time, and the outcome was that each of them was to be the friend of each of the others, and after this they separated. Each went back to his realm. Gunnhildr and her sons hear about this, and they have a suspicion that they must have made a treasonable plot against the kings. They often talk about this among themselves. And when spring came, then King Haraldr and his brother King Guðrøðr make it known that they will be going raiding in the summer over the sea to the west or to the eastern Baltic, as they were accustomed to do. Then they gather forces to themselves and launch their ships into the water and make preparations. And when they were holding their farewell banquet, there was a lot of drinking and much was said over the drinks. Then it came about that comparisons of people were made, and then there was discussion of the kings themselves. Someone said that King Haraldr was the foremost of the brothers in every way. Then Guðrøðr became very angry, saying this, that he shall yield in nothing to Haraldr, saying also that he is ready to put it to the test. Then both of them soon got so angry that they challenged each other to a fight and rushed for their weapons. But those who were sensible and less drunk stopped them and leapt between them. Each side then went to their ships, for there was now no hope that they could all go together. Then Guðrøðr sailed east round the coast, but Haraldr made out towards the open sea, saying that he would sail across the sea to the west, but when he got out past the islands he laid his course eastwards over the open sea parallel with the coast. King Guðrøðr sailed the normal route east to Vík and so eastwards across Foldin. Then he sent word to King Tryggvi that he was to come to meet with him and they should both go raiding in the eastern Baltic in the summer. King Tryggvi was sympathetic and favourable to this idea. He learned that Guðrøðr had only a small force. Then King Tryggvi went to meet him with a single boat. They met west of Sótanes off Veggirnir. And when they went into conference, then Guðrøðr’s men rushed up and killed King Tryggvi and twelve men with him, and he lies in the place that is now called Tryggvahreyrr.
King Haraldr sailed the outer route most of the way. He laid his course in to the Vík and came during the night to Túnsberg. Then he learned that King Guðrøðr Bjarnarson was at a banquet there a short way up inland. King Haraldr and his men went ashore there, arriving during the night and capture the building they are in. Guðrøðr and his men go out. They made a short stand there until King Guðrøðr fell and many men with him. Then King Haraldr went back to meet with his brother King Guðrøðr. They then subjected the whole of the Vík to themselves.
King Guðrøðr Bjarnarson had got himself a good marriage and a suitable one. They had a son who was called Haraldr. He was sent for fostering up into Grenland to Hrói inn hvíti, a landed man. Hrani inn víðfǫrli was Hrói’s son. He and Haraldr were pretty much the same age and were foster-brothers. After the fall of his father Guðrøðr, Haraldr, who was known as inn grenski, fled, first of all to Upplǫnd, and with him his foster-brother Hrani, and few men with them. He stayed there a while with his kinsmen. Eiríkr’s sons were searching hard for men who had committed offences against them, and especially for those from whom they were likely to have trouble. His kinsmen and friends advised Haraldr to leave the country. Haraldr grenski then went east to Svíþjóð and looked for a place for himself on a ship and for an opportunity to join a band of men who were engaged in raiding, and to get himself some wealth. Haraldr was the most accomplished person. There was a man in Svíþjóð called Tósti who was one of the richest and most distinguished people in that country, of those who did not have a title of nobility. He was the greatest warrior and was for long periods on raids. He was known as Skǫglar-Tósti. Haraldr grenski got himself into this band and spent the summer on viking raids with Tósti, and Haraldr was regarded highly by everyone. Haraldr stayed with Tósti the following winter. Tósti’s daughter was called Sigríðr, young and fair and a very haughty woman. She was later given in marriage to Eiríkr inn sigrsæli, king of the Svíar, and their son was Óláfr sœnski, who was later king in Svíþjóð. Eiríkr died of sickness at Uppsalir ten years after Styrbjǫrn fell.
Gunnhildr’s sons called out a large force from the Vík, then went north along the coast and get men and ships from every district, making it plain that they will take this army north to Þrándheimr against Jarl Hákon. The jarl hears about this and gathers an army together and takes to his ships. And when he finds out about the army of Gunnhildr’s sons, how large a one they have, then he takes his force south to Mœrr and raids everywhere he went, and slew large numbers of people, and then sent back the army of Þrœndir, the farmers’ force, while he went harrying through both parts of Mœrr and Raumsdalr and had watch kept for Gunnhildr’s sons right down south of Staðr. And when he found that they were come to Firðir and were waiting for a wind to sail north round Staðr, then Jarl Hákon sailed from the north past Staðr and beyond the islands, so that his sails could not be seen from the shore, making his way across the open sea eastwards along the coast and came out in Denmark, sailing then into the Baltic, and raided there during the summer. Gunnhildr’s sons took their force north to Þrándheimr and stayed there a very long time, collecting there all the taxes and dues. And when summer drew to a close, then Sigurðr slefa and Guðrøðr stopped behind there while Haraldr and the other brothers went to the east of the country together with the levied army that had been out in the summer.
Jarl Hákon went in the autumn to Helsingjaland and beached his ships there, travelling after that by land over Helsingjaland and Jamtaland and so from the east across Kjǫlr, coming down in Þrándheimr. Forces immediately thronged to him, and he took to the ships. And when Gunnhildr’s sons learn this, then they board their ships and sail out along the fiord. But Jarl Hákon goes out to Hlaðir and stayed there during the winter, while Gunnhildr’s sons stayed in Mœrr, and each side made attacks on the other and slew each other’s men. Jarl Hákon kept his rule in Þrándheimr and was generally there in the winters, but in the summers sometimes went east to Helsingjaland and picked up his ships there and went to the eastern Baltic and raided there in the summers, but sometimes he stayed in Þrándheimr and had a force out, and then Gunnhildr’s sons did not venture north of Staðr.
Haraldr gráfeldr went one summer with his army north to Bjarmaland and raided there and had great battles with Bjarmar on Vínubakki. There King Haraldr gained victory and slew many people, raiding many places all over the country and getting a huge amount of plunder. Glúmr Geirason speaks of this:
In the east the overthrower of earls, north of the township, bold of speech, reddened the burnished blade, where I saw Bjarmar fleeing. This campaign brought the peacemaker repute; while young the ruler, by the river Vína, raised a spear-tempest.
King Sigurðr slefa came to the dwelling of Hersir Klyppr. He was son of Þórðr Hǫrða-Kárason. He was a powerful man and of great family. Klyppr was not at home at this time, but his wife Álof welcomed the king, and there was a fine banquet there and a lot of drinking. Hersir Klyppr’s wife Álof was daughter of Ásbjǫrn and sister of Járn-Skeggi from Yrjar in the north. Hreiðarr was Ásbjǫrn’s brother, father of Styrkárr, father of Eindriði, father of Einarr þambarskelfir. The king went during the night to Álof’s bed and lay with her against her will. Then the king went away. The following autumn King Haraldr and his brother Sigurðr went up into Vǫrs and called an assembly there with the farmers. And at the assembly the farmers made an attack on them and were going to kill them, but they got away and afterwards went off. King Haraldr went into Harðangr, but King Sigurðr went to Álreksstaðir. And when Hersir Klyppr learned this, then he and his kinsmen joined together and made an attack on the king. The leader of the expedition was Vémundr vǫlubrjótr. And when they come to the house, they go for the king. Klyppr ran the king through with a sword, and that was his death, but immediately Erlingr gamli killed Klyppr.
King Haraldr gráfeldr and his brother King Guðrøðr gather a great army together from the east of the country and took this force north to Þrándheimr. And when Jarl Hákon learned of this, then he mustered a troop and sailed south to Mœrr and made raids. His uncle Grjótgarðr was there at that time, and was supposed to have been put in charge of the defence of the land by Gunnhildr’s sons. He called out an army, as the kings had sent word for him to do. Jarl Hákon sailed to meet with him and to battle. Grjótgarðr fell there and two jarls with him and many other men. Einarr skálaglamm speaks of this:
The hardy king with a hailstorm of helmets his foes defeated; with this waxed the waterway of the wine-home of Loptr’s comrade, and three fell, outstanding sons of jarls, in showers of Þróttr’s fire, affording fame to the people’s leader.
Then Jarl Hákon sailed out to sea and so south along the coast by the route outside the islands. He came out south in Denmark, then went to see Haraldr Gormsson, king of the Danes, receiving there a good welcome. He stayed with him for the winter. Also staying with the king of the Danes at that time was a man called Haraldr. He was son of Knútr Gormsson and King Haraldr’s nephew. He had come back from raiding, having been on raids for a long time and amassed a great amount of wealth. He was known as Gull-Haraldr. He was thought to have a good title to the kingship in Denmark.
King Haraldr and his brothers took their army north to Þrándheimr and met there no resistance, receiving taxes and dues and all the king’s revenues there, and made the farmers make huge payments, because for a long time then the kings had had little money from Þrándheimr, since Jarl Hákon had settled himself there with a large following and been at war with the kings. In the autumn King Haraldr went to the south of the country with most of the troops whose homes were there, while King Erlingr remained behind there with his men. He then still made great demands on the farmers and made life hard for them, and the farmers complained bitterly and did not put up with their losses well. And in the winter the farmers met together and assembled a large force, making then for King Erlingr where he was attending a banquet, and had a battle with him. King Erlingr fell there and a large company of men with him. While Gunnhildr’s sons were ruling Norway there were very poor seasons, and this got worse the longer they had been over the land, and the farmers blamed it on the kings, and also on the kings being avaricious and life for farmers getting hard. So it came about in the end that the people all over the country found themselves almost without corn and fish. In Hálogaland there was so much famine and starvation that hardly any corn grew there, but snow lay then over the whole land in midsummer and the animals were all kept inside. So spoke Eyvindr skáldaspillir—he came out, and snow was drifting hard:
Snow falls at midsummer on Svǫlnir’s mistress; we have bound the bud’s gnawing beast indoors, as Lapps do.
Eyvindr composed a drápa about all the Icelanders, and they rewarded him in this way, that each farmer gave him a minted coin. This corresponded to three silver pennies by weight and had to be white when notched. And when the silver was brought out at the Alþingi, then people decided to get silver-smiths to purify the silver. Afterwards a cloak-pin was made of it, and some of it was used to pay the silver-smith his fee. Then the pin weighed fifty marks. They sent it to Eyvindr, and Eyvindr had the pin cut in pieces and bought stock with it. Then too in the spring a rather small shoal of herring came to a fishing ground far out to sea there. Eyvindr manned a rowing boat with his servants and tenants and rowed to where the herring had been hauled in. He said:
We’ll send the water-stallion on sea-feet southwards treading to the terns portending tail-winged, of spreading nets, to see if the grass, gracious ale-Gerðr, of the field of icebergs, that the ripple-swine uproot, rates my friends’ selling.
And so completely had all his ready money been used up with his having bought stock for his farm that he had to buy the herring in exchange for the arrows for his bow. He spoke:
A year ago I was given—and gave in exchange for cattle— a cloak-stabber sent to me by sky-of-eel-landers. Last, for sea-arrows slender I sold my leaping herrings of Egill’s palms, each time it was caused by famine.

The woman whom Tryggvi Óláfsson had married was called Ástríðr. She was the daughter of Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli, who lived at Oprostaðir, a rich man. But after the fall of Tryggvi Ástríðr fled away and travelled in secret with the movable property that she was able to take with her. She was accompanied by her foster-father who was called Þórólfr lúsarskegg. He never parted from her, but her other confidential friends went on the look-out for what could be learned about her enemies and where they had gone. Ástríðr was carrying King Tryggvi’s child. She had herself transported out onto a lake and hid there on some small islands and a few people with her. There she gave birth to a child. It was a boy. And when he was sprinkled with water, he was named Óláfr after his grandfather. There she hid herself during the summer, but when night became darker and day began to get shorter, and the weather to get cooler, then Ástríðr set out and Þórólfr with her, and few people, only travelling through settled districts when they could keep hidden at night, and met no one. They came out one day at evening to Ástríðr’s father Eiríkr’s home at Oprostaðir. They travelled secretly. Ástríðr sent men to the house to tell Eiríkr, and he had them taken into a small building and a table set for them with the best provisions. And when Ástríðr and her friends had been there for a short while, her companions left, and she stayed behind and two servingwomen with her and her son Óláfr, Þórólfr lúsarskegg and his sixyear-old son Þorgísl. They stayed there for the winter.
Haraldr gráfeldr and his brother Guðrøðr went after King Tryggvi’s death to the residences he had owned, but by then Ástríðr had gone, and they could find out nothing about her. A rumour reached them that she might be with child by King Tryggvi. In the autumn they went to the north of the country, as was written above. And when they met their mother Gunnhildr they told her everything that had happened regarding the events that had taken place in their expedition. She asked particularly about Ástríðr. They told her such reports as they had heard about her. But because that same autumn Gunnhildr’s sons were in conflict with Jarl Hákon, and likewise during the winter that followed, as was written above, there was no search made for Ástríðr and her son that winter.
The following spring Gunnhildr sent observers to Upplǫnd and all the way to the Vík to see what they could find out about what could have become of Ástríðr. And when the messengers came back the most they could tell Gunnhildr was that Ástríðr must be with her father Eiríkr, and said that the most likely thing was that she would be bringing up her and Tryggvi’s son there. Then Gunnhildr immediately sent out messengers, fitting them out well with weapons and horses, and they were thirty men in all, and the leader was an influential man, a friend of Gunnhildr, whose name was Hákon. She told them to go to Oprostaðir to Eiríkr and take away King Tryggvi’s son and bring him to her. Then the messengers travel the whole way there. And when they had nearly reached Oprostaðir, Eiríkr’s friends become aware of their movements and brought him report of the messengers’ travelling in the evening. And straight away that night Eiríkr arranged for Ástríðr’s departure, provided her with good guides and sent her east to Svíþjóð to see his friend Hákon inn gamli, a wealthy man. They went away when plenty of the night remained. They came in the evening to a district that is called Skaun, and saw there a large dwelling and went up to it and asked for a night’s lodging. They disguised themselves and wore poor clothing. This farmer’s name was Bjǫrn eitrkveisa, a wealthy man and a nasty person. He drove them away. The went during the evening to another village a short way from there, called Vizkar. The farmer who lodged them and gave them good hospitality for the night was called Þorsteinn. They slept in great comfort.
Hákon and the messengers of Gunnhildr came to Oprostaðir early that morning and ask about Ástríðr and her son. Eiríkr says that she is not there. Hákon and his men searched the farm and stayed for a large part of the day and got no information about Ástríðr’s movements, then ride on the same way and come late in the evening to Bjǫrn eitrkveisa’s in Skaun, getting lodging there. Then Hákon ask Bjǫrn if he can tell him anything about Ástríðr. He says that people had come there during the day and asked for lodging. ‘But I drove them away, and they must be lodged somewhere here in the village.’ A workman of Þorsteinn’s went during the evening out of the forest and came to Bjǫrn’s, since it was on his way. He realised that there were guests there and also what their business was. He told farmer Þorsteinn. And when a third of the night was still to go, Þorsteinn woke his guests up and told them to go away, speaking harshly. And when they were come on their way off the premises, then Þorsteinn told them that Gunnhildr’s messengers were at Bjǫrn’s and were going looking for them. They asked him for some kind of help. He provided them with a guide and some food. This man went with them on into the forest where there was a kind of lake with a small island in it, covered with reeds. They were able to wade out to the island. There they hid themselves in the reeds. Early in the morning Hákon rode away from Bjǫrn’s into the settlement, and wherever he came, he asked after Ástríðr. And when he got to Þorsteinn’s he asks if they had come there. He says that there had been some people there and they went off towards daybreak eastwards into the forest. Hákon told Þorsteinn to go with them, since the way and the hiding-places were known to him. Þorsteinn went with them, and when he came into the forest, he directed them in completely the opposite direction from where Ástríðr was. They went on all that day searching and did not find them, then go back and tell Gunnhildr what they have found out. Ástríðr and her companions went on their way and came out in Svíþjóð to Hákon gamli’s. Ástríðr stayed there and her son Óláfr for a long time enjoying good entertainment. 
Gunnhildr Mother of Kings found out that Ástríðr and her son Óláfr were in Sweden. Then she sent Hákon again and a good party of companions with him east to King Eiríkr of the Svíar with good gifts and words of friendship. The messengers were welcomed there. They stayed there and were well treated. Later Hákon brought up his business before the king, saying that Gunnhildr had sent word to this effect, that the king should provide him with assistance so that he could take Óláfr Tryggvason with him to Norway. ‘Gunnhildr wants to bring him up.’ The king provides him with men, and they ride to see Hákon gamli. Hákon invites Óláfr to go with him with many friendly words. Hákon gamli gave a positive reply, saying that his mother should decide where he should go, but Ástríðr will by no means agree that the boy should go. The messengers go away and tell King Eiríkr how things are. Then the messengers get ready to go home, asking the king again to give them some assistance to get the boy away, whether Hákon gamli is willing or not. The king again provides them with a troop of men. The messengers come to Hákon gamli and demand then that the boy should go with them. And when this was not granted, then they start to use strong words and threaten harsh treatment and act angrily. Then a slave, whose name is said to be Bursti, dashes forward and is about to strike Hákon, and they only just manage to get away without being beaten up by the slave. After that they go back to Norway and tell Gunnhildr how they have got on, and also that they have seen Óláfr Tryggvason.
Ástríðr’s brother was called Sigurðr, son of Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli. He had now been a long time away from the country and been east in Garðaríki with King Valdamarr. Sigurðr was held in high honour there. Ástríðr became keen to go there to her brother Sigurðr. Hákon gamli provided her with a good retinue and all necessary supplies. She travelled with some merchants. She had now been two years with Hákon gamli. Óláfr was now three years old. But as they sailed east by sea, vikings came against them. They were Eistr. They captured both people and goods, and killed some, but some they divided among themselves as slaves. There Óláfr was separated from his mother, and he was taken by an Estonian, Klerkón, together with Þórólfr and Þorgísl. Þórólfr seemed too old to Klerkón to be a slave, and he thought he would not get much work out of him and killed him, but took the boys with him and sold them to a man called Klerkr, getting in exchange a rather good goat. A third man bought Óláfr and gave a good cloak or mantle for him. He was called Réás, and his wife was called Rékón, and their son Rékóni. Óláfr was there for a long time and treated well, and the householder was very fond of him. Óláfr was in this exile in Eistland for six years.
Sigurðr Eiríksson came to Eistland on a mission from Hólmgarðr for King Valdamarr, and he was to collect the king’s taxes in that country. Sigurðr travelled in fine style with many men and a great deal of wealth. He saw a boy in a market-place, very handsome, and realised that he must be a foreigner there, and asked him his name and descent. He said his name was Óláfr, and that of his father Tryggvi Óláfsson, and that of his mother Ástríðr, daughter of Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli. Then Sigurðr realised that the boy was his nephew. Then Sigurðr asked the boy why he was come there. Óláfr told him all the circumstances of his position. Sigurðr asked him to take him to his master Réás. And when he got there, then he bought both the boys, Óláfr and Þorgísl, and took them with him to Hólmgarðr and did not let Óláfr’s descent get known about, but treated him well.
Óláfr Tryggvason was there one day in the marketplace. It was very crowded. He recognised there Klerkón, who had killed his foster-father, Þórólfr lúsarskegg. Óláfr had a small axe in his hand and he planted it in Klerkón’s head, so that it stuck down in his brain, immediately taking to his heels back to his lodging and telling his kinsman Sigurðr, and Sigurðr immediately took Óláfr to the queen’s quarters and told her what had happened. She was called Allógíá. Sigurðr asked her to help the boy. She replied, looking at the boy, and says that such a handsome boy must not be killed, ordered men to be summoned to her fully armed. Hólmgarðr was a place of such great sanctuary that it was the law that anyone who killed a man who had not been judged should be killed. In accordance with their custom and law, the whole population stormed out and searched for the boy to find where he had got to. Then someone said that he was on the queen’s premises and there was an army of men there fully armed. Then the king was told. He then went there with his troop and was unwilling for them to fight. He brought about a truce and after that a settlement. The king adjudged compensation, and the queen dealt with the payment. Afterwards Óláfr stayed with the queen, and she was very fond of him. It was the law in Garðaríki that no men of royal blood should be there except with the king’s consent. Then Sigurðr told the queen of what descent Óláfr was and the reason why he was come there, that he could not stay at home in his own country because of hostility, asking her to discuss this with the king. She did so, asking the king to help this king’s son, who had been treated so harshly, and her arguments were so persuasive that the king agreed to this with her, then took Óláfr under his wing and treated him nobly, as it befitted a king’s son to be treated. Óláfr was now nine years old, when he came to Garðaríki, and stayed there with King Valdamarr another nine years. Óláfr was the handsomest of all men and the biggest, the strongest and in sports beyond all men of whom the Norwegians tell.
Jarl Hákon Sigurðarson stayed with Haraldr Gormsson King of the Danes the following winter after he had fled from Norway before Gunnhildr’s sons. Hákon was so filled with anxiety during the winter that he took to his bed and suffered from sleeplessness, eating and drinking only as much as would preserve his strength. Then he sent his men secretly north to Þrándheimr to his friends and put a plan to them, that they should kill King Erlingr, if they could manage to, saying that he would return to his realm when summer came. That winter the Þrœndir killed Erlingr, as is written above. There was close friendship between Hákon and Gull-Haraldr. Haraldr revealed his plans to Hákon. Haraldr said that he wanted now to settle ashore and no longer live on warships. He asked Hákon what he thought, whether King Haraldr would be willing to share his kingdom with him if he demanded it. ‘I think,’ says Hákon, ‘that the king of the Danes will not refuse your just demands, but even so, you will know the situation more precisely if you discuss it with the king. I do not expect that you will get the kingdom without asking for it.’ Soon after this conversation, Gull-Haraldr spoke with King Haraldr, when there were many of the ruling class, friends of both, present. Then GullHaraldr demanded of King Haraldr that he share the kingdom half and half with him, as his birth and descent there in Denmark entitled him. At this claim King Haraldr got very angry, saying that no one had demanded this of his father King Gormr, that he should become half-king over Denmark, nor from his father Hǫrða-Knútr or Sigurðr ormr-í-auga or Ragnarr loðbrók, making himself so angry and furious that one could not speak with him.
Gull-Haraldr was now much less happy than previously. He now had no rule any more than before, but instead the king’s anger. He then came to his friend Hákon, and told him his troubles and asked him for some good advice, if there was any available, such that would enable him to gain rule, saying that he could only think of trying for rule with force and weapons. Hákon told him not to say that in the presence of anyone so that it could get known. ‘Your life is at stake. Think about it to yourself, what you are capable of. For such great undertakings, a man must be bold and resolute, stick at neither good things nor bad, so that what is embarked upon may succeed. But the contrary would be a disaster, to embark on a great undertaking and then abandon it in disgrace.’
Gull-Haraldr replies: ‘I shall press this claim without withholding my hands from killing the king himself, if I get an opportunity, since he is going to refuse me the rule that I ought rightly to have.’ Then they end their conversation. King Haraldr then went to see Hákon, and they begin to talk. The king tells the jarl what claim Gull-Haraldr has made to him for rule, and the answer he had given, saying that he is in no way willing to diminish his own rule. ‘But if Gull-Haraldr is going to press on at all with this claim, then it will be no problem for me to have him killed, because I shall be unable to trust him if he refuses to give it up.’ The jarl replies: ‘It is my opinion that Haraldr has gone so far in making this public, that he will be most reluctant to abandon it. I expect, if he starts hostilities here in this country, that he will not be short of support, principally because of his father’s popularity, and it would be highly disastrous for you to slay your kinsman, for everyone will declare him innocent as things are. I do not want, either, to declare it my counsel that you make yourself a lesser king than your father Gormr was. He also enlarged his rule greatly, and in no way diminished it.’ Then said the king: ‘What is your counsel, then, Hákon? Must I neither share rule nor rid myself of this threat?’ ‘We must meet in a few days’ time,’ says Jarl Hákon. ‘I shall first consider this problem, and then give you a solution.’ Then the king went away, and all his men.
Now Jarl Hákon was once again taken up with extreme anxiety and weighing up of plans and let only a few people stay in the house with him. A few days later King Haraldr came to the jarl, and they begin to talk. The king asks if the jarl has considered the conversation they had together the other day. ‘I have,’ says the jarl, ‘lain awake about it day and night ever since, and it seems to me the best course for you to keep and rule all the kingdom that your father had and you inherited from him, and hand over to your kinsman Haraldr some other kingdom which will make him a distinguished man.’ ‘What kingdom is that,’ says the king, ‘that I can rightfully give Haraldr, if I keep the Danish realm undiminished?’ The jarl says: ‘It is Norway. The kings that are there are hateful to all the people of the country. Everyone of any account wishes them ill.’ The king says: ‘Norway is a large country and the people are hardy and it is not easy to attack with a foreign army. That’s how it was for us while Hákon was defending the country, we lost many troops and never won a victory. Haraldr Eiríksson is my foster-son and has been adopted by me.’
Then says the jarl: ‘I have long known that you had often given support to Gunnhildr’s sons, and yet they have rewarded you with nothing but evil. We shall get hold of Norway much more easily than by fighting for it with the whole Danish army. Send a message to your foster-son Haraldr, offer to let him take from you the land and fief that they previously held here in Denmark. Summon him to a meeting with you. Then Gull-Haraldr will in a short time be able to gain rule in Norway from King Haraldr gráfeldr.’ The king says that this will be said to be an evil deed, to betray his foster-son. ‘The Danes will reckon,’ says the jarl, ‘that it is a better trick to kill a Norwegian viking than one’s Danish nephew.’ They now discuss this for a long time, until this is agreed on between them.
Gull-Haraldr came again to talk to Hákon. The jarl tells him that he has now pursued his business to the stage where it is very likely that now a kingdom will lie vacant for him in Norway. ‘Then we shall,’ he says, ‘keep up our friendship. I shall then be able to give you much support in Norway. You get hold of that kingdom to begin with. King Haraldr is now very old, and he has only the one son, whom he is little fond of and is illegitimate.’ The jarl goes on about this to Gull-Haraldr until he is satisfied about it. Then they all talk together frequently, the king and the jarl and GullHaraldr. Then the king of the Danes sent his men north into Norway to see Haraldr gráfeldr. This expedition was fitted out very splendidly. They had a good reception there and met King Haraldr. They announce the news that Jarl Hákon is in Denmark and lies close to death and nearly unconscious, and this other news, that King Haraldr of the Danes has invited his foster-son Haraldr gráfeldr to come to him and receive there from him revenues such as he and his brothers had formerly held there in Denmark, and bade Haraldr come to him and meet him in Jutland. Haraldr gráfeldr referred this business to Gunnhildr and other friends of his. People expressed very different opinions about this. Some found this trip unsafe, considering how the people there were. The others were more numerous who urged that he should go, because there was such great famine in Norway then that kings could hardly feed their men. At this time the fiord where the kings resided most often got its name, being called Harðangr. In Denmark the seasons were going tolerably well. People thought provisions could be obtained there if King Haraldr got revenues and rights to visit there. It was decided, before the messenger went away, that King Haraldr should come to Denmark in the summer to see the king of the Danes and accept from him the offer that King Haraldr had made.
Haraldr gráfeldr went to Denmark in the summer taking three longships. Hersir Arinbjǫrn from Firðir skippered one of them. King Haraldr sailed out from the Vík and to Limafjǫrðr and came to land at Háls. He was told that the king of the Danes would be coming there soon. And when Gull-Haraldr heard this, then he sailed there with nine ships. He had previously fitted out this force to go raiding. Jarl Hákon had by then also got his force ready and also planned to go raiding. He had twelve ships, and they were all big ones. But when Gull-Haraldr had left, then Jarl Hákon says to the king: ‘Now I’m not sure whether we aren’t rowing in a levy and also paying the fine for not doing so. Gull-Haraldr will kill Haraldr gráfeldr. After that he will take over the kingdom in Norway. Do you expect him then to be loyal to you if you give him so much power? But he told me last winter that he would kill you if he got the opportunity. Now I will subject Norway to you and kill Gull-Haraldr if you will promise me that I shall easily be able to settle with you for that. I will then become your jarl and confirm it with oaths and subject Norway to you with your support, then after that hold the country under your rule and pay you tribute, and you will then be a greater king than your father, if you rule two great nations.’ This was agreed between the king and the jarl. Hákon then went with his troop to find Gull-Haraldr.
Gull-Haraldr came to Háls in Limafjǫrðr. He immediately challenged Haraldr gráfeldr to battle. And even though Haraldr had a smaller force, he immediately went ashore and prepared for battle, drawing up his battle-line. But before the lines joined in battle, Haraldr gráfeldr urged his troops strongly and told them to draw their swords, leaping forward immediately in the van of his line and striking out on both sides. So says Glúmr Geirason in Gráfeldardrápa:
Valiant words spoke the Óðinn of valuable hilts’ metal, who had courage to colour crimson the plain for hosts; Haraldr warned, wide-landed, warriors their swords to ready for war; to seafarers, splendid seemed the king’s command.
There fell King Haraldr gráfeldr. So says Glúmr Geirason:
Good with horses, the guardian of Glammi’s steed’s courtyard had to fall on the wide fringes of the fiord of Eylimi. On the sand the sender of sea’s fire fell at Háls; the speech-blessed confidant of kings caused that killing.
Most of King Haraldr’s force fell there with him. Hersir Arinbjǫrn fell there. Then were fifteen years passed from the fall of Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri, and from the fall of Sigurðr Hlaðajarl, thirteen years. The priest Ari Þorgilsson says this, that Jarl Hákon was thirteen years ruling his patrimony in Þrándheimr before Haraldr gráfeldr fell, and for the last six years that Haraldr gráfeldr lived, Ari says that Gunnhildr’s sons and Hákon fought and fled from the country in turns.
Jarl Hákon and Gull-Haraldr met a little while after Haraldr gráfeldr fell. Then Jarl Hákon joined battle with Gull-Haraldr. Hákon gained victory there, and Haraldr was captured and Hákon had him hanged. Then Jarl Hákon went to see the king of the Danes and settled with him easily for the killing of his kinsman Gull-Haraldr. After that King Haraldr took out to sea an army from all over his kingdom and went with six hundred ships. There with him then were Jarl Hákon and King Guðrøðr’s son Haraldr grenski and many others of the ruling class who had fled their patrimonies in Norway because of Gunnhildr’s sons. The king of the Danes sailed his fleet from the south into the Vík, and all the people of the country submitted to him. And when he came to Túnsberg, large numbers thronged to him. And King Haraldr handed over all the forces that had come to him in Norway to Jarl Hákon and gave him to administer Rogaland and Hǫrðaland, Sogn, Firðafylki, Sunn-Mœrr and Raumsdalr and Norð-Mœrr—these seven districts King Haraldr gave to Jarl Hákon to administer on the same terms as Haraldr inn hárfagri had given them to his sons, with this difference, that Hákon was also to possess there and also in Þrándheimr all the royal residences and land dues. He was also to use the royal treasury whenever he needed it if there was an invading army in the country. King Haraldr gave Haraldr grenski Vingulmǫrk, Vestfold and Agðir as far as Líðandisnes, and the title of king, and let him have rule there in every way the same as in times past his kinsmen had had and Haraldr inn hárfagri had given his sons. Haraldr grenski was then eighteen years old and afterwards became a renowned man. Then King Haraldr of the Danes goes home with the whole army of Danes.
Jarl Hákon took his troops along the coast to the north. And when Gunnhildr and her sons heard this news, then they gather together an army, and it was hard for them to get troops. They took up the same procedure as before, sailing west over the sea with those men who were willing to go with them, going first to Orkney and staying there for a while. Previously the jarls there had been the sons of Þorfiðr hausakljúfr, Hlǫðvir and Arnviðr, Ljótr and Skúli. Jarl Hákon now subjected the whole country to himself and stayed that winter in Þrándheimr. Einarr skálaglamm speaks of this in Vellekla:
Seven districts were subdued by the scrupulous wearer of the brow’s ground’s silk band, bringing betterment to the country.
Jarl Hákon, when he travelled from the south along the coast in the summer and the people of the country submitted to him, then he ordered over his whole realm that people should maintain temples and rituals, and this was done. Thus it says in Vellekla:
At once, wise, he enabled honour of all Einriði’s famed temple grounds, ravaged, and the gods’ sacred places, before over all the ocean and on the giants’ road, the Hlórriði of the spears’ yard gods guide him— goes with the wolf of slaughter. And, useful to men, the Æsir’s offspring return to rituals; the mighty master of Hlǫkk’s meeting’s red board wins glory. Now the earth is growing again; the wealth-destroyer lets happy spear-bridge envoys inhabit the gods’ temples.
Now all land from Vík northwards acknowledges the jarl’s rule ; widely the bringer of battle- board storm, Ho̧kon, grows mighty.
The first winter that Hákon ruled over the country, herring came in all over the country, and the previous autumn corn had grown wherever it had been sown. And in the spring people got seedcorn, so that most farmers could sow their land, and there was soon prospect of a good harvest.
Gunnhildr’s son King Ragnfrøðr, and another of Gunnhildr’s sons, Guðrøðr, these two were now still alive of the sons of Eiríkr and Gunnhildr. So says Glúmr Geirason in Gráfeldardrápa:
My hopes of wealth were halved when Haraldr’s life by sword-storm was broken; the king’s death in battle has brought me no riches. But I know both his brothers bright promises have made me; Plenty of men will now depend on prosperity from that quarter.
Ragnfrøðr set out in the spring when he had been one winter in Orkney. He then sailed from the west to Norway and had a fine force and large ships. And when he came to Norway, then he learned that Jarl Hákon was in Þrándheimr. Ragnfrøðr then sailed north round Staðr and raided along Sunn-Mœrr, and some people submitted to him, as often happens when hostile bands pass over the land, that those who are faced by them seek for help, each one from wherever seems most promising. Jarl Hákon heard about what was happening, that there were hostilities south round Mœrr. The jarl then took to his ships and sent round a summons to arms, got ready as quickly as he could and sailed out along the fiord. He found it easy to get troops. The meeting of Ragnfrøðr and Jarl Hákon took place in the northern part of Sunn-Mœrr. Hákon immediately joined battle. He had a larger force and smaller ships. There was a fierce battle, and Hákon got on worse. They fought across the prows, as was the custom there. There was a current in the sound and all the ships drifted together in to the shore. The jarl also had his men row astern to the shore where it seemed to him best to land. And when the ships touched bottom, then the jarl and all his men left the ships and beached them, so that their enemies should not be able to drag them out into the water. After that the jarl formed up on level ground and urged Ragnfrøðr to come ashore. Ragnfrøðr and his men brought their ships to land and they shot at each other for a long time. Ragnfrøðr would not go ashore, and they parted without more ado. Ragnfrøðr sailed his force south round Staðr because he was afraid of a land army if there was a rush of men to Hákon. But the jarl would not join in battle again because he thought the difference in the height of their vessels was too great. Then he went in the autumn north to Þrándheimr and stayed there during the winter, and Ragnfrøðr then controlled everywhere south of Staðr: Firðafylki, Sogn, Hǫrðaland, Rogaland. He kept a large number of men with him during the winter. And when spring came, he called a levy out and got a large force. He then went round all these districts to get himself troops and ships and other supplies that he needed.
Jarl Hákon called a levy out, when spring came, from all over the north of the country. He got a great force from Hálogaland and Naumudalr, also everywhere from Byrða to Staðr he got forces from all the coastal areas, an army gathering to him from all over Þrœndalǫg, also from round Raumsdalr. It is thus claimed that he had an army from each of four counties. Seven jarls joined him and altogether they had a countless number of men. So it says in Vellekla:
Further, the defender of the folk of Mœrr, eager for war, sent men southwards to Sogn travelling; from four counties the Freyr of the fair wind of Heðinn brought out all people; the Ullr of swords was resolute. And seven land-steerers on smooth hurdles of Meiti swept with the bird-of-Sǫrvi’s soother to the shield-meeting. All of Norway echoed as Ullrs of the wall of Heðinn— by headlands floated crowds of corpses— came together in sword-conclave.
Jarl Hákon took all this force south round Staðr. Then he heard that King Ragnfrøðr with his army was gone inland into Sogn; he then directed his troop that way and a meeting between him and Ragnfrøðr took place there. The jarl sailed his ships to the shore and marked out a battlefield for King Ragnfrøðr and took his position for the battle. So it says in Vellekla:
Slaughter, wide-famed, was wielded by the Vinðr’s foe in the second affray, but again the ruler readied himself for battle. The shield-giantess’s noise-Narfi manoeuvred the ski of Jálkr to shore, and steered his vessel to the shire’s outermost region.
There was a very great battle there. Jarl Hákon had a much larger force and gained the victory. This was at Þinganes, where Sogn and Hǫrðaland meet. King Ragnfrøðr fled to his ships, and there fell there of his troop three hundred men. So it says in Vellekla: 
Fierce was the fight until the enforcing-pole of war-trees crammed under the corpse-vulture’s claws three hundred enemies; to the sea on soldiers’ skulls—so great his gain— the war-waging leader could walk, laden with booty.
After this battle King Ragnfrøðr fled from Norway, and Jarl Hákon brought peace to the country and let the great army that had followed him that summer go back north, but he stayed there for the autumn and for the winter.
Jarl Hákon proceeded to marry a woman called Þóra, the daughter of Skagi Skoptason, a rich man. Þóra was the most handsome of women. Their sons were Sveinn and Hemingr. Bergljót was the name of their daughter, whom Einarr þambarskelfir later married. Jarl Hákon was a great womaniser and had many children. Ragnhildr was the name of a daughter of his. He gave her in marriage to Þóra’s brother Skopti Skagason. The jarl loved Þóra so much that he became much closer friends with her kinsmen than other men, though his brother-in-law Skopti was the most highly esteemed of all her kinsmen. The jarl gave him large revenues in Mœrr. And every time they were out on a naval expedition, then Skopti had to position his ship closest to the jarl’s ship, and no one was permitted to sail a ship between their ships.
It happened one summer when Jarl Hákon was on an expedition, that Þorleifr spaki was skippering one of his ships. Eiríkr was also in it with him. He was then ten or eleven years old. And when they sailed into harbour in the evenings, then Eiríkr would have nothing else but that they should sail to a berth next to the jarl’s ship. But when they came south to Mœrr, then the jarl’s brother-in-law Skopti arrived there with a well manned longship.
And when they were rowing up to the fleet, then Skopti shouted that Þorleifr should make room in the harbour for him and get out of the berth. Eiríkr replied quickly, telling Skopti to put into another berth. Jarl Hákon heard this, that his son Eiríkr thought himself now so great that he will not give way to Skopti; the jarl immediately shouts, telling them to move out of the berth, saying that otherwise it would be the worse for them, saying that they would be beaten. And when Þorleifr heard this, he gave orders to his men, telling them to loose the ship from the hawsers, and this was done. Then Skopti put into the berth that he was accustomed to have next to the jarl’s ship. Skopti had to tell the jarl all his news when they were both together, and the jarl would tell Skopti any news if he had heard of it first. He was called Tíðenda-Skopti. The following winter Eiríkr stayed with his foster-father Þorleifr, but early in the spring Eiríkr got himself a troop of men. Þorleifr gave him a small ship with fifteen rowing-benches complete with rigging, awnings and provisions. Eiríkr then sailed out along the fiord and then south to Mœrr. Tíðenda-Skopti was travelling with a manned fifteen-benched ship between his residences, and Eiríkr sailed against him and into battle. There fell Skopti, but Eiríkr gave quarter to the men who were then still standing. So says Eyjólfr dáðaskáld in Bandadrápa :
Late in the day to Meiti’s meeting he moved, when young, the distant fishing-ground’s ski with followers no fewer than the bold chieftain’s, when the wrathful raiser of red fire of the shield-rim’s meadow made fall—often the wolf-feeder fed blood-falcons—Skopti. The gold-mover, most mighty, made fall the ruler’s landsman when he fought; life you finished for the hands’ fire bestower. The steel-terrifier trod from the controller of the din of prow-ravens’ bench-plank, lifeless; to the pleasure of the gods, takes land...
After that Eiríkr sailed south along the coast and came out in Denmark, then went to see King Haraldr Gormsson and stayed with him for the winter. And the following spring the king of the Danes sent Eiríkr north to Norway and gave him a jarldom and with it Vingulmǫrk and Raumaríki to supervise on the same terms as in the past tributary kings had held them. So says Eyjólfr dáðaskáld:
Young was the army leader—I find ale of the vessel of the snake of the mountain saddle— south, on the ocean’s adder, until gold-bestowers decided to set over Yggr’s consort the helmet-bearing holder of Hildr’s snow-shower.
Jarl Eiríkr was afterwards a great ruler.
Óláfr Tryggvason was all this time in Garðaríki and had the best treatment from King Valdimarr there and affection from the queen. King Valdimarr appointed him leader over the troops that he sent out to defend his country. Óláfr had some battles there and his command of the troops turned out well. He himself maintained a great company of soldiers with the pay the king gave him. Óláfr was a generous person to his men. As a result he became popular. But it turned out, as it often can when foreigners rise to power or to such great fame that they surpass native men, that many were envious of how dear he was to the king and no less to the queen. Men said this in the presence of the king, that he should beware of making Óláfr too great, ‘For such a man will be most dangerous to you if he decides to lend himself to doing harm to you or your kingdom, when he is so gifted with ability and popularity. We also do not know what he and the queen are always talking about.’
It was a great custom of powerful kings that the queen should have half the royal following and maintain it at her own cost and use taxes and dues for it as she needed. It was also the case with King Valdimarr, that the queen had no smaller a following than the king, and they contended with each other for the outstanding men. Each of them wanted to have them for themselves. Now it turned out that the king gave credence to such speeches that were spoken before him, and he became rather reserved and hostile towards Óláfr. And when Óláfr noticed this, then he told the queen, and also that he was getting anxious to go to the Northern lands, and says that his kinsmen had in the past had rule there and he thought it most likely that his future might be most prosperous there. The queen bade him farewell, saying that he would be thought noble wherever he was. Afterwards Óláfr set out and went on board ship and sailed out to sea in the Baltic. And when he sailed out of the east, then he came to Borgundarhólmr and launched a raid there and plundered, but the people of the country advanced down against him and held a battle with him, and Óláfr gained the victory and much plunder.
Óláfr lay off Borgundarhólmr and they got there a rough wind and a stormy sea, and they could not tie up there and they sail south from there off Vinðland and find there a good harbour, went on peacefully there and stayed there for a while. The king in Vinðland was called Búrizláfr. His daughters were Geira, Gunnhildr and Ástríðr. The king’s daughter Geira held power and rule there where Óláfr and his men came to land. The man is called Dixin who had most control of government with Queen Geira. And when they had been informed that there had come to land there unknown men who were acting in lordly fashion, and that they were going on peaceably there, then Dixin went to see them with a message from the queen, Geira, that she wants to invite the men who had come there to stay the winter, because the summer was now far gone, and the state of the weather rough and great storms. And when Dixin came there, then he soon realised that a man was in charge there distinguished both in descent and appearance. Dixin told them that the queen had invited them to her with an offer of friendship. Óláfr accepted that offer and went for the winter to Queen Geira’s, and each was very well pleased with the other, so that Óláfr embarked on a proposal and asked for Queen Geira in marriage, and it was resolved that Óláfr should marry Queen Geira that winter. He then became ruler of the kingdom with her. Hallfrøðr vandræðaskáld speaks of this in the drápa that he composed about King Óláfr: 
Ruthless flesh-ravagers the ruler with blood reddened why should one conceal it? on the isle, and east in Garðar.
Jarl Hákon ruled over Norway, and paid no tribute because the king of the Danes had granted him all the taxes that the king was entitled to in Norway for his labour and costs that the jarl expended in defending the country from Gunnhildr’s sons.
Emperor Ótta was at this time in Saxland. He sent a message to King Haraldr of the Danes, that he must accept baptism and the true faith, and the people of the land he ruled, or otherwise, the emperor said, he would go with an army against him. Then the king of the Danes had land defences set up, had the Danavirki maintained and his warships fitted out. Then the king sent a message to Jarl Hákon in Norway that he should come to him quickly in the spring with all the troops he could get. Jarl Hákon called out an army in the spring from his whole realm and he got very large numbers of men and took that force to Denmark and went to see the king of the Danes. The king received him very honourably. Many other rulers were then with the king of the Danes who gave him support. He had then a very great force.
Emperor Ótta was at this time in Saxland. He sent a message to King Haraldr of the Danes, that he must accept baptism and the true faith, and the people of the land he ruled, or otherwise, the emperor said, he would go with an army against him. Then the king of the Danes had land defences set up, had the Danavirki maintained and his warships fitted out. Then the king sent a message to Jarl Hákon in Norway that he should come to him quickly in the spring with all the troops he could get. Jarl Hákon called out an army in the spring from his whole realm and he got very large numbers of men and took that force to Denmark and went to see the king of the Danes. The king received him very honourably. Many other rulers were then with the king of the Danes who gave him support. He had then a very great force.
Mighty, to shrines merciless, he made Vinðr fall in battle and Jamtaland’s offspring; early he achieved it. The dignitaries’ lord, sword-daring, endangered lives of Gotlanders; I learned that the gold-lessener unleashed spear-storm on Skáney.
Emperor Ótta gathered together a great army. He had troops from Saxland and Frakkland, Frísland, and King Búrizláfr accompanied him from Vinðland with a great army, and in the troop with him was his son-in-law Óláfr Tryggvason. The emperor had a great army of cavalry and a much larger army of foot soldiers. He also had a great army from Holtsetaland. King Haraldr of the Danes sent Jarl Hákon with the army of Norwegians which accompanied him south to the Danavirki to defend the country there. So it says in Vellekla:
So it happened that southwards sand-plank draught-beasts under the valiant bush of victory to visit Denmark went running, and the Hǫrðar lord, Dofrar’s leader, looked then for a meeting, hooded in the isle-shackle helmet, with Danish rulers. And in winter he wanted, the wealth-kind king of Hlóðyn of Myrkviðr, to make trial of the murder elf who came southwards, when the king bade the keeper, keen, of mailcoat-tempest defend the fortification from din-Njǫrðrs of Hagbarðrs’ doors.
Emperor Ótta came with his army from the south to the Danavirki, and Jarl Hákon defended the fortification wall with his troop. The Danavirki is constructed in this way, that there are two fiords going into the land, one on each side of the land, and between the heads of the fiords the Danes had built a great fortified wall of stone and turf and timber and dug a broad and deep ditch outside it, and fortifications in front of the gates in the wall. Then there was a great battle. It speaks of this in Vellekla:
There was no way of overwhelming, though the Rǫgnir of the wall of the spear-rush gave strong battle, their forces, when, with a force of Frisians, Frakkar, Vinðr, northwards went the war-Viðurr; to warfare the wave-steed’s rider summoned.
Jarl Hákon lined up troops above all the wall-gates, though that was a larger part of his force that he made go all along the fortification walls and defend the places that were most prone to attack. Much of the emperor’s force fell there, but they did not manage to get anywhere with taking the fortification. Then the emperor turned away and did not attempt anything further there. So it says in Vellekla:
Din of Þriði’s fire thundered there as spear-play Miðjungar engaged shields together; to grips came the eagle-feeder; the sea-steed’s striking-Þróttr sent Saxons fleeing; that was where the king with warriors the wall for men defended.
After this battle Jarl Hákon went back to his ships and was going then to sail north back to Norway, but he did not get a favourable wind. He was then lying out in Limafjǫrðr.
Emperor Ótta then turned his army towards the Slé. He there gathered to himself a naval force, transporting the troops across the fiord there to Jutland. And when King Haraldr of the Danes heard about this, he went against him with his army. And a great battle took place there, and finally the emperor won the victory, and the king of the Danes fled away to Limafjǫrðr and went out to Mársey. Then men passed between the king and the emperor, and a truce and appointment for a meeting were arranged. Emperor Ótta and the king of the Danes met on Mársey. And then the holy bishop Poppó preached the Faith to King Haraldr, and he bore red-hot iron in his hand and showed King Haraldr his hand unburned. Then King Haraldr had himself baptised with the whole Danish army. King Haraldr had earlier sent word to Jarl Hákon, while the king was stationed on Mársey, that the jarl should come to his assistance. The jarl had then arrived at the island after the king had had himself baptised. Then the king sends word that the jarl should come to meet with him. And when they met each other, then the king forced the jarl to have himself baptised. Then Jarl Hákon was baptised and all the men who were with him. Then the king provided him with priests and other clerics and says that the jarl must have all the people in Norway baptised. Then they parted. Jarl Hákon goes out to sea and there waits for a favourable wind. And when the wind comes that he thought would carry him out to sea, then he shoved all the clerics up ashore, and then he himself sailed out to sea, and the wind was blowing to the south west and west. The jarl then sails east through Eyrarsund. He makes raids then on both shores. After that he sails east past Skáneyjarsund and raided there too, wherever he came to land. And when he came east off Gautasker, then he sailed to land. Then he performed a great pagan sacrifice. Then two ravens came flying there, screeching loudly. Then the jarl felt sure that Óðinn had accepted the sacrifice and now it would be a propitious time for the jarl to fight. Then the jarl burned all his ships and went up inland with his troops and ravaged everywhere. Then Jarl Óttarr came against him. He was ruling over Gautland. They had a great battle with each other. Jarl Hákon wins the victory there, but Jarl Óttarr fell and a large part of his force with him. Jarl Hákon goes across both parts of Gautland and ravages everywhere, until he comes to Norway, going after that by land all the way north to Þrándheimr. It tells about this in Vellekla:
On the field the felling-Njǫrðr of flight consulted oracles; Heðinn’s attire’s tree-trunk took the war-Sága’s chosen day. And strong vultures of slaughter he saw, the battle-offerer. The blood-bowl Týr then wanted to break off lives of Gautar. 
The jarl, where no man earlier under Sǫrli’s dwelling had harried, held the meeting of hollow-of-swords’ burning; None brought rounds wrapped in resting-place of the heather whale further from the water; the ruler went over all Gautland.
The god of Fróði’s storm stacked slaughter on the battlefield; the gods’ kinsman could glory in gain; the slain went to Óðinn. Who doubts the disrupter of royal race by gods is guided? I say the splendid deities strengthen Ho̧kon’s power.
Emperor Ótta went back to Saxland to his kingdom. He and the king of the Danes parted in friendship. They say that Emperor Ótta became godfather to King Haraldr’s son Sveinn and gave him his own name, and he was so baptised that he was called Ótta Sveinn. King Haraldr of the Danes observed Christianity well until the day of his death. King Búrizláfr then went to Vinðland and with him his son-in-law Óláfr. Hallfrøðr vendræðaskáld speaks of this battle in Óláfsdrápa:
The rod who sets running roller-steeds in Denmark stripped bark from the birches of battle-shirts south of Heiðabýr.
Óláfr Tryggvason stayed in Vinðland for three years, until his wife Geira caught a sickness that led to her death. Óláfr found this such a great loss that he could not feel happy in Vinðland afterwards. He took himself then to warships and went again on raids, raiding first round Frísland and after that round Saxland and all over Flæmingjaland. So says Hallfrøðr vendræðaskáld:
The king had cut down often corpses of Saxons by the finish, Tryggvi’s son, for the ill-tempered twisted steed of Leikn; plentifully the popular prince gave the horsewoman of-dusk’s dark stud a drink of dark red blood of Frisians. The great settler of men’s strife destroyed bodies of Valkerar. The war-leader had flesh of Flemings fed to the ravens.
After that Óláfr Tryggvason sailed to England and raided widely round the country. He sailed all the way north to Norðimbraland and raided there. From there he sailed north to Scotland and raided widely there. From there he sailed to the Hebrides and had some battles there. After that he sailed south to Man and fought there. He raided widely round Ireland too. Then he sailed to Bretland and raided widely in that land and also in the place called Kumraland. From there he sailed west to Valland and raided there. Then he sailed from the west and planned to go to England. Then he came to the islands called Syllingar, in the sea west of England. So says Hallfrøðr vendræðaskáld:
Young, the king most mighty made foes of the English; that nail-shower nourisher made Northumbrians perish. War-glad, the wolf-feeder wasted Scotland widely, with the sword; on Man the diminisher of metal wire made sword-play. 
He sent, the bowstring’s scarer, soldiers of the isles falling— the Týr of fine swords longed for fame—and Irish. Of British lands he harried inhabitants, the king hewing— glutted was the greed of the eagle of the gale of spears —Cumbrians. 
Óláfr Tryggvason spent four years raiding after he left Vinðland, until he came to Syllingar.
Óláfr Tryggvason, while he was lying in Syllingar, he heard that there on the island was a certain prophet who spoke in advance of things not yet happened, and it seemed to many that these were generally fulfilled. Óláfr became curious to test this man’s prophecy. He sent the one of his men who was handsomest and biggest, and fitted him out as splendidly as possible and bade him say that he was the king, for Óláfr was now become renowned throughout all countries for this, that he was handsomer and nobler and bigger than all other men. But since he had left Garðaríki, he had used no more of his name than to call himself Óli, saying he was Russian. But when the messenger came to the prophet and said he was the king, he got this reply: ‘You are not the king, but this is my advice, that you be true to your king.’ He did not say anything further to this man. The messenger went back and told Óláfr, and Óláfr became all the more eager to meet this man, when he heard such a reply from him, and now all doubt left him about his not being a prophet. Then Óláfr went to see him and had a conversation with him and enquired what the prophet could foretell to Óláfr about how he would come to power and the rest of his fortune. The hermit replied with a holy prophecy: ‘You will become a celebrated king and achieve celebrated deeds. You will bring many men to faith and baptism, you will benefit yourself in this and many others. And so that you may have no doubts about these answers of mine, you can take this as a sign: at your ships you will meet treachery and uprising, and it will lead to a battle, and you will lose some of your troops and yourself receive a wound and because of this wound you will be at the point of death and be carried to your ship on a shield, but you will recover from this wound within seven nights and soon receive baptism.’ Then Óláfr went down to his ships and then he met there hostile men who wanted to kill him and his troop, and their exchange went as the hermit had told him, that Óláfr was carried out to his ship wounded, and also that he recovered in seven nights. Then Óláfr felt sure that this man must have told him true things and that he was a true prophet, wherever it was that he had his prophecy from. Then Óláfr went a second time to see this man, discussing then many things with him, then asking in detail where he had got this wisdom from, to be able to foretell things that had not yet happened. The hermit says that the God of Christian people Himself let him know everything that he wanted to know, and then tells Óláfr many of God’s great wonders, and as a result of these representations Óláfr agreed to receive baptism, and so it was that Óláfr was baptised there and all his following. He stayed there a very long time and learned the true faith and took away from there priests and other clerics.
Óláfr sailed from Syllingar in the autumn to England, lying there in a harbour, then proceeding peacefully, for England was Christian and he was Christian too. But then an announcement of a certain assembly went round the country, and all the people had to come to the assembly. And when the assembly was set up, then a certain princess came to it whose name is Gyða, sister of Óláfr kváran who was king in Ireland in Dublin. She had been given in marriage in England to a rich jarl. He was now dead, and she remained holding his dominions. But there was this man in her dominions whose name is Alvini, a great champion and fighter of duels. He had asked for her in marriage, but she replied that she wished to make her choice of whom she wished to have of the men in her realm, and it was for this reason that the assembly was called, so that Gyða should choose herself a husband. Alvini was come there, and fitted out with the finest clothes, and many others were there, well dressed. Óláfr was come there and had on his bad-weather clothes and on top a shaggy cloak. He was standing with his troop away from other people. Gyða went and looked at each man that she thought had anything of a manly appearance. And when she came to where Óláfr was standing and looked up into his face, she asked what man he was. He said his name was Óli. ‘I am a foreigner here,’ he said. Gyða said: ‘If you will marry me, I will choose you.’ ‘I will not refuse,’ he says. He asked what the name of this woman was, her descent and origin. ‘I am,’ she says, ‘a king’s daughter from Ireland. I was given in marriage in this country to the jarl who ruled this realm. Now since his death I have controlled the realm. Men have asked for me in marriage, but none whom I wished to marry. But I am called Gyða.’ She was a young and handsome woman. After this they discussed this affair and reach agreement between themselves. Óláfr betroths himself to Gyða. Alvini is now highly displeased. But it was the custom in England, if two men quarrelled about anything, that a duel should be held about it. Alvini challenges Óláfr Tryggvason to a duel about this business. They arrange with each other an appointment for the fight, and there were to be twelve on each side. And when they meet, Óláfr instructs his men that they should do exactly the same as he does. He was carrying a great axe. And when Alvini was about to strike at him with his sword, he struck the sword out of his hands and with the second blow the man himself, so that Alvini fell. After that Óláfr tied him up securely. All Alvini’s men went the same way, that they were battered and bound and taken back like that to Óláfr’s lodging. Afterwards he told Alvini to leave the country and not return, and Óláfr took all his possessions. Óláfr then married Gyða and stayed in England, or sometimes in Ireland. While Óláfr was in Ireland, he was engaged on some warlike expedition, and they were travelling by ship. And when they needed to make a coastal raid, men go ashore and drive down to the beach a large number of cows. Then there came following them a farmer and bade Óláfr give him those cows that he owned. Óláfr told him to take his cows if he could recognise them. ‘And don’t delay our journey.’ The farmer had there a great sheepdog. He directed the dog to the herds of cattle, and many hundred head were herded there. The dog ran through all the herds of cattle and drove away the same number of animals as the farmer said that he owned, and they were all marked in the same way. They then realised that the dog must have recognised them correctly. They thought the dog was amazingly intelligent. Then Óláfr asked if the farmer would give him the dog. ‘Willingly,’ says the farmer. Óláfr gave him a gold ring on the spot and promised him his friendship. This dog was called Vígi and was the best of all dogs. Óláfr had him for a long time afterwards. 
King Haraldr Gormsson of the Danes heard that Jarl Hákon had rejected Christianity and raided the land of the king of the Danes in many places. Then King Haraldr of the Danes called an army out and then went to Norway. And when he came into that realm which Jarl Hákon had supervision over, he made raids there and devastated the whole land and brought his force to the islands that are called Sólundir. Only five farms stood unburned in Sogn in Læradalr, and all the people fled to the mountains and forests, taking everything they could manage. Then the king of the Danes was going to sail the force to Iceland and avenge the insult with which all the Icelanders had insulted him. It was made law in Iceland that an insulting verse should be composed about the king of the Danes for every nose that was in the country, and the reason for this was that a ship that Icelandic men owned was wrecked in Denmark, and the Danes appropriated all the goods and claimed it was flotsam, and it was the king’s steward called Birgir who was responsible for this. The insult was composed about them both. This is in the insult:
When Haraldr, hailed as killer, in horse-form stood bracing for the push—the Vinðr’s punisher— into penis-land, like wax he melted; while wretched Birgir, rightly run out of the land by spirits, filled the role of filly in front, as all could see. 
King Haraldr told a man skilled in magic to go in changed shape to Iceland and find out what he could tell the king. He went in the form of a whale. And when he came to the land, he went westwards round the north of the country. He saw that all the mountains and hills were full of land-spirits, some large and some small. And when he came opposite Vápnafjǫrðr, then he went into the fiord and was going to go ashore. Then there went down along the valley a great dragon, and with it many snakes, toads and vipers, and spat poison on him. And he swam away and westwards along the coast, right up to Eyjafjǫrðr. He went in along that fiord. There a bird went against him, so large that its wings reached out to the mountains on both sides, and a multitude of other birds both large and small. He went away from there and westwards round the coast and so south to Breiðifjǫrðr and made to go into that fiord. There a huge bull went against him and waded out into the sea and began to bellow horribly. A multitude of land-spirits came with it. He went away from there and southwards round Reykjanes and tried to go up onto Víkarsskeið. There a mountain giant came against him with an iron staff in his hand, and his head rose higher than the mountains, and many other giants with him. From there he went eastwards along the whole length of the coast. ‘Then there was nothing but sands and harbourless coasts and a great deal of surf out to sea, and ocean from one country to another so great,’ he says, ‘that it is not navigable for large ships.’ At this time Brodd-Helgi was in Vápnafjǫrðr, Eyjólfr Valgerðarson in Eyjafjǫrðr, Þórðr gellir in Breiðifjǫrðr, Þóroddr goði in Ǫlfus. After this the king of the Danes turned his force south along the coast, going afterwards to Denmark, but Jarl Hákon had all the land resettled, and paid no tribute to the king of the Danes again.
King Haraldr’s son Sveinn, who was later called tjúguskegg, demanded rule from his father King Haraldr, but it was now again as before, that King Haraldr did not want to divide the realm of Danes into two, and refuses to give him rule. Then Sveinn gets together warships for himself and says that he wants to go raiding. And when his force was all assembled and Pálna-Tóki from the Jómsvikings had joined his force, then Sveinn made for Sjáland and in to Ísafjǫrðr. Then he found there before him his father King Haraldr with his ships, preparing to go on an expedition. Sveinn joined battle with him. A great battle took place there. Then troops rushed to support King Haraldr, so that Sveinn was overpowered, and he fled. King Haraldr received wounds there that led to his death. Afterwards Sveinn was taken as king in Denmark. Then Sigvaldi was jarl over Jómsborg in Vinðland. He was son of King Strút-Haraldr who had ruled over Skáney. Sigvaldi’s brothers were Hemingr and Þorkell inn hávi. Then Búi digri  of Borgundarhólmr was also leader of the Jómsvikings, together with his brother Sigurðr. There also was Búi’s nephew Vagn, son of Áki and Þorgunna. Jarl Sigvaldi had captured King Sveinn and carried him to Vinðland into Jómsborg and forced him to come to terms with King Búrizláfr of the Vinðr, and to let Jarl Sigvaldi settle the terms between them—Jarl Sigvaldi was now married to King Búrizláfr’s daughter Ástríðr—and otherwise, says the jarl, he would hand King Sveinn over to the Vinðr, and the king felt sure that they would torture him to death. Therefore he agreed to the jarl’s arbitration. The jarl adjudged that King Sveinn should marry King Búrizláfr’s daughter Gunnhildr, while King Búrizláfr should marry King Sveinn’s sister Þyri Haraldsdóttir, and both of them should keep their kingdoms and there should be peace between their countries. Then King Sveinn went back to Denmark with his wife Gunnhildr. Their sons were Haraldr and Knútr inn ríki. At that time Danes were making great threats to go with an army to Norway against Jarl Hákon.
King Sveinn held a magnificent banquet and called to him all of the ruling class that were in his kingdom. He was going to commemorate his father Haraldr. Then there had also died shortly before this Strút-Haraldr on Skáney and Véseti in Borgundarhólmr, father of Búi digri and Sigurðr. The king then sent word to the Jómsvikings that Jarl Sigvaldi and Búi and their brothers should come there and commemorate their fathers at the banquet that the king was holding. The Jómsvikings went to the banquet with all the most valiant of their men. They had forty ships from Vinðland and twenty ships from Skáney. There assembled there a very large number of men. The first day at the banquet, before King Sveinn was to go up into his father’s high-seat, he drank his toast and made a vow that before three winters had passed he would have come with his army to England and have killed King Aðalráðr or driven him from the country. Everyone who was at the memorial banquet had to drink that toast. Then the leaders of the Jómsvikings were served the largest horns with the strongest drink that was there. And when that toast had been drunk, then everyone had to drink Christ’s toast, and the Jómsvikings were always given the fullest and strongest drinks. The third one was Mikjáll’s toast, and everyone drank that. And after that Jarl Sigvaldi drank his father’s toast and afterwards made a vow that before three winters were passed, he would have come to Norway and killed Jarl Hákon or driven him from the country. Then his brother Þorkell hávi made a vow that he would go with Sigvaldi to Norway and not flee from battle if Sigvaldi was still fighting there. Then Búi digri made a vow that he would go to Norway with them and not flee before Jarl Hákon. Then his brother Sigurðr made a vow that he would go to Norway and not flee while a majority of the Jómsvikings were fighting. Then Vagn Ákason made a vow that he would go with them to Norway and not come back before he had killed Þorkell leira and gone to bed with his daughter Ingibjǫrg. Many other leaders made vows to do various things. People drank the memorials that day but the following morning, when the Jómsvikings were sober, they felt they had said plenty and hold their discussions and make deliberations as to how they are to arrange the expedition, deciding at length to get ready then as quickly as possible, fitting out their ships and troops. This was very widely talked of round many countries.
Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson heard what had happened. He was then in Raumaríki. He immediately gathered troops to himself and goes to Upplǫnd and so northwards over the mountains to Þrándheimr to see his father Jarl Hákon. Þórðr Kolbeinsson speaks of this in Eiríksdrápa:
And truly, from the south travelled great war-tidings of trees of weapons; worthy farmers widely feared trouble. Sveiði’s plain’s horseman heard of long-planked Danish warships, shoved in the water from worn slipways, in the south. 
Jarl Hákon and Jarl Eiríkr have a war-summons sent round all Þrœndalǫg, sending an order to both Mœrrs and to Raumsdalr, also north to Naumudalr and to Hálogaland, summoning all the population out to provide men and ships. So it says in Eiríksdrápa: 
Ships of all shapes in plenty the shield-tree sent out to sea, resounding—my skald’s work grows, praise-generous when the war-strengthener went at no small pace, with shields to fence the land of his father; before it, many ships gathered.
Jarl Hákon immediately sailed south to Mœrr to see what information he could get and to muster troops, while Jarl Eiríkr gathered the army together and brought it from the north.
The Jómsvikings took their force to Limafjǫrðr and from there sailed out into the open sea and had sixty ships and come to Agðir, taking their force straight north to Rogaland, beginning to make raids as soon as they come into Jarl Hákon’s realm, and so go north along the coast laying waste everywhere. There is a man named Geirmundr who went with a light ship and a few men with him. He came up north to Mœrr and there met Jarl Hákon, went in in front of his table and told the jarl the news that there was an army in the south of the country, come from Denmark. The jarl asked if he had proof of this. Geirmundr lifted up one arm, and the hand was chopped off, saying that there was the proof that an army was in the country. After that the jarl asks in detail about this army. Geirmundr says that there were Jómsvikings in it and they had slain many men and plundered widely. ‘But they are travelling,’ he says, ‘fast and hotly. I expect it will not be long before they will turn up here.’ Then the jarl rowed through all the fiords, in along one bank, and out along the other, travelling day and night and having watch kept inland across Eið, also south in Firðir, also to the north where Eiríkr was coming with the army. This is spoken of in Eiríksdrápa: 
The war-tried jarl, who urged out to sea stud-horses of planks, pointed towering prows against Sigvaldi; many oar-shafts were shaking; shrank from death never the comforters of carrion birds cutting the sea with oar-blades. 
Jarl Eiríkr travelled from the north as swiftly as he could.
Jarl Sigvaldi sailed his force north round Staðr, making first for Hereyjar. The local people, even when vikings found them, never told the truth about what the jarls were doing. The vikings raided wherever they went. They sailed in to Hǫð, ran ashore and raided, bringing to their ships both prisoners and farm stock, but killed the males who could bear arms. And when they went down to their ships, then there came to them an old farmer, and he went close to Búi’s troop. The farmer said: ‘You are behaving unlike true warriors, driving to the shore cows and calves. It would be a better catch for you to go after the bear that is now come close to the bear-trap.’ ‘What does the old fellow say?’ they say. ‘Can you tell us anything about Jarl Hákon?’ The farmer says: ‘He rowed yesterday in to Hǫrundarfjǫrðr. The jarl had one or two ships, they were not more than three, and he had not heard anything of you.’
Búi and his men immediately set off at a run to their ships and abandon all the plunder. Búi said: ‘Let us take advantage of the fact that we have got information, and let us be in the forefront of the victory.’ And when they reach the ships, they immediately row out. Jarl Sigvaldi called to them and asked what was going on. They say that Jarl Hákon was there inside the fiord. After this the jarl lets the fleet cast off and they row north of the island Hǫð and so inside round the island.
Búi and his men immediately set off at a run to their ships and abandon all the plunder. Búi said: ‘Let us take advantage of the fact that we have got information, and let us be in the forefront of the victory.’ And when they reach the ships, they immediately row out. Jarl Sigvaldi called to them and asked what was going on. They say that Jarl Hákon was there inside the fiord. After this the jarl lets the fleet cast off and they row north of the island Hǫð and so inside round the island.
Jarl Hákon and his son Jarl Eiríkr were lying in Hallkelsvík. Their whole army was assembled there. They had a hundred and fifty ships and had now heard that the Jómsvikings had sailed in at Hǫð. Then the jarls rowed from the south to find them, and when they come to the place called Hjǫrungavágr, then they meet. Then they each line up their forces for attack. In the middle of the line was Jarl Sigvaldi’s standard. There Jarl Hákon positioned himself for the attack. Jarl Sigvaldi had twenty ships, and Hákon sixty. In Jarl Hákon’s force the leaders were Þórir hjǫrtr of Hálogaland, then Styrkárr of Gimsar. In one wing of the formation were Búi digri and his brother Sigurðr with twenty ships. Against them Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson lined up sixty ships and with him these leaders, Guðbrandr hvíti from Upplǫnd and Þorkell leira, a man from the Vík. In the other wing Vagn Ákason came forward with twenty ships, and against them Sveinn Hákonarson and with him Skeggi of Yrjar from Upphaugr and Rǫgnvaldr of Ærvík from Staðr with sixty ships. So it says in Eiríksdrápa:
Against them to war glided on gleaming sea—far along the coast sailed the sea-force—slender Danish warships, most of which the jarl emptied of envoys gold-rich in Mœrr; with a cargo of warm carrion the gunwale-steed drifted. 
Eyvindr skáldaspillir also says this in Háleygjatal: 
There for workers of woe for Freyr was in the morning a meeting far from happy, when with a fleet the land-rulers rushed on the wreckers, when the sword-elf from the south drove an ocean-stud against their force. 
Then they brought the fleets together and the fiercest battle begins there and many fell from both sides and many more from Hákon’s force, for the Jómsvikings fought both valiantly and boldly and sharply and shot right through the shields, and there was such a raining down of weapons on Jarl Hákon that his coat of mail was torn and become useless, so that he threw it off. Tindr Hallkelsson speaks of this: 
It was hardly as if the handsome hearth-fire Gerðr, with shoulder-limbs the clash of Fjǫlnir’s flames increased— a couch for the jarl made ready, when he must cast off the clattering coat of Hangi, short of rings; swaying horses of Róði’s space were stripped by trees of mailcoats. Where on the shore the ring-shaped shirt of Sǫrli that the jarl wore was blasted apart; men’s benchmate bore witness to it.
The Jómsvikings had larger ships and ones that stood higher out of the water, but both sides fought very bravely. Vagn Ákason pushed so hard forward against Sveinn Hákonarson’s ship that Sveinn had them row astern and was on the point of fleeing. Then Jarl Eiríkr moved in their direction and forward into the line against Vagn. Then Vagn gave way astern, and the ships were now as they had lain to begin with. Then Eiríkr decided to go back to his force, and his men had now rowed astern, and Búi had severed the cables and was about to pursue the rout. Then Jarl Eiríkr came broadside on to Búi’s ship, and then there took place the sharpest handto-hand fighting, now two or three of Eiríkr’s ships came against Búi’s one ship. Then bad weather started, and such a great storm that one hailstone weighed an eyrir. Then Sigvaldi cut the cables and turned his ship away and was going to flee. Vagn Ákason shouted to him telling him not to flee. Jarl Sigvaldi paid no attention to what he said. Then Vagn threw a spear at him and struck the man who was sitting at the helm. Jarl Sigvaldi rowed away with thirty-five ships, but twenty-five remained behind. Then Jarl Hákon laid his ship on one side of Búi. Then the blows rained down without ceasing on Búi’s men. Vígfúss Víga-Glúmsson took up a sharp-pointed anvil that was lying on the planks with which someone had previously been clinching the hilt on his sword. Vígfúss was a very strong man. He threw the anvil with both hands and brought it down on Áslákr hólmskalli’s  head, so that its point stuck down into his brain. No other weapons had up to now penetrated Áslákr, but he had been striking out on both sides. He was Búi’s foster-son and one of his forecastle men. And another one was Hávarðr hǫggvandi. He was the strongest of men and very brave.
In this attack Eiríkr’s men went up onto Búi’s ship and aft to the poop to where Búi was. Then Þorsteinn miðlangr struck at Búi across his forehead cutting through his visor. That made a very great wound. Búi struck at Þorsteinn into his side so that it cut the man in two in the middle. Then Búi picked up two chests full of gold and shouted out loudly: ‘Overboard all Búi’s men.’ Then Búi threw himself overboard with the chests, and many of his men then leapt overboard, though some fell on the ship, for it was no good suing for quarter. Then the whole of Búi’s ship was cleared from stem to stern, and after that one ship after another. After that Jarl Eiríkr moved along to Vagn’s ship, and there was very tough resistance there, but in the end their ship was cleared and Vagn taken captive and his thirty men and taken ashore bound. Then Þorkell leira went up and said this: ‘You made this vow, Vagn, to kill me, but now it seems to me more likely that it is I who will kill you.’ Vagn and his men sat on a log all together. Þorkell had a great axe. He executed the one that was sitting at the end of the log. Vagn and his men were so bound that one rope was tied round the feet of all of them, but their hands were free. Then one of them said: ‘I have a cloak-pin in my hand, and I shall stick it in the ground if I am at all conscious when my head is off.’ His head was cut off and the pin fell from his hand. Next there sat a handsome man with fine hair. He swept his hair forwards over his head and stretched his neck forwards and said: ‘Don’t get blood in my hair.’ A man took hold of the hair in his hands and held it tight. Þorkell swung the axe down. The viking jerked his head back hard. The one who was holding the hair was pulled forwards. The axe came down on both his arms and severed them, so that the axe ended up in the ground. Then Jarl Eiríkr came up and asked: ‘Who is this handsome man?’ ‘They call me Sigurðr,’ he says, ‘and I am the reputed son of Búi. Not all the Jómsvikings are dead yet.’ Eiríkr says: ‘You must truly be the true son of Búi. Do you wish to have quarter?’ ‘It depends who is offering it,’ says Sigurðr. ‘He is offering it,’ says the jarl, ‘who has the power to grant it, Jarl Eiríkr.’ ‘Then I accept,’ he says. Then he was taken out of the rope. Then spoke Þorkell leira: ‘Even if you want, jarl, to let all these men have quarter, I shall never let Vagn Ákason go alive.’ He then ran forward swinging his axe, but the viking Skarði propelled himself forwards onto his face from the rope and fell in front of Þorkell’s feet. Þorkell fell flat over him. Then Vagn seized the axe. He swung it up and struck Þorkell a death-blow. Then said the jarl: ‘Vagn, will you accept quarter?’ ‘I will,’ he says, ‘if we can all have it.’ ‘Free them from the rope,’ says the jarl, and this was done. Eighteen had been killed, and twelve received quarter.
Jarl Hákon and many men with him were sitting on a felled tree. Then a bowstring twanged on Búi’s ship, and the arrow struck a landed man, Gizurr of Valdres. He was sitting next to the jarl and was dressed splendidly. Then men went out to the ship, and they found Hávarðr hǫggvandi standing on his knees out by the ship’s side, because his feet were cut off. He had a bow in his hand. And when they came out to the ship, then Hávarðr asked: ‘Who was it fell off the log?’ They said that he was called Gizurr. ‘Then my luck was worse than I wanted.’ ‘The luck was bad enough,’ they say, ‘and you shall not have any more tries.’ And they kill him. Then the dead were searched and the goods taken for sharing out. Twenty-five of the Jómsvikings’ ships had been cleared. So says Tindr:
The furnisher of food to Huginn’s flock left sword’s edge traces— limbs the dog of the strap’s sun savaged—on the host of Vinðr, until the sword-damager succeeded in stripping five and twenty long warships, laying the levy open to danger.
After that the army disperses. Jarl Hákon goes to Þrándheimr and was very displeased that Eiríkr had given Vagn Ákason quarter. It was rumoured that in this battle Jarl Hákon had made a sacrifice of his son Erlingr for victory, and after that the storm blew up, and then the casualties turned against the Jómsvikings. Jarl Eiríkr then went to Upplǫnd and so to his area of rule in the east, and Vagn Ákason went with him. Then Eiríkr gave Þorkell leira’s daughter Ingibjǫrg to Vagn in marriage, and gave him a fine longship with all its tackle and provided him with a crew for it. They parted the best of friends. Then Vagn went back south to Denmark and afterwards became a renowned person, and many great men are descended from him.
Haraldr grenski was king in Vestfold, as was written above. He married Guðbrandr kúla’s daughter Ásta. One summer, when Haraldr grenski was going to the eastern Baltic raiding to get himself wealth, then he came in to Svíþjóð. At this time Óláfr sœnski was king there. He was son of King Eiríkr inn sigrsæli and Skǫglar-Tósti’s daughter Sigríðr. Sigríðr was then a widow and owned many residences and large ones in Svíþjóð. And when she heard that her foster-brother Haraldr grenski had come in to land a short way away, she sent men to him and invited him to a banquet. He did not neglect going there and took a large troop of men. There was very good entertainment there. The king and the queen sat on a high-seat and both drank together in the evening, and all his men were supplied liberally. When the king retired in the evening, then there was a bed there hung with splendid hangings and spread with costly coverings. There were few people in that room. And when the king was undressed and lying down, then the queen came to him there and served him herself and enticed him hard to drink and was most agreeable. The king was pretty well drunk, indeed they both were. Then he fell asleep, and the queen then also went away to bed. Sigríðr was the wisest of women and prophetic about many things. The following morning there was the most plentiful banquet. And it happened at it, as is generally the case where men get rather heavily drunk, that the next day most men go easy with the drink. But the queen was merry, and they spoke together. She said that she valued no less the possessions and rule she held in Svíþjóð than his kingdom and possessions in Norway. At this speech the king became unhappy and took it all rather coldly and got ready to leave and was very depressed, but the queen was most cheerful and sent him off with great gifts. Then in the autumn Haraldr went back to Norway, stayed at home during the winter and was not very cheerful. The following summer he went to the Baltic with his troops and then made for Svíþjóð and sent word to Queen Sigríðr saying that he wished to see her. She rode down to meet him and they talk together. He soon raises the matter of whether Sigríðr wanted to marry him. She says that he was talking nonsense and he was already so well married that he was by no means ill-matched. Haraldr says that Ásta is a good woman and noble. ‘But she is not as high-born as I am.’ Sigríðr says: ‘It may be that you are of greater descent than she. But I would have thought that with her you would now both be very happy.’ They exchanged few further words before the queen rode away. King Haraldr was then rather depressed. He prepared to ride up inland and see Queen Sigríðr again. Many of his men tried to dissuade him from doing so, but nevertheless he went with a large troop of men and came to the residence that the queen was mistress of. The same evening another king arrived there. He was called Vissavaldr from Garðaríki in the east. He went to ask for her in marriage. The kings were assigned with all their men to a large and ancient apartment. All the furniture of the apartment was in keeping. And there was plenty of drinking during the evening, so strong that everyone was completely drunk and the bodyguards and the watchmen outside fell asleep. Then Queen Sigríðr had an attack made on them during the night with both fire and weapons. The apartment there burned and the people that were inside, but those who got out were killed. Sigríðr said that thus would she make petty kings stop going from other countries to ask to marry her. Afterwards she was known as Sigríðr in stórráða. The previous winter the Battle of the Jómsvikings had taken place.
Hrani had stayed behind at the ships when Haraldr had gone up inland, with the troops that were left behind, to be in charge. And when they learned that Haraldr’s life had been taken, they went away as quickly as possible and back to Norway and told about these events. Hrani went to see Ásta and told her what had happened on their expedition and also what business Haraldr had gone to Queen Sigríðr on. Ásta immediately went to Upplǫnd to her father, when she had heard about all this, and he welcomed her, but they were both very angry about the plans that had been hatched in Svíþjóð, and also about the fact that Haraldr had planned to desert her. Ásta Guðbrandsdóttir gave birth to a boy child that summer. This boy was named Óláfr when he was sprinkled with water. It was Hrani who sprinkled him with water. This boy was brought up there to begin with, with Guðbrandr and his mother Ásta. 
Jarl Hákon ruled Norway, all the western part along the coast, and had control of sixteen districts. But after Haraldr inn hárfagri had ordained that there should be a jarl in each district, it continued so for a long time afterwards. Jarl Hákon had sixteen jarls under him. So it says in Vellekla:
Where so do men know subject sixteen jarls’ dominions to one? This the earth-ruler’s army must consider. The host-play of Heðinn’s hair-parting fire of this shield’s blaze speeder is celebrated to the sky’s four corners.
While Jarl Hákon ruled over Norway, there were good harvests in the country and good peace within the country among the farmers. The jarl was popular with the farmers for the greater part of his life. But as time went on, it increasingly came about that he was unprincipled in his relations with women. This got so bad that the jarl had rich men’s daughters taken and brought back to him and he lay with them for one or two weeks, afterwards sending them home, and as a result he became very disliked by the women’s kinsfolk and the farmers began to complain bitterly, as the Þrœndir are accustomed to do about everything that displeases them.
Jarl Hákon got to hear some rumour about a man being over the sea to the west who called himself Áli and that they had taken him as their king there, and the jarl suspected from the accounts of some men that it must be someone of the Norwegian royal family. He was told that Áli claimed to be Russian by origin, but the jarl had heard that Tryggvi Óláfsson had had a son who had gone east to Garðaríki and been brought up there with King Valdimarr, and that he was called Óláfr. The jarl had also made many enquiries about this man and suspected that it must be the same person who had now come there to Vestrlǫnd. There is a man named Þórir klakka, a great friend of Jarl Hákon, who had been a long time out raiding, but sometimes on merchant voyages, and was widely renowned for it. Jarl Hákon sent this man over the sea to the west, telling him to go on a trading voyage to Dublin, which now many people were doing, and enquire into who this man Áli was, but if he discovers for certain that it was Óláfr Tryggvason or some other of the Norwegian royal family, then Þórir was to bring about some treachery against him if he could. 
After that Þórir went west to Ireland to Dublin and enquired there about Áli. He was there with his brother-in-law King Óláfr kváran. After this Þórir got into conversation with Áli. Þórir was a clever talker. And when they had been talking for a very long time, then Áli began to ask about Norway, first of all about the kings of the Upplanders and which of them were then alive and what rule they had. He also asked about Jarl Hákon, what his popularity was like in the country. Þórir says: ‘The jarl is such a powerful man that no one dares to say anything else but what he wishes, and the reason for that is that there is nowhere else to go. But to tell you the truth, I know the minds of many noble people and also of the commoners, that they would much prefer it and welcome it if some king came to power there of the line of Haraldr inn hárfagri, but we can see no one available, and that is mostly because it has now been shown that it does not pay to fight against Jarl Hákon.’ And when they had spoken of this often, then Óláfr reveals to Þórir his name and descent and asks him for some advice as to what he thinks, if Óláfr goes to Norway, whether he supposes the farmers would be willing to receive him as king. Þórir urged him fervently to this undertaking, and praised him and his abilities greatly. Óláfr now became very eager to visit his patrimony. Óláfr then sails from the west with five ships, first of all to the Hebrides. Þórir went along with him there. After that he sailed to Orkney. Jarl Sigurðr Hlǫðvisson was then lying in Rǫgnvaldsey in Ásmundarvágr with one longship and was about to go across to Katanes. Then Óláfr sailed his force from the west to the islands and sailed into harbour there, because it was not possible to cross Péttlandsfjǫrðr. And when the king realised that the jarl was lying right there, he had the jarl called to talk with him. And when the jarl came to talk with the king, then they had said very little before the king says that the jarl must have himself baptised and all the people of his country, or otherwise he should die there on the spot, and the king said he would go with fire and burning over the islands and devastate the country unless the people became Christian. And in the position the jarl now found himself in, he chose to accept baptism. He was then baptised and all the people that were with him there. After that the jarl swore oaths to the king and became his man, giving him as hostage his son who was called Hvelpr or Hundi, and Óláfr took him with him to Norway. Óláfr then sails eastwards across the sea and came in to land at Morstr, making his first landing in Norway there and having a mass sung there in his land-tent. And afterwards in that same place a church was built. Þórir klakka tells the king that the only thing for him to do was not to make it known who he was, and to let no information precede him and to go as fast as he could to find the jarl, and take him by surprise. King Óláfr does so, going north, travelling night and day whenever there was a fair wind, and keeping the people of the country ignorant of his journey, as to who it was going there. And when he came north to Agðanes, then he learned that Jarl Hákon is inside the fiord and also that he was in disagreement with the farmers. And when Þórir heard this said, then things were very different from what he expected, for after the Battle of the Jómsvikings everyone in Norway had been wholehearted supporters of Jarl Hákon because of the victory that he had won and his freeing the whole country of warfare. But now it had turned out badly, in that a great leader is come into the country, and the farmers were at odds with the jarl. 
Jarl Hákon was at a banquet in Gaulardalr at Meðalhús, and his ship was lying out off Vigg. There is a man called Ormr lyrgja, a rich farmer. He lived at Býnes. He had a wife whose name is Guðrún, daughter of Bergþórr of Lundar. She was known as Lundasól. She was a most handsome woman. The jarl sent his slaves to Ormr with his orders to bring Ormr’s wife Guðrún to the jarl. The slaves delivered their message. Ormr told them first to come and have supper. But before the slaves had finished eating, there had come to Ormr’s many men from the district, to whom he had sent word. Now Ormr said there was no chance that Guðrún would go with the slaves. Guðrún spoke, telling the slaves to tell the jarl that she would not come to him unless he sent Þóra of Rimull for her. She was a rich lady and one of the jarl’s mistresses. The slaves say that the next time they came the farmer and his lady would soon regret this, and made many threats and after that went away. But Ormr sent out a war-summons in all directions round the district and with the summons sent to say that everyone was to go armed against Jarl Hákon and slay him, and sent to Halldórr at Skerðingssteðja, and Halldórr immediately sent out a war-summons. Shortly before the jarl had taken the wife of a man called Brynjólfr, and that action was very much disliked, and then it had come close to an armed uprising. After the war-summons a mob of people rose up and made for Meðalhús. But the jarl received information and went from the farm with his troop and into a deep valley which now since then has come to be called Jarlsdalr, and they hid there. The next day the jarl got information about the army of farmers from all over. The farmers went along all the paths and thought it likeliest that the jarl would have gone to his ships, and his son Erlendr, a most promising man, was then in charge of the ships. And when night came, the jarl dispersed his troops and told them to make their way by forest tracks out to Orkadalr. ‘No one will do you any harm if I am nowhere near. Give word to Erlendr that he is to go out along the fiord, and we shall meet in Mœrr. I shall easily be able to conceal myself from the farmers.’ Then the jarl went, taking one of his slaves with him, who was called Karkr. There was ice on the Gaul, and the jarl shoved his horse into it, and he left his mantle behind there, but they went into a cave which has since been known as Jarlshellir. Then they fell asleep, but when Karkr awoke, then he told his dream, that a dark and evil-looking man went past the cave, and he was afraid that he might come in, but the man told him that Ulli was dead. The jarl says that Erlendr must have been killed. Þormóðr karkr fell asleep again a second time, and was restless in his sleep. And when he wakes up, he tells his dream, that he saw that same man go back down and told him to tell the jarl that now all escape routes were closed. Karkr told the jarl his dream. He suspected that this must presage the shortness of his life. After that he got up and they went to the farm of Rimull. Then the jarl sent Karkr to see Þóra, asking her to come to him secretly. She did so and welcomed the jarl. The jarl asked her to hide him for a matter of a few nights, until the farmers broke up their gathering. ‘You will be searched for here,’ she says, ‘around my farm, both outside and inside, for many people know that I will be eager to help you as far as I can. There is but one place on my farm where I would never think of looking for a man like you. That is in a sort of pigsty.’ They went to it. The jarl said: ‘Here we shall fix ourselves up. The main thing now is preservation of life.’ Then the slave dug a great pit there and took the earth away. After that he put pieces of wood over it. Þóra told the jarl the news that Óláfr Tryggvason had come into the fiord and he had killed his son Erlendr. After that the jarl went into the pit, and Karkr as well, and Þóra covered it over with wood and scraped earth over it and dung and drove the pigs over it. This pigsty was just below a great stone.
Óláfr Tryggvason had sailed into the fiord with five longships, and Jarl Hákon’s son Erlendr rowed out against them there with three ships. And when the ships drew close, then Erlendr and his men became suspicious that it might be a hostile force, and they turn towards the shore. And when Óláfr saw the longships sailing down the fiord and rowing towards him, then he thought that it might be Jarl Hákon there, and told them to row after them as hard as they could. And when Erlendr and his men were nearly come to the shore, they rowed into shallows and immediately leapt overboard and made for the shore. Then Óláfr’s ship glided up. Óláfr saw where an exceedingly handsome man was swimming. Óláfr grasped the tiller and threw it at the man, and the blow struck the jarl’s son Erlendr on the head, so that the skull was shattered to the brain. There Erlendr lost his life. Óláfr and his men killed many men there, but some got away by flight, some they captured and gave quarter to and got news from them. Óláfr was then told that the farmers had driven Jarl Hákon away and he was a fugitive from them and all his troops had dispersed. Then farmers come to see Óláfr, and each side is happy to see the other and they immediately unite together. The farmers take him as king over themselves, and they all adopt the same plan, to search for Jarl Hákon and go up into Gaulardalr, and they assume it is most likely that the jarl would be at Rimull if he was anywhere among the farms, since Þóra was his closest friend there in that valley. They go there and search for the jarl outside and inside and do not find him. And then Óláfr held a council with his men out in the farmyard. He stood up on the great stone that stood there by the pigsty. Then Óláfr spoke, and part of what he said was that he would enrich with both wealth and honour the man who became the death of Jarl Hákon. The jarl and Karkr heard this speech. They had a light with them. The jarl spoke: ‘Why are you so pale, and sometimes dark as earth? Is it not that you are going to betray me?’ ‘No,’ says Karkr. ‘We were born on the same night,’ says the jarl. ‘ There will also be a short time between our deaths.’ Then King Óláfr went away, when evening came. And when night came, then the jarl kept watch over his own safety, but Karkr fell asleep and was restless. Then the jarl woke him and asked what he had dreamed. He says: ‘I was just now at Hlaðir, and Óláfr Tryggvason placed a golden necklace on my neck.’ The jarl replies: ‘That is, Óláfr will put a blood-red ring around your neck, if you meet him. So beware. But by me you will be well treated, as you have been in the past, so don’t betray me.’ After that they both stayed awake, as if each were watching over the other. But towards dawn the jarl fell asleep, and he got restless, and this became so severe that the jarl pushed down with his heels and the back of his head, as if he were wanting to get up, and he made loud and horrible noises. But Karkr was afraid and panic-stricken and snatched a great knife from his belt and stabbed it through the jarl’s windpipe and severed it. That was the death of Jarl Hákon. After that Karkr cut off the jarl’s head and ran away and arrived later in the day in at Hlaðir and brought the jarl’s head to King Óláfr. He also then described the events of the travels of Jarl Hákon and himself, as has just been written above. Then King Óláfr had him taken away and his head cut off.
Then King Óláfr and a large number of farmers with him went out to Niðarhólmr, taking with him the heads of Jarl Hákon and Karkr. This little island was at that time used for executing thieves and criminals on, and a gallows stood there, and he had the heads of Jarl Hákon and Karkr taken there. Then the whole army went there and shouted out and threw stones at it, saying that there should a villain go with other villains. Afterwards they got people to go up into Gaulardalr and get the body and dragged it away and burned it. There was here such strength in the antipathy that the Þrœndir felt towards Jarl Hákon, that no one could refer to him by any other name than ‘jarl inn illi’. This appellation was used long afterwards. But it is true to say about Jarl Hákon, that he had many of the qualities requisite for a ruler, first of all a fine pedigree, and along with that wisdom and cleverness in managing his rule, boldness in battle and in addition the good fortune to be able to win victory and kill his enemies. So says Þorleifr Rauðfeldarson:
We know no greater jarl beneath the moon’s pathway, Ho̧kon, than you; bush of army-goddess, you prospered through battle. You have ushered to Óðinn— the offered corpses ravens feed on— nine royal men; this, ruler, rendered your lands extensive. 
Jarl Hákon was the most generous of men, but this kind of ruler experienced the greatest misfortune until his dying day. And the chief cause of it happening like this was, that then the time had come for heathen worship and heathen worshippers to be condemned, and be replaced by the holy Faith and proper morals. 
Óláfr Tryggvason was taken as king over the whole land, as widely as Haraldr inn hárfagri had ruled, at a general assembly in Þrándheimr. Then the mob and multitude rose up and would hear of nothing else but that Óláfr Tryggvason should be king. Óláfr then travelled throughout the whole country and subjected it. Everyone in Norway turned to obedience to him, even the rulers in Upplǫnd and in the Vík, who had previously held land from the king of the Danes, they became King Óláfr’s men and held land from him. Thus he travelled over the country the first winter and the following summer. Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson and his brother Sveinn and their other kinsmen and friends fled the country and made eastwards to Sweden to King Óláfr inn sœnski and were welcomed there. So says Þórðr Kolbeinsson: 
Fate causes much, increaser of criminals’ suffering; men’s treachery, a little later, brought death to Ho̧kon. And to the land the bold lance’s land-prop had vanquished, eastwards with the army advanced the son of Tryggvi. More in his mind than he made known had Eiríkr, schemes for the wealth-spoiler; such was of him expected. Angry, the jarl of Þrándheimr—no one opposing it— sought the Swedish king’s counsel; stubborn were the Þrœndir. 
There is a man called Loðinn, from Vík, wealthy and of good family. He frequently went on trading voyages, but sometimes went raiding. It was one summer that Loðinn went on a trading voyage to the eastern Baltic. He had one ship which also carried a good deal of goods for trading. He made for Eistland and spent the summer there at a market. And while the market went on, many kinds of merchandise were brought there. Many slave-women were brought there for sale. Loðinn saw there a certain woman who had been sold as a slave. And when he looked at the woman, he recognised that it was Ástríðr Eiríksdóttir, who had been married to King Tryggvi, and yet she looked different from the last time he had seen her. She was now pale and thin-faced and poorly dressed. He went up to her and asked what her situation was. She says: ‘It is painful to speak of it. I have been sold as a slave, and brought here for sale.’ Then they recognised each other, and Ástríðr knew who he was. After that she asked if he would buy her and take her back with him to her kinsfolk. ‘I will offer you terms for that,’ he says. ‘I will take you to Norway if you will marry me.’ And since Ástríðr was now in a desperate situation, and since she also knew that he was of noble ancestry, valiant and wealthy, so she promises him this for her redemption. After this Loðinn bought Ástríðr and took her back with him to Norway and married her there with the consent of kinsmen. Their children were Þorkell nefja and Ingiríðr, Ingigerðr. The daughters of Ástríðr and King Tryggvi were Ingibjǫrg and Ástríðr. The sons of Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli were Sigurðr, Karlshǫfuð, Jósteinn and Þorkell dyrðill  and they were all distinguished men and wealthy and resided in the east of the country. Two brothers lived east in Vík, one was called Þorgeirr and the other Hyrningr. They married the daughters of Loðinn and Ástríðr.
King Haraldr Gormsson of the Danes, when he had received Christianity, then he sent an order throughout all his kingdom that all people should have themselves baptised and turn to the true faith. He accompanied the order himself and used force and punishment where nothing else would work. He sent two jarls to Norway with a great force, who were called . . . They were to preach Christianity in Norway. This was successful in the Vík, where King Haraldr’s rule prevailed, and then many of the people of the country were baptised. But after Haraldr’s death, then his son Sveinn tjúguskegg soon went raiding, both in Saxland and Frísland and eventually to England. And the people in Norway who had received Christianity, they then turned back to the heathen rituals they had practised before, the same as those practised by people in the north of the country. But when Óláfr Tryggvason had become king in Norway, then he stayed for a large part of the summer in the Vík. Many of his kinsmen came to him there, and some of his relations by marriage, and there were many who had been good friends with his father, and he was welcomed there with very great warmth. Then Óláfr called to speak with him his mother’s brothers, his stepfather Loðinn, his brothers-in-law Þorgeirr and Hyrningr, then put before them with the greatest earnestness the proposal that they themselves should back him and then support him with all their might in his desire to establish the preaching of Christianity all over his kingdom, saying that he shall achieve the Christianisation of everywhere in Norway or die in the attempt. ‘I shall make you all great and powerful men, for I trust you best on account of our kinship or other ties.’ They all agreed to this, to do as he asked and to support him in everything he wanted to do, together with everyone who was willing to follow their lead. King Óláfr immediately announced to the public that he intends to preach Christianity to everyone in his kingdom. The first to agree to accept this proposal were those who had already assented. These were also the most powerful of the people who were then present, and all others followed their example. Then everyone round the Vík to the east was baptised. Then the king went north in the Vík and instructed everyone to receive Christianity, and to those who objected he dealt out heavy punishments, killing some, having some maimed, some he drove from the country. So it came about that all over the kingdom that his father King Tryggvi had earlier ruled, and also that which his kinsman Haraldr grenski had had, all the people accepted Christianity as Óláfr preached it, and that summer and the following winter everywhere round the Vík became fully Christian. 
Early in the spring King Óláfr went out into the Vík and took a great force, going then north to Agðir. And everywhere that he held assemblies with the farmers, he commanded everyone to be baptised, and people accepted Christianity, for no rebellion by the farmers against the king had any success, and the people were baptised wherever he went. The people in Hǫrðaland who were descended from the line of Hǫrða-Kári were numerous and of high rank. He had had four sons. One was Þorleifr spaki, the second Ǫgmundr, father of Þórólfr skjálgr, father of Erlingr of Sóli, the third was Þórðr, father of Hersir Klyppr, who killed Sigurðr slefa Gunnhildarson, the fourth Ǫlmóðr, father of Áskell, father of Áslákr Fitjaskalli. This family was at that time the greatest and noblest in Hǫrðaland. But when these kinsmen heard about this problem, that the king was travelling round the coast from the east and had a large force and was breaking the people’s ancient laws, while all those who objected had to face punishments and harsh terms, these kinsmen arranged a meeting between themselves and are going to make plans for themselves, for they know that the king will soon come to see them, and they agree together that they shall all come with large followings to Gulaþing and fix a meeting with King Óláfr Tryggvason. 
King Óláfr summoned a meeting when he got to Rogaland. But when the summons came to the farmers, they gather together in large numbers fully armed. And when they meet, they have discussions and make plans and appoint three men, those who were the best speakers in their company, to reply to King Óláfr at the assembly and speak in opposition to him, and to add that they will not subject themselves to wrongful laws even if they are introduced by the king. But when the farmers come to the assembly and the assembly was in session, then King Óláfr stood up and at first spoke kindly to the farmers. Yet it was apparent from what he said that he is determined that they shall accept Christianity, inviting them to do so with fair words, but finally adding for the benefit of those who objected and would not accede to his request, that they would have to face anger and punishments and harsh terms from him wherever he was able to bring it about. And when he ended his speech, then stood up that one of the farmers who was an especially good speaker and had been appointed the first who was to answer King Óláfr. But when he tried to begin his speech, he was attacked by such great coughing and difficulty in breathing that he could not get a word out, and he sits down. Then another farmer stands up, and this one is determined not to let the answers fail to be presented, though the previous man had not altogether succeeded. But when this one begins to speak, he had such a stammer that he could not get a word out. Then everyone who was listening began to laugh. Then the farmer sat down. Then a third stood up and tries to speak in opposition to King Óláfr. And when this one began to speak, he was so husky and hoarse that no one could hear what he said, and he sat down. Then there was none of the farmers ready to speak against the king. But when the farmers could get no one to answer the king, then their uprising in opposition to the king came to nothing. So it came about that everyone agreed to what the king proposed. Then all the people present at the assembly were baptised before the king was finished there. 
King Óláfr took his force to Gulaþing, because the farmers have sent him word that they wish to reply to his proposal. And when both sides are come to the assembly, then the king wishes first to have his discussion with the leading men of the land. And when they have all met together, then the king puts forward his proposal and invites them to receive baptism in accordance with his demand. Then says Ǫlmóðr inn gamli : ‘We kinsmen have discussed this matter between ourselves, and we shall all adopt the same counsel. If it be the case, king, that you are planning to compel us kinsmen to do this, to break our laws and force us to submit to you with some kind of compulsion, we shall stand against you with all our might, and let them gain victory to whom it is granted by fate. But if you, king, would like to make some advantageous offer to us kinsmen, then you could make it so attractive that we would all submit to you with complete obedience.’ The king says: ‘What do you want to request of me, so that the best possible agreement may be between us?’ Then Ǫlmóðr says: ‘First of all this, if you will give your sister Ástríðr in marriage to our kinsman Erlingr Skjálgsson, whom we consider to be the most promising of all the young men in Norway.’ King Óláfr says that he thinks it likely that this match would turn out well, saying that Erlingr is of good family and to all appearances the most promising person, and yet he says it is for Ástríðr to respond to this proposal. After that the king discussed this with his sister. ‘I am benefitting little,’ she says, ‘from being daughter of a king and sister of a king if I must be given to a man of low birth. I will rather wait a few years for another match.’ And they end their discussion for the time being.
King Óláfr had a hawk taken that belonged to Ástríðr, and had all its feathers plucked off, and afterwards sent it to her. Then Ástríðr said: ‘Now my brother is angry.’ Then she got up and went to the king. He welcomed her. Then Ástríðr spoke, saying that she wishes the king to arrange whatever match he wishes for her. ‘I would have thought,’ says the king, ‘that I would be getting the power to make anyone I want in this country noble.’ Then the king had Ǫlmóðr and Erlingr and all the kinsmen called to him for a discussion. Then this proposal was discussed. The end of it was that Ástríðr was betrothed to Erlingr. After that the king had the assembly instituted and proposed Christianity to the farmers. Now Ǫlmóðr and Erlingr were the principals in supporting this proposal of the king’s, together with all their kinsmen. No one had the confidence to oppose it. Then all the people were baptised and made Christian.
Erlingr Skjálgsson held his wedding in the summer, and a very large number of people was present. King Óláfr was there. Then the king offered to give Erlingr a jarldom. Erlingr spoke thus: ‘My kinsmen have been hersar. I do not wish to have a higher title than they. What I will accept, king, from you, is that you make me the greatest with that title in this country.’ The king agreed to that with him. And at their parting King Óláfr gave his brother-in-law Erlingr from Sognsær in the north and east to Líðandisnes on the same terms as Haraldr inn hárfagri had given it to his sons and are written above. 
That same autumn King Óláfr called an assembly of four districts north on Staðr at Dragseið. To it were to come Sygnir and Firðir, Sunnmœrir and Raumdœlir. King Óláfr went there with a very large number of men whom he had brought from the east of the country and also the troops that had then joined him in Rogaland and Hǫrðaland. And when King Óláfr came to the assembly there, then he preached Christianity there as in other places. And because the king had there a great force of numerous men, they were afraid of it. And at the conclusion of this business the king offered them two alternatives, either that they should accept Christianity and have themselves baptised, or otherwise that they should join in battle with him. But as the farmers realised that they had not the resources to fight with the king, the other course was adopted, that all the people became Christian. So then King Óláfr goes with his force to Norð-Mœrr and he makes that district Christian. After that he sails in to Hlaðir and has the temple knocked down and all the wealth taken away, and all the finery from the temple and off the idol of the god. He took off the temple door a great gold ring that Jarl Hákon had had made. After that King Óláfr had the temple burned. But when the farmers find out about this, then they have a war summons sent round all districts and summon an army out, intending to go against the king. King Óláfr then took his force out along the fiord and then makes his way north along the coast and is intending to go north to Hálogaland and bring Christianity there. But when he came north to Bjarnaurar, then he heard from Hálogaland that they have an army out there and are planning to defend the country against the king. The leaders of the force there are Hárekr from Þjótta and Þórir hjǫrtr from Vágar, Eyvindr kinnrifa. And when King Óláfr hears this, then he alters his course and sails south along the coast. And when he came south round Staðr, then he travelled much more leisurely, and yet at the beginning of winter had come all the way east to the Vík. 
Queen Sigríðr in Svíþjóð, who was known as in stórráða, was staying at her residences. That winter men passed between King Óláfr and Queen Sigríðr, and by them King Óláfr made his proposal to Queen Sigríðr, and she received it favourably, and this arrangement was confirmed by special agreement. Then King Óláfr sent Queen Sigríðr the great gold ring that he had taken from the temple door at Hlaðir, and it was considered an unparalleled treasure. A meeting was to be arranged for this business the following spring at the River Elfr on the border. And while this ring that King Óláfr had sent Queen Sigríðr was being so much praised by everyone, there were staying with the queen her goldsmiths, two brothers. And when they picked up the ring and weighed it in their hands and spoke privately together, then the queen had them called to her and asks what joke they were making about the ring. They pretended they weren’t. She says that they must whatever the case let her know what fault they have found in it. They say that the ring was false. After that she has the ring broken open, and there was found brass inside. Then the queen got angry and says that Óláfr must be deceiving her in other things besides just this. That same winter King Óláfr went up into Hringaríki and brought Christianity there. Ásta Guðbrandsdóttir, soon after the fall of Haraldr grenski, had given herself in marriage to a man called Sigurðr sýr. He was king in Hringaríki. Sigurðr was son of Hálfdan, while he was son of Sigurðr hrísi, son of Haraldr inn hárfagri. At this time her and Haraldr grenski’s son Óláfr was living there with Ásta. He was brought up in his youth with his stepfather Sigurðr sýr. And when King Óláfr Tryggvason came to Hringaríki to preach Christianity, then Sigurðr sýr and his wife Ásta and her son Óláfr had themselves baptised, and Óláfr Tryggvason acted as godfather to Óláfr Haraldsson. He was then three years old. Then King Óláfr went again out into the Vík and stayed there during the winter. This was his third winter as king over Norway.
Early in the spring King Óláfr went east to Konungahella for a meeting with Queen Sigríðr. And when they met, then they discussed the business that had been spoken of in the winter, that they should be married, and this business all seemed to be going well. Then King Óláfr said that Sigríðr should receive baptism and the true faith. She spoke as follows: ‘I shall not abandon the faith that I have previously held, as have my kinsmen before me. I shall also make no objection to your believing in whatever god you like.’ Then King Óláfr got very angry and spoke hastily: ‘Why would I want to marry you, heathen as a dog as you are?’ And he struck her in the face with his glove which he had in his hand. Then he got up, and she also. Then spoke Sigríðr: ‘That could well cost you your life.’ After that they parted. The king went north into the Vík, and the queen east into Sweden.
Then King Óláfr went to Túnsberg and then held a further assembly there and spoke at the assembly, saying that everyone who was known for practising spells and witchcraft, or who was a sorcerer, and was found guilty of it, must all leave the country. After that the king had searches made for these people in the districts nearby there, and summoned them all to him. And when they came there, there was one man among them whose name is Eyvindr kelda. He was grandson of Rǫgnvaldr réttilbeini, son of Haraldr hárfagri. Eyvindr was a sorcerer and very much skilled in witchcraft. King Óláfr had all these people put into an apartment and had it well furnished, had a banquet provided for them and strong drink given them. And when they had got drunk, Óláfr had the building set fire to, and the apartment was burned and all the people who were in it, except that Eyvindr kelda got out through an opening in the roof and so got away. And when he had got a long way off, he met some people in his path who were intending to go to the king, and bade them tell the king that Eyvindr kelda had got away from the fire and that he would never again come into King Óláfr’s power, but he would carry on in the same way as he had done before as regards all his magical skills. And when these people came and met King Óláfr, they report about Eyvindr as he had instructed them. The king was displeased that Eyvindr was not dead.
Then King Óláfr went, when spring came, out along the coast of the Vík and received banquets at his large estates and sent a summons all round the Vík that he wants to take a force out in the summer and go to the north of the country. After that he went north to Agðir. And towards the end of Lent he made his way north to Rogaland and arrived on Easter-eve on Ǫgvaldsnes in Kǫrmt. There an Easter banquet had been prepared for him. He had nearly three hundred men. That same night Eyvindr kelda came there to the island. He had a fully-manned longship. They were all sorcerers and other people skilled in magic. Eyvindr went ashore from the ship and his troop and they started working their spells. Eyvindr made them a covering of invisibility and foggy darkness so great that the king and his troop would not be able to see them. And when they came almost up to the residence on Ǫgvaldsnes, then it became bright daylight. Then it turned out very differently from what Eyvindr had planned. The dense fog that he had caused by magic now affected him and his company so that they could not see with their eyes any more than through the backs of their heads, and they just kept going round and round. But the king’s watchmen saw them, where they were going, and did not know what troop it was. Then the king was told. Then he got up with all his troop and got dressed. And when the king saw where Eyvindr and his men were walking, he told his men to arm themselves and go up and find out what people they were. And when the king’s men recognised Eyvindr there, they took him and all the rest prisoner and led them to the king. Then Eyvindr tells everything that has happened on his expedition. After that the king had them all taken and conveyed to a reef covered at high water and tied up there. So Eyvindr lost his life, together with all the others. That has since been called Sorcerers’ Skerry.
It is said that when King Óláfr was at the banquet on Ǫgvaldsnes, an old man, a clever talker with a hood hanging down over his face, came there one evening. He was one-eyed. This man could tell about all lands. He got into conversation with the king. The king found his conversation very entertaining and asked him many things, and the guest was able to answer all his questions, and the king sat up late into the evening. Then the king asked whether he knew who the Ǫgvaldr had been that the ness and the farm were named after. The guest says that Ǫgvaldr had been a king and a great warrior, and used to worship mostly a cow, taking it with him wherever he went, and he always used to think it wholesome to drink its milk. ‘King Ǫgvaldr fought against a king called Varinn. In the battle King Ǫgvaldr fell. He was buried in a mound a little way from the farm and memorial stones were set up that are still standing here. And in another place not far from here the cow was buried in a mound.’ He also told similar things and many others about kings or other events of long ago. And when they had been sitting long into the night, then the bishop reminded the king that it was time to go to sleep. The king then did so. And when he was undressed and was lying in bed, then the guest sat on the footboard and went on talking with the king for a long time further. The king still wanted to hear more, whatever was said. Then the bishop spoke to the king, saying that it was time to go to sleep. Then the king did so, and the guest went out. A little later the king awoke and asked about the guest and asked for him to be called to him, but the guest could not then be found anywhere. The next morning the king had the cook called to him, and the man that looked after the drink, and asked whether any stranger had been to see them. They say that when they were about to prepare the food, some man had come there and said that they were cooking surprisingly poor meat for the king’s table. Afterwards he had given them two thick and fat sides of beef, and they had cooked them with the other meat. Then the king says that all that food must be thrown away, saying that it could not have been any man and it must have been Óðinn, whom heathen people had long believed in, and said that Óðinn must not now be allowed to do anything to deceive them.
In the summer King Óláfr assembled a great force from the east of the country and took this force north to Þrándheimr and made first of all for Niðaróss. After that he had a summons to an assembly sent all round the fiord and announced an eight-district assembly at Frosta, but the farmers changed the assembly summons into a call to arms and called out both free men and bondmen all over Þrándheimr. And when the king came to the assembly, then the mob of farmers was come there fully armed. And when the assembly was set up, then the king spoke to the people and asked them to accept Christianity. But when he had been talking a little while, then the farmers shouted out and told him to shut up, saying that otherwise they would make an attack on him and drive him away. ‘We did this,’ they said, ‘to Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri when he made the same request of us, and we pay no more regard to you than to him.’ And when King Óláfr saw the frenzy of the farmers, and also that they had such a great army that it could not be withstood, then he changed his tack and turned to agreement with the farmers, saying this: ‘I want us to agree together, as we have previously settled things between us. I want to go to where you hold your greatest worship and see your practices there. Then we shall hold discussions about the practices, which ones we want to have, and then all come to an agreement about it.’ And when the king spoke mildly to the farmers, then their attitude softened, and afterwards the whole talk went pleasantly and in a conciliatory fashion, and it was decided in the end that there should be a midsummer festival in at Mærin, and all the leaders and rich farmers would attend, as the custom was. King Óláfr would also be there.
Skeggi was the name of a rich farmer. He was known as Járn-Skeggi. He lived at Upphaugr in Yrjar. Skeggi had spoken first at the assembly against King Óláfr and was the foremost of the farmers in opposing Christianity. They broke up the assembly on these terms. Then the farmers went home and the king to Hlaðir.
King Óláfr was lying with his ships in the Nið, and had thirty ships and a fine and large force, but the king himself was frequently at Hlaðir with his personal following. And when it was coming very close to the time for holding the festival in at Mærin, then King Óláfr prepared a great banquet at Hlaðir, sending summonses in to Strind and up into Gaulardalr and out to Orkadalr and inviting to him leading men and other important farmers. And when the banquet was ready and the guests had arrived, then the first evening there was a splendid feast there, and served very liberally. People got very drunk. But the following night everyone slept peacefully there. The next morning, when the king was dressed, he had the divine service sung for himself, and when the Mass was finished, the king had a trumpet-call sounded for a household council. Then all his men left their ships and went to the meeting. And when the meeting was in session, the king stood up and spoke, saying this: ‘We had an assembly in at Frosta. I then proposed to the farmers that they should have themselves baptised, but they in turn proposed to me that I should turn to heathen sacrifice with them, as King Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri had done. Agreement was reached between us that we should meet in at Mærin and there hold a great festival. But if I must turn to heathen sacrifices with you, then I will have the greatest sacrifice that is known made, and offer men in sacrifice. I do not want to choose for this slaves or evil-doers. For this I shall choose to offer the gods the most distinguished people. I am naming for this Ormr lygra of Meðalhús, Styrkárr of Gimsar, Kárr of Grýtingr, Ásbjǫrn, Þorbergr of Ǫrnes, Ormr of Lyxa, Halldórr of Skerðingsteðja.’ And in addition he named another five of those who were most distinguished, saying that he wanted to offer these as a sacrifice for prosperity and peace, and immediately launched an attack on them. But when the farmers saw that they did not have sufficient forces to withstand the king, they beg for quarter and put all their future at the king’s disposal. It was then agreed between them that all the farmers who had come there should have themselves baptised and swear oaths to the king to keep to the true faith, and give up all heathen ritual. The king then kept all these men as his guests right on until they had handed over their sons or brothers or other close kinsmen as hostages to the king.
King Óláfr went with his whole force in to Þrándheimr. And when he came in to Mærin, all the leaders of the Þrœndir who were most opposed to Christianity had arrived there, and had there with them all the important farmers who in the past had maintained heathen worship in that place. There was then a large number there, similar to what had before been at the Frostuþing. Then the king had an assembly proposed, and both sides went to this assembly fully armed. And when the assembly was set up, then the king spoke, preaching Christianity to the people. Járnskeggi replied to the king’s proposal on behalf of the farmers. He says that the farmers wanted the same as before, that the king should not break their laws. ‘We desire, king,’ he says, ‘that you should offer sacrifices, as other kings have done here before you.’ At his speech the farmers applauded loudly, saying that they wanted to have everything as Skeggi said. Then the king says that he wants to go into the temple and see their rituals when they offer sacrifice. The farmers were pleased at this; both parties go to the temple.
King Óláfr now goes into the temple and a small number of men with him and some of the farmers. And when the king came to where the gods were, there sat Þórr, and was most dignified of all the gods, adorned with gold and silver. King Óláfr raised up a gold-adorned ceremonial halberd that he had in his hand and struck Þórr, so that he fell off his pedestal. Then the king’s men leapt forward and shoved down all the gods from their pedestals. And while the king was inside in the temple, then Járnskeggi was killed outside before the temple entrance, and it was the king’s men who did this. And when the king came back to the people, he offered the farmers two alternatives, the one that they should all now receive Christianity, or as an alternative engage in battle with him. But after Skeggi’s death there was no leader there among the host of farmers ready to raise a banner against King Óláfr. The other alternative was taken up, to go to the king and yield to what he commanded. Then King Óláfr had all the people that were there baptised and took hostages from the farmers to ensure that they should keep up their Christianity. After that King Óláfr made his men travel round all the districts in Þrándheimr. No one now opposed Christianity. Then all the people in Þrœndalǫg were baptised.
King Óláfr took his force out to Niðaróss. Then he had buildings put up on Niðarbakki and planned it so that there should be a market town there, giving people sites to build themselves houses there, and he had his palace built up above Skipakrókr. He had all the supplies that were needed for winter residence there transported there in the autumn, and he kept a very large number of people there.
King Óláfr made an appointment for a meeting with Járnskeggi’s kinsmen and offered them compensation, and there were a lot of distinguished people involved. Járnskeggi had a daughter who is named Guðrún. In the end, a part of their settlement was that King Óláfr should marry Guðrún. And when the date for this wedding came, then they started to sleep in the same bed, King Óláfr and Guðrún. But the first night that they were lying both together, as soon as the king was fallen asleep, she drew a knife and was going to stab him. And when the king realised this, he took the knife off her and got up from the bed and went to his men and tells them what had happened. Guðrún then also got her clothes and all the people who had come there with her. They went off on their way, and Guðrún never again came into the same bed as King Óláfr. 
That same autumn King Óláfr had a great longship built on the sandbanks by the Nið. It was a cruiser. He employed many shipbuilders on it. And by the beginning of that winter the ship was completely finished. The number of rowing benches was thirty, it was high at stem and stern and not of large capacity. The king named this ship Traninn. After the slaying of Járnskeggi his body was transported out to Yrjar, and he lies in Skeggjahaugr on Austrátt.
When King Óláfr Tryggvason had been king in Norway for two years, there was with him a Saxon priest who is named Þangbrandr. He was a very violent man and a fighter, but a good cleric and a valiant man. But because of his unruly behaviour the king did not want to have him with him and sent him on a mission, that he was to go to Iceland and Christianise the country. He was provided with a merchant ship, and there is this to be told about his voyage, that he reached Iceland in the Eastern Fiords in the southerly Álptafjǫrðr, and the following winter he stayed with Hallr on Síða. Þangbrandr preached Christianity in Iceland, and because of what he said, Hallr had himself baptised and all his household and many other leading men, but the others who objected were more numerous. Þorvaldr veili and the poet Vetrliði composed insulting verses about Þangbrandr, and he slew them both. Þangbrandr stayed two years in Iceland and became the slayer of three men before he went away.
There was a man called Sigurðr, and another called Haukr. They were from Hálogaland and spent much time on trading voyages. They had gone one summer west to England. And when they came back to Norway, they sailed north along the coast and in Norð-Mœrr they came face to face with King Óláfr’s force. And when the king was told that some men from Hálogaland were come and that they were heathen, then the king had the skippers called to him. He asked them if they were willing to have themselves baptised, and their answer was no. After that the king used many arguments with them, and that did no good. Then he threatened them with death or maiming. This did not change their minds. He had them put in irons and kept them with him for some time, and they were kept in fetters. The king argued with them frequently, and that was of no avail. And one night they disappeared, so that no one could discover what had become of them or knew by what means they had got away. But in the autumn they turned up in the north with Hárekr in Þjótta. He welcomed them, and they stayed there with him during the winter with good entertainment.
It was one fine day in the spring that Hárekr was at home and there were few men in the dwelling. He found it dull. Sigurðr spoke to him, asking whether he would like them to row somewhere and amuse themselves. Hárekr was pleased with that idea. After that they go to the shore and launch a six-oared boat. Sigurðr got the sail and tackle that belonged with the boat from the boathouse, as they often used to go, using a sail when they went to amuse themselves. Hárekr went on board and fitted the rudder. Sigurðr and his brother went fully armed, as they were always accustomed to do at home among the farmers. They were both the strongest of men. But before they went out onto the boat, they threw aboard some butter chests and a breadbox and carried between them a great beer-tub out onto the boat. After that they rowed from the shore, and when they had come a short way from the island, then the brothers hoisted the sail, while Hárekr steered. They were soon carried away from the island. Then the brothers went aft to where Hárekr was sitting. Sigurðr said to farmer Hárekr: ‘Now you shall choose here between some alternatives. The first is to let us brothers determine our voyage and our course. The second is to let us tie you up. The third is that we shall kill you.’ Hárekr now saw what his situation was. He was a match for no more than one of the brothers if they were equally equipped. So his choice was the one that seemed to him rather the best, to let them determine their voyage. He confirmed this to them by oaths and plighted his troth to this. After that Sigurðr went to the rudder and set a course southwards along the coast. The brothers took care that they should nowhere meet people, and they had winds as good as could be. They did not cease their journey until they got south into Þrándheimr and in to Niðaróss and find King Óláfr there. Then King Óláfr had Hárekr called to talk with him and asked him to be baptised. Hárekr objected. The king and Hárekr discuss this for many days, sometimes in the presence of many people, sometimes in private, and no agreement is reached. But in the end the king says to Hárekr: ‘Now you shall go home, and I shall not harm you for the moment. The reason is that we are closely related, and also that you will claim that I have got hold of you by deceit. But be sure of this, that I am intending to come there to the north and visit you men of Hálogaland. You will then find out whether I know how to punish those who refuse Christianity.’ Hárekr felt happy that he would be able to get away as soon as he could. King Óláfr gave Hárekr a good small ship with ten or twelve men on board to row, had this ship fitted out as well as could be with all necessaries. The king gave Hárekr thirty men, valiant fellows and well fitted out.
Hárekr of Þjótta immediately went away from the town as soon as he could, but Haukr and Sigurðr stayed with the king and both had themselves baptised. Hárekr went on his way until he got home to Þjótta. He sent word to his friend Eyvindr kinnrifa, and bade tell him that Hárekr of Þjótta had met King Óláfr and had not let himself be cowed into receiving Christianity. This also he bade tell him, that King Óláfr is intending in the summer to go with an army against them. Hárekr says that they will need to take precautions about this, told Eyvindr to come to see him as soon as possible. And when this information was brought to Eyvindr, then he realises that there will be very great need to take some steps to prevent their being at the mercy of the king. Eyvindr goes as quickly as he can with a light ship and a small number of men on it. And when he got to Þjótta, Hárekr welcomes him and without delay they quickly start their discussions, Hárekr and Eyvindr, to one side of the farmhouse. But when they have been talking for only a short time, King Óláfr’s men, those who had accompanied Hárekr to the north, come up, then take hold of Eyvindr and take him to the ship with them, afterwards going off with Eyvindr. They do not leave off their travelling until they come to Þrándheimr and meet King Óláfr in Niðaróss. Eyvindr was then conducted to an interview with King Óláfr. The king tells him to receive baptism like other people. Eyvindr said no to this. The king asked him with kindly words to accept Christianity, giving him many reasons, as did the bishop. Eyvindr did not change his mind for that. Then the king offered him gifts and great revenues, but Eyvindr refused all this. Then the king threatened him with maiming or death. Even at this Eyvindr did not change his mind. After that the king had a washbowl full of red-hot embers brought in and placed on Eyvindr’s belly, and his belly soon burst apart. Then Eyvindr said: ‘Take the bowl off me. I want to speak a few words before I die.’ And this was done. Then the king asked: ‘Will you now, Eyvindr, believe in Christ?’ ‘No,’ says he, ‘I cannot receive any baptism. I am a spirit, quickened in a human body by the sorcery of Lapps, for my father and mother were not able to have a child before that.’ Then Eyvindr died and had been a man most skilled in magic.
So the following spring King Óláfr had his ships and troops fitted out. Now he himself took charge of Traninn. The king now had a large force and a fine one. And when he was ready he sailed out along the fiord and then north past Byrða and on north to Hálogaland. And wherever he came to land, then he held an assembly. There he told all the people to receive baptism and the true faith. No one dared to object, and the whole country was made Christian, wherever he went. King Óláfr received a banquet on Þjótta at Hárekr’s. Then he was baptised and all his men. Hárekr gave the king good gifts at parting and became his man and received revenues from the king and a landed man’s privileges.
There was a farmer named Rauðr inn rammi, who lived in the fiord that is called Sálpti on Goðey. Rauðr was an extremely wealthy man and had many men in his household. He was a rich man. A large number of Lapps attended him when he needed them. Rauðr was a great pagan and very skilled in magic. He was a great friend of the man who was mentioned earlier, Þórir hjǫrtr. They were both great leaders. And when they heard that King Óláfr was travelling with an army of men from the south through Hálogaland, then they gather together to themselves an army and call out ships and get a great force. Rauðr had a great dragon-head ship with a gilded figurehead on it. This ship’s rowing-benches were thirty in number and it was of according size. Þórir hjǫrtr also had a large ship. They sail this force south against King Óláfr. And when they met, then they went into battle against King Óláfr. There was a great battle there, and soon there were casualties, and there came to be more of these in the force of the Háleygir, and their ships were cleared of men, and next they were struck by fear and panic. Rauðr rowed with his dragon-ship out to sea, and next he hoisted sail. Rauðr always had a favourable wind wherever he wanted to sail, and this was a result of his magic. To tell most briefly about Rauðr’s voyage, he sailed home to Goðey. Þórir hjǫrtr fled in to land and there they leapt from their ships, but King Óláfr followed them. They also leapt from their ships and pursued and killed them. The king was then again foremost as usual when this required exertion. He saw where Þórir hjǫrtr was running. He was swiftest of all men. The king ran after him, accompanied by his dog Vígi. Then the king said: ‘Catch the hart, Vígi.’ Vígi leapt forward after Þórir and straightway up at him. Þórir stopped at this. Then the king threw a halberd at Þórir. Þórir thrust his sword at the dog and gave him a great wound, but at the same moment the king’s halberd flew under Þórir’s arm so that it stuck out through his other side. There Þórir lost his life, but Vígi was carried wounded to the ships. King Óláfr gave quarter to all those men who asked and were willing to receive Christianity.
King Óláfr sailed his force northwards along the coast and made all the people Christian wherever he went. And when he got north to Sálpti, he was going to sail into the fiord to visit Rauðr, but a storm of wind and a squall was blowing from in along the fiord, and the king lay there waiting for a week, and the same stormy weather continued to blow from in along the fiord, but outside it there was a fair wind blowing for sailing north along the coast. Then the king sailed all the way north to Ǫmð, and all the people there submitted to Christianity. Afterwards the king changed his course back to the south. But when he got down from the north to Sálpti, then there was a storm out along the fiord and flying spray. The king lay there a few nights, and the wind was the same. Then the king spoke to Bishop Sigurðr and enquired whether he could offer any advice about it. The bishop says that he will try, if God will add his assistance to overcome this devilish power.
Bishop Sigurðr got out all his Mass vestments and went forward to the prow on the king’s ship, had candles lit and took incense, set a crucifix up on the prow, read from the Gospel there and many other prayers, sprinkled holy water all over the ship. Then he bade them take down the awnings and row into the fiord. The king then had someone shout to the other ships that everyone was to row behind him. And when the oars were plied on Tranan, then she went into the fiord, and those who were rowing on that ship felt no wind on themselves, and the walls of the wake behind them stood up so that it was calm in there, but there was such widespread spray out on each side of them that because of it the mountains could nowhere be seen. Then one ship after another rowed there in the calm. They travelled thus the whole day and the following night, coming a little before dawn to Goðeyjar. And when they arrived before Rauðr’s farm, then there off the shore that great dragon-ship of his was floating. King Óláfr immediately went up to the farm with his men, made an attack on the upper room there that Rauðr slept in, and broke in. Men ran in there. Then Rauðr was taken captive and bound, and the other men who were in there were killed, and some taken captive. Then the king’s men went to the hall that Rauðr’s household slept in. Some there were killed and some tied up, some beaten. Then the king had Rauðr brought before him, ordering him to have himself baptised. ‘I will then,’ says the king, ‘not take from you your property, rather be your friend, if you go carefully.’ Rauðr shouted in protest, saying that he would never believe in Christ, and blaspheming greatly. Then the king became angry and said that Rauðr should die the worst death. Then the king had him taken and bound face upwards on a beam, had a piece of wood put between his teeth so as to open up his mouth. Then the king had a heather-snake taken and brought to his mouth, but the snake would not go in his mouth and wriggled away, because Rauðr blew against it. Then the king had an angelica stalk pipe taken and put in Rauðr’s mouth—though some people say that the king had his trumpet put in his mouth—and put the snake in it, having a red-hot iron bar pushed against it from the outside. Then the snake wriggled into Rauðr’s mouth and after that into his throat and tore out through his side. There Rauðr lost his life. King Óláfr took there a huge amount of wealth in gold and silver and other goods, in weapons and many sorts of valuable items. But all the people who had been with Rauðr the king had baptised, and those who refused he had killed or tortured. Then King Óláfr took the dragon-ship that Rauðr had owned and skippered it himself, since that ship was much larger and finer than Traninn. There was a dragon-head on the prow, and on the stern a curved piece bending forwards at the end like a serpent’s tail and both the neck and the whole of the stem was plated with gold. The king called this ship Ormrinn, because when the sail was up it was supposed to be like the wings of a dragon. This ship was the handsomest in all Norway. The islands where Rauðr lived are called Gylling and Hæring, but as a group they are called Goðeyjar, and it is Goðeyjarstraumr to the north, between them and the mainland. King Óláfr made the whole fiord Christian, afterwards going on his way south along the coast, and on that voyage many things happened that have been put into stories, when trolls and evil spirits played tricks on his men and sometimes on him himself. But we want rather to write about the events of King Óláfr Christianising Norway or the other countries that he introduced Christianity to. King Óláfr brought his force that same autumn into Þrándheimr and sailed to Niðaróss and fixed it up for himself there as his winter residence. Now I want to have narratives written about Icelanders next.
That same autumn there came to Niðaróss from out in Iceland Kjartan, son of Óláfr Hǫskullsson and grandson of Egill Skalla-Grímsson, who has been said to be about the most promising man of those who have been born in Iceland. There also at that time were Halldórr, son of Guðmundr at Mǫðruvellir, and Kolbeinn, son of Þórðr Freysgoði and brother of Brennu-Flosi, fourthly Rúnólfr goði’s son Svertingr—these were all heathen, like many others, some rich, and others poor. Then there also came from Iceland distinguished people who had received Christianity from Þangbrandr: Teitr Ketilbjarnarson’s son Gizurr hvíti his mother was Álof, daughter of VíkingaKárason’s son Hersir Bǫðvarr. Bǫðvarr’s brother was Sigurðr, father of Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli, father of King Óláfr’s mother Ástríðr. Hjalti was the name of an Icelander, son of Skeggi. He was married to Gizurr hvíti’s daughter Vilborg. Hjalti was also Christian, and King Óláfr welcomed the father-in-law and son-in-law, Gizurr and Hjalti, gladly, and they stayed with him. But the Icelanders who had charge of ships and were heathen, they sought to sail away now the king was in the town, since they had been told that the king forced everyone into Christianity, but the wind turned against them and drove them back beneath Niðarhólmr. There were these there in charge of ships: Þórarinn Nefjólfsson, the poet Hallfrøðr Óttarsson, Brandr inn ǫrvi, Þorleikr Brandsson. This was told to King Óláfr, that Icelanders were there with some ships, and all heathens, and were trying to escape meeting the king. Then the king sent men to them and forbade them to sail away, telling them to sail in to the town, and they did so, but did not unload their ships.
Then came Michaelmas. The king had it observed solemnly, having Mass sung in high style. The Icelanders went to it and listened to the beautiful singing and the sound of the bells. And when they got to their ships, each of them told how they had liked the proceedings of the Christians. Kjartan said he liked it, but most others condemned it. But it is as they say, that many are the ears of a king. The king was told about this. Then he immediately sent during the day a man for Kjartan and bade him come to see him. Kjartan went to the king with some men. The king welcomed him. Kjartan was of all men the biggest and handsomest, and well-spoken. And when he and the king had exchanged just a few words, then the king invited Kjartan to receive Christianity. Kjartan says that he will not refuse this, if he may have the king’s friendship. The king promises him his perfect friendship, and they agree on this covenant between them. The next day following Kjartan was baptised, and his kinsman Bolli Þorláksson and all their company. Kjartan and Bolli stayed as guests of the king while they were in the white clothes, and the king was very affectionate towards them.
King Óláfr was walking out in the street one day, and some men walked towards them, and the one that was walking in front greeted the king. The king asked this man his name. He said his name was Hallfrøðr. Then said the king: ‘Are you the poet?’ He says: ‘I can compose.’ Then said the king: ‘You will be wanting to receive Christianity and afterwards become my follower.’ He says: ‘There is a condition to this, my being baptised: if you, king, will yourself be my godfather. I will have no one else.’ The king says: ‘I will do that.’ Then Hallfrøðr was baptised, and the king was his sponsor. Afterwards the king asked Hallfrøðr: ‘Will you now become my follower?’ Hallfrøðr says: ‘I was formerly in Jarl Hákon’s following. So I will not enter your service nor that of any other rulers unless you promise me that I shall never find myself guilty of things that will cause you to drive me away from you.’ ‘From all I have heard,’ says the king, ‘about you, Hallfrøðr, you are not so sensible or wise that I can be confident that you will not do things that I can in no way put up with.’ ‘Kill me then,’ says Hallfrøðr. The king says: ‘You are a problem poet, but you shall now be my follower.’ Hallfrøðr answers: ‘What will you give me, king, as a naming gift, if I am to be called Problem-Poet?’ The king gave him a sword, and it had no scabbard. The king said: ‘Now compose a verse about the sword and let there be “sword” in every line.’ Hallfrøðr spoke:
This one sword of swords sword-rich has made me. For swords’ swiping-Njǫrðrs swordful it’s now becoming. There would be no sword-worry— I’m worthy of three swords— if, with bone of earth, a scabbard were added to the sword.
Then the king gave him a scabbard. From Hallfrøðr’s poems we shall take information and confirmation of what is told about King Óláfr Tryggvason. 
That same autumn the priest Þangbrandr came from Iceland to King Óláfr and says things have not gone smoothly, saying that Icelanders had made insulting verses about him, and some had wanted to kill him, and declared he thought there was no hope that the country would become Christian. King Óláfr got so furious and angry that he had all Icelandic men who were there in the town summoned by trumpet, and after that said that they should all be killed. But Kjartan and Gizurr and Hjalti and the others who had received Christianity went to the king and said: ‘You will not, king, want to go back on your words, for you have said this, that no one shall have done so much to make you angry, that you will not pardon those who are willing to be baptised and abandon heathendom. Now all these Icelanders who are here now want to have themselves baptised, and we will find some way to bring it about that Christianity will be accepted in Iceland. There are here many powerful men’s sons from Iceland, and their fathers will lend great support to this business. But Þangbrandr went on there, as he did here with you, with violence and homicide, and people would not put up with that from him there.’ Then the king began to listen to these speeches. Then all Icelandic people that were there were baptised.
King Óláfr was at sports of every kind the most accomplished man in Norway about whom we have information. He was stronger and more agile than anyone, and there are many accounts written about that. One is about when he went to Smalsarhorn and fastened his shield on the top of the precipice, and again when he helped one of his men that had earlier climbed up the precipice and found that he could get neither up nor down, but the king went to him and carried him under his arm down onto the level. King Óláfr used to walk along the oars over the side while his men were rowing on Ormrinn, and he used to juggle with three daggers so that there was always one in the air, and every time caught the handle. He fought equally well with either hand and threw two spears at once. King Óláfr was the most cheerful of men and liked games, kindly and condescending, an impetuous person about everything, magnificently generous, a man very distinguished in appearance, surpassing all men in valour in battles, the fiercest of all men when he was angry, torturing his enemies horribly, burning some in fires, having some torn to pieces by savage dogs, maiming some or having them thrown over high cliffs. As a result his friends were very fond of him, while his enemies were afraid of him. So his success was great, because some did his will with love and friendliness, while some did it out of fear.
Leifr, son of Eiríkr rauði, who was the first to settle Greenland, was come that summer from Greenland to Norway. He went to see King Óláfr and received Christianity and stayed the winter with King Óláfr.
Guðrøðr, son of Eiríkr blóðøx and Gunnhildr, had been on raids in Vestrlǫnd after he had fled the land before Jarl Hákon. But this summer, about which we have just been telling, when King Óláfr had been ruling Norway four years, Guðrøðr came to Norway bringing many warships. He had just sailed away from England, and when he had almost reached sight of land, he made southwards along the coast to where he thought there was less chance of meeting King Óláfr. Guðrøðr sails south to the Vík. And when he came to land, he began to raid and force the people of the country into submission, demanding that they accept him. And when the men of the land saw that a great army had come against them, then men seek for quarter and reconciliation and propose to the king that a summons to an assembly should be sent over the country, offering to accept him rather than suffer his army, and a delay was agreed while the assembly summons went round. The king then demanded maintenance while this wait should last. But the farmers choose rather the alternative of offering the king banquets all the time that he needed for this, and the king accepted that alternative, of travelling round the country to banquets with some of his troops, while some guarded his ships. But when King Óláfr’s brothers-in-law, the brothers Hyrningr and Þorgeirr, hear this, then they gather themselves troops and take to their ships, afterwards going north in the Vík, and come one night with their troops to where King Guðrøðr was at a banquet, making an attack there with fire and weapons. There King Guðrøðr fell and nearly all of his troops, but those who had been at the ships were some of them killed, while some got away and fled in all directions. Now all Eiríkr and Gunnhildr’s sons were dead.
The following winter, when King Óláfr had come back from Hálogaland, he had built a great ship in under Hlaðhamrar which was much bigger than the other ships that were then in the country, and the stocks are still there so that one can see. Þorbergr skafhǫgg is the name of the man who was the stem-builder at the ship, but there were many others engaged on it, some fitting planks, some shaping them, some forging nails, some transporting timber. All the parts were very carefully constructed. The ship was both long and broad and with high sides and large-timbered. And when they were making the sides of the ship, then Þorbergr had to go home to his dwelling on some important business and was delayed there a very long time. And when he got back, the ship was fully planked. The king went straightway that evening, and Þorbergr with him, and they look over the ship, how it has turned out, and everyone said that they had never seen such a large or such a fine ship. Then the king went back to the town. But soon after, in the morning, the king went again to the ship, both he and Þorbergr. The builders had by then already arrived. They were all standing and doing nothing. The king asked why they were carrying on so. They say that the ship was spoilt and someone must have gone from stem to stern making one diagonal cut after another down into the ship’s side. Then the king went up and saw that it was true, immediately speaking and swearing that the man should die if the king found out who out of malice had spoilt the ship. ‘But he who can tell me this shall get great reward from me.’ Then Þorbergr spoke: ‘I will be able to tell you, king, who will have done this deed.’ ‘I would have expected from no other man more than from you,’ says the king ‘that he would be so fortunate as to get to know this and be able to tell me.’ ‘I will tell you, king,’ he says, ‘who has done it. I have done it.’ Then answered the king: ‘Then you must restore it so that it is as good as it was before. Your life will depend on it.’ Then Þorbergr went up and planed the side so that all the diagonal cuts went away. Then the king said, and everyone else, that the ship was much finer on the side that Þorbergr had made cuts. The king bade him do the same on both sides and told him he was very grateful to him for it. Then Þorbergr was chief builder for the ship until it was finished. It was a dragon-ship and modelled on the Ormr which the king had got from Hálogaland, but this ship was much larger and in every way more elaborate. He called it Ormr inn langi, but the other one Ormr inn skammi. On Ormr inn langi there were thirty-four rowing benches. There was gilding all over the figure-heads and the curve on the tail. The sides were as high as those on ocean-going vessels. This was the best ship made in Norway and at the greatest expense. 
Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson and his brothers and many other noble friends of theirs left the country after Jarl Hákon’s fall. Jarl Eiríkr went east to Svíþjóð to see King Óláfr of the Svíar, and they were welcomed there. King Óláfr granted the jarl asylum and large revenues, so that he could well maintain himself and his following in that country. Þórðr Kolbeinsson speaks of this : 
Fate causes much, increaser of criminals’ suffering; mens’s treachery, a little later, brought death to Ho̧kon. And to the land the bold lance’s land-prop had vanquished, eastwards with the army advanced the son of Tryggvi. 
More in his mind than he made known had Eiríkr, schemes for the wealth-spoiler; such was of him expected. Angry, the jarl of Þrándheimr— no one opposing it— sought the Swedish king’s counsel; stubborn were the Þrœndir. 
Large numbers left Norway to seek out Jarl Eiríkr who had fled from the country before King Óláfr Tryggvason. Jarl Eiríkr adopted this course, that he took to his ships and went raiding to get wealth for himself and his men. He made first for Gotland and lay off there for a long period during the summer and waylaid trading ships that were sailing to that country or else vikings. Sometimes he went up ashore and raided many places along the coast there. So it says in Bandadrápa:
The famous ruler fought many further battles later, others; I still hear of that— Eiríkr into his power, spearwhen widely went the Váli of wand of Virfill’s fencing, sacking the strands of Gotland— -storm-generous, and wages war.
After that Jarl Eiríkr sailed south to Vinðland and off Staurrinn he met some vikings’ ships and closed in battle with them. Then Jarl Eiríkr won victory and slew the vikings. So it says in Bandadrápa: 
At Staurr the men’s strengthener settled the head of the prow-horse, thus the ruler arranged it, and rules thereafter, glad in battle, viking scalps at the savage sword-meeting the gull of injuries tore, off the sand-bank. the jarl, the god-guarded country. 
Jarl Eiríkr sailed in the autumn back to Svíþjóð and stayed there a second winter. And in the spring the jarl fitted out his army and after that sailed to the eastern Baltic. And when he came into the realm of King Valdamarr, he began to make raids and kill the people and burn everything wherever he went, and laid waste the land. He got to Aldeigjuborg and besieged it until he took the place, killing many people there, and destroyed and burned all the fortifications, and after that he travelled widely making raids over Garðaríki. So it says in Bandadrápa: 
With flame of the point-storm the polisher of harbour-fire ravaged the realm of Valdamarr; unrest grew after that. Aldeigja you demolished, menacer of men; news we had of it. That fight grew, between forces, fierce. You came east into Garðar. 
Jarl Eiríkr spent altogether five summers on this raiding expedition. And when he left Garðaríki he went making raids over all Aðalsýsla and Eysýsla, and there he took four viking warships from Danes and slew everyone on them. So it says in Bandadrápa:
I heard tell how the temperer of torches of the sea of arrows in the isles’ sound once did battle; Eiríkr into his power, spear- The war-tree, generous with wave-fire, —we have heard news about it— stripped some four Danish vessels; -storm-generous, and wages battles. 
You made war against Gautar, guardian-Njǫrðr of the plank-steed, where men ran off to residences; and rules thereafter, glad in battle, The battle-god went with war-shield, withering peace for people over every district; the jarl, the god-guarded country.
Jarl Eiríkr went to Denmark when he had been one winter in Sweden. He went to see King Sveinn tjúguskegg of the Danes and asked for his daughter Gyða in marriage, and this match was concluded. Then Jarl Eiríkr married Gyða. A year later they had a son who was called Hákon. Jarl Eiríkr spent the winters in Denmark, or sometimes in Sweden, but the summers in raiding.
King Sveinn tjúguskegg of the Danes was married to Gunnhildr, daughter of King Búrizláfr of the Vinðr. But at the time that was just being described, it came to pass that Queen Gunnhildr got ill and died, and a little later King Sveinn married Sigríðr in stórráða, daughter of Skǫglar-Tósti and mother of Óláfr inn sœnski, king of the Svíar. Then with the affinity between the kings, intimacy developed there between Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson and all of them. 
King Búrizláfr of the Vinðr complained of this matter to his son-in-law Jarl Sigvaldi, that the terms of settlement that Jarl Sigvaldi had negotiated between King Sveinn and King Búrizláfr had been breached. King Búrizláfr was to have King Sveinn’s sister Þyri Haraldsdóttir in marriage, but that match had not been implemented, for Þyri had declared a flat ‘no’ to the idea that she should want to be given in marriage to a heathen king, and an old one at that. Now King Búrizláfr tells the jarl that he wants to insist on the fulfilment of that agreement, and told the jarl to go to Denmark and fetch Queen Þyri to him. Jarl Sigvaldi did not neglect this journey and goes to see King Sveinn and puts this matter to him, and the jarl argues his case so that King Sveinn hands over his sister Þyri to him, and she was accompanied by some women and her foster-father, a rich man whose name is Ǫzurr Agason, and some other people. It was part of the agreement between the king and the jarl that the properties in Vinðland that Queen Gunnhildr had had should now become the property of Þyri, in addition to other substantial possessions, as her bride-price. Þyri wept bitterly and went very much under compulsion. And when she and the jarl got to Vinðland, then King Búrizláfr held his wedding and married Queen Þyri. But while she was among heathen people, she would take neither food nor drink from them, and it went on thus for seven nights. But then it happened one night that Queen Þyri and Ǫzurr ran away under cover of night and into a forest. To put the story of their travels most briefly, they ended up in Denmark, and Þyri dares in no way to stay there because she knows that if her brother King Sveinn finds out about her being there, he will quickly send her back to Vinðland. They went completely incognito until they reach Norway. Þyri did not cease her travels until they came to see King Óláfr. He welcomed them, and they stayed there with fine hospitality. Þyri tells the king all about her problems and asks him for some helpful advice, asking for asylum for herself in his kingdom. Þyri was an eloquent woman and the king was favourably impressed by what she said. He saw that she was a beautiful woman, and it occurs to him that she would be a good match, and turns the discussion on to that, asking if she would take him in marriage. But such were the circumstances in which she found herself, she felt that this was a difficult problem to deal with, but on the other hand she saw what an advantageous match this was, to marry such a distinguished king, and told him to decide for himself and what was best for him. And in accordance with what had been said about it, King Óláfr married Queen Þyri. This marriage was held in the autumn, after the king had come from Hálogaland in the north. King Óláfr and Queen Þyri stayed in Niðaróss during the winter. But the following spring Queen Þyri complained often to King Óláfr and wept bitterly about the fact that her possessions were so extensive in Vinðland, while she had no property in this country such as was suitable for a queen. Sometimes she begged the king with fair words that he should get her property, saying that King Búrizláfr was such a great friend of King Óláfr that as soon as they met, the king would grant King Óláfr everything he asked. But when King Óláfr’s friends became aware of these speeches, then they all tried to dissuade the king from going. It is said that it happened one day early in the spring, that the king was walking along the street, and by the marketplace a man came walking towards him carrying many stalks of angelica, and amazingly large for the time of year. The king took a large angelica-stalk in his hand and went back to Queen Þyri’s apartments. Þyri was sitting within in her private room weeping when the king came in. The king said: ‘See here a large angelica-stalk, that I am giving you.’ She struck it with her hand and said: ‘Haraldr Gormsson gave more generously, and he was less afraid to go abroad and seek his property that you are being now, as was proved when he came here to Norway and laid waste the greater part of this country, and gained possession of everything in the way of dues and taxes, but you do not dare to go through Denmark because of my brother King Sveinn.’ King Óláfr jumped up at this, when she said that, and spoke loudly, and swore to it: ‘I shall never go in fear of your brother King Sveinn, and if ever we come to meet, then he shall yield.’
King Óláfr called an assembly in the town soon after. He made it known to all the people that he was going to take a levy abroad in the summer and he wanted to have a contribution of ships and men from every district, then states how many ships he wants to have from there in the fiord. Then he sends messages both north and south along the coastal areas and inland and has troops called out. King Óláfr then has Ormr inn langi launched, and all his other ships both large and small. He himself skippered Ormr inn langi. And when men were picked for the crews, the men were so carefully selected and chosen that no man was to be on Ormr inn langi older than sixty or younger than twenty, and they were to be chosen mainly for strength and valour. First of all to be marked down for it were King Óláfr’s own men, since for that troop had been selected from men both within the country and from abroad all those who were strongest and bravest. 
Úlfr rauði was the name of a man who bore King Óláfr’s standard and was at the prow on Ormrinn, a second was Kolbjǫrn stallari, Þorsteinn oxafótr, Arnljótr gellini’s brother Víkarr of Tíundaland. These were in the rausn in the so̧x: Vakr elfski Raumason, Bersi inn sterki, Án skyti of Jamtaland, Þrándr rammi of Þelamǫrk and his brother Óþyrmir; the Háleygir Þrándr skjálgi, Ǫgmundr sandi, Hlǫðvir langi from Saltvík, Hárekr hvassi; the inland Þrœndir Ketill hávi, Þorfinnr eisli, Hávarðr and his brothers from Orkadalr. These were in the fyrirrúm a: Bjǫrn of Stuðla, Þorgrímr from Hvinir Þjóðólfsson, Ásbjǫrn and Ormr, Þórðr from Njarðarlǫg, Þorsteinn hvíti of Oprostaðir, Arnórr mœrski, Hallsteinn and Haukr from Firðir, Eyvindr snákr, Bergþórr bestill, Hallkell of Fjalir, Óláfr drengr, Arnfinnr sygnski, Sigurðr bíldr, Einarr hǫrzki  and Finnr, Ketill rygski, Grjótgarðr rǫskvi. These were in the krapparúm: Einarr þambarskelfir—he was considered not fit to be there, for he was eighteen—Hallsteinn Hlífarson, Þórólfr, Ívarr smetta, Ormr skógarnef. And many other men, very distinguished ones, were on Ormrinn, though we cannot name them. There were eight men per divided position in Ormrinn, and they were chosen individually. There were thirty men in the fyrirrúm. People used to say that the men chosen for Ormrinn exceeded other men in handsomeness and strength and bravery no less than Ormrinn did other ships. The king’s brother Þorkell nefja skippered Ormr inn skammi. The king’s uncles, Þorkell dyrðill and Jósteinn, were in charge of Traninn. And both of these ships were very well manned. King Óláfr had eleven large ships from Þrándheimr besides ships with twenty rowing-benches and smaller ships.
And when King Óláfr had pretty well got his force ready from Niðaróss, then he appointed men all over Þrœndalǫg to stewardships and bailiwicks. Then he sent Gizurr hvíti and Hjalti Skeggjason to Iceland to preach Christianity in Iceland and provided with them the priest whose name was Þormóðr and other men in orders, but kept behind with him in hostage four Icelandic men whom he thought most distinguished: Kjartan Óláfsson, Halldórr Guðmundarson, Kolbeinn Þórðarson, Svertingr Rúnólfsson. And it is told about Gizurr and Hjalti’s journey that they came to Iceland before the Alþingi and went to the Assembly, and at that assembly Christianity was adopted into the law in Iceland, and that summer all people were baptised. 
The same spring King Óláfr also sent Leifr Eiríksson to Greenland to preach Christianity there, and he went to Greenland that summer. Out in the ocean he took up a ship’s crew of men who had got exhausted and were lying on a wreck, and then he discovered Vínland it góða and came in the summer to Greenland and took there with him a priest and clerics and went to stay at his father Eiríkr’s in Brattahlíð. Afterwards people called him Leifr the Lucky. But his father Eiríkr said that they cancelled each other out, that Leifr had saved a crew of men, and that he had conveyed the hypocrite to Greenland. This was the priest.
King Óláfr took his force south along the coast. Then there came to meet him many of his friends, men of the ruling class who were ready to go on the expedition with the king. The first man of these was his brother-in-law Erlingr Skjálgsson with the great warship. Thirty was the number of its rowing-benches, and that ship was very well manned. Then there also came to the king his brothers-in-law Hyrningr and Þorgeirr, and each of them was skippering a large ship. Many others of the ruling class went with him. He had sixty longships when he left the country and sailed south past Denmark through Eyrarsund. And on this journey King Óláfr came to Vinðland and arranged a conference with King Búrizláfr, and the kings met. They spoke then about the possessions that King Óláfr was claiming, and all the discussions between the kings were going promisingly, and the business of the claims that King Óláfr felt he had was dealt with satisfactorily. King Óláfr stayed there for a long time in the summer, visiting there many of his friends.
King Sveinn tjúguskegg was at that time married to Sigríðr in stórráða, as is written above. Sigríðr was the greatest enemy of King Óláfr Tryggvason and gave as the reason for this that King Óláfr had broken agreements with her and struck her in the face, as was written above. She strongly urged King Sveinn to hold a battle with King Óláfr Tryggvason, saying that there was sufficient cause against King Óláfr in that he had lain with his sister Þyri— ‘Without your leave, and in the past your kinsmen would not have put up with that.’
Queen Sigríðr frequently had such arguments in her mouth, and she brought it about by her arguments that King Sveinn was fully persuaded to carry out her proposal. And early in the spring King Sveinn sent men east into Svíþjóð to see his stepson King Óláfr of the Svíar and Jarl Eiríkr and had them told that King Óláfr of Norway had a fleet out and was planning to go in the summer to Vinðland. It accompanied this message that the king of the Svíar and the jarl should take a force out and go to meet with King Sveinn, they should then all together close in battle with King Óláfr. And the king of the Svíar and Jarl Eiríkr were quite ready for this expedition and gathered a great naval force together from Sweden, took this force south to Denmark and got there when King Óláfr Tryggvason had already sailed to the east. Halldórr ókristni speaks of this when he composed about Jarl Eiríkr: 
Wild in the storm of the war-gleam, the wounder of kings a great army summoned from Svíþjóð; south the prince sailed to battle. Every man then was eager, each fattener of corpse-wasps — at sea, gulls of gashes got drink—to follow Eiríkr. 
The king of the Svíar and Jarl Eiríkr sailed to meet the king of the Danes and altogether they then had an immense army. 
King Sveinn, when he had sent for his army, then sent Jarl Sigvaldi to Vinðland to get information about the movements of King Óláfr Tryggvason and make a trap so that a meeting might take place between King Sveinn and King Óláfr. Then Jarl Sigvaldi went his way and turned up in Vinðland, went to Jómsborg and after that to meet with King Óláfr Tryggvason. There was then much friendly talk between them. The jarl got himself on very close terms with the king. The jarl’s wife Ástríðr, daughter of King Búrizláfr, was a great friend of King Óláfr’s, and this was largely because of their former connection when King Óláfr had been married to her sister Geira. Jarl Sigvaldi was an intelligent and shrewd man. And when he got into discussions with King Óláfr about his plans, then he greatly delayed his journey for sailing back from the east, finding lots of different reasons for this, but King Óláfr’s troops were extremely displeased, and the men were very eager to get home, as they were lying completely ready, and the weather promised a fair wind. Jarl Sigvaldi secretly got information from Denmark that now the army of the king of the Danes was come from the east, and Jarl Eiríkr also now had his army ready and the rulers were about to come east off Vinðland, and they had decided that they would await King Óláfr by the island called Svǫlð, and also that the jarl was to so arrange it that they might meet King Óláfr there.
Then there came a sort of rumour to Vinðland that King Sveinn of the Danes had an army out, and soon there was talk that King Sveinn of the Danes must be wanting to meet King Óláfr. But Jarl Sigvaldi says to the king: ‘It is not King Sveinn’s plan to start a battle with you with just an army of Danes, in view of how great a force you have. But if you are in any way suspicious about this, that there is hostility in the offing, then I shall accompany you with my force, and it was always considered a help wherever Jómsvikings accompanied rulers. I will provide you with eleven well-manned ships.’ The king agreed to this. There was then little wind, and it was favourable. Then the king had the fleet cast off and the trumpet-signal given for departure. Men then hoisted their sails and all the small ships sailed faster, and they sailed away out into the open sea. But the jarl sailed close to the king’s ship and called to them, telling the king to come behind him. ‘I am best acquainted,’ he says, ‘with where it is deepest round the island sounds, and you will need that with those large ships.’ Then the jarl sailed ahead with his ships. He had eleven ships, and the king sailed behind him with his large ships. He also had there eleven ships, but the whole of the rest of his force sailed out to the open sea. But when Jarl Sigvaldi sailed in to Svǫlð, then a small ship rowed out to meet them. They tell the jarl that the army of the king of the Danes was lying there in the harbour in front of them. Then the jarl had his sail furled and they row in beneath the island. Halldórr ókristni says this:
From the south one and seventy ships steered the king of Eynir; the splendid staff of sea-horses his sword in battle reddened, when the jarl had summoned sail-top-liquid’s reindeer to battle—peace among people fell apart—from Sko̧nungar.
Here it says that King Óláfr and Jarl Sigvaldi had seventy ships and one more, when they sailed from the south.
King Sveinn of the Danes and King Óláfr of the Svíar and Jarl Eiríkr were now there with all their army. It was then fine weather and bright sunshine. They now went onto the island, all the rulers and their followers with them, and saw how the ships sailed out to sea very many together, and now they see where one great and splendid ship is sailing. Then both the kings said: ‘That is a big ship and extremely beautiful. That must be Ormr inn langi.’ Jarl Eiríkr replied, saying that this is not Ormr inn langi. And it was so, what he said. That ship was Eindriði of Gimsar’s. A little later they saw where another ship was sailing, much bigger than the previous one. Then King Sveinn said: ‘Now Óláfr Tryggvason is afraid. He does not dare sail with the figureheads on his ship.’ Then Jarl Eiríkr says: ‘That is not the king’s ship. I know that ship and its sail, because the sail is striped. That is Erlingr Skjálgsson. Let them sail on. Better for us would be a gap and absence in King Óláfr’s fleet than this ship there fitted out like that.’ And somewhat later they looked and recognised Jarl Sigvaldi’s ships, and they turned there towards the island. Then they saw where three ships were sailing, and one of them was a big ship. The King Sveinn spoke, telling them to go to their ships, saying that now it was Ormr inn langi going past. Jarl Eiríkr says: ‘They have many large and splendid ships other than Ormr inn langi. Let us wait still.’ Then very many men said: ‘Jarl Eiríkr is unwilling to fight now and avenge his father. This is very shameful, so that it will be heard about through all countries if we lie here with such a large force, while King Óláfr sails out to sea here past our very selves.’ And when they had discussed this for a while, then they saw where four ships sailed, and one of them was a very large dragon-ship and heavily gilded. Then King Sveinn stood up and said: ‘High will Ormrinn carry me this evening. I shall be commanding it.’ Then many said that Ormrinn was an amazingly large and handsome ship, it was a very glorious thing to have had such a ship built. Then spoke Jarl Eiríkr so that some men heard: ‘Even if King Óláfr had no larger ship than that, King Sveinn would never get it from him with just an army of Danes.’ Then men rushed to the ships and tore off the awnings. But while the rulers were discussing this between themselves, as has just been told, then they saw where three very large ships were sailing and a fourth in the rear, and that was Ormr inn langi. But the great ships that had sailed by previously and that they thought had been Ormrinn, the first was Traninn and the second Ormr inn skammi. But when they saw Ormr inn langi, they all knew it; now no one disputed that there it must be Óláfr Tryggvason sailing. They left for the ships then, and drew them up for the attack. It was the agreement between the rulers, King Sveinn, King Óláfr and Jarl Eiríkr, that each of them should get his third of Norway, if they brought King Óláfr Tryggvason down, and whichever one of the leaders first boarded Ormrinn should have all the booty that was taken on it, and each of them should have the ships that he himself disabled. Jarl Eiríkr had a beaked ship, extremely large, that he was accustomed to take on raids. There was a beak on the upper part of each barð and underneath it a thick iron plate, and it was as broad as the beak and reached right down into the sea. 
When Jarl Sigvaldi and his men rowed in by the island, it was seen by Þorkell dyrðill from Traninn and other skippers who were sailing with him that the jarl turned his ships by the island. Then they also lowered their sails and rowed after him and called to them asking why they were sailing thus. The jarl says that he wants to wait for King Óláfr. ‘And it is more than likely that there is hostility ahead of us.’ Then they let their ships drift until Þorkell nefja came with Ormr inn skammi and the three ships that were sailing with him, and they were given the same information. Then they also lowered their sails and lay drifting and waited for King Óláfr. And when the king sailed out towards the island, then the whole enemy force rowed out into the sound ahead of them. And when they saw this, then they begged the king to sail on his way and not engage in battle against such a large force. The king replied in a loud voice and stood up on the raised deck: ‘Let down the sail. My men must not think of flight. I have never fled in battle. Let God rule my life, but I will never take to flight.’ It was done as the king ordered. So says Hallfrøðr: 
The speech shall be told that, say men, strong in deeds, the fir-tree of enmity’s mail-coat made to men in the weapons’ quarrel. The ender of enemies’ courage urged not his men to think— the country’s comrade’s words of courage live on—of fleeing. 
King Óláfr had the trumpet signal blown for all his ships to assemble together in formation. The king’s ship was in the middle of the force, and on one side of it Ormr inn skammi, and on the other side Traninn. And when they began to tie the stems together, they fastened together the prows of Ormr inn langi and Ormr inn skammi. But when the king saw this, he called out in a loud voice, telling them to bring the great ship further forward and not let it be the hindmost of all the ships in the force. Then Úlfr inn rauði replied: ‘If Ormrinn is to be brought forward as much further as it is longer than other ships, then it will be hard work around the bows.’ The king says: ‘I didn’t know I had a man at the prow who is both red and recreant.’ Úlfr says: ‘Don’t you turn your back in defending the raised deck in the stern any more than I do in defending the prow.’ The king was holding a bow and placed an arrow on the string and aimed at Úlfr. Úlfr answered: ‘Shoot the other way, king, to where there is greater need. It is for you that I do what I do.’
King Óláfr stood on the raised deck at the stern of Ormrinn. It lifted him up very high. He had a golden shield and a gilded helmet. He was easily distinguished from other men. He wore a short red tunic over his coat of mail. And when King Óláfr saw that the opposing forces were scattered and that banners were set up before the leaders, then he asked: ‘Who is the leader of the force that is opposite us?’ He was told that it was King Sveinn tjúguskegg there with a Danish force. The king replied: ‘I am not afraid of those cowards. There is no courage in Danes. But which leader belongs to the standards which are out there on their right-hand side?’ He was told that it was King Óláfr with an army of Svíar there. King Óláfr says: ‘It would be better for the Svíar to be at home licking their sacrificial bowls than to board Ormrinn beneath your weapons. But whose are those great ships that are lying out on the port side of the Danes?’ ‘There,’ they say, ‘is Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson.’ Then King Óláfr replies: ‘He will think it only right that he should be facing us like this, and we can expect a fierce battle from this force. They are Norwegians, like us.’
Then the kings make their attack. King Sveinn sailed his ship towards Ormr inn langi, and King Óláfr inn sœnski went right out to the side and thrust his stems at the outermost of King Óláfr Tryggvason’s ships, and on the other side Jarl Eiríkr. Then a fierce battle began there. Jarl Sigvaldi had his ships hover and did not close in battle. Skúli Þorsteinsson says this—he was at this time with Jarl Eiríkr:
I followed the Frisians’ foe —young, where spears sounded, I won renown; men notice now I grow old—and Sigvaldi, where to meet the member of metal-thing in helmets’ clash, south off Svǫlðr’s mouth we carried the reddened wound-leek. 
And in addition Hallfrøðr speaks here of these events: 
There, I think, too much missed— many men went fleeing— the prince, battle’s promoter, support of men of Þrándheimr. The brave king battled with bold kings, two, alone— splendid it is to speak of such deeds—and a jarl, thirdly. 
This battle was of the fiercest and there were very many casualties. Those stationed in the bows of Ormr inn langi and Ormr inn skammi and Traninn thrust anchors and grappling hooks into King Sveinn’s ships, and had to bring their weapons down on those beneath their feet. They cleared all the ships that they could hold on to, but the king, Sveinn, and the troops that could get away, fled onto other ships, and next they stood off out of range of missiles, and this force acted as King Óláfr Tryggvason had said they would. Then King Óláfr of the Svíar moved up there in their place, and as soon as they got close to the large ships, then the same happened to them as to the others, that they lost many troops and some of their ships and stood off without more ado. But Jarl Eiríkr laid Barðinn alongside the outermost of King Óláfr’s ships and stripped that and immediately cut it from its cables, and then attacked the one that had been next to it, and fought until that was stripped. Then the troop began to jump off the smaller ships and up onto the large ships, and the jarl cut each one from its cables as it was cleared. But the Danes and Svíar moved then into range and from all sides towards King Óláfr’s ships. But Jarl Eiríkr lay always alongside the ships and fought hand-to-hand, and as men fell on his ships, then others went up in their place, Danes and Svíar. So says Halldórr:
Sharp swords were set moving; men cut up peace for long, when gilded spears gave tongue, against the Long Serpent. Swedish men, they said, and strife-bushes of Denmark to the keen leg-cutter’s quarrel followed him southwards. 
Then there was the fiercest battle, and men fell in large numbers, and it came about in the end that all King Óláfr’s ships had been cleared except Ormr inn langi. Now all his men that were still able to fight had come onto it. Then Jarl Eiríkr laid Barðinn alongside Ormrinn, and there was hand-tohand fighting there. So says Halldórr :
A year since, the Long Serpent suffered a harsh trial. Blood-reeds beat each other; battered were moons of prow-brands, when the god of the armour- ogre laid high-sided Barði—the jarl did battle by the isle—at side of Fáfnir. 
Jarl Eiríkr was in the fyrirrúm aon his ship and there a shield-wall had been formed. There was then both hand-to-hand fighting and thrusting of spears and throwing of everything available as a weapon, while some were shooting from bows or by hand. Then there was so much wielding of weapons on Ormrinn that they could hardly get their shields in front of themselves when spears and arrows were flying so thick, for warships were attacking Ormrinn from all sides. But King Óláfr’s men were in such a rage that they leapt up on the sides in order to be able to reach the people with sword-blows to kill them, though many did not come so close under Ormrinn that they would be involved in hand-to-hand fighting. But most of Óláfr’s men went overboard and took no more notice than if they had been fighting on level ground and sank under with their weapons. So says Hallfrøðr: 
Sank down from the Serpent those in spear-hatred wounded; strivers of the strong ring-shirt, they spared not each other. Long will the Long Serpent lack such great warriors, though a great king guides it gliding with the army. 
Einarr þambarskelfir was on Ormrinn aft in the krapparúm. He was shooting from a bow and he was the strongest shooter of all men. Einarr shot at Jarl Eiríkr and struck the neck of the tiller above the jarl’s head, and the arrow sank in right up to the arrow-head fastening. The jarl looked at it and asked if they knew who was shooting there, but immediately another arrow came, so close to the jarl that it flew between his side and his arm and then into the head-board behind so that the point went through a long way. Then the jarl spoke to the man that some call Finnr, though some say that he was Finnish - he was the finest bowman: ‘Shoot that big man in the krapparúm.’
Finnr shot, and the arrow struck the middle of Einarr’s bow at the moment that Einarr was drawing his bow for the third time. Then the bow broke in two pieces. Then said King Óláfr: ‘What was it snapped there so loud?’ Einarr replied: ‘Norway from your grasp, king.’ ‘It was not as big a snap as that,’ says the king; ‘take my bow and shoot with it.’ And he threw the bow to him. Einarr took the bow and immediately drew it past the point of the arrow and said: ‘Too weak, too weak the supreme ruler’s bow,’ and threw the bow back, then took his shield and sword and fought.
King Óláfr Tryggvason stood on the raised deck in the stern of Ormrinn and during the day mostly shot, sometimes bowshots, sometimes javelins and always two at a time. He looked to the forepart of the ship and saw his men swinging their swords and striking fast and saw that they were not cutting well, then spoke in a loud voice: ‘Are you swinging your swords so weakly, as I see that they do not cut for you?’ A man replied: ‘Our swords are blunt and very damaged.’ Then the king went down into the fyrirrúm and opened up the chest under the high-seat, took from it many sharp swords and handed them to the men. But when he stretched down his right arm then men saw that blood was running down from under the sleeve of his coat of mail. No one knows where he was wounded.
The defence was strongest on Ormrinn and most bloody among the men in the fyrirrúm and those at the prow. That was where the body of men was most select and the sides of the ship highest. But when the men first began to fall round the middle of the ship and when there were few of the men still standing around the mast area, then Eiríkr decided to try boarding and got up onto Ormrinn with fourteen other men. Then King Óláfr’s brother-in-law Hyrningr came against him with a party of men, and there was the hardest of battles there, and it ended with the jarl and the men who had boarded with him drawing back down onto Barðinn, some falling and some being wounded. Þórðr Kolbeinsson speaks of this:
There was, of the host in helmets against Hroptr’s bloody hillocks ... He who spilled the sword’s sea with steel-blue blade got glory, Hyrningr; the high mountains’ hall must fall before that lapses. 
Then there was again the fiercest of fights, and then many men on Ormrinn fell. And as the crew for defence on Ormrinn thinned out, then Jarl Eiríkr decided to try boarding Ormrinn a second time. Then there was again tough resistance. And when the men in the bows on Ormrinn saw this, then they went aft on the ship and set about a defence against the jarl and present tough resistance. But because there had now fallen so many men on Ormrinn that in many places the gunwales were unoccupied, then the jarl’s men began to board in many places. And all the men who were still standing up in defence on Ormrinn made their way aft on the ship to where the king was. Halldórr ókristni says this, that Jarl Eiríkr then urged his men on:
The mind-glad lord commanded his men useful in warfare; back over the benches the band sprang with Oleifr; when they had hemmed in the hardy king with warships of the sea-fire’s spoiler; the slayer of Vinðr knew battle.
Kolbjǫrn stallari went up onto the raised deck to the king. They had very similar clothing and weapons. Kolbjǫrn was of all men the biggest and most handsome. There was now still in the fyrirrúm the fiercest of battles. But because there had now as many people of the jarl’s party boarded Ormrinn as the ship could hold, and his ships were attacking from all sides round Ormrinn, and there were only small numbers for defence against such a large force, now although those men were both strong and valiant, most of them now fell in a short period of time. But King Óláfr himself and Kolbjǫrn with him both then leapt overboard, and each on opposite sides. But the jarl’s men had placed small boats all round near it and were killing those who leapt into the water, and when the king himself had leapt into the water, they tried to capture him and take him to Jarl Eiríkr. But King Óláfr brought his shield over his head and plunged into the water, but Kolbjǫrn stallari pushed his shield under him and thus protected himself from the spears that were thrust up from the boats lying below him, and he fell into the water so that the shield got under him, and therefore he did not get under the water as quickly, and he was captured and pulled up onto this boat, and they thought that it was the king. He was then led before the jarl, but when the jarl realised that it was Kolbjǫrn, and not the king, then Kolbjǫrn was given quarter. And at this moment all those of King Óláfr’s men that were still alive leapt overboard from Ormrinn, and Hallfrøðr says this, that the king’s brother, Þorkell nefja, was the last of all the men to leap overboard: 
The lessener of limb-metal looked on the Crane floating, and both Serpents, deserted— spear in war, glad, he reddened— until Þórketill, fight-bold, fierce-hearted in strong battle, wise, from the wolf of the cable went away swimming.
It was written above that Jarl Sigvaldi had joined company with King Óláfr in Vinðland. And the jarl had ten ships, plus an eleventh on which were the men of Ástríðr, king’s daughter and Jarl Sigvaldi’s wife. And when King Óláfr had leapt overboard, then the whole army shouted a shout of victory, and then they struck their oars into the sea, the jarl and his men, and rowed towards the battle. Halldórr ókristni speaks of this :
Voyaged far the vessels Voyaged far the vessels ogres of land of Óðinn yawned iron-jawed over people. Swords’ uproar was heard on the ocean. The eagle tore bait of Geri. He struck, the men’s great commander. Many men went fleeing. 
But the cruiser of Vinðr that Ástríðr’s men were on rowed away and back off Vinðland, and there was already a report by many people that King Óláfr must have thrown off his coat of mail in the water and dived away from under the longships, afterwards swimming to the Vinðr’s cruiser, and that Ástríðr’s men had taken him ashore. And there have been many stories made since about these travels of King Óláfr’s by some people, though Hallfrøðr speaks of it in this way: 
Whether the sater of seagulls of the sound of the glow of Heiti’s beast to laud living or lifeless, I know not, since both tales men tell me as truth—the king is wounded in either case—news of him is always unreliable. 
But however it may have been, King Óláfr never after came to power in Norway, and yet Hallfrøðr vandræðaskáld speaks in this way: 
The wielder of the weapon-clash was honourable, a who of the destiny of the trusty son of Tryggvi told that the king was living. They say ·leifr came safely from the storm of weapons, telling far from truthful tales—much worse the case is. 
And also this: 
It would not, as warriors the warlike king assaulted, have been destined—I deal in drink of land-shoulder people — for the excellent arm-icicle’s owner to come safely— people seem to suppose that probable—from such a battle. 
Some man to the wealth-assayer speaks of the king being wounded, or in the clashing weapons east away escaping. Now comes a true account of the king’s death, north from the great warfare; wavering words of men I heed little. 
Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson gained possession of Ormr inn langi with this victory, and a great deal of booty, and the jarl steered Ormrinn from the engagement. Halldórr says this: 
The king helmet-covered was carried by Ormr inn langi to the mighty sword’s meeting; men adorned the warship. In the south the glad jarl seized the Serpent in Gunnr’s tumult; Hemingr’s high-born brother had to redden blades for that. 
Jarl Hákon’s son Sveinn had before this betrothed himself to King Óláfr of the Svíar’s daughter Hólmfríðr. And when they divided Nóregsveldi between themselves, King Sveinn of the Danes and King Óláfr of the Svíar and Jarl Eiríkr, then King Óláfr had four districts in Þrándheimr and both Mœrrs and Raumsdalr and in the east Ranríki from the Gautelfr to Svínasund. This area of rule King Óláfr handed over to Jarl Sveinn on similar conditions to those on which tributary kings or jarls had held it from supreme kings in the past. And Jarl Eiríkr had four districts in Þrándheimr, Hálogaland and Naumudalr, Firðir and Fjalir, Sogn and Hǫrðaland and Rogaland and Agðir from the north right down to Líðandisnes. So says Þórðr Kolbeinsson:
I know that, other than Erlingr, I know that, other than Erlingr, of the light of the ship’s land I laud—to jarls were friendly. But the land bowed after the battle, from Veiga— I summon words for strife— south to Agðir, and further. 
By the ruler people profited; pleasure comes in this way. He held he was bound to hold his hand over men of Norway. But in the south King Sveinn is said to be dead; empty— few are spared the ill fates of fellow men—his dwellings. 
King Sveinn of the Danes now still had the Vík, as he had had before, but he gave Jarl Eiríkr Raumaríki and Heiðmǫrk. Sveinn Hákonarson received a jarldom from Óláfr inn sœnski. Jarl Sveinn was the most handsome of all men that people have seen. Jarl Eiríkr and Jarl Sveinn both had themselves baptised and received the true faith, but while they ruled over Norway they let each one do as he wished about observance of Christianity, but they kept well to the ancient law and all the customs of the land and were popular and good rulers. Jarl Eiríkr was pretty much the principal of the brothers in all matters of government.
Óláfr, son of Haraldr inn grenski, was brought up with his stepfather Sigurðr sýr and his mother Ásta. Hrani inn víðfǫrli was with Ásta. He fostered Óláfr Haraldsson. Óláfr soon became an accomplished man, handsome-looking, of middling height. He was sensible and soon a good speaker too. Sigurðr sýr was a very enthusiastic farmer and kept his men very busy, and he frequently went himself to see to his fields and meadows or animals, to building work, or wherever men were busy at something.
It happened on one occasion that King Sigurðr was going to ride out of the farm when there wasn’t a man in at the farm. He told his stepson Óláfr to saddle a horse for him. Óláfr went to the goat-shed and from there took the biggest buck there was and led it to the house and put on it the king’s saddle, and then went and tells the king that now he had got a mount ready for him. Then King Sigurðr went along and saw what Óláfr had done. He said: ‘It is obvious that you are deliberately frustrating my orders. No doubt your mother thinks it proper that I should make no demands on you that are not to your liking. It is obvious that we are not both going to turn out to have the same disposition. You are going to be much more arrogant than I am.’ Óláfr made little response and laughed at him and went away.
Óláfr Haraldsson, when he grew up, was not tall, a medium man and very sturdily built, physically strong, his hair light brown, broad in the face, light and ruddy of complexion, with exceptionally fine, handsome and keen eyes, so that it was fearful to look into his eyes if he was angry. Óláfr was a very accomplished man in many ways, he knew well how to use a bow and was a good swimmer, most skilled with a javelin, an able craftsman with a good eye for all kinds of craftsmanship, both his own work and other people’s. He was known as Óláfr digri. He was bold and eloquent in speech, matured early in every way, both physically and mentally, beloved of all his kinsmen and acquaintances, competitive in sports, wanting to outdo everyone, as befitted his status and birth.
Óláfr Haraldsson was twelve years old at the time he boarded a warship for the first time. His mother Ásta put Hrani, who was known as King-Fosterer, in charge of the force and alongside Óláfr, for Hrani had often been on viking expeditions before. When Óláfr took over the force and the ships, then his followers gave him the name of king, as it was the custom that the rulers of troops who were on viking expeditions, when they were of royal blood, then they immediately took the title of king, even though they ruled no lands. Hrani sat at the rudder-control. This is why some people say that Óláfr was an oarsman, but he was still king over the force. They took their course eastwards along the coast and first of all to Denmark. So says Óttarr svarti, when he made a poem about King Óláfr:
Young, you launched, king bold in battle, the blood-of-land stallion on course to Denmark; you’ve become accustomed to fine valour. From the north, most fruitful your faring grew; now power you've gained, king, from such keenness; clearly I heard of your venture. 
So when autumn came, he sailed east along the coast of the realm of the Svíar, then began to ravage and burn the land, since he felt he had to pay the Svíar back for their total hostility in taking his father’s life. Óttarr svarti says it in plain words, that he then went east from Denmark: 
East with vessels oar-decorated you pressed over the salt sea. From the land, shields of limewood, land-guard, onto ships you carried. You used sails and set them sometimes before the sea-thrower. Many much-rowed oars cut into the mighty swell beneath you. 
Great fear befell people from your journey, battle-snake’s swan’s feeder; then you started to stain red Svíþjóð’s headlands. 
That autumn near Sótasker Óláfr fought his first battle. It is among the Svíasker. There he fought against vikings, and the one that was their leader is named as Sóti. Óláfr’s force was much smaller and his ships larger. He positioned his ships between some rocks, and it was difficult for the vikings to attack. But the ships that lay closest to them, they got grappling hooks onto them and hauled them in to themselves and then disabled the ships. The vikings stood off and had lost much of their troop. The poet Sigvatr tells of this battle in the poem in which he enumerates King Óláfr’s battles:
Long, it bore out the youthful offspring of princes to the channel— the folk were then fearful— the flood-beam —of the king’s anger. I know further what men about much remember; that first time, in the east, wild, he washed red the wolf’s foot, off Sóti’s skerry. 
King Óláfr then laid his course east along the coast of Svíþjóð and sailed into Lǫgrinn and ravaged both shores. He sailed right on up to Sigtúna and lay off Old Sigtúnir. The Svíar say that the piles of stones that Óláfr had made under the ends of his jetty are still there. And when autumn came, then King Óláfr heard this, that King Óláfr of the Svíar was mustering a great army, and also this, that he had put chains across Stokksund and positioned troops by it. And the king of the Svíar thought that King Óláfr would have to stay there until the frosts came, and the king of the Svíar was unimpressed by King Óláfr’s army, since he had few troops. Then King Óláfr went out to Stokksund and could not get out there. There was a fortification to the east of the sound, and an army of men to the south. And when they learned that the king of the Svíar has embarked and had a great army and numerous ships, then King Óláfr had a channel cut out through Agnafit to the sea. Then it rained hard. And all over Svíþjóð all the running water flows into Lǫgrinn, but there is just one mouth to the sea out of Lǫgrinn, and so small that many rivers are wider. But when there is heavy rain and thawing snow, then the water flows so furiously that there is a torrent out through Stokksund, and Lǫgrinn rises so much over the land that there are widespread floods. But when the canal came out to the sea, then the water and the stream ran out. Then King Óláfr had all the rudders on his ships detached and the sails hoisted to the tops of the masts. They steered with the oar, and the ships ran swiftly out over the shallows and all safely reached the sea. And then the Svíar went to see King Óláfr of the Svíar and told him that Óláfr digri had now got out to the sea. The king of the Svíar strongly reprimanded those who should have seen to it that Óláfr did not get out. It is now known as Konungssund, and large ships cannot go along it except when the water is flowing most violently. But according to some people’s account, the Svíar found out when Óláfr’s men had dug out the channel through the meadows by the lake and the water was flowing out, and also that the Svíar then went up with an army of men and were going to prevent Óláfr from going out, but when the water had undermined it on both sides, then the banks collapsed and all the people as well, and a large number of troops was lost there. But the Svíar contradict this and say it is nonsense that men perished there. King Óláfr sailed in the autumn to Gotland and started to lay it waste. But the Gotlanders met together there and sent men to the king and offered him tribute from the country. The king accepted it and took tribute from the country and spent the winter there. So says Óttarr: 
From troops of Gotland, tribute you took, sailors’ supporter; men dared not defend from you the folk’s lands with the shield-rim. They ran, Eysýsla people; plenty possess less daring than the king; I heard wolves had their hunger, in the east, lessened. 
Here it says that King Óláfr went, when spring came, east to Eysýsla and ravaged it, invaded there, and the people of Eysýsla came down and fought a battle with him. There King Óláfr won victory, pursued the fleeing army, ravaged and laid waste the land. So it is said that to begin with, when King Óláfr and his men entered Eysýsla, then the landowners offered him tribute. But when the tribute came down, then he advanced against them with a fully armed force, and it turned out differently from what the landowners had intended, for they went down, not with tribute, but with weapons of war and fought with the king, as was stated above. So says the poet Sigvatr:
There again it was that ·leifr— unconcealed was trickery—held further, in sacked Eysýsla, assemblies of weapon points. Their feet to thank had farmers who fled away for their lives once more; few stood waiting for wounds there, great ruler.
Afterwards he sailed back to Lappland and ravaged there and went ashore, but all the inhabitants fled to the woods and emptied their settlement of all their property. The king went up into the interior a long way and through some woods. Some of the valley-dwellers were there. There it is called Herdalar. They found little property, but no people. Then it got late in the day, and the king turned back down to his ships. But when they entered the wood, then forces rushed at them from all sides and shot at them and attacked hard. The king bade them save themselves and fight back as far as they could manage. But this was difficult, because the Lapps used the wood as protection for themselves. And before the king came out of the woods, he lost many men, and many were wounded; afterwards, in the evening, he reached his ships. During the night the Lapps caused furious weather by magic, and a storm at sea. But the king had the anchors weighed and the sails hoisted and during the night they sailed along the coast close to the wind. Then again as on other occasions, the king’s good fortune had more power than the magic of the Lapps. During the night they managed to sail close to the wind past Bálagarðssíða and so out to the open sea. But the army of Lapps went along the coast on shore, as the king went along in the sea. So says Sigvatr: 
There on the taxing trip to Herdalar took place the third harsh tempest of steel of the king’s descendant, strong, in meeting the Finnish. And the sea by the shore unshackled ships of vikings in the east; Alongside the surf-skis’ stems lay Bálagarðssíða.
Then King Óláfr sailed to Denmark. There he met Jarl Sigvaldi’s brother Þorkell inn hávi, and Þorkell joined forces with him, for he was just then ready to go on a viking expedition. So they sailed south along Jótlandssíða and to a place called Suðrvík, and they overcame many viking ships. And vikings who were constantly at sea and were leaders of large forces assumed the title of king even if they had no lands to rule. There King Óláfr had an engagement. There was a great battle there. King Óláfr gained victory there and much booty. So says Sigvatr:
Again, they said the beginnings of Gunnr’s chant the king caused— I heard of glory for the good defender gained—for the fourth time, when no little peace between the princes’ troops was sundered, out in dangerous Suðrvík. 
Then King Óláfr sailed south to Frísland and lay off Kinnlimasíða in biting weather. Then the king went ashore with his forces, and the men of the country rode down against them and fought with them. So says the poet Sigvatr: 
You fought, foe of pilferers, the fifth battle, hard on helmets; bows suffered a storm off steep Kinnlimasíða, when down to the ships of the ruler rode the army, grandly, and to war against warriors went the troop of the leader. 
King Sveinn tjúguskegg of the Danes was at this time in England with an army of Danes and had then stayed there for a while and held King Aðalráðr’s land. The Danes had then spread widely across England. As a result, King Aðalráðr had fled the land and gone south to Valland. The same autumn, when King Óláfr got to England, the news got round that King Sveinn Haraldsson had died suddenly at night in his bed, and that, according to Englishmen, St Edmund had killed him in the same way as St Mercurius had killed Julian the Apostate. And when King Aðalráðr of the English heard this, he immediately turned back to England. And when he got back to the country, he sent word to all those men who were willing to take money to help him win back the land. Then large numbers flocked to him. Then King Óláfr came to support him with a great force of Norwegians. Then they first of all made for London and up into the Thames, but the Danes were holding the city. On the other side of the river there is a large market town that is called Southwark. There the Danes had done a lot of work, digging a great ditch and placing inside it a wall of timber and stones and turf and keeping inside it a great troop. King Aðalráðr ordered a strong attack, but the Danes defended it, and King Aðalráðr achieved nothing. There were arched bridges there over the river between the city and Southwark so wide that wagons could be driven over them in both directions at once. There were fortifications, both strongholds and wooden breast-works on the downstream side that came up waist-high. And under the arches were stakes, and they stood down in the river just under the surface. And when the attack was made, then the army stood on the arches all over them and guarded them. King Aðalráðr was very worried about how he should win the bridge. He called all the leaders of his army to a council, and tried to work out a plan with them for bringing the arches down. Then King Óláfr said that he would try to bring up his force, if the other leaders would attack as well. At this conference it was decided that they should bring their army up under the arches. Then each one got his force and his ships ready.
King Óláfr had great hurdles made of withies and of wet branches and had wicker-work houses taken to pieces and had these put across his ships far enough to reach over both sides. Underneath he had poles put that were thick and high enough for it to be possible to fight from underneath and for it to withstand stones if they were dropped on top. And when the army was ready, then they rowed forward along the river to attack from below. And when they got close to the arches, then both weapons and stones were thrown down on them, so heavily that nothing could withstand them, neither helmets nor shields, and the ships themselves were seriously damaged. Then many drew away. But King Óláfr and the force of Norwegians with him rowed right up under the arches and put chains round the posts that supported the arches, and they took hold of them and rowed all the ships downstream as hard as they could. The posts were dragged along the bottom right on until they were loose under the arches. And because an armed host was standing packed together on the arches, a lot of stones and many weapons were there, and the posts were broken below; as a result the arches collapse and many of the people fall down into the river, and all the rest of the force fled from the arches, some into the city, and some into Southwark. After this they brought an attack against Southwark and won it. And when the citizens saw this, that the river, the Thames, was won, so that they could not prevent the passage of ships up inland, then they became fearful of the passage of ships and gave up the city and received King Aðalráðr. So says Óttarr svarti:
Further, you broke bridges, battle-snake’s user, daring in Yggr’s storm, of London; ands you have turned out to win. Much in demand in battle, moving were shields; warfare waxed with that, and ancient iron rings burst asunder.
And again he uttered this:
You brought to the land and made landed, land-guardian, Aðalráðr. This the counsellor of soldiers, strengthened with power, owed you. Hard was the battle by which you brought Játmundr’s kinsman to enter a land of peace; the family’s pillar had previously ruled the country. 
Again, Sigvatr tells of this: 
It is so that the sixth battle— the swift prince offered the English Yggr’s strife —was where Oleifr attacked London’s bridges. Frankish swords fought, but vikings defended the ditch there. Some of the troop had shelters on the Southwark flatlands. 
King Óláfr stayed for the winter with King Aðalráðr. Then they had a great battle on Hringmara heath in Úlfkell’s country. This realm was at that time ruled by Úlfkell snillingr. There the kings were victorious. So says Sigvatr:
Again he set a seventh time sword-assembly in motion once more, in the land of Ulfkell, ·leifr, as I tell the story. All over Hringmara heath stood —a host fell there—Ella’s kin, where the keeper of Haraldr’s bequest caused hard labour.
Also Óttarr says this about this battle: 
King, I heard that heavy heaps of corpses far from the ships your host piled up; Hringmara heath with blood was reddened. To the earth ere it ended the English force, the landsfolk, cowered before you in shields’ clamour quickly, though many fled.
Then the country again became subject to King Aðalráðr, but housecarls and Danes held many cities, they then still controlled large areas of the country.
King Óláfr was commander of the army when they made for Canterbury and fought there, right on until they won the place, slaying there many troops and burning the city. So says Óttarr svarti: 
Lord, you made a great onslaught on the offspring of princes. Gracious king, broad Canterbury you coloured red in the morning. Fire and smoke played fiercely— you framed, son of chieftains, victory— on houses; I have heard you harmed the lives of people. 
Gracious king, broad Canterbury you coloured red in the morning. Fire and smoke played fiercely— you framed, son of chieftains, victory— on houses; I have heard you harmed the lives of people. 
I’m aware that the war-confronter, to Wends dangerous, his eighth battle —strong, the troop’s protector attacked the fortress—fought there. City reeves could not—sorrows on the splendid Partar bore hard—ban from Canterbury, their borough, O̧leifr. 
King Óláfr was in charge of the defence of England and took warships round the coast and sailed up into the Nýjamóða—they found there a troop of housecarls—and held a battle there, and King Óláfr won victory. So says the poet Sigvatr:
The young king gave, eager, Englishmen red haircuts. And brown blood appeared on blades in the Nýjamóða. Now of battles I have numbered nine, eastern fear-raiser. The Danish host died where darts flew most at O̧leifr. 
King Óláfr then travelled widely round the country and received tribute from people, but otherwise laid it waste. So says Óttarr:
No power had people, prince wide-famed, of English stock to withstand you, unyielding one, where you took tribute. Men gave the gracious ruler gold not seldom. I heard of treasures at times taken down shorewards. 
King Óláfr stayed there on that occasion for three winters. 
But in the third spring King Aðalráðr died. His sons Eaðmundr and Eaðvarðr took over the kingdom. Then King Óláfr travelled southwards over the sea and then he fought in Hringsfjǫrðr and stormed a castle at Hólarnir, which vikings were occupying. He demolished the castle. So says the poet Sigvatr:
A decade, with a battle-wall blizzard in beautiful Hringsfjǫrðr, was completed; the company at the king’s bidding went there. On Hóll a high building he had—vikings held it; they asked not afterwards any such luck—demolished.
King Óláfr led his force westwards to Gríslupollar and fought there with vikings off Viljámsbœr. There King Óláfr was victorious. So says Sigvatr:
O̧leifr, you fought, young sapling, the eleventh fight, where princes fell; clear from that encounter you came, at Gríslupollar. I heard that in that battle, fought briskly by the town of Jarl Viljálmr the steadfast, destroyed were helmets— that story is told most quickly.
Next he fought in the west in Fetlafjǫrðr, as Sigvatr says: 
Fame’s follower the twelfth time tooth of she-wolf reddened, there fell a life-forfeit, in Fetlafjǫrðr, on people. 
From there King Óláfr travelled all the way south to Seljupollar and had a battle there. There he won the city that was called Gunnvaldsborg—it was large and ancient—and there he captured a jarl who was in charge of the city, and who was called Geirfiðr. Then King Óláfr held a parley with the citizens. He imposed a ransom on the town and on the jarl for his release, twelve thousand gold shillings. The amount of money that he imposed was paid to him by the city. So says Sigvatr: 
His thirteenth fight the Þrœndir’s— that was woe to the fleeing— skilled lord fought south in Seljupollar, a famed one. Up the king ordered them all to old Gunnvaldsborg, and the jarl to be captured, called Geirfiðr, in the morning. 
After that King Óláfr led his force westwards to Karlsár and laid waste there, holding a battle there. And while King Óláfr was lying in Karlsár and waiting for a fair wind and planning to sail out to Nǫrvasund and from there out to Jerusalem, then he dreamed a remarkable dream, that there came to him a remarkable and handsome and yet terrifying man and spoke to him, telling him to abandon that plan, of going to distant lands. ‘Go back to your ancestral lands, for you will be king over Norway for ever.’ He understood this dream to mean that he and his kinsmen would be king over the land for a long time. 
As a result of this revelation he turned back from his voyage and made for Peituland and laid waste there and burned a market town there called Varrandi. Óttarr speaks of this:
War-glad king, you were able young to ravage Peita. The painted targe you tested in Túskaland, ruler. 
And also Sigvatr says this:
The sword’s mouth-reddener, the Mœrir’s master, when he came northwards, fought his way where ancient spears were shattered, up by the Leira. For warfare-Nirðir, Varrandi— so named is the town, distant from sea in settled land—was set on fire, in Peita.
King Óláfr had been raiding in the west in Valland for two summers and one winter. By then thirteen winters had passed since the fall of King Óláfr Tryggvason. At this time there were two jarls in Valland, Viljálmr and Roðbert. Their father was Ríkarðr Rúðujarl. They ruled over Normandy. Queen Emma, who had been married to King Aðalráðr of the English, was their sister. Their sons were these, Eaðmundr and Eatvarðr inn góði, Eatvígr and Eatgeirr. Ríkarðr Rúðujarl was son of Viljálmr langaspjót’s son Ríkarðr. He was son of Jarl Gǫngu-Hrólfr, who conquered Normandy. He was son of Rǫgnvaldr inn ríki jarl of the Mœrir, as is stated above. From Gǫngu-Hrólfr the jarls of Rúða are descended, and they for a long time afterwards claimed kinship with rulers of Norway and honoured them for this for a long time afterwards and were all the time very great friends of the Norwegians, and all Norwegians found a welcome there who wanted one. In the autumn King Óláfr came to Normandy and stayed the winter there on the Seine and was welcomed there.
King Óláfr had been raiding in the west in Valland for two summers and one winter. By then thirteen winters had passed since the fall of King Óláfr Tryggvason. At this time there were two jarls in Valland, Viljálmr and Roðbert. Their father was Ríkarðr Rúðujarl. They ruled over Normandy. Queen Emma, who had been married to King Aðalráðr of the English, was their sister. Their sons were these, Eaðmundr and Eatvarðr inn góði, Eatvígr and Eatgeirr. Ríkarðr Rúðujarl was son of Viljálmr langaspjót’s son Ríkarðr. He was son of Jarl Gǫngu-Hrólfr, who conquered Normandy. He was son of Rǫgnvaldr inn ríki jarl of the Mœrir, as is stated above. From Gǫngu-Hrólfr the jarls of Rúða are descended, and they for a long time afterwards claimed kinship with rulers of Norway and honoured them for this for a long time afterwards and were all the time very great friends of the Norwegians, and all Norwegians found a welcome there who wanted one. In the autumn King Óláfr came to Normandy and stayed the winter there on the Seine and was welcomed there.
Jarl Eiríkr was displeased that Erlingr Skjálgsson should have so much power, and he appropriated to himself all the royal property that King Óláfr had granted to Erlingr. But Erlingr carried on the same as before, receiving all the land rents throughout Rogaland, and the inhabitants were often paying double land rents, for otherwise he laid waste the settlement. The jarl got little from fines and penalties as the bailiffs could not stay on there, and the jarl only went round collecting his dues if he had a large following. Sigvatr speaks of this:
Erlingr treated the offspring of jarls as the king couldn’t, so that he awed them, kinsman the worthy son of Tryggvi. Next the keen lord of land-dwellers — life’s good fortune that was for Úlfr’s sire —his second sister gave to Rǫgnvaldr. 
The reason Jarl Eiríkr did not venture to fight with Erlingr was that the man came from a large and great family, and was powerful and popular. He always kept a large following as if it was a royal court. Erlingr often spent the summer on raids and got himself wealth, for he carried on his established custom as to his grand style and munificence, though he had now fewer and less profitable revenues than in the time of his brother-in-law King Óláfr. Erlingr was of all men the handsomest and tallest and strongest, better than anyone at fighting and in all accomplishments most like King Óláfr Tryggvason. He was a clever man and energetic in everything and a very great warrior. Sigvatr speaks of this:
No one other than Erlingr of the landed men Skald I liberal, held more battles, though barren of following. Generous, his courage he carried to conflicts, to the utmost, in many fights first to enter the fray, and last to leave it.
People have always said that Erlingr has been the noblest of all landed men in Norway. These were Erlingr and Ástríðr’s children: Áslákr, Skjálgr, Sigurðr, Loðinn, Þórir and Ragnhildr, who was married to Þorbergr Árnason. Erlingr always had ninety or more free men in his following, and both winter and summer there was a set amount of drink served at the morning meal, and at the evening meal drink was served without restriction. But when jarls were in the neighbourhood, he kept two hundred or more men with him. He never travelled with less than a twenty-benched ship with a full complement. Erlingr had a great warship with thirty-two benches, though a large one at that. He took it on raids or previously planned expeditions, and it held two hundred men or more.
Erlingr always also had thirty slaves in his establishment besides the rest of his household. He assigned day work to his slaves and gave them time after it and permission for each man who wanted to work for himself in the evening or at night, he gave them arable land to sow their own corn and to use the produce to enrich themselves. He set a price and redemption value on each of them. Many freed themselves in the first or second year, and all those that were any good freed themselves in three years. With the money thus gained Erlingr would buy himself other slaves, and some of his freedmen he put into herring fishing and some into other profitable occupations. Some cleared woodland and set up dwellings there. He enabled all of them to get on in some way.
When Jarl Eiríkr had ruled over Norway for twelve winters, there came to him a message from his brother-in-law King Knútr of the Danes, saying that Jarl Eiríkr was to go west to England with him taking his army, for Eiríkr was very renowned for his warfare, having won victory in the two battles that had been the fiercest in the Northern lands, one being when Jarl Hákon and Eiríkr fought with the Jómsvikings, the other when Eiríkr fought with King Óláfr Tryggvason. Þórðr Kolbeinsson speaks of this:
Again praise is raised, where people Again praise is raised, where people sent to the ruler seemly in helmet, a summons to the jarl, that with greatest urgency— I guess what the king said that he wanted—once more must Eiríkr attend a friendly meeting. 
The jarl did not want to ignore the king’s message. He left the country, leaving his son Jarl Hákon behind in Norway to look after the country, putting him in the charge of his brother-in-law Einarr þambarskelfir for him to see to the government of the country on Hákon’s behalf, since he was then no older than seventeen winters.
Eiríkr got to England and met King Knútr and was with him when he won London. Jarl Eiríkr fought on the western side of London. There he laid low Úlfkell snillingr. So says Þórðr:
The gold-tester joined battle— the billows’ horse Þundr, famous, won to land in warfare— west of London, together. Ulfkell got—there ran the rain of Þorinn’s heroes — terrible blows, where blades hovered blue over þingamenn.
Jarl Eiríkr was in England for one winter and fought some battles. The following autumn he was going to set out on a pilgrimage to Rome, but then he died of a haemorrhage there in England.
King Knútr had many battles in England with King Aðalráðr of the English’s sons, and the outcomes varied. He came to England in the summer that Aðalráðr died. Then King Knútr married Queen Emma. Their children were Haraldr, Hǫrða-Knútr, Gunnhildr. King Knútr made peace with King Eaðmundr. Each of them was to have half of England. In the same month Heinrekr strjóna killed King Eaðmundr. After that King Knútr drove all King Aðalráðr’s sons from England. So says Sigvatr:
And quickly Knútr quashed or exiled Aðalráðr’s offspring, each one, indeed.
King Aðalráðr of the English’s sons came from England to Rúða in Valland to their maternal uncles the same summer as Óláfr Haraldsson returned from viking raids in the west, and that winter they were all in Normandy and they formed a league together on the understanding that Óláfr was to have Northumberland if they won England from the Danes. Then in the autumn Óláfr sent his foster-father Hrani to England to raise forces there, and Aðalráðr’s sons send him with tokens of authority to his friends and relations, and King Óláfr provided him with a great deal of money to attract forces to join them. And Hrani spent the winter in England and gained the confidence of many of the ruling class, and the people of the country were more disposed to have native kings over them, but even so the power of the Danes in England had grown so great that all the inhabitants had become subjected to their rule.
In the spring they all returned from the west together, King Óláfr and King Aðalráðr’s sons, arriving in England at a place called Jungufurða, going up ashore with their forces and on to the city. There they found many of the men who had promised them support. They won the city and killed many people. But when King Knútr’s men realised this, then they assembled an army that soon became numerous, so that King Aðalráðr’s sons did not have the numbers to withstand them, and saw that their best course was to withdraw and return westwards to Rúða. So King Óláfr parted from them and refused to go to Valland. He sailed north along the coast of England right on to Northumberland. He landed in the harbour known as off Valdi and fought there with the citizens, and gained the victory and much booty there.
King Óláfr left his warships behind there and set out from there with two cargo ships and he then had two hundred and twenty men with full coats of mail and very select. In the autumn he sailed northwards across the sea and had very rough weather at sea, so that their lives were in danger, but since they had good troops and the good luck of the king, all went well. So says Óttarr:
From the west, swift in slain-fire storm, two cargo-ships you readied. Often you raced into risk, kings’ bench-mate. The strong current could have, if a crew less hardy had stood on board, on the billow embroiled the trading vessels.
And also thus:
You feared not the ocean, over a great sea you travelled. No mighty ruler of men gets more capable warriors. Oft tested, the ship tossed from it the towering torrent, until you sailed, son of Haraldr, close to the wind to mid-Norway.
Here it says that King Óláfr came to land in the middle of Norway. And the island where they came to land is called Sæla, off Staðr. Then the king spoke, saying it must be their lucky day, since they had reached land at Sæla in Norway, and said it must be a good omen, turning out like that. Then they went ashore onto the island. The king stepped ashore with one foot where there was some mud, and stopped himself from falling with the knee of his other leg. Then he said:
‘I fell there,’ says the king. Then Hrani said: ‘You did not fall, king, you are now taking your stand in the land.’ The king laughed at this, and said: ‘It may be so, if God wills.’ Then they went down to the ships and sailed south to Úlfasund. There they heard news of Jarl Hákon, that he was south in Sogn, and was expected in the north as soon as there was a fair wind, and he had one ship.
King Óláfr kept his ships inside the shipping lanes when he got south past Fjalir, and turned into Sauðungssund and hove to, lying with one ship each side of the sound holding between them a stout cable. Just at that moment Jarl Hákon Eiríksson rowed up to the sound with a manned warship, thinking that they were two merchant ships in the sound. They row forward into the sound between the ships. Now King Óláfr and his men haul the cables up under the middle of the warship’s keel and drew it in with windlasses. As soon as it took hold somewhere it rose up at the stern and dived down in front so that the sea flowed in over the bows, filled the warship and next it capsized. King Óláfr took Jarl Hákon out of the water there and all those of his men that they managed to catch hold of, but some they slew and some sank down. So says Óttarr:
You seized, wealthy food-server of the sea-of-wounds’ dark osprey, HYkon’s craft, its fine equipment, and the crew themselves. Young, you sought here, sater of the seagull of Þróttr’s meeting, ancestral lands that you owned; the jarl could not prevent that.
Jarl Hákon was taken up onto the king’s ship. He was of all men the handsomest that people had seen. He had long hair and beautiful as silk, tied round his head with a gold band. He sat down amidships. Then King Óláfr said: 
‘It is no lie about your family, what handsome men they are to look at, but you have now run out of good luck.’ Then Hákon says: ‘This is not bad luck that we have suffered. It has gone on for a long time that victory has gone, now to the one, now to the other of us. This is also how it has gone between your and my kinsmen, that now these, now those have been defeated. I am yet hardly emerged from childhood. We were now also not in a good position to defend ourselves, having no reason to expect hostility. It may be that on another occasion it will go better with us than this time.’ Then King Óláfr replies: ‘Do you have no suspicion, jarl, that now it has so come about, that you will from now on have neither victory nor defeat?’ The jarl says: ‘That is for you to decide, king, for the time being.’ Then says King Óláfr: ‘What will you undertake to do, jarl, if I let you go, safe and unharmed?’ The jarl asks what he would require. The king says: ‘Nothing else but that you leave the country, and so give up your rule and swear oaths that you will not fight battles from now on against me.’ The jarl replies, saying that he would do that. Now Jarl Hákon swears oaths to King Óláfr that he will never again fight against him and not use warfare to keep King Óláfr out of Norway or attack him. Then King Óláfr grants him and all his men quarter. The jarl took back the ship he had had before. The men row off on their way. The poet Sigvatr speaks of this:
The great king, keen for glory, declared that he needed to seek in ancient Sauðungssund to meet with HTkon. There the mighty monarch met the young jarl whose rank was second, best descended of all whose speech was Danish.
After this the jarl sets out from the country as hastily as he can and sails west to England and there goes to see his maternal uncle King Knútr, telling him all about how things had gone between him and King Óláfr. King Knútr gave him an exceptionally good reception. He took him into his household and gives him great power in his realm. Jarl Hákon now stayed a long time there with Knútr. While they, Sveinn and Hákon, were rulers of Norway, they came to an agreement with Erlingr Skjálgsson, and it was included in it that Erlingr’s son Áslákr should marry Jarl Sveinn’s daughter Gunnhildr. The father and son, Erlingr and Áslákr, were to have all the revenues that King Óláfr Tryggvason had granted Erlingr. Erlingr then became an absolute friend of the jarls, and they confirmed this between them with oaths.
King Óláfr inn digri turns eastwards along the coast and held meetings with the landowners in many places, and many submit to him, but some object who were kinsmen or friends of Jarl Sveinn. King Óláfr therefore went hastily east to Vík and keeps his forces within the Vík and beaches his ships, then makes his way up inland. And when he got to Vestfold, then many people welcomed him there warmly, those who had been acquaintances or friends of his father. There were also many family connections of his there around Foldin. In the autumn he went up inland to see his stepfather King Sigurðr, and arrived there early one day. And when King Óláfr gets close to the farm, then some workmen ran ahead to the farmhouse and into the living room. King Óláfr’s mother Ásta was sitting in there and some women with her. The workmen then tell her about King Óláfr’s coming and also that he could be expected there soon. Ásta gets up straight away and told men and women to put things to rights there as best they could. She had four women see to the arrangement of the living room and to deck it out with hangings and get the benches ready. Two men spread the straw on the floor, two put up the table, two set out the food, two she sent away from the farmhouse, two brought in the ale, and all the others, women and men, went out into the courtyard. Messengers went for King Sigurðr, wherever he was, bringing him his robes of state and his horse with gilded saddle, and the bit decorated with enamel and gems and gilded all over. Four men she sent in four different directions round the district inviting all the important people to come to her and partake of a feast, as she was holding a welcome banquet for her son. All the other people that were present she made put on the best attire that they had, and she lent clothes to those who did not have any of their own.
King Sigurðr sýr was at that moment stood out in a cornfield when messengers found him and told him what was happening and also everything that Ásta was having done back at the farmhouse. He had many men there. Some were reaping corn, some were binding, some were driving the corn home, some were piling up ricks or into barns. But the king and two men with him went now to the cornfield, now to where the corn was being stacked. About his dress it is said that he had on a dark tunic and dark leggings, high boots also tied round his legs, a grey cloak and broad grey hood and a cloth over his face, a staff in his hand with a gilded silver cap on the top which had a silver ring on it. This is said about King Sigurðr’s character, that he was a great man for work and always looking after his property and farm and managed his farming himself. He had no interest in finery in dress and was rather taciturn. He was of all men who were then in Norway the most sensible and the richest in money. He was peaceable and unambitious. His wife Ásta was liberal and imperious. These were their children: Guthormr was eldest, then Gunnhildr, then Hálfdan, then Ingiríðr, then Haraldr. Then the messengers said: ‘These words Ásta bade we should convey to you, that she thought it was now very important that you should behave nobly, and requested this, that you should take more after the line of Haraldr inn hárfagri in disposition than be like your maternal grandfather Hrani mjónefr or Jarl Nereiðr the Old, though they have been great sages.’ The king says: ‘Great news you bring me, and truly you bring it with great gusto. Ásta has made a great fuss before over people to whom she owed less duty, and I see that she has still the same tendency. And she will be devoting great zeal to this, if she causes her son to be sent on his way with the same munificence as she is now welcoming him in with. But it seems to me, if that is how it must be, that those who stake a lot on this business will be doing no good to their wealth or their lives. This man, King Óláfr, is striving against great odds, and he will bring upon himself and his undertakings the wrath of the king of the Danes and the king of the Svíar, if he continues on this course.’
Now when the king had said this, then he sat himself down and had his footwear pulled off and put on cordovan leggings and fastened them with gilded spurs, then took off his cloak and tunic and clad himself in silken clothes and on top a fine woollen cloak, girded himself with an ornamented sword, put a gilded helmet on his head, then mounted his horse. He sent labourers into the surrounding district and got himself thirty men, well fitted out, who rode into the farmstead with him. And they rode up into the courtyard in front of the living room, then he saw on the opposite side of the courtyard, where swept forward King Óláfr’s banner and with it there he himself and with him a hundred men and all well fitted out. People were also arrayed everywhere between the buildings. King Sigurðr welcomed his stepson King Óláfr down from his horse, and his troop, and invited him in to drink with him, and Ásta went up and kissed her son and invited him to stay with her, and everything, lands and troops, that she could give him should be at his service. King Óláfr thanked her heartily for her words. She took his hand and led him in with her into the living room and to the seat of honour. King Sigurðr got men to look after their clothes and give corn to their horses, and he went to his seat of honour. And this banquet was held with very great zeal.
Now when King Óláfr had been not very long there, then it happened one day that he called to speak with him and to a conference his stepfather King Sigurðr and his mother Ásta and his foster-father Hrani. Then King Óláfr began to speak: ‘So it is,’ he says, ‘as you are aware, that I am come to this country having previously been for a long time abroad. I and my men have had for our maintenance all this while only what we have gained by raiding, and in many places we have had to risk both lives and souls to get it. Many a man who was innocent has had to lose his property, and some their lives as well, at our hands. But foreigners have taken over the possessions that my father and his father and one after another of our family had, and that I have an inherited right to. And they do not consider that to be enough, but they have taken control of the possessions of all us kinsmen who are derived in the direct male line from Haraldr inn hárfagri. They share a little of it out with some, but with some nothing at all. Now I shall make known to you what has been for a very long time in my mind, that I intend to claim my patrimony, and I go to see neither the king of the Danes nor the king of the Svíar to beg of them any favours, though they have now for a while declared what was the heritage from Haraldr hárfagri their own possession. I intend rather, to tell you the truth about it, to pursue my patrimony with point and edge and invoke the support of all my relations and friends and all those who are willing to adopt this course with me. I shall also so set about this claim that one of two things will result, that I shall gain possession of all that realm to govern that they deprived King Óláfr Tryggvason of, or that I shall fall here on my patrimony. Now I expect as regards you, my stepfather Sigurðr, and other men in the land who have an inherited right to kingdoms here according to laws established by Haraldr hárfagri, it will not take so very much to make you rise up to get rid of this disgrace to your family that you will not put everything you have got into supporting the one who is willing to be your leader in restoring our family line. But whether or not you are willing to show any manhood in this matter, I do know the temper of the people, that they would all be eager to escape their subjection to foreign rulers as soon as there was someone to help them do it. The reason I have raised this matter with no one else before I have done so with you, is that I know that you are a sensible man and will have some good ideas about how this purpose can be implemented from the start, whether it should first of all be discussed on the quiet with a few people present, or whether it must be made public straight away before the people. I have now somewhat reddened my teeth on them when I captured Jarl Hákon, and he is now fled the land, and he gave me with oaths the part of the kingdom that he had previously ruled. I think we will find it easier to deal with Jarl Sveinn on his own than it was when they were both here to defend the land.’ King Sigurðr now replies: ‘It is no trifling matter you have on your mind, King Óláfr. This plan has more of zeal than forethought behind it, as far as I can see, and to be sure it is likely that there will be a large gap between my cautious attitude and this big idea that you seem to have, for when you were hardly more than a child, you were already full of eagerness and irresponsibility to the full extent of your power. You are also well experienced in warfare now and have modelled yourself on the ways of foreign rulers. Now you must have taken this affair so far that it will be no good trying to hold you back. It is also to be expected that such things will figure largely with those who are men of any spirit, when King Haraldr’s whole family and kingdom is on the way down. But I will bind myself by no promises before I know the attitude and intentions of other kings in Upplǫnd. But you have done well to let me know of this plan before you announced it openly before the people. I will promise you my good offices with the kings and also with other men of rank and the rest of the people. Also my wealth will be at your disposal, King Óláfr, for your backing. But I am willing for us to put this to the people only when I can see the possibility of some success, or when some support is available for this great enterprise, for you must not forget that a great deal is being taken on if you are going to contend with King Óláfr of the Svíar, and with Knútr, who is now king both in England and in Denmark, and great precautions need to be taken against them if it is to be successful. But I think it is not unlikely that you will find good support, for the people are eager for change. It was the same before, when Óláfr Tryggvason came to the country, that everyone was pleased at it, and yet he did not enjoy the kingdom for long.’ When the discussion had come thus far, Ásta began to speak: ‘My attitude, my son, is that I am pleased with you, and will be the most pleased if your advancement could be as much as possible. I will spare nothing within my power, though you can look to me for little in the way of helpful counsel. But I would rather, if there was the choice, that you should become supreme king in Norway, even if you lived no longer in your kingdom than Óláfr Tryggvason, rather than the alternative, that you were no greater a king than Sigurðr sýr and died of old age.’ And after these words they broke up the conference. King Óláfr stayed there for a while with all his following. King Sigurðr served them at table on alternate days with fish and milk, and every other day meat and beer.
At that time there were many kings in Upplǫnd who ruled over shires, and most of them were descended from the line of Haraldr inn hárfagri. Over Heiðmǫrk there ruled two brothers, Hrœrekr and Hringr, and in Guðbrandsdalar, Guðrøðr. There was also a king in Raumaríki. There was also that one king who had Þótn and Haðaland. In Valdres there was also a king. King Sigurðr sýr arranged a meeting with the shire kings up in Haðaland, and Óláfr Haraldsson was at that meeting. Then Sigurðr brought up before the kings he had arranged the meeting with his stepson Óláfr’s proposal, and asks them for both support and advice and consent, setting out what need there was for them to get rid of this subjection that the Danes and Svíar have imposed on them, saying that now there is a man available who will probably be able to take the lead in this enterprise, setting out the many great achievements that King Óláfr has done in his wanderings and raids. Then King Hrœrekr speaks: ‘It is true that King Haraldr inn hárfagri’s kingdom has declined, since no one of his line is supreme king in Norway. Now people in this country have experienced various things. Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri was king, and everyone was well content with that. But when Gunnhildr’s sons ruled over the land, then everyone got tired of their tyranny and injustice, so that people preferred to have foreign kings over them and be more independent, for the foreign rulers were always far away, and cared little about what people did, taking such tribute from the country as they determined for themselves. But when they fell out, King Haraldr of the Danes and Jarl Hákon, then the Jómsvikings raided Norway. And then all the commoners and hosts of people rose against them and drove this warfare away. People then urged Jarl Hákon to keep the country from the king of the Danes and defend it with point and edge. And when he felt he was secured in his power by the support of the people of the country, then he became so harsh and demanding towards the folk of the country that people could not put up with him, then the Þrœndir themselves slew him and then raised to power Óláfr Tryggvason who was entitled to the kingdom by birth and in all respects well fitted to be king. All the commoners rushed into wanting to have him as king over them and to raise up anew the kingdom that Haraldr inn hárfagri had gained for himself. But when Óláfr felt that he was secured in his power, then no one was independent of him. He went at it with us petty kings to claim in a domineering way all the dues for himself that Haraldr inn hárfagri had received here, and some things even more despotically, and people were so far the less independent from him in that no one could decide what god he should believe in. And so, since he was removed from the land, we have now maintained friendship with the king of the Danes and we have had great support from him with everything that we need to ask for, and independence and a quiet life within the country and no oppression. Now there is this to say about my attitude, that I am well content with things as they are. I do not know whether, even if a kinsman of mine were king over the land, my situation will be improved thereby in any way, but if not, I shall have no part in this enterprise.’ Then his brother Hringr spoke: ‘I will make known my attitude. It seems to me better, as long as I have the same power and possessions, that a kinsman of mine should be king over Norway rather than foreign rulers, if our family could again rise up in this land. But this is my feeling about this man, Óláfr, that his destiny and luck will decide whether he is going to achieve power or not, but if he becomes sole ruler over Norway, then he will think he is better off who has the larger share to count on from him in his friendship. Now in no respect does he have a better chance than any one of us, but rather the less in that we have some lands and power to employ, but he has none at all. We are also no less entitled to kingship by birth. Now if we should want to become such great supporters of him as to grant him the highest rank in this country and help him to this with all our resources, why should he not then reward this properly and long remember it with kindness, if he is so great in manhood as I think and everyone claims? Now we shall take this risk, if I have my way, of confirming friendship with him.’ After this one after another stood up and spoke, and the outcome was that most were keener on confirming friendship with King Óláfr. He promised them his absolute friendship and improvement of their condition if he became sole ruler over Norway. They then confirm their agreement with oaths.
After this the kings appointed a meeting. Then King Óláfr put before the people this plan and the claim that he has to power there, asking the landowners to accept him as king over the country, promising them in return ancient laws and to defend the land from foreign armies and rulers, speaking about it long and eloquently. He got good applause for his address. Then the kings got up and spoke to each other, and all of them pleaded this case and proposal before the people. This came about then in the end, that Óláfr was given the name of king over all the land and land was awarded to him in accordance with Upplǫnd law.
Then King Óláfr immediately began his journey and ordered banquets for himself, wherever there were royal residences. He went first round Haðaland, and then made his way north into Guðbrandsdalar. It went then as Sigurðr sýr had guessed, that so many troops thronged to him that he thought he would scarcely need half of them, and he had now three hundred   men. Then the banquets that had been arranged turned out to be insufficient, for it had been the custom for kings to travel round Upplǫnd with sixty men or seventy, and never more than a hundred   men. The king went round quickly and stayed just one night in each place. And when he got to the mountain in the north, then he set out on his way, got north over the mountain and went on until he came down from the mountain on the north side. King Óláfr came down into Uppdalr and stayed the night there. After that he went through Uppdalr Wood and came out in Meðaldalr, requested a meeting there and summoned landowners to him there. Then the king spoke at the meeting and asked the landowners to accept him, offering them in return the same rights and laws as King Óláfr Tryggvason had offered. The landowners did not have the power to keep up a quarrel with the king, and it ended with them granting the king acceptance and confirmed this with oaths. But they had previously, however, sent information down into Orkadalr and also into Skaun, letting them know about King Óláfr’s movements and everything they knew about him.
Einarr þambarskelfir had an estate and farmstead in Skaun. And when information reached him about King Óláfr’s movements, then he immediately had a war summons sent round and sent in four directions calling together freeman and slave fully armed, with the command with it that they were to defend the land from King Óláfr. The summons went into Orkadalr and also to Gaulardalr, and the whole army assembled together there.
King Óláfr took his forces down to Orkadalr. He travelled very quietly and peaceably. But when he came out to Grjótar, he met there the gathering of farmers, and they had more than seven hundred   men. He drew up his troops in battle formation, for he thought the farmers would want to fight. But when the farmers saw this, they found everything less straightforward, for it had not yet been decided who should be their commander. And when King Óláfr saw this, that the farmers were in disarray, then he sent Þórir Guðbrandsson to them, and when he came, Þórir says that King Óláfr does not want to fight with them. He named twelve men, the most senior in their number, to come and meet with King Óláfr. And the farmers agreed to this and come forward over a certain bluff that was there, to where the king’s troops were lined up. Then King Óláfr said: ‘You farmers have now done well, so that I now have a chance to talk with you, for I will tell you this about my business coming here to Þrándheimr. This to begin with, that I know that you have already heard that Jarl Hákon and I met together this summer, and the outcome of our negotiations was that he gave me all the dominion that he had here in Þrándheimr, and that is, as you know, the Orkadalr district and the Gaulardalr district and Strind district and Eynir district. And I have here men as witnesses, who were there and saw the jarl and me shake hands and heard the words and oaths and all the terms that the jarl granted me. I wish to offer you law and peace, in accordance with what King Óláfr Tryggvason offered before me.’ He spoke long and eloquently, and the conclusion of it was that he offered the farmers two choices, the one to submit to him and grant him obedience, the other to engage in battle with him now. Then the farmers went back to their troops and told them the result of their errand, then asked for advice from the whole host, which alternative they should take. And although they debated this for a while among themselves, their choice was to submit to the king. This was then confirmed with oaths on the part of the farmers. The king then arranged his travels, and the farmers provided banquets for his reception. The king then went out to the coast and ordered ships there for himself. He got a longship, one with twenty rowing benches, from Gunnarr of Gelmin. Another ship, one with twenty rowing benches, he got from Loðinn of Vigg. A third ship, one with twenty rowing benches, he got from Angrar on Nes. This farm had belonged to Jarl Hákon, but there was a steward in charge of it there who is named as Bárðr hvíti. The king had four or five light ships. He also travelled fast and made his way in along the fiord.
Jarl Sveinn was just then inland in Þrándheimr at Steinker and was having preparations for his Yule banquet made there. There was a market town there. Einarr þambarskelfir learned that the people of Orkadalr had submitted to King Óláfr. He then sent informants to Jarl Sveinn. They went first to Niðaróss and took an oared ship that Einarr had. They then went inland along the fiord and arrived late one day in at Steinker and delivered this message to the jarl, telling him all about King Óláfr’s movements. The jarl had a longship that was riding with tents up by the town. Straight away that evening he had his wealth and his people’s clothing and drink and food loaded onto the ship, as much as the ship would take, and straight away during the night they rowed out and came at dawn into Skarnsund. There they saw King Óláfr rowing in along the fiord with his troops. The jarl then turned in to shore off Masarvík. There was thick forest there. They put in so close to the rock that foliage and branches reached out over the ship. They cut great trees and set it all on the off side down in the sea so that the ship could not be seen for the foliage, and it had not become fully daylight when the king rowed in past them. The weather was calm. The king rowed in past the island, and when they got out of sight of one another, the jarl rowed out into the fiord and right on out to Frosta, there putting in to shore. This was within his own dominions.
Jarl Sveinn sent men out into Gaulardalr for his brother-in-law Einarr. And when Einarr came to the jarl, then the jarl tells him all about his dealings with King Óláfr and also this, that he is going to muster troops and go against King Óláfr and fight with him. Einarr replies thus: ‘We shall go into this sensibly, get information about what King Óláfr is planning to do. We will spread it around that we are just doing nothing. Then it may be, if he does not find out about our mustering of troops, that he will settle down inland at Steinker for Yule, since everything is all ready for it there. But if he hears that we have mustered troops, then he will lay his course straight out of the fiord and then we shall have lost him completely.’ It was done just as Einarr proposed. The jarl went travelling round staying with farmers up in Stjóradalr. King Óláfr, when he got to Steinker, took charge of the provisions for his entertainment and had them loaded onto his ships and got hold of some transport ships and took away with him both food and drink and set off as fast as he could and sailed all the way out to Niðaróss. There King Óláfr Tryggvason had had a market town set up, as was written above. But when Jarl Eiríkr came to the country, he set up at Hlaðir, where his father had made his chief residence, but he did not maintain the buildings that Óláfr had had built by the Nið. They had now, some of them, collapsed, and some still stood but were rather uninhabitable. King Óláfr took his ships up into the Nið. There he straight away had things put to rights in the buildings that were standing, and had those that had collapsed rebuilt, and employed large numbers of men in this, and also had both the drink and the food carried up into the buildings, intending to stay there over Yule. And when Jarl Sveinn and Einarr heard this, then they made their own plans elsewhere.
There was an Icelandic man called Þórðr Sigvaldaskáld. He had been a follower of Jarl Sigvaldi for a long time, and later on of the jarl’s brother Þorkell hávi, but after the jarl’s fall Þórðr was a trader. He met King Óláfr, when he was on viking raids in the west in the British Isles , and entered his service and after that became his follower. He was still a follower of the king when these events were taking place. Sigvatr was Þórðr’s son. He was being brought up by Þorkell at Apavatn. Now when he was almost a full-grown man, then he went abroad with traders, and in the autumn the ship came to Þrándheimr and the men took lodgings in the district. This same winter King Óláfr came to Þrándheimr, as was written just above. And when Sigvatr heard that his father Þórðr was there with the king, then Sigvatr went to the king, meeting his father Þórðr and staying there for a time. Sigvatr was at an early age a good poet. He had made a poem about King Óláfr and invited the king to listen to it. The king says he doesn’t want poems to be made about him, saying he cannot listen to poetry. Then Sigvatr said:
Hear my poetry, harmer of the horse, dark, of awnings, most noble, for I can make it; you must have one poet. Even if you reject altogether all other poets’ tributes, great ruler, still I’ll give you glorification in plenty. 
King Óláfr gave Sigvatr as a reward for poetry a gold ring weighing half a mark. Sigvatr became a member of King Óláfr’s following. Then he said:
I accepted your sword gladly, assault’s Njǫrðr, and will not later find fault; that occupation is fine; it is my pleasure. You’ve gained a true retainer, tree of the lair of the serpent’s blood-brother, and I—a bargain for us both—a good liege-lord.
In the autumn Jarl Sveinn had charged the ship from Iceland half the land dues, as has been customary before, since Jarl Eiríkr and Jarl Hákon had been entitled to equal shares of these dues as of others there in Þrándheimr. But when King Óláfr came there, then he charged his own followers, claiming half the land dues from ships from Iceland, and they went to to see the king. They asked Sigvatr for help. Then he went before the king and said:
Greedily demanding the gladdeners of Gunnr’s vulture will call me if I ask now for cloaks; already I’ve accepted sea’s fire. Of the landing-tax, lessener of the lair of the meadow-flounder, allow the cargo-ship to escape— I've again made a steep demand—half.
Jarl Sveinn, together with Einarr þambarskelfir, gathered together a great army and went out to Gaulardalr by the inland route and made their way out to Niðaróss, having nearly two thousand men. Some of King Óláfr’s men were out on Gaularáss looking after the horses. They noticed the army going down from Gaulardalr and brought the king information at about midnight. King Óláfr immediately got up and had the troops roused. They straight away went on board their ships and carried out all their clothing and weapons and everything they could manage to take with them, then rowed out from the river. Just then the jarl’s troop came to the town. They then took all the Yule provisions and burned all the buildings. King Óláfr went out along the fiord to Orkadalr and disembarked from their ships there, then went right up through Orkadalr to the mountain and eastwards over the mountain to Dalar. It is told about this, how Jarl Sveinn burned the town at Niðaróss, in the series of verses that was composed about Klœngr Brúsason: 
Burned were the king’s buildings— a blaze, I think, felled the dwelling, half-finished, hard by the Nið itself; fire showered the host with soot.
King Óláfr then went southwards along Guðbrandsdalar and from there out to Heiðmǫrk, receiving the maintenance due to him as he went over the midwinter season, but mustered an army when spring came, and travelled out to the Vík. He got a large force from Heiðmǫrk that the kings provided for him. From there many landed men came. Ketill kálfr at Hringunes took part in the expedition. King Óláfr also got troops from Raumaríki. His stepfather King Sigurðr sýr came to join him with a large company of men. They then made their way out to the sea and got themselves ships and set out from in the Vík. They had a fine and large force. And when they had fitted out their forces, they sailed out to Túnsberg.
Jarl Sveinn musters forces from all over Þrándheimr straight after Yule and calls out a levy, getting the ships ready too. At that time there was a large number of landed men in Norway. They were many of them powerful and of such high descent that they were come from lines of kings or jarls not many generations back; they were also enormously rich. The kings and jarls who ruled the land were entirely dependent on these landed men, for it was in every district as if the landed men ruled over the class of farmers. Jarl Sveinn was on very friendly terms with landed men. He found it easy to get troops. His brother-in-law Einarr þambarskelfir was with him, as were many other landed men, and many of those who the previous winter had sworn oaths of loyalty to King Óláfr, both landed men and farmers. They sailed out of the fiord as soon as they were ready and went southwards along the coast and picked up troops from every district. And when they got south off Rogaland, then there came to join them Erlingr Skjálgsson, bringing a large troop, and with him were many landed men; then they sailed with the whole force eastwards to Vík. It was towards the end of Lent when Jarl Sveinn made his way into the Vík. The jarl took the force in through Grenmarr and stopped by Nesjar.
Then King Óláfr sailed his force out along the Vík. There was then only a short distance between them. They were aware of each other on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. King Óláfr had the ship that was called Karlhǫfði. A king’s head was carved on its prow. He had carved it himself. This figurehead was for long after used in Norway on ships captained by rulers.
On the Sunday morning, as soon as it got light, King Óláfr got up and dressed, went ashore, then had a horn blown to summon the whole force to go ashore. Then he made a speech to the troops and tells everyone that he has now heard that Jarl Sveinn cannot be far away. ‘We must now,’ he says, ‘prepare ourselves, for it will not be long before we encounter them. Let men now arm themselves, and each man get himself ready and into his place to which he has earlier been assigned, so that then everyone may be ready when I have the horn blown for our departure. Then let us all row together, no one is to set off until the whole fleet is on the move, and no one is stay behind when I row out of the harbour, for we have no means of knowing whether we shall encounter the jarl where he is now, or whether they will come to meet us. But if we come across them and a battle begins, then our men are to draw our ships close to each other and be ready to tie them together. Let us hold back to begin with and be careful with our missiles so that we do not let them fall into the sea or throw them uselessly. But once battle is joined properly and the ships have been fastened together, then attack as hard as you can, and everyone do as bravely as he can.’
King Óláfr had a hundred   men on his ship, and they all wore coats of ring-mail and French helmets. Most of his men had white shields with the Holy Cross depicted on them in gold, but in some cases they were coloured with red or blue paint. He had a cross drawn on the forehead of all helmets in white. He had a white pennant; it was a serpent. Next he had prayers said before him, then went aboard his ship and told the men to have something to eat and drink. Next he ordered a horn to be blown and the ships to sail out of the harbour. And when they reached the harbour where the jarl had been lying, then the jarl’s troops were armed and were about to row out of their harbour. But when they saw the king’s troops, then they began to tie their ships together and put up flags and got ready. And when King Óláfr saw this, then they launched their attack. The king made for the jarl’s ship. Then battle commenced. So says the poet Sigvatr:
A strong assault on men the sovereign made, advancing— blood fell red on Róði’s ride —into harbour against Sveinn. Brave, the king who brought the meeting about steered his ships ruthlessly forward, while Sveinn’s forces fastened their ships together.
Here it says that King Óláfr went into battle, but Sveinn was lying there in the harbour. The poet Sigvatr was there in the battle. He composed straight away in the summer just after the battle the series of verses that are called Nesjavísur, and it tells there in detail about these events:
It’s known to me how the knower of nail-points of frost caused to be placed Karlhǫfði close to the jarl east of Agðir.
The battle was very fierce, and for a long time one could not tell which way it would go. Many fell on both sides, and large numbers were wounded. So says Sigvatr:
There was no cause to sneer at Sveinn for the swords’ din, nor at war-glad ·leifr for the onslaught-moon’s osprey’s fine tempest, for each side had to aim for the other’s maiming—never was the army worse placed— where warriors did battle.
The jarl had greater forces, but the king had a picked company on his ship which had followed him on raiding expeditions and was fitted out so excellently, as was said before, that each man had a coat of ring-mail. They did not get wounded. So says Sigvatr:
Teitr, I saw, in the splendid squad of the ruler—bitter sword-clash set in—cold mailcoats cover the shoulders of us two, and my black hair hid under my Frankish helmet in the spear-storm; thus I knew us both, benchmate, for battle to be fitted out.
But when the men began to fall on the jarl’s ship, and some of them were wounded, then the crew at the gunwales thinned out. 
Then King Óláfr’s men made a boarding assault. The flag was then taken up onto the ship that was next to the jarl’s ship, and the king himself went along with the flag. So says Sigvatr:
The gilded standard preceded the splendid prince where, under banners, we givers of the din of Gǫndul’s garment went on the ships, furious. Then it was not as if, on the rope-stallion, to these ruler’s pay-receivers a maiden were bearing mead before the metal weapons’ greeting. 
There was a keen battle there and Sveinn’s men fell fast, while some leapt overboard. So says Sigvatr:
Keenly we crowded, where the noisy clash of weapons sounded— reddened blades split shield-rounds— enraged, onto warships. Where they fought, wounded farmers— fitted ships were captured— fell overboard; no few corpses floated out by the land-spit. 
And also this: 
Men coloured crimson—clearly seen was that by sharers of sword-clamour — our shields that white had come there. There I think the young ruler that we followed onto the ship advanced where swords—the blood-bird a battle-draught got—were blunted. 
Then the casualties began to mount in the jarl’s forces. Then the king’s men attacked the jarl’s ship, and they were on the point of boarding the ship. But when the jarl saw what a bad state they had got into, then he gave orders to the men at the prow that they were to cut the cables and get the ships free. They did so. Then the king’s men put grappling irons onto the bow posts and held on to them. Then the jarl gave orders that the men at the prow should cut off the bow posts. They did so. So says Sigvatr:
Sveinn himself had the swarthy stem-posts cut off quickly— the rowing had almost reached him, raising our hopes of plunder— when to the raven’s benefit—bodies the black osprey of Yggr gained in plenty—the host had hewn the prows of the vessel.
Einarr þambarskelfir had positioned his ship on one side of the jarl’s ship. They then threw an anchor onto the prow of the jarl’s ship and so moved themselves then all together out into the fiord. After that all the jarl’s forces took to flight and rowed out into the fiord. Bersi Skáld-Torfuson was in the position in front of the stern decking on Jarl Sveinn’s ship. And as the ship floated forward away from the fleet, then King Óláfr called out aloud when he recognised Bersi—for he was easily recognised, the handsomest of men and fitted out exceedingly well with weapons and clothes:
‘Farewell, Bersi.’ He said: ‘Goodbye, king.’ So says Bersi in the series of verses that he composed when he fell into the hands of King Óláfr and was sitting in shackles:
You bade this skilful expert You bade this skilful expert and we were able so to answer the active war-fosterer. Unwilling, we sold those words of the well-born offerer of fires of the barque-god’s borderland, as I bought them from the mailcoat’s tree.
I have seen the sore trials of Sveinn—the cool bright tongues of swords carolled keenly—when in company we went forward. I shall never follow in the future a finer man, an offerer of Elgr’s tempest, out on any terms by waves’ stallion.
I slink not so, swinger I slink not so, swinger for you I’m making ready an Áti’s ski, no small one— as to jettison, generous general, or then to tire of— young, I learned to know there your foe —my loyal allies. 
Now some of the jarl’s men fled up ashore, some sued for quarter. Then Jarl Sveinn’s party rowed out into the fiord and they brought their ships together, and the leaders held a discussion together. The jarl sought counsel from the landed men. Erlingr Skjálgsson recommended that they should sail to the north of the country and get themselves reinforcements and fight again with King Óláfr. But since they had lost a lot of their men, nearly all of them were keen for the jarl to leave the country to go to his brother-in-law the king of the Svíar, and reinforce his troops from there, and Einarr followed this course, because he felt they did not have the resources to fight with King Óláfr now. Then their forces dispersed. The jarl sailed south past Foldin, and with him Einarr þambarskelfir. Erlingr Skjálgsson and many other landed men too, who did not want to abandon their inherited lands, went north to their homes. In the summer Erlingr kept a large following by him.
King Óláfr and his men saw that the jarl had gathered his ships together. Then King Sigurðr sýr urged that they should attack the jarl and fight it out with them. King Óláfr says that he wants to see first what course the jarl adopts, whether they keep their army together, or the troops leave him. Sigurðr said it was up to him.
‘But it is my feeling,’ he says, ‘considering your character and ambition, that you will never be able to trust those great lords, accustomed as they are to be always absolutely opposed to rulers.’ And nothing came of the attack. Then they soon saw that the jarl’s troops were dispersing. Then King Óláfr had them search through the fallen. They lay there a few nights and divided the spoils. Then the poet Sigvatr spoke these verses:
I declare, moreover, that very many messengers of war who came southwards will have, in this harsh battle, their homecoming to forgo. From the swart swimming-horse sank many to the bottom joined to the sun; it’s certain Sveinn out there we encountered. 
This year the wise Innþrœnzk maiden will not jeer at our effort, this I thought certain, though smaller the size of the king’s forces. The girl will deride rather the ranks who lunged forward with their beards —we stained scarlet the skerry’s land —should she choose either. 
And also this:
His strength swells, for this launcher— Sveinn, you learned this—of plank-steed the Upplendingar are eager to aid into kingship. This is evident: the Heinir are able to do more than drink ale of the army leader: we make the corpse-snake’s journey.
King Óláfr gave gifts to his stepfather Sigurðr sýr at parting and also to other leaders who had supported him. He gave Ketill of Hringunes a carvel, with fifteen benches, and Ketill transported the carvel up along the Raumelfr and right on up to Mjǫrs.
King Óláfr kept watch on the jarl’s movements, and when he learned that the jarl had left the country, then he travelled westwards along the Vík. Men then flocked to him. He was accepted as king at assemblies. Thus he went right on to Líðandisnes. Then he learned that Erlingr Skjálgsson had gathered large numbers of men. He did not delay then in Norðr-Agðir, since he had got a strong fair wind. He went as fast as he could north to Þrándheimr because he thought that all the main part of the land lay there, if he could get it under his control while the jarl was out of the country. And when King Óláfr got to Þrándheimr, then there was no uprising against him, and he was accepted as king there and established himself in the autumn there in Niðaróss and he made preparations for staying the winter there and had a royal residence built and founded Clemenskirkja there in the place where it still stands. He marked out sites for dwellings and gave them to householders and merchants or to others as he thought fit and who wanted to set up houses. He stayed there with a large following, because he felt he would not be able to rely on the Þrœndir’s loyalty, should the jarl come back into the country. This was most obvious in the case of the Innþrœndir, and from them he received no dues.
Jarl Sveinn went first to Svíþjóð to see his brother-in-law King Óláfr of the Svíar and told him all about his dealings with Óláfr digri, and sought for advice from the king of the Svíar as to what course he should take. The king says that the jarl shall stay with him, if he wants to, and have what land he thinks fitting for him to rule over there. ‘And otherwise,’ he says, ‘I shall provide you with sufficient troops to get the land back from Óláfr.’ The jarl took the second option, because that was what all those of his men wanted that were there with him, many of whom had extensive possessions in Norway. And while they were deliberating over these plans, then it was agreed that they should the following winter set out to go the overland route through Helsingjaland and Jamtaland and so down into Þrándheimr, for the jarl felt he could rely best of all on the Innþrœndir for support and help, if he went that way. But yet they decide to go first raiding in the summer to the eastern Baltic and get themselves some wealth.
Jarl Sveinn took his troops east to Garðaríki and made raids there. He spent the summer there, and when autumn came he turned back with his troops to Svíþjóð. Then he caught a disease which led to his death. After the jarl’s death the troops that had been following him went back to Svíþjóð, though some went off to Helsingjaland and from there to Jamtaland and then west over Kjǫlr to Þrándheimr, and there they tell the news of what had happened during their travels. Then the death of Jarl Sveinn was accurately reported.
Einarr þambarskelfir and the force that had followed him went during the winter to the king of the Svíar and stayed there and were treated well. There were also many others there who had followed the jarl. The king of the Svíar was extremely displeased with Óláfr digri for having established himself in his tributary land and driven away Jarl Sveinn. The king threatened Óláfr with the severest retribution for this as soon as he could bring it about. He says that Óláfr will not be so bold as to take control of the land that the jarl had ruled. Many of the king of the Svíar’s men agreed that this would be the case. But when the Þrœndir learned for certain that Jarl Sveinn was dead and that he was not to be expected back in Norway, then all the ordinary people switched their allegiance to King Óláfr. Many people then went out from Þrándheimr to see King Óláfr and became his followers, and some sent word and tokens that they wanted to serve him. Then in the autumn he went in to Þrándheimr and held meetings with the farmers. He was then accepted as king in every district. Then he went out to Niðaróss and had all the royal dues taken there and made preparations for spending the winter there.
King Óláfr had a royal residence put up in Niðaróss. A large hall was built there for his following with doorways at both ends. The king’s high seat was in the middle of the hall and further in from him sat Grímkell, his household bishop, and after that his other clerics, and further out from him his counsellors. In the other high seat opposite him sat his marshal, Bjǫrn digri, after that the guests. If high-ranking men visited the king, they were suitably accommodated. Ale would then be drunk by fires. He appointed men to offices as was customary for kings then. He had sixty men in his personal following and thirty guests, and he established their salaries and rules. He also had thirty housecarls who were to perform such duties within the residence as were necessary, and for when they moved away. He also had many servants. There was also in the residence a large apartment where the king’s followers slept. There was also a large room in which the king held meetings with his men.
It was the king’s custom to rise early in the mornings and dress and wash his hands, and then to go to church and hear morning prayers and matins and then to go to meetings and settle people’s disputes or announce anything else that he thought necessary. He summoned to come to him the powerful and the humble and all those who were wisest. He often had recited before him the laws that Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri had made in Þrándheimr. He made laws after consulting the wisest men, abolishing them or introducing new ones as he thought fit. But the Christian law he established with the guidance of Bishop Grímkell and other clerics and devoted all his mind to getting rid of heathendom and ancient practices that he thought injurious to Christianity. It came about that the farmers agreed to these laws that the king established. So says Sigvatr: 
Occupant of the wave-oxen’s Occupant of the wave-oxen’s laws of the land that shall be lasting for all mankind. 
King Óláfr was a virtuous man, very moderate, of few words, generous and avaricious. The poet Sigvatr was there with the king at this time, as was said above, and other Icelanders. King Óláfr enquired diligently how Christianity was observed in Iceland. It then seemed to him that it fell far short of being satisfactory, for they said about the observance of Christianity that it was permitted in the laws to eat horseflesh and expose children like heathen people, and still other things that were injurious to Christianity. They also told the king about the many great men who were then in Iceland. Skapti Þóroddsson held the office of lawspeaker in Iceland then. He enquired of the men who had the closest knowledge about the practices of many lands and directed his questions mainly to Christianity, how it was observed both in Orkney and in Shetland and in the Faeroes, and he discovered that it must fall far short of being satisfactory in many places. He often discussed such matters as these or spoke about law or the law of the land.
That same winter there came from the east, from Svíþjóð, messengers from the Swedish King Óláfr, and they were led by two brothers, Þorgautr skarði and Ásgautr ármaðr, who had with them twenty-four men. And when they came from the east over Kjǫlr into Veradalr, then they called meetings with the farmers and spoke to them claiming dues and taxes on behalf of the king of the Svíar. But the farmers discussed it together and reached agreement that they would pay what the king of the Svíar asked provided that King Óláfr did not claim land dues from them on his part, saying that they were not going to pay taxes to both of them. The messengers went off and out along the valley, and at every meeting that they held they got the same replies from the farmers, but no money, then went out into Skaun and held a meeting there and again demanded taxes, and everything went the same way as before. Then they went into Stjóradalr and requested meetings there, but the farmers would not come to them. Then the messengers saw that their mission was getting nowhere. Þorgautr then wanted to turn back east. ‘I do not think we have carried out the king’s business,’ says Ásgautr. ‘I want to go to see King Óláfr digri, even though the farmers are referring their case to him.’ He got his way, and they went out to the town and took lodgings in the town. They went to the king the following day—he was then sitting at table—, greeted him, saying that they were travelling on the king of the Svíar’s business. The king told them to come the following day. The next day, when the king had heard prayers, he went to his meeting-house and had the king of the Svíar’s men called and bade them put forward their business. Then Þorgautr spoke and says first on what business they were travelling and had been sent, and afterwards how the Innþrœndir had responded. After that he requested that the king should give a decision as to what the outcome of their mission there was to be. The king says: 
‘While jarls were ruling this land, it was not surprising that the people of the country should be subject to them, because they were native to this realm, and yet it would have been more proper for the jarls to have been subject to and in the service of the kings who had a true right to rule here, rather than being subservient to foreign kings and rising up with hostility against the true kings and driving them from the land. But as for the Swedish King Óláfr, who is claiming Norway, I do not know what claim he has that is just, but this we have in mind, what loss of life we have suffered from him and his kin.’ Then Ásgautr says: ‘It is not surprising that you are called Óláfr digri. You use very inflated words in your reply to the message of such a ruler. You cannot have a clear idea of how hard the king’s anger will weigh upon you, and has done upon those who had more power behind them than it seems to me that you have. But if you are going to hang obstinately onto the kingdom, then your best course will be to go and see him and become subject to him. We shall then support you in begging him to grant you this kingdom on a lease.’ Then the king says, choosing his words with restraint: ‘I shall give you some alternative advice, Ásgautr. Return now to your king and tell him this, that early in the spring I shall set out eastwards to the boundary which in former times separated the realms of the king of Norway and the king of the Svíar. He can then come there if he wants us to reach a settlement with each of us having the realm that we have an inherited right to.’ Then the messengers turn away and back to their lodgings and got ready to leave, but the king went to table. Then the messengers went to the king’s residence, and when the doorkeepers saw this, they tell the king. He told them not to let the messengers in. ‘And I do not wish to speak with them,’ he says. Then the messengers went away. Then Þorgautr says that he and his men are going to turn back home, but Ásgautr says he wants to pursue the king’s business. Then they part company. Þorgautr then goes inland to Strind, but Ásgautr and his twelve men turn up into Gaulardalr and so out to Orkadalr. He is planning to travel south to Mœrr and carry on the business of the king of the Svíar there. And when King Óláfr realised this, then he sent his guests out after them. They found them out at Steinn on Nes, captured them and took them in to Gaularáss, set up gallows there and hanged them there where they could be seen from the fiord from the sailing route. Þorgautr heard what had happened before he left Þrándheimr. After that he continued his journey all the way back to see the king of the Svíar, and tells him what had happened on their travels. The king was very angry when he heard this told. There was no lack then of inflated words there.
The following spring King Óláfr called out troops from Þrándheimr and set out to go to the east of the country. Just then a ship for Iceland was getting ready to leave Niðaróss. Then King Óláfr sent word and tokens to Hjalti Skeggjason and summoned him to come and see him, and sent word to the lawspeaker Skapti and the other people who had most say in the laws in Iceland, that they were to abolish the laws that he thought were most injurious to Christianity. At the same time he sent friendly greetings to the population as a whole. The king travelled southwards along the coast and stopped in every district and held meetings with the farmers. And at every meeting he had Christian law promulgated together with the regulations appropriate to it. Thus he straight away abolished in the people many bad customs and heathen practices, because the jarls had well maintained the ancient codes and laws of the land, but had let everyone do as they pleased with regard to following Christianity. The situation now had come about that in most places in the coastal settlements people were baptised, but Christian rules were unknown to most people, and among the inland valleys and the mountain settlements many places were entirely heathen, because as soon as the ordinary people became independent, then their minds were mostly full of the beliefs they had learned in childhood. But the people that did not want to abide by the king’s commands about Christianity he threatened then with harsh treatment, both the powerful and the humble. Óláfr was accepted as king everywhere in the country at every parliament. No one spoke against him at them. When he was lying in Karmtsund, messages passed between him and Erlingr Skjálgsson proposing that they should come to terms, and a peace meeting was arranged on Hvítingsey. And when they met, they discussed terms of settlement in person. It seemed then to Erlingr that he could perceive something in what the king said rather different from what he had been told to expect, since he put forward his claim that he wanted to have all the revenues that Óláfr Tryggvason had granted him, and afterwards Jarls Sveinn and Hákon. ‘I will then become subject and a loyal friend to you,’ he says. The king says: ‘It seems to me, Erlingr, as though you would not be any worse off accepting from me just as many revenues as you received from Jarl Eiríkr, a man who had inflicted on you the greatest losses of men. But I shall have you made the noblest man in the land, even if I decide to assign the revenues according to my own preferences without accepting that you landed men have an inherited right to my patrimonies, and even if I have to purchase your service at many times its value.’
Erlingr was not of a mind to ask the king for any changes in this, for he could see that the king was not easy to influence. He also saw that there were two choices available, the one being to make no settlement with the king and take his chance on how it would turn out, or alternatively to let the king have it all his own way, and he opted for the second, though he found it very much against his inclination, and said to the king: ‘That service will be of most advantage to you that I offer to you of my own free will.’ They brought their discussion to an end. Afterwards Erlingr’s kinsmen and friends went to him and urged him to give way and act with wisdom and not with stubbornness. ‘You will,’ they say, ‘always be the noblest of landed men in Norway, in both your achievements and family and wealth.’ Erlingr realised that this was healthy advice and that they were motivated by goodwill, those who were saying these things. He acts accordingly, submits to the king on the terms that the king was resolved to dictate; they went their separate ways after that and were nominally in agreement. Óláfr went his way eastwards along the coast.
As soon as King Óláfr reached the Vík and this became known, then the Danes went away, those who held offices there under the king of the Danes, and they made for Denmark and did not care to wait for King Óláfr. But King Óláfr travelled in along the Vík and held meetings with the farmers. All the native people submitted to him. He then received all the royal revenues and stayed in the Vík the whole summer. He went on eastwards over Foldin from Túnsberg and all the way eastwards across Svínasund. Then began the land subject to the king of the Svíar. He had set stewards over this area, Eilífr gauzki over the more northerly part, and Hrói skjálgi  over the more easterly part right on as far as the Elfr. He held the two sides of the Elfr, and a large residence on Hísing. He was a powerful man and mightily wealthy. Eilífr was also from a great family. When King Óláfr had brought his troops into Ranríki, then he called a meeting with the local people there, and the people that lived on islands or near the sea attended. And when the meeting was in session, then Bjǫrn stallari spoke up and told the farmers to accept King Óláfr as had been done elsewhere in Norway. Brynjólfr úlfaldi was the name of a prominent farmer. He stood up and said: ‘We farmers know what boundary is the most correct one from ancient times between the king of Norway and the king of the Svíar and the king of the Danes, that the Gautelfr has determined it from Vænir to the sea, and from the north Markir to Eiðaskógr, and from there Kilir all the way north to Finnmǫrk; and also that some from various sides have encroached on the territories of others. The Svíar have for long periods held power right down to Svínasund, and yet, to tell you the truth, I know it is the desire of many men to support the idea that it seems better to serve the king of Norway, but people don’t have the courage to follow this through. The rule of the king of the Svíar is both to the east of us and to the south, and it is likely that the king of Norway will soon go to the north of the country, where the main strength of the country lies, and we will not then have the resources to carry on a dispute with the Gautar. Now it is for the king to find a viable way forward for us. We would be very happy to become his subjects.’ Now in the evening after the meeting Brynjólfr was entertained by the king, and the next day as well, and they discussed many things privately between themselves. Then the king travelled eastwards along the Vík. And when Eilífr heard that the king was there, then he had a watch kept on his movements. Eilífr had thirty men with him, men from his district. He was in the district higher up by the forests and had assembled a body of farmers there. Many farmers went to see King Óláfr, and some sent messages of friendship to him. Then men passed between King Óláfr and Eilífr, and farmers begged both of them for a long time to make an arrangement for a meeting between themselves and agree on peace in some way, telling Eilífr that they could expect from the king, if his demands were not complied with, that there would be a prospect of harsh treatment from him, and declared that Eilífr should not lack support. It was then decided that they should come down and hold a meeting with the farmers and the king. And then the king sent Þórir langi, the leader of his guests, in a party of twelve in all, to Brynjólfr. They had coats of mail under their tunics and hoods over their helmets. The next day farmers came down with Eilífr in large numbers. Brynjólfr was then there in his troop with Þórir in his party. The king positioned his ships round where there was a rock that came out into the sea. He went ashore there with his troop, sat down on the rock, but there was level ground on the landward side, and the gathering of farmers was there, while Eilífr’s men stood up within a wall of shields in front of him. Bjǫrn stallari spoke long and eloquently on behalf of the king. And when he sat down, then Eilífr stood up and began a speech, and at that moment Þórir langi stood up and drew his sword and struck at Eilífr on the neck so that his head was cut off. Then all the gathering of farmers leapt up, but the Gautish men took to their heels. Þórir and his men killed a few of them. But when the crowd calmed down and the uproar abated, then the king stood up and said that the farmers should sit down. They did so. Much was said there, but in the end it came about that the farmers submitted to the king and consented to be ruled by him, and he promised them in return not to desert them and to remain there until he and King Óláfr of the Svíar had settled their differences one way or another. After that King Óláfr subjected to himself the more northerly part of the district and in the summer travelled all the way to the Elfr. He received all the royal dues along the coast and over the islands. And when the summer was drawing to a close, he turned back northwards into the Vík and took his ships up along the Raumelfr. There is a waterfall there that is called Sarpr. A headland goes out into the river up to the waterfall from the north. There King Óláfr had a wall built across the headland of stones and turf and timber and a ditch dug along the outside and built there a great earth fortress, and within the fortress he established a market town. He had a royal residence set up there and a St Mary’s church built. He also had sites marked out there for other dwellings and got people to set up homes there. In the autumn he had provisions necessary for winter quarters brought there, and stayed there during the winter with a large following, and kept his men in all the districts. He banned all exports from the Vík up into Gautland, of both herring and salt. The Gautar found it hard to do without them. He held a great Yule feast, inviting many leading farmers from surrounding districts to stay with him.
There was a man called Eyvindr úrarhorn whose family came from Austr-Agðir. He was an important man and from a powerful family, spending every summer raiding, going sometimes over the sea to the west, sometimes to the eastern Baltic or south to Frísland. He had a ship with twenty benches, a cruiser and a well manned one. He had been at Nesjar and supported King Óláfr. And when they parted from each other there, then the king promised him his friendship, and Eyvindr the king his support, wherever he should request it. Eyvindr stayed the winter at a Yule feast with King Óláfr, and received good gifts at it from him. Also with him there at that time was Brynjólfr úlfaldi, and he got from the king as a Yule present a gold-ornamented sword and the farm known as Vettaland as well, and that is a very important manorial estate. Brynjólfr composed a verse about the gifts, and this is the conclusion of it:
The sovereign gave me a sword and Vettaland. 
Then the king gave him the title of landed man, and Brynjólfr was always a very great friend of the king.
That winter Þrándr hvíti went from Þrándheimr east to Jamtaland to collect tax on behalf of King Óláfr digri. And when he had gathered the tax together, then the king of the Svíar’s men came there and killed Þrándr and all twelve men of his party and took the tax and brought it to the king of the Svíar. King Óláfr heard about this, and he was displeased.
King Óláfr had Christian laws proclaimed round the Vík in the same way as in the north of the country and progressed well, for the people of the Vík were much better acquainted with Christian practices than the people in the north of the country, since both winter and summer there were large numbers of merchants there, both Danish and Saxon. The people of the Vík also went in for trading voyages to England and Saxland and Flæmingjaland or Denmark, while some were on viking expeditions and spent their winters in Christian lands.
In the spring King Óláfr sent word that Eyvindr was to come to him. They spoke for a long time in private. Soon after this Eyvindr set off on a viking expedition. He sailed south along the Vík and came to land in Eikreyjar out from Hísing. There he learned that Hrói skjálgi had travelled north to Orðost and had there collected contributions to a defence force and land dues, and he was now expected back from the north. Then Eyvindr rowed in to Haugasund, and Hrói was just then rowing from the north, and they met there in the strait and fought together. There Hrói fell and nearly thirty men, but Eyvindr took all the goods that Hrói had had. Eyvindr then went to the eastern Baltic and was there on a viking expedition during the summer.
There was a man called Guðleikr gerzki. His family was from Agðir. He was a trader and a great merchant, wealthy and carrying out trading trips to various lands. He frequently went east to Garðaríki and he was for that reason often called Guðleikr gerzki. That spring Guðleikr got his ship ready and was planning to go east to Garðar in the summer. King Óláfr sent him word that he wants to see him. And when Guðleikr came to him, the king tells him that he wants to enter into partnership with him, asking him to buy him valuables that are difficult to obtain in that country. Guðleikr says this arrangement shall be under the king’s management. Then the king has money paid over to him, as much as he sees fit. In the summer Guðleikr went to the eastern Baltic. They lay for a while off Gotland. Then it happened as it often does, that not everyone kept their mouths shut, and the people of the country found out that on this ship was a partner of Óláfr digri. In the summer Guðleikr went to the eastern Baltic to Hólmgarðr and there bought splendidly fine cloths that he intended to be for the king for his robes of state, and also expensive furs and and an excellent table service as well. In the autumn, when Guðleikr returned from the east, then he had a contrary wind, and they lay for a very long time off Eyland. Þorgautr skarði had taken note of Guðleikr’s travels. He came upon them there with a longship and fought with them. They defended themselves for a long time, but because the difference in numbers was so great, Guðleikr then fell and many of his crew, and many were wounded. Þorgautr took all their wealth and King Óláfr’s valuables. Þorgautr and his men shared out all their booty equally, but he says that the king of the Svíar was to have the valuable items. ‘And that,’ he says, ‘will count as a part of the tribute that he is owed from Norway.’ Þorgautr then went east to Svíþjóð. The news of these events spread quickly. Eyvindr úrarhorn came shortly afterwards to Eyland. And when he hears about this, then he sails eastwards after Þorgautr and his party, and they meet in Svíasker and fought. There Þorgautr fell and most of his troop, or else they leapt into the sea. Then Eyvindr took all the wealth that they had taken from Guðleikr, and also King Óláfr’s valuables. Eyvindr went back to Norway in the autumn. He then brought the king his valuables. The king thanked him warmly for his expedition and then again once more promised him his friendship. Now King Óláfr had been king in Norway for three winters.
That same summer King Óláfr made an expedition by sea and then again went east to the Elfr and lay there for a long time during the summer. Then messages passed between King Óláfr and Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and the jarl’s wife Ingibjǫrg Tryggvadóttir. She set about supporting King Óláfr with all her energy. She was very keen indeed on this. There were two reasons for this, she and King Óláfr were closely related, and secondly, she could never get out of her mind about the king of the Svíar that he had been there at the fall of her brother Óláfr Tryggvason, and for that reason thought he had a claim to rule over Norway. As a result of her persuasive arguments the jarl became very inclined to friendship with King Óláfr. So it came about that the king and the jarl arranged to have a conference with each other, meeting by the Elfr and discussing many things there, and especially about the relations between the king of Norway and the king of the Svíar, and they both said this, which was true, that for both the people of the Vík and for the Gautar it was very damaging to the land that there should not be freedom to trade between their countries, and finally they established a truce between themselves until the next summer. They exchanged gifts at parting and made professions of friendship. Then the king went north to the Vík, and he had now all the royal dues as far as the Elfr, and all the people of the land had now submitted to him. The Swedish King Óláfr conceived such great dislike of Óláfr Haraldsson that no one was to dare to call him by his proper name in the king’s hearing. They called him the fat man and were always very critical of him when he was mentioned.
The farmers in the Vík discussed among themselves that the only thing to be done was for the kings to make a settlement and peace between themselves, and considered that they were in a bad state if the kings were going to be at war with each other, but no one dared to bring this complaint boldly before the king. Then they asked Bjǫrn stallari to do it, that he should put this request to the king that he should send men to see the king of the Svíar to offer terms on his part. Bjǫrn was reluctant for this and declined, but then, at the entreaty of many of his friends, he eventually promised to discuss this with the king, but said he had a strong feeling that the king would not lightly take to the idea of giving way in anything to the king of the Svíar. That summer Hjalti Skeggjason came abroad from Iceland in accordance with King Óláfr’s message. He went straight away to see King Óláfr, and the king welcomed him, inviting Hjalti to stay with him and assigning him to a place next to Bjǫrn stallari, and they were table companions. A close friendship soon developed between them. On one occasion, when King Óláfr was holding a meeting with his men and with farmers and they were deciding political questions, then Bjǫrn stallari said: ‘What plan do you have, king, as regards the hostilities that we have here between you and the king of the Svíar? Each side has now lost men at the hands of the other, but no decision has been made now any more than before as to how much each side is to have of the realm. You have stayed here in the Vík one winter and two summers and you have turned your back on all the land north of here. Now people are getting tired of staying here, those who have possessions or patrimony in the north of the country. It is now the wish of landed men and of other of your followers and also of the farmers, that this matter should be settled in some way, and since truce and peace have now been established with the jarl and the Vestr-Gautar, who are our neighbours here, so people think the best thing to do is that you should send men to the king of the Svíar to offer terms of settlement on your part, and many men who are with the king of the Svíar will support this strongly, since it will be to the advantage of both parties, both those who live in this country and those who live in that.’ People responded to Bjǫrn’s speech with great applause. Then the king said: ‘This plan, Bjǫrn, that you have put forward here, it is most proper that you should have put it forward for yourself, and you shall undertake this mission. You will be the one to benefit if it turns out well, but if it proves to lead to deadly danger, then you yourself will be largely to blame. It is also your office to announce in public what I wish to have said.’ Then the king got up and went to church and had High Mass sung before him. Then he went to table. The next day Hjalti said to Bjǫrn: ‘Why are you downcast, man? Are you ill or upset at someone?’ Bjǫrn tells then what he and the king had said, and declares that this is a fatal mission. Hjalti says: ‘That is how it is to serve kings, that such men have great honour and are thought more highly of than other men, but they frequently find themselves in mortal danger, and they have to be content with both. Kings’ undertakings can be very propitious. Great benefit may result from this expedition now, if it succeeds.’ Bjǫrn said: ‘You make light of the expedition. Would you like to go with me, for the king said I might take my comrades with me on the journey?’ Hjalti says: ‘Certainly I shall go, if you wish it, for I shall find it difficult to get another such table companion if we part.’
A few days later, when King Óláfr was at a meeting, Bjǫrn turned up in a party of twelve. He then tells the king that they were ready to set out on their mission and their horses were standing outside saddled. ‘I now want to know,’ says Bjǫrn, ‘with what message I am to go, or what plan you are proposing for us.’ The king says: ‘You shall bring to the king of the Svíar these words of mine, that I am willing to establish peace between our countries as far as the boundaries that Óláfr Tryggvason held before me, and it must be confirmed with undertakings that neither may go beyond them. But as to the lives that have been lost, no one need raise that issue, if agreement is to be reached, because the king of the Svíar cannot compensate us with money for the loss of men that we have suffered from the Svíar.’ Then the king stood up and went out with Bjǫrn’s party. The he brought out an ornamented sword and a gold finger ring and gave these to Bjǫrn. ‘I give you this sword. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr gave it to me this summer. You shall go to him and bring him these words of mine, that he is to provide counsel and his support for you to achieve this mission. I think that you will have done well if you hear the king of the Svíar’s words, and he says one thing or the other, yes or no. But give this gold ring to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr. He will recognise these tokens.’ Hjalti went up to the king and took his leave. ‘And it is very important to us, king, that you give this expedition your blessing.’ And he bade him au revoir. The king asked where he would be going. ‘With Bjǫrn,’ he says. The king says: ‘It will be a great benefit to this expedition, that you are going with them, for you have often proved lucky. Be sure of this, that I am going to set my whole heart on this, if that makes any difference, and give you and your whole party my blessing.’ Bjǫrn and his party rode off on their way and came to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s court. They were welcomed there. Bjǫrn was a renowned man, known to many people by both sight and voice, to everyone who had seen King Óláfr, for Bjǫrn stood up at every assembly and announced the king’s business. The jarl’s wife, Ingibjǫrg, went up to Hjalti and embraced him. She recognised him, because she had been with her brother Óláfr Tryggvason while Hjalti was there. And Hjalti could claim kinship between the king and Hjalti’s wife Vilborg. The two were brothers, sons of Víkinga-Kári, Eiríkr Bjóðaskalli, King Óláfr Tryggvason’s mother Ástríðr’s father, and Bǫðvarr, Vilborg’s father Gizurr hvíti’s mother Álof’s father. Now they stayed there with good entertainment. One day Bjǫrn and his party went to have a discussion with the jarl and Ingibjǫrg. Then Bjǫrn delivers his message and shows the jarl his tokens. The jarl asks: ‘What have you done, Bjǫrn, to make the king want your death? It is the less possible for you to succeed with this mission, in that I think that there can be no one who speaks these words before the king of the Svíar who will get away unpunished. King Óláfr of the Svíar is much too high and mighty for anyone to be able to make speeches to his face that are contrary to his way of thinking.’ Then Bjǫrn says: ‘I have not happened to do anything to cause King Óláfr to be angry with me, but there is many an undertaking he has planned both for himself and for his followers that will seem hazardous as to how it will turn out for those who are very timid, but all his plans up to now have turned out fortunately, and we expect it to carry on that way. Now this, jarl, I tell you truly, that I am going to see the king of the Svíar and not turn back before I have made him listen to every word that King Óláfr has asked me to bring to his ears, unless death prevent me or I am hindered so that I cannot proceed. That is what I shall do, whether you want to pay any heed to the king’s message or not.’ Then said Ingibjǫrg: ‘I shall soon make my opinion known, that I wish you, jarl, to devote your whole mind to backing King Óláfr’s message, so that this mission to the king of the Svíar may be fulfilled, however he may wish to respond to it. Though it incur the anger of the king of the Svíar or the loss of all our possessions or power, yet I will much rather risk that than that it should get around that you are ignoring King Óláfr’s message out of fear of the king of the Svíar. You have the birth and the support of your kinfolk and all the resolution you need to have the freedom here in the Swedish realm to say anything you want that is honourable and everyone will consider worth listening to, whether many people or few, powerful men or humble are listening, even if the king himself is listening.’ The jarl replies: ‘It is not difficult to see what you are urging. Now it may be that you will have your way in this, so that I shall promise the king’s men to support them so that they manage to present their mission to the king of the Svíar, whether the king likes it or not. But I will have my plans carried out as to what procedure shall be followed, and I am not going rush into it with the recklessness of Bjǫrn or anyone else in such a problematic affair. I want them to stay with me until such time as seems to me something like most propitious for this mission to have some chance of success.’ And when the jarl had revealed that he would support them in this affair and put his backing behind it, then Bjǫrn thanked him warmly and said he was willing to abide by his advice. Bjǫrn and his party stayed with the jarl for a very long time.
Ingibjǫrg was exceptionally good to them. Bjǫrn spoke of his business with her and felt unhappy that his journey should be delayed so long. They and Hjalti often discussed it all together. Then Hjalti said: 
‘I shall go to the king, if you like. I am not a Norwegian person. The Svíar will have nothing against me. I have heard that there are Icelandic men there who are treated well, acquaintances of mine, the king’s poets, Gizurr svarti and Óttarr svarti. I shall then make enquiries, see what I can find out about the king of the Svíar, whether this matter can be as hopeless as it is now considered, or whether there are other possibilities. I will invent such reasons for going as I find suitable.’ This seemed to Ingibjǫrg and Bjǫrn a very smart idea, and they decided to settle on this among themselves. Ingibjǫrg then makes arrangements for Hjalti’s journey and provided him with two Gautish men and instructed them that they should accompany him and be at his disposal for any service and also if he wanted to send them anywhere. Ingibjǫrg gave him for his expenses twenty marks by weight. She sent word and tokens with him to King Óláfr’s daughter Ingigerðr that she was to devote every care to his affairs, whatever he might ask of her for his needs. Hjalti set out as soon as he was ready. And when he came to King Óláfr, then he soon met the poets Gizurr and Óttarr, and they were very pleased to see him and they immediately went with him before the king and they tell him that a person had arrived there who was a countryman of theirs and was a man of the highest regard there in that country, and bade the king that he should welcome him. The king then told them to take him and his companions into their companionship. And when Hjalti had stayed there for some time and made himself known to people, then he was highly thought of by everyone. The poets were often in the king’s presence, for they were bold of speech. They often sat during the daytime in front of the king’s high seat, and Hjalti with them. They paid him the highest respect. The king then also became well acquainted with him in conversation. The king chatted with him a lot and asked for news from Iceland.
It had happened, before Bjǫrn set out from home, that he had asked the poet Sigvatr to go with him—he was then staying with King Óláfr—but people were not keen to undertake that journey. Bjǫrn and Sigvatr were on very good terms there. He said:
Till now, on good terms with all the terror-bold king’s good marshals I’ve been, who at the knee of our master have hovered. Bjǫrn, you often earned me at the king’s hands, some favour; good counsel, colourer of war-ice, can you give, knowing well how to.
And when they were riding up into Gautland, Sigvatr spoke these verses: 
I was often glad when out there on the fiords the storm fiercely scraped the wind-blown sail of the Strindir’s lord in downpours. Keels carved Listi’s necklace; cantered the deep’s horse finely, when out to sea into action we urged on the warships. We kept the brave king’s vessel, canvas-covered, hovering in early summer, out by an island, opposite fine country. But when horses tread heathland hawthorn-grown in autumn, my lot was to ride; by ladies I let various tasks be seen. 
And when they were riding up across Gautland late in the evening, then said Sigvatr: 
My horse runs long roadways, ravenous, at twilight: hoof tears ground hallwards; we have little daylight. Now ’tis the black steed bears me over burns, far from the Danish; in a ditch the hero’s horse lost— here day meets night—its footing. 
Then they ride into the market town at Skarar and along the street up to the jarl’s residence. He said: 
Outside elegant ladies in all haste will be gazing, women watch our dust, as we ride through Rǫgnvaldr’s town. Let us spur our steeds so that a sage dame within the buildings may hear our horses racing to the house from a great distance. 
One day Hjalti went before the king and the poets with him. Then Hjalti began to speak: ‘So it is, king, as you know, that I have come here to see you and have travelled a long and difficult way. But since I came across the sea and heard about your grandeur, then it seemed to me foolish just to go back without having seen you and your splendour. Now it is the law between Iceland and Norway that Icelanders, when they come to Norway, pay land dues there. And when I came over the sea, then I collected the land dues of my crew, but since I know that the most just thing will be for you to possess the realm that is in Norway, so I travelled to see you to bring you the land dues.’ Then he showed the king the silver and poured into Gizurr svarti’s lap ten marks of silver. The king said: ‘Few have brought us anything like this from Norway for some time. I shall feel thankful and grateful to you for your having taken so much trouble to bring us the land dues rather than paying them to our enemies, and yet I would like you to accept them from me and my friendship as well.’ Hjalti thanked the king profusely. From then on Hjalti got to be on the most friendly terms with the king, and was often in conversation with him. It seemed to the king, as was true, that he was a clever person and a skilful speaker. Hjalti tells Gizurr and Óttarr that he has been sent with tokens for support and friendship to the king’s daughter Ingigerðr, and asks them to get him an interview with her. They say that will be little trouble for them, and go one day to her residence. She was sitting there drinking with many people. She welcomed the poets, because they were known to her. Hjalti brought her the jarl’s wife Ingibjǫrg’s greeting, saying that she had sent him to her for support and friendship, and brought out tokens. The king’s daughter responded kindly and said he would be welcome to her friendship. They sat there drinking for a large part of the day. The king’s daughter asked Hjalti the news about many things, and bade him come there often to chat with her. He did so, came there frequently and chatted with the king’s daughter, then telling her in confidence about his and Bjǫrn’s expedition, and asking what she thinks about how the king of the Svíar will take the proposal that peace should be made between the kings. The king’s daughter speaks, affirming that she thought there was no point in pursuing the idea that the king should make peace with Óláfr digri, and said that the king had got so angry with Óláfr that he cannot bear to hear him named. It happened one day that Hjalti was sitting before the king and chatting with him. The king was at the time very merry and quite drunk. Then Hjalti said to the king: ‘Very great splendours of many kinds are to be seen here, and I can see with my own eyes what I have often heard spoken about, that there is no king in the Northern lands as illustrious as you. It is a very great pity that to get here we have such a long way to come, so difficult to travel, first the high seas, and then it being not peaceful travelling through Norway for those who want to get here in friendship. But do people make no attempt to carry proposals of peace between you and Óláfr digri? I have often heard it spoken of in Norway and also in Vestra-Gautland that everyone would be very eager for there to be peace, and I have been told as a fact about the words of the king of Norway that he would be eager to come to terms with you, and I know that one reason is that he must realise that he has much less power than you have. It was also said too, that he was intending to propose marriage with your daughter Ingigerðr, and that is also the most promising way to a full settlement, and he is a most distinguished man according to what I have heard reliable people say.’ The the king replied: ‘You must not speak of such things, Hjalti, though I will not take it amiss of you for what you have said, since you are not aware of what subjects must not be spoken of. That fat man must not be called king here in my court, and there is much less to be said for him than many claim, and you will find that the case if I tell you that this alliance could in no way be suitable, for I am the tenth king at Uppsalir with one after another of our kinsmen succeeding and being sole ruler over the realm of the Svíar and over many other extensive lands and all being supreme king over the other kings in the Northern lands. But in Norway there is little settlement, and even then very scattered. There have been petty kings there, though Haraldr inn hárfagri was the greatest king in that land, and he fought with the district kings and subjected them to himself. He found it his best course not to be greedy for the dominions of the king of the Svíar. Because of this the kings of the Svíar let him sit in peace, and another reason was that there was kinship between them. And when Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri was in Norway, he then remained in peace until he raided in Gautland and Denmark, but afterwards a troop was raised against him and he was removed from his lands. The sons of Gunnhildr were also deprived of life as soon as they became rebellious to the king of the Danes. Then Haraldr Gormsson added Norway to his rule and laid tribute upon it. And yet we regarded King Haraldr Gormsson as inferior to the kings of Uppsalir, for our kinsman Styrbjǫrn cowed him into submission, and Harald became his man, while my father Eiríkr inn sigrsæli got the better of Styrbjǫrn when they put each other to the test. And when Óláfr Tryggvason came into Norway and called himself king, then we let him get away with that. King Sveinn of the Danes and I went and deprived him of life. Now I have gained possession of Norway and with no less power than you have now been able to gather, and gained it in no less convincing a way than by winning it in battle and defeating the king who had previously been ruling it. Now you, a sensible man, must realise that it will be far from the case that I am going to let go of that realm to that fat man. And it is surprising that he does not recall how he got with the greatest difficulty out of Lǫgrinn when we had trapped him in there. I would have thought that he would have had other plans in his mind, if he got away with his life, than contending any more with us Svíar. Now you, Hjalti, must not have this talk on your lips any more in my presence.’ Hjalti thought it was beginning to look unlikely that the king would be willing to listen to proposals for a settlement. He then gave it up and turned to other subjects of conversation. Somewhat later, when Hjalti was chatting to the king’s daughter Ingigerðr, he told her all about his talk with the king. She said she had expected such answers from the king. Hjalti asked her to say something to the king about it, saying that would be the most likely thing to help. She said the king would not listen, whatever she said. ‘But I can speak about it,’ she says, ‘if you wish.’ Hjalti said he was grateful. The king’s daughter Ingigerðr was in conversation with her father one day, and when she found that he was in a good mood, then she said: ‘What plans do you have about the dispute between yourself and Óláfr digri? Many people are now complaining about that problem. Some say they have lost money, some their kinsmen at the hands of the Norwegians, and none of your people can travel into Norway as things are. It was quite pointless of you to claim power in Norway. That country is povertystricken and difficult to travel over, and the people are unreliable. The people in that country would rather have any other king than you. Now if I had my way, you would put aside your claim to Norway, and instead fight your way to the power the earlier kings of the Svíar had in the eastern Baltic and which a little while ago now our kinsman Styrbjǫrn subjected to himself, and let Óláfr digri have what he has inherited from his kinsmen and make peace with him.’ The king says angrily: ‘This is your plan, Ingigerðr, that I should give up my power in Norway, and give you in marriage to Óláfr digri. No,’ he says, ‘something else sooner than that. This rather, that this winter at the Uppsalir assembly I shall announce to all the Svíar that a levy shall be called out from the whole population before the ice clears from the lakes. I shall go to Norway and lay waste the land with point and edge and burn everything and thus repay them for their faithlessness.’ The king then got so furious that no reply could be made to him. Then she went away. Hjalti was looking out for her and went straight to see her. He then asked what was the outcome of her business with the king. She says that it had gone just as she had expected, that nothing could be put to the king and he responded with threats, and she asked Hjalti never to mention this matter before the king. Ingigerðr and Hjalti, when they chatted, frequently spoke of Óláfr digri. He often told her about him and his way of life and praised him as much as he could, and that was the same as telling as truthfully as possible. She was fully convinced. And on another occasion when they were chatting, then Hjalti said: ‘May I, daughter of the king, have leave to say something to you that I have on my mind?’ ‘Speak on,’ she says, ‘so that I alone may hear it.’ Then Hjalti said: ‘How would you respond if King Óláfr of Norway sent men to you with the mission to ask for your hand?’ She went red and replies hesitantly and composedly: ‘I have not decided on what my reply to that would be, since I think I shall have no need to make such a reply, but if Óláfr is endowed in everything as you have described him, then I would not be able to wish my husband any different, unless it is that you should have exaggerated his qualities in your praise in many respects.’ Hjalti says that he has described nothing about the king as better than it was. They spoke about this between themselves very frequently. Ingigerðr told Hjalti to be careful not to speak about this before other people, ‘For the king will be angry with you if he finds out about it.’ Hjalti told the poets Gizurr and Óttarr all this. They said it would be a most happy plan if it could be put into effect. Óttarr was a man bold of speech and popular with people of high rank. He soon got to speaking with the king’s daughter about this matter, and recounted the fine qualities of the king just as Hjalti had done. She and Hjalti and the others often spoke of this matter all together. And when they had spoken frequently and Hjalti had become convinced about how his mission would be concluded, then he sent off the Gautish men who had come there with him, making them go back to the jarl with the letters that the two of them, the king’s daughter Ingigerðr and Hjalti, were sending to the jarl and Ingibjǫrg. Hjalti also dropped hints to them about the discussions that he had initiated with Ingigerðr, and also about her responses. The messengers came to the jarl a little before Yule.
When King Óláfr had sent Bjǫrn and his party east into Gautland, then he sent other men to Upplǫnd with a commission to order entertainment for him, and he planned that winter to travel to quarters throughout Upplǫnd, for it had been the custom of previous kings to travel on a progress over Upplǫnd every third winter. He began his journey in the autumn from Borg. The king first went to Vingulmǫrk. He arranged his journey like this, that he received entertainment up near a forest district and sent for all the inhabitants of the district, and all those in particular who dwelt furthest from the main districts. He investigated concerning people’s observance of Christianity, and where he felt there was need for improvement he taught them the right ways, and was so insistent with this, if there were any that were unwilling to relinquish heathendom, that some he drove away out of the country, some he had mutilated in hands or feet or had their eyes put out, some he had hanged or beheaded, and no one he left unpunished who would not serve God. He travelled like this over all that district. He punished powerful and humble alike. He provided them with clergy and established these as densely in the districts as he saw most fitting. In this manner he went through that district. He had three hundred   fighting men when he went up into Raumaríki. He soon realised that the observance of Christianity was less the further he got up inland. Yet he continued in the same way, converting all people to the true faith and inflicting severe punishment on those who would not heed his words. 
And when the king who was ruling over Raumaríki there heard about this, then he thought there was going to be great difficulty for him, because every day many people came to him complaining about these things to him, some powerful, some humble. The king adopted this plan, that he went up into Heiðmǫrk to see King Hrœrekr, for he was the most sensible of those kings who were there then. And when the kings had their discussion, then they reached agreement that they should send word to King Guðrøðr north in Dalar and also to Haðaland to the king who was there, and ask them to come to see King Hrœrekr and him. They did not put off this journey, and these five kings met in Heiðmǫrk at a place called at Hringisakr. King Hrœrekr’s brother Hringr was the fifth king there. These kings at first started making speeches one at a time. The one who was come from Raumaríki began talking first, and speaks about Óláfr digri’s travels and the disturbance he was causing in both killing people and maiming people, driving some out of the country and seizing property from all those who opposed him at all, and travelling around the country with a host of men, and not with the numbers that the law provided for. He also says that he declares it is because of this disturbance he has fled to this place, also declaring that many other men of rank have fled their ancestral lands in Raumaríki. ‘And though these difficulties have now affected us most, yet it will not be long before you will have to face the same, and so it is better that we all discuss together what plan should be adopted.’ And when he had finished his speech, then the kings turned to Hrœrekr for a response. He said: ‘Now there has come to pass what I suspected would happen when we held a meeting in Haðaland and you were all eager to raise up Óláfr above our heads, that he was going to be hard to hold by the horns as soon as he had sole power over the land. Now there are two choices available, the one that we all go to see him and let him arrange and settle everything between us, and I think that is the best one to take, and the other to rise now against him while he has not travelled any further through the country. And although he has three or four hundred  men, still that is not an overwhelming force for us, if we are all of one mind. But most often those that are many of equal authority are less successful than the one that is sole leader over his troop, and it is my advice instead not to risk trying to match our luck with Óláfr Haraldsson’s.’ And after that each of the kings spoke that which he thought fit. Some spoke against, and some spoke in favour, and there was no solution decided on, they pointed out the obvious disadvantages of both courses. Then Guðrøðr, king in Dalar, began to speak and said as follows: ‘It seems amazing to me that you are getting in such a tangle about a solution to this business, and you are totally afraid of Óláfr. There are five of us kings here, and none of us is of any worse descent than Óláfr. Now we have given him support in his fight with Jarl Sveinn, and he has with us behind him gained possession of this land. But if he wants now to begrudge each of us that little power that we held before, and treat us with oppression and tyranny, then I can say this of myself, that I shall get myself out of thraldom to the king, and I declare any one of you to be no man who flinches from this, that we should deprive him of life if we get him into our power up here in Heiðmǫrk, for I can tell you this, that we shall never hold up a free head while Óláfr is alive.’ And after this goading they all adopted this counsel. Then Hrœrekr spoke: ‘It seems to me about this decision, that we shall need to make our alliance firm, so that no one may fail in loyalty to anyone else. Now you are planning, when Óláfr comes here to Heiðmǫrk, to make an attack on him at an arranged time. Now I do not want to have to rely on you for this, when you are some of you north in Dalar, and some out in Heiðmǫrk. I want, if this plan is going to be ratified between us, that we should stay together day and night, until this plan has been carried out.’ The kings agreed to this, to keep now all together. They have a feast prepared for them out at Hringisakr, and they drank with the cup passing round the whole company, but had watch kept for themselves out in Raumaríki, having one lot of watchers go out as soon as the other lot started back, so that they know day and night what is going on in Óláfr’s travels and about his numbers. King Óláfr went on his visits inland round Raumaríki, and always in the same manner as was previously described. And when the provisions did not last because of the large numbers, then he made the farmers in the area give contributions to lengthen the visits, when at times he found it necessary to stay on, but in some places he stayed a shorter time than had been intended, and his travels turned out quicker up to the lake than had been arranged. And when the kings had fixed their plan between themselves, then they send word and summon to them landed men and leading farmers from all those districts. And when they gather there, then the kings hold a meeting with them on their own and reveal the plan and appoint a day when this purpose is going to be put into effect. They decide on this, that each of the kings was to have three hundred   men. They then send the landed men back so that they could muster troops and come to meet the kings where it had been arranged. This plan pleased most people well, but yet it was the case, as they say, that everyone has a friend among his enemies.
At this meeting was Ketill of Hringunes. And when he got home in the evening, then he ate his supper, and then he and his domestic servants got dressed and went down to the water and took a carvel that Ketill owned, which King Óláfr had given him, launched the ship—all the tackle was in the boathouse—then set off and sit down to the oars and row out along the lake. Ketill had forty men, all well armed. They came early in the morning out to the end of the lake. Ketill then went with twenty men, but left the other twenty behind to guard the ship. King Óláfr was then at Eið in the upper part of Raumaríki. Ketill got there as the king was leaving matins. He welcomed Ketill. Ketill says that he wants to speak to the king urgently. They go and talk, the two of them together. Then Ketill tells the king what plans the kings have taken up, and what their intentions were that he had discovered. And when the king found this out, then he calls men to him, sends some into the settlement, telling them to get together mounts for him, some he sent to the lake to get what oared ships they could and bring them to meet him. And then he went to church and had Mass sung for himself, afterwards going straight to table. And when he had eaten, he got ready as quickly as he could and went up to the lake. Ships were coming there to meet him. He himself then boarded the carvel and with him as many men as the carvel would hold, and each of the others went aboard whatever ship they could. And in the evening, as it was getting late, they set out from the shore. The weather was calm. They rowed out along the lake. The king had then nearly four hundred   men. Before it dawned he got up to Hringisakr. The watchmen noticed nothing until the troop came up to the estate buildings. Ketill and his men knew precisely in which quarters the kings were sleeping. The king had all these quarters seized and guarded so that no one could get away, so awaited dawn. The kings had no forces for their defence, and they were all captured and led before the king. King Hrœrekr was a very intelligent man and determined. King Óláfr thought he was not to be depended on even if he made some sort of settlement with him. He had Hrœrekr blinded in both eyes and kept him with him, and he had the tongue cut out of Guðrøðr king in Dalar. But Hringr and the other two he forced to swear oaths to him and leave Norway and never return. And the landed men or farmers who were guilty of this treachery, some he drove out of the country, some were maimed, some he came to terms with. Of this says Óttarr svarti:
You have handed, harmer of hawk’s land flames, to the realm’s rulers an ugly recompense for all plotting. You had, army-upholder, the Heiðmǫrk kings rewarded fitly, who formerly, fine king, planned wrongs against you. 
Away you have driven, wager of war, sword-reddener, the kings out of the country— your courage than theirs was plainer. Each king fled, as people are aware, far from you. Still later you restrained the speech-reed of the northernmost. 
Now the ground you govern— God with great victory fortifies you—that formerly five kings held sway over. Broad lie, east to Eiðar, ancestral lands beneath you. Before, no forcer of Gǫndul’s fires has held such a kingdom.
King Óláfr then subjected to himself the realms that these five kings had held, then took hostages from the landed men and farmers. He took payments in lieu of entertainment from Dalar in the north and many parts of Heiðmǫrk and then turned back out to Raumaríki and then westwards to Haðaland. That winter his stepfather Sigurðr sýr died. Then King Óláfr went into Hringaríki and his mother Ásta held a great banquet to welcome him. Now Óláfr alone bore the title of king in Norway.
So it is said, that King Óláfr was at the banquet with his mother Ásta and she led out her children and showed him. The king set his brother Guthormr on his knee, and on his other knee his brother Hálfdan. The king looked at the boys. Then he scowled and looked angrily at them. Then the boys’ faces fell. Then Ásta brought her youngest son, who was called Haraldr, to him. He was at that time three years old. The king scowled at him, but he looked up into his face. Then the king took hold of the boy’s hair and pulled it. The boy reached up at the king’s moustache and tugged at it. Then the king said: ‘You will be vengeful later on, kinsman.’
The next day the king was outside strolling round the farm, and his mother Ásta with him. Then they walked over to a pond. The boys, Ásta’s sons Guthormr and Hálfdan, were there then, playing. Large farms and large barns had been made there, many cattle and sheep. This was what they were playing with. A little way off beside the pond by an inlet made of clay was Haraldr, and he had got there some chips of wood, and a lot of them were floating near the shore. The king asked him what these were supposed to be. He said they were his warships. Then the king laughed at this, and said: ‘It may be, kinsman, that the time will come that you will command ships.’ Then the king called Hálfdan and Guthormr over. Then he asked Guthormr: ‘What would you like to have most, kinsman?’ ‘Cornfields,’ he says. The king said: ‘How wide would you like to have your cornfields?’ He replies: ‘I would like that headland that goes out into the sea to be all sown every summer.’ Ten farms stood there. The king replies: ‘There could be a lot of corn standing there.’ Then he asked Hálfdan what he would most like to have. ‘Cows,’ he says. The king asked: ‘How many cows would you like to have?’ Hálfdan says: ‘When they go down to the water, they must stand there all crowded as close as can be round the water.’ The king replies: ‘It is large establishments you both want to have. That is just like your father.’ Then the king asks Haraldr: ‘What do you most want to have?’ He replies: ‘Housecarls,’ he says. The king says: ‘How many would you like to have?’ ‘What I would like, is that they should eat up at one meal my brother Hálfdan’s cows.’ The king laughed at this and said to Ásta: ‘Here it must be a king you are bringing up, mother.’ No more of their conversation is recorded.
In Svíþjóð it was an ancient custom, as long as heathendom lasted there, for the chief sacrificial feast to be held at Uppsalir in Gói. Sacrifices had to be offered at it for peace and victory for their king, and people had to attend it from all over Svíþjóð. Then there had also to be an assembly of all the Svíar. There was also at the same time a market and meeting of traders and it lasted a week. And after Christianity came to be in Svíþjóð, then the legal assembly and market still continued there. But now since Christianity had become universal in Svíþjóð, and the kings stopped having their residence at Uppsalir, then the market was moved, and held at Candlemas. That has continued ever since, and now it is held so that it lasts no more than three days. There is held the assembly of Svíar, and it is attended from all over the country. The realm of the Svíar is divided into many parts. One part is Vestra-Gautland and Vermaland and Markir, and what belongs to these, and that is such a large realm that under the bishop who is in charge there, there are eleven hundred churches. Another part of the country is Eystra-Gautland. There is another bishopric in it. Gotland and Eyland now belong to it, and all that together comprises a much larger diocese. In Svíþjóð proper there is one part of the country that is called Suðrmannaland. That is one bishopric. Then there is the area called Vestmannaland or Fjaðryndaland. That is one bishopric. Then the third part of Svíþjóð is called Tíundaland. Then the fourth part of Svíþjóð is called Áttandaland. Then the fifth is Sjáland and what belongs to it to the east along the coast. Tíundaland is the most splendid part and the most fully inhabited part in Svíþjóð. The whole realm defers to it. That is where Uppsalir is. The king’s residence is there, the archbishop’s see is there, and it is referred to as Uppsalaauðr. That is what the Svíar call the possessions of the king of the Svíar, they call it Uppsalaauðr. In each of these parts of the country there is a separate legal assembly, with its own jurisdiction over many things. Over each judicial area there is a lawman, and he is most influential with the farmers, for that must be the law that he decides to proclaim. But if the king or a jarl or bishops travel round the country and have meetings with the farmers, then the lawman replies on behalf of the farmers, and they all stand by him so that powerful rulers scarcely dare to attend their assemblies if the farmers and the lawman do not give them permission. But in every matter where the laws conflict, they must always give way to the law of Uppsalir, and other lawmen must all be subordinate to the lawman that is in Tíundaland. 
In Tíundaland there was at that time the lawman who was called Þorgnýr. His father’s name was Þorgnýr Þorgnýsson. Their forefathers had been lawmen in Tíundaland throughout the lives of many kings. At this time Þorgnýr was old. He had a large following. He was said to be the wisest man in the realm of the Svíar. He was related to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and was his foster-father. Now we must take up the story where the men that the king’s daughter Ingigerðr, and Hjalti as well, had sent from the east came to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr. They presented their messages to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and his wife Ingibjǫrg, and said this, that the king’s daughter had often spoken before the king of the Svíar about a settlement between him and Óláfr digri, and she was a very great friend of King Óláfr, but the king of the Svíar got angry every time she mentioned Óláfr, and she thought there was no hope of a settlement as things stood. The jarl tells Bjǫrn what he had heard from the east, and Bjǫrn says the same thing again, that he will not turn back until he has seen the king of the Svíar, and says that the jarl has promised him this, that he shall accompany him to a meeting with the king of the Svíar. So the winter continues, and immediately after Yule the jarl set out on his journey and takes sixty men. Bjǫrn stallari went along with him and his companions. The jarl travelled eastwards all the way to Svíþjóð, and as he was making his way up inland, then he sent some of his men on ahead to Uppsalir and sent word to the king’s daughter Ingigerðr that she was to set out to Ullarakr to meet him. She had a large residence there. And when the jarl’s message reached the king’s daughter, then she did not delay her journey, and she set out with a large number of men. Hjalti arranged to go with her. But before he started off, he went before King Óláfr and said: ‘Occupy your throne as the most blessed of all kings! And to tell the truth, I have been nowhere where I have seen such splendour as with you. I shall convey this conviction wherever I go from now on. I would like to ask you, king, that you should be my friend.’ The king replies: ‘Why are you showing such eagerness to depart? Where are you off to?’ Hjalti replies: ‘I am to ride out to Ullarakr with your daughter Ingigerðr.’ The king said: ‘Farewell. You are a sensible person and well-bred and know well how to behave among people of rank.’ Then Hjalti went off. The king’s daughter Ingigerðr rode to her residence out at Ullarakr, had a great banquet prepared for the jarl’s coming. Then the jarl arrived there, and he was warmly welcomed. He stayed there a few nights. He and the king’s daughter spoke of many things, and mostly about the king of the Svíar and the king of Norway. She tells the jarl that a settlement seems to her to look unlikely. Then the jarl said: ‘How would you feel about it, kinswoman, supposing King Óláfr of Norway asked for your hand? It seems to us that it would be most conducive to a settlement if a relationship by marriage were to come about between the kings, but I shall not support the proposal if I know that is is directly contrary to your wishes.’
She says: ‘My father will see to a match for me, but of my other kinsmen you are the one that I would most rather had a say about my future with regard to anything that I thought was of particular significance. So how advisable do you think this is?’ The jarl urged her strongly and recounted many things to King Óláfr’s credit that were extremely honourable, telling her in detail about the events that had just recently taken place, when King Óláfr had captured five kings in one morning and deprived them all of their kingdoms, and laid their possessions and power under his control. They talked a lot about this matter and in all their discussions were in full agreement. The jarl left there when he was ready to do so. Hjalti went with him.
Jarl Rǫgnvaldr arrived one day in the evening at Lawman Þorgnýr’s home. There was a large and magnificent estate there. Many men were there outside. They welcomed the jarl warmly and took charge of their horses and gear. The jarl went into the living room. There was a large number of people in there. In the high seat there sat an old man. Bjǫrn and his party had not seen so big a man. His beard was so long that it lay on his knees and spread over his whole chest. He was a handsome and splendid-looking person. The jarl went before him and greeted him. Þorgnýr welcomes him warmly and bade him go to the seat he usually sat in. The jarl sat on the other side opposite Þorgnýr. They stayed there a few nights before the jarl presented his business. He asked that he and Þorgnýr might go into his conference room. Bjǫrn and his companions went there with the jarl. Then the jarl began to speak and tells about this, that King Óláfr of Norway had sent some of his men to the east there to make peace, speaking at length about what a problem it was for the Vestr-Gautar that there was hostility between them and Norway. He also speaks about this, that King Óláfr of Norway had sent men there, and the king’s messengers were there now and he had promised them to accompany them to a meeting with the king of the Svíar. And he says that the king of the Svíar took this business so bad-temperedly, that he would allow no one to speak in favour of this proposal. ‘Now this is how it is, foster-father,’ says the jarl, ‘that I am not adequate to this undertaking. I have therefore now made my way to see you, and I was hoping for good advice and your support.’ And when the jarl ended his speech, then Þorgnýr was silent for a while. But when he started speaking, he said: ‘You have a strange way of going on, you are eager to have noble titles, but do not know how to manage or see ahead when you get into any difficulty. Why did you not realise before you promised this expedition, that you do not wield enough power to raise your voice against King Óláfr? It seems to me that one can have more self-respect by being of the number of farmers, and having freedom of speech to say what one wants even in the king’s presence. So I shall come to the Uppsalir assembly and give you such support that you will be able to speak there without fear of the king whatever you like.’ The jarl thanked him warmly for this promise, and stayed with Þorgnýr and rode with him to the Uppsalir assembly. There were very large numbers there. King Óláfr was there with his following. 
The first day, when the assembly was inaugurated, King Óláfr was sitting on a throne and his following there round him. And on the other side at the assembly the two of them, Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and Þorgnýr, were sitting on a single seat, and there in front of them the jarl’s following and Þorgnýr’s body of retainers were sitting, and behind the seat and in a circle all round the crowd of farmers were standing. Some went up onto hillocks and mounds to listen from there. And when the king’s announcements, those which it was customary to make at assemblies, had been proclaimed, and when that was finished, then Bjǫrn stallari stood up by the Jarl’s seat and spoke in a loud voice: ‘King Óláfr has sent me here with this charge, that he wishes to offer the king of the Svíar settlement and the division of the lands that existed formerly between Norway and Svíþjóð.’ He spoke in a loud voice so that the king of the Svíar heard clearly. But at first, when the king of the Svíar heard King Óláfr named, then he thought that the speaker was carrying out some business of his, but when he heard settlement and division of lands between Svíþjóð and Norway spoken of, then he realised from what roots it must have arisen. Then he leapt up and shouted in a loud voice that this man should be silent, and said that this would not do. Bjǫrn then sat down. But when a hearing could be got, then the jarl stood up and spoke. He told about Óláfr digri’s message and the offers of settlement to King Óláfr of the Svíar, and about this, that the Vestr-Gautar had sent King Óláfr every kind of verbal support for peace being made with the Norwegians. He recounted what a problem it was for the Vestr-Gautar to be without all the things from Norway which would supplement their own produce, and at the same time to be exposed to their attacks and raids whenever the king of Norway mustered an army and invaded them. The jarl also says that King Óláfr had sent men there with the message that he wishes to ask for the hand of his daughter Ingigerðr. And when the jarl stopped talking, then the king of the Svíar stood up. He replies bad-temperedly about the settlement, and reprimanded the jarl harshly and at length for his daring in having made a truce and peace with the fat man and having entered into friendship with him, declaring that he was guilty of treason against him, saying it would be proper for Rǫgnvaldr to be driven from the land, and says that he had got all this from the egging on of his wife Ingibjǫrg and declared that it had been the stupidest idea that he should have married such a woman for the sake of lust. He spoke long and harshly and then directed his words against Óláfr digri. And when he sat down, then at first there was silence. Then Þorgnýr stood up. And when he stood up, then all the farmers stood up, those who had previously been sitting down, and all those rushed up who had been in other places and wanted to listen to what Þorgnýr said. Then to begin with there was a great din from the crowd of people and weapons. But when a hearing could be got, then Þorgnýr said: ‘Otherwise is now the temper of the kings of the Svíar than has been previously. My grandfather Þorgnýr remembered King Eiríkr Emundarson of Uppsalir, and said this of him, that while he was in his best years he took a levy out every summer and travelled to various countries and subjected to himself Lappland and Kirjálaland, Eistland and Kúrland and many places in the eastern lands. And there can still be seen the earthworks and other great strongholds that he built, and he was not so high and mighty that he did not listen to people if they had someting important to speak to him about. My father Þorgnýr was with King Bjǫrn for a long period. His character was well known to him. Throughout Bjǫrn’s life his rule lasted with great power and no lessening of it. He was easy with his friends. I can remember King Eiríkr inn sigrsæli and I was with him on many warlike expeditions. He increased the power of the Svíar, and defended it fiercely. It was easy for us to give him advice. But this king that we have now lets no one dare to say anything to him except just what he wants to have done, and devotes all his enthusiasm to that, but lets his tributary lands slip from his grasp through lack of energy and lack of determination. He desires to keep the realm of Norway subject to him, when no king of the Svíar has previously coveted it, and this causes trouble for many a man. Now this is what we farmers want, that you make a settlement with King Óláfr digri of Norway and give him your daughter Ingigerðr in marriage. But if you want to win back into your power those realms in the eastern Baltic that your kinsmen and forefathers have had there, then we will all support you in that. Should you be unwilling to accept what we demand, then we shall mount an attack against you and kill you and not put up with hostility and lawlessness from you. This is what our forefathers before us have done. They threw five kings into a bog at Múlaþing who had become completely full of arrogance like you with us. Say now straight away which choice you wish to take.’ Then the people immediately made a clashing of weapons and a great din. The king then stands up and spoke, saying that he will let everything be as the farmers wish, says that is what all kings of the Svíar have done, let the farmers have their way with them in everything they wanted. Then the grumbling of the farmers stopped. Then the rulers, the king and the jarl and Þorgnýr, talked together, and then made peace and settlement on the part of the king of the Svíar in accordance with what the king of Norway had previously sent his request for. It was at this assembly decided that King Óláfr’s daughter Ingigerðr should be married to King Óláfr Haraldsson. The king handed over to the jarl the betrothal arrangements and commissioned him to negotiate all the details of this wedding, and they parted at the assembly with the business concluded thus. And when the jarl went back home, then he and the king’s daughter Ingigerðr met and talked about this business between themselves. She sent King Óláfr a long trailing robe of fine cloth and richly embroidered with gold and some silken puttees. The jarl went back into Gautland and Bjǫrn with him. Bjǫrn stayed there a short time and went back then to Norway with his troop of companions. And when he met King Óláfr and tells him the conclusion of his mission, how it had turned out, then the king thanked him warmly for his journey and says, as was true, that Bjǫrn had brought luck to bear in achieving the mission amid such hostility.
King Óláfr went, when spring came, out to the sea and had his ships got ready and gathered troops round him and travelled in the spring right out along the Vík to Líðandisnes, and he went all the way north to Hǫrðaland, then sent word to landed men and summoned by name all the most powerful men from the districts and then set out in the finest style, when he went to meet his betrothed wife. The banquet was to be in the autumn east of the Elfr on the border between the countries. King Óláfr took with him the blind King Hrœrekr. And when he had been healed of his wounds, then King Óláfr had provided him with two men to attend him and made him sit on a throne next to himself and kept him in drink and clothes no whit worse than he had previously kept himself. Hrœrekr was untalkative and answered abruptly and curtly if people addressed words to him. It was his custom to have his servant lead him out in the daytime and away from other people. Then he began to beat the lad, and when he ran away from him, then he tells King Óláfr that the boy would not serve him.
Then King Óláfr exchanged servants with him, and it all went the same as before, no servant staying with King Hrœrekr. Then King Óláfr got to be with and to look after Hrœrekr a man who was called Sveinn, and he was a kinsman of King Hrœrekr and had been one of his followers previously. Hrœrekr carried on with the behaviour he had adopted before with regard to his cussedness and also his solitariness. But when he and Sveinn were just the two of them anywhere on their own, then Hrœrekr was cheerful and talkative. He called to mind many things as they had been previously, and also what had happened in his days, when he was king, and recalled his previous life, and also who it was that had brought it to an end, his power and his happiness, and made him into a beggar. ‘But that, however, seems to me hardest of all,’ he says, ‘that you and my other kinsmen who should have turned out the finest of men, should now have fallen so low that no disgrace is to be avenged that has been inflicted on our families.’ He often expressed such lamentations. Sveinn replies and says that they had to deal with people that were much too powerful, and so they had little choice. Hrœrekr says: ‘For what purpose shall we go on living in shame and mutilation except it should come about that I in my blindness might overcome them who overcame me in my sleep? My goodness, let us kill Óláfr digri. He has now no fears for himself. I shall make the plans, and I would not hold back my hands if I was able to use them, but I cannot do that because of my blindness, and you must therefore make the attack on him. And when Óláfr is slain, then I can foresee that the kingdom will pass to his enemies. Now it may be that I might become king; then you shall be my jarl.’ His persuasion was so successful that Sveinn agreed to follow this infamous plan. The plan was that when the king set out for evensong, Sveinn would be standing out on the balcony before he got there and have a drawn cutlass under his coat. But when the king came out of the sitting room, then he got out sooner than Sveinn expected, and he looked at the king full in the face. Then he went pale and grew as white as a corpse and his hands failed him. The king noticed his terror and said: ‘What is it now, Sveinn? Are you going to betray me?’ Sveinn threw down his coat and his cutlass and fell at the king’s feet and said: ‘Everything in God’s hands and yours, Lord.’ The king told his men to seize Sveinn and he was put in irons. Then the king had Hrœrekr’s seat moved to the other bench, and he pardoned Sveinn, and he left the country. The king then assigned Hrœrekr different quarters to sleep in from those that he slept in himself. There was a lot of his men that slept in those quarters. He got two of his men to be with Hrœrekr day and night. These men had long been with King Óláfr, and he had tried their loyalty to him. It is not told that they were men of high lineage. King Hrœrekr was changeable, he was silent on many days, so that no one could get a word from him, but sometimes he was so cheerful and merry that they found every word he spoke amusing, but sometimes he spoke a lot, but only what was unpleasant. It also happened sometimes that he drank everyone under the table, and made all those that were near him incapable, but generally he drank little. King Óláfr gave him plenty of pocket money. Often what he did when he came into his quarters, before he lay down to sleep, was have mead brought in, several casks, and gave all the men in those quarters something to drink. As a result he was popular.
There is a man called Fiðr litli, a man from Upplǫnd, but some say that he was a Lapp by descent. He was the smallest of all men and the fastest runner of all men, so that no horse could catch him up when running. He was the most skilled of men with skis and the bow. He had long been a servant of King Hrœrekr and often gone on errands for him that needed to be confidential. He knew the routes over the whole of Upplǫnd. He also knew many important men there to speak to. And when King Hrœrekr was put under the charge of a small number of men, then Finnr joined the group, and he generally kept company with boys and servants, but whenever he could, he got into the service of King Hrœrekr and often into speech with him, and the king was willing to talk with him for just short periods at a time and wanted to avoid any suspicion about their talks. And when spring drew to a close and they made their way out into the Vík, then Fiðr disappeared from the troop for a few days. Then he came back again and stayed for a while. Thus it happened often, and no notice was taken of it, for there were many vagabonds with the troop.
King Óláfr came to Túnsberg before Easter and stayed there for a long time in the spring. Then many ships came there to the town, both Saxons and Danes and those from Vík in the east and from the north of the country. There was a very large number of people. It was a good year and there was much drinking. It happened one evening that King Hrœrekr had come to his quarters and rather late and had drunk a lot and was now very merry. Then Finnr litli came in with a cask of mead, and it was mead with herbs in it and of the strongest. Then Hrœrekr had everyone that was in there given drink, going on until they all went to sleep in their seats. Finnr had then gone away. There was a light burning in the room. Then Hrœrekr woke up the men who were accustomed to attend him, saying that he wanted to go into the yard. They had a lantern with them, but it was pitch dark outside. There was a large latrine in the yard and it stood on posts, and there were steps to get up to the doorway. And while Hrœrekr and the men were sitting in the yard, then they heard a man say: ‘Strike down that fiend!’ Then they heard a crash and a thump, as if something had fallen. King Hrœrekr said: ‘They must have drunk plenty, the ones who are fighting there. Go up quickly and separate them.’ They got ready quickly and ran out, but when they got to the steps, then the one that was in the rear was struck first, though they were both killed. It was King Hrœrekr’s men that had come there, Sigurðr hít, who had been his standard-bearer, in a party of twelve. Finnr litli was now there. They dragged the bodies up between the buildings, but grabbed the king and took him with them, then leapt onto a boat that they had and rowed away. The poet Sigvatr was asleep in King Óláfr’s quarters. He got up in the night and his servant with him, and they went out to the great latrine. And when they were going to go back and down the steps, then Sigvatr slipped and fell on his knee and stuck his hands down and it was wet underneath. He said: ‘I think that this evening the king must have taken away the sea legs from many of us.’ And he laughed about it. But when they got into their quarters, where there was a light burning, then his servant asked: ‘Have you scratched yourself, or why are you all covered in nothing but blood?’ He replied: ‘I am not scratched, but this must mean something has happened.’ He then woke up his bedfellow, the standard-bearer Þórðr Fólason, and they went out, taking a lantern with them, and soon found the blood. Then they searched and soon found the bodies and recognised them. They also saw that there was a great tree stump lying there with a great gash in it, and it was discovered later that this had been done as a trick to entice out those that were slain. Sigvatr and the others told each other that it was essential for the king to know what had happened as soon as possible. They sent the lad straight away to the quarters where King Hrœrekr had been. There everyone was asleep, but the king was gone. He woke the men who were inside and said what had happened. Some men got up and went straight away to the place in the yard where the bodies were. But though they thought it essential for the king to know as soon as possible what had happened, no one dared to wake him. Then Sigvatr spoke to Þórðr:
‘Which would you rather do, comrade, wake up the king or tell him what has happened?’ Þórðr replied: ‘No way do I dare to wake him, but I can tell him what has happened.’ Then Sigvatr said: ‘There is still much of the night to go, and it may be that before it is day, Hrœrekr will have got himself a hiding place where he will not easily be found, and they will still not have got far, for the bodies were warm. We must never fall into the disgrace of failing to let the king know of this treason. You, Þórðr, go up into the quarters and wait for me there.’ Then Sigvatr went to the church and woke up the bell-ringer and told him to toll the bell for the souls of the king’s men, and he gave the names of the men that had been killed. The bell-ringer did as he asked. And at the ringing the king awoke and sat up. He asked whether it was time for matins. Þórðr replied: ‘The reason for it is worse than that. Something important has happened. King Hrœrekr has disappeared and two of your men are killed.’ Then the king asked about these events that had taken place there. Þórðr told him as much as he knew. Then the king got up and had a horn blown to summon a meeting of his followers. And when the troop assembled, then the king named men who were to go out in all directions from the town to search for Hrœrekr by sea and land. Þórir langi took a light ship and took thirty men, and when it got light they saw two small ships sailing ahead of them. And when they saw each other, each lot rowed as hard as they could. It was King Hrœrekr there and he had thirty men. And when they drew close to each other, then Hrœrekr’s party turned towards the shore and all leapt up ashore there except for the king sitting up on the raised deck. He spoke, bidding them farewell and meet again in health. Next Þórir and his men rowed to land. Then Finnr litli shot an arrow, and it struck Þórir in the middle of his body, and he was killed—but Sigurðr and his men all fled into the woods—and Þórir’s men took his body and also King Hrœrekr and carried them to Túnsberg. King Óláfr then took charge of King Hrœrekr. He had him guarded carefully and took great precautions against his treachery, getting men to watch him night and day. King Hrœrekr was then most cheerful, and no one could see any sign in him that he was not as pleased as could be.
It happened on Ascension Day that King Óláfr was going to High Mass. Then the bishop walked in procession round the church leading the king, and when they came back into the church, then the bishop led the king to his throne on the north side of the entrance to the choir. And there next to him King Hrœrekr was sitting, as he usually did. He had his coat pulled over his face. And when King Óláfr had sat down, then King Hrœrekr felt his shoulder with his hand and squeezed. Then he said: ‘You are wearing fine cloth now, kinsman,’ he says. King Óláfr replies: ‘Now a great festival is being kept today in memory of when Jesus Christ ascended into heaven from earth.’ King Hrœrekr replies: ‘I do not understand, so that it is fixed in my mind, what you say about Christ. Much of what you say seems to me rather incredible. Yet many things have happened in ancient times.’ And when Mass had begun, then King Óláfr stood up and held his arms up above his head and bowed towards the altar, and his coat hung back off his shoulders. King Hrœrekr sprang up quickly and forcefully. He then stabbed at King Óláfr with a dagger of the kind known as rýtningr. The thrust landed on the coat by his shoulder as he bent forward away from it. His clothes were much damaged, but the king was not wounded. And when King Óláfr felt this assault, then he leapt forward onto the floor. King Hrœrekr stabbed at him a second time with the dagger and missed him and said: ‘You are running away now, Óláfr digri, from me, a blind man.’ The king told his men to take him and lead him out of the church, and they did so. After this incident people urged King Óláfr to have Hrœrekr killed. ‘And it is,’ they say, ‘a very great tempting of your luck, king, to keep him with you and spare him, such wickedness as he keeps committing, for he lies in wait day and night to bring about your death. But if you send him away from you, we do not know of anyone who would be able to guard him so that he had no hope of getting away. But if he goes free, then he will immediately raise a band and cause a lot of trouble.’ The king replies: ‘What you say is right enough, that many have suffered death for doing less than Hrœrekr, but I am reluctant to spoil the victory that I gained over the kings of the Upplendingar, when I captured five of them in one morning, and so got control of all their realms without needing to become the slayer of any one of them, for they were all kinsmen of mine. But yet I can hardly see now whether Hrœrekr will force me to it or not, to have him slain.’ The reason Hrœrekr had felt King Óláfr’s shoulder with his hand was that he wanted to know whether he was wearing a coat of mail.
There was a man called Þórarinn Nefjólfsson. He was an Icelandic man, his family were from the north of the country. He was not of high lineage and he was the most sensible of men and most intelligent of speakers. He was bold in speech with people of rank. He was a great trader and was abroad for long periods. Þórarinn was the ugliest of men, and the most extraordinary thing was how horrible his limbs were. He had large and ugly hands, but yet his feet were much uglier. Þórarinn was now located in Túnsberg when these events were taking place that have just been narrated. He and King Óláfr knew each other to speak to. Þórarinn now got a trading ship ready that he owned, and was intending to go to Iceland in the summer. King Óláfr had Þórarinn as a guest for a few days and had conversations with him. Þórarinn slept in the king’s quarters. It was early one morning that the king was awake while other men in the quarters were asleep. Just then the sun had come up a little, and it was very light indoors. The king noticed that Þórarinn had stretched out one foot from under the bedclothes. He looked at the foot for a while. Then the men in the quarters began to wake up. The king said to Þórarinn: ‘I have been awake for a while, and I have seen a sight that has impressed me greatly, and that is a man’s foot than which I think there cannot in this market town be one uglier.’ And he told other men to consider whether this did not seem to be true. And everyone who saw it agreed that it was so. Þórarinn realised what they were talking about and replied: ‘There are few things so special that it cannot be expected that another such will be found, and it is very likely to be so in this case too.’ The king said: ‘I am still prepared to assert that another foot as ugly as this will not be found, and even if I had to lay a wager on it.’ Then Þórarinn said: ‘I am prepared to lay a wager with you on that, that I shall find an uglier foot in the town.’ The king says: ‘Then whichever of us turns out to be right shall choose a favour from the other.’ ‘So it shall be,’ says Þórarinn. He then put his other foot out from under the bedclothes, and this was in no way more beautiful, and it lacked the big toe. Then said Þórarinn: ‘See here now, king, another foot, and this is the uglier in that on this one a toe is missing, and I have won the wager.’ The king says: ‘The other foot is the uglier, in that there are five hideous toes on that one, but on this there are four, and it is for me to choose a favour from you.’ Þórarinn says: ‘One’s lord’s word outweighs others, so what favour do you wish to have from me?’ He says: ‘This, that you carry Hrœrekr to Greenland and take him to Leifr Eiríksson.’ 
Þórarinn replies: ‘I have not been to Greenland.’ The king says: ‘A voyager like you, it is time you went to Greenland if you have never been there.’ Þórarinn made little response to this to begin with, but when the king persisted with this request, then Þórarinn did not entirely reject it, and said as follows: ‘I shall let you hear, king, the favour that I had intended to ask if I had won the wager, and that is, that I was going to ask you if I might become one of your men. And if you will grant me that, then I shall be the more obliged not to put aside what you desire to have commissioned.’ The king agreed to this, and Þórarinn became a member of his following. Then Þórarinn prepared his ship, and when he was ready, then he took charge of King Hrœrekr. And when they parted, King Óláfr and Þórarinn, then Þórarinn said: ‘Now should it turn out, king, as is not unlikely and may often happen, that we are unable to complete the journey to Greenland, and we are carried to Iceland or to other countries, how shall I dispose of this king so that you may be pleased?’ The king says: ‘If you come to Iceland, then you shall hand him over to Guðmundr Eyjólfsson or Lawspeaker Skapti or any other leading men who are willing to accept my friendship and tokens. But if you are carried to other countries that are nearer to here, then you must arrange it in such a way that you know for certain that Hrœrekr will never come back to Norway alive, and you are only to do this if you find there is no other alternative.’ Now when Þórarinn was ready and there was a favourable wind, then he sailed all along the outer route beyond the islands, and north of Líðandisnes he set his course out to sea. The winds were not very favourable, but he took care most of all to keep away from the shore. He sailed to the south of Iceland and could see signs of its closeness, and so west round the coast into the Greenland Sea. Then he encountered strong currents and much tossing about, and towards the end of summer he came to land in Iceland in Breiðifjǫrðr. Þorgils Arason then came up to them first of any men of rank. Þórarinn tells him about King Óláfr’s message and the friendship and tokens that would accompany his taking charge of King Hrœrekr. Þorgils responded well and invited King Hrœrekr to stay with him, and he stayed with Þorgils Arason for the winter. He was not happy there and asked Þorgils to have him taken to Guðmundr’s, saying that he had heard that Guðmundr kept the highest state in Iceland, and that he had been sent into his keeping. Þorgils did as he asked, providing him with an escort and had him taken to the keeping of Guðmundr at Mǫðruvellir. Guðmundr welcomed him for the sake of the king’s messages and he stayed the second winter with Guðmundr.
Then he could not bear it there any longer. Then Guðmundr provided him with lodging on a small farm called at Kálfskinn, and there were few servants there. Hrœrekr stayed there the third winter, and he said this, that since he had given up his kingdom, that was the place where he had stayed, that he had been most content, because there he had been most highly respected by everyone. The following summer Hrœrekr took a sickness that brought about his death. So it is said that this is the only king who lies buried in Iceland. Þórarinn Nefjólfsson spent a long time in trading voyages, but sometimes stayed with King Óláfr.
That summer, when Þórarinn took Hrœrekr to Iceland, then Hjalti Skeggjason also went to Iceland, and King Óláfr sent him on his way with friendly gifts when they parted. That summer Eyvindr úrarhorn went on a viking voyage to the British Isles and came in the autumn to Ireland, to King Konofogor of the Irish. They met in the autumn in Úlfreksfjǫrðr, the king of the Irish and Jarl Einarr from Orkney, and there was a great battle there. King Konofogor had much greater forces and won the victory, but Jarl Einarr fled on a single ship and got back to Orkney in the autumn having lost nearly all his troops and all the booty that they had gained. And the jarl was mightily displeased with his journey and blamed his defeat on the Norwegians who had taken part in the battle with the king of the Irish.
Now the story must be taken up where we previously left off, that King Óláfr inn digri went on his bridal journey and to fetch his betrothed wife, King Óláfr of the Svíar’s daughter Ingigerðr. The king had a great following, and it was so choice that all the men of rank that he could get hold of went with him, and each of the powerful men was accompanied by a choice troop, both as regards descent and those who were most accomplished. This host was fitted out with the finest equipment, both in ships and weapons and clothing. They took their troops eastwards to Konungahella. And when they got there, then there was no news of the king of the Svíar. Moreover there was no one come there on his behalf. King Óláfr stayed near Konungahella for a large part of the summer and made many enquiries as to what people could say about the king of the Svíar’s movements or plans, but no one was able to tell him anything for certain about that. Then he sent some of his men up into Gautland to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and had him asked if he knew what was the reason that the king of the Svíar had not kept the appointment that had been arranged. The jarl says that he did not know, ‘but if I find out,’ he says, ‘then I shall immediately send my men to King Óláfr and let him know what it all means, whether this delay is for any reason other than because of the manifold business that can often bring it about that the king of the Svíar’s travels are delayed more than he intends.’ 
King Óláfr Eiríksson of the Svíar had first of all a mistress who was called Eðla, the jarl of Vinðland’s daughter. She had previously been captured in a raid and called the king’s concubine. Their children were Emundr, Ástríðr, Hólmfríðr. They also had a son and he was born on the eve of St James’s day. And when the boy came to be baptised, then the bishop had him named Jákob. But the Svíar did not like this name, declaring that there had never been a king of the Svíar called Jákob. All King Óláfr’s children were good-looking and very intelligent. The queen was haughty and did not treat her stepchildren kindly. The king sent his son Emundr to Vinðland, and he was brought up there with his mother’s family, and he did not observe Christianity for a long time. The king’s daughter Ástríðr was brought up in Vestra-Gautland with a high-ranking man called Egill. She was the most beautiful of women and very well spoken, cheerful in speech and modest, generous with her possessions. And when she came of age she often stayed with her father and was well liked by everyone. King Óláfr was haughty and ungentle in speech. He was extremely displeased by the people having made an uproar at him at the Uppsalir assembly and threatened him with harsh treatment, and he blamed it mostly on Jarl Rǫgnvaldr. He had had no preparations made for the bridal journey, as had been agreed in the winter, for marrying his daughter Ingigerðr to King Óláfr digri of Norway and going that summer to the border between the two countries. And as time passed, many people became curious as to what plans the king might have or whether he would observe his agreement with the king of Norway, or whether he would breach the agreement and also the peace. There were many that were very worried about this, but no one was so bold as to dare to raise the subject with the king. But many complained about it to the king’s daughter Ingigerðr and asked her to find out what the king’s intentions were. She replies: ‘I am not keen to start a discussion with the king about the matters between him and Óláfr digri, for neither of them is a friend of the other. His response to me was unpleasant on the one occasion that I spoke on behalf of Óláfr digri.’
This business caused the king’s daughter Ingigerðr much anxiety. She was worried and gloomy, and became very concerned to know what the king was going to do. What she suspected more than anything else was that he would not fulfil his undertaking to the king of Norway, for it was evident that he got angry every time Óláfr digri was referred to as king.
It was early one day that the king rode out taking his hawks and hounds and his men with him. And when they released their hawks, then the king’s hawk killed in a single flight two grouse, and immediately afterwards he sent it off again and that time it slew three grouse. The hounds raced underneath and picked up each bird that hit the ground. The king rode after them and himself picked up his catch and boasted a great deal, saying: ‘It will be a long time before most of you have such a catch.’ They agreed, saying that they thought that no king would have such great good fortune with his hawking. Then the king rode home, as did they all. The king’s daughter was happy then, and came out of her room then, and when she saw that the king was riding into the courtyard, she turned into it and greeted him. He welcomed her with a laugh and straight away brought out his birds, telling her of his catch and saying: ‘Where do you know of the king who has got such a great catch in such a short time?’ She replies:‘This is a good morning’s hunting, my lord, when you have taken five grouse, but it was a better one when King Óláfr of Norway captured five kings in one morning and took possession of all their realms.’ And when he heard this, then he leapt from his horse and turned towards her and said: ‘Be sure of this, Ingigerðr, that however much love you have conceived for that fat man, you shall never enjoy him nor either of you the other. I shall wed you to some prominent man with whom I can be friends, but I can never be the friend of the man who has deprived me of my kingdom by force and caused me many a loss by plundering and killing.’ Thus they ended their talk, and each of them went their own way.
The king’s daughter Ingigerðr had now found out the truth about King Óláfr’s intentions, and immediately sent men down into Vestra-Gautland to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and had him told what the position was with the king of the Svíar, and that the whole treaty with the king of Norway was broken, and bade the jarl be on his guard, and the Vestr-Gautar, for they could not count on peace on the part of the people of Norway. And when the jarl learned of these events, he sends a message all round his realm bidding them be on their guard in case the people of Norway should decide to attack them. The jarl also sent messengers to King Óláfr digri and had him told the information he had received, and also that he wanted to keep his agreement and friendship with King Óláfr, and begged this too, that the king should not attack his realm. But when this message reached King Óláfr, he was very angry and worried, and it was for several days that no one could get a word out of him. After that he held a meeting with his troops. Bjǫrn stallari then stood up first, and to begin with started his speech with how he had travelled east the previous winter to arrange a peace, saying how Jarl Rǫgnvaldr had welcomed him. He also says how perversely and harshly the king of the Svíar had received these proposals to begin with. ‘But the settlement that was made,’ he says, ‘was more as a result of the power of the people and the influence of Þorgnýr and the support of Jarl Rǫgnvaldr than from any goodwill on the part of the king of the Svíar. And we therefore feel sure that the king must be the cause of the settlement being broken, but it will not be the jarl’s fault. We found him to be a true friend of King Óláfr. Now the king wishes to know from the leaders and from other members of his following, what course he shall now adopt, whether he is to go up into Gautland and raid with the forces that we now have, or whether you prefer to adopt another course.’ He spoke both long and eloquently. After that many men of rank spoke, and it all came down to the same thing in the end, that everyone was against warfare, saying as follows: ‘Though we have a large army, yet there are gathered together here leading men and men of rank, but for warfare young men are no less suitable, ones who are eager to gain wealth and fame. And it is also the practice of noblemen, if they are to go into fighting or battle, that they take with them many men for support and protection, and often those men do not fight any worse who have few possessions than those who are brought up wealthy.’ And as a result of their arguments it was the king’s decision to break up the expedition, giving each man leave to go home, and announcing that the next summer he would call out a levy from the whole country and take them against the king of the Svíar and avenge this breach of his word. Everyone was very pleased at this. Then King Óláfr went north into the Vík and established himself in the autumn in Borg and had all the provisions brought there that he needed for staying the winter, and stayed there with a large following for the winter.
People spoke in very different ways about Jarl Rǫgnvaldr. Some considered that he was a true friend of King Óláfr, but some thought this hard to believe and said that he would manage to persuade the king of the Svíar to keep his word and the agreement between him and King Óláfr digri. According to what he said, the poet Sigvatr was a great friend of Jarl Rǫgnvaldr, and often spoke of this to King Óláfr. He offered the king to go to see Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and find out what he could discover about the king of the Svíar, and try if he could bring about some settlement. The king was well pleased at this, because he very much liked to talk frequently with his trusted friends about the king’s daughter Ingigerðr. At the beginning of winter the poet Sigvatr in a party of three travelled from Borg and east across Markir and so on to Gautland. But then, before they parted, King Óláfr and Sigvatr, he spoke a verse:
Now sit sound till I come to claim fulfilment of your promise, and we meet in your mansion once more, King ·leifr. That the helm-storm’s tree keep hold of his life, is the skáld’s prayer— here ends the eulogy; I close my verse—and this country. 
Now are spoken—though speak further still we could of other matters— the words that of all others are to us, king, of most moment. May God let you, mind-bold monarch, guard your country, for you are born to it— I have that wish, truly.
After that they went eastwards to Eiðar and found a poor vessel to take them across the river, a kind of small ferry boat, and managed with difficulty to get across the river. Sigvatr said: 
I had dragged—for I dreaded, damp, turning back—the wobbly bark to Eið; so badly on the boat we managed. Trolls take that laughable tub! I’ve seen no worse transport. I took a risk on the sea-ram; it ran better than I looked for. 
Next they went through Eiðaskógr. Sigvatr spoke a verse: 
It wasn’t the first time—it’s known widely— we met trouble; as through the forest twelve leagues and one extra, angry, I ran from Eiðar. I think, though, we travelled there keenly that day, walking, though sores made spots on both soles of the king’s followers.
Next they went across Gautland and in the evening reached the farm that is called Hof. The entrance there was shut and they could not get in. Those inside said that it was a sacred place. They turned away from there. Sigvatr said: 
I chose to aim for Hof; the entrance was shut, but outside I made enquiries. Keenly my curved-down nose I thrust in. Small response I got there; sacred they called it; heathens held me back; I bade ogresses bandy words with them.
Then he came to another dwelling. The housewife was standing there in the doorway, told him not to enter there, saying that they were holding sacrifices to the elves. Sigvatr said:
‘Come not in,’ cried the woman, ‘cursed fellow, any further. I fear Óðinn’s anger: we are heathens.’ They were holding, the hateful hag said, she who drove me off like a wolf, unyielding, elf-sacrifice in her farmhouse. 
The next evening he arrived at the house of three farmers, and each of them was called Ǫlvir, and they all drove him out. Sigvatr said:
Now three namesakes, who turned their napes against me, have barred my way; the trees of the whetstone-base without honour are acting. Yet above all I’m anxious that every sea-ski loader named Ǫlvir from now on us newcomers will drive out.
Then they travelled on again that evening and met the fourth farmer, and he was said to be the best host among them. This one drove him out. Sigvatr said:
I went later to look for— lavish treatment expecting— a wave-gleam breaker, one who warriors said was most friendly. The pick’s guardian gazed at me, glum; how bad the worst must be if he’s the best one!
I missed, on the way east of Eiðaskógr, the farm of O̧sta, when I asked the unchristian man for lodging. I met not the son of great Saxi; inside there was no fairness. I was, in one evening, ordered out four times over.
And when they got to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s, then the jarl said they had had a hard journey. Sigvatr said: 
Those sent by the king of Sygnir, who sought out the chieftains with messages, have had a mighty mission on their hands. I spared myself little, but large is the luggage of men on the journey; the capable king of Norway decreed our route there southwards.
Eiðaskógr was arduous going eastwards for fine fellows to the lords’ suppressor; the prince’s praise this fellow strengthens. I shouldn’t have been shooed off by shrubs of the slipway’s bench’s costly flame of the ruler, before I reached my generous master.
Jarl Rǫgnvaldr gave Sigvatr a gold arm-ring. A woman said that he had travelled to some purpose with those black eyes of his. Sigvatr said:
To us these Icelandic eyes, the black ones, woman, have shown a path, long and lofty, leading to a bright arm-ring. This foot of mine, mead-Nanna, most bravely has trodden on ancient roadways unknown to your husband.
And when Sigvatr got back to King Óláfr’s and he went into the hall, he said, looking at the walls: 
With helmets men of the household who feed the wound-swan and mailcoats furnish the king’s hall; plenty I find of both on the walls here. So no young king has nobler— no doubt there is about it— hangings in his house to boast of; the hall is fine in all ways.
After that he tells about his travels and spoke these verses:
I ask the great-hearted retinue, active prince, to listen to the way I worked verses— weathering hardship—about my journey. I was sent up from the skis of the swan-plain on a long journey east to Sweden—seldom after I slept in the autumn.
And when he spoke to the king, he said:
I kept conscientiously, I kept conscientiously, made with you, when I met the mighty, excellent Rǫgnvaldr. I dealt with many matters, metal-guardian, in the courts of the open-handed one; I’ve not heard of a hired man’s speeches more loyal.
The jarls’ kinsman requested you to keep well each housecarl of his, Rhine’s sun’s harmer, who may wander hither; And each who wants to go eastwards, just as certainly, Listi’s prince, of your people, will have support there with Rǫgnvaldr.
Most people pondered, ruler, plans, whom Eiríkr’s kinsman had earlier urged to this treason, as I travelled eastwards. But I declare the aid of the jarls’ kinsman Ulfr’s brother, helped you in this, to win the land, and likewise what you took from Sveinn. 
Wise Úlfr between you both had, ·leifr, peace terms accepted; we got sound answers; you both are setting aside conflict. Rǫgnvaldr caused those conflicts, crusher of thieves’ race, to you to be yielded, as if no bitter breach had been engendered.
At the beginning of winter the poet Sigvatr in his party of three travelled from Borg and east across Markir and so on to Gautland, and in that journey often had a poor reception. One evening he arrived at the house of three farmers, and they all drove him out. Then the poet Sigvatr uttered the Austrfararvísur about his journey. The poet Sigvatr came to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s and stayed there with good entertainment for a long time. Then he learned from letters sent by the king’s daughter Ingigerðr that messengers of King Jarizleifr had come from the east from Hólmgarðr to King Óláfr of the Svíar to ask for the hand of the king’s daughter Ingigerðr on behalf of Jarizleifr, and this too, that King Óláfr had received this very favourably. Then there also came to Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s court King Óláfr’s daughter Ástríðr. Then there was held a great banquet there. Sigvatr soon gets on speaking terms with the king’s daughter. She soon recognised who he was and his family background, for Sigvatr’s sister’s son, the poet Óttarr, he had been there for a long time on friendly terms with King Óláfr of the Svíar. Then a great deal was discussed. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr asked whether King Óláfr would be willing to marry Ástríðr. ‘And if he is willing,’ he says, ‘then I suppose that about this match we shall not enquire of the king of the Svíar.’ The king’s daughter Ástríðr said the same thing. After this Sigvatr and his men went back and arrived shortly before Yule at Borg to see King Óláfr. Soon Sigvatr tells King Óláfr of the events he had heard about. The king was at first very gloomy, when Sigvatr tells about King Jarizleifr’s proposal of marriage, and King Óláfr says that he could expect nothing but evil from the king of the Svíar—‘whether or not we ever manage to repay him with something he may remember.’ But after a while the king asked Sigvatr a great deal about what was going on in the east in Gautland. Sigvatr tells him a lot about the good looks of the king’s daughter Ástríðr and how well spoken she was, and also that everyone that was there said that she was in no way less well endowed than her sister Ingigerðr. The king was pleased to hear this. Sigvatr told him of all the discussions that he and Ástríðr had had together, and the king was greatly impressed and said this: ‘The king of the Svíar will not expect that I would dare to marry his daughter without his consent.’ But this affair was not revealed to anyone else. King Óláfr and the poet Sigvatr often spoke about this affair. The king asked Sigvatr in detail what he had found out about Jarl Rǫgnvaldr—‘what sort of friend he is to us,’ he says. Sigvatr says this, that the jarl was a very great friend to King Óláfr. Then Sigvatr said:
You must, mighty ruler, with mighty Rǫgnvaldr firmly keep the treaty; he kindly cares for your needs night and day. I know you have in him, holder of meetings, much the best of allies in the east, all along the green ocean.
After Yule these two, the poet Sigvatr’s sister’s son Þórðr skotakollr and secondly Sigvatr’s servant lad, left the court secretly. They travelled eastwards into Gautland. They had travelled there with Sigvatr the previous autumn. And when they came to the jarl’s court, they produced before the jarl the tokens that the jarl and Sigvatr had fixed with each other at parting. They had also taken there the tokens that King Óláfr himself had sent the jarl in confidence. Forthwith the jarl immediately set out and with him the king’s daughter Ástríðr, taking nearly a hundred   men and it was a choice troop both of his followers and of powerful farmer’s sons, with all their equipment of the finest, both weapons and clothing and horses; they then rode north to Norway to Sarpsborg, getting there at Candlemas.
King Óláfr had had preparations made there. All kinds of drink were there, the best that could be got, and all other provisions of the best were there. He had also now summoned to come to him many men of rank from the districts round about. And when the jarl arrived there with his troop, then the king welcomes him exceptionally warmly, and the jarl was provided with spacious and fine quarters that were fitted out splendidly, and in addition with servants, and with people to ensure that nothing should be lacking that could enhance the banquet. And when this banquet had gone on for some days, then the king and the jarl and the king’s daughter held a discussion, and the outcome of their talk was the decision that Jarl Rǫgnvaldr should betroth the king of the Svíar’s daughter Ástríðr to King Óláfr of Norway with the dowry that had previously been stipulated that her sister Ingigerðr was to have brought with her from her home. The king was also to give Ástríðr the same bridal settlement as he was to have given her sister Ingigerðr. Then the banquet was extended, and then the wedding of King Óláfr and Queen Ástríðr was celebrated with great splendour. After that Jarl Rǫgnvaldr went back to Gautland, and at their parting the king gave the jarl good and great gifts and they parted the best of friends and stayed so as long as they both lived. 
The following spring King Jarizleifr’s messengers came to Svíþjóð from the east, from Hólmgarðr, and went to take up the agreement whereby King Óláfr had the previous summer promised to give his daughter Ingigerðr to King Jarizleifr in marriage. King Óláfr spoke of this matter with Ingigerðr, saying that it was his wish that she should marry King Jarizleifr. She replies: ‘If I am to marry King Jarizleifr, then I want,’ she says, ‘in my bridal gift Aldeigjuborg and the jarl’s dominion that belongs with it.’ And the messengers from Garðaríki agreed to this on behalf of their king. Then Ingigerðr spoke: ‘If I am to go to the east, to Garðaríki, then I wish to choose someone from the Swedish realm that seems to me most suitable to go with me. I also wish to stipulate that he shall have there in the east no lower rank than here, and no worse or fewer rights or privileges in any way than he has here.’ The king agreed to this, and so did the messengers. The king pledged his troth to this arrangement, as did the messengers. Then the king asked Ingigerðr which person it is in his kingdom that she wishes to choose to accompany her. She replies: ‘The person is my kinsman Jarl Rǫgnvaldr Úlfsson.’ The king replies: ‘It is in a different way I had intended to reward Jarl Rǫgnvaldr for his treason in taking my daughter to Norway and handing her over there as a concubine to that fat man, one whom he knew to be our greatest enemy, and because of this he shall be hanged this summer.’ Ingigerðr then begged her father to keep the promise he had given her, and the result of her entreaty was that the king says that Rǫgnvaldr should leave the Swedish realm freely, and not come within sight of the king, nor return to Svíþjóð as long as Óláfr was king. Ingigerðr then sent men to see the jarl and had them tell him what had happened and gave him instructions as to where they should meet. So the jarl immediately set out and rode up into Eystra-Gautland and got himself ships there and then went with his troop to meet the king’s daughter Ingigerðr. They all travelled together in the summer east to Garðaríki. Then Ingigerðr was married to King Jarizleifr. Their sons were Valdamarr, Vissivaldr, Holti inn frœkni. Queen Ingigerðr gave Jarl Rǫgnvaldr Aldeigjuborg and the jarl’s dominion that belonged with it. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr stayed there a long time and was a man of renown. Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and Ingibjǫrg’s sons were these two, Jarl Úlfr and Jarl Eilífr.
There is a man known as Emundr of Skarar. He was lawman there in western Gautland and was the wisest and most eloquent of men. He was of high lineage and had many kinsmen, was very wealthy. He was said to be crafty and not all that trustworthy. He was the most powerful person in Vestra-Gautland when the jarl was gone away. Then, the same spring as Jarl Rǫgnvaldr left Gautland, the Gautar held meetings among themselves and repeatedly debated between themselves what the king of the Svíar would decide to do. They heard that he was angry with them because they had made friends with King Óláfr of Norway instead of entering into conflict with him. He also brought charges against those who had accompanied his daughter Ástríðr to Norway. Some said that they should seek support for themselves from the king of Norway and offer him their service. Some were against this and said that the Vestr-Gautar did not have the resources to enter into conflict with the Svíar. ‘And the king of Norway is far away,’ they say, ‘for the seat of his power is far away, and the first thing to do is send men to the king of the Svíar and see if we can negotiate a reconciliation with him. And if that is not possible, then our course will be to seek support for ourselves from the king of Norway.’ Then the farmers asked Emundr to undertake this mission, and he agreed and took thirty men and came out in Eystra-Gautland. There were many of his kinsmen and friends there. He was kindly received there. He had discussion there with the wisest men about the problem, and they all reached agreement, and people considered that it was improper and unlawful, the king’s treatment of them. Then Emundr travelled up into Svíþjóð and had discussion there with many powerful people, and the result was always the same. He then continued his journey until he reached Uppsalir late in the day. They got themselves a good lodging there and stayed the night. The next day Emund went to see the king while the king was sitting at an assembly and there were many people around him. Emundr approached him and bowed to him and saluted him. The king looked at him and greeted him and asked him for news. Emundr replies: ‘There is not much news with us Gautar. But it seems to us something unusual, that last winter Atti inn dœlski of Vermaland went up into the forest with his skis and bow. We declare him the greatest huntsman. On the mountain he had taken so many skins that he had filled his sledge to the maximum he could haul with it. Then he turned home from the forest. He saw a squirrel in the wood and shot at it and missed. Then he got angry and let go the sledge and skied after the squirrel. But the squirrel kept on going where the forest was thickest, and sometimes among the roots of trees, sometimes up into the branches, then sailed between the branches into another tree. And when Atti shot at it, it always flew above or below, but the squirrel never went out of Atti’s sight. He got so enthusiastic about this quarry that he skied after it all day, but even so could not get this squirrel. And when it began to get dark, he threw himself down in the snow, as he was accustomed to do, and lay there through the night. It was snowing in drifts.
The next day Atti went to search for his sledge and never again found it, and with that went home. Such is my news, Lord.’ The king says: ‘Not much news, if there is no more to tell.’ Emundr repies: ‘It also happened a little while ago, which may be said to be news, that Gauti Tófason went with five warships out along the Gautelfr, and while he was lying in Eikreyjar, then five large Danish merchant ships came there. Gauti’s party quickly overpowered four of the merchant ships, losing no men, but winning a great deal of wealth, while the fifth ship got out to sea and managed to hoist its sail. Gauti went after it with just his one ship, and to begin with gained on them. Then the wind began to freshen, the merchant ship then went faster, making for the open sea. Then Gauti was going to turn back. Then a storm got up. He wrecked his ship off Hlésey, losing all its goods and the majority of the crew. But his associates were supposed to wait for them in Eikreyjar. Then Danes came upon them with fifteen merchant ships and slew them all and took all the wealth that they had previously won. That’s how their greed served them.’ The king replies: ‘That is significant news, and worth telling. But what is your purpose here?’ Emundr replies: ‘I come, Lord, to seek a solution to a problem wherein our law and the law of Uppsalir diverge.’ The king asks: ‘What is the difficulty that you wish to raise?’ Emundr says: ‘There were two men of noble birth, equal in descent but unequal in possessions and temperament. They had a dispute about land, and losses were inflicted on each by the other, more by the one that was wealthier, until their dispute was settled and arbitrated at a general assembly. The one that was previously the wealthier had to pay. And for the first instalment he paid a gosling for a goose, a piglet for an old pig, and for a mark of pure gold he paid half a mark of gold, and the other half mark of clay and mud. and moreover threatened the one who received this payment as his due with harsh treatment. What is your judgment in this case, Lord?’ The king says: ‘Let him pay in full what was adjudged, and to the king three times that amount. And if it is not paid within one year, then let him forfeit all his possessions, half his wealth to go to the royal treasury, and half to the one whose claims he was due to compensate.’ Emundr appealed to all the people who had most say there to witness to this judgment, and cited the law that was valid at the Uppsalir assembly. After that he took his leave of the king and then went out. And then other men brought their suits before the king, and he was busy a large part of the day with people’s business. And when the king sat down to his meal, then he asked where Lawman Emundr was. He was told that he was back at his lodging. Then said the king: ‘Go and fetch him, he shall be my guest today.’
Next the special dishes were served, and after that entertainers came in with harps and fiddles and musical instruments, and after that drink was served. The king was very merry and had many important people as his guests, and Emundr slipped from his mind.The king spent the rest of the day drinking and slept through the following night. But in the morning, when the king awoke, then he reflected on what Emundr had said the previous day. And when he was dressed, he had his advisers summoned to him. King Óláfr had about him twelve of the wisest men. They sat alongside him in courts of law and deliberated on difficult cases, but this was not without problems, for the king did not like it if judgments diverged from what was right, and it did not do to disagree with him. At this consultation the king began to speak and ordered Lawman Emundr to be summoned there. But when the messenger returned, ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘Lawman Emundr rode away yesterday as soon as he had eaten.’ Then the king said: ‘Tell me this, good lords, what did the legal question relate to, that Emundr asked about yesterday?’ They replied: ‘Lord, you must have thought it out, if it meant something other than he said.’ The king said: ‘The two men of noble birth that he spoke about then, who had been in dispute, though one of them was wealthier than the other, and had each inflicted losses on the other, in this he was talking about me and Óláfr digri.’ ‘So it is, lord,’ they said, ‘as you say.’ The king says: ‘There was a judgment on our case at the Uppsalir assembly. But what was the reason for his saying that there was underpayment, a gosling for a goose, and a piglet for an old pig, and mud for half the gold?’ Arnviðr blindi replies: ‘Lord,’ he says, ‘there is a very great difference between gold and mud, but the difference is greater between a king and a slave. You promised Óláfr digri your daughter Ingigerðr. She is of royal blood in every line of her descent, of the line of the Uppsvíar, which is the noblest in the Northern lands, for this line is descended from the gods themselves. But now King Óláfr has married Ástríðr, and though she is a child of a king, yet her mother is a concubine, and moreover Wendish. There is a great difference between such kings, when one of them accepts this thankfully, and it is no surprise that one Norwegian should not be able to consider himself the equal of a king of Uppsalir. Let us all now give thanks for this, that this continues, for the gods have long taken great care of their loved ones, though now many do not care for that religion.’ There were three brothers, Arnviðr blindi - his sight was so poor that he was hardly able to fight, and he was the most eloquent of men; the second was Þorviðr stami - he could not speak more than two words together; he was the boldest and most determined man there; the third was Freyviðr daufi - he could not hear very well. All these three brothers were powerful and wealthy, of high lineage and great wisdom and all of them dear to the king. Then King Óláfr said: ‘What does that mean, what Emundr spoke about Atti dœlski?’ Then no one replied, and they all looked at each other. The king said: ‘Speak now.’ Then said Þorviðr stami: ‘“Atti”: aggressive, impetuous, malicious; “dœlskr”: foolish.’ Then spoke the king: ‘Who is meant by this slight?’ Then Freyviðr daufi replies: ‘Lord, people will speak more openly if you give your leave.’ The king said: ‘Speak now, Freyviðr, by my leave, whatever you wish to say.’ Freyviðr then began his speech: ‘My brother Þorviðr, who is reckoned the wisest of us, declares that it is all one, “Atti” and “atsamr”, “dœlskr” and foolish. He calls a person this who dislikes peace, so that he contends for trifles and yet does not get them, but as a result loses important advantages. Now I am deaf like this, but so have many now said, that I have been able to understand that many, both powerful and of the common people, do not like it, lord, that you do not keep your word to the king of Norway, and what is still worse, that you have acted in defiance of the public decision that was made at the Uppsala assembly. You have no need to fear the king of Norway or the king of Denmark or anyone else, as long as the Svíar army will follow you, but if the people of the country turn against you unanimously, then we, your friends, can see nothing that can be done that will do any good.’ The king asks: ‘Who are making themselves leaders of this movement to try to unseat me from my kingdom?’ Freyviðr replies: ‘All Svíar want to keep their ancient law and their full rights. Consider this, lord, how many leading men are sitting here now over your policy-making. I think it is true to say that there are six of us here that you call your counsellors, but all the others I think have ridden away and gone to the countryside, and are holding an assembly with the people of the country, and to tell you the truth, then a war arrow has been raised and sent round the whole country and a criminal court has been summoned. All of us brothers have been asked to take part in this undertaking, but none of us wants to earn the name of traitor to our lord, for our father was none.’ The king then began to speak: ‘What course shall we now take? We have a great problem on our hands. Offer now some advice, good leaders, as to how I can hold on to my kingdom and my patrimony; but I do not want to have to contend with the whole Svíar army.’ Arnviðr blindi replies: ‘Lord, this seems to me advisable, that you ride down to Áróss with those troops that are willing to follow you, and there take your ships and so go out into Lǫgrinn. Summon the people to meet you, do not use harshness, offer people law and traditional rights, have the war arrow lowered. It will not yet have travelled far over the country, for the time has been short. Send your men, those whom you trust, to meet with these people who have this plan in hand, and try whether this discontent can be put down.’ The king says that he will accept this counsel. ‘I want,’ he says, ‘you brothers to go on this mission, for I trust you best of my men.’ Then Þorviðr stami said: ‘I will stay behind, but let Jákob go. He is necessary.’ Then Freyviðr spoke: ‘Let us do, lord, as Þorviðr says. He does not want to part with you in this danger, but Arnviðr and I shall go.’ This plan was carried out, that King Óláfr went to his ships, made his way out into Lǫgrinn, and his following then soon increased. But Freyviðr and Arnviðr rode out onto Ullarakr, taking with them the king’s son Jákob, but concealed his presence in the party. They soon realised that there was a gathering in the offing and a rush to arms, as the farmers were holding an assembly day and night. And when Freyviðr and his party came across their kinsmen and friends there, then they say this, that they want to join their troop, and they all welcome this gladly. Then the decisions were straight away handed over to the brothers, and the crowds come to join them, and yet they are all unanimous, saying that they are not going to have Óláfr as king over them any longer and they are not willing to put up with this injustice and arrogance from him, when he will not listen to what anyone says, even when leading men tell him what is true. And when Freyviðr saw the vehemence of the crowd, then he realised what a fix they were in. Then he held meetings with the leading men of the country and addressed them, saying: ‘So it seems to me, if this great undertaking is to go forward, deposing Óláfr Eiríksson from his kingdom, that we Uppsvíar shall be in charge. It has always happened thus here, that what the leaders of the Uppsvíar have established among themselves, then other people of the country have accepted those arrangements. Our forefathers have not needed to consult the Vestr-Gautar about their government. Let us now not be such degenerates that Emundr has to tell us what to do. I want us to unite our policies, kinsmen and friends.’ All agreed to this and considered it to have been well spoken. After that the whole mass of people entered into this league that the leaders of the Uppsvíar set up among themselves. Then the leaders of the troops were Freyviðr and Arnviðr. But when Emundr realised what had happened, then he became doubtful whether the plan would be carried out. So then he went to see the brothers, and they had a discussion together. Then Freyviðr asks Emundr: ‘What do you propose should happen then, if Óláfr Eiríksson is put to death, what king do you want to have?’ Emundr says: ‘The one that we consider best suited for it, whether he is of noble descent or not.’ Freyviðr replies: ‘We Uppsvíar do not want the kingdom to pass from the line of forefathers of the ancient kings in our time, as long as there is such a good supply available as there now is. King Óláfr has two sons, and we want to have one or other of them as king, and yet there is a great difference between them. One is legitimately born and Swedish in every line of descent, but the other is son of a concubine and Wendish on one side.’ This opinion brought forth great applause, and everyone wants Jákob as king. Then Emundr said: ‘You Uppsvíar have the power to get your own way in this for the time being, but I tell you this, which is what will happen, that some of those that at the moment want nothing other than that the kingship in Svíþjóð should stay in the ancestral line, they themselves shall now live to agree when the kingship shall pass to other lines, and that will be for the best.’ After this the brothers Freyviðr and Arnviðr had the king’s son Jákob brought forward into the assembly and had him given the title of king, and at the same time the Svíar gave him the name of Ǫnundr, and so he was called afterwards as long as he lived. He was then ten or twelve winters old. After this King Ǫnundr got himself a following and chose leaders alongside himself, and they all had troops together, as many as he felt he needed, but then he gave the host of farmers leave to go home. After this envoys passed between the kings, and the next thing was that they met in person and made their settlement. Óláfr was to be king of the country as long as he lived. He must also maintain peace and settlement with the king of Norway and likewise with all those men that had been involved in this plan. Ǫnundr was also to be king, and have that part of the land that was agreed between father and son, but was to be obliged to side with the farmers if King Óláfr does anything that the farmers would not put up with from him. After this envoys went to Norway to see King Óláfr with this message, that he was to undertake a naval expedition to a conference at Konungahella to meet the king of the Svíar, and further that the king of the Svíar wishes them to make a firm settlement. And when King Óláfr heard this message, then he was again as before eager for peace, and he goes with his troop as had been arranged. Then the king of the Svíar arrived there, and when these kinsmen by marriage met, then they confirm the settlement between them and peace. King Óláfr of the Svíar was affable and courteous. So says Þorsteinn fróði, that there was a settlement situated in Hísing that had at various times belonged to either Norway or Gautland. Then the kings discussed between themselves that they should cast lots for this property and throw dice for it. The one whose throw was the highest was to have it. Then the king of the Svíar threw two sixes and said that King Óláfr did not now need to throw. He said, shaking the dice in his hand: ‘There are still two sixes on the dice, and it will still be a small matter for my Lord God to make them turn up.’ He threw, and got two sixes. Then King Óláfr of the Svíar threw, and again got two sixes. Then King Óláfr of Norway threw, and there was a six on one, but the other broke in two, and there was seven on the two parts. The settlement then became his. We have not heard of anything further that happened at this conference. The kings parted reconciled.
After these events that have just been narrated, King Óláfr turned his troops back to the Vík, going first to Túnsberg and staying there a short while, and went northwards across the country and by the autumn all the way north to Þrándheimr, having winter quarters prepared there and staying there for the winter. Óláfr was now sole ruler over the whole realm that Haraldr hárfagri had had, and more than that, in that he was the only king over the country. He had now peacefully and by agreement gained the part of the country that King Óláfr of the Svíar had previously had, and the part of the country that the king of the Danes had had, he took by force and ruled over that part as over everywhere else in the country. King Knútr of the Danes at this time ruled over both England and Denmark, and he himself stayed mostly in England, and set up rulers to govern the country in Denmark, and made no claims in Norway at this time.
So it is said, that in the days of King Haraldr inn hárfagri of Norway, Orkney was settled, but previously it had been a haunt of vikings there. The first jarl in Orkney was called Sigurðr—he was son of Eysteinn glumra and brother of Jarl Rǫgnvaldr of the Mœrir—and after Sigurðr, his son Guthormr for one winter. After him Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s son Torf-Einarr took the jarldom, and was jarl for a long time and a powerful man. Haraldr hárfagri’s son Hálfdan háleggr went against Torf-Einarr and drove him out of Orkney. Einarr then came back and killed Hálfdan on Rínansey. After that King Haraldr went to Orkney with an army. Einarr then fled up into Scotland. King Haraldr made the people of Orkney transfer all their patrimonies to him by oath. After this the king and the jarl were reconciled, and the jarl became his man and received the lands in fief from the king and had to pay no dues on them, because they were subject to a great deal of raiding there. Then the king made raids in Scotland as is told in Glymdrápa. After TorfEinarr his sons, Arnkell, Erlendr, Þorfinnr hausakljúfr, ruled over the lands. In those days Eiríkr blóðøx came from Norway, and the jarls were then subject to him. Arnkell and Erlendr fell while raiding, but Þorfinnr ruled the lands and reached a ripe old age. His sons were Arnfiðr, Hávarðr, Hlǫðvir, Ljótr, Skúli. Their mother was Jarl Dungaðr of Katanes’s daughter Grélǫð. Her mother was Þorsteinn rauðr’s daughter Gróa. Towards the end of Jarl Þorfinnr’s days Blóðøx’s sons came from Norway after fleeing before Jarl Hákon. Their tyranny in Orkney was then very harsh. Jarl Þorfiðr died of sickness. After him his sons ruled the lands, and there are great stories about them. Hlǫðvir lived the longest of them and then ruled the lands alone. Sigurðr digri was his son, who took the jarldom after him. He was powerful and a great warrior. In his days Óláfr Tryggvason went from raiding in the British Isles with his forces and made for Orkney and captured Jarl Sigurðr on Rǫgnvaldsey. He was found lying there with a single ship. King Óláfr then offered the jarl as his ransom that he should accept baptism and the true faith and become his man and preach Christianity over the whole of Orkney. King Óláfr took as hostage his son who was called Hundi or Hvelpr. From there Óláfr went to Norway and became king there. Hundi was with King Óláfr for a few winters, and he died there, but afterwards Jarl Sigurðr paid King Óláfr no homage. He then went and married King Melkólmr of the Scots’s daughter, and their son was Þorfinnr. There were also Jarl Sigurðr’s elder sons, Sumarliði, Brúsi, Einarr rangmuðr. Five winters or four after the fall of Óláfr Tryggvason, Jarl Sigurðr went to Ireland, but he appointed his elder sons to rule his lands. He sent Þorfinnr to his mother’s father, the king of the Scots. On this expedition Jarl Sigurðr fell in Brjánsorrosta. And when this news reached Orkney, then the brothers Sumarliði, Brúsi, Einarr were taken as jarls, and they divided the lands into three parts between them. Þorfinnr Sigurðarson was now five winters old when Jarl Sigurðr fell. And when news of his fall reached the king of the Scots, then the king gave his kinsman Þorfinnr Katanes and Suðrland and the title of jarl as well and got men to govern the realm with him. Jarl Þorfinnr was already in his early years soon mature in every aspect of development. He was big and strong, an ugly person. And when he grew older, it was evident that he was an impetuous man, tough and fierce and very wise. Arnórr jarlaskáld mentions this:
No man younger than Einarr’s brother under the cloud-hall, mind-bold, has said he was ready to safeguard his state and fight to win it.
The brothers Einarr and Brúsi were unlike in character. Brúsi was gentle and a very compliant person, wise and eloquent and popular. Einarr was obstinate, reserved and unfriendly, impetuous and avaricious and a great warrior. Sumarliði was like Brúsi in character, and he was the eldest and lived for the shortest time of the brothers. He died of sickness. After his death Þorfiðr claimed his share of Orkney. Einarr replied with this, that Þorfinnr had Katanes and Suðrland, the realm that their father Jarl Sigurðr had formerly held, and he reckoned that was equivalent to much more than a third part of Orkney, and he refused to allow Þorfinnr a share. But Brúsi granted a share for his own part. ‘And I do not wish,’ he says, ‘to covet more of the lands than the third part that I possess without dispute.’ Then Einarr took possession of two parts of the islands. He became a powerful man and had a large following, was often out raiding in the summer and levied a large force from the land, but the gains from viking raids turned out to be variable. Then the farmers grew tired of this business, but the jarl kept on inflexibly with all his demands and would allow no one to oppose him. Jarl Einarr was the most arrogant person. Now there came to be famine in his realm as a result of the labour and expense imposed on the farmers. But in the part of the country that Brúsi had, there was much prosperity and an easy life for farmers. He was popular.
There was a man called Ámundi, powerful and wealthy. He lived on Hlaupandanes in Sandvík on Hrossey. His son was called Þorkell, and he was the most accomplished of all men in Orkney. Ámundi was a most wise man and one of the most highly thought-of men on the islands. It happened one spring, that Jarl Einarr called out a levy again, as he was accustomed to, but the farmers grumbled greatly and appealed to Ámundi, asking him to make representations on their behalf to the jarl. He replies: ‘The jarl is obstinate,’ and declares it will do no good to make any kind of request to the jarl about this. ‘The friendship between me and the jarl is also good as things are, but it seems to me we are headed for disaster if we fall out, considering both our characters. I shall,’ says Ámundi, ‘not get myself involved.’ Then they discussed this with Þorkell. He was reluctant about it, and yet in the end promised at people’s urging. Ámundi thought he had promised too soon. But when the jarl held an assembly, then Þorkell spoke on behalf of the farmers and begged the jarl to spare people the burdens and reckoned up people’s difficulties. But the jarl replies in a kindly way, saying that he will pay great regard to what Þorkell says. ‘I had just now planned to take six ships out to sea, but now I shall take no more than three. But you, Þorkell, do not ask for such favours again.’ The farmers thanked Þorkell warmly for his support. The jarl went on viking raids and returned in the autumn. But the following spring the jarl made the same demands as he was accustomed to do, and held an assembly with the farmers. Then Þorkell spoke again and begged the jarl to spare the farmers. Now the jarl replies angrily and says that the lot of the farmers would now worsen with his speech. He then got so angry and furious that he said that they should not both be well at the assembly the next spring. And so this assembly closed. And when Ámundi realised what had passed between Þorkell and the jarl, then he told Þorkell to go away, and he crossed to Katanes to Jarl Þorfinnr. Þorkell stayed there for a long time after that and grew fond of the jarl, since he was young, and he was afterwards known as Þorkell fóstri, and he was a splendid man. There were other men of the ruling class who fled their patrimonies in Orkney because of Jarl Einarr’s tyranny. Most fled across to Katanes to Jarl Þorfinnr, but some fled from Orkney to Norway, and some to various countries. 
Now when Jarl Þorfinnr grew up, then he advanced his claim to his brother Jarl Einarr, asking him for the realm he felt he was entitled to in Orkney, and that was a third of the islands. Einarr was reluctant to diminish his realm. And when Þorfinnr heard this, then he sets out with a force from Katanes and goes out to the islands. And when Jarl Einarr realised this, he musters a force and is going to defend his lands. Jarl Brúsi also musters a force and goes to meet them and carries messages of reconciliation between them. Their reconciliation was on these terms, that Þorfinnr was to have one third of the lands on Orkney, as he was entitled to. But Brúsi and Einarr combined their shares. Einarr was to have sole government of them, but if their deaths took place at different times, then the one that lived longest was to take the lands after the other. But this covenant now seemed unfair, since Brúsi had a son who was called Rǫgnvaldr, but Einarr was without a son. Then Jarl Þorfinnr set his men to look after the realm that he possessed in Orkney, but he was generally in Katanes. Jarl Einarr generally spent the summers raiding Ireland and Scotland and Bretland. It happened one summer, while Jarl Einarr was raiding in Ireland, that he fought in Úlfreksfjǫrðr with King Konofogor of the Irish, and as was written above, Einarr suffered a great defeat and loss of men. The next summer following, Eyvindr úrarhorn went from the west from Ireland and was making for Norway, but as the weather was rough and the currents impossible to negotiate, Eyvindr then turns into Ásmundarvágr and lay there for some time weatherbound. And when Jarl Einarr heard this, then he made his way there with a large force, captured Eyvindr and had him killed, but gave quarter to most of his men, and they went east to Norway in the autumn and came to meet King Óláfr and told him about the killing of Eyvindr. The king makes little response, and it was evident that he felt this a great loss and done much to spite him, and he was reserved about most things that he felt to be contrary to his mind. Jarl Þorfinnr sent Þorkell fóstri out to the islands to call in his dues. Jarl Einarr blamed Þorkell mostly for the rebellion in which Þorfinnr made his claim out onto the islands. Þorkell left the islands quickly and went over to Katanes. He tells Jarl Þorfinnr that he had found out for certain that Jarl Einarr had been planning his death if his kinsmen and friends had not brought him information. ‘I shall not now,’ he says, ‘have any chance of bringing about a decisive encounter between us, but there is this alternative, to go further away and to somewhere where his power does not reach.’ The jarl was keen for Þorkell to go east to Norway to see King Óláfr. ‘You will,’ he says, ‘be highly regarded wherever you come among highranking men, but I know the characters of you both, yours and the jarl’s, that you will before long come to blows.’
Then Þorkell set out and went in the autumn to Norway and so to see King Óláfr, and stayed there the winter with the king on very friendly terms. He involved Þorkell very much in his affairs. It seemed to him, as was true, that Þorkell was a wise man, very outstanding. The king could see from what he said that he gave very different accounts of the jarls, and was a great friend of Þorfinnr, but was very critical of Jarl Einarr. And early in the spring the king sent a ship west over the sea to see Jarl Þorfinnr with this message, that the jarl was to come east to see the king. But the jarl did not forget this journey, for words of friendship accompanied the message. 
Jarl Þorfinnr went east to Norway and came to see King Óláfr and was received there very well, and he stayed there for a large part of the summer. And when he was setting out to go to the west, King Óláfr gave him a fine large longship fully fitted out. Þorkell fóstri then undertook to accompany the jarl on this journey, and the jarl gave him the ship on which he had sailed from the west that summer. The king and the jarl parted on very friendly terms. Jarl Þorfinnr got to Orkney in the autumn. And when Jarl Einarr heard of this, then he kept a large number of men with him and stayed on board ship. Jarl Brúsi then went to see both the brothers and conveyed terms of settlement between them. It came about again that they reached terms and confirmed them with oaths. Þorkell fóstri was to be reconciled and friends with Jarl Einarr, and it was stipulated that each of them was to entertain the other to a banquet, and Jarl Einarr was to start by visiting Þorkell in Sandvík. And while the jarl was at the banquet there, then the hospitality was most liberal. The jarl was not merry. There was a large hall there with entrances at both ends. The day that the jarl was supposed to be leaving, Þorkell was supposed to be going with him to his banquet. Þorkell sent men on ahead to get intelligence about the route on that day. And when the observers got back, then they told Þorkell that they had found three ambushes with armed men. ‘And we think,’ they said, ‘that it must be a plot.’ And when Þorkell learned this, then he delayed his preparations and gathered his men around him. The jarl told him to get ready, saying that it was time to start riding. Þorkell says he had a lot to see to. He went now in, now out. There were fires in the middle of the hall. Then he went in through one entrance and following him a man who is named as Hallvarðr. He was an Icelandic man and from the Eastern Fiords. He closed the door behind him. Þorkell went on in between the fire and where the jarl was sitting. The jarl asked: ‘Are you still not ready?’
Þorkell replies: ‘Now I am ready.’ Then he struck at the jarl a blow on his head. The jarl plunged down onto the floor. Then said the Icelander: ‘Here I see there is the most complete lack of initiative, when you do not pull the jarl out of the fire.’ He thrust an Irish axe at him and hooked it under the jarl’s neck-bone and hauled him up onto the raised floor. Both Þorkell and his companion went out quickly through the opposite entrance to that they had gone in by. There outside Þorkell’s men were standing fully armed. But the jarl’s men took him up, and he was now dead, and all their hands failed them as far as vengeance was concerned. It was also the case that it had happened quickly, and no one expected this deed from Þorkell, for they all thought that things must be as had previously been arranged, and there was friendship between the jarl and Þorkell. The men inside were also mostly unarmed, and many of them previously good friends of Þorkell’s. It also happened that by good luck Þorkell was fated to go on living. Þorkell now had, when he came out, a following no smaller than the jarl’s men. Þorkell then went to his ship, and the jarl’s men went away. Þorkell sailed away immediately that day and east out to sea, and it was now after the winter nights, and he reached Norway safely and went as fast as he could to see King Óláfr, and was well received there. The king was pleased at what had been done. Þorkell stayed with him over the winter.
After the fall of Jarl Einarr, Jarl Brúsi took that part of the lands that Jarl Einarr had previously had, because it was known to many people on what terms the brothers Einarr and Brúsi had made their compact. But Þorfinnr thought it fairest that each of them should have half the islands, and yet Brúsi held two shares of the lands that winter. The following spring Þorfinnr put his claim to the lands to Brúsi, that he wanted to have half shares with Brúsi, but Brúsi did not give his agreement to this. They held assemblies and meetings on these matters. Then their friends came forward to settle this affair, and the result was that Þorfinnr would not accept anything else but having half the islands, adding that Brúsi did not need to have more than a third, considering the character that he had. Brúsi says:
‘I was content with that,’ he says, ‘having a third of the lands that I took as inheritance after my father. Moreover, no one disputed this with me. And now I have taken another third as inheritance after my brother according to lawful agreements. And though I may be incapable of contending with you, brother, yet I shall try anything else but agree to giving up my power as things stand.’ They thus ended this conference. But when Brúsi saw that he would not be capable of standing on an equal footing with Þorfinnr, since Þorfinnr had much more power and support from his mother’s father, the king of the Scots, then Brúsi made up his mind to go from the country east to see King Óláfr, taking with him his son Rǫgnvaldr. He was now ten years old. And when the jarl met the king, he was well received. And when the jarl had presented his business to the king, telling the king the whole state of affairs that existed between the brothers, he asked the king to give him support in holding on to his power, offering in exchange his absolute friendship. The king speaks and began his story first of all with how Haraldr inn hárfagri had taken possession of all patrimonies in Orkney, so that the jarls ever since had held those lands in fief, but never in freehold. ‘And this is proof,’ he says, ‘that when Eiríkr blóðøx and his sons were in Orkney, the jarls were subject to them, and when my kinsman Óláfr Tryggvason came there, then your father Jarl Sigurðr became his man. Now I have inherited everything from King Óláfr. I will make you this offer, that you become my man. I will then grant you the islands in fief. We shall then see, if I give you my support, whether it will be of more avail than the backing of the king of the Scots to your brother. But if you do not want these terms, then I shall try to get hold of the possessions and patrimonies that our kinsmen and forefathers have held there in the west.’ The jarl fixed these statements in his mind and consulted his friends about them, asking for their advice as to what he should agree to, whether he should come to an agreement with King Óláfr and become his man. ‘But this is less clear to me, how my fate will turn out at our parting if I say no to it, for the king has made explicit the claim he is making to Orkney, and what with his ambition and the fact that we are come here, it will be a small matter for him to do what he pleases with us.’ And although the jarl felt there were disadvantages in both courses, he chose the alternative of submitting everything to the king’s authority, both himself and his rule. Then King Óláfr took over from the jarl his rule and control over all the jarl’s inherited lands. The jarl then became his man and confirmed it with oaths.
Jarl Þorfinnr learned this, that his brother Brúsi had gone east to see King Óláfr and look for support from him. But because Þorfinnr had earlier been to see King Óláfr and got himself onto friendly terms with him, he felt he had prepared the ground well there, and was sure that there would be many there to put in a word for his interests, and yet he expected that there would be even more if he went there in person. Þorfinnr acts on this plan, getting ready as soon as he could and going east to Norway, thinking that he would not be very far behind Brúsi, and that his business would not have been concluded before Þorfinnr got to see the king. But it turned out differently from what the jarl had planned, because by the time Jarl Þorfinnr got to see King Óláfr, the whole agreement between the king and Jarl Brúsi was concluded and finished. Jarl Þorfinnr also did not realise that Brúsi had given up his rule before he himself got to King Óláfr. And as soon as they met, Jarl Þorfinnr and King Óláfr, then King Óláfr raised the same claim to power in Orkney as he had done with Jarl Brúsi, and he demanded from Þorfinnr the same thing, that he should grant the king that part of the lands that he had previously held. The jarl replies to the king’s words courteously and calmly, and says this, that he felt friendship with the king was very important. ‘And if you, lord, feel you need my help against other rulers, then you will already have done plenty to deserve it, but it is not suitable for me to grant submission to you, since I am already a jarl of the king of the Scots and subject to him.’ And when the king saw the reluctance in the jarl’s replies to the case he had just put to him, then the king said: ‘If you, jarl, are not willing to become my man, then there is this alternative, that I set a man over Orkney whom I want. And I desire that you give me oaths to make no claim to those lands and let whomever I set over the lands be in peace on your part. But if you accept neither of these choices, then it will be regarded by whomever is ruling the land, that hostilities are to be expected from you. You will then not find it strange if valley meets hill.’ The jarl replies, asking him to give him time to consider the matter. The king did so, giving the jarl a while to discuss this choice with his men. Then the jarl requested this, that the king should allow him to delay until the next summer, and to first go west over the sea, since his counsellors were back at home, and he was but a youth in regard to his years. The king told him to make his choice then. Þorkell fóstri was then with King Óláfr. He sent someone to Jarl Þorfinnr privately telling him not to think, whatever his intentions were, of parting just now with King Óláfr without reaching an agreement, seeing that he was now come into the king’s hands. As a result of such reminders, the jarl realised that the only option was to let the king now have his way, feeling that the other was not advisable, to have no expectation himself of his patrimony, but having to give oaths that they should hold the realm in peace who were not born to it. And because he felt his getting away was uncertain, his choice was to submit to the king and become his man, as Brúsi had done. The king perceived that Þorfinnr was much more proud-minded than Brúsi, and took this bullying much worse. The king trusted Þorfinnr worse than Brúsi. The king saw that Þorfinnr would be thinking that he might expect the backing of the king of the Scots if he broke this agreement. The king understood from his insight that Brúsi entered into all compacts reluctantly, but only spoke in them what he intended to stand by. But as for Þorfinnr, when he had decided what he was going to accept, then he cheerfully took on all the terms, and did not make any objection to whatever the king was the first to put forward. But the king suspected that the jarl would go back on some of the agreements.
When King Óláfr had considered in his mind all this affair, he had a horn blown to summon a large assembly, having the jarls called there. Then the king said: ‘The settlement between me and the jarls of Orkney I shall now announce to the general public. They have now agreed to my possession of Orkney and Shetland and both become my men and confirmed it all with oaths, and I will now give it to them in fief, to Brúsi a third of the lands, to Þorfinnr another third, just as they have previously had. But the third that Einarr rangmuðr had, that I shall take into my keeping because he slew my follower and partner and dear friend Eyvindr úrarhorn. I shall look after that part of the lands that I deem appropriate. I will also stipulate with you, my jarls, that I wish you to accept a settlement from Þorkell Ámundason for the slaying of your brother Einarr. I want the judgment to be up to me, if you are both willing to accept this.’ And it was like other things, the jarls agreed to everything the king said. Then Þorkell went forward and confirmed that the case should be up to the king’s judgment, and so the assembly broke up. King Óláfr adjudged compensation for Jarl Einarr equal to that for three landed men, but because there was guilt on his side, a third of the payment was to be waived. Jarl Þorfinnr then asked the king for leave to depart, and as soon as that was granted, the jarl got ready in great haste. And when he was quite ready, it happened one day, while the jarl was drinking on board ship, that there came before him suddenly Þorkell Ámundason and laid his head on the jarl’s lap and bade him do whatever he liked with it. The jarl asked why he was behaving like this. ‘We are already men who are reconciled by the king’s judgment, so stand up, Þorkell.’ He did so. Þorkell said: ‘The settlement that the king made I will abide by as regards what was between me and Brúsi, but the part that relates to you is for you to decide. Though the king has assigned to me possessions or residence in Orkney, I know your character, that I will not be able to go to the islands unless I go with your goodwill, jarl. I am willing,’ he says, ‘to pledge to you never to come to Orkney, whatever the king has to say about it.’ The jarl was silent and was slow to reply. He said: ‘If you would rather, Þorkell, that I give a judgment on our case, rather than abide by the king’s judgment, then I shall make the beginning of our settlement that you shall go with me to Orkney and stay with me and not part from me except with my permission or leave, be obliged to defend my land and to carry out all the actions that I wish to have done as long as we are both alive.’ Þorkell says: ‘This shall all be at your command, jarl, like everything else over which I have control.’ Þorkell then approached and confirmed to the jarl all this that the jarl had stated. The jarl said that he would later decide about the payments, but he now received oaths from Þorkell. Þorkell now straightway set out with the jarl. The jarl left as soon as he was ready, and he and King Óláfr never saw each other again. Jarl Brúsi stayed behind there and got ready more at leisure. And before he went away, then King Óláfr had meetings with him and said as follows: ‘It seems to me, jarl, that I shall have you as my trusted representative there across the sea to the west. What I intend is that you shall have two parts of the lands to govern, those that you have had previously. I want you to be no less a man and no less powerful now you are subject to me, than you were before. I shall secure your trustworthiness in this way, that I want your son Rǫgnvaldr to stay behind here with me. I can see that then, when you have my support and two parts of the lands, you will be well able to hold your own properly against your brother Þorfinnr.’ Brúsi accepted this with thanks, having two parts of the lands. After this Brúsi stayed a short while before he went away, and came in the autumn west to Orkney. Brúsi’s son Rǫgnvaldr stayed behind in the east with King Óláfr. He was of all men the handsomest, his hair long and gold like silk. He was at an early age big and strong. He was the most accomplished of men both as regards intelligence and courtesy. He was with King Óláfr for a long time after this. Óttarr svarti speaks of all this in the drápa that he composed about King Óláfr:
Good folk-kings’ power fittingly you hold, trusty one; inhabitants of Hjaltland are held to be your subjects. There has been no battle- brisk ruler in the land eastward who forced rule on western islands, before your arrival. 
When the brothers came west to Orkney, Þorfinnr and Brúsi, then Brúsi took two parts of the lands to govern, and Þorfinnr a third. He was mainly on Katanes and in Scotland, setting his men over the islands. Brúsi then was solely in charge of the defence of the islands, but at that time there was a good deal of raiding, because Norwegians and Danes were raiding a lot on viking expeditions to the west and often came in to Orkney on their way to and from the west and raided the outlying coast. Brúsi complained to his brother Þorfinnr that he put out no warships off Orkney and Shetland, but had his full share of the taxes and dues. Then Þorfinnr offered him this choice, that Brúsi should have a third of the lands, and Þorfinnr two parts and be solely responsible for defence of the land on behalf of them both. And although this change did not take place immediately at that time, yet it is said in Jarlasǫgur that this change, so that Þorfinnr had two parts, and Brúsi a third, had been put into effect by the time that Knútr inn ríki  had subjected Norway to himself, but King Óláfr had left the country. Jarl Þorfinnr Sigurðarson was the most distinguished there has been in the Islands, and had the greatest power of any of the jarls of Orkney. He gained possession of Shetland and Orkney, the Hebrides; he had also great power in Scotland and Ireland. On this Arnórr jarlaskáld said:
The harmer of rings folk had to heed -I tell men truly, all were thought to be Þorfinnr’s - from Þursasker to Dublin.
Þorfinnr was the greatest warrior. He received the jarldom at the age of five and ruled more than sixty winters and died of sickness in the latter days of Haraldr Sigurðarson. But Brúsi died in the days of Knútr inn ríki, shortly after the fall of King Óláfr inn helgi.
Now two stories are running parallel, and we shall now take it up there where we left off, where it was told about how Óláfr Haraldsson had made peace with King Óláfr of the Svíar, and about how King Óláfr went that summer north to Þrándheimr. He had now been king for five years. That autumn he set up his winter quarters in Niðaróss and stayed there the winter. That winter there was with King Óláfr Þorkell fóstri Ámundason, as was written above. King Óláfr then made extensive enquiries about the observance of Christianity, how it was in the country then, and he learned that there was hardly any observance of Christianity when one made one’s way north into Hálogaland, and that it was a long way short of being satisfactory even over Naumudalr and in over Þrándheimr. There is a man named Hárekr, son of Eyvindr skáldaspillir. He lived on the island that is called Þjótta. This is in Hálogaland. Eyvindr had been not too wealthy a man, of high lineage and a very outstanding person. On Þjótta there lived at that time small farmers and not so very few. Hárekr first bought a farm there, not so very large, and moved there. And in a few seasons he had cleared away all the farmers that had lived there before, so that he was now sole owner of the whole island, and then built a large manor there. Hárekr soon became immensely rich. He was a man of great wisdom and an enterprising man. He had long been held in high esteem by leading men. He had kinship with kings of Norway. For these reasons Hárekr was highly regarded by the rulers of the land. Hárekr’s paternal grandmother Gunnhildr was daughter of Jarl Hálfdan and Haraldr inn hárfagri’s daughter Ingibjǫrg. Hárekr was now rather getting on in years when these events took place. Hárekr was the most distinguished man in Hálogaland. He had now for a long time been official trader with the Lapps and was king’s agent in the Mǫrk. He had sometimes held these offices alone, but sometimes some others had acted with him. He had never been to see King Óláfr, but yet communications and messengers had often passed between them, and it had all been friendly, and that winter, when King Óláfr was staying in Niðaróss, men again went between him and Hárekr from Þjótta. Then the king announced this, that the following summer he planned to go north to Hálogaland and all the way to the land’s end, though the Háleygir had very various opinions about this expedition.
King Óláfr made preparations now in the spring with five ships taking nearly three hundred men. And when he was ready, then he set out north along the coast, and when he got to Naumdœlafylki, he called assemblies with the farmers. He was then accepted as king at every meeting. He also had there as elsewhere the laws proclaimed in which he was commanding people in that country to observe Christianity, and declared the penalty of life and limbs or total confiscation of property on any person who would not submit to Christian laws. The king imposed heavy punishments on many people there and made this affect both the powerful and the humble. In every district he ended up with all people agreeing to observe the holy faith. And most men of the ruling class and many great landowners provided banquets to entertain the king. So he went on all the way to Hálogaland. Hárekr on Þjótta gave a banquet for the king, and there was a very large number of people at it and a most splendid banquet. Hárekr then became King Óláfr’s landed man. The king then granted him revenues, the same as he had received from previous rulers of the land.
There is a man named Grankell or Granketill, a wealthy farmer and now rather getting on in years. But when he was at a youthful age he had been on viking expeditions and then a great warrior. He was a very accomplished man in most respects as far as physical skills were concerned. His son was called Ásmundr, and he was in everything like his father or somewhat superior. It was said by many that in respect of good looks, strength and physical skills, he has been the third best endowed in Norway, after mentioning Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri and Óláfr Tryggvason. Grankell invited Óláfr to a banquet, there was the most liberal entertainment there. Grankell sent him away with huge gifts of friendship. The king invited Ásmundr to go with him, and used much persuasion, but Ásmundr felt he could not turn down such an honour, and agreed to go with the king and afterwards became his man and got to be on very close terms with the king. King Óláfr stayed the greater part of the summer in Hálogaland and went to all the assembly districts and converted all the people there to Christianity. There lived then on Bjarkey Þórir hundr. He was the most powerful man there in the north. He then became King Óláfr’s landed man. Many powerful landowners’ sons then joined King Óláfr on his travels. When the summer drew to a close, the king came from the north and then turned in along Þrandheimr to Niðaróss and stayed the following winter there. And that winter Þorkell fóstri came from the west from Orkney after he had killed Jarl Einarr rangmuðr. That autumn there was a great shortage of corn in Þrándheimr, whereas previously there had for a long time been good seasons, but there was famine over the whole of the north of the land, and the worse the further north, while corn was plentiful in the east of the country and also across Upplǫnd. But it helped greatly in Þrándheimr that people there had much corn left over from previous seasons.
That autumn King Óláfr was told the news from inland Þrándheimr that the farmers there had held well attended banquets at the winter nights. There were great drinking feasts there. The king was told that at them all the toasts were dedicated to the Æsir in accordance with the ancient custom. It was also a part of this tale, that at them cattle and horses were slaughtered and altars stained with blood and worship performed and the prayer offered that it was to be for better harvests. It was added that everyone thought it obvious that the gods had been angry that the Háleygir had turned to Christianity. And when the king learned of these events, then he sent men inland into Þrándheimr summoning to himself the farmers that he chose to name. There is a man named Ǫlvir at Egg. He was called that from the farm he lived on. He was a powerful man and of noble family. He was the leader of this group of men travelling to the king on behalf of the farmers. And when they met the king, then the king challenged the farmers with these accusations. But Ǫlvir replies on behalf of the farmers, saying that they had had no banquets that autumn except their neighbourhood feasts or social drinking feasts, and in some cases gatherings of friends. ‘But what you have been told,’ he says, ‘about what is said by us Þrœndir when we drink, all sensible men know how to take care not to make such speeches, but I cannot speak for foolish and drunken men, what they may have said.’ Ǫlvir was a skilful and bold speaker. He rebutted these accusations against the farmers. But in the end the king says that the Innþrændir must give their testimony for themselves about what their beliefs are. The farmers were given leave to return home. They went, too, as soon as they were ready.
Later that winter the king was told that the Innþrœndir were gathering in large numbers at Mærin and there were great sacrificial banquets there at midwinter. They were worshipping now for peace and a good winter. So when the king felt convinced of the accuracy of these reports, then the king sends men with a message inland into Þrándheimr summoning the farmers out to the town, naming for this those men he thought were most sensible. The farmers then held talks together and discussed this message among themselves. Those were all least eager to make this journey who had been before that winter, but at the entreaty of all the farmers, Ǫlvir undertook the journey. And when he got out to the town, he went straightway to see the king, and they began to talk. The king accused the farmers of having held midwinter sacrificial feasts. Ǫlvir replies saying that the farmers were not guilty of this offence. ‘We held,’ he says, ‘Yule banquets and in many places in the districts drinking parties. The farmers do not make such scant provision for their Yule banquets that there is not a lot left over, and that was what they were drinking, lord, for a long time afterwards. At Mærin there is a large centre and huge buildings, and extensive settlements round about. People find it good to drink together there for enjoyment in large numbers.’ The king answers little and looked rather displeased, feeling he knew something more accurate than what now was being reported. The king told the farmers to go back. ‘And I shall,’ he says, ‘find out the truth, so that you will not conceal and will not contradict. But whatever has been going on here, do not let it happen again.’ The farmers then went home and reported their mission, and this, that the king was rather angry.
King Óláfr held a great banquet at Easter and had many townspeople as his guests as well as farmers. But after Easter the king had his ships launched and the tackle and oars shipped, had the decks and awnings installed, and let the ships thus prepared ride by the jetties. After Easter, King Óláfr sent men into Veradalr. There is a man named Þóraldi, the king’s steward. He was in charge of the king’s residence at Haugr. And the king sent him word that he was to come to him as quickly as possible. Þóraldi did not neglect this journey and went immediately out to the town with the messengers. The king called him to a private talk and enquired what truth there was ‘in what I am told about the practices of the Innþrœndir, whether it is so that they are turning to pagan worship. I want you,’ says the king, ‘to tell me how it is and what you know to be closest to the truth. You have an obligation to do this, since you are my man.’ Þóraldi replies: ‘Lord, I want to tell you first that I moved my two sons and wife and all the movable property that I was able to bring with me to this farm. So if you want to have an account of this from me, that shall be as you wish. But if I tell you how it is, then you must look after me.’ The king says: ‘Tell the truth about what I ask you, and I shall look after you so that you will come to no harm.’ ‘To tell you the truth, king, if I am to say how it is, inland over Þrándheimr nearly all the folk are completely heathen in their beliefs, though some people there are baptised. And it is their custom to hold a sacrificial feast in the autumn to welcome the winter, another at midwinter, and a third in the summer, to welcome the summer. Involved in this are some Eynir and Sparbyggvar, Verdœlir, Skeynir. There are twelve of them that are leaders in the sacrificial feasts, and now this spring Ǫlvir has to conduct the feast. He is now hard at work at Mærin, and all the supplies that are needed for the feast are being brought there.’ So when the king found out the truth, then he had his troops summoned together by horn and had people told that they were to make for the ships. The king named men to captain the ships and lead the detachments and where each detachment was to board ship. They were soon off. The king had five ships and three hundred men and made his way in along the fiord. There was a favourable wind and the warships went well before the wind, and no one expected that the king would come inland there so quickly. The king came during the night inland to Mærin. Then a house there was straightway surrounded. Ǫlvir was captured in it, and the king had him and many other men killed. But the king confiscated all the provisions for the feast and had them carried off to his ships, and all the property there too, both house furnishings and clothes and valuables that people had brought there, and shared it out among his men like spoils of war. The king also had the homes of the farmers that he thought had been most involved in these doings attacked in their homes. Some were captured and put in irons, though some managed to run away, and the property of many was confiscated. Then the king called an assembly of the farmers. But because he had taken prisoner many of the leading men and had them in his power, then their relatives and friends decided to yield submission to the king, and there was no resistance made against the king at that time. He converted all the people there to the true faith and established clergy there and had churches built and consecrated. The king declared no compensation to be due for Ǫlvir’s death, and took possession of all the property he had owned. But as for the other men that seemed to him to be most guilty, he had some killed, some maimed, and some he exiled from the land, appropriating the property of some. Then the king returned to Niðaróss.
There is a man named Árni Armóðsson. He was married to Þorsteinn gálgi’s daughter Þóra. These were their children: Kálfr, Finnr, Þorbergr, Ámundi, Kolbjǫrn, Arnbjǫrn, Árni, Ragnhildr. She was married to Hárekr from Þjótta. Árni was a landed man, powerful and excellent, a great friend of King Óláfr. At this time his sons Kálfr and Fiðr were with King Óláfr, held there in high esteem. The woman who had been married to Ǫlvir at Egg was young and beautiful, of noble family and wealthy. This match was considered excellently good, but the king was now her guardian. She and Ǫlvir had two young sons. Kálfr Árnason asked of the king that he should give him this woman, who had been married to Ǫlvir, in marriage, and for friendship’s sake the king granted him this, and with her all the possessions that Ǫlvir had had. Then the king made him a landed man, giving him stewardship over inland Þrándheimr. Kálfr then became a great chieftain and was a very intelligent person.
King Óláfr had now been in Norway for seven years. That summer Jarls Þorfinnr and Brúsi came to him from Orkney. King Óláfr had taken possession of those lands, as was written above. That summer King Óláfr travelled round both Mœrrs and into Raumsdalr in the autumn. There he left his ships and went on to Upplǫnd and came out in Lesjar. There he had all the best men in both Lesjar and Dofrar rounded up and they had to accept Christianity or suffer death or run away, those who managed to do so. But those who accepted Christianity handed over their sons to the king as hostages for their good faith. The king stayed the night at a place called Bœjar in Lesjar and established priests over it.Then he went across Lorudalr and on across Ljárdalr and ended up in a place called Stafabrekka. Now this river flows along the valley that is called Ótta, and there is a fine settlement on both sides of the river, and it is called Lóar, and the king could see right along the settlement. ‘It is a pity,’ says the king, ‘that such a fine settlement has to be burned.’ And he made his way down into the valley with his troops, and they stayed the night at the farm that is called Nes, and the king took himself a lodging in an upper room, in which he slept himself, and that still stands there today, and nothing has been done to it since. And the king was there five nights and sent out an assembly summons calling people to meet him from both Vági and Lóar, and from Hedalr, making this order accompany the summons, that they must either fight a battle with him or suffer burning at his hands or accept Christianity and give him their sons as hostages. After that they came to see the king and submitted to him. Some fled south into Dalar. 
There was a man called Dala-Guðbrandr who was as if he were king over the Dales, and he had the title of Hersir. Sigvatr skáld compared him in power and extent of his lands with Erlingr Skjálgsson. Sigvatr said about Erlingr: 
Other Jalkr’s plank-destroyer like you only one I knew; the guardian of men governed— Guðbrandr his name—lands widely. I declare you are thought equal, country-of-worm’s hater, both; the snake’s land lessener lies, who thinks himself better.
Guðbrandr had one son who is mentioned here. When Guðbrandr learned this news, that King Óláfr was come to Lóar and was forcing people to accept Christianity, then he sent out a war summons and called all the Dœlir to the farm that is called Hundþorp, to a meeting with him. And when they had all come, then there was a countless multitude of people, for nearby there lies the lake that is called Lǫgr, and they were equally well able to get there by ship as by land. And Guðbrandr had a meeting with them there, saying that the man was come to Lóar ‘who is called Óláfr, and he wants to preach us a different faith from what we have had previously, and to break all our gods to bits, saying this, that he has a much greater god and a mightier, and it is amazing that the earth does not burst apart under him when he dares to speak such things, or that our gods let him go any further. And I expect, if we carry Þórr out from our temple where he stands in this place, and who has always served us well, and he sees Óláfr and his men, then his God will melt away, and he himself and his men too, and come to nothing.’
Then they shouted out all together, saying that Óláfr should never get away from there, if he came to see them. ‘And he will not dare to go any further south along the Dales,’ they say. After that they gave seven hundred   men instructions to go on the watch north to Breiða, and the leader in charge of this troop was Guðbrandr’s eighteen-year-old son, and many other excellent men with him, and they came to the farm that is called Hof, staying there three nights, and many forces came there to them that had fled from Lesjar and Lóar and Vági, and who did not want to submit to Christianity. But King Óláfr and Bishop Sigurðr left behind clergy at Lóar and at Vági. After that they went across over Vágarǫst and came down at Sil and stayed there for the night and learned the news that a great force lay in front of them. The farmers that were on the Breiða also discovered this, and prepared for battle against the king. And when the king got up, then he armed himself and went southwards along Silvellir and did not stop before they got on to the Breiða and saw a large army in front of them there, ready for battle. Then the king drew up his troops and rode ahead himself and addressed the farmers and invited them to accept Christianity. They replied: ‘You shall achieve something other than mockery of us.’ And they shouted war cries and beat their weapons on their shields. The king’s men then ran forward shooting their spears, but the farmers immediately turned in flight, so that only a few remained standing. Guðbrandr’s son was captured, and King Óláfr gave him quarter and kept him with him. The king stayed there four nights. Then the king said to Guðbrandr’s son: ‘Go back to your father and tell him that I shall soon be coming there.’ After that he went back home and tells his father the harsh news, that they had met the king and held a battle with him. ‘But all our troops fled right at the start, but I was captured,’ he says. ‘The king gave me quarter and told me to go and tell you that he would be coming here soon. Now we have here no more than two hundred men of all the troops that we had then against him. Now I give you this advice, father, not to fight with this man.’ ‘One can hear this,’ says Guðbrandr, ‘that all the grit has been knocked out of you. And you went from home with little luck, and this expedition will be long remembered for you, and you now believe in the wild fancies that this man is going around with, and he has caused shameful disgrace to you and your men.’ And the next night Guðbrandr dreamed that a man came to him, shining, inspiring great fear, and said to him:
‘Your son had no victorious trip meeting King Óláfr, and yours will be even less so, if you are planning to fight a battle with the king, and you yourself will fall and all your troops, and wolves will drag you and all the rest off and ravens will tear you.’ He was very much afraid of this threat and tells Þórðr ístrumagi, who was chieftain over the Dœlir. He says: ‘The same thing appeared to me.’ And in the morning they had a horn blown for an assembly and said that it seemed advisable to have a conference with this man who has come from the north with a new teaching, and find out with what proofs he comes. Then Guðbrandr spoke to his son: ‘You shall now go to meet this king, who has given you quarter, and twelve men with you.’ And so was done. And they came and met the king and tell him their errand, that the farmers wanted to hold a conference with him and establish a truce between the king and the farmers. The king expressed himself well pleased at this, and they confirmed it by personal agreements between them as long as the conference lasted. And with this they went back and tell Guðbrandr and Þórðr that truce was agreed. The king then went to the farm that is called Liðsstaðir, and stayed there five nights. Then the king went to meet the farmers and held a conference with them. But it was very wet during the day. When the conference was in session, then the king stood up and says that the Læsir and those at Lóar, at Vági have accepted Christianity and broken down their heathen temples, ‘and believe now in the true God who created heaven and earth and knows all things.’ After that the king sits down. And Guðbrandr replies: ‘We do not know whom you are talking about. You call him God whom neither you nor anyone else can see. But we have a god who can be seen every day and is not out today only because the weather is wet, and you will find him terrifying and mighty. I expect you will get in a panic if he comes to the conference. But since you say that your God can do so much, let him now bring it about that the weather is cloudy tomorrow, but no rain, and we shall meet here then.’ Then the king went back to his lodging, and Guðbrandr’s son went with him as hostage, while the king gave them another man in exchange. Then in the evening the king asks Guðbrandr’s son how their god was constructed. He says that he was patterned on Þórr. ‘And he has a hammer in his hand and is of great size and hollow inside, and under him there is made something like a scaffold, and he stands up on top of it when he is outside. There is no lack of gold and silver on him. Four loaves of bread are brought him every day and meat with it.’
Then they went to bed, but the king was awake that night and was at his prayers. But when it was day, the king went to Mass and afterwards to a meal and then to the conference. And the weather was of such a kind as Guðbrandr had requested. Then the bishop stood up in a cope and had his mitre on his head and crozier in his hand and expounded the faith before the farmers and related many miracles that God had performed, and concluded his speech well. Then Þórðr ístrumagi replied: ‘A great deal says this horned chap, who has a staff in his hand and up on top has as if it were a curved ram’s horn. But since you fellows claim your God performs so many miracles, speak to him then, so that tomorrow before sunrise he may make it be bright and sunny, and let us meet then and then do one of two things, be in agreement on this matter or fight a battle.’ And they parted now for the time being. 
There was a man called Kolbeinn sterki, who was with the king. His family was from Firðir. He always carried this equipment, that he was girded with a sword and had a great cudgel in his hand, that people call a club. The king spoke with Kolbeinn, saying that he was to stay next to him in the morning. Then he said to his men: ‘You are to go down in the night to where the farmers’ ships are, and bore holes in them all, but ride off with their horses from the farms where they are kept.’ And this was done. But the king spent all that night in prayer, and prayed God for this, that he should provide a solution to their difficulty by means of his grace and mercy. And when the king had finished prayers, and that was almost at dawn, after that he went to the assembly. And when he got to the assembly, then some of the farmers had arrived. Then they saw a great multitude of farmers coming to the assembly and carrying between them a huge image of a person, adorned with gold and silver. And when the farmers that were at the assembly saw that, then they all leapt up and bowed down to this monstrosity. After that it was placed in the middle of the assembly field. On one side sat the farmers, on the other the king and his men. After that Dala-Guðbrandr stood up and said: ‘Where is your God now, king? I think that now that he is carrying the beard on his chin rather low, and it looks to me as if your bragging and that of the horned chap that you call bishop and sits there next to you is less than yesterday, for now our god is come, who rules all things, and is looking at you with keen eyes, and I see that you are now frightened and scarcely dare raise your eyes. Now put aside your superstition and believe in our god, who has you entirely at his mercy.’ And he ended his speech. The king spoke with Kolbeinn so that the farmers did not notice: ‘If it happens during my speech that they look away from their god, then strike him a blow the hardest you can with your cudgel.’ After that the king stood up and spoke: ‘Much have you spoken to us this morning. You express yourself strangely about your not being able to see our God, but we are expecting that he will soon come to us. You threaten us with your god, who is blind and deaf and can neither save himself nor anyone else and cannot get away anywhere from where he is unless he is carried, and I am thinking that now he is not far from disaster. So see now there, and look to the east, there comes our God now with a great light.’ Then the sun rose, and all the farmers looked towards the sun. And at that moment Kolbeinn struck their god so that it broke all to pieces, and out of it ran mice, as big as if they were cats, and adders and snakes. But the farmers got so frightened that they fled, some to ships, but when they pushed out their ships, then water ran in and filled them up, and they could not board them, while those that ran to horses, found none. After this the king had the farmers called, saying that he wishes to have a discussion with them, and the farmers turn back and the assembly went into session. And the king stood up and spoke: ‘I do not know,’ he says, ‘what is the reason for this noise and dashing about that you are carrying on. But now you can see what power your god had, on whom you lavished gold and silver, food and provisions, and you have seen now what creatures have consumed it, mice and snakes, adders and toads. And they are worse off who believe in such and will not put aside their folly. Take your gold and jewels, that is scattered here now across the field, and take it home to your wives and never again put it on stocks or stones. But now there are two alternatives here before us, the one, that you now accept Christianity, otherwise fight a battle with me today, and let whoever the God in whom we believe wills be victorious over the others today.’ Then Guðbrandr stood up and said: ‘Great harm have we suffered for our god. And yet since he was unable to help us, we will now believe in the God in whom you believe.’ And then they all accepted Christianity. Then the bishop baptised Guðbrandr and his son and put in place clergy and they parted friends, who before had been enemies. And Guðbrandr had a church built there in the Dales.
King Óláfr went after this out into Heiðmǫrk and made it Christian there, for when he had captured the kings, he did not have the confidence to travel widely over the land with a small force after such a great deed. At that time Christianity had not been introduced in many parts of Heiðmǫrk. But in this expedition the king did not stop until Heiðmǫrk was fully Christianised and churches were consecrated there and clergy provided. Then he went out to Þótn and Haðaland and made people’s religion orthodox, and when he had finished, it was completely Christian there. From there he went to Hringaríki, and people adopted Christianity entirely. The Raumar learned that King Óláfr was setting out to go up there, and they gathered together a great force and said among themselves that they would never be able to forget the visitation that Óláfr had carried out there the previous time, saying that he was never going to act like that again. So when King Óláfr came up through Raumaríki with his troops, then a large gathering of farmers came against him by the river that is called Nitja. The farmers had a host of men. And when they met, the farmers straightway set about attacking, but it soon got too hot for them, and they immediately gave way and were taught a lesson, because they accepted Christianity. The king travelled over that district and did not leave off until everyone there had accepted Christianity. From there he went east to Sóleyjar and made that settlement Christian. Then Óttarr svarti came to him and asked to become his man. Earlier that winter King Óláfr of the Svíar had died. Now Ǫnundr Óláfsson was king in Svíþjóð. King Óláfr then turned back to Raumaríki. The winter was now nearly past. Then King Óláfr called a well attended assembly in the place that afterwards came to be Heiðsævisþing. He then made it law that Upplendingar should attend this assembly and the Heiðsævislǫg should apply over all districts in Upplǫnd and also in many other places where it has since applied. And when spring comes, he made his way out to the sea, then had his ships made ready and in the spring went out to Túnsberg and stayed there during the spring while it was most crowded there and cargoes were being transported to the town from other countries. There was then a good season all over the Vík and fairly good right north to Stað, but great famine all the way north from there.
King Óláfr sent orders in the spring west over Agðir and all the way north over Rogaland and over Hǫrðaland, that he wants to have neither corn nor malt nor meal sold from there to other districts, announcing at the same time that he would be coming there with his forces and travelling round and receiving hospitality, as the custom was. These orders went round all these districts, but the king stayed in the Vík over the summer and travelled all the way east to the land’s end. Einarr þambarskelfir had been with King Óláfr of the Svíar since his brother-in-law Jarl Sveinn died, and had become the king of the Svíar’s man, receiving from him many revenues. But when the king was dead, then Einarr became keen to get himself a truce with Óláfr digri, and during the spring messages had passed between them. So while King Óláfr was lying in the Elfr, then Einarr þambarskelfir came there with a few men. He and the king then discussed their settlement, and it was agreed between them that Einarr should go north to Þrándheimr and keep all his possessions and also the properties that had come to him with Bergljót as her dowry. Einarr then went his way north, while the king stayed in the Vík and was for a long time in Borg in the autumn and the first part of the winter.
Erlingr Skjálgsson had kept his dominion, so that all the way north from Sognsær and east to Líðandisnes he could have his own way with the farmers in everything, but he had many fewer royal revenues than previously. Now he was held in such awe that everyone put the weights on the scales as he wished. The king thought Erlingr’s power was getting too great. There was a man called Áslákr Fitjaskalli, of noble kin and powerful. Erlingr’s father Skjálgr and Áslákr’s father Áskell were cousins. Áslákr was a great friend of King Óláfr, and the king appointed him to Sunn-Hǫrðaland, granting him there a great fief and many royal revenues, and the king told him to stand up to Erlingr. But it did not turn out thus when the king was not around. Then Erling had his own way, just as he wanted, in their dealings together. He was not any the milder when Áslákr tried to increase his own power at Erlingr’s expense. Their dealings took such a turn that Áslákr could not continue in the district. He went to see the king and tells him of his dealings with Erlingr. The king told Áslákr to stay with him ‘until Erlingr and I meet.’ The king sent word to Erlingr that he was to come to Túnsberg in the spring to see the king. And when they met, then they appointed meetings, and the king said: ‘I am told this about your power, Erlingr, that there is no one to the north of Sognsær as far as Líðandisnes who can maintain his freedom because of you. There are many people that feel they have an inherited right to have fair treatment from people of equal birth to them. Now here is your kinsman Áslákr, and he feels he has noticed a certain coldness from you in your dealings together. Now I am not sure which is more the case, that he has given cause for this, or whether he suffers because I have placed him there in charge of my interests. But although I have mentioned him in connection with this, yet many others make the same complaint to us, both those who occupy offices, and also agents who look after residences and are obliged to provide hospitality for me and my troops.’ Erlingr replies: ‘This can soon be answered,’ he says, ‘I deny that I am blaming Áslákr or anyone else for being in your service. But I acknowledge that it is the case now, as it has been for a long time, that every one of our family wants to excel the others in power. I also acknowledge too, that I am very willing to bend my neck to you, King Óláfr, but I shall find it hard to bow down to Sel-Þórir, who is descended from slaves on all sides, even if he is now your steward, or to any others who are his like in kinship, even if you hold them in high regard.’ Then those who were friends of both intervened and begged that they should be reconciled, saying that no one would be of such great support to the king as Erlingr ‘if he can be your absolute friend.’ On the other side they put it to Erlingr that he should give way to the king, saying that if he kept in friendship with the king, he would then find it all easy to do whatever he liked with everyone else. This meeting ended with Erlingr having the same revenues as he had had before, and all the charges that the king had against Erlingr were dropped. Also his son Skjálgr was to come to the king and stay with him. Then Áslákr returned to his estates and they were then nominally reconciled. Erlingr also went back home to his estates and kept up his established custom in his rule.
There was a man called Sigurðr Þórisson, brother to Þórir hundr in Bjarkey. Sigurðr was married to Skjálgr’s daughter Sigríðr, Erlingr’s sister. Their son was called Ásbjǫrn. He was considered a very promising man in his youth. Sigurðr lived on Þrándarnes in Ǫmð. He was a very wealthy man, a man highly esteemed. He had not entered the king’s service, and Þórir was the more highly esteemed of the brothers, since he was a landed man of the king’s, but at home, Sigurðr was in no way inferior in the magnificence of his housekeeping. During the pagan period, he was accustomed to hold three sacrificial banquets every year, one at the winter nights, the second at midwinter, the third in the summer. And when he accepted Christianity, he still kept up his established custom with the banquets. Then, in the autumn he held a great party for his friends, and also a Yule feast in the winter and then again invited many people; a third banquet he held at Easter, and then too it was well attended. He kept this up as long as he lived. Sigurðr died of sickness. Ásbjǫrn was then eighteen years old. He then came into his inheritance from his father. He kept up the established custom and held three banquets every year, as his father had done. There was a very short interval between Ásbjǫrn coming into his patrimony and when the seasons began to worsen and people’s crops failed. Ásbjǫrn kept the same practice with his banquets, and he was helped by the fact that there was corn and the supplies that were needed left over from previous years. But when the first two seasons had passed and others came in, then the corn was no better than in the previous ones. Then Sigríðr wanted the banquets to be discontinued, some or all of them. Ásbjǫrn did not wish to do that. He went that autumn to see his friends and bought corn wherever he could, and then got it from some. This carried on for that winter, Ásbjǫrn keeping up all his banquets. But the next spring there were few crops planted, for no one managed to buy seed corn. Sigríðr talked about reducing the number of servants. Ásbjǫrn did not want to do that, and he carried on the same with everything that summer. The corn harvest looked rather like being a bad one. There was also the fact that King Óláfr had banned transportation of corn and malt and meal from the south and to the north of the country. Now Ásbjǫrn felt the supplying of his household was getting problematical. So this was what he decided to do, he had a cargo ship of his launched. It was constructed for ocean-going. It was a good ship and the rigging was carefully done. It had a sail with coloured stripes. Ásbjǫrn set out and with him twenty men; they went southwards in the summer, and there is nothing to tell of their journey until they got to Karmtsund one evening and came to land by Ǫgvaldsnes. A large farmstead stands there up on the island of Kǫrmt, which is known as at Ǫgvaldsnes. This was a royal residence, a splendid farmstead. Þórir selr was there in charge of it. He was steward there. Þórir was a man of lowly birth and had turned out a fine person, a hard worker, eloquent of speech, showy in his dresss, pushy and unyielding. He could afford to be like this, since he had the king’s backing. He was a man hasty of speech and outspoken. Ásbjǫrn and his men lay there that night. And in the morning, when it had got light, Þórir went down to the ship and some men with him. He asked who was in charge of this magnificent ship. Ásbjǫrn says who he is and gave his father’s name. Þórir asks what was the furthest he was making for and what his business was. Ásbjǫrn says he wants to buy himself corn and malt. He says, as was true, that there was great famine in the north of the country. ‘But we are told that here you have had a good season. Will you, farmer, sell us corn? I see that you have large ricks. It would be a solution to us not to have to travel further.’
Þórir replies: ‘I shall provide you with a solution, so that you will not need to travel further for the purchase of corn, or to any other places here round Rogaland. I can tell you this, that you may as well turn back and go no further, for you will get no corn here nor anywhere else, for the king has forbidden corn to be sold from here to the north of the country, so go back, Háleygr. That is your best course.’ Ásbjǫrn says: ‘If it is so, farmer, as you say, that we shall make no purchase of corn, then my business will take me at least as far as to pay a visit to my kin at Sóli and to see where my kinsman Erlingr lives.’ Þórir says: ‘How close is your relationship to Erlingr?’ He says: ‘My mother is his sister.’ Þórir says: ‘Then it may be that I have not spoken advisedly, if you are nephew to the king of the Rygir.’ Then Ásbjǫrn and his men threw off their awnings and turned the ship out to sea. Þórir shouted to them: ‘Farewell, and call in here on your return.’ Ásbjǫrn says they would do so. They now travel on their way and in the evening arrive at Jaðarr. Ásbjǫrn went ashore with ten men, while another ten guarded the ship. And when Ásbjǫrn came to the farm, he was welcomed there, and Erlingr was most merry with him. Erlingr made him sit next to him and asked him about many of the things that had happened in the north of the country. Ásbjǫrn told as plainly as he could about his errand. Erlingr says it was very unfortunate then, that the king had banned the sale of corn. ‘I know,’ he says, ‘no likelihood of any man daring to break the king’s command. I have to be very careful about the king’s attitude, for there are many wanting to spoil our good relationship.’ Ásbjǫrn says: ‘The truth is slow to come out. I was taught when I was young that my mother was of free birth in all sides of her descent, and this also, that Erlingr at Sóli was now the noblest of her kinsmen, but now I hear you say that because of the king’s slaves you are not free enough to do with your corn whatever you like.’ Erlingr looked at him and grinned and said: ‘You know less about the king’s power, you Háleygir, than we Rygir. But you must be outspoken at home, and where you inherit this from is not far to seek. Let us now drink for the time being, kinsman; let us see tomorrow how things stand with your errand.’ They did so and were merry during the evening. The next day they talk together, Erlingr and Ásbjǫrn, and Erlingr said: ‘I have given some thought to your purchase of corn, Ásbjǫrn. So how fussy will you be about whom you do business with?’
He says that he does not care about whom he buys corn from as long as it is sold freely. Erlingr said: ‘I think it more than likely that my slaves will have corn so that you can buy as much as you want. They are not subject to the same laws or local regulations as other men.’ Ásbjǫrn says that he will accept this offer. Then the slaves were told about this bargain. They made corn available, and also malt, and sold it to Ásbjǫrn. He loaded his ship with as much as he wanted. And when he was ready to leave, Erlingr sent him off with friendly gifts and they parted on affectionate terms. Ásbjǫrn got a favourable wind and came to land in the evening in Karmtsund by Ǫgvaldsnes and stayed there the night. Þórir selr soon got intelligence of Ásbjǫrn’s travels, and also that his ship was heavily laden. Þórir summoned troops to himself during the night, so that by dawn he had sixty men. He went to see Ásbjǫrn when it was just scarcely light. They went straight out onto the ship. By then Ásbjǫrn and his men were dressed, and Ásbjǫrn greeted Þórir. Þórir asks what cargo Ásbjǫrn had on his ship.He says that it was corn and malt. Þórir says: ‘Then Erlingr must be doing as usual, treating all the king’s commands as rubbish, and he still does not weary of being his opponent in everything, and it is amazing that the king lets him get away with everything.’ Þórir ranted away for a while, and when he stopped, then Ásbjǫrn says that the corn had belonged to Erlingr’s slaves. Þórir snapped in reply, that he was not interested in his and Erlingr’s tricks. ‘The only thing for you to do now, Ásbjǫrn, is for you to go ashore, otherwise we shall throw you overboard, because we want no crowding by you while we clear out the ship.’ Ásbjǫrn saw that he had no forces to match Þórir, and Ásbjǫrn and his men went ashore, but Þórir had all the cargo removed from the ship. And when the ship was cleared, then Þórir walked along the ship. He said: ‘It is a very fine sail that you Háleygir have. Get our old cargo-ship sail and give it them. That is plenty good enough for them, sailing as they are with an empty ship.’ This was done, the exchange of sails. Ásbjǫrn and his men went off on their way with things as they were, and he made his way north along the coast and did not stop until he got home in the beginning of winter, and this expedition got widely known about. Now Ásbjǫrn had no work to do in preparation for banquets that winter. Þórir invited Ásbjǫrn to a Yule banquet with his mother and any people they wanted to bring with them. Ásbjǫrn refused to go and stayed at home. It was felt that Þórir thought Ásbjǫrn had acted slightingly over the invitation. Þórir made a joke out of Ásbjǫrn’s expedition. ‘Both things are true,’ he says, ‘that there is a great difference in the esteem in which we kinsmen of Ásbjǫrn are held, and also he has behaved accordingly, such trouble as he took in the summer in visiting his kinsman Erlingr in Jaðarr, while he will not come here next door to see me. I am not sure whether he thinks that Sel-Þórir will be lying in wait for him on every little island.’ Ásbjǫrn heard about these words of Þórir’s and others like them. Ásbjǫrn was greatly dissatisfied with his expedition and even more so when he heard these things made into jokes and mockery. He stayed at home during the winter and went to no parties.
Ásbjǫrn had a longship. It was a cruiser, with twenty rowing benches, kept in a great boatshed. After Candlemas he had this ship launched and the tackle brought and had the ship rigged. Then he summoned his friends to him and had nearly ninety men all well armed. And when he was ready and there was a favourable wind, then he sailed south down the coast, and they continued their journey and the winds gave them rather slow progress, but as they made their way to the south of the country, then they travelled by the outer route more than the common one when it was possible. Nothing much happened on their journey until they came on the evening of the fifth day of Easter in to Kǫrmt. This place is situated as follows, it is a large island, long and for most of its length not broad, lying by the main sea route on its outside. There is a large settlement there, and many parts of the island are uninhabited, where it lies open to the sea. Ásbjǫrn and his men came to land on the outside of the island, where it is uninhabited. And when they had put up their awnings, then Ásbjǫrn said: ‘Now you are to stay behind here and wait for me, but I shall go up onto the island to look around and see what is going on on the island, for we did not find out anything about it before.’ Ásbjǫrn had on wretched clothes and a hood that hid his face, a staff in his hand, a sword girded on underneath his clothes. He went up ashore and over on the island. And as he got to a certain height, when he could see over to the farm at Ǫgvaldsnes and so on to Karmtsund, then he saw a lot of movement of people both by sea and on land, and these people were all making for the farm at Ǫgvaldsnes. He thought this strange. After that he went up to the farm and towards where servants were preparing food. He could soon hear them and understand what they were saying, which was that King Óláfr was come there to a banquet, and also that the king had sat down to the table. Ásbjǫrn turned then into the reception room, and when he came into the anteroom, there was one man coming out and another going in, and no one took any notice of him. The reception room door was open. He saw that Þórir selr was standing in front of the high seat table. It was now late in the evening. Ásbjǫrn listened to how Þórir was asked about his dealings with Ásbjǫrn and also how Þórir told a long story about it, and Ásbjǫrn thought he gave an obviously unfair account. Then he heard someone say: ‘How did Ásbjǫrn respond when you were clearing out his ship?’ Þórir says: ‘He bore it fairly well, and yet not really well when we cleared the ship, but when we took the sail from him, then he wept.’ And when Ásbjǫrn heard this, then he drew his sword determinedly and swiftly and leapt into the room, immediately striking at Þórir. The blow got him in the back of his neck, his head fell on the table in front of the king, and his body at his feet. The tablecloths were soaked in blood both on the top and underneath. The king spoke, commanding him to be taken hold of, and this was done, Ásbjǫrn was taken prisoner and led out of the room, and then the tableware and cloths were removed and taken away; also Þórir’s body was carried out and everything cleaned up that was bloody. The king was very angry and controlled his words well, as he was always accustomed to do. Skjálgr Erlingsson stood up and went before the king and said this: ‘Now it will be as on other occasions, king, that things will have to be put right when you are involved. I will offer money on behalf of this man so that he may keep life and limb, but you, king, must decide and settle everything else.’ The king says: ‘Is it not a capital offence, Skjálgr, if a man break the Easter peace, and another, that he killed a man in the king’s chamber; a third, that you and your father will think of little account, that he used my feet as his chopping block?’ Skjálgr replies: ‘It is a shame, king, that you are displeased, but otherwise this deed is of the finest. But if you find this deed, king, obnoxious and of great significance, then I trust that I may receive much from you on account of my service. There are many who will say that this would be very appropriate for you to do.’ 
The king says: ‘Although you are very deserving, Skjálgr, yet I am not for your sake going to break the law and lower my royal dignity.’ Skjálgr then turned away and out of the room. Twelve men had been there with Skjálgr, and they all went with him, and many others went away with him. Skjálgr said to Þórarinn Nefjólfsson: ‘If you wish to have my friendship, then make every effort possible to prevent the man being killed before Sunday.’ Then Skjálgr and his men went and got a rowing boat that he had and row south as hard as they could and by dawn reached Jaðarr, went straight up to the farm and to the upper room that Erlingr slept in. Skjálgr ran at the door so that the nails sprang out. At this Erlingr and others that were in there awoke. He was soonest up on his feet and snatched up his shield and sword and ran to the entrance and asked who was going there so impetuously. Skjálgr said who he was and told him to open the door. Erlingr says: ‘I might have known that it would be you if someone was going on so foolishly, but are some men after you?’ Then the door was opened. Then Skjálgr said: ‘I expect, though you think I am going on impetuously, that your kinsman Ásbjǫrn will not think it too fast, as he sits north on Ǫgvaldsnes in irons, and it is more like a man to be going there and helping him.’ Then the father and son had some words together. Skjálgr then tells Erlingr all the circumstances surrounding the killing of Sel-Þórir.
King Óláfr sat down in his seat when everything was put to rights in the room, and he was very angry. He asked what had been done with the killer. He was told that he was kept out on the balcony under guard. The king says: ‘Why is he not killed?’ Þórarinn Nefjólfsson says: ‘Lord, don’t you call it murder to kill men by night?’ Then the king said: ‘Put him in irons and kill him tomorrow.’ Then Ásbjǫrn was fettered and shut up alone in a building for the night. The next day, the king heard morning prayers. Then he went to meetings and sat there until High Mass. Then he went to Mass, and as he was leaving the service, he said to Þórarinn: ‘Will the sun now be high enough for your friend Ásbjǫrn to be able to be hanged?’ Þórarinn said, bowing to the king: ‘Lord, last Friday the bishop said that the king who has power over all things put up with trials of his spirit, and he is blessed, who can rather follow his example than that of those who then sentenced him to death, or that of him who caused his killing. Now it is not long until morning, and then it will be a working day.’ The king looked at him and said: ‘You shall have your way so far, that he shall not be killed today. You shall now take charge of him and guard him, and be sure of this, that you will pay with your life if he gets away by whatever means.’ The king then continued on his way, and Þórarinn went to where Ásbjǫrn was sitting in irons. Þórarinn then had the fetters taken off him and took him to a small room and had him given drink and food, telling him what the king had laid down if Ásbjǫrn ran away. Ásbjǫrn says that Þórarinn need not fear that. Þórarinn stayed there with him for a long time during the day, and he also slept there during the night. On Saturday the king got up and went to morning prayers. Then he went to meetings, and there were large numbers of farmers come there, and they had many cases to bring. The king stayed there for a large part of the day, and High Mass was held rather late. After that the king went to eat, and when he had eaten, he drank for a while, with the tables still standing. Þórarinn went to the priest who was in charge of the church and gave him two ounces of silver to ring for the Sabbath as soon as the king’s tables were taken away. So when the king had been drinking for as long as he thought fit, then the tables were taken away. Then the king spoke, saying that now it was a good idea for slaves to take the slayer and kill him. At that moment the bell rang for the Sabbath. Then Þórarinn went before the king, saying: ‘The man must be spared over the Sabbath, even though he has ill deserved it.’ The king says: ‘You guard him, Þórarinn, so that he doesn’t get away.’ Then the king went to church and attended nones, but Þórarinn again stayed by Ásbjǫrn during the day. On Sunday the bishop went to Ásbjǫrn and heard his confession and gave him permission to hear High Mass. Þórarinn then went to the king and asked him to get men to guard the slayer. ‘I now wish,’ he said, ‘to give up responsibility for his case.’ The king gave him thanks for having taken it. Then he got men to guard Ásbjǫrn. Then he was chained up. And when High Mass was held, then Ásbjǫrn was taken to the church. He stood outside in front of the church together with those who were guarding him. The king and all the people attended Mass.
Now the story must be taken up where earlier we left off, where Erlingr and his son Skjálgr made their plans about this problem, and it was agreed at the urging of Skjálgr and his other sons that they should gather troops and send out a war summons. Then a large troop was soon mustered and took ship, and their number were then counted, and they were nearly fifteen hundred men. They went with these troops and came on the Sunday to Ǫgvaldsnes on Kǫrmt and went up to the farm with their whole troop and arrived just when the Gospel was finished, went straight up to the church and took Ásbjǫrn, breaking off his fetters. And at the sound of this clattering and clashing of weapons then everyone that was previously outside ran into the church, while those who were in the church then looked out, except the king. He stood and did not look round. Erlingr and his men ranged their troops on both sides of the paved road that led from the church to the banqueting hall. Erlingr and his sons stood nearest the hall. And when the whole service had been sung, then the king went straight out of the church. He walked on in front between the ranks of men, and then one after another of his men. When he got back to the doorway of the building, then Erlingr went before the doorway and bowed to the king and greeted him. In reply the king bade God help him. Then Erlingr began his address: ‘I have been told that my kinsman Ásbjǫrn has fallen into a great misdemeanour, and that is bad, king, if it has come about that you are displeased at it. Now I am come in order to offer on his behalf atonement and compensation, as much as you yourself wish to have awarded, and to have in return his life and limbs and right to remain in the country.’ The king replies: ‘It seems to me, Erlingr, as though you must now think you have power over Ásbjǫrn’s fate. I do not know why you pretend that you have to offer compensation for him. I believe that you have brought here an army of men because you intend to have your own way in our dealings.’ Erlingr says: ‘You shall have your way, and make your decision so that we can part in agreement.’ The king said: ‘Are you trying to cow me, Erlingr? Is that why you have a large troop?’ ‘No,’ he says. ‘But if you have something else in mind, I am not going to flee.’ Erlingr says: ‘You have no need to remind me that in our meetings up to now, I have had little military strength against you. But now I shall not conceal from you what I have in mind, that I want us to part in peace, otherwise I expect I shall not risk further meetings between us.’
Erlingr was now red as blood in the face. Then Bishop Sigurðr came forward and spoke to the king: ‘Lord, I bid you under submission for God’s sake, that you settle with Erlingr, in accordance with his offer, so that this man may have safety for life and limb, but you alone shall determine all the terms.’ The king replies: ‘You shall have your way.’ Then said the bishop: ‘Erlingr, give the king such assurances as he wants, and then let Ásbjǫrn accept quarter and be at the king’s mercy.’ Erlingr gave assurances, and the king accepted. Then Ásbjǫrn accepted quarter and put himself at the king’s mercy and kissed the king’s hand. Then Erlingr turned away with his troop. There were no farewells. Then the king went into the hall and Ásbjǫrn with him. Then the king pronounced the terms of atonement, saying as follows: ‘This shall be the beginning of our agreement, Ásbjǫrn, that you shall submit to the law of the land, that a man who kills one in the king’s service shall undertake the same service, if the king wishes. So I wish you to take up the stewardship that Sel-Þórir has had, and be in charge of my residence at Ǫgvaldsnes.’ Ásbjǫrn says that it should be as the king wished. ‘But first I have to go to my home and make arrangements there.’ The king was pleased to accept this. He went on from there to another banquet that had been arranged for him, but Ásbjǫrn set out for home with his companions. They had lain in hidden creeks all the time that Ásbjǫrn was away. They had had intelligence of how things had been going for him, and they did not want to leave before they knew what the outcome was going to be. Then Ásbjǫrn set off and did not stop before the spring and he arrives home to his dwelling in the north. He came to be known as Ásbjǫrn Selsbani. And when Ásbjǫrn had been not long at home, then the kinsmen, he and Þórir hundr , met and speak together. Þórir asks Ásbjǫrn in detail about his journey and all the circumstances surrounding the events there, and Ásbjǫrn told the story of what had happened. Then Þórir says: ‘Then you will be thinking that you have wiped out the disgrace of having been robbed last autumn.’ ‘That is so,’ said Ásbjǫrn. ‘So how does it seem to you, kinsman?’ ‘I can soon tell you,’ said Þórir. ‘The earlier journey that you took to the south of the country was quite disgraceful, and that took some putting right, but this journey has brought shame upon both you and your kinsmen, if it results in you becoming the king’s slave and the equal of the worst of men, Þórir selr. Now behave like a man, and stay rather on your property here. We your kinsmen shall give you support so that you never again get into such a fix.’
Ásbjǫrn thought this looked good, and before he and Þórir parted, this idea was confirmed, that he was to stay at his home and not again go to see the king or into his service, and he did this and stayed at home on his property.
After King Óláfr and Erlingr Skjálgsson had met on Ǫgvaldsnes, the dissension between them arose anew, and increased until it resulted in open hostility between them. In the spring King Óláfr travelled around Hǫrðaland to banquets, and then he went up into Vǫrs, since he had heard that the people there were were not strong in their faith. He held a meeting with farmers at a place called at Vangr. The farmers came there in great numbers and fully armed. The king invited them to accept Christianity, but the farmers invited him to battle in return, and it came to this, that both sides drew up their troops. What happened with the farmers then was that they panicked, and no one would stand in the frontline, and what happened in the end, which was much the best thing for them, was that they submitted to the king and accepted Christianity. The king did not leave the place until it had become fully Christian. It happened one day that the king was riding on his way singing his psalms, and when he came to face these mounds, he stopped and said: ‘These words of mine shall pass from man to man, that I declare it advisable that never again should a king of Norway pass between these mounds.’ It is moreover reported that most kings have avoided this since. Then King Óláfr went out into Ostrarfjǫrðr and came to his ships there, then went north into Sogn and there received banquets during the summer. And when autumn came, he turned inland into the fiord, travelling from there up into Valdres. It had up to this been heathen there. The king rushed as fast as he could up to the lake, taking the farmers by surprise and capturing their ships there, going on board himself with all his troops. Then he sent round a summons to an assembly, and set up the assembly so close to the lake that the king had easy access to ships if he felt he needed them. The farmers attended the assembly with a host of men fully armed. The king preached Christianity to them, but the farmers shouted against it and bade him be silent, immediately making a great racket and clashing of weapons. So when the king saw that they did not want to listen to what he was teaching them, and that besides, that they had a great crowd of men that it was impossible to withstand, then he changed tack, asking them about whether there were any people at the assembly who had suits against each other that they wanted him to settle between them. It soon became apparent in the words of the farmers, that many were in dispute with each other who now had banded together to oppose Christianity. And as soon as the farmers began to put forward their problems, then each of them gathered supporters on their side to push their cases forward. This went on all day. In the evening the assembly broke up. As soon as the farmers had heard that King Óláfr had travelled round Valdres and had reached their area, then they had sent round a war summons and called together freemen and thralls, going with this host against the king, though at that time it was in many places completely uninhabited in the area. The farmers kept together when the assembly broke up. The king knew about this. And when he got to his ships, then he had them rowed across the lake during the night. There he got his men to go up into the settlement, having everything there burned and plundered. Later on that day they rowed from one ness to another. The king had the whole settlement burned. And the farmers that were gathered together, when they saw the smoke and flames from their farms, then they scattered from their assemblage. Then everyone set off and made for home to see if they could find their households. And when the host started to break up, then one after another left until they were all scattered into small groups. But the king rowed across the lake and then burned on the shore both sides. The farmers then came to him and begged for mercy, offering their submission. He gave every man quarter who came to him and asked it, and their property. Then no one spoke against Christianity. The king then had the people baptised and took hostages from the farmers. The king stayed there a long time during the autumn, having had the ships dragged across the isthmus between the lakes. The king travelled little through the land higher up from the lakes, for he did not trust the farmers. He had churches built and consecrated there and installed clergy. But when the king thought frosts were likely, then he made his way up inland, coming out then in Þótn. Arnórr jarlaskáld speaks of this, how King Óláfr carried out burnings in Upplǫnd, when he composed about his brother Haraldr:
Following his family’s fashion, the king burnt houses of Upplendingar; that people paid for the prince’s wrath, of men foremost. Mighty men were not willing to mind the glorious victor—the king’s foes gained the gallows— they had got into trouble before this. 
Afterwards King Óláfr travelled north through the Dales all the way to the mountain and did not stop until he got to Þrándheimr and right to Niðaróss, living there for his winter quarters and staying there throughout the winter. This was the tenth winter of his reign as king. The previous summer Einarr þambarskelfir travelled out of the country, going first west to England, meeting there his father-in-law Jarl Hákon, staying there with him for a while. Then Einarr went to see King Knútr and received great gifts from him. After that Einarr travelled south over the sea and right to the City of Rome, returning the next summer, going then to his estates. He and King Óláfr did not meet at this time.
There was a woman called Álfhildr, who was referred to as the king’s concubine. She was, however, descended from good families. She was the most beautiful of women. She was in the king’s household. And that spring it came about that Álfhildr was with child, and people in the king’s confidence knew that he must be the father of the child. It happened one night that Álfhildr was taken ill. There were few people present there, some women and a priest and Sigvatr skáld and a few others. Álfhildr was very poorly, and she came to be close to death. She gave birth to a boy child, and for a while it was the case that they did not know for certain   whether there was any life in the child. But when the child began to breathe, and very weakly, then the priest told Sigvatr to tell the king. He replies: ‘I dare on no account to wake the king up, for he has forbidden anyone to interrupt his sleep for him until he wakes of his own accord.’ The priest replies: ‘It is now essential for this child to receive baptism. It seems to me to be very unlikely to live.’ Sigvatr said: ‘I would rather dare to take it upon myself, that you baptise the child, than that I should wake the king, and I will bear the blame and give it a name.’ They did so, baptising the child and calling him Magnús. The next morning, when the king was awake and dressed, he was told all that had happened. Then the king had Sigvatr called to him. The king said: ‘Why were you so bold as to have my child baptised before I knew about it?’ Sigvatr replies: ‘For this reason, that I had rather give God two people than one to the devil.’ 
The king said: ‘How should that have been involved?’ Sigvatr replies: ‘The child was at the point of death, and it would have been the devil’s man if it died a heathen, but now it would be God’s man. Moreover, I knew that although you would be angry with me, it would involve no more than my life, but if you desire that I lose that for this offence, then I trust that I would be God’s man.’ The king said: ‘Why did you have the boy called Magnús? That is not the name of any in our family.’ Sigvatr replies: ‘I called him after King Karla-Magnús. I knew that he was the best man in the world.’ Then the king said: ‘You are a very lucky man, Sigvatr. It is not surprising when luck goes with wisdom. The opposite is unusual, which can sometimes happen, that such luck is found in unwise people, so that unwise undertakings turn out fortunately.’ The king was then very pleased. The boy grew up and soon became promising as he increased in age.
That same spring King Óláfr transferred to Ásmundr Grankelsson stewardship in Hálogaland in half shares with Hárekr on Þjótta, though the latter had previously held it all, partly as a grant, and partly as a fief. Ásmundr had a light ship with nearly thirty men on it well armed. And when Ásmundr came north, then he and Hárekr met. Ásmundr tells him how the king had organised the stewardship, showing the king’s authorisation. Hárekr says this, that it was up to the king who should have the stewardship. ‘And yet previous rulers have not acted thus, diminishing our rights, who have a hereditary claim on power, to receive it from kings, but handing it over to sons of farmers who have not previously had control of it.’ But though it was apparent in Hárekr that he found this against his inclination, still he let Ásmundr take over the stewardship, in accordance with the king’s message. Then Ásmundr went back home to his father’s, staying there a short time, after that going to his stewardship north in Hálogaland. But when he got north to Langey, then there were two brothers living there. One was called Gunnsteinn, the other Karli. They were wealthy men and highly respected. Gunnsteinn was active in managing the farm and the elder of the brothers; Karli was handsome in appearance and a very showy man, but both of them were accomplished men in various ways. Ásmundr was received well there and stayed there a while, collecting from the district whatever was available. Karli spoke of this with Ásmundr, that he wanted to travel south with him to see King Óláfr and ask to join his following. Ásmundr encouraged this idea and promised his support with the king, so that Karli might achieve the boon he was seeking. Karli then joined company with Ásmundr. Ásmundr heard that Ásbjǫrn Selsbani had gone south to Vágastefna and had a cargo ship that he owned, with nearly twenty men on it and he was now expected back from the south. Ásmundr and Karli made their way south along the coast and met headwinds, though they were not strong. Ships sailed towards them on their way from Vágafloti. They made confidential enquiries about Ásbjǫrn’s movements. They were told that he must be on his way from the south. Ásmundr and Karli were bedfellows, and they were very close friends. It happened one day, when Ásmundr and Karli were rowing on through a certain sound, then a cargo ship sailed towards them. This ship was easily recognisable. It had brightly coloured bows, painted with white paint and red. They had a sail with coloured stripes. Then Karli said to Ásmundr: ‘You are often saying that you are very curious to see this Ásbjǫrn Selsbani. I am no good at recognising ships if it is not he sailing there.’ Ásmundr replies: ‘Be so kind, comrade, as to tell me if you recognise him.’ Then the ships passed each other, and Karli said: ‘There is Selsbani, sitting by the helm in a dark tunic.’ Ásmundr replies: ‘I shall give him a red tunic.’ Ásmundr shot a spear at Ásbjǫrn Selsbani and it hit him in the middle of his body, flew through him so that it stuck fast on into the headboard. Ásbjǫrn fell dead from the tiller. After that each ship continued on its course. They took Ásbjǫrn’s body north to Þrándarnes. Sigríðr had Þórir hundr sent for from Bjarkey. He arrived when Ásbjǫrn’s body had been laid out in accordance with their custom. And when they were leaving, Sigríðr chose her friends presents. She accompanied Þórir to his ship, but before they parted, she said: ‘This is how it is now, Þórir, that my son Ásbjǫrn used to follow your kindly counsels. Now his life has not lasted long enough for him to repay that as it deserved. Now although I be less able to do so than he would have been, yet I shall do my best. Now here is a gift that I am going to give you, and I would like it to be of some service to you.’ It was a spear. ‘Here is now the spear that was stuck through my son Ásbjǫrn, and there is still blood on it. You will therefore be well able to remember that it will match the wound that you have seen in your brother’s son Ásbjǫrn. It would now be a fine thing for you if you were only to let this spear go from your grasp when it sticks in Óláfr digri’s breast. Now I make this pronouncement,’ she says, ‘that everyone may judge you base if you fail to avenge Ásbjǫrn.’
Then she turned to go. Þórir was so angry at her words that he could make no reply, and he did not think to let go of the spear, and he did not notice the gangplank, and he would have walked into the water if his men had not taken hold of him and steadied him as he went aboard his ship. It was an inlaid spear, not all that big, and the socket was inlaid with gold. Þórir and his men then rowed away and back to Bjarkey. Ásmundr and his companion continued on their way until they came south to Þrándheimr and got to see King Óláfr. Then Ásmundr told the king what had happened during his travels. Karli became a member of the king’s following. He and Ásmundr continued good friends. But the exchange of words that had taken place between Ásmundr and Karli before the slaying of Ásbjǫrn came about, this did not remain a secret, because they themselves told the king about it. But in this it proved, as they say, that everyone has a friend among his enemies. There were some there who kept these things alive in their memory, and as a result they came to the ears of Þórir hundr.
King Óláfr got ready in the spring, towards its end, and prepared his ships. After that in the summer he went south along the coast, having meetings with the farmers, settling people’s disputes and reforming the religion of the country, also receiving royal dues wherever he went. In the autumn the king got all the way east to the land’s end. King Óláfr had now Christianised the country, wherever there were large settlements. He had also now drawn up laws all over the country. He had now also made Orkney subject to himself, as was told above. He had also had contact and made himself many friends in both Iceland and Greenland and also in the Faeroes. King Óláfr had sent to Iceland timber for a church, and this church was built at Þingvǫllr, where the Alþingi is. At the same time he sent a great bell, which is still there. This was after the Icelanders had altered their laws, and established Christian law in accordance with what King Óláfr had prescribed for them. After this many men of note left Iceland who entered the service of King Óláfr. Among them were Þorkell Eyjólfsson, Þorleikr Bollason, Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Þórðr Barkarson, Þorgeirr Hávararson, Þormóðr Kolbrúnarskáld. King Óláfr had sent friendly gifts to many leading men in Iceland, and they sent him such things as were available there and they hoped that he would most like to have sent him. But beneath these tokens of friendship that the king gave to Iceland there lay other things that later became apparent.
That summer King Óláfr sent Þórarinn Nefjólfsson to Iceland on business of his, and Þórarinn took his ship out from Þrándheimr at the same time as the king left, and accompanied him south to Mœrr. Then Þórarinn sailed out to sea and got such a fast favourable wind that in eight sailing shifts he sailed as far as reaching Eyrar in Iceland, went straight to the Alþingi and got there when people were at the Law Rock, going straight to the Law Rock. And when people had delivered their legal proceedings there, then Þórarinn Nefjólfsson began to speak: ‘Four nights since I parted from King Óláfr Haraldsson. He sent greetings to this land to all the leading men and rulers of the country and as well to all the population of men and women, young and old, rich and poor, from God and himself, adding that he wishes to be your lord, if you are willing to be his subjects, and each to be friends of the other and supporters in all good enterprises.’ People responded well to his speech. Everyone said they would gladly be friends of the king, if he would be a friend of the people of this country. Then Þórarinn began to speak: ‘This comes with the king’s greeting, that he would like to request in friendship from the people of the north of the country, that they give him an island or outlying skerry that lies off Eyjafjǫrðr, that is known as Grímsey, wishing to offer in return whatever goods from his own country people may want to tell him about, and sent word to Guðmundr of Mǫðruvellir to facilitate this business, since he has heard that Guðmundr has most say there.’ Guðmundr replies: ‘I am keen to have King Óláfr’s friendship, and I consider that much more to my advantage than the outlying skerry that he asks for. But yet the king has not been correctly informed that I have more power over it than others, for it has now been made public land. We shall now have a meeting about it between ourselves, the people who have most profit from the island.’ Afterwards people went to their booths. After this the people of Northern Iceland hold a meeting among themselves and discuss this business. Everyone put forward whatever their views were. Guðmundr was a supporter of the proposal, and many others sided with him. Then people asked why his brother Einarr had nothing to say about it. ‘We feel he,’ they say, ‘can see most clearly about most things.’ Then Einarr replies: ‘The reason I have had little to say about this business is that no one has called upon me to speak about it. But if I am to give my opinion, then I think that the course for us dwellers in this land is not to submit here to the taxes paid to King Óláfr and all the burdens such as he has imposed on people in Norway. And we shall be causing this deprivation of freedom not only to ourselves, rather both to ourselves and our sons and all our families that inhabit this land, and this bondage will never go away or disappear from this land. So though this king may be a good man, as I firmly trust that he is, yet it will happen from now on as it has before now, when there is a change of ruler, that they turn out differently, some well, some badly. But if the people of this country wish to keep their freedom, which they have had since this land was settled, then it will be best to grant the king no foothold on it, either in possession of land here or by payment from here of specific taxes which may be interpreted as acknowledgement of allegiance. But this I declare to be quite proper, that people should send the king friendly gifts, those who wish to, hawks or horses, hangings or sails or other such things that are suitable to send. It is making good use of these things, if they are rewarded by friendship. But as for Grímsey, there is this to say, if nothing is transported from there that can be used as food, then a host of men could be maintained there. And if a foreign army is there and they come from there with longships, then I think many a cottager would feel that oppression was at hand.’ And when Einarr had said this and mentioned all the possible outcomes, then all the people were converted to the one opinion, that this must not be granted. Þórarinn saw then what the outcome of his errand on this business would be.
The next day Þórarinn went to the Law Rock and then gave another speech, beginning thus: ‘King Óláfr sent word to his friends here in this country, mentioning particularly Guðmundr Eyjólfsson, Snorri goði, Þorkell Eyjólfsson, Lawspeaker Skapti, Þorsteinn Hallsson. He sent you a message about this, that you were to go to see him and get there offers of friendship. He said this, that you were not to fail to carry out this journey if you were concerned about his friendship.’ They replied to this speech, thanking the king for his offer, saying that they would inform Þórarinn later about their journeys when they had thought about it themselves and consulted with their friends. So when these prominent men started to discuss it between themselves, then each put forward his views about this journey. Snorri goði and and Skapti spoke against running the risk with the Norwegians of all those who had most power in the country leaving Iceland together to go there. They said that they felt that what seemed most suspicious in this message was, as Einarr had said, that the king might be planning some extortion on the Icelanders if he had his way. Guðmundr and Þorkell Eyjólfsson were very keen to act in accordance with the king’s message, declaring that it would be a very honourable undertaking. And as they debated this matter between themselves, then the main decision they came to was that they should not go themselves, but each of them should appoint a person that he thought most suitable on his behalf, and they parted at that assembly leaving matters thus, and there were no journeys abroad that summer. But Þórarinn travelled out and back the same summer and came in the autumn to see King Óláfr and told him the result of his mission, such as it was, saying also that the leaders would come from Iceland, in accordance with the message he had sent, or else their sons.
That same summer there came in from the Faeroes to Norway in response to a message from King Óláfr Lawspeaker Gilli, Leifr Ǫzurarson, Þórálfr of Dímon and many other farmers’ sons. But Þrándr in Gata got ready to go, and when he was nearly ready, then he suffered a stroke, so that he was unable to go anywhere, and he had to stay behind. And when the Faeroese people came to see King Óláfr, then he called them to have a talk and held a meeting with them.Then he brought up the business that lay behind their travels, telling them that he wished to receive taxes from the Faeroes, and also that the Faeroese were to have the laws that King Óláfr instituted for them. And at this meeting it was clear from what the king said that he was going to take assurances for these matters from the Faeroese people that were come there about whether they were willing to confirm this agreement with oaths, inviting the men whom he thought were most distinguished to become his men and receive from him honours and friendship. But the Faeroese felt suspicious about the king’s words, as to how their affairs would turn out if they were unwilling to agree to everything that the king asked of them. But although there had to be further meetings arranged about this business before it was concluded, still everything was put into effect that the king asked. They became subject to the king and became his men, Leifr and Gilli and Þórálfr, while the whole party gave sworn promises to King Óláfr to uphold in the Faeroes the laws and regulations that he established for them, and payment of the taxes that he determined. After that these Faeroese got ready to return home. And at parting the king gave friendly gifts to those who had become his men. They went on their way when they were ready. And the king had a ship fitted out and got a crew for it and sent men to the Faeroes to collect the taxes there that the Faeroese were to pay him. They took some time to get ready, and of their journey there is this to say, that they do not return nor do any taxes either the summer next following, because they never reached the Faeroes. No one there had collected any taxes.
In the autumn King Óláfr went in to the Vík and sent word on his behalf to Upplǫnd, to have banquets ordered, and he made plans to travel round Upplǫnd during the winter. Then he set out on the journey and went to Upplǫnd. King Óláfr stayed the winter in Upplǫnd, going to banquets there and putting right those things that he thought in need of improvement, then reforming Christianity again there where he thought it necessary. It came about, when the king was in Heiðmǫrk, that Ketill kálfr of Hringunes made a proposal of marriage. He asked for Sigurðr sýr’s and Ásta’s daughter Gunnhildr. Gunnhildr was King Óláfr’s sister. The king was responsible for replying to this proposal and the arrangements for the match. He received it welcomingly. This was because he knew about Ketill, that he was of noble family and wealthy, a sensible man, a great leader. He had also for a long time before this been a great friend of King Óláfr, as has been told above. All this resulted in the king granting this match to Ketill. It was brought about that Ketill married Gunnhildr. King Óláfr was present at the banquet. King Óláfr travelled north to Guðbrandsdalar, receiving banquets there. A man lived there who was called Þórðr Gothormsson, at the farm called at Steig. Þórðr was the most powerful person in the northern part of Dalar. And when he and the king met, then Þórðr made a proposal of marriage, asking for King Óláfr’s mother’s sister Ísríðr Guðbrandsdóttir. The king was responsible for replying to this proposal. And when they had sat considering this matter, then it was decided that the match should be agreed, and Þórðr married Ísríðr. He afterwards became a sincere friend of King Óláfr and so did many other kinsmen and friends of Þórðr who followed his example. King Óláfr then went back south over Þótn and Haðaland, then to Hringaríki and from there out to the Vík. In the spring he went to Túnsberg and stayed there for a long time while the market and import of goods was busiest. He then had his ships fitted out and kept with him a large number of men.
That summer there came from Iceland in response to King Óláfr’s message Lawspeaker Skapti’s son Steinn, Snorri goði’s son Þóroddr, Þorkell’s son Gellir, Síðu-Hallr’s son and Þorsteinn’s brother Egill. Guðmundr Eyjólfsson had died the winter before. These Icelandic men went to see King Óláfr as soon as they could manage it. And when they met the king, they got a good reception there and they all stayed with him. That same summer King Óláfr learned that the ship had disappeared, the one he had sent to the Faeroes for taxes the previous summer, and it had nowhere reached land, as far as was known. The king provided another ship and men with it and sent it to the Faeroes for taxes. These men went and set out to sea, but after that nothing was heard of them any more than of the previous ones. And there were many theories about what must have happened to these ships.
Knútr inn ríki, whom some people call the old Knútr, he was king at this time over England and over the Danish realm. Knútr ríki was Sveinn tjúguskegg Haraldsson’s son. They and their forebears had long ruled over Denmark. Knútr’s grandfather Haraldr Gormsson had got Norway after the fall of Haraldr Gunnhildarson and taken taxes from it, placing Jarl Hákon inn ríki in charge of it. Haraldr’s son King Sveinn of the Danes also ruled over Norway and put in charge over it Jarl Eiríkr Hákonarson. He and his brother Sveinn Hákonarson then ruled the country until Jarl Eiríkr went west to England in response to a message from his brother-in-law Knútr inn ríki, leaving behind to rule in Norway his son and Knútr inn ríki’s sister’s son Jarl Hákon. But after Óláfr digri came to Norway, then he first captured Jarl Hákon and deposed him from rule, as is written above. Then Hákon went to his mother’s brother Knútr, and had afterwards been staying with him all the time until this point in the story. Knútr inn ríki had won England through battles and fought to gain it and had a long struggle before the people of the country had submitted to him. But when he felt he had got to be in control of that country, then he called to mind what he felt he possessed in the country that he himself had no control of, that was in Norway. He felt he had a hereditary right to the whole of Norway, but his sister’s son Hákon thought it was partly his, and moreover he felt he had lost it disgracefully. One reason why Knútr and Hákon had made no move to lay claim to Norway was primarily that when Óláfr Haraldsson came to the country, all the common people and multitudes rose up and would hear of nothing other than that Óláfr should be king over the whole land. But then afterwards, when people felt they had lost their freedom through his rule, then some decided to leave the country. Very many of the powerful men went to see King Knútr, and also powerful farmers’ sons, under various pretexts. But each of them that came to see King Knútr wanting to join with him, they all got from him their hands full of money. Much more splendour was to be seen there too than in other places, both in the large numbers that were there daily and the other appointments that were there in the apartments that he possessed and occupied himself. Knútr inn ríki took taxes and dues from the countries that were richest in the Northern lands, and to the whole extent that he had the right to take more than other kings, he also gave all the more than every other king. In his whole realm there was such stable peace that no one dared to disturb it, and the people of the countries had peace and the ancient laws of their country. From all this he gained great renown throughout all lands. But those who came from Norway many of them complained of their lack of freedom and spoke of it to Jarl Hákon, and some of them to the king himself, saying that the people of Norway would now be ready to return to allegiance to King Knútr and the jarl and receive from them their freedom. Such talk was much to the jarl’s liking, and he put it before the king, asking him to try and find out whether King Óláfr would be willing to give up his rule to them or to share it under some agreement. In this many supporters sided with the jarl.
Knútr inn ríki sent men from the west from England to Norway, and their journey was equipped very splendidly. They had a letter and the seal of King Knútr of the English. They came to see King Óláfr Haraldsson of Norway in the spring in Túnsberg. And when the king was told that an embassy of Knútr inn ríki was come, then he was annoyed at it, saying that Knútr could send no men there with such messages as would be advantageous to him or his men, and for a few days the embassy did not get to see the king. But when they got leave to speak with him, then they went before the king and brought out King Knútr’s letters and announce the message that came with it, that King Knútr declares his possession of all Norway, and claims that his forebears have held that realm before him. But because King Knútr wants to bring peace to all lands, he does not want to invade Norway with an army if there is an alternative. But if King Óláfr Haraldsson wants to be king over Norway, then let him come to see King Knútr and receive the land from him as a fief and become his man and pay him taxes, such as jarls have done in the past. Then they presented letters, and they said all the same thing. Then King Óláfr replies: ‘I have heard it said in ancient accounts, that King Gormr of the Danes was considered to be a worthy national king, and he ruled over just Denmark. But these kings of the Danes that we have had since find that is not enough. It has now come about that Knútr rules over Denmark and over England, and he has now even made subject to himself a large part of Scotland. Now he is laying claim to my patrimony from me. He must in the end learn moderation for his greed. Or can it be his intention to become sole ruler over all the Northern lands? Or does he plan to eat all the cabbage in England on his own? He will be able to achieve that sooner than I will offer him my head or any sort of homage. You shall now tell him what I say, that I will defend Norway with point and edge, as long as my life lasts, and moreover pay no man taxes from my realm.’ After this decisive answer King Knútr’s embassy began to set off for home, and were not pleased with the result of their errand. The poet Sigvatr had been with King Knútr, and King Knútr gave him a gold ring that weighed half a mark. Also there at that time with King Knútr was Bersi Skáld-Torfuson, and King Knútr gave him two gold rings, each one weighing half a mark, and an ornamented sword as well. So said Sigvatr:
Knútr the fine, most famous Knútr the fine, most famous embellished the arms of both of us, Bear-cub, when we met the ruler. In many ways wise, a mark or more of gold he gave you, and a sharp sword; God himself decides all; to me a half-mark.
Sigvatr had a talk with King Knútr’s embassy and asked them about all kinds of news. They told him whatever he asked, about their interview with King Óláfr and also about the conclusion of their mission. They say that he received their business with great hostility. ‘And we do not know,’ they say, ‘why he dares to refuse to become King Knútr’s man and go to see him. And that would be his best course, for King Knútr is so kindly that men of rank never offend him so greatly that he does not forgive it all when they go to see him and pay homage to him. It happened a little while ago that two kings came to him from the north, from Fife in Scotland, and he gave up his anger with them, and gave up to them all the lands that they had had earlier, and great friendly gifts as well.’ Then said Sigvatr:
To Knútr outstanding kings have carried their heads out of the north, from Fife’s centre, the forfeit of peace paying. ·leifr never yielded— he often won victory— the Stout, his skull to any soul in this world in that way.
King Knútr’s embassy went on their way home, and they had a good journey across the sea. After that they went to see King Knútr and told him the outcome of their mission, and also the final words that King Óláfr spoke to them last. King Knútr replies: ‘King Óláfr is mistaken if he thinks that I would want to eat all the cabbage in England on my own. I would rather wish him to discover that I have more beneath my ribs than just cabbage, for from now on shall cold counsels issue for him from under every rib.’ That same summer there came from Norway to King Knútr Erlingr of Jaðarr’s sons Áslákr and Skjálgr, and they got a good welcome there, for Áslákr was married to Jarl Sveinn Hákonarson’s daughter Sigríðr. She and Jarl Hákon Eiríksson were cousins. King Knútr gave the brothers great banquets there with him.
King Óláfr summoned to him his landed men and mustered a large number of men in the summer, for the word was going around that Knútr inn ríki would be travelling from the west in the summer. People thought they had understood from trading ships that were coming from the west that Knútr must be collecting together a large army in England. But as the summer drew to a close, then one person would assert, while another denied, that an army would come. But King Óláfr spent the summer in the Vík and had men on the lookout for King Knútr coming to Denmark. King Óláfr sent men in the autumn east to Svíþjóð to see his brother-in-law King Ǫnundr, and had him told about King Knútr’s embassy and the claim that he had made against King Óláfr about Norway, saying also that he thought that if Knútr subjected Norway to himself, Ǫnundr would not possess the Swedish realm in peace for long after that, and maintained it was advisable for them to join forces and rise against him, saying that they did not lack the power to contend with King Knútr. King Ǫnundr welcomed King Óláfr’s communication, and sent these words in reply, that he is willing to make an alliance on his part with King Óláfr so that each may give support to the other from his own kingdom, whichever is the first to need it. This was also in messages between them, that they were to meet and make their plans. King Ǫnundr was planning to go the following winter over Vestra-Gautland, but King Óláfr was preparing himself winter quarters in Sarpsborg. Knútr inn ríki came that autumn to Denmark and stayed there over the winter with very large numbers of men. He was told that men and messages had passed between the king of Norway and the king of the Svíar, and that plans for some great undertaking must underlie them. King Knútr sent men during the winter to Svíþjóð to see King Ǫnundr, sending him great gifts and words of friendship, saying this, that he might as well not get involved in the disputes between himself and Óláfr digri. ‘For King Ǫnundr,’ he says, ‘and his realm shall be in peace as far as I am concerned.’ But when the messengers came to see King Ǫnundr, then they brought out the gifts that King Knútr was sending him together with his friendship. King Ǫnundr received these speeches with no alacrity, and the messengers felt they could see by this that King Ǫnundr must be very inclined to friendship with King Óláfr. They went back and tell King Knútr the outcome of their errand and this too, that they told him to expect no friendship from King Ǫnundr.
King Óláfr stayed that winter in Sarpsborg and had large numbers of men with him. Then he sent Karli the Hálogalander to the north of the country on his business. Karli went first to Upplǫnd, then north over the mountain, coming out in Niðaróss, receiving there the king’s money, as much as he had sent a request for, and a fine ship, that he thought would be very suitable for the journey that the king had planned, and that was to go north to Bjarmaland. What was planned was that Karli should be in partnership with the king and they each should have a half share of the money. Karli took the ship north to Hálogaland early in the spring. His brother Gunnsteinn joined with him on the journey, and took with him goods for trading. They were nearly twenty-five men on the ship, setting out straight away early in the spring north to the Mǫrk. Þórir hundr heard about this. He then sent men with a message to the brothers, saying this, that he was planning to go to Bjarmaland in the summer, and he wished them to sail together and share equally what they got in the way of gains. Karli and Gunnsteinn sent word in reply that Þórir should take twenty-five men, the same as they had. They then wished that of the wealth that came their way, an equal division should be made between the ships, apart from the trading goods that individuals possessed. But when Þórir’s messengers returned, he had now launched a huge cargo-carrying longship that he owned, and had had it fitted out. He manned this ship with his house servants, and there were on the ship nearly eighty men. Þórir was solely in charge of this troop, and thus of all the proceeds that came of this expedition. And when Þórir was ready he took his ship north along the coast and met Karli’s party north in Sandver. After that they all travelled together, and the winds were favourable. Gunnsteinn spoke to his brother Karli, when they met Þórir, that he felt Þórir had far too many men. ‘And I think,’ he says, ‘that it would be more advisable for us to turn back, and not travel in such a way that Þórir could do what he likes with us, for I greatly mistrust him.’ Karli says: ‘I don’t want to turn back, though it is true that if I had known, when we were back on Langey, that Þórir hundr was going to join us on the expedition with such a large troop as he has, we would have brought more men with us.’ The brothers discussed this with Þórir, asking what it meant, him having many more men with him than had been specified between them. He answers thus: ‘We have a large ship that needs a large crew. It seems to me that on such dangerous expeditions one can’t have too many good fellows.’ They sailed in the summer mostly on well frequented routes. When the wind was light, the ship with Karli’s party sailed faster, and they then got away, but when it was windier, Þórir’s party caught up. They were seldom all together, and yet each always knew where the other was. And when they got to Bjarmaland, then they made their way to a market town. Then trading began. All the men who had money to spend got full value for their money. Þórir got a huge number of grey furs and beaver and sable skins. Karli also had a very great deal of money, with which he bought many fur goods. And when the market there was over, then they made out along the River Dvina. Then the truce with the natives was declared at an end. So when they get out to the open sea, then they hold a meeting of the crews. Þórir asks if people are minded at all to go up ashore and get themselves some wealth. People replied that they were keen on this if there were easy pickings to be got. Þórir says that wealth was to be got if their venture turned out well. ‘But it is not unlikely that there will be danger to life in the trip.’ They all said that they would have a go if there was a prospect of wealth. Þórir says that the arrangements were, when wealthy men died, that the movable goods should be divided between the dead man and his heirs. He should have half or a third, but sometimes less. That wealth was to be carried out into the forests, sometimes into a mound, and covered with earth. Sometimes buildings were built over it. He says that they should be ready for the expedition in the evening of that day. This was agreed, that no one was to run away from the others, and no one was to be left behind when the captains said that they were to leave. They left men behind to guard the ships while they went up ashore. First there were flat fields, after that a great forest. Þórir went ahead of the brothers Karli and Gunnsteinn. Þórir told the men to go silently. ‘And strip bark off trees, so that each tree can be seen from the next.’ They came out into a large clearing, and in the clearing there was a high fence, with an entrance to it that was locked. There were six men of the local people that had to watch over the enclosure every night, each pair for a third of the night at a time. When Þórir and his men got to the fence, the watchmen were gone home, and those who were supposed to be on the watch next were not come to their post. Þórir went to the fence and hooked his axe up onto it, hauling himself up after it, thus getting in over the fence on one side of the entrance. Karli had now also got over the fence the other side of the entrance. They reached the entrance at the same time, then took away the bar and opened the gate. Then men went in to the enclosure. Þórir said: ‘Inside this enclosure is a mound, with gold, silver and earth all mixed together in it. Men are to attack it. But inside the enclosure stands the god of the Bjarmar, who is called Jómali. Let no one be so bold as to plunder him.’ After that they went to the mound and took the wealth, as much as they could, carrying it in their clothes. There was a great deal of earth with it, as was to be expected. Then Þórir said that the men should depart. He says this: ‘Now you two brothers, Karli and Gunnsteinn, are to go in front, and I will follow last.’ They all then turned to go out to the gate. Þórir went back to Jómali and took a silver bowl that was standing on his lap. It was full of silver coins. He poured the silver into the skirts of his tunic and drew the handle that was on top of the bowl onto his arm, going then out to the gate. The whole company were then come out of the enclosure, then realised that Þórir had stayed behind. Karli turned back to look for him, and they met inside the gate. Karli saw that Þórir had the silver bowl there. Then Karli ran to the Jómali. He saw there was a thick necklace on his neck. Karli swung his axe and struck the band that the necklace was fastened with on the back of his neck in two. The blow was so heavy that Jómali’s head flew off. There was then such a loud crash they were all amazed at it. Karli took the necklace. Then they went away. But as soon as the crash had happened, the watchmen came out into the enclosure and immediately blew their horns. Next they heard the sound of horns coming from all directions. Then they made their way forward to the forest and into the forest, hearing from behind in the clearing shouting and calling. The Bjarmar were come there. Þórir hundr was going in the rear of all the men of his troop. Two men went in front of him holding a sack in front of him. In it was what looked most like ashes. Þórir put his hand into it and scattered it behind in their tracks, sometimes throwing it forward over the troops, carrying on like that on out of the forest onto the fields. They could hear the army of Bjarmar coming after them with shouting and horrible bellowing. Then they rushed out of the forest after them and so on both sides of them, but neither the Bjarmar nor their weapons ever got so close to them as to do them any injury. But they discovered that the Bjarmar could not see them. And when they got to the ships, then Karli and his men went on board first, for they were ahead before, while Þórir was furthest inland. As soon as Karli and his party got onto their ship, they threw off the awnings and and cast off the cables. After that they hoisted their sail. The ship soon went out into the open sea. But Þórir’s party got on slower with everything. Their ship was less easy to manage. And when they started on their sail, by then Karli and his party had got far away from land.They then both sailed across Gandvík. It was still light by night. They then sailed both nights and days, right on until Karli and his party late one day came to land on some islands, lowered the sail and cast anchors and waited there for the tide to ebb, as there was a great tide race before them. Then Þórir and his party come up behind them. They also cast anchor. Then they launched a boat. Þórir went aboard it and some men with him, and they rowed then to Karli’s party’s ship. Þórir went aboard the ship. The brothers welcomed him. Þórir asked Karli to give him the necklace. ‘I think I am the most proper person to have the valuable items that were taken there, because I felt you all benefited from my help so that our escape took place without any danger to our lives. But I thought you, Karli, were taking us towards the greatest disaster.’ Then says Karli: ‘King Óláfr owns a half share in everything I gain on this expedition. Now I intend the necklace for him. Go and see him, if you wish, it may then be that he will give you the necklace, if he does not want to keep it on account of the fact that it was I that took it from the Jómali.’ Then Þórir replies and says that he wants them to go up on the island and share out their booty. Gunnsteinn says that now the tide was turning and it must be time to sail. After that they haul up their anchor cables. And when Þórir saw that, he went down into his boat. They rowed to their ship. Karli and his party had by then hoisted their sail and were well on their way before Þórir’s party had got their sail up. They then continued thus, with Karli’s party sailing always ahead, and both parties making every effort they could. Thus they went on until they got to Geirsver. There one finds the landing stage first when approaching from the north. Both of them arrived not before late in the day and sailed into harbour there at the landing stage. Þórir’s party lay in the inner part of the harbour, while Karli’s party were in the outer part of the harbour. And when Þórir’s party had spread their awnings, then he went up ashore and a very large number of men with him. They went to Karli’s ship. They had by then settled in. Þórir called out to the ship and told the captains to go ashore. The brothers went ashore and some men with them. Then Þórir started raising the same matters as before, asking them to go ashore and bring the wealth that they had taken as spoils of war to be shared out. The brothers said that there was no need for that until they got back home. Þórir says that it was not the custom not to share out the spoils of war before they were at home and thus be at the mercy of people’s honesty. They spoke some words about this, each stuck to his own opinion. Then Þórir went off. And when he had got a short distance, then he turned round and told his men to wait there. He calls to Karli: ‘I want to speak with you in private,’ he says. Karli walked towards him. And when they met, Þórir thrust his spear at him in the middle of his body so that it stuck through him. Then Þórir said: ‘Here you can find out, Karli, what one Bjarkey man is like. I thought, too, that you should find out about the spear Seal’s Avenger.’ Karli died immediately, but Þórir and his men went back to their ship. Gunnsteinn and his men saw Karli fall. They ran up straight away and took the body, carried it to their ship, took down their awnings and gangplanks and made out away from land. Then they hoisted sail and went on their way. Þórir and his men saw this, then they threw off their awnings and set off as hastily as they could. But while they were hoisting their sail, then the mainstay snapped. The sail went down athwart the ship. This greatly delayed Þórir and his men until they managed to get the sail up a second time. Gunnsteinn and his party had now got a long way by the time Þórir’s ship got under weigh. Þórir’s party did both, sailed and rowed under sail. Gunnsteinn’s party did the same. They both then went as furiously as they could day and night. They drew together slowly, since as soon as they got to the straits between the islands, then it was easier to manoeuvre Gunnsteinn’s ship. And yet Þórir’s party gained on them, so that by the time Gunnsteinn’s party came off Lengjuvík, turning into the shore there and leaping off the ship and up inland, it was only a little later that Þórir’s party got there, leaping up after them and chasing them. A certain woman managed to help Gunnsteinn and hide him, and they say that she was very skilled in magic. And Þórir and his party went back to their ship, took all the wealth that was on Gunnsteinn’s ship, put stones in its place, took the ship out into the fiord, struck holes in it and sank it. After that Þórir’s party went back to Bjarkey. Gunnsteinn’s party went at first very much under cover, travelling on small boats, moving by night but lying low during the day, going on until they got past Bjarkey and right on until they got out of Þórir’s stewardship area. Gunnsteinn first went home to Langey and stayed there a short while. Then he went straight away right the way south. He did not stop until he got south to Þrándheimr and there got to see King Óláfr, telling him the news of what had happened on the Bjarmaland expedition. The king was displeased about their expedition, but invited Gunnsteinn to stay with him, saying that he would redress Gunnsteinn’s position as soon as he could manage it. Gunnsteinn accepted this invitation, and he stayed with King Óláfr.
It was said above that King Óláfr was east in Sarpsborg the winter that Knútr inn ríki was in Denmark. King Ǫnundr of the Svíar was that winter riding over Vestra-Gautland with more than three thousand men. Then men and messages passed between him and King Óláfr. They arranged a conference between themselves, that they should meet in the spring by Konungahella. They put off the meeting because they wanted to know, before they met, what action King Knútr was going to take. But when the spring drew to a close, King Knútr made ready to go with his army west to England. He left his son Hǫrða-Knútr behind in Denmark, and with him Þorgils sprakaleggr’s son Jarl Úlfr. Úlfr was married to King Sveinn’s daughter Ástríðr, sister of Knútr inn ríki. Sveinn, who was later king in Denmark, was their son. Jarl Úlfr was a most notable man. Knútr ríki went west to England. So when the kings Óláfr and Ǫnundr leaned this then they went to their conference and met by Konungahella on the Elfr. There was a joyful meeting there and with a great display of friendship, so that it was manifest to all the people, and yet they discussed many things between themselves which were known to only the two of them, and some of this was later put into effect and made known to everyone. And at the parting of the kings they exchanged gifts with each other and parted friends. Then King Ǫnundr went up into Gautland, while King Óláfr then went north into the Vík and after that out into Agðir and from there north along the coast, lying for a very long time in Eikundasund waiting for a wind. He learned that Erlingr Skjálgsson and the inhabitants of Jaðarr with him were lying gathered together with a host of men. It happened one day that the king’s men were discussing the wind among themselves, whether it was a southerly or a southwesterly, and whether the wind was fit for sailing past Jaðarr or not. Most considered that it was not possible to sail. Then Halldórr Brynjólfsson replies: ‘I would have thought,’ he says, ‘that this wind would have been thought fit for sailing past Jaðarr if Erlingr Skjálgsson had prepared a banquet for us at Sóli.’
Then said King Óláfr that they were to take down the awnings and turn round the ships. This was done. They sailed past Jaðarr that day, and the wind served splendidly, they came to land at Hvítingsey in the evening. The king then travelled north to Hǫrðaland and attended banquets there.
That spring a ship had travelled from Norway out to the Faeroes. On this ship went messages from King Óláfr to this effect, that there was to come back in from the Faeroes one or other of his followers, Leifr Ǫzurarson or Lawspeaker Gilli or Þórálfr of Dímun. So when this message came to the Faeroes and they themselves had been told about it, then they discuss between themselves what could underlie the message, and they were united in concluding that the king must want to enquire about the events that some people believed had truly taken place in the islands, relating to the fate of the king’s messengers, the crews of the two ships from which not a man had survived. They resolved that Þórálfr should go. He set about going, preparing a cargo ship that he owned, and got men for it. They were on the ship ten or twelve. And when they were ready and were waiting for a wind, then it came about on Austrey at Gata at Þrándr’s, that one fine day Þrándr went into his living room, but his brother’s two sons Sigurðr and Þórðr were lying on the raised floor. They were sons of Þórlákr. The third one was called Gautr inn rauði. He was also a relation of theirs. All the lads brought up at Þrándr’s were accomplished young men. Sigurðr was the eldest of them and most superior to them in every way. Þórðr had a nickname: he was called Þórðr inn lági. Yet he was the tallest of men, and what was more, he was a well built man and had great strength. Then Þrándr spoke: ‘There are many changes in the life of man. It was uncommon then, when we were young, for people to be sitting or lying down on fine days, those who were young and well capable of doing anything. People of former times would not have thought it likely that Þórálfr of Dímun would be a more manly person than any of you. Now the cargo ship that I have owned and that stands here in the boat-house is, it seems to me, now getting so old that it will be rotting under the tar. Here every building is full of wool and it is not being offered for sale. It would not be so if I were a few years younger.’ Sigurðr leapt up and called to Gautr and Þórðr, saying he could not endure Þrándr’s taunting. They go out and over to where the house servants were, go to the cargo ship and launch it. They then had cargo brought and loaded the ship. There was no lack of goods for this in the house, likewise all the rigging for the ship. They got it ready in a few days. They were ten or twelve men on the ship. They and Þórálfr’s party all sailed out on the same wind, each knowing where the other was all the time out at sea. They came to land at Hern late one day. Sigurðr’s party lay further out by the shore, and yet there was only a short distance between them. It happened in the evening when it was dark and Þórálfr’s party were about to get ready for bed, that then Þórálfr went up ashore and another man with him. They sought a place to relieve themselves. And when they were ready to go down, then the man accompanying him, so he says, had a cloth thrown over his head, was lifted up off the ground. At that moment he heard a crash. After that he was taken and swung down, but beneath was the sea, and he was plunged under the water, though he managed to get ashore. He went to where he and Þórálfr had parted. He found Þórálfr there, and he was cloven down to the shoulders, and he was now dead. And when the crew realised this, then they carried his body out onto the ship and laid it down to watch over it during the night. King Óláfr was then attending a banquet on Lygra. Word was sent there. Then an assembly was called with an arrow summons, and the king attended the assembly. He had had summoned to it the Faeroese men from both ships, and they were come to the assembly. And when the assembly was in session, then the king stood up and said: ‘The events that have taken place here—it were better that such were seldom heard of. Here is a fine man deprived of life, and we believe he was guiltless. So is there anyone at this assembly who is able to say who is responsible for this deed?’ But no one owned up. Then the king said: ‘I will make no secret of what my opinion is about this deed, it is that I believe the men from the Faeroes are responsible. It seems to me the most likely way that it was done is that Sigurðr Þorláksson will have killed the man, while Þórðr inn lági will have flung the other one into the water. And this follows, that I would guess this, that the reason for it will turn out to have been that they would not want Þórálfr to report those criminal acts that he must have known they were truly guilty of, and we had suspected, in relation to the murders and evil deeds whereby my embassies have been murdered there.’ So when the king had finished his speech, then Sigurðr Þorláksson stood up. He said: ‘I have not spoken at assemblies before. I expect I will not be thought eloquent. And yet I feel there is sufficient need for some reply to be made.
I will hazard a guess that this speech that the king has publicly made here will have originated in the mouths of people who have much less common sense and are far worse than he is, and there is no concealment of the fact that they want to be our absolute enemies. The idea that I should wish to do any harm to Þórálfr is absurd, for he was my foster-brother and good friend. But if there had been any other reason for it and there had been grounds for a quarrel between me and Þórálfr, then I have got sufficient sense to have ventured on this deed back in the Faeroes rather than here where I am at your mercy, king. Now I shall reject this accusation as regards me and all of us ship’s company. I will offer to swear oaths upon it, in accordance with what your laws prescribe. Or if you feel it in any way more satisfactory, then I am willing to undergo the ordeal of carrying hot iron. I want you yourself to be present at the ordeal.’ So when Sigurðr had finished his speech, then there were many that supported him, begging the king that Sigurðr might be granted a chance to clear himself, thinking that Sigurðr had spoken well and declaring that he would be found not guilty of what he was charged with. The king says: ‘There are two strongly opposed possibilities about this man. And if he is falsely accused of this matter, then he must be a good man, but otherwise he must be rather bolder than there can be precedents for, and my feeling about this is no less strong than before. But I guess that he himself will provide the evidence for this.’ So at people’s request the king now took assurances from Sigurðr about the ordeal of carrying iron. He was to come the next day to Lygra. The bishop was to organise the ordeal. And so the assembly broke up. The king went back to Lygra, and Sigurðr and his companions to their ship. It then soon began to get dark as night fell. Then Sigurðr said to his companions: ‘To tell the truth, however, we have got into a great difficulty. and have been subjected to great calumny, and this king is crafty and cunning, and it is obvious what will happen to us if he has his way, for first of all he had Þórálfr killed, and now he wants to make us all into criminals. He will have no difficulty in falsifying the result of this ordeal. I now think anyone will have the worst of it who tries this with him. Moreover, there is now something of a light breeze blowing off the mountains out along the sound. My advice is that we hoist our sail and make out to sea. Let Þrándr go next summer with his wool if he wants to sell it, but if I get away, then I think it likely that I shall never again come to Norway.’ His companions thought this an excellent plan. They begin to hoist their sail and make out to sea during the night as fast as they can. They do not stop until they get to the Faeroes and back to Gata. Þrándr was displeased with their journey. Their replies were not pleasant and yet they stayed at home with Þrándr.
King Óláfr soon learned that Sigurðr and his companions were gone away, and then nasty reports spread about their doings. There were many who now declared it likely that Sigurðr and his men must have been truly accused who previously had rejected the accusations against him and spoken in his defence. King Óláfr said very little about this affair, but he felt sure he knew the truth of the matter was as he had previously suspected. The king them went on his way and attended banquets where they had been prepared for him. King Óláfr called to talk with him the men that had come from Iceland, Þóroddr Snorrason, Gellir Þorkelsson, Steinn Skaptason, Egill Hallsson. Then the king began to speak: ‘This summer you have raised with me this matter, that you wished to set out for Iceland, but I have up to now made no decision on this matter. I will now tell you what I propose to do. Gellir, I am planning that you should go to Iceland, if you are willing to take a message there for me. But as for the other Icelandic men that are now here, none are to travel to Iceland until I hear how those matters are being received that you, Gellir, are to take there.’ So when the king had made this announcement, then those that were eager to go and had been banned felt that they had been treated in a beastly way and felt that their having to stay and lack of freedom were hard. But Gellir got ready for his journey and went in the summer to Iceland, taking there with him the messages, which he presented at the assembly the next summer. And this was the king’s message, that he asked the Icelanders this, that they should accept the laws that he had laid down in Norway, and pay weregilds and a poll-tax from their country to him, a penny for every nose, equivalent to one tenth of an ell of standard cloth. With this came his promise to the people of his friendship, if they were minded to accept all this, but otherwise harsh treatment, as much as he was able to inflict. In discussion of this people sat a long time, talking it over among themselves, and finally came to the conclusion with the agreement of everybody to refuse the payment of taxes and all the imposts that had been demanded. So Gellir travelled abroad that summer and to see King Óláfr and met him that autumn east in Vík, when he had come down from Gautland, as I expect will be narrated further later in the saga of King Óláfr. When autumn drew to a close, King Óláfr made his way north into Þrándheimr and took his following to Niðaróss, having winter quarters arranged there for himself. King Óláfr stayed the following winter in Kaupangr. This was the thirteenth winter of his reign.
There was a man called Ketill Jamti, Jarl Ǫnundr from Sparabú in Þrándheimr’s son. He had fled east over Kjǫlr before King Eysteinn illráði. He cleared forests and settled there where it is now called Jamtaland. Numbers of men also fled to the east there from Þrándheimr before this hostility, for King Eysteinn imposed taxes on the Þrœndir and established his dog, called Saurr, as king there. Þórir Helsingr was Ketill’s grandson. Helsingjaland is named after him. He lived there. And when Haraldr inn hárfagri was clearing his way to power, then again men fled the land before him, Þrœndir and Naumdœlir, and settlements then came into being eastwards across Jamtaland, and some went all the way from the east, away from the sea, into Helsingjaland, and they were subject to the king of the Svíar. But when Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri was over Norway, then peace was established, and trading journeys from Þrándheimr to Jamtaland, and because of the king’s popularity, the Jamtr now made their way from the east to see him and agreed to be his subjects and paid him tax. He laid down laws and regulations for them. They preferred to be subject to his rule than to be under the king of the Svíar, since they were descended from Norwegian stock, and so did all the Helsingjar, whose kin were from the north across Kjǫlr. And this continued for a long time after, right on until Óláfr digri and the Swedish King Óláfr of the Svíar had a dispute about the boundaries; then the Jamtr and the Helsingjar changed back to being under the king of the Svíar, and then the boundary was formed by Eiðaskógr on the eastern side, and then by Kilir all the way north to Finnmǫrk. Then the king of the Svíar began to receive taxes from Helsingjaland and also from Jamtaland. But King Óláfr believed that it had been included in the agreement with the king of the Sviar that tax from Jamtaland was to go in a different direction from how it had been in former times. And yet the position had been for a long time that the Jamtr had then paid tax to the king of the Svíar, and that by him stewards had been appointed over the land. Then the Svíar also would hear of nothing but that the whole country that lay on the eastern side of Kjǫlr should go back to being under the king of the Svíar. It was just as often happens, that although there was relationship by marriage and friendship between the kings, even so each one wanted to have all the power to which he felt he had some claim. King Óláfr had had word sent round to Jamtaland that it was his desire that the Jamtr should pay him homage, threatening them with harsh treatment otherwise. But the Jamtr had made their decision, that they wanted to be subjects of the king of the Svíar.
Þóroddr Snorrason and Steinn Skaptason were annoyed that they could not depart in freedom. Steinn Skaptason was the most handsome of men and most accomplished in skills, a good poet and a very ostentatious man in dress and full of ambition. His father, Skapti, had composed a drápa about King Óláfr and had taught it to Steinn. It was intended that he should present the poem to the king. Steinn did not hold back from talking to the king and criticising him, both in ordinary speech and in verse. Both he and Þóroddr were careless in speaking, saying that the king would be judged more harshly than those who had sent their sons to him in good faith, and the king had made them prisoners. The king got angry. It happened one day that Steinn Skaptason was in the presence of the king and asked to speak with him, if he wished to hear the drápa that his father Skapti had composed about the king. He says: ‘That must come first, Steinn, that you recite what you have composed about me.’ Steinn says that it is nothing that he has composed. ‘I am no poet, king,’ he says, ‘but even if I were able to compose, then you would find that, like everything else about me, of rather little worth.’ Steinn then went away, and thought he could see what his words would lead to. The king’s steward, who was in charge of his residence in Orkadalr, was called Þorgeirr. He was at this time staying with the king, and heard the conversation between him and Steinn. Þorgeirr returned home shortly afterwards. One night Steinn ran away from the town and his servant with him. They went up over Gaularáss and so towards the sea until they got to Orkadalr, and in the evening they came to the king’s residence that Þorgeirr was in charge of. Þorgeirr invited Steinn to stay there the night and asked what was the purpose of his journey. Steinn asked him to give him a horse and a sledge with it. He saw that corn was being driven home. Þorgeirr says: ‘I am not sure what is the position as regards your journey, whether you are going with the king’s leave. It seemed to me the other day the conversation between you and the king was not going smoothly.’ Steinn said: ‘Although I am not a free agent in my relationship with the king, I will be so with his slaves.’ He drew his sword and then killed the steward, but took the horse and told his boy to jump on its back, while Steinn sat in the sledge, travelling then on the road, driving all night. They went on their way until they came down in Súrnadalr in Mœrr. Then they got themselves a passage across the fiord. He travelled as fast as he could. They did not tell people about this killing, wherever they came, but claimed they were the king’s men. They were well provided for wherever they came. They came one evening to Þorbergr Árnason’s dwelling in Gizki. He was not at home, but his wife, Erlingr Skjálgsson’s daughter Ragnhildr, was at home. Steinn got a very good welcome there, for they had before this been on very good terms. The following incident had previously taken place, when Steinn had been leaving Iceland—he owned the ship himself at that time, when he came in from the open sea at Gizki and lay there off the island—then Ragnhildr was at her lying-in and was about to give birth and was in a very bad state, but there was no priest on the island nor anywhere near. Then someone was sent to the trading ship to ask if there was any priest there. There was a priest on board called Bárðr, a man from Vestfirðir, young and with rather little learning. The messengers asked the priest to go with them to the house. He felt that this would be a matter of some difficulty, knowing his ignorance, and would not go. Then Steinn put in a word to the priest, bidding him go. The priest answers: ‘I will go if you go with me. I shall feel more confident with your guidance.’ Steinn says that he will certainly do that to aid matters. After that they go to the farm and to where Ragnhildr was. Soon after she gave birth to a child, it was a girl, and she seemed rather weak. Then the priest baptised the child, and Steinn stood godfather to it, and the girl was called Þóra. Steinn gave the girl a finger-ring. Ragnhildr promised Steinn her complete friendship, and he was to come there to see her if he felt in need of her help. Steinn says this, that he would not be standing godfather to any more female children, and they parted on these terms. But now it had come about that Steinn was come to call on Ragnhildr for the fulfilment of this kind offer, saying what had befallen him and also that he must have become subject to the king’s anger. She says this, that she would do the utmost in her power to help, telling him to wait now for Þorbergr, placing him in the seat next to her son Eysteinn orri. He was then twelve years old. Steinn gave presents to Ragnhildr and Eysteinn. Þorbergr had heard all about Steinn’s adventures before he got home, and he was rather cross. Ragnhildr went to talk to him and tells him about Steinn’s adventures and asked him to welcome Steinn and see to his affairs. Þorbergr says: ‘I have heard,’ he says, ‘that the king has had an assembly called by arrow summons about Þorgeirr and Steinn has been made an outlaw, also that the king is extremely angry. And I have more sense than to take on my hands a foreigner and as a result incur the king’s anger. Make Steinn go away from here as soon as possible.’ Ragnhildr answers, saying that either they would both go away or both of them stay. Þorbergr told her to go wherever she wanted. ‘I expect,’ he says, ‘that even if you go, you will soon come back, for here you will find you are most highly regarded.’ Then their son Eysteinn orri went forward. He spoke, saying that he will not stay behind if Ragnhildr went away. Þorbergr says that they were displaying great obstinacy and impetuousness in this affair. ‘And the best thing now,’ he says, ‘is that you have your way in this, though you are giving it excessive importance. But you are following too much in your family’s footsteps, Ragnhildr, in paying such little regard to the words of King Óláfr.’ Ragnhildr says: ‘If you find it such an impossible undertaking to keep Steinn, then go with him yourself to see my father Erlingr, or provide him with sufficient following for him to get there in safety.’ Þorbergr says that he is not going to send Steinn there. ‘And Erlingr will still have plenty on his hands that that will not be to the king’s liking.’ Steinn stayed there for the winter. But after Yule the king’s messengers came to Þorbergr with this message, that Þorbergr was to come to see him by the middle of Lent, and this summons was made very imperative. Þorbergr put this to his friends and sought their advice whether he should take the risk of going to see the king when the affair had gone thus far, but more of them were against it and declared it was advisable to get Steinn off his hands before putting himself at the king’s mercy. Þorbergr on the other hand was more keen not to delay this journey. A little later Þorbergr went to see his brother Finnr, and put this matter to him and asked him to make the journey with him. Finnr replies, saying that he thought such female dominance was bad, not to dare because of one’s wife to stay loyal to one’s leige lord. ‘You can choose,’ says Þorbergr, ‘not to go, but yet I think that your reluctance is more for the sake of fear than loyalty to the king.’ They parted in anger. After that Þorbergr went to see his brother Árni Árnason, and tells him about the stage this affair had reached, and asked him to go with him to the king. Árni says : ‘I find it strange in you, such a sensible man and having such forethought, that you should have stumbled into such misfortune and have incurred the anger of the king when there was no necessity for it. There would be some excuse for protecting a kinsman of yours or a foster-brother, but none at all for having taken on your hands the protection of an Icelander, an outlaw of the king’s, putting at risk yourself and all your kinsmen.’
Þorbergr says: ‘It is as they say: There is always a degenerate in every family. This misfortune of our father’s is to me the most obvious, how much his getting of sons went downhill, that he should have that one last who has none of the characteristics of our family and is worthless. It would seem most suitable, if I did not feel it was to speak shame of my mother, for me never to call you a brother of ours.’ Þorbergr then set off and went home and was rather gloomy. After that he sent word north to Þrándheimr to his brother Kálfr, asking him to come to Agðanes to meet him. And when the messengers met Kálfr, then he promised to go and made no comment about it. Ragnhildr sent men east to Jaðarr to her father Erlingr, and asked him to send her men. There set out from there Erlingr’s sons Sigurðr and Þórir, and each of them had a ship with twenty benches with ninety men on them. And when they came north to Þorbergr’s, then he welcomed them most warmly and gladly. He prepared then for the journey, and Þorbergr had a twenty-benched ship. Then they took their course north. And when they came . . . then there lay ahead of them Þorbergr’s brothers Finnr and Árni with two twenty-benched ships. Þorbergr welcomed his brothers warmly, saying that now his provocation had borne fruit. Finnr said this had seldom been necessary with him. After that they went with all these forces north to Þrándheimr, and Steinn went along there with them. And when they got to Agðanes, then in front of them they found Kálfr Árnason and he had a well manned twenty-benched ship. They went with these forces in to Niðarhólmr and lay there during the night. The next morning they held a conference. Kálfr, and Erlingr’s sons too, wanted them to take their whole force in to the town and let fate take its course, but Þorbergr wanted them first to proceed with moderation and allow offers to be made. Finnr agreed with this, and also Árni. It was then decided that Finnr and Árni were to go first to see King Óláfr, in a party of a few men. The king had now heard about the large number of men that they had, and looked rather annoyed during their speeches. Fiðr made offers on behalf of Þorbergr and also on behalf of Steinn. He offered that the king should assess damages as highly as he wished, but Þorbergr was to retain the right of residence in the country and his revenues, Steinn safety to life and limb. The king says: ‘It seems to me that this expedition is such that you will now be thinking that you have halfway or more control over me. But the last thing I would have expected from you brothers is that you should go against me with an army. I can see through this plan, which those people of Jaðarr must have cooked up. But there is no point in offering me money.’
Then says Finnr: ‘We brothers have not mustered troops for the purpose of threatening you with hostilities, king, the reason is rather, king, that we want first of all to offer you our services, but if you refuse us and intend any harsh terms for Þorbergr, then we shall all go, taking with us the forces that we have, to see Knútr inn ríki.’ Then the king looked at him and said: ‘If you brothers are willing to swear me oaths to follow me within this country and abroad and not part from me without my leave and permission—you are not to conceal it from me, if you know of any treachery being plotted against me—then I will accept atonement from you brothers.’ After that Finnr went back to his troops and announces these terms that the king had offered them. They now have a discussion together. Þorbergr says that he is in favour of this option for his own part. ‘I am not keen,’ he says, ‘to flee from my properties and seek out foreign rulers. I hold that it will always be to my honour to follow King Óláfr and to be wherever he is.’ Then says Kálfr: ‘I shall swear no oaths to the king, but be with the king only as long as I keep my revenues and other marks of my status and the king will be my friend, and it is my wish that we should all do the same.’ Finnr answers: ‘My advice is to let King Óláfr decide the terms between us.’ Árni Árnason says as follows: ‘If I am determined to follow you, brother Þorbergr, even if you want to fight with the king, then I shall not part from you if you take a better course, and I shall follow you and Finnr and accept the option that you see as most advantageous.’ Then the three brothers went aboard one ship, Þorbergr, Finnr, Árni, and rowed in to the town, and after that they went to see the king. Then this agreement was adopted, that the brothers swore oaths to the king. Then Þorbergr sought atonement with the king for Steinn. And the king says that Steinn should go in safety as far as he was concerned wherever he wished. ‘But he shall not stay with me again,’ he says. Then Þorbergr and the others went out to their troops.Then Kálfr went in to Egg, while Finnr went to the king, but Þorbergr and their other troops went back south. Steinn went south with Erlingr’s sons, and early in the spring he went west to England, and after that became subject to Knútr inn ríki and stayed with him for a long time in high favour. 
After Finnr Árnason had been staying with King Óláfr for a little while, it happened one day that the king calls Finnr to speak with him and some other men as well who he was accustomed to have at his plan making. Then the king began to speak and says as follows: 
‘This plan has become fixed in my mind that I intend in the spring to call out a levy from the whole country, both of men and ships, and after that to take all the forces I can muster against Knútr inn ríki, for I know about the claim that he has raised against me to rule, which he will not be intending to drop as wasted speech. Now I have this to say to you, Finnr Árnason, that I wish you to go on a mission for me north to Hálogaland and carry out a levy there, call upon the people for troops and ships and summon this force to meet me at Agðanes.’ After that the king appointed other men, sending some inland in Þrándheimr, and some to the south, thus letting this summons go all over the country. This is to be told of Finnr’s journey, that he had a small ship with nearly thirty men on it, and when he was ready he went his way until he got to Hálogaland. Then he called an assembly with the farmers, announcing his business and demanding a levy. The farmers had in the area large ships suitable for a levy. They responded to the king’s message and fitted out their ships. So when Finnr made his way north in Hálogaland, then he held assemblies and sent some of his men to demand the levy wherever he thought fit. Finnr sent men to Bjarkey to Þórir hundr, having the levy demanded there as elsewhere. And when the king’s orders came to Þórir, then he made preparations for the journey and manned with his workmen the ship that he had earlier in the summer taken to Bjarmaland, fitting it out at his own expense. Finnr called the Háleygir together in Vágar, all those that lived north of there. There gathered there in the spring a great force, and they all waited there until Finnr returned from the north. Þórir hundr was also come there then. So when Finnr arrived, then he had the call sounded to summon the whole levy to a brigade meeting. And at this assembly men showed their weapons, and then also an inspection was made of the men conscripted in every levied ship. And when this had been carried out, then Finnr said: ‘I want you to give thought to this, Þórir hundr. What restitution will you offer King Óláfr for the killing of his follower Karli, and for the robbery in which you appropriated the king’s wealth north in Lengjuvík? I am charged by the king to see to this matter now, and I wish to know your response now.’ Þórir looked around and saw on both sides of him many fully armed men, recognising there Gunnsteinn and a large number of Karli’s kinsmen. Then Þórir said: ‘My offer is soon made, Finnr, it is that I wish to submit to the king’s judgment whatever wrong he thinks I have done.’ Finnr replies: ‘It is most likely that you will be granted less honour now, for it is to my judgment that you now have to commit yourself if there is to be a settlement.’
Þórir says: ‘Then I think the matter will still be in good hands, and there shall be no holding back from that.’ Then Þórir went forward to pledge himself, and Finnr dictated everything. After that Finnr announced the terms of the agreement, that Þórir was to pay the king ten marks of gold, and to Gunnsteinn and his kinsmen another ten marks, and for the theft and loss of property a third ten marks. ‘And to be paid up straight away now,’ he says. Þórir says: ‘That is a great deal of money to pay.’ ‘The alternative is that the whole agreement is void,’ says Finnr. Þórir says that Finnr must allow him time to seek loans from his comrades. Finnr told him to pay there on the spot, and moreover in addition that Þórir must hand over the great necklace that he took from Karli’s dead body. Þórir said he had taken no necklace. Then Gunnsteinn went forward and says that Karli had had a necklace on his neck when they parted. ‘But then it was gone when we took up his body.’ Þórir says he had not taken any notice of that necklace. ‘But if we had had any necklace, then it would be lying at home on Bjarkey.’ Then Finnr put the point of his spear against Þórir’s breast, saying that he must hand over the necklace now. Then Þórir took the necklace from his neck and gave it to Finnr. After that Þórir turned away and went out on board his ship. Finnr went after him out on board the ship and many men with him. Finnr walked along the ship and they took up the boards. And by the mast they saw down under the decking two barrels so large that they were amazed at them. Finnr asked what was in these barrels. Þórir says that his drink was lying in them. Finnr said: ‘Why do you not give us something to drink, comrade, when you have got so much drink?’ Þórir told one of his men to pour from the barrel into a bowl. After that Finnr and his men were given drinks, and it was the finest drink. Then Finnr told Þórir to pay the money. Þórir walked along the ship up and down and spoke with various men. Finnr called out, telling him to hand over the money. Þórir told him to go up ashore and said he would pay it out there. Then Finnr went ashore and his men. Then Þórir came there and paid out silver. It was poured there from a purse, ten marks by weight. Then he put out many knotted cloths. In some was a mark by weight, in some half a mark or a few ounces. Then said Þórir: ‘This is borrowed money that various men have let me have, since I think most of the ready money that I have is finished.’ After that Þórir went out on board his ship, and when he came back, he paid out silver bit by bit. Then the day was drawing to a close. So when the assembly broke up, then people went to their ships and got ready to depart. People began to sail as soon as they were ready. So it came about that most men had sailed. Then Finnr realised that the men round him had thinned out. Men now called out to him and told him to get ready. There was by then still one third of the money not yet paid. Then said Finnr: ‘It is, however, going slowly, Þórir, the payment. I can see that you are very reluctant to pay the money. So we shall now let it be for the time being. You shall now pay what remains to the king.’ Then Finnr got up. Þórir says: ‘I am well pleased, Finnr, that we shall part, and I shall be willing to find enough to pay this debt in such a way that the king will not find it underpaid, or you either.’ Then Finnr went to his ship and sailed on after his troops. Þórir takes a long time to get ready to leave the harbour. And when their sail was hoisted, then they made their way out across Vestfjǫrðr and after that out to sea and so south parallel to the coast so that the sea rose halfway up the mountainsides or sometimes the land disappeared below the horizon, so taking a course southwards right on until he sailed into Englandshaf and ended up in England, going after that to see King Knútr, and he welcomed him. Then it got round that Þórir had there a huge amount of cash, having there all the money that they had taken in Bjarmaland, both he and Karli. And then in the great barrels there was a false bottom a little way from the true one, and between these was drink, but each of the barrels themselves was full of grey furs and beaver and sable. Þórir then stayed with King Knútr. Finnr Árnason went with the forces to King Óláfr, telling him all about his journey, and saying also that he thought that Þórir was gone from the land and west to England to see Knútr inn ríki. ‘And I feel he will be doing us no good.’ The king says: ‘I believe that Þórir will be an enemy to us, and it seems to me better always to have him further away from me rather than closer.’ 
Ásmundr Grankelsson had that winter been in his stewardship area in Hálogaland staying at home with his father Grankell. There is a fishing place out in the sea there, where both seals and birds, eggs and fish can be got, and this had from ancient times belonged to the farm that Grankell owned. But Hárekr from Þjótta laid claim to it. It had reached the point that he had taken from this place all the produce for several seasons. But at that time Ásmundr and his father had the support of the king for all just suits. Father and son both went then in the spring to see Hárekr and tell him what King Óláfr had said and the proofs of it, that Hárekr was to relinquish his claim on the fishing place. Hárekr responded roughly, saying that Ásmundr had gone to the king with lies about this and other things. ‘I have all the evidence to support my case. You, Ásmundr, should learn to act with some discretion, though you now think yourself so powerful, having the support of the king. It is also the case, even if you can get away with killing some leading men and arrange it so as not to have to pay compensation for them, and rob us, who have still felt ourselves from far back in time well able to stand up to such as you, even when they were of equal birth to us, that now you are very far from being my equals as regards descent.’ Ásmundr replies: ‘Many find out about you, Hárekr, that you have powerful relatives and are a bully. Many have to put up with getting the worst of it from you. And yet it is now most likely that you, Hárekr, will on another occasion find yourself trying to impose your unfairness on someone other than us and have to suffer as much injustice as this is.’ After this they parted. Hárekr sent ten or twelve of his workmen with a kind of large rowing boat. They went to the fishing place, took there all sorts of produce and loaded the boat. But as they were setting off, then Ásmundr Grankelsson came upon them there with thirty men and ordered them to hand over all they had taken. Hárekr’s men showed some reluctance. Then Ásmundr’s party attacked them. The difference in numbers then began to tell. Hárekr’s men were some of them beaten up, some wounded, some thrown into the water and all they had taken was taken off their ship, and Ásmundr’s party took it with them. With that, Hárekr’s men came back home and tell Hárekr about their trip. He replies: ‘Every fresh event is taken to be news. This has not been done before, beating up my men.’ This affair remained dormant, and Hárekr said nothing about it and was as cheerful as anything. In the spring Hárekr had a light warship fitted out, a twenty-benched one, and manned it with his workmen, and this was very well fitted out both with men and all its rigging. In the spring Hárekr joined the levy. So when he met King Óláfr, then Ásmundr Grankelsson was also there. Then the king arranged a meeting between Ásmundr and Hárekr and and brought about a settlement between them. It was determined that it should be put to the king to arbitrate. After that Ásmundr brought forward testimony that Grankell had owned the fishing place. The king gave judgment accordingly. Then the case became one-sided. Hárekr’s workmen were deemed not to be subject to compensation, and the fishing place was awarded to Grankell. Hárekr says that there was no disgrace to him in submitting to the king’s judgment, however the case might turn out afterwards. 
Þóroddr Snorrason had stayed in Norway in accordance with the king’s command, while Gellir Þorkelsson got leave to go to Iceland, as was written above, and he now stayed with King Óláfr, very dissatisfied with the lack of freedom in not being able to go on his way wherever he wished. At the beginning of the winter that King Óláfr stayed in Niðaróss, the king announced that he wishes to send men to Jamtaland to collect tax. But people were not keen to undertake this journey, since those messengers of King Óláfr that he had sent previously, Þrándr hvíti and his party of twelve, had been deprived of life, as has been written above, and the Jamtr had subsequently continued to be subject to the king of the Svíar. Þóroddr Snorrason volunteered for this journey, because he now cared very little what befell him as long as he could go of his own free will. The king agreed to this and Þóroddr went in a party of twelve. They proceeded eastwards to Jamtaland and called at the home of a man whose name is given as Þórarr. He was lawman there and a man of the highest status. They were well received there. So when they had been staying there a little while, then they presented their business before Þórarr. He says that other people of the country and leading ones had no whit less responsibility than he for dealing with this matter, and declared that an assembly should be called about it. This was done, an assembly summons was sent out and a large assembly was arranged. Þórarr went to the assembly, but the messengers stayed meanwhile at his house. Þórarr presented this matter to the people, and it was agreed by everyone that they were not willing to pay any tax to the king of Norway, and some wanted to have the messengers hanged, and some to have them used as heathen sacrifices. But the final decision was that they should be kept there until the king of the Svíar’s stewards got there—they would then deal with them in whatever way they wished, with the consent of the people of the country—and giving the impression that the messengers were being well treated and that they were being kept there to await the tax payments, and they were to be sent to various lodgings in pairs. Þóroddr stayed with one other man at Þórarr’s. There was a great Yule feast and drinking party held there. There were many farmers there in the village, and they were all drinking together over Yule. There was another village a short way away. A kinsman of Þórarr’s by marriage lived there, powerful and wealthy. He had a grownup son. The brothers-in-law were to hold half the Yule feast at each of their houses, to start with at Þórarr’s. The brothers-in-law were drinking together, and Þóroddr with the farmer’s son, and there was competition in drinking and in the evening disputes and comparison of persons between the Norwegians and Svíar, and next it was about their kings, both those who had been in the past and these that there were now, and also about the conflicts that there had been between their countries in the slaughter and plundering that had taken place across their borders. Then said the farmer’s son: ‘If our kings have lost more men, then the king of the Svíar’s stewards will even it up with the lives of twelve men when they arrive from the south after Yule, and you do not fully realise, you wretched men, why you are being kept here.’ Þóroddr considered his position, and many sneered at them and used scornful words about them and their king. What Þóroddr had previously not suspected now came out into the open, when the ale spoke through the Jamtr. The next day Þóroddr and his companion got together all their clothes and weapons and kept them ready by them. The following night, when people were asleep, they ran away to the forest. The next morning, when people became aware of their running away, men went after them with bloodhounds and came across them in the forest where they had hidden themselves, and took them back to the house and into a storehouse. It had a deep pit inside. They were put in there and the door locked on them. They had little food and no clothes but what they stood in. And when the middle of the Yule period came, Þórarr and all the free men with him went to his brother-in-law’s. He was to feast there the latter part of Yule. Þórarr’s slaves were to guard the pit. But they had now been apportioned plenty of drink, and they did not hold back much on the drinking and already that evening they were drunk. So as they felt quite drunk, then they talked among themselves, those that were to bring food to the men in the pit, that they must not go short. Þóroddr recited a poem and entertained the slaves, so they said he was surely a kind fellow and gave him a very large candle, with a flame on it. Then the slaves that were already in there came out and called importunately that the rest must go in, and both lots were drunk silly so that they shut neither the pit nor the storehouse. Then Þóroddr and his companion cut their cloaks into strips and tied these together and made a knot at the end and threw it up onto the storehouse floor. It wrapped itself round the leg of a chest and held fast. They tried then to find a way to get up. Þóroddr lifted his companion up until he was standing on his shoulders. After that he hauled himself up through the opening. There was no lack of rope in the storehouse and he let it down to Þóroddr, but when he tried to pull Þóroddr up, then he could not move him at all. Then Þóroddr said that he should throw the rope over the cross-beam that was in the building, and make a loop in the end, put timber and stones in it so that it was more than equal to him in weight. He did so. Then the counterweight went down into the pit, and Þóroddr went up. They took themselves whatever clothing they needed from the storehouse. There were in there some reindeer skins and they cut off the foot pieces and tied them facing backwards under their feet. But before they left they set fire to a great barn of corn that was there, and after that ran away in the pitch darkness. The barn burned and many of the other buildings in the village. Þóroddr and his companion travelled all night through uninhabited areas and hid during the day. In the morning they were missed. Bloodhounds were then used to search for them along all the paths leading from the farm. But the dogs traced the tracks back to the farm, because they recognised them from the reindeer’s foot pieces and they followed the track in the direction the hooves had pointed from the reindeer’s foot pieces, so the search was called off. Þóroddr and his companion travelled a long time through uninhabited areas and arrived one evening at a small farmstead and went into it. There inside sat a man and a woman by the fire. He gave his name as Þórir and said it was his wife sitting there, and also that the cottage was theirs. The husband invited them to stay there, and they accepted. He tells them that he had come there because he had fled from the settlement on account of some killings. Þóroddr and his companion were given hospitable entertainment. They all ate by the fire. After that beds were made for Þóroddr and his companion on the raised floor, and they lay down to sleep. But the fire was still alight there. Then Þóroddr saw a man come in there from another building, and he had never seen a man so big. This man had scarlet clothes on, with gold thread in the borders, and was of most imposing appearance. Þóroddr heard him telling the couple off for receiving guests when they hardly had sufficient food to stay alive. The housewife replied: ‘Don’t be angry, brother, rarely has this come about. Rather do you give them something to help them, for you are better able than we.’ Þóroddr heard this big man addressed as Arnljótr gellini, and also that the housewife was his sister. Þóroddr had heard tell of Arnljótr, and this too, that he was a very great highwayman and evil-doer. Þóroddr and his companion slept through the night, as they had been tired from the walking. But when it must have been a third of the night still to go, then Arnljótr came over to them, telling them to get up and be on their way. Þóroddr and his companion immediately got up and dressed. They were given breakfast. After that Þórir gave skis to each of the two of them. Arnljótr joined them on their journey. He put on skis. They were both broad and long. And when Arnljótr pushed with his ski poles, then he was far, far ahead of them. So he waited for them and said they would get nowhere like that, telling them to step onto his skis with him. They did so. Þóroddr went close to him and held under Arnljótr’s belt, while Þóroddr’s companion held onto him. Arnljótr then slid along as fast as if he were travelling unencumbered. They came to a certain shelter for travellers when about a third of the night had passed, made a fire there and prepared their food. But while they were eating, then Arnljótr spoke, telling them not to throw away any of the food, neither bones nor scraps. Arnljótr took from his shirt a silver dish and ate from it. And when they had finished eating, then Arnljótr picked up what was left of the food. After that they got ready for bed. At one end of the building there was a loft up on the crossbeams. Arnljótr and his companions went up into this loft and lay down there to sleep. Arnljótr had a great halberd, and the socket of its head was inlaid with gold, but the shaft was so long that one could just reach the socket with upstretched arm, and he was girded with a sword. They took both their weapons and their clothes up into the loft with them. Arnljótr told them to keep quiet. He lay nearest the entrance to the loft. A little later twelve men came there into the building. It was merchants who were going to Jamtaland with their goods. But when they got into the house, they made a lot of cheerful noise around themselves and were merry, making themselves large fires. And while they were eating, then they threw away all the bones. Afterwards they got ready for bed and lay down there on the raised floor by the fire. But when they had been sleeping a little while, then there came there to the building a great trollwife. And when she came in, she gathered everything up fast, taking the bones and everything that she thought edible, and thrust it in her mouth. After that she snatched up the man that was nearest to her, tearing and breaking him all up and throwing him on the fire. Then the others woke up, and to a bad dream, and leapt up, and she put them to death one after another, so that one was left alive. He ran in under the loft and shouted for help, if there should be anything in the loft such as might help him. Arnljótr reached down to him and took hold of his shoulders and pulled him up into the loft. Then she dashed forward to the fire and began to eat the men who were roasted. Then Arnljótr stood up and grabbed his halberd and thrust it between her shoulders so that the point ran out through her breast. She flinched violently and gave a horrible cry at this and ran out. Arnljótr lost his grip on the spear, and she took it away with her. Arnljótr went up and cleared out the men’s corpses, putting in place the door of the building and the door frame, for she had broken it all away when she ran out. They then slept through what remained of the night. So when it got light, they got up, first of all taking their breakfast, and when they had eaten, Arnljótr said: ‘Now here we shall part. You must now travel along the tracks made by the merchants when they travelled here yesterday, while I shall go and find my spear. I shall have as payment for my labour whatever seems to me worth anything of the goods that these men had with them. You, Þóroddr, are to convey my greeting to King Óláfr, and tell him this, that he is such a man as I have the greatest desire to meet. But he will think my greeting of no value.’ 
He picked up his silver dish and wiped it with his cloth, saying: ‘Take the king this dish, say that this is my greeting.’ Then they both got ready to go and with that they parted. Þóroddr and his companion, and also the one man who had got away out of the party of merchants, set off. Þóroddr travelled on until he found King Óláfr in Kaupangr, and tells him all about his travels, delivering to him Arnljótr’s greeting and giving him the silver dish. The king says it was a pity that Arnljótr had not come to see him. ‘And it is a great shame that such a fate should have afflicted such a fine fellow and remarkable man.’ Þóroddr stayed after this with King Óláfr for the remains of the winter, and then got leave from him to go to Iceland the following summer. He and King Óláfr parted then in friendship.
King Óláfr prepared in the spring to leave Niðaróss, and large numbers of troops joined him both from Þrándheimr there, and also from further north in the country. And when he was ready to set out, then he first went with his troops south to Mœrr and gathered together an army levied from there and also from Raumsdalr. After that he went to Sunn-Mœrr. He lay for a long time in Hereyjar and waited for his troops, holding then assemblies of his men frequently. Much came there to his ears that he felt needed discussion. It was at one assembly that he held that he happened to be speaking, talking about the loss of men that he had suffered from the Faeroes. ‘And the tax that they have promised me,’ he says, ‘is now not materialising. I am now planning to send men there again for the tax.’ The king put this matter to various people, whether they would undertake this journey, but the answers he got in reply were that everyone declined to go on the trip. Then a man stood up at the assembly, tall and of imposing build. He had on a red tunic, a helmet on his head, girded with a sword, a great halberd in his hand. He began to speak: ‘It is true to say,’ he said, ‘that there are here men of very different kinds. You have a good king, and he has bad men. You say no to a mission that he offers you, when you have already received from him friendly gifts and many honourable favours. But I have been up to now no friend of this king. He has also been my enemy, believing that there are reasons for this. I will now offer you, king, to go on this trip if there is no better alternative available.’ The king says: ‘Who is this manly-looking person who is replying to what I have said? You are behaving very differently from other men who are here, in volunteering for the journey, when those have declined whom I would have expected to have responded well. But I know nothing about you, and I do not know your name.’ He replies as follows: ‘There is no difficulty about my name, king. I expect you will have heard it mentioned. I am known as Karl mœrski.’ The king says: ‘It is indeed so, Karl, I have heard tell of you before, and to tell the truth, there have been times when, if we had happened to meet, you would not have been able report the outcome. But now I shall not act worse than you, since you are offering me your help, by not responding with thanks and pleasure. You, Karl, shall come to me and be my guest today. We shall then discuss this matter.’ Karl says that so it should be. 
Karl inn mœrski had been a viking and a very great robber, and the king had very often sent men for him and wanted to deprive him of life. Yet Karl was a man of good family and a very enterprising man, an able man and a man of accomplishments in many ways. So since Karl was determined on this journey, the king agreed to be reconciled with him and then became fond of him, having his journey set up as well as possible. They were nearly twenty men on the ship. The king sent messages to his friends on the Faeroes, commending Karl to their support and protection in the case of Leifr Ǫzurarson and lawspeaker Gilli, sending his tokens to back this up. Karl went as soon as he was ready. They made good progress and reached the Faeroes and put into Þórshǫfn on Straumey. After that an assembly was called there, and it was well attended. Þrándr from Gata came to it with a large crowd of men. Leifr and Gilli also came to it. They also had large numbers of men. And when they had covered their booths and put them to rights, then they went to see Karl mœrski. There were kindly greetings. After that Karl presented King Óláfr’s messages and tokens and friendly words to Gilli and Leifr. They received these happily and invited Karl to stay with them and offered to back his business and to provide him with such protection as was within their power. He accepted this gratefully. A little later Þrándr came there and welcomed Karl. 
‘I am,’ he says, ‘pleased that such a good fellow has come here to our country on our king’s business, which we are all duty bound to assist. I will agree to nothing else, Karl, but that you go to my house for winter lodging and all those of your men with you that will make your standing higher than it was before.’ Karl says that he was already engaged to go to Leifr’s. ‘But I would otherwise,’ he says, ‘gladly accept this invitation.’ Þrándr says: ‘Then Leifr will gain great honour by this. But are there any other things then that I can do so as to be of assistance to you?’ Karl answers that he thought it would be a great help if Þrándr collected the tax from all over Austrey and also from all over the whole of Norðreyjar. Þrándr says that this was his duty and pleasure that he should provide this furtherance to the king’s business. Þrándr then goes back to his booth. There was nothing else of importance that happened at this assembly. Karl went to stay with Leifr Ǫzurarson and he was there the following winter. Leifr collected tax over Straumey and all the islands south of there. The next spring Þrándr from Gata got sick, having trouble with his eyes and was poorly in still other ways, and yet he got ready to go to the assembly, as was his custom. So when he got to the assembly and his booth was being covered, he had it covered inside at the back with black covering, so that it would then let less light in. So when a few days of the assembly had passed, then Leifr and Karl came to Þrándr’s booth and had a lot of men with them. And when they got to the booth, then there were a few men standing outside. Leifr asked whether Þrándr was inside in the booth. They say that he was there. Leifr said that they were to ask Þrándr to come out. ‘Karl and I have business with him,’ he says. But when the men came back, then they say that Þrándr had such a pain in his eyes that he could not come out. ‘And he asked you, Leifr, to go in.’ Leifr told his companions that they should go warily when they got into the booth, not to crowd each other. ‘The one who goes in last must be the first to go out.’ Leifr went in first, and next Karl, then his companions, and all went fully armed, as if they were getting ready for battle. Leifr passed further inside to where the black awnings were, asking then where Þrándr was. Þrándr says, and greets Leifr. Leifr responded to his greeting, asking afterwards whether he had collected any tax across Norðreyjar, and whether the payment of the silver could now be discharged. Þrándr replies, saying that he had not forgotten what he and Karl had discussed, and also that the payment of the tax would be discharged. ‘Here is a purse, Leifr, which you are to take charge of, and it is full of silver.’
Leifr looked around and saw few men in the booth. There were men lying on the raised floor, but few were sitting up. After that Leifr went up to Þrándr and took the purse and carried it to the outer part of the booth, where it was light, and poured the silver down onto his shield, stirring it round with his hand and saying that Karl should look at the silver. They examined it for a while. Then Karl asked how the silver looked to Leifr. He says: ‘This is what I think, that every false coin there is in Norðreyjar must have ended up here.’ Þrándr heard this and said: ‘Do you think the silver looks no good, Leifr?’ ‘That’s right,’ he says. Þrándr said: ‘Our kinsmen are not half scoundrels though, since one cannot trust them in anything. I have sent them this spring to collect tax in the islands in the north, since I was not able to do anything this spring, and they have taken bribes from farmers to accept such forgeries that are not considered legal tender. And the best thing, Leifr, is to examine this silver, that has been paid for my land dues.’ Leifr then took the silver back, and picked up another purse and took it to Karl. They examined this money. Karl asked how this money looked to Leifr. He says that he thought this money bad and not such as could be accepted for these dues, which had been claimed carelessly. ‘And I am not going to accept this money on the king’s behalf.’ A man that was sitting on the raised floor threw his cloak off his head and said: ‘It is true what was said in olden times: Everyone gets more of a coward as he gets older. So it is with you, Þrándr, letting Karl inn mœrski heap up money at your expense all the time.’ This was Gautr inn rauði. Þrándr leapt up at Gautr’s words and started to rant madly, telling his kinsmen off in strong terms. But finally he said that Leifr was to give him that silver. ‘But take this purse here, that my tenants have brought in to me this spring. And though my eyesight is not good, nevertheless one’s hand itself is the most reliable.’ A man rose up on his elbow who was lying on the raised floor. This was Þórðr inn lági. He said: ‘We are not half getting taught a lesson by this Mœra-Karl, and he deserves to have some recompense.’ Leifr took this purse and again took it to Karl. They look at this money. Leifr said: ‘We don’t need to spend long examining this silver. Here every coin is better than any other, and we shall accept this money. Get someone, Þrándr, to see to the weighing.’
Þrándr says that he thought the best thing was to get Leifr to see to it himself. Leifr and Karl then go out and a short way from the booth. They then sat down and weighed the silver. Karl took his helmet off his head and poured into it the silver that had been weighed. They saw a man walking by them and he had a mace in his hand and a hood low over his head and a green cape, bare-footed, with linen breeches tied close to his legs. He put down the mace on the ground and left it there and said: ‘Be careful, Mœra-Karl, that you are not harmed by my mace.’ Shortly after this a man came running there and shouted excitedly at Leifr Ǫzurarson, telling him to go as soon as he could to Lawman Gilli’s booth. ‘Sigurðr Þorláksson ran in through the end of the awning there and has given a mortal wound to one of the inmates.’ Leifr immediately leapt up and went off to see Gilli. With him went all the men of his booth, but Karl remained behind. The Norwegians stood round him in a circle. Gautr rauði ran at them and struck with a hand-axe over the men’s shoulders, and this blow struck Karl on the head, and the wound was not very serious. Þórðr lági snatched up the mace that was standing in the ground and struck down on the back of the hand- axe so that the axe stuck in the brains. A lot of men then rushed out of Þrándr’s booth. Karl was carried away dead. Þrándr expressed his regret about this deed, and yet offered money in atonement on behalf of his kinsmen. Leifr and Gilli took up a prosecution, and there was no monetary compensation. Sigurðr was outlawed for his injuring of Gilli’s booth-mate, and Þórðr and Gautr for the killing of Karl. Norwegians got the ship ready that Karl had brought there, and went east to see King Óláfr . . . but there was no chance of this because of the war that had now started in Norway and has yet to be told about. And now we have finished telling about the events that resulted from King Óláfr’s claiming tax from the Faeroes. And yet conflicts took place afterwards in the Faeroes arising from the killing of Karl mœrski, and Leifr Ǫzurarson and kinsmen of Þrándr from Gata were involved in them then, and about this there are substantial accounts.
But now the account must be continued which was begun earlier, where King Óláfr was travelling with his troops and had a levy out off the coast. All the landed men from the north of the country were following him except Einarr þambarskelfir. He had stayed quiet at home at his estates since he came into the country, and was not in the service of the king. Einarr had very extensive possessions and kept himself in fine style even though he had no royal revenues. King Óláfr took this army south past Staðr. Large numbers of troops still joined him from the local areas. King Óláfr now had the ship that he had had built the previous winter, which was called Visundr, the largest of all ships. On the prow there was a bison’s head, decorated with gold. The poet Sigvatr mentions this:
The heather-fish of the fearful- of-flight son of Tryggvi bore gills with ground gold reddened— God so wished—for booty. ·leifr the Stout set a second, finely fitted, a bison, to tread the billows, the beast’s horns sea washed constantly.
The king then travelled south to Hǫrðaland. He heard the news that Erlingr Skjálgsson was gone out of the country taking a large force, four or five ships. He himself had a large longship, while his sons had three twenty-benched ships, and they had sailed west to England to join Knútr inn ríki. Then King Óláfr travelled eastwards along the coast, and he had a very large army. He made enquiries about whether anyone knew anything of the movements of Knútr inn ríki. And everyone was able to tell him that he was in England, and it was also said as well that he had a levy out and was planning to go to Norway. But because King Óláfr had a large force and could not find out for certain where he should make for to meet with Knútr, and people thought it was no good staying in one place with such a large army, then he decided to sail with his army south to Denmark, taking with him all the men he thought were the best fighters and were best equipped, and gave the rest leave to go home, as is said here:
Under oars word-keen O̧leifr urges Visundr southwards; out at sea a second king’s dreki splits the wave-world northwards.
Now the troops went home that he thought would be least help. King Óláfr had there a large and splendid force. In it there were most of the landed men of Norway except those that were earlier said to have left the country or to have remained behind at home. 
When King Óláfr had sailed to Denmark he laid his course to Sjóland, and when he got there he started to make raids, making sallies ashore. So the inhabitants were both robbed and some of them killed, some were captured and bound and taken like that to the ships, but everyone fled who could manage it, and there was no resistance. King Óláfr caused there very great damage. And while King Óláfr was in Sjóland, he heard the news that King Ǫnundr Óláfsson had got a levy out and had gone with a great army to the eastern side of Skáni and was making raids there. Then the plan that King Óláfr and King Ǫnundr had made by the Elfr, when they formed their alliance and friendship, became known, that both were going to offer resistance to King Knútr. King Ǫnundr travelled until he found his brother-in-law King Óláfr. And when they met, then they announced, both to their troops and the people of the country, that they were planning to subject Denmark to themselves and request acceptance by the people of the country. And it came about, examples of which are to be found in various places, that when the people of a country are faced with warfare and have not the power available to resist, then most agree to all the impositions that will buy them peace. So it happened that many people submit to the kings and agreed to be subject to them. They subjected many parts of the country to themselves wherever they went, and otherwise harried. The poet Sigvatr speaks of this harrying in the drápa that he composed about King Knútr inn ríki:
Knútr was, under heavens . . . Haraldr’s son, from reports I hear, in warfare was brave enough. South from the Nið sent the season-blessed prince, ·leifr, on the pollack’s path, his fleet
From the north swept, known it’s become, with the king, cool keels to flat Silund. So with a second, Swedish, army at the oars, Ǫnundr after the Danes goes.
King Knútr had heard west in England that King Óláfr of Norway had a levy out, and also that he was taking this force to Denmark and there was warfare in his kingdom. Then Knútr began to muster troops. Soon a great army and a large number of ships were gathered there. Jarl Hákon was a second leader of these troops. The poet Sigvatr came to England that summer from Rúða in Valland in the west, and with him a man called Bergr. They had gone there on a trading voyage the previous summer. Sigvatr composed the flokkr that was called Vestrfararvísur, and this is the beginning of it:
Bergr, we’ve remembered that many mornings I had the stem roped to the western rampart of Rouen’s walls, with men’s escort. 
So when Sigvatr got to England, then he went straight to see King Knútr, wanting to ask for leave for himself to go to Norway. King Knútr had put a ban on all merchant ships before he got his army ready. But when Sigvatr came to him, then he went to the apartment that the king was in. The apartment was locked at the time, and he stood outside for a long time. And when he got to see the king, then he got leave, as he had requested. Then he spoke:
I’d to ask outside the entrance— I found the building barred to men—in order to get audience with the Jótar’s ruler. But our business—I bear on my arm often iron sleeves —Gormr’s descendant settled well in the hall.
And when Sigvatr realised that King Knútr was preparing an invasion against King Óláfr, and he found out what a great force King Knútr had, then Sigvatr spoke: 
Eager Knútr, all claws open— the king’s death I’ll be dreading— and Ho̧kon prove themselves primed to put ·leifr’s life in danger. Let the king keep, though the jarls and Knútr hardly wished it, to the mountains for the moment; easier a meeting, if he himself escapes. 
Sigvatr composed many other verses about Knútr and Hákon’s expedition. Then he also said:
The most excellent jarl must make peace between O̧leifr and old farmers, who most often opened this matter Before, they have, in greater fury— foremost is the kin of Eiríkr— dealt in heads too much for Ho̧kon hatred to make even.
Knútr inn ríki had fitted out his army to leave the country. He had a huge number of men and amazingly large ships. He himself had a dragon ship that was so large that it had sixty rowing benches. There were also goldadorned figureheads on it. Jarl Hákon had another dragon ship. This had forty rowing benches. There were also gilded figureheads on this, and the sails of both were all striped with blue and red and green. These ships were all painted above the waterline. All the equipment of these ships was most splendid. They had many other ships, large and well equipped. This is what the poet Sigvatr says in Knútsdrápa:
Knútr was, under heavens . . He heard from the east, fair, keen-eyed king of Danes’ son. From the west the wood slid— it was splendid—which bore out Aðalráðr’s enemy from there.
And they bore in the breeze black sails on the yard— proud was the lord’s passage—the prince’s dragons. And the keels that came from the west, sailed over the sea, the surf, to Limafjǫrðr.
It is said that King Knútr took this great army from England in the west and brought his whole troop safely to Denmark and made for Limafjǫrðr. There was already there a large assembly of people of that country.
Jarl Úlfr Sprakaleggsson had been installed as defender of the country in Denmark when King Knútr went to England. He had put his son, who was called Hǫrða-Knútr, into Jarl Úlfr’s charge. It was the previous summer, as has been said above. But the jarl immediately announced that King Knútr had entrusted him with this undertaking at their parting, that he wanted them to take King Knútr’s son Hǫrða-Knútr as king over the Danish realm. ‘It was for that reason that he gave him into our charge. I,’ he says, ‘and many other people of this country and those in high positions have often complained to King Knútr about this, that people find it very difficult to stay here without a king, when previous kings of the Danes thought it plenty to do to hold the position of king over just the Danish realm on its own. But in former times there were many kings ruling over this kingdom. And yet there is now a much greater problem than there has been before, for we have up to now managed to remain in peace from foreign rulers, but now what we have heard is that the king of Norway is planning to make war against us, and moreover people have a suspicion that the king of the Svíar may also be going to join in the expedition. But King Knútr is now in England.’ Then the jarl brought out letters with seals that confirmed all this that the jarl was putting forward. This undertaking was supported by many other leading men. And at their combined persuasion the people decided to take Hǫrða-Knútr as king, and this was done at the same assembly. But it was Queen Emma who had been the instigator of this plot. She had had these letters written and had them sealed. She had got hold of the king’s seal by trickery, but this was all concealed from him himself. So when Hǫrða-Knútr and Jarl Úlfr realised that King Óláfr was come from Norway in the north with a great army, then they went to Jótland, because it is there that the greatest power of the Danish realm lies. They then raised a war arrow and mustered a large army. But when they heard that the king of the Svíar was also come there with his army, then they felt they did not have the resources to engage in battle with them both. Then they kept their host in Jótland, intending to defend that land from the kings, and the naval force they gathered all together in Limafjǫrðr, and waited thus for King Knútr. And when they heard that King Knútr was come from the west to Limafjǫrðr, then they sent messengers to him and to Queen Emma, asking her to find out whether the king was angry with them or not, and keep them in the picture. The queen discussed this matter with the king, saying that their son Hǫrða-Knútr was willing to atone for everything the king wanted, if he had done anything that the king felt was not to his liking. He replies, saying that Hǫrða-Knútr had not carried out his instructions.
‘It has so turned out,’ he said, ‘as was to be expected, since he was a child and a fool, that he wanted to be called king and got a problem on his hands, that the whole country was about to be invaded and subjected to foreign rulers if our help did not come. If he now wants to make some amends to me, then let him come to see me and lay aside this silly name of having himself called king.’ After this the queen passed on these same words to Hǫrða-Knútr and this too, that she bade him not to neglect making this visit, saying, as was true, that he would not have the power to stand against his father. And when this message came to Hǫrða-Knútr, then he sought the advice of the jarl and other leading men who were with him. But it was soon found, when the people of the country heard that Knútr inn gamli had arrived, that then all the common people thronged to him, feeling that in him lay all their hope. Jarl Úlfr and his other comrades realised that they had two choices available, either to go to see the king and put all at his mercy, or else to head away abroad. But everyone urged Hǫrða-Knútr to go to see his father. He did so. And when they met, then he fell at the feet of his father and laid the seal that belonged to the king’s name in his lap. King Knútr took Hǫrða-Knútr by the hand and sat him in a seat as high as he had sat before. Jarl Úlfr sent his son Sveinn to see King Knútr. Sveinn was King Knútr’s sister’s son. He sought for pardon for his father and atonement with the king and offered to stay as hostage on behalf of the jarl. Sveinn and Hǫrða-Knútr were of the same age. King Knútr ordered these words to be told to the jarl, that he was to muster an army and ships and thus come to meet the king, but he would talk later about his atonement. The jarl did so.
So when King Óláfr and King Ǫnundr learned that King Knútr was come from the west, and also that he now had an invincible army, then they sail east round Skáni, beginning now to harry and burn settlements, so making their way east along the coast towards the realm of the king of the Svíar. So when the people of the country heard that King Knútr was come from the west, then there was no more becoming subject to the king. The poet Sigvatr mentions this: 
The keen rulers could not attract could not attract by dint of warfare.
Then fiercely the feller of Danes had Skáney harried; . . . the outstanding prince.
Then the kings made their way east along the coast and came to land at a place called Áin helga, and stayed there for a while. Then they learn that King Knútr was travelling with his army eastwards after them. Then they take counsel together and decided that King Óláfr with some of his troops should go up ashore and all the way through the forests to the lake that Áin helga flows from, making there at the river mouth a dam with timber and turf, so damming up the lake, and also they cut great dikes, making several lakes flow into each other, forming huge swamps, and felling trees into the river bed. They were at this labour many days, and King Óláfr took the management of these schemes, while King Ǫnundr now had command of the naval force. King Knútr learned about the movements of the kings and also about all the damage they had done in his realm, making his way to meet them where they were lying in Áin helga, and he had a great army and one twice as big as their two put together. Sigvatr mentions this: 
Once in his land the lord of Jótland would not be deprived; Very little plundering of land the protecting shield of Danes permitted, . . . the outstanding prince.
It happened one day in the evening that some of King Ǫnundr’s men on the lookout saw where King Knútr was sailing, and he was not far away. Then King Ǫnundr had horns blown as a summons to war. The men then threw off the awnings and armed themselves, rowed out of the harbour and eastwards along the coast, brought their ships alongside each other and tied them together and prepared for battle. King Ǫnundr rushed the lookout men up inland. They went to see King Óláfr and told him what had been going on. Then King Óláfr had the dams demolished and let the river flow back in its bed, while he went during the night down to his ships. King Knútr came level with the harbour. Then he saw where the kings’ army was lying ready for battle. He felt that now it would be late in the day to engage in battle by the time his army was completely ready, as his fleet required a lot of space in the sea in order to sail. There was a great distance between the first of his ships and the last, and also between the one that was travelling furthest out to sea, and the other that was travelling closest to the land. There was little wind. So when King Knútr saw that the Svíar and the Norwegians had quit the harbour, then he made into the harbour, together with the ships there was room for, though the main part of his naval force lay out in the open sea. In the morning, when it was almost light, then many of their troops were up ashore, some chatting, some enjoying themselves. Then the next thing they know is that water is rushing down at them in a torrent. With it came huge pieces of timber which drove against their ships. Their ships were damaged by them, while the water flooded across the whole area. The people that were ashore and many of those that were on board the ships perished, while all those who could manage it cut their cables and got clear, and the ships were tossed all over the place. The great dragon ship that the king himself was aboard was driven out with the current. It could not easily be turned round by the oars. It was driven out to where King Ǫnundr’s fleet was. So when they recognised the ship, then they immediately attacked it from all sides. But because the ship stood high out of the water like a stronghold and had a lot of men on board and a crew selected from the finest men, who were also armed in the most dependable way possible, so the ship was not easy to overcome. It was not a long time before Jarl Úlfr attacked with his troop, and then a battle began. Next King Knútr’s army drew close on all sides. Then the kings Óláfr and Ǫnundr saw that now they must have for the moment won as much of a victory as was going to be allotted them; they pulled their ships astern with the oars and got clear of King Knútr’s army and the fleet scattered. And because this attack had not worked out as King Knútr had arranged for it to, the ships not having gone forward in the way that had been ordered, so the engagement came to nothing, and Knútr and his men inspected their troops and began to line up their troops and put them in order. So when they had parted and each fleet was sailing separately, then the kings inspected their forces and found that they had suffered no loss of life. They also saw that if they were to wait there until King Knútr had got the whole army that he had there ready, and after that attacked them, the difference in numbers was so great that there was little hope that they would be victorious, and it was obvious that if battle was engaged, there would be a very great loss of men there. Now the decision was made to row the whole army eastwards along the coast. But when they saw King Knútr’s fleet was not pursuing them, then they put up masts and hoisted their sails. Óttarr svarti discusses this engagement in the drápa that he composed about Knútr inn ríki: 
Swedes you stayed, ruler Swedes you stayed, ruler of wolf-food the she-wolf won at O̧ en helga. You held, where no raven hungered, the territory against two princes, terror-staff.
The poet Þórðr Sjáreksson composed a memorial drápa about King Óláfr, it is called Róðadrápa, and there this engagement is mentioned:
A clash of arms O̧leifr, Egðir’s lord, engaged in against the excellent king of Jótar, who cleaves ring-mail. Shot quite keenly at him the king of the Skwnungar; Sveinn’s son was no weaking; the wolf howled over carrion.
King Óláfr and King Ǫnundr sailed eastwards along the coast of the king of the Svíar’s realm, and in the evening of that day they came to land at a place called Barvík. The kings lay there that night. And then it became apparent about the Svíar, that they were now keen to go home. There was a large part of the army of Svíar that sailed during the night east along the coast, and they did not stop their travelling until each one had reached his home. So when King Ǫnundr realised this and it was now daylight, then he had an assembly of his troops summoned by horns. Then all the troops went ashore, and the assembly was inaugurated. King Ǫnundr began to speak: ‘It is the case,’ he says, ‘as you, King Óláfr, know, that we have this summer raided far and wide round Denmark. We have gained a great deal of wealth, though not of land. I did have this summer three hundred and fifty ships, but now there remain no more than a hundred ships. Now it seems to me as though we shall not gain honour by fighting with no larger army than we now have, even though you have fifty ships, as you did have in the summer. Now I feel it will be best to go back into my kingdom, and it is good to get back home safe and sound. We have gained on this expedition, and lost nothing. Now I wish, brother-in-law Óláfr, to invite you to go with me, and let us be together the whole winter. Have such of my realm as will enable you to maintain yourself and the troops that are following you. Then when spring comes we can make such plans as seem good to us. But if you prefer as an alternative to use our land to travel over, and wish to travel by land to your realm in Norway, then you shall be free to do so.’ King Óláfr thanked King Ǫnundr for the kind invitation that he had given him. ‘And yet, if I have my way,’ he says, ‘then another plan will be adopted, and we shall keep this army that now remains together here. I did have, at the beginning of summer, before I left Norway, three hundred and fifty ships; but when I left the country, then I chose out of all that army that troop that I thought was best. I manned these sixty ships that I have now. Now it seems to me the same with your troops, that they will have run away who had least spirit and provided the worst support, but I can see here all your leading men and captains of royal troops, and I know that this troop, which is a royal troop, is all better off for weapons. We still have a large army and such a fine naval force, that we may well stay out on the ships all winter, as kings used to do in the past. But King Knútr will only stay a short while in Áin helga, for there is no harbour there for the number of ships he has got. He will travel east after us. Then we shall move away, and then troops will soon join us. But if he turns back there to where the harbours are where he can lie with his fleet, then there will be there by no means fewer troops eager to be home than here. I expect that we have so managed things here this summer that the villager will know what he will be doing both in Skáni and in Sjóland. Knútr’s army will soon scatter all over the place, and there is no knowing then who will be victorious. Let us first have a lookout kept as to what course he takes.’
King Óláfr ended his speech with everyone applauding enthusiastically, and the plan was adopted that he wished to have followed. Then lookouts were posted for King Knútr’s forces, while both kings lay there. 
King Knútr saw this, that the king of Norway and the king of the Svíar took their troops eastwards along the coast. He immediately put a troop up ashore, having his men ride by the inland route day and night, as the kings’ troops travelled along by sea. One party of lookout men rode out when the others came back. Knútr knew every day about what happened in their travels. There were also spies of his in the kings’ army. And when he found out that a large part of their forces had left them, then he took his army back to Sjáland and put into Eyrarsund with his whole army. Some of the force lay off Sjáland, and some off Skáni. King Knútr rode up to Hróiskelda the next day before Michaelmas, and a large company of men with him. And there his brother-in-law Jarl Úlfr had prepared a banquet for him. The jarl’s provision was very liberal and he was very merry. The king said little and looked in rather a bad temper. The jarl kept speaking to him, trying to find the topics that he thought would most please the king. The king made little response. Then the jarl asked if he wanted to play a board game. He agreed. They got a set of pieces and played. Jarl Úlfr was a man ready of speech and unyielding both in words and in all other things, and one eager for action in regard to his rule and a great warrior, and there are many things told about him. Jarl Úlfr was the most powerful man in Denmark, apart from the king. Gyða, whom Jarl Guðini Úlfnaðrsson married, was Jarl Úlfr’s sister, and their sons were King Haraldr of the English, Jarl Tósti, Jarl Valþjófr, Jarl Mǫrukári, Jarl Sveinn. Their daughter was called Gyða, whom King Eatvarðr inn góði of the English married.
So while they were playing this board game, King Knútr and Jarl Úlfr, then the king made a very bad move. Then the jarl checked one of his knights. The king took back his piece, saying that he would make a different move. The jarl grew angry and threw down the board, got up and went away. The king said: ‘Are you running away now, Úlfr the Cowardly?’ The jarl turned round by the doorway and said:
‘You would have run further in Áin helga, if you could have managed it. You did not call me Úlfr the Cowardly when I sailed up to help you when the Svíar were beating you like dogs.’ The jarl then went out and went to bed. A little later the king went to bed. The next morning, when the king was getting dressed, then he said to his servant: ‘Go,’ he says, ‘to Jarl Úlfr and kill him.’ The lad went and was away a short while and came back. Then the king said: ‘Did you kill the jarl?’ He replies: ‘I did not kill him, for he was gone to Lucius’s Church.’ There was a man called Ívarr hvíti, Norwegian by origin. He was at this time a follower of King Knútr and his chamberlain. The king spoke to Ívarr: ‘You go and kill the jarl.’ Ívarr went to the church and on into the choir and there stabbed his sword through the jarl. Jarl Úlfr got his death there. Ívarr went to the king, taking the bloody sword in his hand. The king asked: ‘Did you kill the jarl?’ Ívarr replies: ‘Now I have killed him.’ ‘You have done well, then,’ he said. But afterwards, when the jarl had been killed, the monks had the church locked. The king was then told of this. He sent a man to the monks, telling them to open the church and sing the service. They did as the king asked. So when the king came to the church, then he conveyed extensive lands to the church, so that it formed a large domain, and the establishment became much more important afterwards. The consequence was that these lands have remained attached to it ever since. Afterwards King Knútr rode out to his ships and stayed there for a long time in the autumn with a very large army.
When King Óláfr and King Ǫnundr learned that King Knútr had made for Eyrarsund and that he was lying there with his army, then the kings held a meeting of the troops. King Óláfr spoke, saying that this had gone as he had supposed, so that King Knútr had not stayed long in Áin helga. ‘I expect that now other things will go in accordance with what I had supposed about our dealings. He now has small numbers compared with what he had in the summer, and he will have even fewer later on, for it will be no less unpleasant for them than for us to be lying out on board ships for this coming autumn, and we shall be granted victory if we do not lack determination and daring. He has so fared this summer, that we have had fewer troops, but they have lost both men and wealth by us.’ Then the Svíar began to speak, saying that it was not a good idea to wait there for winter and freeze, ‘even though the Norwegians are urging this. They do not fully realise how icy it can get here, and the whole sea often freezes in the winter. We want to go home and not stay here any longer.’ Then the Svíar all started grumbling, and one after another added their voices. It was decided in the end that King Ǫnundr was to leave now with all his forces, and King Óláfr was to stay on behind.
So as King Óláfr lay there, he had frequent discussions and councils of his men. It happened one night that they were set to keep watch for the king’s ship, Egill Hallsson and the man who was called Tófi Valgautsson. His origin was from Vestra-Gautland, a man of good family. And while they sat there on watch, then they heard weeping and wailing from where captured warriors were sitting tied up. They had been tied up overnight up on shore. Tófi says that he found it unpleasant to listen to their howling, and told Egill that they should go and free the people and let them run away. They carried out this same plan, went up and cut their bonds and made all these people run away, and this deed was very unpopular. The king, too, was so angry that they were on the brink of the utmost peril. And afterwards, when Egill was ill, then it was for a long time that the king would not come to see him though many people begged him. Then Egill repented greatly of having acted so that the king was displeased, and asked his forgiveness. In the end the king granted him this. King Óláfr laid his hands over Egill’s side under which the pain lay, and said his prayers, and immediately all the pain went away. After that Egill got better. And Tófi later managed to make atonement. It is said that as a condition of this he had to get his father to come to see King Óláfr. Valgautr was a man heathen as a dog, and he accepted Christianity by the king’s persuasion and died as soon as he was baptised.
Now when King Óláfr was having a discussion with his men, then he sought advice from leading men, what they wanted to do. But there was little agreement among people about this. One person declared that a bad thing to do that another thought promising, and they pondered among themselves what they should do for a very long time. King Knútr’s spies were continually in the midst of their army and got to talk to many people, and they made offers of money and friendship on behalf of King Knútr, and many people let themselves be persuaded and pledged their troth that they would become King Knútr’s men and bring the country into his hands if he came to Norway. Many were found to be guilty of this later, though it remained secret for a while. Some received gifts of money straight away, and some were promised money later. But those were very numerous who had already received large friendly gifts from him, for it was true to say of King Knútr that everyone that came to see him, of those that he thought had any sign of manhood in them and wanted to attach themselves to him, then they all got their hands full of money from him. As a result he became enormously popular. And the most remarkable was his generosity to foreigners, especially those that had come from furthest off.
King Óláfr often had discussions and meetings with his men and asked about plans. And when he found that each one made different suggestions, then he suspected that there were some that must be saying something different about it from what must seem to them most advisable, and so it could not be decided whether everyone could be carrying out their true duty to him as regards loyalty. There were many who urged that they should use a favourable wind and sail to Eyrarsund and so north to Norway. They said that the Danes would not dare to attack them, even though they were lying there in front of them with a large force. But the king was sensible enough to see that this was an impossible plan. He also knew that it had worked out differently for Óláfr Tryggvason, when he had a small force and he engaged in battle where there was a great army facing him, from the Danes not daring to fight then. The king also knew that in King Knútr’s army there was a large number of Norwegians. The king suspected that those who had given him this advice must be more loyal to King Knútr than to him. King Óláfr now made his decision, saying this, that men were to get ready, those who were willing to follow him, to travel by land across inland Gautland and so to Norway. ‘And our ships,’ he says, ‘and all the cargo that we cannot carry with us, I will send east into the realm of the king of the Svíar and have it kept there on our behalf.’
Hárekr from Þjótta replied to King Óláfr’s speech, saying this: ‘It is obvious that I cannot go to Norway on foot. I am an old man and heavy and little used to walking. I feel reluctant to part from my ship. I have taken such trouble over my ship and its equipment that I should be loath to let my enemies get hold of this ship.’ The king replies: ‘Go with us, Hárekr. We shall carry you along with us if you are unable to walk.’ Hárekr then uttered a verse: 
I’ve resolved to straddle my steed, long, resounding, my steed, of Rhine-flame’s land, from here, rather than on my way walking, though out in Eyrarsund the arm-fetter’s grove is lying— all men know my courage— Knútr, out with his warships.
Then King Óláfr prepared to set out. The men had the clothes they had on and their weapons, and whatever they could get in the way of horses was loaded with clothes and money. But he sent men and had them convey his ships east to Kalmarnir. They got the ships beached there and all the gear and other goods put into store. Hárekr did as he had said he would, he waited for a wind and then sailed from the east past Skáni until he got from the east to Halarnir, and by then it was evening. But there was a good wind blowing. Then he had the sail lowered and also the masts, the weathervane taken down and all the ship above the water line wrapped in grey awnings, and had rowers on a few benches fore and aft and made most of the men sit low down in the ship. So King Knútr’s watchmen saw the ship and discussed among themselves what kind of ship that might be, and guessed that it must be salt or herring that was being transported, since they saw few men and not much rowing, while the ship looked grey to them and unpitched and as if the ship must have been bleached by the sun, and they could see that the ship was heavily laden. But when Hárekr got on into the sound and past the army, then he had the masts raised and the sail hoisted, had a gilded weathervane put up. The sail was as white as snow and coloured with red and blue stripes. Then King Knútr’s men saw and tell the king that it was more than likely that King Óláfr had sailed by there. But King Knútr says this, that King Óláfr was a sensible enough man not to have travelled with a single ship through King Knútr’s army, and said he thought it more likely that it must have been Hárekr from Þjótta there or his like. People take the truth to be that King Knútr knew about Hárekr’s travels and that he would not have got by like that if there had not previously passed friendly overtures between him and King Knútr, and this seemed to be manifest afterwards, when the friendship of King Knútr and Hárekr became universally known. Hárekr composed this verse as he sailed north past Veðrey:
I will not let ladies of Lund, or Danish maidens jeer—beyond the island the oak of the sea-ring we drive on— that in autumn I dared not, Jǫrð of the hawk’s vessel, on the flat paths of Fróði fare back in the bollard-steed.
King Óláfr set out on his journey, going first up through Smálǫnd and coming out in Vestra-Gautland, travelling quietly and peacefully, and the people of the country gave them hospitable treatment. The king went on until he came down in the Vík, and so north along the Vík until he got to Sarpsborg. He then stopped there and then had winter quarters got ready there. The king then gave leave to go home to the greater part of his force, but kept with him such of the landed men as he thought fit. There with him were all the sons of Árni Armóðsson. They were the most highly valued by the king. Then Gellir Þorkelsson came to King Óláfr, having arrived from Iceland earlier that summer, as was written above.
The poet Sigvatr had been with King Óláfr for a long time, as has been written here, and the king had made him his marshal. Sigvatr was not a man quick of speech in prose, but he had such facility in verse that he spoke it extempore, just as if he was saying something in the ordinary way. He had been on trading expeditions in Valland, and on that journey he had come to England and met Knútr inn ríki and got leave from him to go to Norway, as was written above. And when he got to Norway, then he straight away went to see King Óláfr and met up with him in Borg, going into the king’s presence while he was sitting at table. Sigvatr greeted him. The king looked at him and said nothing. Sigvatr said:
We are come home hither— heed this, prince of people— your marshal; my words let men mark, as I utter them. Say where you have assigned a seat for men, great ruler, among pines of gold; to me all places are pleasant within your hall. 
Then the old saying proved true, that many are the king’s ears. King Óláfr had heard all about Sigvatr’s travels, how he had seen King Knútr. King Óláfr said to Sigvatr: ‘I am not sure whether you now plan to stay as my marshal. But have you now become a follower of King Knútr?’ Sigvatr said:
Knútr asked me, with assets open-handed, if I wanted to be useful to him as to O̧leifr, the glad-hearted. One lord at a time—honestly I thought that I answered— I said suited me; good examples are set for every man.
Then King Óláfr said that Sigvatr was to go to the seat that he was accustomed to have before. Sigvatr soon got himself again onto the same close terms as he had been on earlier.
Erlingr Skjálgsson and all his sons had during the summer been in King Knútr’s army and in Jarl Hákon’s troop. Þórir hundr was also in it then and was held in great honour. And when King Knútr learned that King Óláfr had gone to Norway by land, then King Knútr broke up the levy and gave everyone leave to get themselves winter quarters. There was then in Denmark a great host of foreigners, both Englishmen and Norwegians and come from various lands when troops had joined the army in the summer. Erlingr Skjálgsson went to Norway with his men in the autumn, and received from King Knútr great gifts at their parting. Þórir hundr stayed behind with King Knútr.With Erlingr there travelled north to Norway King Knútr’s embassy, taking with them a huge amount of money. They travelled widely round the country during the winter handing out the money that King Knútr had promised people in the autumn for their support, and gave it to many others too whose friendship to King Knútr they were able to purchase with money. And they had Erlingr’s protection for their travels round.Then it came about thus, that a large number of men turned to friendship with King Knútr, promising him their service, and this also, to offer resistance to King Óláfr. Some did this openly, but those were much more numerous that kept this secret from the ordinary people. King Óláfr heard about all these doings. Many were able to tell him about these doings, and there was much talk of it there among the king’s men. The poet Sigvatr said this:
The prince’s foes prowl there, with purses open; often people offer, for the prince’s priceless skull, solid metal. Each man who for gold gives up his gracious lord knows his home will be in black hell; he has deserved it.
And again Sigvatr said this: 
A bad bargain, when those who base treason dealt their lord in heaven, the deep home of high fire went seeking.
The opinion was often expressed there, how ill it beseemed Jarl Hákon to bring an army against King Óláfr, when he had granted him life when the jarl had fallen into his power. But Sigvatr was a very great friend of the jarl, and then, when Sigvatr heard the jarl criticised again, he said:
Those who, of the king of Hǫrðar’s housecarls, accept money for O̧leifr’s life, would then be acting even worse than the jarl. It taints his retinue, talked of in this fashion; for us it would be easier if all were clear of treachery.
King Óláfr held a great Yule feast, and there came to him then many men of rank. It was the seventh day of Yule that the king was walking and few men with him. Sigvatr was with the king day and night. He was with him now. They went into a building. In this the king’s treasures were kept. He had at this time been making great preparations, as was his custom, gathering together his treasures to give friendly gifts on the eighth evening of Yule. Standing there in this building there was no very small number of goldadorned swords Then Sigvatr said:
Swords stand there—oars of straits of wounds we honour— for us the war-leader’s favour is finest—gold-decorated. I would accept, if you wanted— I was with you once, spreader of gulf’s fire, great ruler— to give the poet something.
The king took one of the swords and gave it him. Its haft was wrapped in gold and the hilt guard and boss were decorated with gold. This was a very fine treasure, though the gift was not unenvied, and this will be heard about later. Immediately after Yule, King Óláfr set out on his way to Upplǫnd, for he had a large following and no revenues had come to him that autumn from the north of the country, and because the levy had been out in the summer and the king had devoted all the payments that were available to that. There were also no ships now in which to take his troops to the north of the country. Moreover the reports he had from the north were only ones that he thought did not bode peace if he did not go with a large force. The king therefore decided to travel over Upplǫnd. But it was not so very long since he had gone round attending banquets there under the provisions of the law and as the custom of kings had been. But as the king made his way up through the country, then landed men and powerful farmers invited him to their homes and thus lightened his expenses.
There is a man called Bjǫrn, Gautish by origin. He was a friend and acquaintance of Queen Ástríðr and somewhat related in kinship, and she had granted him a bailiwick and stewardship in the upper part of Heiðmǫrk. He was also overseer in Eystri-Dalir. Bjǫrn was not beloved of the king, and he was not a popular man with the farmers. It had moreover happened in the area that Bjǫrn was in charge of, that a large number of cattle and swine had gone missing there. Bjǫrn had an assembly called there about it and enquired into the disappearances. He declared the men most likely to be responsible for such things and evil tricks were those who resided in forest areas far from other people. He pointed the finger at those who lived in Eystri-Dalir. This settlement was very scattered, in habitations by lakes or in clearings in the forest, and in only a few places were there large settlements close together.
There was a man called Rauðr who lived there in Eystri-Dalir. His wife was named Ragnhildr, his sons Dagr and Sigurðr. They were very promising men. They were present at this assembly and made answers on behalf of the people of Dalir, and defended them from these accusations. Bjǫrn thought they were acting arrogantly, and that they were very ostentatious with their weapons and clothes. Bjǫrn turned the accusations against the brothers, declaring them not unlikely to have done these things. They denied their own guilt, and so this assembly broke up. A little later King Óláfr came to Bjǫrn the Steward’s with his retinue and received a banquet there. Then this business that had previously been made public at the assembly was brought before the king. Bjǫrn said that he thought Rauðr’s sons were most likely to be the cause of these losses. Then Rauðr’s sons were sent for. But when they came before the king, then he considered they did not look like thieves and he acquitted them of these charges. They invited the king to their father’s to receive there a banquet of three nights with all his retinue. Bjǫrn spoke against the trip. The king went nevertheless. At Rauðr’s there was the most splendid banquet. Then the king asked what manner of man Rauðr was and his wife. Rauðr says that he was a Swedish man, wealthy and of good family. ‘But I eloped from there,’ he says, ‘with this woman, to whom I have remained married ever since. She is King Hringr Dagsson’s sister.’ Then the king recollected both of their descents. He found that the father and his sons were very intelligent, and asked them about their accomplishments. Sigurðr says that he can interpret dreams and distinguish the time of day even when no heavenly bodies can be seen. The king tested this accomplishment, and it was as Sigurðr had said. Dagr chose as his accomplishment that he could discern the good and bad qualities of any person that came before his eyes, if he was to pay attention to them and consider them. The king told him to tell him what vice he saw in him. Dagr chose the one that the king thought correct. Then the king asked about Bjǫrn the Steward, what vice he had. Dagr says that Bjǫrn was a thief, and moreover he says where Bjǫrn had hidden on his farm both bones and horns and hides of the cattle that he had stolen that autumn. ‘He is responsible,’ he says, ‘for all the thefts of what has disappeared this autumn, which he has imputed to other people.’ Dagr tells the king all the clues to where the king must look. So when the king left Rauðr’s, then he was sent off with fine friendly gifts. Rauðr’s sons stayed with the king. The king went first to Bjǫrn’s, and everything proved to him to be just as Dagr had said. Then the king made Bjǫrn leave the country, and he had the queen to thank for the fact that he kept life and limb.
Ǫlvir at Egg’s son Þórir, Kálfr Árnason’s stepson and Þórir hundr’s sister’s son, was the handsomest of men, a big man and strong. He was now eighteen years old. He had made a good match in Heiðmǫrk and gained a wealth of money with it. He was a most popular man and was thought likely to make a good leader. He invited the king to a banquet at his home with his retinue. The king accepted this invitation and went to Þórir’s, receiving there very good hospitality. There was the most splendid banquet, the entertainment was very liberal, and all the provisions were of the finest. The king and his men discussed among themselves how it seemed to them very much in the balance, and they were uncertain which they found most outstanding, Þórir’s accommodation or his table furnishings or the drink or the man who was providing it all. Dagr made little comment.
King Óláfr was accustomed to have frequent talks with Dagr and asked him various things. The king found everything to be accurate that Dagr said, whether it was in the past or not yet happened. The king attached great confidence to his assertions. Now the king called Dagr to a private conversation and spoke then of many things to him. The conclusion of the king’s remarks was that he set forth before Dagr, what an outstanding person Þórir was, who had provided for them this splendid banquet. Dagr made little comment and agreed it was all true, what the king said. Then the king asked Dagr what faults of character he saw in Þórir. Dagr said he thought Þórir must be of a very good disposition if he was so endowed as appeared to ordinary people’s sight. Then the king told him to tell him what he asked, saying that it was his duty to do so. Dagr replies: ‘Then, king, you must grant me that I may determine the punishment if I am going to discover his vice.’ The king says that he is unwilling to hand over his judgments to other people, but bade Dagr tell him what he asked. Dagr replies: ‘The ruler’s word is supreme. This is what I shall suggest as Þórir’s vice, which many can be subject to: he is too greedy for money.’ The king replies: ‘Is he a thief or a robber?’ Dagr replies: ‘It is not that,’ he says. ‘What is it then?’ says the king. Dagr replies: ‘He did this for money: he became a traitor to his lord. He has accepted money from Knútr inn ríki for your head.’ The king replies: ‘How can you prove that?’ ‘He wears on his right arm above the elbow a thick gold ring, which King Knútr has given him, and he lets no one see it.’ After that he and the king break off their conversation, and the king was very angry. When the king was sitting at table and people had been drinking for a while and the men were very merry—Þórir was waiting on them—then the king had Þórir called to him. He approached the table from in front and raised his arms to grasp the edge of the table. The king asked: ‘How old are you, Þórir?’ ‘I am eighteen years old,’ he says. The king said: ‘You are a big man, Þórir, for your age, and noble-looking.’ Then the king felt round Þórir’s right arm and stroked it up round the elbow. Þórir said:
‘Touch it gently there. I have a boil on my arm.’ The king held his arm and felt that there was something hard underneath. The king said: ‘Have you not heard that I am a physician? So let me see the boil.’ Þórir realised that it would do no good to conceal it, then took off the ring and delivered it up. The king asks whether it was the gift of King Knútr. Þórir says that it could not be denied. The king had Þórir taken prisoner and put in irons. Then Kálfr went up and begged for mercy for Þórir and offered money on his behalf. Many people supported this request and offered their own money too. The king was so angry that he would not listen to anything. He says that Þórir must have the very judgment that he had intended for him. Then the king had Þórir killed, and this act gave rise to the greatest resentment both there over Upplǫnd and just as much north over Þrándheimr, where his kin was most numerous. Kálfr took much to heart the execution of this man, for Þórir had been his foster-son in his youth.
Grjótgarðr, Ǫlvir’s son and Þórir’s brother, he was the elder of the brothers. He was the most noble-looking man and kept a retinue with him. He was also now located in Heiðmǫrk. Now when he heard of the execution of Þórir, then he made attacks wherever he found the king’s men or property, living now in forests, now in other hiding places. So when the king heard about these hostilities, then he had watch kept on Grjótgarðr’s movements. The king becomes aware of his movements. Grjótgarðr had got a night’s lodging not far from where the king was. King Óláfr set out that very night, arriving there at dawn, surrounded the apartment that Grjótgarðr and his men were in. Grjótgarðr and his men awoke at the noise of men and clashing of weapons. They then straight away ran to their weapons. Grjótgarðr ran out into the entrance hall. Grjótgarðr asked who was in charge of the troop. He was told that King Óláfr was come there. Grjótgarðr asked if the king was able to hear what he was saying. The king was standing at the entrance. He says that Grjótgarðr could say whatever he wished. ‘I hear what you are saying,’ says the king. Grjótgarðr said:’I will not ask for mercy.’ Then Grjótgarðr ran out, holding a shield above his head and a drawn sword in his hand. It was not very light, and he could not see clearly. He thrust his sword at the king, but Arnbjǫrn Árnason was in line for it. The blow went under his coat of mail and passed into his belly. Arnbjǫrn got his death from it. Grjótgarðr was immediately killed too, and nearly all his troop. After these events the king returned to his journey south to the Vík.
Now when King Óláfr got to Túnsberg, then he sent men into all areas, and the king requested men and a levy for himself. His naval strength was now meagre. There were now no ships except farmers’ transport boats. But troops gathered to him satisfactorily from the areas round about, but few came from a long distance, and it soon became apparent that the people of the country must now have turned from loyalty to the king. King Óláfr made his troops go east to Gautland, sending now for his ships and the goods that they had left behind in the autumn. But the progress of these men was slow, for it was no easier to travel through Denmark now than in the autumn, since King Knútr had an army out in the spring all over the Danish realm, and had no fewer than twelve hundred ships.
The news became known in Norway that Knútr inn ríki was mustering an invincible army in Denmark, and this too, that he was planning to take the whole force to Norway and subject the country there to himself. And when this became known, then the men became the more difficult for King Óláfr to get hold of, and after this he got little from farmers. His men often spoke of this among themselves. Then Sigvatr spoke this:
England’s great king calls out cohorts, while we gather— scant fear I see in our ruler— scarce troops and smaller vessels. The prospects are poor if his country’s people leave this king lacking troops; money is removing men from their constancy. 
The king held meetings of his followers, and occasionally an assembly of his whole force, asking men for ideas as to what now seemed best to do. ‘There is no point in concealing the fact,’ he says, ‘that King Knútr is going to come and pay us a visit this summer, and he has a large army, as you will have heard, and we have small forces as things are now to oppose his army, and the people of the country are now not reliable.’ But people responded in various ways to the king’s speech, those whom he was addressing. And this is spoken of here, where Sigvatr says:
One can flee—but jibes will on our hands be laid—the foes of the mighty ruler, and pay money; murmurs of fear come at us. Each follower must, though the fortune of friends of the king dwindles, take care of himself—overturned treason shall be—far the longest.
That same spring these events took place in Hálogaland, that Hárekr from Þjótta called to mind that Áskell Grankelsson had robbed and beaten his servants. The ship that Hárekr had, of twenty rowing benches, was afloat in front of his farm, with awnings up and the decking in place. He sent round word that he was planning to go south to Þrándheimr. One evening, Hárekr went to his ship with his troop of servants, and had nearly eighty men. They rowed through the night and came, at dawn, to Grankell’s farm, surrounded the buildings there, then made an attack on them, afterwards setting fire to the buildings. Grankell was burned inside there and some men with him, though some were killed outside. Altogether thirty men died there. Hárekr went back home after this deed and remained on his farm. Ásmundr was staying with King Óláfr. It was the case with the men that were in Hálogaland, both that no one demanded compensation of Hárekr for this deed, and indeed he never offered any.
Knútr inn ríki mustered his army and made for Limafjǫrðr. And when he was ready, then he sailed from there with his whole force for Norway, travelling fast and not lying near the land on the eastern side of the fiord, then sailed across Foldin and came to land at Agðir, demanding assemblies there. Farmers came down and held assemblies with King Knútr. Knútr was accepted as king across the whole country there. Then he appointed men to stewardships there, and took hostages from farmers. No one spoke in opposition to him. King Óláfr was now in Túnsberg while Knútr’s army was travelling round the shore of Foldin. King Knútr travelled north along the coast. Men came to him from the local areas there, and all agreed to be subject to him. King Knútr lay in Eikundasund for some time. There Erlingr Skjálgsson came to him with a large troop. Then he and King Knútr confirmed their friendship again anew. It was among the promises to Erlingr on the part of King Knútr that he was to have all the land to be in charge of between Staðr and Rýgjarbit. After that King Knútr went on his way, and this, in the fewest possible words, is to be told about his journey, that he did not stop until he got north to Þrándheimr and made for Niðaróss. He then called an assembly of the eight districts in Þrándheimr. At this assembly Knútr was accepted as king over all Norway. Þórir hundr had left Denmark with King Knútr, and he was present. Hárekr from Þjótta was also come there then. Then he and Þórir were made King Knútr’s landed men and confirmed it with oaths. King Knútr gave them great revenues and granted them the trade with Lapps, giving them on top of that great gifts. All landed men who were willing to transfer to him he endowed both with revenues and with money, letting them all have more power than they had had previously.
King Knútr had now subjected all the land in Norway to himself. Then he had a large assembly of both his own men and the people of the country. Then King Knútr announced this, that he was going to give his kinsman Jarl Hákon all the land that he had won in this expedition to oversee, and at the same time, that he was installing in the high seat beside himself his son Hǫrða-Knútr, and giving him the title of king and with it the realm of Denmark. King Knútr took hostages from all the landed men and important farmers, taking their sons or brothers or other close relatives or the men whom they were most fond of and he thought most suitable. Thus the king strengthened the loyalty of people to him in the ways that have just been stated. As soon as Jarl Hákon had taken over rule in Norway, then his kinsman Einarr þambarskelfir joined fellowship with him. Then he took up all the revenues that he had had previously when jarls ruled the land. King Knútr gave Einarr great gifts and entered into close friendship with him, promising this, that Einarr should be the greatest and noblest of untitled men in Norway as long as the land lay under his sway. But he said as well that he thought Einarr best suited to bear a title of nobility in Norway, if there was no jarl available, or his son Eindriði, because of his descent. Einarr valued these promises greatly, and promised in return his loyalty. Then began anew Einarr’s career as leader.
There was a man called Þórarinn loftunga. He was an Icelandic man by descent, a great poet, and he had been very much among kings and other rulers. He was staying with King Knútr and had composed a flokkr about him. But when the king found out that Þórarinn had composed a flokkr about him, then he got angry and told him to present him with a drápa the next day, when the king was sitting at table. If he did not do so, then the king said that Þórarinn would be hanged aloft for his insolence in having composed a runt of a drápa about King Knútr. Þórarinn then composed a refrain and inserted it into the poem and added a few stanzas or strophes. This is the refrain:
Knútr guards the land as the guardian of Greece the kingdom of heaven.
King Knútr gave a reward for the poem of fifty marks of silver. This drápa is called Hƒfuðlausn. Þórarinn composed another drápa about King Knútr, which is called Tøgdrápa. In this drápa we are told of these expeditions of King Knútr, when he went from Denmark in the south to Norway, and this is one refrain section:
Knútr is, ’neath sun’s...Custom-versed, went my friend, with mighty forces, thither. The skilful king steered out from Limafjǫrðr a fleet, not little, of land of the otter.
Agðir dwellers, doughty in battle, feared the journey of the feeder of the war-swan. The king’s ship was garnished with gold all over. Such a sight to me was more splendid than telling.
And past Listi on the sea by Hádýr quickly passed forwards coal-black vessels; On the side landward of the surf-boar, to the south, all covered with sea-skis was the sound of Eikund. 
And men truce-trusting travelled keenly by the ancient hill of Hjǫrnagli. Where sped past Staðr the stud of the prow-cliff, the arrow-asker’s journey was not wasted. 
Surf-beasts succeeded, strong in wind, in hauling the slimmed hulls, very long, past Stimr. So sailed from the south the steeds of the cool region that north into Nið came the needful army-speeder.
Then he bestowed, resourceful, the whole of Norway on his nephew, enabler of glory-Jótar. Then he bestowed— so I declare—on his son Denmark, the dark halls of the dale of swans.
Here it says that sight was better than story as regards King Knútr’s expedition for him who composed this, for Þórarinn boasts of having been in company with King Knútr when he came to Norway.
The men that King Óláfr had sent east to Gautland for his ships afterwards took the ships that they thought best, and burned the rest, carrying with them the tackle and the other goods that belonged to the king and his men. They sailed from the east when they learned that King Knútr was gone to the north of Norway, sailing after that from the east through Eyrarsund, so north to the Vík to meet King Óláfr, bringing him his ships. He was now in Túnsberg. So when King Óláfr learned that King Knútr had gone with his troops north along the coast, then King Óláfr made his way into Óslóarfjǫrðr and up into the water that is called Drafn, and he stayed there until King Knútr’s army was gone past to the south. And on this journey, by which King Knútr travelled from the north along the coast, he held an assembly in every district, and at every assembly the land was made over to him by oath and hostages were given. He went eastwards over Foldin to Borg and held an assembly there. The land was made over to him by oath there as elsewhere. After that King Knútr went south to Denmark, having got possession of Norway without a battle. He now ruled over three great countries. So says Hallvarðr Háreksblesi when composing about King Knútr:
The king bold in battle, bark-reddener of the prayer-ship, rules alone—peace grows easier— over England and Denmark. And the noise-Freyr of armour under him has forced Norway; he, war-keen, quells the hunger of hawks of the Leikn of spear-points.
King Óláfr took his ships out to Túnsberg as soon as he heard that King Knútr was gone south to Denmark. Then he got ready to set out with those troops who were willing to follow him, and he now had thirteen ships. After that he sailed out along the Vík, and he got little of money and similarly of men, except for those who followed him who lived on islands or outlying headlands. The king did not now go inland, taking only whatever of money or men that lay in his path. He found that the land was now defected from him. He now travelled according to what wind there was. It was the beginning of winter. Their progress was rather slow. They lay in Sóleyjar for a very long time and there heard news from merchants coming from the north of the country. The king was now told that Erlingr Skjálgsson had a great gathering of troops at Jaðarr, his warship was lying all ready off the coast together with a large number of other ships owned by farmers. These were cruisers and fishing boats and large rowing boats. The king made his way from the east with his troops and lay for a while in Eikundarsund. Then each got wind of the other. Erlingr was now gathering men as quickly as he could.
Thomas’s day before Yule immediately at dawn the king sailed out of the harbour. There was then a very favourable wind, rather a keen one. He then sailed north along the coast of Jaðarr. The weather was rather wet and there was some drifting fog. Immediately intelligence travelled overland across Jaðarr, as the king sailed along the coast. So when Erlingr realised this, that the king was sailing from the east, then he had all his troops summoned to the ships by horn call. Then all the people rushed to the ships and prepared for battle. So the king’s ship was quickly carried up north past Jaðarr. Then he made his way in close to the shore, intending to lay his course into the fiords and get himself men and money there. Erlingr sailed after him and had a host of men and a large number of ships. Their ships were swift-gliding, as they had nothing on board but men and weapons. Now Erlingr’s warship travelled much faster than his other ships. Now he had the sail furled and waited for his troops. Now King Óláfr saw that Erlingr and his followers were gaining on him fast, for the king’s ships were very heavy laden and waterlogged, since they had been afloat on the sea the whole summer and the autumn and the winter up until then. He saw that he was bound to be very much outnumbered if he met Erlingr’s troops all at once. Then he had the message passed from ship to ship that men were to let the sails down and rather slowly, but to take off the reefing strings, and this was done. Erlingr and his men noticed this. Then Erlingr called out and gave orders to his troops, telling them to sail faster. ‘Do you see,’ he says, ‘that now their sails are being lowered, and they are getting away from us.’ He then had the sail unfurled on his warship. It soon moved forward.
King Óláfr made his way into Bókn. Then they lost sight of each other. After that the king ordered them to lower their sails and row forward into a narrow sound that lay there. Then they brought their ships together there. A rocky headland lay round them. His men were now all armed. Erlingr now sailed up to the sound and the first thing they knew was that an army was lying before them, and they could see that the king’s men were rowing all their ships at once at them. Erlingr and his men rushed down their sail and snatched up their weapons. But the king’s army was lying on all sides round his ship. A battle was joined there and it was of the keenest. Now the slaughter soon affected Erlingr’s troops. Erlingr stood on the raised deck of his ship. He had a helmet on his head and a shield before him, sword in hand. The poet Sigvatr had stayed behind in the Vík and heard the news of these events there. But Sigvatr was a very great friend of Erlingr and had received gifts from him and stayed with him. Sigvatr composed a flokkr about the fall of Erlingr, and it contains this stanza: 
Erlingr ordered the launching of the oak ship, he who reddened the eagle’s pale foot, it is beyond doubt, against the ruler. Thus then among the monarch’s mighty host his warship lay alongside others; lusty men fought with swords there. 
Now Erlingr’s troops began to fall, and when this started and a way became clear to board the warship, then each man fell at his station. The king himself pressed forward hard. So says Sigvatr:
The fierce lord cut down fighters; furious, he walked over warships. Planks were piled tight with corpses; the campaign off Tungur was heavy. The prince bloodied the planks’ plain north of broad Jaðarr. Blood flowed—the famous ruler fought—warm into the ocean.
Erlingr’s men fell so completely that not a single man was standing up on the warship except him alone. It was the case both that men made little appeal for quarter, and also they got none, even if they did appeal; and they could not turn in flight, because ships were lying all round the warship. It is truly said that no man sought to flee. Sigvatr says further:
All fallen was Erlingr’s— young, to the north of Tungur the king cleared the warship— crew off Bókn’s shoreline. Alone the son of Skjálgr stood for long, friendless, hardy, on the afterdeck of his empty ship, sinless.
Now an attack was made upon Erlingr both from the forward position and from other ships. There was a lot of space on the raised deck, and it rose very high up above the other ships, and it could not be reached by anything except missiles and to some extent by spear thrusts, and he struck all that away from himself. Erlingr defended himself so nobly that no man had seen anything to match it, one man having stood so long in the face of attack from so many men, never seeking to escape or asking for quarter. So says Sigvatr:
From king’s men no quarter he claimed, tough-minded avenger of Skjálgr, though the storms of the skerry of the axe did not slacken. And after will come no greater over-bold spear-respecter to the sea-washed wide base of the warding vessel of the tempest.
King Óláfr then made his way aft to the forward position and saw what Erlingr was doing. The king then addressed him, saying this: ‘Forward are you facing today, Erlingr.’ He replies: ‘Face to face shall eagles claw each other.’ Sigvatr quotes these words:
Face to face, said Erlingr, who for long well kept the country, eager—his land-watch not faltering— eagles must claw each other, when ·leifr there at Útsteinn— earlier he was ready to do battle—during the fighting he addressed with true words.
Then said the king: ‘Will you submit, Erlingr?’ ‘I will,’ he says. Then he took the helmet off his head and laid down his sword and shield and went forward into the forward position. The king thrust with the point of his axe at his cheek, saying: ‘The traitor to his lord must be marked.’ Then Áslákr Fitjaskalli leapt at him and struck with his axe at Erlingr’s head so that it stuck down in the brain. This was an immediate death wound. Erlingr lost his life by it. Then spoke King Óláfr to Áslákr: ‘You are the most wretched of men in your striking! Now you have struck Norway from my hand.’ Áslákr says: ‘It is bad, then, king, if you are harmed by this blow. I thought I was striking Norway into your hand. But if I have done you harm, king, and you feel annoyed at this deed, then I shall be in a bad way, for I shall have so many men’s resentment and hatred for this deed that then I shall rather need to have your support and friendship.’ The king says that he should have it. Afterwards the king told every man to go on board his ship and prepare for departure as quickly as possible. ‘We shall,’ he says, ‘not plunder these dead bodies. Both sides are to keep what they have got.’ Men then went back to their ships and got ready as quickly as they could. So when they were ready, then ships glided into the sound from the south, the troops of farmers. Then it was as it frequently turns out, that though a great host gathers, when men receive a great reverse and lose their leader, men lose all their courage, and are then without leadership. None of Erlingr’s sons were there. Nothing came of the farmers’ attacking, and the king sailed north on his way, while the farmers took Erlingr’s body and laid it out and carried it home to Sóli, likewise all the dead that had fallen there. And Erlingr was very greatly mourned, and it has been men’s judgment that Erlingr Skjálgsson has been the noblest and most powerful man in Norway, of those that did not bear a higher title of rank. The poet Sigvatr also composed this:
Erlingr fell, and the heir of rulers, all-powerful, brought this about—no better man will abide death—through his victory. I know of no other able to maintain his standing life-long, though he lost his life so very early.
Then he also says that Áslákr had given rise to kin-slaying and quite senselessly:
Crime against kindred is increased by Áslákr; the Hǫrðar’s land’s guard is laid low; few should rouse such conflict. One cannot deny killings of kin; let them look to— families must refrain from fury—the old sayings.
Erlingr’s sons were some of them north in Þrándheimr with Jarl Hákon, and some of them north in Hǫrðaland, some in the inland fiords, and they were in these places mustering troops. But when the fall of Erlingr became known, then with the story came a demand for a levy from the east over Agðir and over Rogaland and Hǫrðaland. An army was there called out and it was a very great host, and this army travelled to the north with Erlingr’s sons in pursuit of King Óláfr. When King Óláfr went from the battle between him and Erlingr, he sailed north through the sounds, and the day was now far spent. People say that then he composed this verse:
Hardly will the pale fellow be pleased tonight in Jaðarr; raven eats corpse acquired; we caused Gunnr’s clamour. Robbing me thus wrought for him— enraged, I walked over warships— land causes men’s killing— a quite evil outcome.
Afterwards the king travelled north along the coast with his troops. He heard the whole truth about the gathering of farmers. There were now with King Óláfr many landed men. All the sons of Árni were there. Bjarni Gullbrárskáld speaks of these things in the poem that he composed about Kálfr Árnason:
You were east, where Haraldr’s heir, weapon-bold, commanded conflict—Kálfr, men learn of your courage—off Bókn itself. 
For Gríðr’s mount you gathered goodly Yule provisions; You were seen at the slate stones’ and spears’ meeting foremost. Men fared ill in the onslaughts; Erlingr there was taken. Black boards advanced through blood to the north of Útsteinn. It is clear: of his country the king lost possession, lands relinquished to the Egðir; larger I heard their force was.
King Óláfr went on until he came north past Staðr, and he made for Hereyjar and learned there this news, that Jarl Hákon had a large force in Þrándheimr. After this the king sought the views of his men. Kálfr Árnason was strongly in favour of making for Þrándheimr and fighting Jarl Hákon, even though the odds were great. Many others supported this plan, but some were against it. Then it was put to the king’s decision.
Afterwards King Óláfr sailed in to Steinavágr and lay there during the night. But Áslákr Fitjaskalli took his ship in to Borgund. He stayed there for the night. Vígleikr Árnason was already there. So in the morning, when Áslákr was about to go to his ship, then Vígleikr made an attack on him, wanting to avenge Erlingr. Áslákr fell there. Then men came to the king from Frekeyjarsund in the north, followers of his who had been staying at home during the summer, and told the king the news that Jarl Hákon and many landed men with him were come the evening before to Frekeyjarsund with large numbers of men. ‘And they want to take your life, king, and those of your followers, if it is within their power.’ So the king sent some of his men up onto a mountain that lies there. And when they got up onto the mountain, then they saw to the north towards Bjarney that a large troop was travelling from the north with many ships, and they went back down and tell the king that the army was travelling from the north. But the king was lying there with twelve ships. After this he had a horn blown and the awnings came down off his ships, and they took to the oars. And when they were all ready and they were moving out of the harbour, then the farmers’ host travelled from the north round Þrjótshverfi and they had twenty-five ships. Then the king made his way round the inside of Nyrfi and in past Hundsver. But when King Óláfr came level with Borgund, then a ship went out towards him that had been Áslákr’s. And when they met King Óláfr, then they told their news, that Vígleikr Árnason had taken the life of Áslákr Fitjaskalli for his having killed Erlingr Skjálgsson. The king was displeased at this news, and yet could not delay his journey because of the hostilities, and he travelled in then past Vegsund and past Skot. Then troops left him. Kálfr Árnason parted from him and many other landed men and masters of ships too, and they made their way towards the jarl. But King Óláfr continued his journey and did not stop until he came into Toðarfjǫrðr, and he came to land in Valldalr and disembarked from his ships, having there five ships, and beached them and put into store sails and tackle. After that he put up his land tent on the spit of land that is called Sult, and there are there fine fields, and he raised a cross nearby on the spit. Now a farmer lived on Mœrin called Brúsi, and he was the head man over the valley. After this Brúsi came down and many other farmers too to see King Óláfr and welcomed him, as was proper, and he responded kindly to their welcome. Then the king asked if there was a possible route there up over land from the valley and to Lesjar. Brusi tells him that there was a heap of fallen stones in the valley that is called Skerfsurð. ‘And there it is impassable both for men and horses.’ King Óláfr answered him: ‘An attempt will have to be risked now, farmer. Let it turn out as God wills. So come here now in the morning with your draught animals and yourselves, and after that let us see how things are when we come to the heap of stones, whether we can see some scheme to get over with horses or men.’
So when day came, then the farmers went down with their draught animals, as the king had told them to. They transport then with the animals their goods and clothes, while all the men walked, as did the king himself. And he walked to where the place called Krossbrekka is and rested, when he got to the slope, and sat there for a while and looked down into the fiord and said: ‘It is a difficult journey they have imposed upon me, my landed men, who have now changed their allegiance, when they had for a while been my trusted friends.’ Two crosses now stand there on the slope where the king sat. The king then climbed on the back of one of the horses and rode up along the valley and did not stop until they got to the heap of stones. Then the king enquired of Brúsi whether there were sheds of any kind there that they could stay in. He said there were. So the king put up his land tent and stayed there the night. And then in the morning the king told them to go to the heap of stones and try whether they could find a way over the stones. They went up to it, while the king sat back at the tent. But in the evening they came back, the king’s followers and the farmers, insisting that they had had a lot of difficulty and made no progress, and saying that never would a way over be found or constructed. And they were there another night, and the king was at his prayers all night. And when the king noticed that it was getting light, then he told men to go to the heap of stones and try again whether they could find a way over it. They went, but reluctantly, saying that they would achieve nothing. But when they were gone, then the man who was in charge of the provisions came to the king and says that there was no more food than two cattle carcases of meat. ‘But you have four hundred of your followers and a hundred farmers.’ Then the king said that he was to bring out all the pots and put some of the meat into each pot, and this was done. So the king went up and made the sign of the cross over them and told them to cook the meal. But the king went to Skerfsurð, where they were supposed to be clearing the way. And when the king got there, then they were all sitting down and were tired from their toil. Then said Brúsi: ‘I told you, king, and you would not believe me, that it was not possible to achieve anything with this pile of stones.’ After this the king laid down his cloak, saying that they were all to go and try again, and they did so. And now twenty men moved stones where they wanted, which previously a hundred men could no way move, and the way was cleared by midday so that it was passable both by men and by horses with packs just as well as on smooth ground. Afterwards the king went back down to where their food was, where it is now known as Óláfr’s Cave. There is also a spring there near the cave, and the king washed himself in it. And if people’s livestock in the valley get sick and drink from the water in it then they recover from the sicknesses. Afterwards the king went to eat, as did they all. And when the king had eaten, then he enquired whether there were any shielings in the valley up from the heap of stones and near the mountain, where they might stay the night. But Brúsi says: ‘There are shielings, that are called Grœningar, and no one can stay in them at night because of the presence of trolls and noxious beings that are there near the shieling.’ After this the king told them that they must start off on their journey, saying that he wanted to stay the night there at the shieling. Then the man who was in charge of the provisions came to him and says that there is a huge amount of provisions. ‘And I don’t know where they are come from.’ The king thanks God for what He had sent, and he had loads of food packed for the farmers who were going down along the valley. So the king stayed at the shieling overnight. But at midnight, when men were asleep, then from the milking pen outside came the sound of a hideous voice saying:
‘King Óláfr’s prayers are burning me so much,’ said this creature, ‘that I cannot now stay in my home, and I have now to flee and never come to this milking pen again.’ And in the morning, when men awoke, then the king went to the mountain and said to Brúsi: ‘A farm shall now be built here, and the farmer who lives here will always have means, and never shall corn here freeze though it freeze both above the farm and below.’ Then King Óláfr went over the mountain and came down in Einbúi and stayed there the night. King Óláfr had now been king in Norway fifteen winters including the winter when both he and Jarl Sveinn were in the country, and the one which now for a while has been told about and had now passed beyond Yule, when he left his ships and went up inland, as has just been told. This aspect of his kingship was first written down by the priest Ari Þorgilsson, who both was truthful, had a good memory, and lived to such an age that he remembered the people and had received accounts from them, who were old enough so that as far as their age was concerned they could remember these events, as he himself has said in his books, naming the people involved from whom he had got information. But this is common knowledge, that Óláfr was fifteen years king over Norway before he fell, and those who say this count Jarl Sveinn as having been ruler the winter that he was last in the country, for Óláfr was after that king fifteen winters while he was alive.
After King Óláfr had been overnight at Lesjar, then he travelled with his troops day after day, first to Guðbrandsdalar, and from there out to Heiðmǫrk. It then became apparent who his friends were, for they were now following him, while those now abandoned him who had served him with less devotion, and some switched to enmity and absolute hostility, as became clear. This applied particularly to many people of Upplǫnd who had been ill-pleased by the execution of Þórir, as was said above. King Óláfr gave leave to go home to many people who had farms and children to be concerned about, for these people felt it was uncertain what mercy would be shown to the households of those men who left the country with the king. The king now revealed to his friends that it was his intention to leave the country, going first east into the realm of the Svíar, and then deciding where he planned to go or to turn to after that, but asking his friends to assume that he would be planning to try to get back to the country and to his kingship if God granted him long enough life, saying that it was his feeling that all the people in Norway would return to their allegiance to him. ‘But I would think,’ he says, ‘that Jarl Hákon will have power over Norway for a short time, and many people will not find that strange, for Jarl Hákon has in the past had little luck against me. But this few people will believe, though I say what my feeling is will happen to Knútr inn ríki, that he will be dead after the space of a few years and all his power will be gone, and there will be no revival of his line if things go as my words indicate.’ So when the king concluded his speech, then men set out on their way. The king turned with the troops that were following him east to Eiðaskógr. There were now with him Queen Ástríðr, their daughter Úlfhildr, King Óláfr’s son Magnús, Rǫgnvaldr Brúsason, Árni’s sons Þorbergr, Finnr, Árni and still other landed men. He had choice troops. Bjǫrn the Marshal got leave to go home. He did go home too, to his estate, and many other friends of the king went back to their dwellings with his permission. The king requested that they should let him know if anything happened in the country which it would be important for him to know. Then the king went on his way.
There is this to tell about King Óláfr’s journey, that he travelled first out of Norway east through Eiðaskógr to Vermaland and then out to Vatsbú and from there through the forest as the road lies, and came out in Næríki. There he found a powerful and wealthy man called Sigtryggr. His son was called Ívarr, who later became a fine person. There King Óláfr stayed the spring with Sigtryggr. But when summer came, then the king set out on his journey and got himself a ship. He travelled through the summer and did not stop until he came east to Garðaríki to see King Jarizleifr and Queen Ingigerðr. Queen Ástríðr and the king’s daughter Úlfhildr remained behind in Svíþjóð, but the king took east with him his son Magnús. King Jarizleifr welcomed King Óláfr and invited him to stay with him and to have land there to provide such maintenance as he needed to keep his troops on. King Óláfr accepted this and stayed there. It is said that King Óláfr was of pure life and diligent in prayer to God during the whole of his life, but after he found that his power was diminishing, and his adversaries were getting more powerful, then he put all his effort into carrying out the service of God. It did not keep him then from other concerns or from the work that he had previously had in hand, for he had during the time that he held the kingdom laboured at what he felt was the most beneficial, first to bring peace to the country and free it from the oppression of foreign rulers, and after that to convert the people of the country to the true faith and as well to establish laws and regulations, and this part he did in the interest of justice in judgment to chastise those who wanted to do wrong. It had been a great custom in Norway for sons of landed men or powerful farmers to go on warships and so win wealth for themselves, and they would go freebooting both abroad and within the country. But after King Óláfr took over the kingdom, then he brought peace to his land by abolishing all plundering in that country. And if it was possible to inflict punishment on them, then he insisted that no other should be inflicted but loss of life or limbs. Neither people’s entreaties nor offerings of money would avail them. So says the poet Sigvatr:
Those practising plunder proffered red gold often to the proud prince to buy off punishment; the king refused it. He had a sword used for haircuts— that’s how to guard robbed country— men were seen to suffer sanctions plain for robbery.
The very fine king who crippled the clan of thieves and filchers— so he slashed thievery— succoured wolves chiefly. Kind, the king caused each quick thief to be lacking feet and—so peace improved in the prince’s land—hands also.
That he had the hair of hundredfold vikings, the country’s guard, shorn with sharp weapons, showed his power clearly. He made many gains happen, Magnús’s generous father; Most victories, I avow, furthered the advance of O̧leifr inn digri.
He inflicted the same punishment on powerful and humble, though this seemed to landed men presumptuous, and they became filled with hostility in response, when they lost their kinsmen because of the king’s righteous judgment, even though they were guilty of the charge. The cause of the rebellion that the people of the country raised against King Óláfr was that they could not put up with his justice, but he would rather lose his position than depart from righteous judgment. And the charge against him that he was mean with money towards his men was not well founded. He was most generous to his friends. But it did happen that when men started hostilities against him, people found him harsh and severe in his punishments, while King Knútr offered huge amounts of money—though great leaders were deceived when he offered each of them honour and power—and there was this, too, that people were eager in Norway to welcome Jarl Hákon, for he had already been a most popular man with the people of the country before when he ruled the land.
Jarl Hákon had taken his troops out of Þrándheimr and gone to meet King Óláfr south in Mœrr, as was written above. And when the king made his way into the fiords, then the jarl pursued him there. Then there came to meet him Kálfr Árnason and many others of those men who had parted from King Óláfr. Kálfr was welcomed there. After that the jarl made his way in to where King Óláfr had beached his ships, in Toðarfjǫrðr in Valldalr. The jarl took charge of the ships that had been the king’s. The jarl had the ships launched and fitted out. Men were chosen by lot to command these ships. There was a man with the jarl who is named Jǫkull, an Icelandic man, son of Bárðr Jǫkulsson of Vatsdalr. Jǫkull got to command the Visundr, which King Óláfr had had. Jǫkull composed this verse:
My lot was—the lady will hardly learn that I am daunted— to steer the ship from Sult—I expect a storm on the bow-plain’s reindeer, that owned by ·leifr, slopes of the flame of the yew-bow’s rest —the monarch himself this summer had victory stolen from him—inn digri.
To say here briefly what happened a long time afterwards, Jǫkull came up against King Óláfr’s troops in Gotland and was captured, and the king had him taken to be executed, and a twig was twisted in his hair and a man held it. Jǫkull sat on a sort of bank. Then a man tried to behead him. But when he heard the whistle of the axe, he straightened up, and the blow landed on his head, and it was a deep wound. The king saw that it was a death wound. The king then told them to leave him be. Jǫkull sat up and uttered a verse:
Wounds smart with weariness; I was often suited better. An injury is on me that spurted eager crimson liquid. My gore gushed out of this gash. I get used to endurance. The honoured helm-noble ruler hurls his anger at me. 
Then Jǫkull died.
Kálfr Árnason went with Jarl Hákon north to Þrándheimr, and the jarl invited him to stay with him and enter his service. Kálfr says that he would first go in to Egg to his estate and after that make up his mind. Kálfr did so. But when he got home, then he soon realised that his wife Sigríðr was rather on her high horse and was reckoning up her grievances that she claimed she had against King Óláfr, first of all, that he had had her husband Ǫlvir killed. ‘And now on top of that,’ she says, ‘my two sons. And you, Kálfr, were present at their killing, and that is the last thing I should have expected of you.’ Kálfr says that it was much against his will that Þórir was deprived of life. ‘I offered,’ he says, ‘money on his behalf. And when Grjótgarðr was killed, I lost my brother Arnbjǫrn.’ She says: ‘That is good, that you got that from the king, since it may be that you will avenge him, though you will not avenge my grievances. You saw, when your foster-son Þórir was killed, how highly the king regarded you then.’ She continually brought up these grievances before Kálfr. Kálfr often replied crossly, and yet in the end it came about that he was persuaded by her arguments and then promised to submit to the jarl if the jarl would increase his revenues. Sigríðr sent word to the jarl and had him told what stage had been reached in Kálfr’s position. So when the jarl realised this, then he sent word to Kálfr that he was to come out to the town to see the jarl. Kálfr did not neglect to make this journey, and went a little later out to Niðaróss and met Jarl Hákon there, was well received there, and he and the jarl had a talk together. Everything was agreed between them, and they decided that Kálfr was to enter the jarl’s service and received great revenues from him. Afterwards Kálfr returned home to his estate. He had now most of the oversight everywhere within Þrándheimr. So as soon as spring came, Kálfr got ready a ship that he had, and as soon as he had finished, then he sailed out to sea and took the ship west to England, for he had heard this of King Knútr, that he was sailing early in the spring from Denmark west to England. By now King Knútr had given the jarldom in Denmark to Þorkell hávi’s son Haraldr. Kálfr Árnason went to see King Knútr as soon as he got to England. So says Bjarni Gullbrárskáld:
The great ruler set unswervingly his stem to carve the sea eastwards; Haraldr’s battle-keen brother was bound to seek out Garðar. But of men’s actions I am not prone to gather false stories; after your severance straight to Knútr you headed.
So when Kálfr met King Knútr then the king gave him an extraordinarily warm welcome and took him aside to talk to him. Part of what King Knútr said to him was that he asked Kálfr to commit himself to raising a rebellion against Óláfr inn digri, if he tried to return to the country. ‘And I shall,’ says the king, ‘then give you a jarldom and let you then rule Norway. But my kinsman Hákon shall come to me, and that is the most suitable thing for him, for he is such a sincere person that I do not think he would shoot a single shaft against King Óláfr if they met.’ Kálfr listened to what King Knútr said, and he became eager for the honour. This plan was settled between the king and Kálfr. Kálfr then prepared to return home, and at parting King Knútr gave him splendid gifts. The poet Bjarni mentions this: 
You owe the lord of England, jarl’s offspring bold in battle, thanks for gifts; you got your case to progress well forthwith. Before you left the west, land was— delay happened—found for you, said the lord of London; your life is not meagre.
After this Kálfr went back to Norway and came home to his estate.
Jarl Hákon that summer went out of the country and west to England, and when he got there, then King Knútr welcomed him. The jarl had a fiancée there in England, and he was going to conclude this match and was planning to hold his wedding in Norway, but was procuring the provisions for it in England that he thought most difficult to obtain in Norway. The jarl prepared for his journey home in the autumn, and was ready rather late. He sailed out to sea when he was ready, and of his journey there is this to relate, that the ship was lost and not a soul survived. But it is reported by some that the ship was seen north off Katanes one evening in a great storm, and the wind stood out into Péttlandsfjǫrðr. They say this, those who are willing to stand by this account, that the ship must have been carried into the whirlpool. But what is known for certain is that Jarl Hákon was lost at sea and nothing reached land that was on that ship. That same autumn merchants carried the report that was circulating round the country, that it was thought that the jarl was lost. But what everyone knew was that he did not get to Norway that autumn, and the country was now without a ruler.
Bjǫrn the Marshal remained at home on his estate after he had parted from King Óláfr. Bjǫrn was famous, and it became widely known that he was keeping out of things. Jarl Hákon heard this and so did others of the ruling class. After this they sent men and messages to Bjǫrn. And when the messengers fulfilled their errand, then Bjǫrn welcomed them. Afterwards he called the messengers to a private talk with him and asked them about their business, and the one that was their leader spoke, bringing King Knútr’s and Jarl Hákon’s greeting, and that of still other rulers. ‘And this too,’ he says, ‘that King Knútr has heard great reports of you and also of how you have followed Óláfr digri for a long time and been a great enemy of King Knútr, and he thinks this is a shame, because he would like to be your friend as he is of all other worthy men, whenever you wish to change from being his enemy. And now the only thing for you to do is to turn there for security and friendship where it is most abundantly to be found, and which everyone in the northern part of the world finds it an honour to have. You who have followed King Óláfr must consider this, how he has now abandoned you. You are all without protection from King Knútr and his men, and you harried his land last summer and killed his friends. Then there is this to take into account, that the king is offering his friendship, and it would be more fitting for you to be begging or offering money for it.’ So when he had finished his speech, then Bjǫrn answers, saying this: ‘I want now to stay quietly at home on my estate and not serve rulers.’ The messenger replies: ‘Men like you are men for kings. I can tell you this, that you have two choices available: the one is to leave your property as an outlaw, as your comrade Óláfr has now done. The other choice is this, which may now seem preferable, to accept King Knútr’s and Jarl Hákon’s friendship and become one of their men and give your word on this, and take here your pay.’ He poured out English silver from a great purse. Bjǫrn was a man with a great love of money, and he was very worried and stayed silent when he saw the money, wondering now to himself what to decide, thinking it a hard thing to lose his property, while considering it uncertain whether King Óláfr’s recovery would ever take place in Norway. So when the messenger saw that Bjǫrn’s mind was attracted by the money, then he threw down two thick gold rings, saying: ‘Take this money now, Bjǫrn, and swear the oath. I promise you this, that this money is insignificant compared to what you will receive, if you go to King Knútr’s and see him.’ And by the amount of the money and the fair promises and the great gifts he was now drawn to the love of money, took up the money and submitted after this to allegiance and oaths of fidelity to King Knútr and Jarl Hákon. Then the messengers went away.
Bjǫrn the Marshal heard the reports which said that Jarl Hákon had perished. Then he changed his mind, regretting that he had broken faith with King Óláfr. He felt he was now free from the particular agreements which he had made in respect of homage to Jarl Hákon. Bjǫrn believed there was now arising some prospect of resurrecting King Óláfr’s rule if he came to Norway, now that it was without a ruler there to oppose him. Bjǫrn then got ready to leave quickly, taking a few men with him, travelled on his way after that day and night, on horseback where it was possible, by ship where there was an opportunity, not stopping his journey until he came in the winter at Yule east into Garðaríki and found King Óláfr, and the king was very happy when Bjǫrn met him. The king then asked about all the news from the north from Norway. Bjǫrn says that the jarl had perished and the country was now without a ruler. People were pleased at this news, those who had accompanied King Óláfr out of Norway and had had possessions and kinsmen and friends there, and felt deeply homesick to go back. Bjǫrn told much other news from Norway that he was interested to hear. Then the king asked about his friends, how well they were keeping faith with him. Bjǫrn said it varied. After this Bjǫrn got up and fell at the feet of the king and embraced his legs and said: ‘Everything at God’s mercy and yours, king. I have taken money from Knútr’s men and sworn oaths of loyalty to them, but now I want to follow you and not part from you as long as we both shall live.’ The king replies: ‘Stand up quickly, Bjǫrn. You shall be reconciled with me. Atone for it to God. I realise this, that there must be few in Norway now who are keeping their loyalty to me, when such as you fail to. It is also true that many people are finding being there a great problem when I am far away, and they have to face the hostility of my enemies.’
Bjǫrn tells the king about who were most prominent in undertaking to start a rebellion against the king and his men. He named in this context the sons of Erlingr at Jaðarr and others of their family, Einarr þambarskelfir, Kálfr Árnason, Þórir hundr, Hárekr from Þjótta.
After King Óláfr was come to Garðaríki, he had great anxiety and pondered what course he should take. King Jarizleifr and Queen Ingigerðr invited King Óláfr to stay with them and to take over the realm that is called Vúlgáríá, and this is one part of Garðaríki, and the people were heathen in that country. King Óláfr thought to himself about this offer, but when he put it to his men, then they were all against settling there and urged the king to aim north for Norway to get back his kingdom. The king still had in his mind his plan to renounce his kingly title and to travel out into the world to Jerusalem or to other holy places and enter a religious order. What weighed most in his mind for consideration was whether there might come to be any opportunity for him to get back his kingdom in Norway. But when he thought about this, then he called to mind that for the first ten winters of his rule everything was in his favour and worked out well, while after that all his plans were hard to get going and difficult to implement, and when he tried his luck, it all went wrong. Now he was doubtful for that reason whether it would be a sensible plan to trust so much to luck as to go with a small force into the hands of his enemies, when all the common people of the land had joined with them to oppose King Óláfr. These concerns occupied him frequently and he referred his affairs to God, praying Him to let what He saw was best to do become apparent. He turned this over in his mind and was not sure what he should decide on, for trouble seemed to him obvious in whatever he proposed to himself.
It happened one night that Óláfr was lying in his bed and was awake a long time in the night and thinking about his plans, and had great anxiety in his mind. And when his brain became very tired, then he dozed into a sleep so light that he thought he was awake and could see everything that was going on in the building. He saw a man standing before the bed, tall and statelylooking, and he had splendid clothing. It mainly occurred to the king that it must be Óláfr Tryggvason come there. This man said to him: ‘Are you very anxious about your plans, what you ought to decide to do? It seems to me strange that you ponder this in your mind, as it does if you are intending to renounce the kingly title that God has given you, likewise the intention to stay here and accept power from foreign kings, ones that are unknown to you. Rather return to your kingdom that you have received by inheritance and ruled for a long time with the strength that God gave you, and do not let your subjects frighten you. It is a king’s glory to overcome his enemies, and a noble death to fall in battle with one’s troops. Or do you have some doubt about this, whether you have a just cause in your dispute? You must not act in such a way as to hide the truth from yourself. It is for this reason that you can boldly fight for the country, that God will bear you witness that it is your property.’ And when the king awoke, then he thought he saw a fleeting glimpse of the man as he went away. So from then on he took heart and affirmed to himself the intention to return to Norway, as he had previously been most keen to do, and had discovered that all his men wanted most to have done. He considered in his mind that the country would be easy to win, since it was without a ruler, as he had now learned. He believed that if he came there himself, many would then be ready to support him again. And when the king announced this plan to his men, then all received it gratefully.
It is said that this event took place in Garðaríki, while King Óláfr was there, that a high-born widow’s son got an abscess in his throat and it got so bad that the boy could not get any food down, and he seemed like to die. The boy’s mother went to Queen Ingigerðr, for she was an acquaintance of hers, and showed her the boy. The Queen says that she knew of no treatment to apply. ‘Go,’ she says, ‘to King Óláfr, he is the best physician here, and ask him to pass his hands over the boy’s hurt, and mention what I have said if he will not do it otherwise.’ She did as the queen said. But when she found the king, then she says that her son was like to die of an abscess in his throat, and bade him pass his hands over the abscess. The king says to her that he was no physician, telling her to go somewhere where there were doctors. She says that the queen had sent her to him. ‘And she bade me mention what she said, that you were to apply the treatment you knew of, and she told me that you were the best physician in this place.’ Then the king set to work and passed his hands over the boy’s abscess and handled the abscess for a very long time, until the boy moved his mouth. Then the king took bread and broke it and laid it in a cross on his hand, then placed it in the boy’s mouth, and he swallowed it down. And from that moment all the pain in his throat stopped. In a few days he was completely healed. His mother was very glad and so were the boy’s other kinsmen and acquaintances. Then at first it was regarded in this way, that King Óláfr had such great healing hands as it is said of those people who are greatly gifted with this skill, that they have good hands, but afterwards when his miracleworking became universally known, then it was accepted as a true miracle.
This event took place one Sunday, that King Óláfr was sitting on his high seat at table and he was so deep in cares that he did not notice the time. He had a knife in his hand and was holding a small twig and whittling a few shavings off it. A serving boy saw what the king was doing and realised that he himself was thinking of other things. He said: ‘It is Monday tomorrow, Lord.’ The king looked at him when he heard this, and it occurred to him then what he had been doing. After that the king asked for a lighted candle to be brought to him. He swept all the wood-shavings that he had cut into his hand. Then he set light to them and let the wood-shavings burn in his palm, and it could be deduced from this that he would observe the laws and commandments without deviation and not want to go beyond what he knew to be most correct.
Afterwards, when King Óláfr had made his decision that he was going to turn back and go home, then he put this to King Jarizleifr and Queen Ingigerðr. They tried to persuade him not to make this journey, saying that he might have what power he felt was proper for himself in their realm, and begged him not to put himself at the mercy of his enemies with such a small force of men as he had there. Then King Óláfr tells them about his dream, saying this too, that he believed that this was God’s providence. So when they realised that the king had made up his mind to go back to Norway, then they offer him all the help for his journey that he cared to have from them. The king thanks them in warm words for their kindness, saying that he will gladly accept from them what he needs for his journey.
Immediately after Yule, King Óláfr got busy with his preparations. He had nearly two hundred of his own men. King Jarizleifr provided all the transport animals with their gear that were necessary. So when he was ready, then he went. King Jarizleifr and Queen Ingigerðr set him splendidly on his way. But his son Magnús he left behind with the king. So King Óláfr travelled from the east, first over the frosty ground all the way to the sea. But when spring came and the ice melted, then they prepared their ships, and when they were ready and a wind came, then they sail and their journey sped well. King Óláfr brought his ships to Gotland, getting news there from both the Swedish realm and Denmark and all the way from Norway. Then it was learned for certain that Jarl Hákon had perished, and the country of Norway was without a ruler. The king and his men now felt the prospects looked good for their expedition, sailing on from there when they got a wind, and made for Svíþjóð. The king took his force into Lǫgrinn and made his way up inland to Áróss, after that sending men to see King Ǫnundr of the Svíar and arranged a meeting with him. King Ǫnundr responded well to his brother-in-law’s embassy and went to meet with King Óláfr as his message had requested. Then Queen Ástríðr came to King Óláfr too with the men who had accompanied her. There was a joyful reunion between them all. The king of the Svíar welcomed his brother-in-law King Óláfr when they met.
Now it shall be told what they had been doing in Norway around this time. Þórir hundr had been engaged in trading with the Lapps for these two winters, and both winters he had spent a long time in the mountains and had made a lot of money. He did various kinds of trade with the Lapps. He had prepared for himself there twelve reindeer-skin coats, using such powerful magic that no weapon could penetrate them, and much less than a coat of mail. So the second spring Þórir fitted out a longship that he owned and manned it with his servants. He summoned together the farmers and demanded a levy all over up to the northernmost assembly district, gathering together there a very large number of men, travelling north in the spring with this force. Hárekr from Þjótta also held a muster and got a large force. There took part in this journey many other distinguished men, though these were the most well known. They made an announcement that this gathering of troops was to go against King Óláfr and hold the land against him if he came from the east.
Einarr þambarskelfir held most power out over Þrándheimr after the fall of Jarl Hákon became known. He and his son Eindriði were thought to be best entitled to the possessions that the jarl had had, and his wealth. Einarr then called to mind the promises and offers of friendship that King Knútr had made to him at parting. So Einarr had a fine ship that he owned fitted out, went on board himself with a large company. And when he was ready, he made his way south along the coast and then west across the sea and did not cease travelling until he came to England, going straight to see King Knútr. The king welcomed him. Then Einarr presented his mission to the king, saying that he was now come to take up the promises that the king had made, that Einarr should hold a title of high rank over Norway if Jarl Hákon was not available. King Knútr says that this business had taken quite a different turn. ‘I have now,’ he says, ‘sent men with my tokens to my son Sveinn in Denmark, and moreover I have promised him power in Norway. But I want to maintain my friendship towards you. You shall have the same rank from me as you are entitled to by birth and be a landed man, and have great revenues and be the more senior to other landed men in that you have greater achievements than other landed men.’ Now as to his situation, Einarr saw what the result of his mission would be. He now prepares for his return home. And when he realised what the king’s intention was, and also that there was a clear prospect, if King Óláfr came from the east, that there would be no peace in the land, it occurred to Einarr that it would not be worth hastening his journey more than very moderately, in case they should be fighting King Óláfr without gaining any advantage to his own power over what he had before. Einarr now sailed out to sea, when he was ready to do so, and got to Norway so that the events that were most important that summer had already taken place.
Leading men in Norway had watch kept east in Svíþjóð and south in Denmark for if King Óláfr should come from Garðaríki in the east. They got immediate intelligence, as quickly as people could travel at their fastest, when King Óláfr was come to Svíþjóð. And as soon as this was known to be accurate, then a summons to war went round the whole country. The general public were called out as troops. Then a host was gathered together. And the landed men that were from Agðir and Rogaland and Hǫrðaland, they now split up, some turned north and some east, and it was felt necessary to have troops ready in both areas. Erlingr of Jaðarr’s sons turned east, as did all the troops that were from the east of them, and they were leaders of this contingent, while to the north went Áslákr of Finney and Erlingr of Gerði and the landed men that were from north of them. These that have just been named were all men who had sworn oaths to King Knútr to deprive King Óláfr of life if they found an opportunity.
So when it became known in Norway that King Óláfr was come to Svíþjóð from the east, then his friends gathered together, those that wanted to give him support. In that number the most high-born man was King Óláfr’s brother Haraldr Sigurðarson. He was now fifteen winters old, a very tall man in stature and a grown-up man in appearance. There were many other distinguished men there. They had got altogether six hundred men when they left Upplǫnd, and with that troop they made their way east through Eiðaskógr to Vermaland. After that they made their way east through forests to Svíþjóð, then made enquiries about King Óláfr’s movements.
King Óláfr was in Svíþjóð in the spring and from there got intelligence about the north of Norway, and heard from there only the one kind of report, that it would not be peaceful going there, and the men that came from the north advised him strongly not to enter the country. He was now resolved, just as before, to go. King Óláfr asked King Ǫnundr to say what support he would give him in invading his kingdom. King Ǫnundr replied, saying that the Svíar were not much for going to make war on Norway. ‘We know,’ he says, ‘that Norwegians are tough and great warriors and hard to visit with warfare. I have no hesitation in telling you what I will contribute. I will give you four hundred men, and you can choose from my following fine warriors and ones well equipped for battle. After that I will give you leave to travel over my country and get yourself all the troops you can and that are willing to follow you.’ King Óláfr accepted this offer, after that getting ready to depart. Queen Ástríðr remained behind in Svíþjóð, and the king’s daughter Úlfhildr.
So when King Óláfr began his journey, then there came to him the troop that the king of the Svíar had given him, and these were four hundred men. The king travels by the route that the Svíar already knew. They made their way up inland to forests and came out there where it is called Járnberaland. There the troop came to meet the king that had been coming from Norway to join him, as has been told above. There he met his brother Haraldr and many others of his kingdom, and this was the most joyful reunion. They had now altogether twelve hundred men.
There is a man named Dagr of whom it is said that he was son of King Hringr, who had fled the land before King Óláfr, but people say that Hringr was son of Dagr son of Haraldr inn hárfagri’s son Hringr. Dagr was King Óláfr’s kinsman. The father and son, Hringr and Dagr, had settled in the realm of the Svíar and had got a realm to rule over there. In the spring, when King Óláfr was come from the east to Svíþjóð, he had sent word to his kinsman Dagr that Dagr was to join him on his journey with all the support he had available, and if they gained possession of land in Norway, then Dagr should have no less power there than his forefathers had had. So when this message came to Dagr, then this was much to his liking. He was very homesick to go to Norway and receive there the power that his kinsmen had held in the past. He responded to this business immediately and promised to go. Dagr was a man quick to speak and quick to make up his mind, a very impetuous man and a very valiant man, but not a man of great intelligence. After this he gathered troops to himself and got nearly twelve hundred men. He went with this troop to meet King Óláfr.
King Óláfr sent word out from himself into the settled areas with a message to the people who wanted to make money for themselves by getting a share of the gains and having the revenues that the king’s enemies had appropriated, then they should come to him and follow him. King Óláfr now conveyed his army, travelling by way of forest settlements, and sometimes over wilderness areas and frequently over great lakes. They dragged or carried the ships with them between the lakes. Numbers of troops flocked to the king, forest people and some of them outlaws. Many places there have since been called Óláfsbúðir where he stayed the night. He did not pause on his journey until he came out in Jamtaland, travelling north then after that to Kjǫlr. His troops split up in the inhabited areas and became very scattered as long as they knew no likelihood of hostility. But always when the troops split up, then the troop of Norwegians accompanied the king, while Dagr then travelled separately with his troop, and the Svíar in a third group with their men. 
Men are mentioned by name, of whom one was called Gauka-Þórir and another Afra-Fasti. They were outlaws and the greatest robbers, having with them thirty men like themselves. These brothers were taller and stronger than other men. They had no lack of daring and courage. They heard about this army that was travelling through the country there, and discussed among themselves that it might be a good plan to go to the king and follow him to his country and take part there in a great battle with him and thus put themselves to the test, for they had not before been in battles where troops were lined up in battle array. They were very interested to see the king’s host lined up. Their companions liked this plan very much, they now set out to meet with the king. And when they come there, then they go with their band of men before the king, and their companions had their full armour. They greeted him. He asked what sort of men they were. They gave their names, saying that they were natives of the country. They presented their business and offered the king to go with him. The king says that it seemed to him that there would be good support in such men. ‘I am keen,’ he says, ‘to take on such men. But are you Christian people?’ he says. Gauka-Þórir answers, saying he was neither Christian nor heathen. ‘We comrades have no other faith than that we believe in ourselves, our strength and our luck in victory, and that does us all right.’ The king replies: ‘A great pity that such useful-looking men should not believe in Christ, their creator.’ Þórir replies: ‘Is there anyone in your company, king, a man of Christ, that has grown more a day than we brothers?’ The king told them to have themselves baptised and accept the true faith with it. ‘And follow me then,’ he says. ‘I shall make you men of high rank. But if you do not wish to do that, then go back to your own occupations.’ Afra-Fasti replies, saying that he was not willing to accept Christianity. After that they turn away. Then said Gauka-Þórir: ‘It is very shameful that this king should reject us from his army. I have never experienced it before, that I was not found as good as other men. I shall never turn away leaving matters thus.’ After this they joined company with other forest people and went with their troop. Then King Óláfr made his way west to Kjǫlr.
So when King Óláfr went from the east to Kjǫlr and made his way west from the mountain so that the land sloped down west from there to the sea, he could then see the landscape down there. Many troops were going ahead of the king, and many were behind him. He was riding where there was space round him. He was silent, not speaking to people. He rode for a large part of the day without looking about him. Then the bishop rode up to him and spoke, asking what he was thinking about, as he was so silent, for the king was always cheerful and talkative with his men on the journey, so cheering everyone up who was near him. Then the king replied with great anxiety: 
‘Strange things have been appearing to me for a while. Just now I could see over Norway, when I looked west from the mountain. It came into my mind then that I had been happy for many a day in that land. I then had a vision in which I could see over all Þrándheimr, and after that over all Norway, and as long as this vision was before my eyes, then I could see ever further, right on until I could see over all the world, both lands and sea. I recognised clearly the places I had been to and seen before. Just as clearly I saw places that I have not seen before, some that I have had reports of, and even those that I have not heard spoken of before, both inhabited and uninhabited, as widely as the world extends.’ The bishop says that this vision was holy and very remarkable.
Afterwards when the king made his way down off the mountain, then there was a farm before them that is called at Súl, at the beginning of the settled area of Verdœlafylki. And as they made their way down to the farm, then there lay cornfields by the wayside. The king told the men to go carefully and not spoil fields for the farmer. Men did this well while the king was near, but the groups that were coming behind now paid no heed to this, and men ran over the cornfield so that it was all flattened to the ground. The farmer that lived there, who was called Þorgeirr flekkr, saw. He had two sons just reached manhood. Þorgeirr welcomed the king and his men and offered him all the service that he had at his disposal. The king responded well to this, and then asked Þórgeirr for news, what was going on in that country and whether there was any gathering of forces being made against him. Þorgeirr says that a large force was being mustered there in Þrándheimr and landed men were come there both from the south of the country and from Hálogaland in the north. ‘But I do not know,’ he says, ‘whether they are planning to direct this force against you or elsewhere.’ Then he complained to the king about his loss and the bad behaviour of the king’s men when they had broken down and trampled all his cornfields. The king says that it was ill done if damage had been caused him. Afterwards the king rode to where the cornfield had stood and saw that the crop was all flattened to the ground. He rode around it and after that said: ‘It is my expectation, farmer, that God will put right your loss, and this cornfield will be better after the space of a week.’ And this turned out to be the best crop, as the king had said. The king stayed there overnight, and in the morning he set out. He says that farmer Þorgeirr was to go with him. But when he offered his two sons for the journey, then the king says that they were not to go with him, but the boys, nevertheless, were willing to go. The king told them to stay behind, but since they would not be dissuaded, then the king’s followers were going to tie them up. The king said, when he saw that: ‘Let them go, they will come back.’ So it turned out for the boys as the king said. 
Then they transported their army out to Stafr. So when he came to Stafamýrar, then he made a halt. Now he found out for certain that farmers were travelling with an army against him, and also that he would have a battle soon. Then the king inspected his troops, and a count was made of the numbers of men. Then there were found to be in the army nine hundred heathen men, and when the king realised that, then he told them to have themselves baptised, saying that he does not want to have heathen men in battle with him. ‘We shall not,’ he says, ‘be able to rely on the numbers of our men. On God must we rely, for with his power and mercy shall we gain victory, and I do not wish to mix heathen folk with my men.’ So when the heathens heard this, then they took counsel together, and in the end four hundred men had themselves baptised, but five hundred refused Christianity, and this group returned to their own countries. Then the brothers Gauka-Þórir and Afra-Fasti come forward there with their troop, and again offer the king their support. He asks if they have now received baptism. Gauka-Þórir says that this was not so. The king told them to receive baptism and the true faith, and otherwise to go away. They then turned off aside and held a discussion between themselves and deliberated about what course to take up. Then said Afra-Fasti: ‘This is to be said about my mood, that I am unwilling to turn back. I shall go into battle and give support to one side or the other, but it doesn’t seem to me to matter which party I am in.’ Then Gauka-Þórir replies: ‘If I am to go into battle, then I want to give help to the king, for his need for help is greater. And if I must believe in any god, how is it worse for me to believe in the White-Christ than in another god? So this is my advice, that we have ourselves baptised, if the king thinks it so important, then afterwards go into battle with him.’ They all agree to this, going afterwards to the king and saying that they are now willing to accept baptism. Then they were baptised by clerics and were confirmed. The king then accepted them into the fellowship of his following, saying that they were to be under his banner in battle.
King Óláfr had now found out for certain that it would not be long before he must have a battle with the farmers. And after having inspected his troops and had a count made of the numbers of men, and he now had more than three thousand men, he thought this was a large army on one battlefield. After that the king spoke to his troops and said this: ‘We have a great army and fine troops. I now wish to tell people what dispositions I want to have of my troops. I shall let my banner advance in the middle of the line, and my personal following and guests are to accompany it, together with the troops that came to us from Upplǫnd as well as the troops that have come to us in Þrándheimr. And on the right hand side of my banner shall be Dagr Hringsson and with him all the troops that he brought into company with us. He shall have a different banner. And on the left hand side of my line shall be the troops that the king of the Svíar provided us with, and all the troops that came to us from the Swedish realm. They shall have the third banner. I want men to be divided into companies and kinsmen and acquaintances to be grouped together, for then each will best look after the other and each one recognise the other. We shall mark all our troops, put signs on our helmets and shields, drawing on them in white the holy cross. And if we engage in battle, then we shall all have the one cry: “Forward, forward, Christ’s men, cross’s men, king’s men!” We shall have to have thin lines if we have fewer troops, because I don’t want them to surround us with their troops. Let men now divide themselves into companies, and afterwards we shall dispose the companies in battle formation, each must then know his station and take note of where he is in relation to the banner to which he is assigned. We shall now keep our formation, and men must be fully armed day and night until we know where our engagement with the farmers is to be.’ After the king had spoken, then they drew up their lines and disposed them in accordance with the king’s orders. After that the king held a meeting with the leaders of companies. The men the king had sent round the local area to demand support from the inhabitants were now returned. They were able to report from the area that they had travelled over that in many places there was a complete dearth of men capable of bearing arms, and those people had joined the gathering of farmers, and wherever they had met men, then few would go with them, but most replied that they stayed at home because they did not want to follow either party, did not want to fight against the king nor against their own kinsmen. They had obtained few troops. Then the king asked men their advice, what course seemed best to take. Finnr replied to the king’s question:
‘I shall say,’ he says, ‘what would be done if I had my way. Then we would ravage all the settlements, plunder all the property and burn all the habitations so thoroughly that not a hut remained standing, and thus repay the farmers for their treason against their lord. I think that many a one would then detach himself from his company if he looks towards his home to see smoke or fire rising from the buildings, not knowing for sure what has happened to his children or womenfolk or old people, their fathers or mothers or other relations. I would expect,’ he says, ‘that if any of them were to suggest breaking up their gathering, then their battle lines would soon thin out, for that is the way farmers are, the most recent proposal is the one they all most approve.’ So when Finnr had finished his speech, then people applauded it. Many were well pleased to undertake plundering, and all thought the farmers deserved to suffer losses, and that what Finnr had said, that many farmers would detach themselves from the muster, was likely. Þormóðr Kolbrúnarskáld then uttered a verse:
Let’s kindle each kettle-crag we come upon within Inney; with the sword folk are defending from the king, the country. Yew-grief —let Innþrœndir have all their houses made ashes cold—shall be quickened, if I can decide it, with brambles.
But when King Óláfr heard the people’s vehemence, then he demanded a hearing for himself, and after that said: ‘The farmers deserve that it should be done as you wish. They know that I have done this, burned dwellings for them and given them other great punishments. I did this, carrying out burnings for them, when they departed from their faith before and took up heathen sacrifices and would not do what I told them. We were then upholding the law of God. Now this treason against their lord is much less important, even though they do not keep faith with me, and yet this will not be thought seemly for those who want to be decent men. Now I have here somewhat more right to treat them with some leniency when they are acting badly against me, than when they were displaying hatred of God. Now what I want is that men should go easy and do no plundering. I will first go to see the farmers. If we are reconciled, well and good, but if they engage in battle against us, then there will be two possibilities facing us, and if we fall in battle, then it will be a good idea not to go to it with proceeds of plunder, but if we are victorious, then we shall inherit the goods of those that are now fighting against us, because some of them will fall there, and some flee, and both will have forfeited all their property. And then it will be good to go to large dwellings and splendid farms, but these are of no use to anyone when they are burned. With plundering also a much greater part is spoiled than what can be benefited from. We shall now go in separate groups as we travel out through the settlement and take with us all men capable of bearing arms that we can get. Men shall also slaughter livestock or take other provisions, such as people need to feed themselves, but men must not cause any other damage. I will be quite happy for the farmers’ spies to be killed if you capture them. Dagr shall go and his troops by the more northerly route down along the valley, while I shall travel out on the high road and we shall meet in the evening. We shall all share the same lodging for the night.’
So it is said, that when King Óláfr drew up his troops, then he placed some men so as to make a shield wall that was to be kept in front of him in battle, and chose the men for it that were strongest and most agile. Then he called his poets to him and told them to go inside the shield wall. ‘You,’ he says, ‘shall be here and see the events that here take place. You will then not have to rely on verbal reports, for you will report them and compose about them later.’ There were now there Þormóðr Kolbrúnarskáld and Hofgarða-Refr’s foster-father Gizurr gullbrá, and thirdly Þorfinnr munnr. Then Þormóðr said to Gizurr: ‘Let us not stand so close together, comrade, that the poet Sigvatr shall not be able to get to his place when he comes. He will want to be in front of the king, and the king will not be pleased otherwise.’ The king heard this and replies: ‘There is no need to deride Sigvatr, though he is not here. Often has he stood by me well. He will now be praying for us, and there will yet be very great need of that.’ Þormóðr says: ‘That may be, king, that your greatest need now is for prayers, but thin would be the ranks around the banner pole if all your followers were now on the road to Rome. It was just, too, our complaint about no one finding room for Sigvatr, even if they wanted to speak to you.’ Then they spoke among themselves, saying that it would be very fit to compose some memorial verses about the events that now would soon be upon them. Then spoke Gizurr:
News that I’m not cheerful no thane’s daughter will gather— have this word heard; I prepare for a host at Ífi’s boards’ meeting — although wise war-bushes warn of Heðinn’s lady, Let’s be, east in Áli’s blizzard, a bulwark to the ruler.
Then Þorfinnr munnr spoke another verse:
Twilight falls before the tempest of the tough yard of the shield-rim; the Verdœlir force against the valiant leader will battle. Let’s defend the free-handed ruler, feed the cheerful gore-gull, bring down Þrœndr in Þundr’s— this we are urging—rainstorm.
Then spoke Þormóðr:
Áli’s mighty storm masses, missile projector; folk must not falter, fearful—a sword-age waxes. For the onslaught let’s steel ourselves; slacker’s speech a man war-happy must give up, as we go to the gathering of spears with O̧leifr.
People memorised these verses on the spot.
After this the king set out and made his way out along the valleys. He got himself a lodging-place for the night, and then all his troops assembled together there, and lay that night outside under their shields. And as soon as it got light, the king got the army ready, then moved out along the valley when they were ready to do so. Then a large number of farmers came to the king and most joined forces with him and all had the same thing to say, that landed men had assembled an invincible army and they were planning to engage in battle with the king. Then the king took many marks of silver and handed it to one of the farmers and afterwards said: ‘You are to look after this money and divide it up afterwards, paying some to churches, and giving some to clerics, some to almsmen, and give it for the life and soul of the men that fall in battle and are fighting against us.’ The farmer replies: ‘Shall this money be given for the salvation of the souls of your men, king?’ Then the king replies: ‘This money is to be given for the souls of those men who are with the farmers in battle and fall before our men’s weapons. But those men that follow us in battle and fall there, then we shall all be saved by this together.’
That night, when King Óláfr lay among the gathering of men, as has already been told, he was awake for a long time and prayed to God for himself and his troops and slept little. A heaviness came over him towards dawn. And when he awoke, then the day rose up. The king thought it rather early to wake up the army. So he asked where the poet Þormóðr was. He was close by and replied, asking what the king wanted with him. The king says: ‘Recite some poem for us.’
Þormóðr sat up and spoke very loudly so that he could be heard over the whole army. He recited Bjarkamál in fornu, and this is the beginning of it:
Daybreak has arisen: the cock’s wings rustle: time for workers’ toil to begin. Be wakeful, be wakeful, best of friends, all the noblest of Aðils’s followers! 
Hár Hard-Gripping, Hrólfr the Shooter, men of good family who do not flee, not for wine I wake you nor woman’s secrets, but wake you for Hildr’s harsh exchanges.
Then the troops awoke. And when the poem was finished, then men thanked him for the poem, and people were greatly affected and felt it was well chosen and called the poem Húskarlahvƒt. The king thanked him for his performance. After that the king took a gold ring that weighed half a mark and gave it to Þormóðr. Þormóðr thanked the king for his gift, saying: ‘We have a good king, though it is hard to see now how long-lived the king will be. This is my prayer, king, that you do not let us two be parted either alive or dead.’ The king replies: We shall all go together, as long as I am in charge, if you do not wish to part from me.’ Then said Þormóðr: ‘I trust, king, that whether peace comes for better or for worse, that I may be somewhere close to you, as long as I have the opportunity, whatever we hear about where Sigvatr is going with his golden hilt.’
Then spoke Þormóðr:
By your knee still I’ll stand, till you get other poets—when do you expect them, prince stalwart in battle? We’ll get away though we give the greedy raven corpse-prey; either that will be, wood of the wave-steed, or we'll lie here. 
King Óláfr took his army out along the valley. Then Dagr also went with his troops by a different route. The king did not cease his march until he came out in Stiklarstaðir. Then they saw the army of farmers, and that force was moving in a very disorderly manner, and was in such huge numbers that from every path the troops spread out, and especially where large groups were moving side by side. They saw where a company of men was going down out of Veradalr, and they had been on the watch and passed near to where the king’s troops were, and they did not realise it before they were only a short distance off, so that people could recognise each other. Hrútr of Vigg was there with thirty men. After this the king said that the guests were to go against Hrútr and deprive him of life. Men were quick to take on this task. Then the king spoke to the Icelanders: ‘I am told that it is a custom in Iceland that the farmers are obliged to give their workmen a sheep for them to slaughter in the autumn. I am now going to give you a ram to slaughter.’ These Icelanders did not take much urging to this task and went straight up to Hrútr with some other men. Hrútr was killed together with the whole company that was with him. The king stopped and halted his army when he got to Stiklarstaðir. The king told men to dismount from their horses and make preparations there. Men did as the king ordered. After that the battle line was formed and the banners raised. Dagr was then not yet come with his troops, and that wing of the army was missing. Then the king said that the men of Upplǫnd were to advance there and take up the banners. ‘I think it is advisable,’ says the king, ‘that my brother Haraldr should not be in the battle, for he is a child in age.’ Haraldr replies: ‘I shall certainly be in the battle, but if I am so lacking in strength that I cannot wield a sword, then I know a good way of dealing with that, which is that my hand shall be tied to the haft. No one is going to have a greater desire than I to cause harm to the farmers. I shall go with my comrades.’ So men say, Haraldr then spoke this verse:
I’ll dare to defend the flank— fulfilling the lady’s wishes— in rage let us redden round shields—that I’m placed in War-glad, the young poet will not, where weapons swipe, take to his heels before spears: men harden hostile battle exchanges.
Haraldr had his way, so that he was in the battle. 
There is a man named Þorgils Hálmuson, a farmer who lived at Stiklarstaðir, father of Grímr góði. Þorgils offered the king his support and to be in battle with him. The king said he was grateful for his offer. ‘But I want you, farmer,’ says the king, ‘not to be in the battle. Instead, grant us this, that you help our men after the battle, those that are wounded, and give them burial that fall in battle; similarly if it should come to pass, farmer, that I fall in this battle, then give such service to my corpse as arises from necessity, if it is not prohibited to you.’ Þorgils promised the king this that he asked.
So when King Óláfr had drawn up his troops, then he spoke before them, saying this, that men must take heart and advance boldly— ‘If battle comes,’ he says, ‘we have fine troops and plenty of them, and though the farmers have somewhat larger forces, still fate will decide victory. There remains this for me to announce to you, that I am not going to flee from this battle. I shall either defeat the farmers or fall in battle. My prayer is this, that the outcome may be what God sees is right for me. We must place our confidence in this, that we have a much more just cause than the farmers, and also in this, that God will release our possessions for us after this battle, or otherwise grant us a much greater reward for the loss that we suffer here than we can ourselves desire for us. And if it is my lot to speak after the battle, then I shall enrich each of you according to your deserts and to how each goes forward into battle. There will then, if we have victory, be enough, both lands and money, to share with you, that have now been previously in the hands of our enemies. Let us make our first attack the hardest we can, for it will quickly go one way or the other if the odds are great. We have hope of victory from a swift attack, but on the other hand it will fall out worse for us if we fight until we are exhausted so that men become as a result unable to fight. We will have fewer replacement troops than they, with whom different groups advance while some hold back and rest. But if we make such a hard attack that they turn back who are foremost, then they will fall over each other, and their difficulties will be the greater, the more there are of them.’ And when the king finished his speech, they applauded what he had said loudly and they encouraged each other.
Þórðr Fólason was carrying King Óláfr’s banner. The poet Sigvatr says this in the memorial poem that he composed about King Óláfr, and used material from the story of Creation for his parentheses:
Þórðr, I heard, fought fiercely the fight, then, beside O̧leifr with spears—the battle stiffened— stout hearts trod there together. He held high before the king of Hringar, war-bold, the finelygilded standard, strove fully, the spirited brother of Ǫgmundr.
King Óláfr was so equipped that he had a gilded helmet on his head and a shield white with the holy cross painted on it in red. In one hand he had the halberd that now stands in Christchurch by the altar. He was girded with the sword that was called Hneitir, a very sharp sword with the haft wound round with gold. He had a coat of mail. The poet Sigvatr speaks of this:
·leifr the Fat felled soldiers; forward he pressed in mailcoat, the war-bold seigneur, seeking a striking victory. And the Svíar who wend westwards waded with the gracious lord the bright bloodstream; battle waxed; much I say plainly. 
So when King Óláfr had drawn up his troops, then the farmers were still come nowhere near. Then the king said that the troops should sit down and rest. The king then sat down himself and all his troops and they sat spread out. He leant over and laid his head on Finnr Árnason’s knees. Then he fell asleep, and was so for a while. Then they saw the army of farmers, and these troops advanced to meet them, having raised their banner, and it was a very great host of men. Then Finnr woke the king, telling him that the farmers were now attacking them. And when the king woke up, he said: ‘Why did you wake me, Finnr, and not let me dream my dream out?’ Finnr replied: ‘Your dream would not have been such that it would not have been more important to wake up and prepare for the army that is coming against us. Or do you not see where now the rabble of farmers is come?’ The king replies: ‘They are not yet come so near us that it would not have been better that I had slept on.’ Then said Finnr: ‘What did you dream, king, that you think it such a great loss that you did not wake of your own accord?’ Then the king tells his dream, that he thought he saw a high ladder, and he was going aloft up it so far that heaven opened and it was there the ladder led. ‘I was,’ he says, ‘just come to the last rung, when you woke me.’ Finnr replies: ‘This dream does not seem as good to me as it must seem to you. I think it must portend your death if it is anything more than just dream phantasmagoria that appeared to you.’
Further, there happened something when King Óláfr was come to Stiklarstaðir, that a man came to him. Though this was not in itself marvellous, for many men came to the king from the local areas, but what seemed strange about this was that this man was not like others that had come to the king. He was a man so tall that no one else reached further than to his shoulders. He was a very handsome man in appearance and had beautiful hair. He was well armed, having a very fine helmet and a coat of mail, a red shield, and being girded with an ornamented sword, and had in his hand a great gold-inlaid spear with such a thick shaft that his hand could only just go round it. This man went before the king and greeted him and asked if the king would accept support from him. The king asked what his name was and his ancestry, and what country he came from. He replies: ‘I have kinfolk in Jamtaland and Helsingjaland. I am known as Arnljótr gellini. The most I can tell you about myself is that I gave assistance to those men of yours that you sent to Jamtaland to collect tax there. I handed over to them a silver dish that I sent to you as a sign that I wanted to be your friend.’ Then the king asked whether Arnljótr was a Christian man or not. He says this about his faith, that he believed in his might and main. ‘This faith has served me well enough up to now. But now I intend to believe in you, king.’ The king replies: ‘If you want to believe in me, then you must believe in what I tell you. You must believe that Jesus Christ has created heaven and earth and all people, and all people shall go to him after death that are good and orthodox in belief.’ Arnljótr replies: ‘I have heard tell of White-Christ, but I am not acquainted with what he does or where he rules over. I shall now believe in everything that you tell me. I wish to commit the whole of my life into your hands.’ After that Arnljótr was baptised. The king taught him such of the faith as he deemed to be most important and assigned him to the van of his battle formation, in front of his banner. In this position he already had Gauka-Þórir and Afra-Fasti and their comrades.
Now it must be told from where the story was broken off above, that landed men and farmers had assembled an invincible force as soon as they heard that the king had left Garðaríki and the east and that he had arrived in Svíþjóð. So when they learned that the king was come from the east to Jamtaland, and that he was planning to travel from the east over Kjǫlr to Veradalr, then they made their way with their army inland into Þrándheimr and then collected together all the population there, free and unfree, and so went inland to Veradalr, having there such a great force that there was not a person there that had seen such a great army assembled in Norway. It was the case with it, as it can often be in a great army, that its composition was very varied. There were a lot of landed men in it and a large number of powerful farmers, though the rest was all the rabble, who were peasants and labourers. And this was the whole of the main army that had gathered together there in Þrándheimr. These troops were very much inflamed with hostility to the king.
Knútr inn ríki had subjected all the land in Norway to himself, as was said above, and in addition that he appointed to rule it Jarl Hákon. He provided the jarl with a household bishop whose name was Sigurðr. He was Danish by origin and had been with King Knútr a long time. This bishop was a fiery man in temperament and a flowery man in his speech. He supported King Knútr in what he said as much as he could, but was a very great enemy of King Óláfr. This bishop was in this army and spoke frequently before the troop of farmers and strongly urged rebellion against King Óláfr.
Bishop Sigurðr spoke at an assembly of the troops where there was now a huge host of men. He began his speech thus: ‘Here is now assembled a great host, so that in this poor land there will be no opportunity to see a larger native army. This numerous force ought to come in very handy for you, for now there will be sufficient need for it if this Óláfr is again planning not to leave off harrying you. He became accustomed already at an early age to plundering and killing people and travelled through many countries for this purpose. But finally he turned to this country and began by making enemies most of all among those that were the best people and the most powerful: King Knútr, whom everyone has the highest duty to serve as well as they can, and he established himself on his dependent territory; similarly he supported King Óláfr of the Svíar, while driving out of their ancestral lands the Jarls Sveinn and Hákon. But he behaved most cruelly to his own kinsmen, when he drove all the kings out of Upplǫnd, though this was in some respects all right, since they had previously gone back on their words and oaths to King Knútr, and supported this Óláfr in every criminal design that he took up. Now their friendship has very properly been dissolved. He inflicted injuries on them and took over their realms, thus emptying the land of all high-born men. But after that you must know how he has treated landed men: the noblest are slain, and many have had to leave the country because of him. He has also travelled far and wide over this country with bands of plunderers, burning the local districts and killing and robbing the people. But who is here of the ruling classes that will not have great wrongs to avenge on him? Now he is travelling with a foreign army, and it is mostly outlaws and robbers or other brigands. Do you imagine he is now going to be kind to you, when he goes with this scum, when he commited such ravages which all his followers tried to dissuade him from? I think a better course is for you to remember now the words of King Knútr, when he advised you, if Óláfr tried again to get back to the country, how you ought to defend the freedom that King Knútr promised you. He told you to resist and drive out of your way such rabble. The thing to do now is to go against them and cut down this scum for the eagle and wolf and let each one lie where he is struck down, unless you would rather drag their corpses into woods and rocky places. Let no one be so bold as to convey them to churches, for they are all vikings and evil-doers.’
And when he ended this addresss, then people gave it great applause, and all gave their consent to doing as he said.
The landed men, those who were assembled there, held a meeting and talk and discussion and made arrangements about how their lines should be drawn up and who should be leader over the troops. Then Kálfr Árnason said that Hárekr from Þjótta was best fitted to becoming chief over this army— ‘For he is descended from the line of Haraldr inn hárfagri. The king bears him a very great grudge on account of the killing of Grankell, and he will face the severest punishment if Óláfr comes to power. Hárekr is well tried in battle and a man of high ambition.’ Hárekr answers that those men were better suited for this that were now at the most active stage of their lives. ‘But I am now,’ he says, ‘an old man and infirm and not very able to fight. There is also a family relationship between me and King Óláfr, and although he does not think much of that in respect of me, yet it is not seemly for me to be any further involved in this warfare against him than anyone else in our party. You, Þórir, are well suited to being the chief in engaging in battle with King Óláfr. There are also enough reasons for this. You have deaths of kinsmen to avenge on him, and also the fact that he drove you from all your possessions as an outlaw. You have also promised King Knútr and your kinsmen too to avenge Ásbjǫrn. Or do you think that there will be any better opportunity against Óláfr than such as is now to take vengeance for all these disgraces to your honour at once?’ Þórir replied to his speech: ‘I do not have the confidence to carry a banner against King Óláfr or to become leader over these troops. The Þrœndir have the largest crowd of men here. I know their pride, that they will not want to listen to me or to any other man from Hálogaland. But there is no need to remind me of the injuries that I have to repay Óláfr for. I remember the loss of men in Óláfr having deprived four men of life and all of them distinguished in honour and kinship: my brother’s son Ásbjǫrn, my sister’s sons Þórir and Grjótgarðr, and their father Ǫlvir, and I have a duty to avenge each of them. Now this is to be said about me, that I have selected eleven of my men, that are the best fighters, and I believe that we shall not lose by comparison with others in exchanging blows with Óláfr if we get a chance of it.’
Kálfr Árnason then began to speak: ‘What is now necessary for us in regard to the course that we have started on, is that we should not make it turn out to be a mockery that the army has been mustered. We shall need to do something, if we are to engage in battle with King Óláfr, other than each drawing back from taking the responsibility, for we can assume this, that although Óláfr does not have a great force compared to the army that we have, yet there is there a trusty leader, and all his troops will be faithful in following him. But if we who should most of all be leaders of our troops are now rather shaky and are not willing to encourage the army and exhort them and give them a lead, then straight away a large number of the army’s hearts will fail them, and the next thing will be that each does what he thinks safest for himself. And although a great army is here assembled, yet we shall be put to such a test if we and King Óláfr with his army meet that defeat will be a certainty for us unless we, the organisers ourselves, are on the ball and the host rushes forward with one accord. But if that is not the case, then it will be better for us not to risk a battle, and then this course will seem obvious, to trust to Óláfr’s mercy, if he seemed harsh then, when there were fewer charges against us than there will seem to him to be now. And yet I know that there are men included in his troop such that there would be a chance for me of quarter if I wished to seek it. Now if you are minded as I am, then you, brother-in-law Þórir, and you, Hárekr, must go beneath the banner that we shall all raise up, and then follow it. Let us all make ourselves vigorous and active in these undertakings that we have engaged in, and support the army of farmers in such a way that they may not see in us any hesitation. And this will urge the common people forward, if we set about cheerfully drawing up and exhorting the troops.’ And when Kálfr had finished saying what he had to say, then everyone responded positively to his speech, saying that they wanted to have everything as Kálfr felt was right for them. Then everyone wanted Kálfr to be leader over the troops and assign everyone to the detachments that he wished.
Kálfr raised a banner and placed his men there underneath the banner, and with them Hárekr from Þjótta and his troop. Þórir hundr with his troop was in front of the leading part of their formation before the banners. Also there was a selected troop of farmers on both sides of Þórir, one that was most vigorous and best armed. This formation was made both long and thick, and in that part of the formation were the Þrœndir and Háleygir. And on the right hand side of this formation another formation was placed, and on the left side of the main formation the Rygir and Hǫrðar, Sygnir, Firðir had a formation, and they had a third banner there.
There is a man named Þorsteinn knarrarsmiðr. He was a merchant and a great craftsman, a tall and strong man, an energetic man in everything, a great warrior. He had fallen out with the king, and the king had taken from him a large and new trading ship that Þorsteinn had built. This was on account of Þorsteinn’s unruly deeds and as compensation for a subject that the king was owed. Þorsteinn was there in the army. He went to the front of the formation and up to where Þórir hundr was standing. He spoke as follows: ‘It is here I want to be in this detachment, Þórir, with you, since I intend, if I and Óláfr meet, to be the first to raise a weapon against him, if I can be positioned thus close, and to repay him for the confiscation of the ship when he robbed me of that ship that is the best one to be taken on trading voyages.’ Þórir and his men accepted Þorsteinn, and he joined their detachment.
So when the farmers had been assigned to detachments, then the landed men spoke, telling the men in the army to take note of their positions, where each was placed and under which banner each was now supposed to be and in which direction from the banner and how close he was placed to the banner. They told men to be alert now and quick to get into formation when the horns sounded and a war call rang out, and then to advance in formation, for they now still had a very long way to convey the army, and it was likely that the formations would break up on the march. After that they encouraged the troops. Kálfr said that all those men that had hateful treatment to repay King Óláfr for should now go forward under the banners that were to go against Óláfr’s banner, bearing in mind now the injuries that he had inflicted on them, saying that they would not find a better opportunity to avenge their griefs and thus free themselves from the oppression and slavery that he had subjected them to. ‘That person,’ he says, ‘is now a coward who does not bear himself as boldly as he can, for there is no lack of offences to charge those that are against you with. They will not spare you if they get a chance.’ There was very loud applause for his speech. There was now much shouting and egging on throughout the army.
After this the farmers conveyed their army to Stiklarstaðir. King Óláfr was already there with his troops. Kálfr and Hárekr advanced in the van with their banner. And when they met, then the onset did not take place very quickly, for the farmers delayed attacking because their forces were not anywhere near all advanced equally far, and they waited for the troops that were coming up behind. Þórir hundr had been going last with his company, since he was supposed to take care that none of the troops were tempted to lag behind when the war cry rang out or the troops saw each other, and Kálfr’s group were waiting for Þórir. The farmers were using this cry in their army to urge on their troops in battle: ‘Forward, forward, farming men!’ King Óláfr did not make an attack before because he was waiting for Dagr and the troop that was with him. Then the king’s group saw Dagr’s troop where it was on its way. It is said that the farmers had no fewer troops than ten thousand. And Sigvatr says this:
My sorrow is savage, that the ruler scant help had from eastward; this king clasped the sword-grip covered with gold wire. The subjects were successful since they were twice as many; that snared the inciter of strife; I reproach neither.
While both hosts were standing and the men were able to recognise each other, then the king said: ‘Why are you there, Kálfr, since we parted as friends south in Mœrr? It ill befits you to fight against us or to shoot deadly shots into our troops, since four of your brothers are here.’ Kálfr replies: ‘Much is now going differently, king, from what would be most fitting. You parted from us in such a way, that it was necessary to make peace with those that had been left behind. Now each must stay where he stands, though we might still be reconciled if I had my way.’ Then Finnr replies: ‘It is characteristic of Kálfr that if he speaks well, then he is determined to do ill.’ The king said: ‘It may be, Kálfr, that you would like to be reconciled, but you do not look to me to be acting peacefully, you farmers.’ Then Þorgeirr of Kvistsstaðir answers: ‘You shall now have such peace as many have had from you in the past, and you must pay for that now.’ The king replies: ‘You do not need to be so eager for our engagement, for victory over us will not be granted to you today, for I have raised you to a position of power from being a little man.’
Þórir hundr now arrived and advanced in front of the banner with his company and called out: ‘Forward, forward, farming men!’ Then they raised the war cry and shot both arrows and spears. Then the king’s men shouted a war cry, and when that was done, then they urged each other on, as they had been told to do before, saying this: ‘Forward, forward, Christ’s men, cross’s men, king’s men!’ But when the farmers that were standing out in the wing heard this, then they said the same as they heard them say. And when other farmers heard this, then they thought these were king’s men and raised weapons against them and fought them themselves, and many fell before they recognised each other. The weather was fine, and the sun was shining brightly. But when the battle began, then the sky reddened and the sun too, and before it was over, it became dark as night. King Óláfr had drawn up his troops where there was a sort of rise in the ground, and they threw themselves down on the farmers’ troops and they delivered such a strong assault that the farmers’ line gave way before it, so that the van of the king’s formation now stood where before had been standing those that were most to the rear in the farmers’ troop and many of the farmers’ troop were now on the point of fleeing, but the landed men and the landed men’s men stood firm, and then there was a very fierce battle. So says Sigvatr:
Far and wide the field spread under feet of men ; then crashed into swift combat, clad in mailcoats, the army, when, in early morn, the envoys of the elm, with bright helmets— a great steel-gust set in at Stiklarstaðir—down came rushing. 
The landed men exhorted their troops and pressed forward to advance. Sigvatr mentions this:
There went the Þrœndr’s standard— this deed is now regretted by farmers—amid their formation forward; bold men met there. 
Then the farmers’ troops attacked from all sides. Those that were standing furthest forward hewed, while those that were next thrust with spears, and all those that were further back shot spears or arrows or threw stones or hand axes or stone-headed shafts. It now soon became a bloody battle, and many fell from both sides. In the first assault Arnljótr gellini, Gauka-Þórir and Afra-Fasti fell and all their company, and each of them took with them a man or two or in some cases more. Now the formation in front of the king’s banner began to thin out. The king then told Þórðr to carry the banner forward, while the king himself went with the banner and that company of men that he had chosen to stay close to him in battle. These men in his troop were the bravest fighters of all and the best equipped. Sigvatr states this:
I heard my lord went hardest ahead, next to his banners; the standard preceded the ruler; strife there was ample.
When King Óláfr stepped forward out of the shield wall and into the van of the formation and the farmers saw into his face, then they became frightened, and their hands failed them. Sigvatr states this:
I guess it was ghastly for lagoon-flame spreaders to catch the spear-keen gaze of combat-joyful ·leifr. Þrœndish men were hesitant— the hersar’s lord seemed so awful—to look into his eyes, serpent-shining.
Then there was a very fierce battle. The king went strongly forward himself into the hand-to-hand fighting. So says Sigvatr: 
Scarlet with blood of soldiers were shields, men’s hands also, and gory swords, where the troop assaulted the splendid mighty ruler. And the play of iron the able king made Innþrœndir enjoy, the keen sword he crimsoned in the parting’s meadows.
King Óláfr now fought very bravely. He struck at Þorgeirr of Kvistsstaðir, the landed man who was mentioned above, across his face and broke apart the nose-guard on his helmet, splitting his head underneath his eyes, so that it was nearly cut off. And as he fell, the king said: ‘Is it true or not, what I told you, Þorgeirr, that you would not be victorious in our exchanges?’ At that moment Þórðr brought down the banner pole so hard that the pole stuck in the ground. Þórðr had just then received his death wound, and he fell there beneath the banner. Then Þorfiðr muðr and Gizurr gullbrá also fell there. And he had been attacking two men, and he killed one of them and wounded the other before he fell. So says Hofgarða-Refr:
On his own the ash of battle Óðinn’s fire yelled—bold in steel-rain, against two stalwart soldiers waged Gunnr’s clatter. The bow-spoiler dealt the Draupnir’s dew-Freyr his death-blow, he reddened iron, and the other envoy of currents wounded.
Then it came about, as was said above, that the sky was bright but the sun disappeared and it got dark. Sigvatr mentions this: 
Men call it no minor marvel that no warming the cloudless sun could send to steed-Njǫrðungar of the ship-pole. For the prince a great portent appeared that day: day didn’t hold its bright hue; of the battle I heard news from parts eastern.
At this moment Dagr Hringsson arrived with the troop that he had had and he started then to draw up his line of battle and raised his banner, but because it was very dark, his attack could not take place quickly, since they could not see what was before them. And yet they turned to where the Rygir and Hǫrðar were facing them. Many of these events happened simultaneously or in some cases a little earlier or a little later. 
Kálfr and Óláfr were the names of two of Kálfr Árnason’s kinsmen. They were standing on one side of him, tall men and valiant. Kálfr was son of Arnfinnr Armóðsson and nephew of Árni Armóðsson. On the other side of Kálfr Árnason Þórir hundr stepped forward. King Óláfr struck at Þórir hundr across the shoulders. The sword did not cut, and it looked as though dust flew up from the reindeer skin. Sigvatr mentions this:
Gracious, the king discovered clearly how the mighty spells of Finnish sorcerers saved most arrogant Þórir, when the sender of sparks of mast-tops struck with sword gold-decked— blunted, it bit little— about Hundr’s shoulders.
Þórir struck at the king, and they then exchanged a few blows, and the king’s sword did not cut where the reindeer skin was in front of it, and yet Þórir was wounded on his hand. Sigvatr also said:
The tree of gold who blames Þórir true courage obscures ; who from valiant Hundr has seen greater exploits? when the Óðinn of angled fences of the onset-hall’s storm, he who surged forward, presumed to strike at the king’s person.
The king spoke to Bjǫrn the Marshal: ‘You strike the dog that iron does not cut.’ Bjǫrn turned the axe in his hand and struck with the back of the blade. This blow fell on Þórir’s shoulder and it was a very heavy blow, and it made Þórir stagger. And at that very moment the king turned towards Kálfr and his kinsmen and gave Kálfr’s kinsman Óláfr his death wound. Then Þórir hundr thrust with his spear at Bjǫrn the Marshal in the middle of his body, giving him his death wound. Then said Þórir: ‘Thus we beat the bear.’ Þorsteinn knarrarsmiðr struck at King Óláfr with his axe, and this blow fell on his left leg just above the knee. Finnr Árnason immediately killed Þorsteinn. But at this wound the king leant up against a stone and threw down his sword and prayed God to help him. Then Þórir hundr thrust his spear at him. The thrust went up under his mail coat and passed up into his belly. Then Kálfr struck at him. This blow came on his left side in to his neck. People disagree about which Kálfr it was that gave the king this wound. King Óláfr received these three wounds that led to his death. And after his fall there now fell nearly all that company that had advanced with the king. Bjarni Gullbrárskáld composed this about Kálfr Árnason :
Glad in war, you began with warfare to guard the land against O̧leifr, to the excellent king opened enmity; I state I heard it. At Stiklarstaðir, you strode sooner than the standard surged; an exploit true t’was, you kept attacking, intrepid, till the king had fallen.
The poet Sigvatr composed this about Bjǫrn the Marshal: 
I’ve heard how Bjǫrn, with abundant boldness, taught the marshals at that time, too, how it was proper to protect their lord; he pressed forward. He fell in the force, amid the faithful men of the retinue— that loss of life—by the head of the lord fame-rich—is lauded.
Dagr Hringsson now carried on the battle and made such a fierce first assault that the farmers gave way before it, and some turned in flight. Then numbers of the farmers’ forces fell, and these landed men: Erlendr of Gerði, Áslákr of Finney. Then the banner that they had previously been carrying was cut down. Then there was the most furious battle. People have called it Dagr’s storm. Then Kálfr Árnason, Hárekr from Þjótta, Þórir hundr turned towards Dagr with the formation that belonged to them. Dagr was now overpowered, and he then turned in flight, as did all the forces that were left. And there happens to be a kind of valley leading up where the main body of those in flight went. Many troops fell there. People then dispersed in both directions. Many men were severely wounded, and many were so badly exhausted that they were fit for nothing. Farmers pursued the fleeing men only a short way, for the leaders soon turned back and to where the slain were, for many had their friends and kinsmen to seek out there.
Þórir hundr went to where King Óláfr’s body was, and put it to rights, laying the body down and straightening it and spreading cloth over it. And when he was wiping the blood off his face, then he said this afterwards that the king’s face was so beautiful, that there was a flush on his cheeks as if he was asleep, and much brighter than before when he was alive. Then the king’s blood got onto Þórir’s hand and ran up between his thumb and fingers, where he had previously been wounded, and he needed no bandage after that, it healed so quickly. Þórir himself bore witness to this incident when King Óláfr’s sanctity became known, before the whole people. Þórir hundr was the first to uphold the king’s sanctity of the men of the ruling class that had been there in the host opposing him.
Kálfr Árnason sought his brothers that were fallen there. He came across Þorbergr and Finnr, and what people say is that Finnr threw a short sword at him and tried to kill him, speaking harsh words to him, calling him trucebreaker and traitor to his lord. Kálfr took no notice and had Finnr carried away from the fallen dead and Þorbergr as well. Then their wounds were looked into, and they had no life-threatening wounds. They had both fallen under the weight of weapons and from exhaustion. Then Kálfr sought to convey his brothers down to a ship and went with them himself. And as soon as he turned away, then all the farmers’ troops left whose homes were nearby, except for those who were looking after their kinsmen and friends that were wounded, or the bodies of those that were fallen. Wounded men were conveyed back to the town, so that every building was full of them, while tents were put up outside over some. And so wonderfully many people as had gathered in the farmers’ army, yet it seemed to people no less extraordinary how quickly the gathering dispersed once it had started, and the main reason for this was that the greatest number had gathered from country districts and were very keen to get home.
The farmers that had dwellings in Veradalr went to see the leaders, Hárekr and Þórir, and complained to them of their problem, saying this: ‘These men that are fleeing, when they have got away, will go up along Veradalr and will deal unfortunately with our homesteads, while we are unable to go home while they are here in the valley. Now please, go after them with a force and let not a child escape, for they would have intended the same treatment for us if they had got the better of it in our encounter, and so will they do again if we meet later on so that they have better luck than us. It may be that they will stay in the valley if they are not expecting they have anything to fear. They will straightway go through our settlements inconsiderately.’ The farmers spoke of this at great length and urged with great passion that the leaders should go and kill these people that had got away. So when the leaders discussed this among themselves, then they felt the farmers had said much that was true in their speech, then decided that Þórir hundr and his men should set out with the Verdœlir, and he took six hundred men of his own troops, then went. Then night began to fall. Þórir did not cease travelling until he got during the night to Súl, and he heard there the news that during the evening Dagr Hringsson had come there and many others of King Óláfr’s companies, had a pause for an evening meal and after that gone up onto the mountain. Then Þórir says that he was not going to wander over mountains after them, and he then turned back down into the valley, and then they got very few of the men killed. After that the farmers went to their homesteads, and Þórir went the next day, and his troops, out to their ships. But the king’s men, those who were able to, escaped, hiding themselves in forests, some getting help from people.
Þormóðr Kolbrúnarskáld was in the battle under the king’s banner. And when the king was fallen and the onslaught was at its most furious, then the king’s troops fell one after another, and most were wounded that were still standing. Þormóðr was badly wounded. He then did like the others, all retreated from there where there seemed the greatest danger to life, and some ran. Then began the battle that is known as Dagr’s storm. Then all the king’s troops, those that were still capable of bearing weapons, made their way there, but Þormóðr did not now come into the battle, as he was disabled both by wounds and by exhaustion, and he stood there by his comrades, though there was nothing else he could do. Then he was struck by an arrow in his left side. He broke the arrow shaft off himself and then went away from the battle and back to the houses and came to a kind of barn. It was a large building. Þormóðr had a naked sword in his hand. And when he went in, then a man came out towards him. This person said: ‘There are terribly unpleasant noises inside here, wailing and bellowing; it is very shameful when valiant men cannot put up with their wounds. It may be that the king’s men performed bravely, but very poorly do they endure their wounds.’ Þormóðr replies: ‘What is your name?’ He said his name was Kimbi. Þormóðr replies: ‘Were you in the battle?’ ‘I was,’ he says, ‘with the farmers, where it was better.’ ‘Are you at all wounded?’ says Þormóðr. ‘Not much,’ says Kimbi, ‘but were you in the battle?’ Þormóðr says: ‘I was with those who got the better of it.’ Kimbi saw that Þormóðr had a gold ring on his arm. He said: ‘You must be a king’s man. Give me the gold ring, and I will hide you. The farmers will kill you if you bump into them.’ Þormóðr says: ‘You take the ring, if you can get it. I have now lost more than that.’ Kimbi stretched out his arm and was going to take the ring. Þormóðr swung his sword at him and cut off his hand, and it is said that Kimbi did not endure his wound one whit better than those whom he had criticised earlier. Kimbi went away, but Þormóðr sat down in the barn and stayed there for a while and listened to what people were saying. Most of their conversation was about each one saying what he claimed he had seen in the battle, and they discussed men’s performance. Some praised most King Óláfr’s valour, while some spoke of other men just as much. Then said Þormóðr:
O̧leifr’s heart was active; onwards in blood the king waded; inlaid steel bit at Stiklarstaðir; he urged troops to battle. I saw all the blizzard-trees of Jalfaðr but the ruler himself shelter in the ceaseless spear-storm; most were tested. 
After this Þormóðr went off to a kind of storehouse and went in. There were already many men inside there badly wounded. There was a certain woman busy there bandaging men’s wounds. There was a fire on the floor, and she was warming water to cleanse the wounds. So Þormóðr sat down out by the doorway. One man was going out there, and another in, who were busy attending to men’s wounds. Then someone turned to Þormóðr and looked at him and after that said: ‘Why are you so pale? Are you wounded, or why don’t you ask for treatment for yourself?’ Then Þormóðr uttered a verse:
I am not rosy, but rules a red man the white and slender hawks’ seat Skǫgul; scarce those who think of me, wounded. The cause is that to me, thou accustomed killer of flour of Fenja, deep tracks of Dagr’s tempest and Danish weapons give pain.
After that Þormóðr stood up and went in to the fire and stood there for a while. Then the physician spoke to him:
‘You, fellow, go out and get me the firewood that is lying out here in front of the entrance.’ He went out, carried in an armful of wood and threw it down on the floor. Then the physician looked him in the face and said: ‘Amazingly pale is this man. Why are you like that?’ Then spoke Þormóðr: 
Why are we so pallid? wonders the hawk’s lands oak-tree. Wounds make few fair, lady, I faced a storm of arrows. Through me the dark metal, mightily driven, came flying; the dangerous iron cut keenly close to my heart, as I reckon.
Then said the physician: ‘Let me see your wounds and I shall give you some bandages.’ After that he sat down and threw off his clothes. And when the physician saw his wounds, then she examined the wound that he had in his side, felt that there was a piece of iron stuck in it, but could not tell for certain which way it had gone in. She had been cooking in a stone kettle there, ground garlic and other herbs and boiled it together and was giving it to wounded men and could find out like that whether they had intestinal wounds, for it smelt of garlic from out of the wound if it was intestinal. She brought this to Þormóðr, bidding him eat it. He replies: ‘Take it away. I am not pining for gruel.’ Then she took some tongs and tried to pull the iron out, but it was stuck and would not move, there being only a little bit sticking out, for the wound was swollen. Then Þormóðr said: ‘You cut in to where the iron is, so that it can easily be got at with the tongs, then give them to me and let me tug at it.’ She did as he said. Then Þormóðr took a gold ring from his arm and gave it to the physician, telling her to do whatever she wanted with it: ‘It was given by one who is good,’ he says. ‘King Óláfr gave me this ring this morning.’ After that Þormóðr took the tongs and pulled out the arrow head. But there were barbs on it, and there were fibres from his heart stuck on it, some of them red, some white, and when he saw this, he said:
‘Well has the king nourished us. There is still fat around my heart strings.’ After that he sank back and was now dead. There ends the story of Þormóðr.
King Óláfr fell on the Wednesday, the fourth day before the kalends of the month of August. It was nearly midday when they met, and the battle began before the mid-point between then and none, while the king died before none, and the darkness lasted from that mid-point until none. The poet Sigvatr says this about the conclusion of the battle:
Harsh is the emptiness after the Englishmen’s foe, and painful, since from the wounded king soldiers stripped life; the lord’s shield shattered. ·leifr’s life the war-keen army ended, where troops split shields; to the meeting of points the commander marched, but Dagr departed.
And again he spoke this:
No poles of war-skerry expected the power of the farmers— the people caused the prince’s passing—or of the hersar, by which in war the trees of wound-fire felled such a ruler— many fine forces in blood lay fallen—as ·leifr was considered.
The farmers did not plunder the slain, and what happened immediately after the battle was rather this, that many were seized with fear, those that had been against the king, and yet they retained their hostility and decided between themselves that all those men who had fallen with the king should not have the last rites or burial, that befitted good men, calling them all robbers and outlaws. But those men who were powerful and had kinsmen there among the slain took no notice of this, conveyed their kinsmen to churches and gave them last rites.
Þorgils Hálmuson and his son Grímr went to the slain in the evening when it had got dark. They took up King Óláfr’s body and carried it away to where there was a kind of small, empty cottage on one side of the farmstead, taking a light with them and water, then took the clothes off the body and washed the body and wiped it then with linen cloths, laid it down there in the building and covered it with pieces of wood so that no one could see it, even if people came into the building. After that they went away and back to the farmstead. Following both armies there had been a large number of beggars and those poor folk that used to beg for their food. Now that evening after the battle many of these folk had stayed there, and when it got dark, they sought lodgings for themselves through all the buildings both small and large. There was a blind man there, about whom there is a story. He was poor, and his boy went with him and guided him. They walked round the outside of the farmstead looking for a lodging for themselves. They got to this same deserted dwelling. The doorway was so low that one almost had to crawl in. And when the blind man got into the house, then he felt about on the floor, searching for whether he might be able to lie down. He had a hood on his head, and the hood fell down over his face when he bent down. He felt in front of him with his hands that there was a pool on the floor. He lifted up his wet hand and raised up his hood, and his fingers touched up by his eyes, and immediately he got such a great itching on his eyelids that he rubbed his eyes themselves with his wet fingers. After that he backed out of the building saying that it was impossible to lie inside, because it was all wet there. So when he got out of the building, then he could immediately to begin with make out his hands and everything that was near him that he could see in the darkness of night. He immediately went back to the farmstead and into the living room and there told everyone that he had got his sight and was now a seeing man. And there were many men there that knew that he had long been blind, for he had often been there and walked around the neighbourhood. He says that he first saw when he came out of a certain little wretched house. ‘And it was all wet inside.’ He says, ‘I groped in it with my hands and I rubbed my wet hands over my eyes.’ He also says where this house was. So the men who were there and saw all this were greatly amazed about what had happened and discussed among themselves what could be inside there in that house. But Farmer Þorgils and his son Grímr felt certain how this event must have arisen. They were very afraid that the king’s enemies would go and search the house. After this they stole away and went to the building and took the body, carried it away out into the pasture and hid it there, went after that to the farmstead and slept through the night there.
On the Thursday Þórir hundr came down from Veradalr out to Stiklarstaðir, accompanied by many troops. There were also many of the farmers’ troops about. The slain were still being cleared away. People carried away the bodies of their kinsmen and friends and gave assistance to wounded men, those that people wanted to heal. But large numbers of men had now died since the battle had ended. Þórir hundr went to where the king had fallen and looked for the body, and when he could not find it, he made enquiries whether anyone could tell him what had become of the body, but no one could tell him. Then he asked Farmer Þorgils if he knew anything about where the king’s body was. Þorgils replies as follows: ‘I was not in the battle. I know little of what happened. There are now many stories going around. It is now said that King Óláfr has been met during the night up near Stafr and a company of men with him. But if he has fallen, then your comrades will have hidden his body in woods or rocky places.’ And though Þórir felt sure it was true that the king was fallen, yet many took up and spread the rumour that the king must have got away out of the battle and that it would not be long before he would get an army and come back against them. Then Þórir went to his ships and after that out along the fiord. Then the whole troop of farmers began to scatter and moved away the wounded men, all those that could be moved.
Þorgils Hálmuson and his son Grímr had King Óláfr’s body in their keeping, and were very anxious about how they could manage to take care that the king’s enemies were not able to get hold of it to mistreat the body, since they heard the farmers’ talk of it being the best thing to do, if the king’s body was found, to burn it or convey it out to sea and sink it down. The father and son had seen during the night as if it were a candle flame burning above where King Óláfr’s body was among the slain, and similarly afterwards, when they had hidden the body, then they always saw at night a light from the direction where the king rested. They were afraid that the king’s enemies would search for the body there where it was if they saw these signs. Þorgils and his son were keen to convey the body away to some place where it would be secure. Þorgils and his son made a coffin and took the greatest pains with it and laid the king’s body in it, and afterwards they made another coffin and put in it straw and stones so that it weighed as much as a man, closing this coffin carefully. So when all the farmers’ troops had gone from Stiklarstaðir, then Þorgils and his son got ready to leave. He got a kind of rowing boat. Altogether they were seven or eight men, and all kinsmen or friends of Þorgils. They secretly conveyed the king’s body to the ship and put the coffin down under the decking. They also had with them the coffin that had stones in it, placed it in the ship so that everyone could see it, travelled after that out along the fiord, got a good tail wind, in the evening, when it began to get dark, came out to Niðaróss, landing at the king’s jetty. After that Þorgils sent men up into the town and had Bishop Sigurðr told that they were coming there with King Óláfr’s body. So when the bishop hears this news, he immediately sent his men down to the jetties. They took there an oared ship and laid it alongside Þorgils’s ship, demanding to be given the king’s body. Þorgils and his men then took the coffin that was standing up on the deck and carried it into the oared ship. After that these men rowed out into the fiord and sank the coffin down there. The night was now dark. Þorgils and his men then rowed up along the river until the town was at an end, and landed at a place called Saurhlið. This was above the town. Then they carried the body up and into a certain empty storehouse that was standing there up above other buildings. They watched there all night over the body. Þorgils went down into the town. He got to speak with the men who had been most friends of the king there. He asked them if they would take charge of the king’s body. No one dared do that. Afterwards Þorgils and his men conveyed the body up along the river and buried it there down in a sand dune that has formed there, cleared up there afterwards so that recent activity would not be apparent there. They had finished doing all this before day dawned, then went to their ship, made their way immediately out from the river, going after that on their way until they came back to Stiklarstaðir.
Sveinn, son of King Knútr and Jarl Álfrimr’s daughter Álfífa, he had been appointed to rule at Jómsborg in Vinðland, but now a message had come to him from his father King Knútr that he was to go to Denmark, and also that he was after that to go to Norway and take over the realm that was in Norway to govern, and as well to have the title of king over Norway. After this Sveinn went to Denmark and got from there a large force. With him went Jarl Haraldr and many other men of the ruling class. Þórarinn loftunga mentions this in the poem that he composed about Sveinn Álfífuson that is called Glælognskviða:
It is not hidden how the Danes made a loyal journey with their leader. There the jarl was first and foremost, and every man after him following each warrior worthier than the next.
After this Sveinn went to Norway and with him his mother Álfífa, and he was accepted there as king at every legal assembly. He had then come from the east to the Vík when the battle took place at Stiklarstaðir and King Óláfr fell. Sveinn did not cease travelling until he came in the autumn north to Þrándheimr. He was accepted as king there as elsewhere. King Sveinn introduced new laws into the country in respect of many things, and these were set up after the pattern of how the laws were in Denmark, though some were much harsher. No one was to leave the country except with the leave of the king, but if he went, then his possessions fell to the king. And everyone that killed someone, he should forfeit land and movable property. If a man was convicted and an inheritance fell to him, then the king got this inheritance. At Yule every farmer was to give the king a measure of malt for every hearth and a haunch of a threewinters-old ox - this was known as vinartoddi - and a container of butter, and each housewife a rykkjartó, this was cleaned flax, as much as could be grasped between the thumb and middle finger. Farmers were obliged to build all the houses that the king wished to have at his residences. Every seven men were to fit out one able-bodied one, and this applied to everyone that was five winters old, and would be responsible for a proportionate number of rowlocks. Every man that rowed out fishing was to pay the king a landing string, wherever he rowed out from, that is a bundle of five fish. Every ship that went away out of the country was to keep for the king a section across the hold. Every man that went to Iceland was to pay land dues, both natives and foreigners. Added to this was the rule that now Danish men were to have this much standing in Norway, that the witness of one of them was to outweigh the witness of ten Norwegians. And when this legislation was made public, then people immediately began to develop feelings of resistance and started grumbling among themselves. Those that had not taken part in the opposition to King Óláfr, spoke like this: ‘Take up now, you Innþrœndir, the friendship and rewards from the Knýtlingar for which you fought against King Óláfr and removed him from the country. You were promised peace and improvement in your status, but now you have oppression and enslavement, and on top of that serious crimes and baseness.’ And it was not easy to contradict this. Now everyone realised that things had not been arranged for the best. People did not, however, have the confidence to start a rebellion against King Sveinn. The reason for this was that people had given their sons or other close kinsmen to King Knútr as hostages, and this too, that there was now no leader for a rebellion. People soon had much cause of complaint against King Sveinn, and yet people mostly blamed Álfífa for everything that they found contrary to their minds. And now the truth about King Óláfr was realised by many people.
That winter began the talk by many people there in Þrándheimr that King Óláfr was truly a saint, and many miracles took place supporting his sainthood. Now there came to be many invocations of King Óláfr about the things that people felt were important. Many people gained benefits from these invocations, some recovery from ailments, and some help on journeys or other things that were felt to present a need for this. 
Einarr þambarskelfir was come back to his estates from the west, from England, and got the revenues that King Knútr had granted him when they met in Þrándheimr, and this almost amounted to a jarl’s power. Einarr þambarskelfir had not been in the rebellion against King Óláfr. He himself boasted of this. Einarr called to mind that Knútr had promised him jarldom over Norway, and also this, that the king had not fulfilled his promises. Einarr was the first of the ruling class to uphold the sainthood of King Óláfr.
Finnr Árnason only stayed for a short time at Egg with Kálfr, for he took it very badly that Kálfr had been in the battle against King Óláfr. Finnr constantly criticised Kálfr very severely on this account. Þorbergr Árnason was much more restrained in his speech than Finnr, and yet Þorbergr was very keen to go away and back to his estate. Kálfr provided these brothers of his with a fine longship with all its rigging and other equipment and a good party of men to go with them. They went back to their estates. Árni Árnason lay a long time with his wounds, and recovered and had no permanent injury. He went after that in the winter south to his estate. All the brothers accepted quarter from King Sveinn, and all the brothers settled down quietly at home.
The next summer there came to be much talk of King Óláfr’s sainthood, and public opinion about the king all changed. There were now many that affirmed that the king must be saintly who previously had opposed him in absolute enmity and not let him in any respect get a fair report from them. People now began to turn to criticising the men that had most urged rebellion against the king. As a result Bishop Sigurðr was much blamed. People there became such great enemies of his that he saw his best course as to go away and west to England to see King Knútr. After this the Þrœndir sent men and messages to Upplǫnd for Bishop Grímkell to come north to Þrándheimr. King Óláfr had sent Bishop Grímkell back to Norway when the king went east to Garðaríki. Bishop Grímkell had since then been in Upplǫnd. So when this message came to the bishop, then he immediately got ready for this journey. A large part of the reason why he went was that the bishop believed that it must be true what was said about the performing of miracles and the sainthood of King Óláfr.
Bishop Grímkell went to see Einarr þambarskelfir. Einarr welcomed the bishop joyfully, they then discussed many things after that, including the fact that there had taken place in that country important events. They were of one mind between themselves in all their discussions. Then the bishop went inland to Kaupangr. There all the ordinary people welcomed him. He enquired in detail about the miracles that were related about King Óláfr. He received good information about this. After that the bishop sent messengers in to Stiklarstaðir to Þorgils and his son Grímr and summoned them out to the town to see him. The father and son did not neglect this journey. They went out to the town to see the bishop. They tell him all the signs that they had discovered, and also where they had taken the king’s body. After that the bishop sent for Einarr þambarskelfir, and Einarr came to the town. Einarr and the bishop then held discussions with the king and Álfífa and asked the king to give permission for King Óláfr’s body to be disinterred. The king gave his permission and told the bishop to do whatever he wished with it. There were now large crowds of people in the town. The bishop and Einarr and some people with them went to where the king’s body was buried and had it dug for. The coffin had now more or less come up out of the ground. It was then proposed by many people that the bishop should have the king interred at Clemenskirkja. So when twelve months and five nights had passed from the death of King Óláfr, then his holy relics were dug up. The coffin was now still nearly come up out of the ground, and King Óláfr’s coffin was brand new as if it had been freshly planed. Bishop Grímkell then went up to where King Óláfr’s coffin was being opened. There was a glorious sweet smell there. Then the bishop uncovered the king’s face, and his countenance was in no way changed, such redness on his cheeks as would have been if he had just gone to sleep. In this people perceived a great difference, those who had seen King Óláfr when he fell, that since then his hair and nails had grown almost as much as they would have done if he had been alive here in the world all the time since he fell. Then there went up to see King Óláfr’s body King Sveinn and all the leading people that were there. Then Álfífa spoke: ‘Men rot amazingly slowly in the sand. It would not have been so if he had lain in earth.’ After that the bishop took shears and cut the king’s hair, also clipping his moustaches. He had had long moustaches as was then the fashion among men. Then the bishop spoke to the king and Álfífa: ‘Now the king’s hair and moustaches are as long as when he died, but they had grown as much as you now see here cut off.’ Then Álfífa replies: ‘Then this hair will seem to me a holy relic, if it does not burn in fire. For we have often seen people’s hair complete and unharmed who have lain in the ground longer that this man.’ After that the bishop had fire brought in a fire-pan and blessed it and put incense on it. After that he put King Óláfr’s hair in the fire, and when all the incense was burnt, then the bishop took the hair up out of the fire, and the hair was now unburnt. The bishop let the king and other leaders see it. Then Álfífa ordered the hair to be put into unconsecrated fire. Then Einarr þambarskelfir replied, telling her to be silent and picked many harsh words for her. It was then decreed by the bishop with the king’s agreement and the verdict of all the people that King Óláfr was truly saintly. Then the king’s body was carried in into Clemenskirkja and set up before the high altar. The coffin was wrapped in precious cloth and all hung with velvet. There immediately took place many kinds of miracles at the holy relics of King Óláfr.
There in the dune where King Óláfr had lain in the ground, a beautiful spring came up, and people got cures for their ailments from this water. A surround was built for it, and this water has ever since been looked after with care. First of all a chapel was built and an altar set up there where the king’s grave had been, but now Christchurch stands in that place. Archbishop Eysteinn had a high altar set up there in the same place where the king’s grave had been when he raised that great minster that still stands. There had also been in that place the high altar in the old Christchurch. It is said that Óláfskirkja now stands there where at that time stood the disused storehouse that King Óláfr’s body was put in for the night. It is now called Óláfr’s gate where the king’s holy remains were carried up from the ship, and this is now in the middle of the town. The bishop looked after King Óláfr’s holy remains, cutting his hair and his nails, for both went on growing just like when he was a living person in this world. So says the poet Sigvatr:
I lie unless O̧leifr like living bow-gods has growing hair; I praise in poetry principally the king’s servants. The hair still holds that grew on his bright skull, who in Garðar gave sight to Valdamarr, bestowing succour for infirmity.
Þórarinn loftunga composed the poem that is called Glælognskviða about Sveinn Álfífuson, and it includes these verses:
Now the prince has placed himself on the throne at Þrándheimr. There will ever, all his life, the ring-breaker rule the dwellings where O̧leifr earlier lived before he left for heaven’s realm and there was, as all are aware, enshrined alive, latterly king. Haraldr’s son had betaken himself firmly to heaven’s kingdom, before the gold-breaker became mediator . . . So that there, pure, the praise-blessed king with his body unblemished lies and there, as on a living man, hair and nails on him do grow. There in the belfry bells can ring over his bed of their own accord; and every day all people hear the sound of bells above the king. And there up over the altar, pleasing to Christ, candles burn. So has ·leifr, ere he died, without sin saved his soul. 
There comes a host where the holy king himself is, creeping for help, and people, the blind and those who beg for speech come there and, cured, depart. Pray to O̧leifr to yield to you his ground— God’s man he is— he does get from God himself peace and plenty for all people when you place your prayers before the sacred nail of the speech of books. 
Þórarinn loftunga was with King Sveinn at this time and saw and heard these great signs of King Óláfr’s sainthood, that through the power of heaven people could hear a sound above his holy relics like bells ringing and candles lighted themselves over the altar there by heavenly fire. And in that Þórarinn says that a host of people came to the holy King Óláfr, lame and blind or sick in other ways, and went away cured, he is saying or recording nothing other than that it must have been an innumerable multitude of people who gained health straightway then at the start from King Óláfr’s miracle working. But King Óláfr’s greatest miracles, they are written down and recorded, as are those that took place later.
People say, those that reckon in detail, that St Óláfr was king over Norway fifteen winters after Jarl Sveinn left the country, but the previous winter he received the title of king from the Upplendingar. The poet Sigvatr says this:
·leifr held, high-minded head, the upper country before he fell, for fifteen full years—in that fiefdom. Which greater people-governor has gained the northern end of the world? The leader lasted less long than he should have. 
King Óláfr the Saint was then thirty-five years of age when he fell according to the priest Ari inn fróði. He had had twenty major battles. So says Sigvatr the poet:
Some men in God trusted; the troop was divided. Twenty major battles the ambitious king engaged in. Celebrated, the Christian band he bade stand at his right hand; To fête the father of Magnús, flight-shy, beg I Lord God. 
Now some part of the story of King Óláfr has been told, concerning some of those events that took place while he was ruling Norway, and also about his fall and about how his sainthood became known. And yet now it must not lie untold what his greatest glory resides in, to tell of his miracle working, even though it is written afterwards in this book.
King Sveinn Knútsson ruled over Norway for a few winters. He was childish both in age and discretion. His mother Álfífa had most of the government of the country in her hands, and the people of the country were great enemies of hers, both at that time and for ever after. Danish people had tyrannical power in Norway, and the people of the country greatly resented it. When discussion of these things took place, then other people of the country blamed it on the Þrœndir, saying that it had been largely due to them that King Óláfr the Saint had been removed from the country, and the people of Norway had been subjected to this evil rule, in which oppression and enslavement afflicted all the people, both high and low and all the whole population; they declared that the Þrœndir had a duty to carry out an uprising— ‘In order to rid us of this rule.’ It was also the opinion of the people of the country that the Þrœndir had the most power now in Norway because of their leaders and the large population that there was there. So when the Þrœndir realised that the people of the country were criticising them, then they acknowledged that it was justified and they had committed a very stupid act in depriving King Óláfr of life and land, and this too, that they had suffered very harshly for their unfortunate behaviour. The leaders had meetings and made plans among themselves. Einarr þambarskelfir took the lead in these discussions. It was also the same with Kálfr Árnason, that he now realised into what a snare he had walked as a result of King Knútr’s urging. The promises that he had made or granted to Kálfr, these were now all broken, for King Knútr had promised Kálfr a jarldom and control of all Norway, so Kálfr had been the leader in holding a battle with King Óláfr and removing him from the land. Kálfr had no titles greater than before. He felt he had been greatly imposed upon, and messages now passed between the brothers Kálfr and Finnr, Þorbergr and Árni, and now their kinship was reaffirmed.
When Sveinn had been king in Norway for three years, the news reached Norway that west of the sea a great host was being gathered, and the one that was leader over it is named as Tryggvi. He claimed to be son of Óláfr Tryggvason and the English Gyða. So when King Sveinn heard this, that a foreign army would be entering the country, then he called out troops from the north of the country, and most of the landed men left Þrándheimr with him. Einarr þambarskelfir stayed at home and would not go with King Sveinn. So when King Sveinn’s message reached Kálfr inland at Egg to the effect that he was to take part in an expedition with the king, then Kálfr took a twenty-oared ship that he had. He went on board with his men and got ready in the greatest rush, made his way after that along the fiord, not waiting for King Sveinn. Kálfr after that made his way south to Mœrr, not ceasing travelling until he got south to his brother Þorbergr in Gizki. Then all the brothers, sons of Árni, arranged a meeting for themselves, and made plans between themselves. After that Kálfr went back north. But when he got into Frekeyjarsund, then they found before them in the sound King Sveinn with his army, and when Kálfr rowed into the sound from the south, then they called out to each other. The king’s men told Kálfr to sail up and follow the king and defend his land. Kálfr replies: ‘I have done enough of that, if not done too much, fighting against our countrymen to bring the Knýtlingar to power.’ Kálfr and his men then rowed north on their way. He now went on until he got home to Egg. None of the sons of Árni took part in this expedition with King Sveinn. King Sveinn took his force to the south of the country. But when he got no news of the army being come from the west, then he made his way south to Rogaland and right on to Agðir, for people were assuming that Tryggvi would want first to make for the Vík in the east, since it was there that his forefathers had been and had received the most support. He had a great deal of backing from kinsfolk there. 
King Tryggvi, when he made his way from the west, brought his force in from the open sea at Hǫrðaland. Then he learned that King Sveinn had sailed south. Then King Tryggvi made his way south to Rogaland. So when King Sveinn received intelligence about Tryggvi’s movements after he had come from the west, then he turned back north with his army and the meeting between him and Tryggvi took place in Sóknarsund inside Bókn, close to where Erlingr Skjálgsson had fallen. There took place there a great and fierce battle. They say that Tryggvi threw javelins from both hands at once. He said: ‘Thus my father taught me to say Mass.’ His enemies had said that he must have been son of some priest, but he was boasting now that he took more after King Óláfr Tryggvason. Tryggvi was also a most accomplished man. In this battle King Tryggvi fell and much of his force, but some escaped in flight and some received quarter. Thus it says in Tryggvaflokkr:
Fame-whetted fared Tryggvi from the north—killing resulted, and King Sveinn with his soldiers from the south to the battle. I was close to their clamour; quickly that led to a meeting. The host suffered serious— swords clanged then—loss of life there.
This battle is mentioned in the flokkr that was composed about King Sveinn: 
That Sunday, Madam—that morning many men sank under blades—it was not like a maid bearing beer and leek to someone, when King Sveinn commanded his men to join together— raw flesh the raven was given to rend—the stems of warships.
King Sveinn now still ruled the land after this battle. Then peace prevailed. The following winter King Sveinn stayed in the south of the country. 
Einarr þambarskelfir and Kálfr Árnason held meetings between themselves that winter, and were making plans and met in Kaupangr. Then King Knútr’s messenger came to Kálfr Árnason there bringing him a message from King Knútr to the effect that Kálfr was to send him three dozen axes and to have them carefully made. Kálfr replies: ‘I will send no axes to King Knútr. Tell him that I shall give his son Sveinn axes so that he shall find he has plenty.’
Early in the spring Einarr þambarskelfir and Kálfr Árnason set out, taking a large company of men and the most select body of men available in Þrœndalǫg. They travelled in the spring east over Kjǫlr to Jamtaland, then to Helsingjaland and came out into Svíþjóð, got ships there, travelling in the summer east to Garðaríki, arriving in the autumn at Aldeigjuborg. Then they sent messengers up to Hólmgarðr to see King Jarizleifr with this message, that they were offering King Óláfr the Saint’s son Magnús that they would receive him and accompany him to Norway and give him support so that he might obtain his patrimony, and uphold him as king over the land. So when this message reached King Jarizleifr, then he took counsel with the queen and his other leading people. They reached agreement that the Norwegians should be sent word and summoned there to see King Jarizleifr and Magnús and his people. They were given safe conduct for this journey. So when they got to Hólmgarðr, then it was decided between them that the Northmen who had come there should pay homage to Magnús and become his men, and they confirmed this by oaths with Kálfr and all the men who had been against King Óláfr at Stiklarstaðir. Magnús granted assurances and complete atonement and confirmed it by oaths that he should be faithful and true to all of them, even if he gained power and kingship in Norway. He was to become foster-son to Kálfr Árnason, and Kálfr to be bound to do everything that Magnús felt would make his power greater and more independent than before.
After Yule Magnús Óláfsson got ready to set out from the east in Hólmgarðr down to Aldeigjuborg. They begin to prepare their ships when the ice broke up in the spring. Arnórr jarlaskáld speaks of this in Magnússdrápa:
Now I mean, for well I know them, to name to men the exploits of the strife-quick sword’s-edge stainer —let gold-breakers listen! The serpent’s home’s hater had not reached eleven winters fully when the bold friend of Hǫrðar fitted warships to leave Garðar.
King Magnús laid his course in the spring from the east to Svíþjóð. So says Arnórr:
The young edge-reddener called men out to an assembly; the trim troop of the eagle-feeder took up, war-clad, rowing stations. The great king with hull rime-crusted clove, bold, the salt westwards; keen gales carried the surf-fire’s quencher to Sigtúnir.
Here it says that King Magnús, when he travelled from the east in Garðaríki, he first of all sailed to Svíþjóð and up to Sigtúnir. At this time the king in Svíþjóð was Emundr Óláfsson. Also there then was Queen Ástríðr, who had been married to the blessed King Óláfr. She welcomed her stepson Magnús extremely warmly, and immediately had a large assembly summoned in the place that is known as at Hangrar. And at this assembly Ástríðr spoke, saying as follows: ‘There is now come here with us the son of the blessed King Óláfr, who is called Magnús, now planning his expedition to Norway to claim his patrimony. I have a great obligation to support him on this journey, since he is my stepson, as is known to everyone, both Svíar and Norwegians. I shall in this spare nothing that is within my power by which his support may be as great as can be, both in regard to the numbers of men that I have at my disposal, and also the wealth. Moreover all those that commit themselves to this expedition with him will have access to my complete friendship. I also wish to announce that I shall undertake this expedition with him. It will then be plain to all that I shall not spare anything else for his support that I am able to grant him.’ After this she spoke long and eloquently. But when she stopped, then many replied, saying that the Svíar had gained little glory from their travels to Norway when they had followed his father King Óláfr. ‘And there is now little better prospect with this king,’ they say. ‘People are therefore not keen on this expedition.’ Ástríðr replies: ‘All those that would like to be men of valour at all will not be fearful about that. But if people have lost their relatives with the blessed King Óláfr, or have themselves been wounded, then it is now a manly thing to go to Norway now and take vengeance for it.’ Ástríðr managed her words and support so that a great number of troops came forward to go with him to Norway with Ástríðr. The poet Sigvatr mentions this:
With my praise I’ll reward for a wealth of treasures, grandly, ·leifr’s daughter, spouse of the stout prince, most victorious. A host met at Hangrar, huge, from the land of Svíar, in the east, as Ástríðr ·leifr’s son supported. Wise in counsel, she could not the keen Svíar have handled better had brisk Magnús been her own offspring. She most, with Christ the mighty, made sure that King Magnús happily could inherit Haraldr’s whole legacy. He owes Ástríðr a debt for her action, and we are glad of it; it made generous Magnús, men’s friend, wide-landed. She has aided, as will few others, her step-son, deeply wise woman; I honour with words of truth that lady. 
So says the poet Þjóðólfr in Magnússflokkr: 
You launched, all-ruler, a warship— the yard shivered, driven—sent then over sea the thirtyseater at full stretch, gliding. The wild storm did not spare the swayed mast above you, lord; fine retainers took down the mastheadtapestry at Sigtúnir.
Magnús Óláfsson began his expedition from Sigtúnir, now taking a large troop that the Svíar had provided him with. They travelled on foot across Svíþjóð and so to Helsingjaland. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Afterwards crimson shields you carried, combat-Yggr, through Swedish settlements, no poor pick of troops you garnered, people of the land sought your faction. From east you came, tongue-colourer of the company of wolves, known to people, to proud meetings, picked warriors with pale shields and inlaid javelins.
After that Magnús Óláfsson travelled from the east across Jamtaland and over Kjǫlr and down into Þrándheimr, and immediately all the people of these places welcomed him. But King Sveinn’s people, as soon as they learned that King Óláfr’s son Magnús was come into their country, then they all scattered in flight to safety. No resistance was offered to Magnús there. King Sveinn was in the south of the country. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
You held west with the highest of helms of terror into Þrœndish homes; they say your foemen faltered, feather-reddener of Yggr’s seagull. Your enemies, sater of the swarthy surf-of-wounds vulture, felt their misery— they said your foemen were, fearful, forced to save their lives—increasing. 
Magnús Óláfsson travelled with his troops out to Kaupangr. He was welcomed there. After that he had Eyraþing summoned. And when the farming community got to the assembly, then at it Magnús was accepted as king over the whole country as widely as his father King Óláfr had ruled. After that King Magnús took on a following for himself and set up landed men. In every area he appointed men to stewardships and to prefectures. In the autumn King Magnús immediately called out a levy from the whole of Þrándheimr, getting plenty of troops, afterwards taking his army south along the coast.
Sveinn Álfífuson was staying in Sunn-Hǫrðaland at the time he heard about the news of this martial activity. He immediately had a war arrow issued and sent out in all directions from where he was, summoning the farming people to come to him and adding that the whole population was to come out with troops and ships and defend the country with him. All the troops from that area that were nearest to the king went to see him. The king then held an assembly and discussion with the farmers and announced his intention, saying this, that he plans to go against King Óláfr’s son King Magnús and fight a battle with him if the farmers were willing to go with him. The king spoke for rather a short time. The farmers gave little applause to his speech. Then the leading Danes that were with the king made long and eloquent speeches, but the farmers replied, opposing them. Many said that they were willing to go with King Sveinn and fight by his side, but some refused. Some were entirely silent, some said this, that they would make their way to King Magnús as soon as they could. Then King Sveinn replies: ‘It seems to me that few of the farming people that we had sent word to are come here. But these farmers that are here say to our face that they want to side with King Magnús, so it seems to me that they will all be the same support to us as those that say they want to stay put, and also those that say nothing about it. But as for those others that say that they will go with us, it will be every other one or more of them that will be no use to us to turn to if we engage in battle with King Magnús. It is my opinion that we should place no trust in these farmers, rather let us go there where the people are all reliable and faithful to us. We have there sufficient support to subject this country to ourself.’ And as soon as the king had delivered this opinion, then all his men followed this advice. They then turned the prows of their ships around and hoisted their sails. King Sveinn then sailed east along the coast and did not stop until he got to Denmark. He was welcomed there. And when he met his brother Hǫrða-Knútr, then he invited King Sveinn to hold power with him there in Denmark, and Sveinn agreed to this.
In the autumn King Magnús travelled east right to the border, and he was accepted as king over the whole country, and all the people of the country were glad that Magnús had become king. That same autumn Knútr inn ríki died in England on the Ides of November. He was buried in Winchester. He had by then been king over Denmark for seven and twenty winters, and over both there and over England for four and twenty winters, and over Norway as well for seven winters. Then Knútr’s son Haraldr was accepted as king in England. That same winter Sveinn Álfífuson died in Denmark. Þjóðólfr said this of King Magnús:
Eagle’s sole-reddener, you stepped on soil on your way from Svíþjóð; a brave force followed you from the east, lord, to Norway. Sveinn fled; sometime later, surely let down, from the country I heard that off abroad Álfífa’s son went rushing.
Bjarni Gullbrárskáld composed about Kálfr Árnason: 
You helped young princes have the inheritance due to them; it’s true that Sveinn could be sovereign solely over Denmark. Kálfr, to the country keen Magnús you conducted from Garðar; ’twas you gave the ruler governance of the kingdom.
King Magnús was that winter ruling over Norway, and Hǫrða-Knútr over Denmark. 
The following spring both the kings called out levies, and the word got around that they would be engaging in battle by the Elfr. But as the two armies advanced on each other until they were close to meeting, then landed men from each host sent intelligence to their relatives and friends, and with the messages from both sides they included the request that people were to make peace between the kings. And because the kings were both like children and young, at that time the government of the land was in the hands of powerful men on their behalf that had been appointed for this in each country. So it came about that a peace conference was arranged between the kings. After that they met in person and a settlement was discussed, and the terms of it were that the kings were to swear oaths of brotherhood and establish peace between them for as long as both their lives lasted, but if one of them died without leaving a son, then the one that survived was to inherit from him territories and subjects. Twelve men, those who were of highest rank from each kingdom, swore to this along with the kings that this agreement should be kept as long as any of them lived. Then the kings parted, and each went back to his kingdom, and this agreement was kept as long as they lived.
Queen Ástríðr, who had been married to King Óláfr the Saint, came to Norway with her stepson King Magnús, and stayed with him in high honour, as was fitting. Then there also came to the court King Magnús’s mother Álfhildr. The king immediately welcomed her with the greatest affection and settled her down honourably. But it was with Álfhildr as can happen with many that receive power, that her ambition grew in proportion, so that she did not like it that Queen Ástríðr was rather more highly honoured than she in precedence with seating and other treatment. Álfhildr wanted to sit closer to the king, but Ástríðr called her her servant woman, which was what she had been before, when Ástríðr was queen over Norway, while King Óláfr was ruling the land. Ástríðr wanted by no means to share a seat with Álfhildr. They could not bear to be in the same room. The poet Sigvatr had been travelling to Rome when the battle at Stiklarstaðir took place. And while he was on his way back from the south, he learned of King Óláfr’s fall. This was a very great sorrow to him. Then he said:
I stood on Mont, remembered, one morning, near castles, where many broad shields and masking mailcoats flew asunder. I recalled the king who in his country in early bud-time once was happy; my father was there that time: Þórrøðr.
One day Sigvatr was walking through a certain village and heard that some husband was lamenting bitterly that he had lost his wife, beating his breast and tearing his clothes off, weeping a lot, saying he would willingly die. Sigvatr said: 
A man claims, if he misses a maid’s embrace, he’s ready to die; love’s bought dear if even the dignified must weep for her. But fierce tears the fearless, flight-shy man sheds, bereft of his lord; worse looks our grievous loss to the king’s servants.
Sigvatr got back to Norway. He had an estate and children in Þrándheimr. He travelled from the south along the coast on a trading ship. And when they were lying in Hillarsund, then they saw where many eagles were flying. Sigvatr spoke:
I see ravens to the harbour hurry, recalling carrion, where rode once a ship under the worthy son of Northmen. Greedy eagles yell shrilly each day between Hillar— those that ·leifr often once fed—and the mainland. 
And when Sigvatr got north to Kaupangr, King Sveinn was then there, and invited Sigvatr to go and be with him, for he had previously been with King Sveinn’s father Knútr inn ríki. Sigvatr says that he wants to go back to his estate. It happened one day when Sigvatr was walking out on the street, he saw where the king’s men were entertaining themselves. Sigvatr spoke:
I turn aside from the sport of soldiers of the king’s retinue; am pale as bast, burdened my breast is with feeling. I recall where once my widely-praised lord and I often played on his people’s ancestral properties formerly.
After that he went home. He heard many men criticising him and saying that he had deserted King Óláfr. Sigvatr spoke: 
May White-Christ punish me if I meant to depart from O̧leifr—I’m innocent of that—with hot fire. Such witness, plentiful as water— I went to Rome in peril— of others I have; from people I shall never hide it.
Sigvatr was discontented at home. He went out during the day and spoke:
The high leaning cliffs looked to me aughing, over all Norway— once I was known on the vessels— while O̧leifr was living. Now the slopes seem to me— such is my sorrrow; I lost all the king’s favour— unhappier since then.
At the beginning of winter Sigvatr travelled east across Kjǫlr to Jamtaland and on to Helsingjaland, coming out in Svíþjóð and going straight to Queen Ástríðr, and stayed with her in high honour for a long time. And he also stayed with her brother King Ǫnundr, and received from him ten marks of pure silver. So it says in Knútsdrápa. Sigvatr would often ask, when he met merchants who travelled to Hólmgarðr, what they could tell him of Magnús Óláfsson. He spoke:
From the east I am still eager to ask, from Garðar, about the young prince; the praises often brought are not sparing. I ask about little, though the littlest of love-birds, between us creeping, fly; I am cheated of the coming of the king’s heir hither.
So when Magnús Óláfsson got to Svíþjóð from Garðaríki, Sigvatr was then there with Queen Ástríðr, and they were all very pleased. Then Sigvatr spoke: 
You rebounded home boldly, but well may rejoice in lands and men, King Magnús; your might I endorse. I would have gone to Garðar given my closeness to you; my godson got a writing, great king, from your stepmother.
After that Sigvatr joined Queen Ástríðr on her journey accompanying Magnús to Norway. Sigvatr spoke:
I speak my mind, Magnús, to men, that I rejoice in your life, attending assemblies; it is God’s endowment. The lord of men would leave an illustrious son, if he turned out like his father; few peoples could foster such a ruler.
And when Magnús had become king in Norway, then Sigvatr followed him and was very dear to the king. He then spoke this, when Queen Ástríðr and the king’s mother Álfhildr had been having some words together:
Let Ástríðr be higher, Álfhildr, than yourself, though your status greatly— God willed it—is improving.
King Magnús had a shrine made and ornamented with gold and silver and set with precious stones. And this shrine was both in size and its shape made in other respects like a coffin, except that there were legs underneath and on top the lid was shaped like a roof and up above it figureheads and a ridge. On the lid there are hinges at the back and hasps in front, and these are locked with a key. After that King Magnús had the holy relics of King Óláfr laid in this shrine. There were many miracles performed there at the holy relics of King Óláfr. The poet Sigvatr mentions this:
For him whose heart was noble has a gold shrine been made, for my lord; the leader’s sanctity I laud; to God he journeyed. Soon many a sword-tree goes from the unsullied king’s glorious tomb, with his sight healed, who had come blind thither.
Then the celebration of the holy feast of King Óláfr was made law all over Norway. That day was then straight away celebrated there as one of the highest feasts. The poet Sigvatr mentions this:
It befits us the feast of O̧leifr, father of Magnús, in my dwelling to celebrate—God strengthens the sovereign—sincerely. I must uphold honestly the holy death-day, lamented, of the king who fitted the forks of my arm with red gold. 
Þórir hundr left the country soon after King Óláfr’s fall. Þórir travelled out to Jórsalir, and there are many that say that he has never come back. Þórir hundr’s son was called Sigurðr, father of Rannveig who was married to Árni Árnason’s son Jóan. Their children were Víðkunnr in Bjarkey and Sigurðr hundr, Erlingr and Jarðþrúðr.
Hárekr from Þjótta stayed at home on his estates right on until Magnús Óláfsson got to the country and he was king. Then Hárekr travelled south to Þrándheimr to see King Magnús. At this time there was there with King Magnús Ásmundr Grankelsson. And when Hárekr went ashore from his ship on his arrival at Niðaróss, and Ásmundr was standing on a balcony by the king, they saw Hárekr and recognised him. Ásmundr said to the king: ‘Now I am going to pay back Hárekr for the killing of my father.’ He had in his hand a small and thinly forged broad-bladed axe. The king looked at him and said: ‘Use my axe instead.’ This one was wedge-shaped and thick. The king spoke again: ‘You must expect, Ásmundr, that the bones in that fellow will be hard.’ Ásmundr took the axe and went down from the building, and when he got down onto the cross-street, then Hárekr and his men were coming up towards him. Ásmundr struck at Hárekr’s head so that the axe immediately stuck down in his brain. This caused Hárekr’s death. So Ásmundr went back up into the building to the king, and the edge had all broken off the axe. Then said the king: ‘What use would the thin axe have been then? It looks to me as though this one is no good now.’ After this King Magnús gave Ásmundr revenues and stewardship in Hálogaland, and there are many long stories about the dealings between Ásmundr and Hárekr’s sons there.
Kálfr Árnason was largely in charge of the government together with King Magnús for a time to start with. But then people began to remind the king about Kálfr’s whereabouts at Stiklarstaðir. Then Kálfr began to find it more difficult to cope with the king’s moods. It came about on one occasion when there was a lot of people round the king and people were pleading their cases, then there came before him with his own urgent business a man who has been mentioned before, Þorgeirr of Súla from Veradalr. The king paid no heed to what he was saying and was listening to those that were nearer to him. Then Þorgeirr spoke to the king in a loud voice so that everyone could hear that was nearby:
Speak to me, Magnús king! In your father’s following I was. From there I carried my cloven skull, when they stepped over the stricken king. You give love to the loathsome crowd of lord-betrayers who delighted the devil.’
Then people made an uproar about it, and some of them told Þorgeirr to leave. The king called him over to himself and afterwards settled his business in such a way that Þorgeirr was well pleased, and he promised him his friendship.
It was somewhat later, when King Magnús was at a banquet at Haugr in Veradalr. And while the king was sitting at table, then Kálfr Árnason was sitting on one side of him and on the other side Einarr þambarskelfir. It had reached the point where the king was beginning to treat Kálfr rather coldly, and was now honouring Einarr most highly. The king spoke to Einarr: ‘Today we shall ride to Stiklarstaðir. I want to see the traces of what took place there.’ Einarr replied: ‘I cannot tell you about that. Let your foster-father Kálfr go. He will be able to to tell you about what happened there.’ So when the tables had been taken away, then the king got ready to go. He said to Kálfr: ‘You must go with me to Stiklarstaðir.’ Kálfr says that this was not necessary. Then the king stood up and spoke rather angrily: ‘You shall go, Kálfr!’ Then the king went out. Kálfr got his clothes on quickly and said to his servant: ‘You must ride in to Egg and tell my men to have all the luggage on board ship before sunset.’ The king rode to Stiklarstaðir and Kálfr with him. They dismounted from their horses and went to where the battle had been. Then said the king to Kálfr: ‘Where is the place that the king fell?’ Kálfr replies, stretching out his spear-shaft: ‘Here he lay when he had fallen,’ he says. The king said: ‘Where were you then, Kálfr?’ He replies: ‘Here where I am standing now.’ The king spoke, and was now red as blood: ‘He was within range of your axe, then.’
Kálfr replies: ‘My axe did not reach him.’ He then went off to his horse, leapt on its back and rode on his way and all his men, but the king rode back to Haugr. In the evening Kálfr got in to Egg. His ship was ready by the shore and all his movable property on board and it was manned with his men. They immediately made their way during the night out along the fiord. After that Kálfr travelled day and night as fast as the wind would take him. He then sailed to the west across the sea and stayed there a long time, raiding round Scotland and round Ireland and the Suðreyjar. Bjarni Gullbrárskáld mentions this in Kálfsflokkr:
I’ve heard that Haraldr’s nephew held you dear, Þorbergr’s brother; you earned that; it lasted until men destroyed it. Between you envious men kindled constant strife. I think ·leifr’s heir was harmed by this affair.
King Magnús took possession of Vigg, which had been owned by Hrútr, and Kviststaðir, which had been owned by Þorgeirr, also of Egg, and all the property that Kálfr had left behind, and many other great possessions that had been owned by those on the farmers’ side that had fallen at Stiklarstaðir he arranged to be appropriated by the royal treasury. He also inflicted heavy punishments on many of the men that had opposed King Óláfr in that battle. Some of them he drove out of the country, and from some he exacted very heavy payments, for some he had their livestock destroyed. Then the landowners began to grumble and said among themselves: ‘What can this king mean by acting towards us contrary to the laws that King Hákon inn góði established? Does he not remember that we have never put up with loss of our rights? He will go the same way as his father or some of the other rulers that we have deprived of life when we got tired of their tyranny and lawlessness.’ This grumbling was widespread in the country. The people of Sogn had mustered troops, with the public announcement that they would engage in battle with King Magnús if he came there. King Magnús was at the time in Hǫrðaland and had been staying there a very long time and had a large troop and acted as though he would now be going north to Sogn. The king’s friends became aware of this, and twelve men held a conference and it was agreed between them to choose by lot one person to tell the king of this grumbling. And it was settled that the poet Sigvatr was chosen.
Sigvatr composed a flokkr that is known as Bersƒglisvísur, and it opens to begin with about how they felt the king was hesitating too much about putting a stop to the landowners that were threatening to start hostilities against him. He spoke: 
I’ve heard that south among Sygnir Sigvatr has dissuaded the king from waging warfare. I will go, if we yet must battle. Let us arm, and with no argument, defend, eager, the lord and his lands with ring-swords; how long till this encounter? 
In the same poem there are these verses:
He who fell at Fitjar foremost was called, and punished hostile looting, Ho̧kon, he was loved by people. Men held fast to the most friendly foster-son of Aðalsteinn’s laws later; still farmers are slow to relinquish what they remember.
I think they made just choices, farmers and jarls also, for people’s property was given peace by the two O̧leifrs. Haraldr’s heir, ever trusty, and Tryggvi’s son, supported leek-straight laws that the namesakes laid down for the people.
King, at your counsellors you must not become angry for plain speaking; this command of our lord will make clear, prince, the way for glory. Other laws, unless the landsmen lie, the farmers say they have, worse than those you in Ulfasund once promised to people.
Who counsels you to cancel, king intent on hatred— often you assay slender swords—your promises? A prosperous king of people his pledges must honour. To break your bond never, battle-enlarger, befits you. 
Who incites you to slay your subjects’ cattle, war-leader? It is arrogance for a ruler in his realm to act so. None had earlier offered a young king such counsel; your troops, I think, tire of plunder; people, prince, are angry. 
Take notice, thief-toppler, of talk of men now going about here; the hand must be held back by moderation. It is a friend who offers— you must heed, gladdener of the tear-hawk of warm wounds, what the farmers want—a warning.
The threat is grave that greybeards against the king, as I hear it, mean to rise; measures must for that be taken. It’s harsh when thing-men hang their heads, and under mantles— your servants are stricken with silence—stick their noses.
All say the same: ‘Of his subjects’ ancestral properties my lord claims ownership.’ Honourable farmers turn against him. He who his inheritance hands out to king’s barons according to rushed rulings will reckon that robbery.
After this warning the king changed for the better. Many people also used the same arguments with the king. So it came about that the king held discussions with the wisest people, and they then agreed on their laws. After this King Magnús had the law code written down that still applies in Þrándheimr and is known as Grágás. King Magnús became popular and beloved of all the people in the country. He was for this reason known as Magnús inn góði.
King Haraldr of the English died four winters after the death of his father Knútr inn ríki. He was buried beside his father in Winchester. After his death Haraldr’s brother Hǫrða-Knútr, old Knútr’s second son, took the kingdom in England. He was now king of both England and the realm of the Danes. He ruled this realm for two winters. He died of sickness in England and is buried in Winchester beside his father. After his death Eatvarðr inn góði, son of King Aðalráðr of the English and Jarl Ríkarðr of Rúða’s daughter Queen Emma, was taken as king in England. King Eaðvarðr was half-brother to Haraldr and Hǫrða-Knútr. Old Knútr and Emma’s daughter was called Gunnhildr. She was married to Emperor Heinrekr in Saxland. He was known as Heinrekr mildi. Gunnhildr was three winters in Saxland before she got ill. She died two winters after the death of her father King Knútr.
King Magnús Óláfsson heard of the death of Hǫrða-Knútr. Then he immediately sent his men south to Denmark carrying messages to the men who had sworn oaths to him when their settlement and special agreements had been made between Magnús and Hǫrða-Knútr, and reminded them of their promises, adding also that he would immediately in the summer be coming to Denmark in person with his troops, and adding finally that he was going to take possession of the whole realm of the Danes as the special agreements and oaths had stated, or else himself fall in battle with his army. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Extreme was the eloquence the jarls’ lord was endowed with. Fulfilment followed the words of the fooler of she-wolf’s sorrow, when the prince said, in the cruel clash of carved shield, under the raven’s claw, he’d fall on his face, happy, fated, or else have Denmark. 
Then King Magnús mustered troops, summoning to come to him landed men and powerful landowners, providing himself with longships. And when these forces assembled then they were very splendid and very well fitted out. He had seventy ships when he sailed from Norway. So says Þjóðólfr: 
Boldly you made use of, battle- brave lord, long vessels, in that men steered seventy sailing ships eastward. South sang linked boards; high-hoisted sails whispered with forestay. The creek was cut by an oak high-masted; its curved rim Visundr lowered.
Here it mentions that King Magnús now had the great Visundr  that the blessed King Óláfr had had built. It numbered more than thirty rowing benches. There was a bison-head on the prow and a fishtail aft. The figurehead and the tail and both necks were all covered in gold. This is mentioned by Arnorr jarlaskáld:
Foam drove in on the afterdeck, ugly; the red gold shivered on the ship’s helm; the fir-tree’s hardy hound set the rushing fir-ship plunging. Strong prows from the north around Stafangr you steered. The sea shook before you. Blizzard-horse’s mastheads shone like fire, up into the realm of Danes.
King Magnús sailed out from Agðir and across to Jótland. So says Arnórr:
I shall relate how, listing, the lee-side bison, rime-swollen, carried the king of the Sygnir, The caller of the mailcoat-meeting, the monarch, steered—gladly people greeted the gods of girdle-pins —for broad Jótland.
And when King Magnus got to Denmark, then he was warmly welcomed there. He soon held assemblies and meetings with the people of the country and asked to be accepted in accordance with the special agreements. And since the national leaders that were most distinguished in Denmark were bound by oaths to King Magnús and wanted to keep their words and oaths, then they spoke much in favour of this before the people. There was another reason too, that Knútr inn ríki was now dead and all his progeny; and the third thing was that now the sainthood of King Óláfr was universally acknowledged throughout all countries, and his performance of miracles.
After this King Magnús had Vébjargaþing summoned. That is where the Danes have chosen themselves kings in both ancient and modern times. And at this assembly the Danes accepted Magnús Óláfsson as king over the whole realm of Danes. King Magnús stayed in Denmark for a long time during the summer, and all the people welcomed him warmly wherever he came, and submitted themselves to him. He then organised the whole country, the stewardships and prefectures, and granted revenues to men of the ruling class. But when autumn was drawing to a close, he took his forces to Norway and stayed on the Elfr for a while.
There is a man called Sveinn, son of Þorgils sprakaleggr’s son Jarl Úlfr. Sveinn’s mother was King Sveinn tjúguskegg’s daughter Ástríðr. She was Knútr inn ríki’s sister by the same father, but she had the same mother as King Óláfr Eiríksson of the Svíar. Their mother was Skǫglar-Tósti’s daughter Queen Sigríðr in stórláta. Sveinn Úlfsson had now been staying for a long time with his relatives, the kings of the Svíar, ever since his father Jarl Úlfr had fallen, as is written in the Saga of Knútr inn gamli, where it says that the latter had his kinsman by marriage Jarl Úlfr killed in Hróiskelda. It was for this reason that Sveinn did not stay in Denmark after that. Sveinn Úlfson was the most handsome of all men in looks. He was also the biggest and strongest of men and a very great man for sports and a very fine speaker. It was the opinion of everyone that knew him that he had all the qualities that make a good leader. Sveinn Úlfsson came to see Magnús Óláfsson while he was lying on the Elfr, as was written above. The king received him kindly. He had many supporters for this there too, for Sveinn was a very popular person. He also spoke well and eloquently on his own behalf before the king, and it came about that Sveinn submitted to King Magnús and became his follower. After that the king and Sveinn discussed many things in private.
One day when King Magnús was sitting on his throne and there were crowds of people round him, Sveinn Úlfsson was sitting on the footstool in front of the king. Then the king began to speak: ‘I wish to make known to leading men and all the people the plan that I intend to put into effect. There has come here to me a person splendid both in descent and in himself, Sveinn Úlfsson. He has now become my follower and pledged to me his troth on this. And as you know, since all Danes have this summer become my subjects, so the country is without a ruler, now that I have left it, though as you know it is very subject to raids there from the Vinðr and Kúrir and other eastern Baltic peoples, and likewise from Saxons. Moreover I promised to provide them with a leader for the defence and government of the country. I can see no one as well suited for this in every respect as Sveinn Úlfsson. He has the descent for being a leader. Now I am going to make him my jarl and make over to him the realm of Danes to supervise while I am in Norway, just as Knútr inn ríki appointed his father Jarl Úlfr ruler over Denmark while Knútr was in England.’ Einarr þambarskelfir says: ‘Too much of a jarl, too much of a jarl, fosterson!’ The king then spoke angrily: ‘You think I don’t know much, but it seems to me that you think some too much of a jarl, and thus some not much of a man.’ Then the king stood up and took his sword and fastened it to Sveinn’s belt. After that he took a shield and fastened it on his shoulder, after that put a helmet on his head and gave him the title of jarl and the same revenues in Denmark as his father Jarl Úlfr had had there previously. After that a shrine with holy relics was brought out. Svainn laid his hands on it and swore oaths of allegiance to King Magnús. After that the king led the jarl to the throne to sit next to him. So says Þjóðólfr:
Úlfr’s son was himself by the Elfr east, and made fair promises; There Sveinn did swear them, set his hands on the shrine. For him ·leifr’s son set out, the Sk nungar’s king, pledges— less long has their concord lasted than it should have.
Then Jarl Sveinn travelled to Denmark, and was warmly welcomed by the whole people there. He then chose himself a following and soon became a great ruler. In the winter he travelled widely round the country and established very good relations with the leading men. He was also popular with the common people.
King Magnús took his forces to the north of Norway and stayed there during the winter. But when spring came, then King Magnús called out a large naval force and took it south to Denmark. And when he got there, he learned the news from Vinðland that the Vinðr in Jómsborg had departed from their allegiance to him. The kings of the Danes had commanded a great jarldom there—they had founded Jómsborg in the first place—and it had become a very strong fortress. So when King Magnús heard tell of this, then he called out from Denmark a great navy and made his way to Vinðland in the summer with his whole army, and had a very large army. Arnórr jarlaskáld mentions this:
You shall hear how you carried, kinsman of a king, the war-shield into Vinðr country— fortunate, you dragged from the flat slipway frost-coated boards —in a stef section. I have never yet learned, lord, of a ruler launching more ships at their homeland, you are giving grief to the Vinðr, engraved by ships then was the current.
And when King Magnús got to Vinðland, then he made for Jómsborg and immediately took the fortress, killing many people in it and burning the fortress and the countryside widely round about and causing very great devastation there. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Prince, you fared with fire among ill-doers; fated was death then to seamen. A column of fire you kindled, crusher of thieves, south at Jóm. The heathen folk in the broad fortress to defend halls never ventured. King, with bright fire you afforded the fortress-men heart-stopping terror.
Many people in Vinðland submitted to King Magnús, but there were very many more that fled away. Then King Magnús went back to Denmark, set up his winter quarters there and dismissed his army, both the Danish one and also many of the troops that had come with him from Norway.
The same winter that Sveinn Úlfsson had become overlord over the whole realm of Danes and he had developed good relations with very many of the important men and gained good report among the common people, then he had the title of king conferred on himself, and many of the ruling class were in favour of his doing this. But in the spring, when he learnt that King Magnús was travelliing from the north from Norway bringing a great army, then Sveinn went to Skáney and from there up into Gautland and so to Svíþjóð to see his kinsman King Emund of the Svíar, and stayed there during the summer, but kept men on the watch in Denmark for King Magnús’s travels and the size of his forces. And when Sveinn learnt that King Magnús had dismissed a great part of his forces, and also that he was south in Jótland, then Sveinn rode down from Svíþjóð, having now a large force that the king of the Svíar provided him with. And when Sveinn came out to Skáney, then the people of Skáney welcomed him and treated him as their king. Then a large force thronged to him. After this he travelled out to Sjáland, and he was welcomed there. He subjected everywhere there to himself. Then he travelled into Fjón and subjected all the islands to himself, and the people submitted to him. Sveinn had a great army and many ships.
King Magnús heard the news of all this, and of this too, that the Vinðr had an army out. After that King Magnús summoned troops to come to him, and there soon gathered an army from all over Jótland to him. Then Duke Ótta of Saxland joined him from Brunswick. He was at this time married to Úlfhildr, the blessed King Óláfr’s daughter and King Magnús’s sister. The duke had a large force of men. The leaders of the Danes urged King Magnús to advance against the army of Vinðr and not allow heathen people to travel over their country there and lay it waste, and this proposal was adopted, that the king turned his army to the south on towards Heiðabýr. But when King Magnús was lying by Skotborgará on Hlýrskógsheiðr then there came to him intelligence from the army of Vinðr, which included the report that they had such a large army that no one could number it, and that King Magnús had not a fraction of their numbers and the only thing for him was to flee away. King Magnús, however, wanted to fight as long as people felt he had some possibility of winning, though most were against it, and everyone agreed that the Vinðr had an invincible army, though Duke Ótta was rather in favour of fighting. The king then had a trumpet muster the whole army and had everyone put on their armour, and they lay outside during the night under their shields, because they had been told that the army of Vinðr had advanced close to them, and the king was very anxious. He felt it would be a bad thing if he had to flee, for he had never experienced that. He slept little during the night and chanted his prayers.
The next day was the eve of Michaelmas day. And when it was almost dawn, then the king fell asleep and dreamt that he saw his father the blessed King Óláfr, and he spoke to him: ‘Are you very anxious and fearful now that the Vinðr are advancing against you with a large army? You must not fear heathens, even if there are a lot of them together. I will be with you in this battle. Make your attack on the Vinðr when you hear my trumpet.’ And when the king awoke, then he tells what he has dreamt. Then day began to dawn. Then all the people heard the sound of bells up in the sky, and King Magnús’s men recognised, those that had been in Niðaróss, that it sounded as if it was Glǫð being rung. This bell had been given by King Óláfr to Clemenskirkja in Kaupangr.
Then King Magnús got up and called out that the war-trumpets should be blown. Then the army of Vinðr advanced from the south over the river against them. Then all the king’s army leapt up and made for the heathens. King Magnús threw his coat of mail off himself and was wearing outermost a red silk tunic and took in his hand the axe Hel, that had been King Óláfr’s. King Magnús ran ahead of all other men against the enemy army and straight away hewed with both hands at one man after another. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
With broad axe, unwearied, went forth the ruler— sword-clash happened round the Hǫrðar’s head —and threw off his mailcoat, when the shaft—land was shared out by the shaping guardian of Heaven, Hel clove pallid craniums— the king’s two hands encircled.
This battle was not a long one. The king’s men fought like fury. And wherever they met, the Vinðr fell as thick as waves breaking on the shore, and those that were still standing turned in flight, and they were then cut down like cattle. The king himself pursued the rout eastwards across the heath, and the host fell all over the heath. So says Þjóðólfr:
I hold that in a troop of a hundred Haraldr’s brother’s son was standing— the raven saw his hunger-ban soon coming —in the army’s forefront. Far-flung was the path of fleeing Vinðr; where Magnús battled hewn corpses came to hide the heath a league broadly.
It is universally held that no slaughter as great as that of the Vinðr which took place on Hlýrskógsheiðr has taken place in Northern Lands in Christian times. But not many of King Magnús’s troops fell, though numbers were wounded. After the battle King Magnús has his men’s wounds bandaged, though there were not as many doctors in the army as were now required. So the king went up to such men as seemed suitable to him and felt their hands, and as he took hold of their palms and stroked them, then he nominated twelve men who it seemed to him must have the softest hands, saying that they were to bandage men’s wounds, though none of them had ever bandaged wounds before. And all these became very good doctors. There were two Icelandic men among them, one was Þorkell Geirason of Lyngar, the other Bárðr svarti in Selárdalr’s father Atli, and many doctors were descended from them afterwards. After this battle the miracle that the blessed King Óláfr had performed became famous throughout very many lands, and it was universally said that no one had better fight against King Magnús Óláfsson, and his father King Óláfr would stand by him so closely that his enemies would not be able to offer him any resistance for that reason.
King Magnús now turned his army against Sveinn, whom he referred to as his jarl, though the Danes called him king. King Magnús took to his ships and prepared his army. Then both sides increased their numbers greatly. There were now many leading men among Sveinn’s troops, Skánungar, Hallandsfarar, Fjónbúar. But King Magnús had mostly Norwegians and Jótar. He then took his troops to meet with Sveinn. They clashed at Ré off Vestland. A great battle took place there, and it ended with King Magnús being victorious, while Sveinn fled and lost many troops. He then fled back to Skáney, because he had a refuge up in Gautland if he needed to have recourse to one. But King Magnús then went back to Jótland and stayed there for the winter with a large following and had a watch kept on his ships. Arnórr jarlaskáld mentions all this:
Keen, at Ré the ruler raised Glammi’s strong meeting. Frankish blades were bloodied off broad Vestland by the monarch.
Sveinn Úlfsson went immediately aboard his ships when he learnt that King Magnús had disembarked from his ships. Sveinn gathered troops to himself, all that he could get, and then went during the winter round Sjáland and round Fjón and round the islands, and when Yule approached, he made his way south to Jótland, making first for Limafjǫrðr, and many people there became his subjects, and he took tribute from some. Some went to see King Magnús. So when King Magnús heard about this, what Sveinn was up to, then he went to his ships, taking with him the troop of Norwegians that was then in Denmark, and some Danish troops, then made his way from the south along the coast. Sveinn was now in Áróss and had a large force, so when he heard about King Magnús’s army, then he brought his troops out of the town and prepared for battle. But when King Magnús had found out where Sveinn was, and he realised that they could not now be far away from each other, then he had a meeting with his men and spoke to his troops, saying this: ‘Now we have learnt that the jarl with his troops will be lying here now ahead of us. I am told that they have a large force. And I want to make you aware of my plan. I want to go ahead to a meeting with the jarl and fight with him, though we have rather fewer troops. We shall now place our trust again, just as before, in God Himself and my father the blessed King Óláfr. He has granted us victory several times before when we have fought, and we have often had fewer forces than our enemies. Now I desire that men should be prepared for us to be looking out for them, and when our meeting comes about, then we shall row at them and immediately start the battle. So let all my men be ready to fight.’ Then they put on their armour and each one got himself and his position ready. King Magnús and his men advanced until they saw the jarl’s force, immediately launching an attack. So Sveinn’s men armed themselves and fastened their ships together. Immediately a fierce battle commenced. So says the poet Þjóðólfr:
Recently jarl and ruler round shields brought together; there biting blade-play came over the billows’ ember-pine-trees, so that shirt-markers of the meeting of the maid of Heðinn remembered no greater engagement; the army got to make spear-tumult.
They fought across the bows, and only those stationed in the forward part of the ship could make their blows tell, but those that were in the midmost part thrust with halberds, and all those that were further aft shot sling-spears or javelins or war-darts, while some threw stones or casting spears, and those that were behind the mast used bows and arrows. Þjóðólfr mentions this:
I learned of flint-headed lances launched, and many a spear— the raven got meat—where we waged war, swiftly at broad shields. Men made use, as best they might, in the quarrel of arms, of rocks and arrows, ring-trees then lay struck down.
Archers placed more arrows on the tautened bowstring; that day the Þrœndir would not get short of missiles earlier. Then sling-darts so thickly sped over the battle, a storm of arrows sent forth wildly, scarce could you see between them.
Here it says how furious was the shower of missiles. King Magnús was to begin with at the beginning of the battle behind a shield wall, but when he found they were not making much progress, then he leapt forward out of the shield wall and so along the ship and shouted loudly, urging his men on and going right forward to the prow into the hand-to-hand fighting. And when his men saw this, then they all urged each other. Now there was a great shouting throughout his host. So says Þjóðólfr:
Among Magnús’s warriors men urged each other boldly onwards with stout war-clouds; the urging worked, where they battled.
Then a most furious battle took place. In that storm Sveinn’s ship was cleared from the front across the stem and bows. Then King Magnús himself went with his troop up onto Sveinn’s ship and after that one after another of his men, making then such a fierce attack that Sveinn’s men gave way, and King Magnús cleared that ship and after that one after another of the rest . Then Sveinn fled and a great part of his forces, but a large number of his men fell and many were given quarter. So says Þjóðólfr:
Further into carnage went the keeper of keel-wagons, Magnús— that was famous—in the fair forestem of the landing-stage-Hrafn. We caused there, king, booty to increase, and the troop of the jarl’s housecarls to dwindle; the army cleared the vessels.
Until the splendid destroyer of sun of the swan’s ground granted —the jarl’s troop took to flight— truce for life to sword-staves. 
This battle was on the Sunday next before Yule. So says Þjóðólfr:
Fierce warfare, waged by woods of the harsh storm of Hrammi — the army went eager to battle— on a Sunday was engaged in. As staves of sword-uproar ceded their lives, fated— folk sank down perforce—a body floated on each billow.
King Magnús captured in it seven ships containing Sveinn’s men. So says Þjóðólfr: 
He stripped, the son of O̧leifr the Stout, seven ships earlier; the king won; Sogn’s women will learn such news without sorrow.
And again he spoke: 
Sveinn’s comrades have certainly, sword-Gautr, missed out on a homecoming; rather harshly has the men’s venture finished. Stirred by storm, the wave scatters their skulls and leg-bones— over the envoys of riches the ocean roars—on the sands’ bottom.
Sveinn fled straight away that night to Sjáland with those troops that had got away and were willing to go with him, while King Magnús took his ships to the shore and straight away that night had his men go up ashore, and early next morning they came back down with a great deal of cattle for slaughter. Þjóðólfr mentions this:
I saw great stones yesterday— skull gaped before boulder— hurled strongly; not speedily proceeded their company. We drove down—not with words only will Sveinn defend the country— cattle; halfway along the coastline came the ship to anchor.
King Magnús immediately took his forces from the south to Sjáland in pursuit of Sveinn. But as soon as King Magnús’s troops approached, then Sveinn immediately fled up inland with all his troops, but King Magnús made after them and pursued the rout, killing any that they caught. So says Þjóðólfr:
One word told the Selund woman who bore the standard; it’s true, moreover, that many men bore shields blood-reddened. The treasure-twig was fated to tiptoe through the forest; many who fled footed it fast to Hringstadir.
Mired to the neck was the manly monarch of Sko̧nungar; For Lund’s overlord not to prevail, life-proud, would be a wonder. Over bogs yesterday and earth, hurled spears flew; over mounds the mighty jarl’s standard made tracks down to the sea. 
Sveinn then fled across to Fjón, but King Magnús then went harrying over Sjáland, burning widely the property of the people that in the autumn had joined Sveinn’s troop. So says Þjóðólfr:
The jarl succeeded in destroying the seats of princes in winter; a land-defence not little you let issue from you. Generous Magnús, you managed to make risky war behind a shield; it was then, for Knútr’s able nephew, almost as if he were finished.
You had houses, Þrœndr’s ruler — homesteads you dared harm, angry—destroyed by fire; each structure consigned to flame and cinders. The jarl’s followers fiercely, friend of chieftains, you wanted to repay—they ran away promptly— for their perilous enmity.
As soon as King Magnús got news of Sveinn, then he took his troops across to Fjón. And as soon as Sveinn knew of this, then he went aboard ship and sailed, coming out in Skáni, went from there to Gautland and after that to see the king of the Svíar. But King Magnús went up onto Fjón, having many people’s property there plundered and burned. All Sveinn’s men that were there fled away in all directions. So says Þjóðólfr:
Up in the air the storm tosses embers from oaken walls, south, in cormorants’ country; kindled, fire plays wildly. Dwellings burn higher by half near the households on Fjón. Roofs and shingles are ruined; razed are halls by Northmen.
Men must, Freyr of battles, remember to get to know the weaving-Gefn of Sveinn’s soldiers, since there were three encounters. On Fjón one may look forward to a fair girl; it’s good to redden blades; let’s join the forefront of the force in weapons’ tumult.
After this all the people in Denmark submitted to King Magnús. Then there was uninterrupted peace there in the latter part of winter. Then King Magnús appointed his men to the government over all the land there in Denmark. And when spring drew to a close, then he took his army north to Norway and stayed there for a very long time over the summer.
So when Sveinn learnt about this, then he rode straight out to Skáni, taking a large force from Svíaveldi. The Skánungar welcomed him. He then gathered troops, went after that out to Sjáland and subjected those there to himself, similarly Fjón and all the islands. So when King Magnús learnt of this, then he gathered troops and ships and after that laid his course south to Denmark. He learnt where Sveinn was lying with his army. King Magnús then advanced against him. Their meeting was in the place known as Helganes, and it was in the evening of the day. And when the battle commenced, King Magnús had a smaller force and larger ships and better manned. So says Arnórr:
I have heard it called widely Helganes, where many elks of the wave the well-known wolf-gladdener emptied. At early twilight, the ship-tree ordered shields be set together. All the autumn night the rain of the ogress of strife-clouds lasted.
The battle was of the fiercest, and as the night drew to an end, there came to be many casualties. King Magnús was all night throwing missiles with his hands. Þjóðólfr mentions this: 
Sveinn’s host bowed before halberds at Helganes, as it is called; there wounded warriors, worthy of death, sank down. Many a slinged spear the Mœrir’s magnificent lord wielded; with darts the keen ruler reddened the point, ash-mounted.
To tell of this battle in the fewest words, King Magnús was victorious, and Sveinn fled. His ship was cleared from stem to stern, and all Sveinn’s other ships were cleared. So says Þjóðólfr:
Firm, the jarl fled the killing from his empty vessel, where Magnús made perilous the movement of Sveinn from there. The army’s king coloured the cutter’s blade crimson; blood spurted on the sharpened sword; for lands the king battled. 
And again Arnórr says:
The king, scourge of Sko̧nungar, seized all Bjǫrn’s brother’s warships; men rowed there at the right moment.
A great number of Sveinn’s men fell there. King Magnús and his men got a great deal of plunder. So says Þjóðólfr:
I bore back from battle my booty, a shield from Gautland— south in summer the sword-din was strong—and more, a mailcoat. Fine weapons I got, as before I informed the calm lady. I gained a helmet, where the ruler, hardy, the Danes hammered. 
Sveinn then fled up onto Skáni and all those of his troops that got away, but King Magnús and his troops drove the rout far up into the land, and there was then little resistance from Sveinn’s men or the farmers. So says Þjóðólfr:
O̧leifr’s son had earlier ordered the advance onto land; Magnús, with much splendour, marched wrathful from the warships. The hardy king ordered harrying— here is tumult—in Denmark. Across the hills speeds hastily the horse, over the west of Skáney.
After this King Magnús went harrying all over the area. So says Þjóðólfr:
Now Northmen start to urge on— near the poles we are marching— Magnús’s standards; not seldom by my side my shield I carry. Not skew-footed across Skáney the scraggy one rushes, few paths that are fairer I’ve found, to Lund southwards. 
After that they began to burn the area. Then the people fled away in all directions. So says Þjóðólfr:
We bore ice-cold irons amply, in the lord’s army. Swiftly the bright hopes of Sko̧nungar for success are now failing. Briskly, through the broad settlement blazes red fire, by our enforcing; keen fire-raisers fashioned that hardship.
Bright fire burns over people’s buildings the realm of Danes; the king destroys most swiftly the settlement, with a great army. Over a heath men weary of holding Denmark carry shields; we won victory; wounded warriors of Sveinn run from us.
Last year on Fjón the leader let once-used ways be trodden, I hardly hide myself in the heart of the princes’ army. Mighty deeds of Magnús the men of Sveinn will not challenge— many standards this morning mount high—who now are fleeing.
Sveinn then fled east to Skáni. King Magnús then went to his ships and laid his course after that east past the coast of Skáney, and had only made very hasty preparations. Then Þjóðólfr spoke this:
Other than this ocean I have nothing to drink; I suck a gulp from the saltysea, as the king I follow. Before us lies—but full little fear we have of Svíar, we swear—Skáney’s wide coast. Suffered ill we have for the ruler. 
Sveinn fled up into Gautland and after that made his way to see the king of the Svíar and stayed there the winter in high honour.
King Magnús turned back from his expedition when he had subjected Skáni to himself, making then first for Falstr, going up ashore there and harrying there, killing many troops that had previously submitted to Sveinn. Arnórr mentions this:
For deceit not sparingly the sovereign repaid the Danish. He made fall, full of courage, the Falstr-dwellers’ army. He heaped, the young wealth-hawthorn, heavy corpse-piles for eagles, and certainly retainers served the eagle’s feeder.
After that King Magnús took his troops to Fjón and harried and caused much damage there. So says Arnórr:
Further, on Fjón he reddened— the force’s lord fought for land, people paid for robbing him— painter of mail, bright banners. Let men remember which other master of troops has reached twenty so unstinting to the swarthy raven. The sovereign was granted spirit.
King Magnús remained that winter in Denmark, and there was then uninterrupted peace. He had had many battles in Denmark and been victorious in all of them. Oddr Kíkinaskáld says this:
Before Michaelmas was fought a metal-grim battle. Vinðr fell, and folk grew very familiar with noise of weapons. And nearing Yule another, not at all minor, happened— among men fierce fighting befell—south of Áróss.
Again Arnórr says: 
O̧leifr’s avenger, you provided matter for verse; this into words I fashion. You cause Hlǫkk’s hawks to quaff the ocean of carrion. Now will the poem enlarge. In one year you have, lessener of the shield-reed’s base, daring— great king, you are called invincible— carried out four arrow-blizzards.
King Magnús had three battles with Sveinn Úlfsson. So says Þjóðólfr:
The fray with good fortune was fought, as Magnús wanted. The strife-sweller gives me occasion to recite about victory. The sovereign of Þrœndr stained red the sword; after three pitched battles he holds ever after the higher shield, in payment.
King Magnús was now ruling over both Denmark and Norway. So after he had gained possession of the realm of the Danes, then he sent messengers west to England. They went to see King Játvarðr and delivered to him the letters and the seal of King Magnús. And this is what was included in the letters along wih King Magnús’s greetings: ‘You will have heard of the special agreements that Hǫrða-Knútr and I made between ourselves, that whichever of us survived the other who had no sons, then he was to take over the lands and subjects that the other had possessed. Now it has come about, as I know that you have heard, that I have received the whole realm of the Danes as inheritance after Hǫrða-Knútr. He possessed, when he died, England no whit less than Denmark. I am claiming now to possess England in accordance with valid agreements. I wish you to give up your rule for me, or otherwise I shall come to get it with force of arms from both Denmark and Norway. The one that is granted victory will then rule the lands.’
So when King Játvarðr had read these letters, then he replied as follows: ‘It is known to everyone in this country that my father Aðalráðr was entitled by birth to this kingdom both from earlier times and from more recently. There were four of us sons of his. And when he died leaving his lands, then my brother Eatmundr took the rule and kingdom, since he was the eldest of us brothers. I was then quite happy with this, as long as he was alive. But after him, my stepfather King Knútr took the kingdom. It was not easy to claim it then, as long as he was alive. And after him my brother Haraldr was king, as long as he was granted life. And when he died, then my brother Hǫrða-Knútr was ruling the realm of the Danes, and that then seemed the only fair division of the inheritance between us brothers, that he should be king over both England and Denmark. But I had no kingdom to rule over. Now he died. It was then the decision of all the people of this country to take me as king here in England. But as long as I had no royal title, I served my superiors while having no higher rank than the men who had no birthright to the rule in this country. I have now received consecration to the kingship here, and the kingdom, with no less validity than my father had before me. I am not now going to give up this title as long as I am alive. But if King Magnús comes to this country with his army, then I shall not gather troops against him. He will have the opportunity to gain possession of England and deprive me first of my life. Tell him just what I have said.’ The messengers then went back and came to see King Magnús and told him the whole result of their mission. The king took his time in replying, and yet spoke as follows: ‘I feel, however, that this will be the fairest and most proper thing to do, to let King Eatvarðr possess his kingdom in peace as far as I am concerned, and keep this kingdom which God has let me gain possession of.’

Sigurðr sýr’s son Haraldr, King Óláfr the Saint’s half- brother by the same mother, he was in the battle at Stiklarstaðir when the blessed King Óláfr fell. Haraldr was then wounded and got away with the others that took to flight. So says Þjóðólfr:
By Haugr, I heard, a shield-shower, sharp, drove at the ruler; but the burner of Bolgars his brother well supported. Lifeless O̧leifr, reluctant he left, the princeling at the age of twelve and three years, helmet-stand hiding.
Rǫgnvaldr Brúsason got Haraldr out of the battle and brought him to a certain farmer who lived in a forest far from other people. Haraldr was treated there until he was cured. After that the farmer’s son accompanied him east over Kjǫlr, and they went the whole way by forest tracks as far as possible, and not by the normal route. The farmer’s son did not realise whom he was conducting. And as they were riding between some uninhabited woods, then Haraldr uttered this:
Now, with scant fame, from forest to forest I am slinking. Who knows if I’ll not be widely renowned in the future?
He travelled east across Jamtaland and Helsingjaland and so to Svíþjóð. There he found Jarl Rǫgnvaldr Brúsason and very many others of the men that had escaped from the battle, King Óláfr’s men.
The following spring they got themselves places on a ship and travelled in the summer east to Garðaríki to visit King Jarizleifr and stayed there the winter. So says Bǫlverkr:
You wiped, when you had finished warring, the sword’s mouth, ruler; you rendered the raven full of raw meat; wolves howled on hillsides. And, harsh prince—I’ve not heard of a harmer of peace advancing more than you—the year following you were east in Garðar.
King Jarizleifr welcomed Haraldr and his companions. Haraldr then became leader over the king’s national defence force, together with Jarl Rǫgnvaldr’s son Eilífr. So says Þjóðólfr:
Where Eilífr held sway in a single fray two chiefs did group their wedge-formed troop. East-Vinðr were caught in a tight spot. For the Læsir not light was the liegemen’s right.
Haraldr stayed in Garðaríki for some winters and travelled widely round the eastern Baltic lands. After that he set out for Grikland taking a large body of men. Then he made for Mikligarðr. So says Bǫlverkr:
Along the shore the cool shower shoved the black prow of the warship strongly, and the shielded vessels splendidly bore their tackle. The mighty prince saw Mikligarðr’s metal roofs before the forestem. Many fair-sided ships headed to the high city rampart.
At this time Queen Zoë in ríka was ruling over Grikland, along with Michael kátalaktús. And when Haraldr got to Mikligarðr and to see the queen, then he became a mercenary there and immediately in the autumn went aboard a galley with the soldiers that were going out onto the Griklandshaf. Haraldr kept his own company of men. At this time the leader over the army was a man whose name is Gyrgir. He was a kinsman of the queen. And when Haraldr had been in the army for only a little time before the Væringjar became very attached to him, then they all kept together when battles took place. So then it came about that Haraldr became leader over all the Væringjar. He and Gyrgir travelled widely round the Greek islands, carrying out many raids there on pirates.
It happened on one occasion when they had been travelling round the country and were about to get themselves a night’s lodging by some woods, that the Væringjar arrived first at the place for their night quarters, and they picked themselves the sites for their tents that they considered the best and were on the highest ground, for there the lie of the land is such that the ground is wet, and when rain comes there, then it is not pleasant to lie where it is low down. Then Gyrgir, the leader of the army, arrived, and when he saw where the Væringjar had pitched their tents, he told them to go away and pitch them elsewhere, saying that he wished to pitch his tents there. Haraldr says as follows: ‘If you arrive first at the night’s lodging, then you take yourself night quarters, and we shall pitch our tents there in a different place, wherever we please. You do the same now, pitch your tent wherever you like, somewhere else. I had thought that it was the right of the Væringjar here in the realm of the king of the Greeks that they should be independent and free in all respects in their relations to everyone, and be bound in service to the king alone and the queen.’ They disputed this matter ardently, until both took up weapons. Then they were on the very point of resorting to a fight. Then the most sensible men came up and parted them. They said this, that it would be more seemly that they should come to an agreement on this matter and make clear regulations between themselves, so that there would be no need for any such disputes about this in the future. Then a meeting was fixed between them, and the best and most sensible men made the arrangements. And at this meeting they decided it so that everyone was in agreement that they should cast lots and decide by lot between the Greeks and the Væringjar which of them were to ride ahead or row or enter the harbour and make their choice of camping sites first. Then both sides were to be content with what the lot said. Then the lots were made and marked. Then Haraldr said to Gyrgir: ‘I want to see how you mark your lot, so that we do not both make the same marks.’
He did so. Then Haraldr marked his lot and threw it into the sheet, as did they both. Now the man who was to pick up the lot, then he picked up one of them and held it between his fingers and and raised his hand and said: ‘These are the ones that are to ride ahead and row and enter the harbour and choose their camping sites first.’ Haraldr grasped the man’s hand and took the lot and threw it out into the sea. After that he said: ‘That was our lot.’ Gyrgir says: ‘Why did you not let more men see it?’ ‘See here,’ says Haraldr, ‘the one that is left. You will recognise your mark on that one.’ Then that lot was examined, and they all recognised Gyrgir’s mark on it. It was declared that the Væringjar were to have their preferred choices on everything they had been disputing. There were other things that led to disagreements between them, and it always turned out that Haraldr got his way.
They all travelled together during the summer and made raids. When the whole army was together, Haraldr put his men outside the battle or else where there was least danger to life, saying he wanted to avoid losing his troops. But when he was on his own with his men, then he engaged so energetically in the fighting that he could only achieve either victory or death. It often happened, when Haraldr was leader of the troop, that he was victorious when Gyrgir was not. The soldiers noticed this and declared they would be better off if Haraldr was sole leader over the whole army, and criticised the commander because he and his troops got nowhere. Gyrgir says that the Væringjar would never give him any help, told them to go off somewhere else, and he would go with the rest of the army and let each get on as best they could. Then Haraldr left the army, and the Væringjar with him, and the Romance speakers. Gyrgir went with the army of Greeks. Then it became clear what each could do. Haraldr always won victory and wealth, but the Greeks went back to Mikligarðr, except that the young men that wanted to get themselves riches attached themselves to Haraldr and took him now as their leader. Then he made his way with his army west to Africa, which the Væringjar refer to as Serkland. He then greatly added to his troops. In Serkland he won eighty cities. Some were surrendered, but some he took by force. After that he went to Sicily. So says Þjóðólfr:
One may say eighty strongholds in Serkland were taken, the young foe of the fire-red field of the snake risked himself, before the host-upholder, hazardous to Serkir, went, shield-holding, to wage Hildr’s harsh sport in level Sicily.
So says Illugi Bryndœlaskáld :
With the shield you, under splendid Mikjáll— the son of Buðli, as we have heard, bade home his brothers-in-law—brought Southern Lands, Haraldr.
Here it says that now at this time Mikjáll was king of the Greeks. Haraldr stayed for many winters in Africa, acquiring a lot of portable wealth, gold and all kinds of precious objects. But all the wealth that he acquired and did not need to keep for his expenses, he sent by means of reliable men of his north to Hólmgarðr into the care and keeping of King Jarizleifr, and a huge quantity of wealth was amassed there, which is not surprising should happen, when he was raiding the part of the world that was richest in gold and and precious objects, when he achieved as much as was truly said above, that he would have won eighty cities.
So when Haraldr got to Sicily, then he raided there and made his way there with his men to a certain large and populous city. He surrounded the city, as there were strong walls there, so that he thought it was uncertain that they could be broken down. The citizens had plenty of food and other supplies that they needed for defence. Then Haraldr tried this expedient, that his fowlers caught small birds that nested in the city and flew to the forest in the daytime to find food for themselves. Haraldr had pine shavings tied to the backs of the birds and poured wax and sulphur on them and had them set on fire.
The birds flew, as soon as they were freed, all into the city at once to see their young and their homes, which they had in the thatches of houses, where they were thatched with reeds or straw. Then the fire from the birds got into the thatches of the houses. And though each one was carrying a small amount of fire, it soon grew into a large fire, when a lot of birds carried it to the thatches in many parts of the city, and the next thing was that one building after another caught fire until the city was in flames. Then all the people went out of the city and begged for mercy, the very same ones that previously on many a day had spoken haughtily and scornfully of the army of Greeks and their leader. Haraldr gave everyone quarter that asked for it, after that gaining control over this city.
There was another city that Haraldr took his men to. It was both populous and strongly built, so that there was no likelihood that they would be able to storm it, there being level and hard ground around the city. Then Haraldr had them set to work to dig a hole, starting where a stream was flowing and there was a deep gully so that they could not be seen from the city. They carried the earth out to the water and let the stream carry it away. They were engaged on this work both day and night. They worked in shifts. But the army made attacks round the city every day, and the citizens went to the battlements, and they shot at each other and at night both sides slept. And when Haraldr decided that the underground passage was long enough to have got in past the city wall, then he had his men armed. It was towards daybreak when they entered the underground passage. And when they reached the end, they dug up above their heads until they came to stones set in mortar. This was the floor of the stone-built city hall. After that they broke up the floor and got up into the hall. There they found many of the citizens sitting eating there and drinking, and they were surprised in a very awkward situation, for the Væringjar came in with drawn swords and straightway killed some, while some fled, those that were able to. The Væringjar made after them, while some took the city gates and threw them open. The whole host of the army entered by them. And when they got into the city, then the people of the city fled, though many begged for mercy, and all were granted this who gave themselves up. Haraldr took the city in this way and with it a huge amount of wealth.
They found a third city, which was the largest of all these and the strongest built and richest in wealth and inhabitants. Around this city there were great ditches, so they realised that they could not win here with the same kind of stratagems as they did the previous cities. They lay there a very long time without managing to achieve anything. So when the citizens saw this, then they got bold. They put their lines of soldiers up on the city wall, after that they opened their gates and shouted to the Væringjar, egging them on and telling them to come into the city now and taunting them for lack of courage, saying they were no better at fighting than chickens. Haraldr told his men to behave as though they had not noticed what they were saying. ‘We will get nowhere,’ he said, ‘by rushing up to the city. They will use their weapons on us down beneath their feet. And even if we get into the city with a few men, they will then be able to shut those they want to inside, and some of us outside, for they have set guards on all the city gates. We shall make just as much fun of them and we shall let them see that we are not afraid of them. Our men shall advance over the ground as close as they can to the city, taking care, however, not to go within range of their missiles. Our men shall all go unarmed and play games, and let the citizens see that we do not care about their lines of soldiers.’ So it went on after that for a few days.
There are Icelandic men named that were on this expedition with Haraldr, Snorri goði’s Halldórr, secondly there was Úlfr, son of Óspakr, son of Ósvífr inn spaki. They were both the strongest of men and very bold fighters and most dear to Haraldr. They both took part in the games. And when this procedure had gone on for some days, then the citizens wanted to display even greater daring. They did not now go up armed onto the city walls, but still let the city gates stand open. And when the Væringjar saw this, then they went one day to their games with swords under their cloaks and helmets under their hoods. And when they had been playing for a while, then they found that the citizens were not reacting. Then they quickly grasped their weapons, after that running to the city gates. And when the citizens saw this, they fought back well and were fully armed. A battle took place there at the city gates. The Væringjar had no shields, except that they wrapped their cloaks round their left arms. They were wounded, and some fell, and all were in a poor way. Haraldr and the men that were with him that were in the camp came up to help their comrades. But the citizens had now got up onto the city walls, and were shooting missiles and stones onto them. Then there was a fierce battle. Those that were at the city gates felt that help was slower in coming to them than they wished. And when Haraldr got to the city gates, then his standard bearer fell. Then he spoke:
‘Halldórr, pick up the standard!’ Halldórr replied, picking up the pole and speaking unwisely: ‘Who is going to carry a standard before you, if you follow it in as cowardly a fashion as you have been doing for a while now?’ This was spoken more in anger than in truth, for Haraldr was the boldest fighter. Then they fought their way into the city. The battle was fierce and ended with Haraldr being victorious and winning the city. Halldórr was badly wounded, having a great gash in his face, and he had this disfigurement all his life, as long as he lived.
It was the fourth city that Haraldr came to with his army that was the largest of all those that have already been described. It was also so strongly built that they could see no hope of being able to storm it. After that they surrounded the city and blockaded it, so that no supplies could be carried to the city. And when they had waited a short while, then Haraldr got an illness, so that he took to his bed. He had his tent pitched away from the rest of the camp, for he felt it would be restful for him not to hear the noise and laughter of the troops. His men came frequently with their troops to see him and back again to ask him for instructions. The citizens saw this, that there was something unusual with the Væringjar. They sent out spies to find out what this could mean. And when the spies returned to the city, they were able to report the news that the leader of the Væringjar was sick and this was why there were no attacks on the city. And when this had gone on for a while, then Haraldr became weaker. His men then got very anxious and downcast. The citizens learnt of all this. It reached the point where the sickness was so afflicting Haraldr that his death was spoken of throughout the army. After this the Væringjar went to talk with the citizens, telling them of their leader’s death, asking that clerics should give him burial in the city. And when the citizens learned this news, then there were many that were in charge of the monasteries or other great Church establishments there in the city; then they were each keen to take this corpse to their church, for they knew that a great offering would come in with it. Then a whole multitude of clerics put on vestments and went out from the city with shrines and holy relics and made a fine procession. And the Væringjar also made a great funeral cortège. Then the coffin was carried high and covered over with fine silk cloth, with many banners carried above it. But when all this had been carried in past the entrance to the city, then they threw down the coffin across the city gateway in front of the gates. Then the Væringjar blew a war signal in all their trumpets and drew their swords. Then the whole army of the Væringjar rushed from the camp fully armed and ran then to the city with shouts and cries. But the monks and other clerics that had gone out on this funeral procession competing with each other, wanting to be first and foremost to be out there to receive the offering, now they showed twice as much zeal in getting as far away as possible from the Væringjar, for they were killing everyone that was closest to them, whether he was cleric or lay. The Væringjar went through this whole city killing the people and plundering all the establishments in the city, taking a huge amount of wealth from it. 
Haraldr was many winters on this raiding expedition that has just been described, both in Serkland and Sicily. After that he took this army back to Mikligarðr and stayed there a little while before setting out on his journey to Jórsalaheimr. He then left behind the gold for the salaries of the king of the Greeks’ army and all the Væringjar that had joined up with him for this expedition. It is said that on all these expeditions Haraldr had fought eighteen major battles. So says Þjóðólfr:
It is known that eighteen— often truce has been riven on the king’s behalf—harsh battles Haraldr has conducted. Sharp claws with blood you coloured, king triumphant, of the grey eagle— the wolf won a morsel wherever you went—before you came hither.
Haraldr went out to Jórsalaland with his followers, then continuing after that over to Jórsalaborg. And wherever he went over Jórsalaland, all the cities and strongholds were surrendered to his power. So says the poet Stúfr, who had heard the king himself tell about these events: 
The very bold one, prevailing, advanced from the Greeks, blade-brave—the land bowed to the raiser of battles —to win Jórsalir. And for his ample power as his due to the battle-strengthener the land unburned was delivered. Let the powerful have, where it is pleasant . . .
Here it tells how that land came unburned and unplundered into Haraldr’s power. Then he went out to the Jórðán and washed himself there, as the custom is among other pilgrims to the Holy Land. Haraldr deposited a great amount of wealth at the Lord’s sepulchre and the Holy Cross and at other holy relics in Jórsalaland. He then restored to peace the whole route out to the Jórðán, killing robbers and other plunderers. So says Stúfr:
The angry speech and the actions of Egðir’s king prevailed on both banks of the Jórðán; that banished men’s crimes. People got sure punishment for proven misdemeanours, unruliness, from the ruler . . . residence with Christ forever. 
Then he went back to Mikligarðr.
When Haraldr was come to Mikligarðr from out in Jórsalaland, he was keen to travel to Northern Lands for his patrimony. He had now heard that his brother’s son Magnús Óláfsson had become king in Norway and also in Denmark. He then left the service of the king of the Greeks. And when Queen Zoë got to know of this, she got very angry and raised charges against Haraldr, reckoning that he had acted dishonestly with the king of the Greeks’ wealth that had been gained in raiding expeditions while Haraldr had been leader over the army. There was a girl called Maria, young and fair. She was Queen Zoë’s brother’s daughter. Haraldr had asked for this girl’s hand in marriage, but the queen had refused. Væringjar that have been in Mikligarðr as mercenaries have come back here to the north saying that the story had gone around among well-informed people there that Queen Zoë herself wanted to have Haraldr as her husband, and that this was really her main complaint against Haraldr when he wanted to leave Mikligarðr, though this was not the one made public to the ordinary people. The king of the Greeks at this time was the one called Konstantinus Monomakus. He was ruling the kingdom along with Queen Zoë. For these reasons the king of the Greeks had Haraldr taken prisoner and put in a dungeon. 
Now when Haraldr had nearly reached the dungeon, then the blessed King Óláfr appeared to him, saying that he was going to help him. There on that street a chapel was later built and dedicated to King Óláfr, and this chapel has stood there ever since. The dungeon was built in such a way that there is on it a high tower, open to the sky, and a doorway from the street to get into it. Haraldr was put into it, and with him Halldórr and Úlfr. The following night a rich woman came down into the dungeon, having got up by means of some ladders, together with two of her serving men. They let down a rope into the dungeon and drew them up. This woman had previously been granted a cure by the blessed King Óláfr and he had then appeared to her in a dream, instructing her to free his brother from prison. Then Haraldr went straight to the Væringjar, and they all stood up to receive him and welcomed him. After that the whole troop armed themselves and went to where the king was sleeping. They took the king prisoner and put out both his eyes. So says Þórarinn Skeggjason in his drápa: 
The king got even more embers of arms; the emperor of Gríkland got stone-blind from a grave major injury.
So says the poet Þjóðólfr too:
Both eyes of the emperor the ender of the heath-goer’s sorrow had stabbed out— strife then had started. In the east the overlord of Egðir on the bold ruler made a nasty mark; the Greeks’ monarch took an ill journey.
In these two drápas about Haraldr and many other poems about him it is mentioned that Haraldr blinded the actual king of the Greeks. They could have named for this role commanders or counts or any other men of high rank if they were certain that that would be more accurate, for it was Haraldr himself that transmitted this story, together with the other men that were there with him.
During that same night Haraldr and his men went to the apartments that Maria slept in and took her away by force. After that they went to the Væringjar’s galleys and took two of the galleys, rowing after that in to Sjáviðarsund. And when they got to where iron chains were lying across the channel, then Haraldr said that the men were to sit at the oars on each galley, while the men that were not rowing were all to run to the rear of the galley and each one was to hold his sleeping bag in his arms. So the galleys ran up onto the chains. As soon as they stuck and they lost way, then Haraldr told all the men to run forward. Then the galley that Haraldr was on tipped forward and it leapt off the chains with its momentum, but the other one broke when it balanced on the chains, and there were many perished there, though some were rescued from the water. Thus Haraldr got out from Mikligarðr and so sailed into Svartahaf. And before he sailed away from the land, he set the young lady up ashore and provided her with a good retinue back to Mikligarðr, telling her now to tell her kinswoman Zoë how much power she had over Haraldr and asking whether the queen’s authority had in any way prevented him from being able to get the young lady. Then Haraldr sailed north to Ellipaltar, going from there all the way across Austrríki. On these travels Haraldr composed some entertaining verses, and they are sixteen altogether and they all end in the same way. This is one of them:
Boards sliced, past broad Sicily, the sea; then we were splendid. The stag of the cabin swiftly slid under men, as expected. I little think a laggard likely to go thither; yet the Gerðr of gold rings in Garðar keeps aloof from me.
In this he refers to King Jarizleifr in Hólmgarðr’s daughter Ellisif.
So when Haraldr got to Hólmgarðr, King Jarizleifr welcomed him extremely warmly. He stayed there for the winter, taking now into his own keeping all the gold that he had previously sent there from out in Mikligarðr, and many kinds of valuable objects. It was so much wealth that no one in northern countries had seen so much in the possession of one man. Haraldr had three times been involved in palace plundering while he was in Mikligarðr. It is the law there that every time a king of the Greeks dies, then the Væringjar shall hold a palace plundering. They shall then go through all the king’s palaces where his treasuries are, and everyone shall then be free to keep whatever he gets his hands on.
That winter King Jarizleifr gave his daughter to Haraldr in marriage. She was called Elisabeth; northern people call her Ellisif. Stúfr blindi reports this:
He made, the monarch of Egðir, the match he wanted, prolific battler; the people’s confidant took plenty of gold and the prince’s daughter.
So in the spring he set out from Hólmgarðr and went during the spring to Aldeigjuborg, getting himself a ship there and sailing from the east during the summer, making first for Svíþjóð and laying his course towards Sigtúnir. So says Valgarðr at Vǫllr:
You launched with the fairest freight— fame is granted you—a vessel. Gold from Garðar, doubtless, you got from the east, Haraldr. You steered stoutly in raging storm, all-trusty ruler— you saw, when the sea-spray slackened, Sigtún—while the ships wallowed.
There Haraldr met Sveinn Úlfsson. He had that autumn fled in the face of King Magnús off Helganes. And when they met, they welcomed each other. King Óláfr sœnski of the Svíar was father of Haraldr’s wife Ellisif’s mother, while Sveinn’s mother Ástríðr was King Óláfr’s sister. Haraldr and Sveinn became close friends and confirmed their friendship with promises. All the Svíar were friends of Sveinn, for he belonged to the foremost family in the land. Now all the Svíar also became friends and supporters of Haraldr. Many important people there were connected with him by marriage. So says Þjóðólfr:
The oaken keel carved westward the climbing water from Garðar. After that all the Svíar aided you, bold land-ruler. Haraldr’s waterlogged warship went, with much gold, under the broad sail, listing to leeward— over the lord broke a furious tempest.
After that they got themselves ships, Haraldr and Sveinn, and soon a large army gathered round them, and when this force was ready, then they sail from the east to Denmark. So says Valgarðr: 
Then into the ocean, war-glad ruler, the oak sped under you— your proper patrimony was prepared for you—from Svíþjóð. The ship had sail hoisted high against stay where you ran it past flat Skáney; ladies you scared, close kin to Danes.
First they took the army to Sjáland and made raids there and carried out burnings in many places there. After that they made for Fjón, going ashore there and making raids. So says Valgarðr:
Haraldr, you totally ravaged the whole—lord, foes you conquer; to call on fallen carrion quickly the wolf ran—of Selund. The king made with many men for Fjón, inflicted no small hardship on helmets. The highly carved shield shattered. 
A bright blaze in the settlement burned, south of Hróiskelda. The bold ruler had buildings brought down by burning. Many landsmen low were lying, liberty Hel stole from some, families to the forest silent fled, grief-stricken.
The crowd, sadly scattered— Danes still living were fleeing— loitered, and lovely ladies were captured. A lock held the lass’s body, lots of women to the warships passed before you; bright fetters into flesh bit greedily.
King Magnús Óláfsson made his way north in Norway in the autumn after the Battle of Helganes. Then he learnt the news that his kinsman Haraldr Sigurðarson was come to Svíþjóð, and this too, that he and Sveinn Úlfsson had become close friends and had a great army out, planning again to subject the realm of the Danes to themselves, and after that Norway. King Magnús calls out a levy from Norway, and soon a great army gathers round him. He then learnt that Haraldr and Sveinn were come to Denmark, burning everything there and destroying it by fire, and the people of the country were in many places submitting to them. It was also said as well, that Haraldr was bigger than other men and stronger and so intelligent that nothing was impossible to him and he was always victorious when he fought battles; he was also so wealthy in gold that people knew of no precedent. So says Þjóðólfr:
Now for trees of sea-stallions— serious fear the troop suffers; the host takes ships offshore— sure peace is a risky prospect. Splendid Magnús means to move slipway-steeds south, lavish with war, while Haraldr fits out other wave-steeds to go northwards.
King Magnús’s men, those that took part in his making policies, reckon that they would be in a hopeless situation if the kinsmen, he and Haraldr, were going to be after each other’s lives. Many people offered to go and seek for a settlement between them, and in the light of these arguments the king agreed to this. Some men were then put onto a swift vessel and they went as fast as they could south to Denmark, getting there some Danish men that were reliable friends of King Magnús to take this offer to Haraldr. This business was conducted in the greatest secrecy. And when Haraldr heard this said, that his kinsman King Magnús was going to offer him a settlement and friendship, and Haraldr was to have a half share of Norway along with King Magnús, while the wealth of both of them was to be shared half and half between the two of them, this private agreement then went back to King Magnús.
It was a little later on that Haraldr and Sveinn were talking one evening over their drink. Sveinn asked which were the valuable objects Haraldr had that he was most fond of. He answered that it was his standard, Landeyðan. Then Sveinn asked what it was about the standard that made it such a great treasure. Haraldr says that it was held that he before whom the standard was carried would be victorious, saying that so it had turned out ever since he had had it. Sveinn replies: ‘I will believe that this power is in the standard if you fight three battles against your kinsman King Magnús and you are victorious in them all.’ Then says Haraldr crossly: ‘I am aware of the kinship between me and Magnús without your reminding me of it, and it is not for that reason the case that should we proceed against each other in hostile fashion, other meetings between us would not be more suitable.’ Sveinn then changed colour and spoke: ‘Some people say, Haraldr, that you have done this before, keeping only those of your private agreements that you feel are advantageous to you.’ Haraldr replies: ‘Rather fewer occasions will you be able to quote on which I have not kept my private agreements, than I know that King Magnús will assert that you have kept with him.’ Then each proceeded on his own way. In the evening, when Haraldr was going to bed on the raised deck of his ship, then he spoke to his servant: ‘Now I am not going to lie in the bed tonight, because I have a suspicion that everything is not going to be free from treachery. I noticed this evening that my kinsman-in-law Sveinn was very angry at my plain speaking. You must keep watch in case anything unexpected should take place here tonight.’ Then Haraldr went elsewhere to sleep, and put there in his bed a log of wood. And during the night a boat was rowed up to the raised deck, and a man went on board there and ripped open the awning over the raised deck, after that stepped up just by it and struck at Haraldr’s bed with a great axe so that it stuck fast in the log. This man immediately leapt out into the boat, though it was pitch-dark, immediately rowing away, but the axe remained behind to show what had happened. It was stuck fast in the log. After this Haraldr woke up his men and made them aware what treachery they were up against. ‘We can see,’ he says, ‘that we are getting no kind of support from Sveinn here when he engages in treachery against us. That will be the best course to get away from here while there is a chance. Let us now untie our ships and row secretly away.’ This they did, rowing during the night northwards along the coast, travelling day and night until they got to King Magnús where he was lying with his army. Then Haraldr went to see his kinsman King Magnús and a joyful meeting took place, as Þjóðólfr says:
You caused water, king known widely, to be cut above thin planking— fine ships split the flood—where you fared from the east to Denmark. Then ·leifr’s son offered you half shares with himself of lands and liegemen; the kinsmen, I believe, met there most joyfully.
Then these kinsmen had a talk between themselves. It all went in conciliatory fashion.
King Magnús was lying by the coast and had a tent up ashore. He then invited his kinsman Haraldr to his table and Haraldr went to the banquet with sixty men. There was a very fine banquet there. And as the day drew to a close, King Magnús went into the tent where Haraldr was sitting. Some men went with him carrying loads consisting of weapons and clothing. Now the king went to the man at the bottom of the table and gave him a good sword, to the next a shield, then clothing or weapons or gold, something bigger to those that were of higher rank. Finally he came to face his kinsman Haraldr with two canes in his hand, saying this: ‘Which of the canes here do you wish to have?’ Then Haraldr replies: ‘The one that is nearer to me.’ Then spoke King Magnús: ‘With this cane I give you half the realm of Norway with all its dues and taxes and all the possessions that belong to it on this condition, that you shall be as lawfully king as I everywhere in Norway. But when we are all together, I shall have precedence in greetings and service and in seating. If there are three of us of this rank, I shall sit in the middle. I shall occupy the royal berth and dock. You shall also stand by and support our rule in the role in which we have set you as the person in Norway that we had thought no one would have been as long as our skull had remained up above the ground.’ Then Haraldr stood up and thanked him warmly for the rank and honour. Then they both sit down and were very merry that day. In the evening Haraldr and his men went to their ship.
The next morning King Magnús had trumpets blown for an assembly of the whole army. And when the assembly was in session, then King Magnús announced in the presence of them all the gift that he had given his kinsman Haraldr. Þórir of Steig gave Haraldr the title of king at this assembly. On that day King Haraldr invited King Magnús to his table, and he went with sixty men during the day to King Haraldr’s tents where he had prepared a banquet. Then both the kings were present there sitting together, and there was a fine feast and it was served splendidly. The kings were merry and happy. So when the day drew to a close, then King Haraldr had a very large number of bags carried into the tent. The men also carried in clothing and weapons and other kinds of precious objects. He shared out this wealth, giving it and dealing it out among the followers of King Magnús who were present at the banquet there. After that he had the bags opened, saying then to King Magnús: ‘Yesterday you gave us a great deal of power that you had previously won from your enemies and ours, and took us into fellowship with yourself. That was well done, for you have worked hard for it. Now on our side there is this, that we have been abroad and moreover have been through some dangers as a result of which I have amassed this gold, which you will now be able to see. I wish to contribute this to the fellowship with you. We shall have all this wealth in equal shares, just as each of us has half the power in Norway. I realise that our characters are different. You are a much more liberal man than I. We shall divide this wealth equally between us. Then each of us can do what he wants with his share.’ After that Haraldr had a great oxhide spread out on the ground and the gold from the bags poured onto it. Then scales and weights were got out and the wealth was weighed out in parts, everything divided by weight, and it seemed to everyone that was looking on a most amazing thing that so much gold should have been brought together in one place in Northern Lands. It was, however, really the property and wealth of the king of the Greeks, since everyone says that there are housefuls of red gold there. The kings were now very merry. Then a nugget came up. It was as big as a man’s head. King Haraldr picked up the nugget and spoke: ‘Where is now the gold, kinsman Magnús, that you can bring out to equal this nugget-head?’ Then Magnús replies: ‘There has been such warfare and great military expeditions that I am giving you nearly all the gold and silver that is in my keeping. There is now no more gold than this ring in my possession.’ He took the ring and gave it to Haraldr. He looked at it and spoke: ‘This is not much gold, kinsman, for a king who has two kingdoms, and yet there are some who would doubt whether you own this ring.’ Then King Magnús replied gravely: ‘If I do not rightly own that ring, then I do not know what I have got rightfully, for my father the blessed King Óláfr gave me this ring at our final parting.’
Then King Haraldr replies with a laugh: ‘You are telling the truth, King Magnús: your father gave you the ring. This ring he took from my father for no very good reason. Moreover, it is true that at that time things were not good for petty kings in Norway when your father’s power was at its maximum.’ King Haraldr gave Steigar-Þórir there at the banquet a mazer bowl. It had a silver band round it and a silver handle on top, both gilded, and was completely filled with pure silver coins. With it there were two gold rings that together weighed a mark. He also gave him his cloak, it was fine cloth dyed brown, trimmed with white fur, and promised him great honour and his friendship. Þorgils Snorrason said this, that he saw an altar-cloth that was made from this mantle, and Guthormr Steigar-Þórir’s son’s daughter Guðríðr said that she claimed her father Guthormr had the bowl in his possession, as she saw with her own eyes. So says Bǫlverkr:
To you, as I heard, harmer of hoards, was later granted the green ground, and you offered him gold when you met Magnús. The accord between you kinsmen was kept most peacefully, and Sveinn after that only an age of war expected.
King Magnús and King Haraldr both ruled Norway the next winter after their settlement, and each of them had his own following. During the winter they travelled round Upplǫnd receiving banquets and were sometimes both together, and sometimes each on his own. They travelled all the way north to Þrándheimr and to Niðaróss. King Magnús had been looking after the holy relics of King Óláfr since he came into the country, cutting his hair and nails every twelve months, and he himself kept the key with which the shrine could be opened. Then many kinds of miracles took place at the holy relics of King Óláfr. There soon came to be rifts in the harmony between the kings, and many people were so malicious as to encourage ill-will between them.
Sveinn Úlfsson remained behind asleep after Haraldr had gone away. After that Sveinn made enquiries about Haraldr’s movements. So when he learnt that Haraldr and Magnús had come to an agreement and that they now had a single army between them, then he took his troops east along the coast of Skáney and stayed there until he learnt in the winter that Magnús and Haraldr had taken their force north to Norway. After that Sveinn took his troops south to Denmark and he received all the royal dues there that winter.
So when spring began, they called out a levy from Norway, King Magnús and King Haraldr. It so happened on one occasion, that King Magnús and King Haraldr were lying one night in a certain harbour, and the following day Haraldr was ready first, and he sailed straight away, and in the evening he sailed into the harbour that he and King Magnús had intended to stay in that night. Haraldr berthed his ship in the royal berth and put up his awning there. King Magnús sailed later in the day, and they arrived in the harbour when Haraldr and his men had already put up their awnings. They see that Haraldr and his men had berthed in the royal berth and that he intended to lie there. So when King Magnús and his men had furled their sails, then King Magnús said: ‘Let men now pull on their oars and position themselves all along the sides of the ship, let some get out their weapons and arm themselves. And since they are unwilling to move away, we shall fight.’ But when King Haraldr sees that Magnús was going to start a battle with them, then he spoke to his men: ‘Cut the cables and let the ships slip out of the berth. Kinsman Magnús is angry!’ They did so, they sailed their ships out of the berth, King Magnús sailed his ships into the berth. When both parties had berthed their ships, King Haraldr went with some of his men aboard King Magnús’s ship. The king received him warmly, bidding him welcome. Then King Haraldr replies: ‘I thought we were come among friends, though I was a little doubtful for a while whether you were going to let it be so. But it is true what they say, childhood is hasty. I do not want to take it in any other way than as a characteristic of childhood.’ Then says King Magnús: ‘It was a characteristic of my family, not of my childhood, though I cannot but bear in mind what it is that I have granted, and what I have retained. If this small matter were now taken as our deliberate policy, then it would soon arise again. But we want to keep all the agreements that have been entered into, and we expect the same from you, as we have stipulated.’ Then Haraldr replied: ‘It is indeed the traditional thing for the wiser one to give way.’
And he then went back to his ship. From such exchanges between the kings it could be seen that it was difficult to avoid problems between them. King Magnús’s men reckoned that he was in the right in what he said, while those that were less sensible reckoned that Haraldr had been rather put to shame. But King Haraldr’s men said that nothing had been stipulated other than that King Magnús was to have the berth if they both arrived at the same time, and that Haraldr was not obliged to vacate the berth if he had got there first, reckoning that Haraldr had behaved sensibly and well. But those that wanted to express the more hostile view reckoned that King Magnús was trying to upset the agreement, and reckoned that he had done wrong and brought shame on King Haraldr. In such disagreements there soon came to be talk among less sensible people of there being discord between the kings. There were many indications now that the kings differed in their attitudes, though there is little of it written here.
King Magnús and King Haraldr took this army south to Denmark. And when Sveinn learnt this, then he fled away east to Skáni. The kings Magnús and Haraldr stayed in Denmark for a long time during the summer, subjecting the whole country to themselves. They were in Jótland in the autumn. It happened one night when King Magnús was lying in his bed, that he had a dream and dreamt he was in the presence of his father the blessed King Óláfr, and he dreamt he spoke to him: ‘Which would you rather, my son, go with me now or become the most powerful of all kings and live a long time and commit a misdeed that you will scarcely or not at all be able to put right?’ And he dreamt he replied: ‘I want you to make the choice for me.’ Then he dreamt the king replied to him: ‘Then you shall go with me.’ King Magnús tells this dream to his men. And a little later he caught a sickness and lay there in a place called Súðaþorp. And when he was come close to death, then he sent his brother Þórir to Sveinn Úlfsson, to say that he was to stand by Þórir when he needed it. This was also in the message, that King Magnús gave the realm of Denmark to Sveinn when his life was over, saying that it was right that Haraldr should rule over Norway and Sveinn over Denmark. After that King Magnús góði died, and his death was very greatly mourned by all the common people. So says Oddr Kíkinaskáld:
Men shed many tears bearing the munificent king to the grave; that was a weighty burden for the ones he had given gold to. The lord’s housecarls could hardly hold back, the mind troubled— and the king’s company sat often cast down thereafter—from weeping.
After these events King Haraldr held an assembly with the troops, telling people his intention of taking the army to Vébjargaþing and having himself accepted as king over the realm of the Danes, afterwards winning the country, reckoning it to be as much his patrimony as the realm of Norway after his kinsman King Magnús, then bidding the troops put out all their strength, declaring that then the Norwegians would for ever be the masters of the Danes. Then Einarr þambarskelfir replies, declaring himself to be under a greater obligation to convey his foster-son King Magnús to his burial and bring him to his father King Óláfr than to fight abroad and covet another king’s realm and possessions, ending his speech by saying that he thought it better to follow King Magnús dead than any other king alive, afterwards having the corpse taken and laid out decently so that his lying in state on the royal ship could be seen. Then all the Þrœndir and Norwegians set out on their journey home with King Magnús’s body, and the levy broke up. Then King Haraldr realised that his best course was to go back to Norway and first of all take possession of that realm, and from there reinforce his troops. King Haraldr now went back to Norway with the whole force. And as soon as he got to Norway, then he held an assembly with the people of the country and had himself accepted as king over the whole land. Thus he went on all the way from the east through the Vík, being accepted as king in every district of Norway.
Einarr þambarskelfir and with him the whole host of Þrœndir took Magnús Óláfsson’s body and conveyed it to Niðaróss, and he was buried there at Clemenskirkja. The blessed King Óláfr’s shrine was there at that time. King Magnús had been an average person in size, with regular features and a fresh complexion, light-coloured hair, well-spoken and decisive, noble in character, most liberal with his wealth, a great warrior and a most bold fighter. He was the most popular of all kings, praised by both friends and foes.
That autumn Sveinn Úlfsson was located in Skáni and was preparing to set out east into Svíaveldi, intending to give up the title he had assumed in Denmark. But when he had got to his horse, then there rode up to him there some men to tell him the news, to begin with that King Magnús Óláfsson is dead, and also this, that the whole army of Norwegians was gone away from Denmark. Sveinn replies to this swiftly, saying: ‘I call God to witness that never again shall I flee the realm of the Danes as long as I live.’ He then mounts his horse and then rides south to Skáni. Then immediately a great troop flocked to him. That winter he subjected the whole realm of Danes to himself. All the Danes now accepted him as king. King Magnús’s brother Þórir came to Sveinn in the autumn with the message from King Magnús, as was witten above. Sveinn welcomed him, and Þórir stayed with him after that for a long time in high honour. 
King Haraldr Sigurðarson took the kingship over the whole of Norway after King Magnús Óláfsson’s death. Now when he had ruled Norway for one winter, and when spring came, then he called out a levy from the whole country, a half-levy in troops and ships, and made his way south to Jótland. He made raids in many places during the summer and burned, and sailed into Goðnarfjǫrðr. Then King Haraldr composed this:
We’ll let, while the linen-oak lulls her husband, the anchor grip in Goðnarfjǫrðr, the Gerðr of incantation.
Then he spoke to the poet Þjóðólfr, telling him to cap it. He said: 
Further south next summer— I speak a prophecy—cold-nose shall fix with its fluke the vessel of fir; we add a hook to the ocean.
Bǫlverkr alludes in his drápa to Haraldr travelling to Denmark the next summer after King Magnús’s death: 
From the fair land you fitted out a fleet—sea washed over vessels; the next year, with splendid stud-horses of the surge, you carved the ocean. On dark wave the fine hull— Danes were then in trouble— lay; people looked on laden warships offshore.
Then they burned Þorkell geysa’s estate. He was an important leader. Then his daughters were led to the ships as captives. They had made a great joke the winter before about King Haraldr travelling to Denmark with warships. They had carved an anchor in cheese, saying that it might well serve to hold back the king of Norway’s ships. Then this was composed:
Island-ring objects, anchor-rings, Danish maidens carved out of yeast-cheese; that irked the ruler. Now in the morning many a maid sees—fewer are laughing— a hefty hook of iron holding the overlord’s vessels.
People say that an informant who had seen King Haraldr’s fleet said to Þorkell geysa’s daughters: ‘You said, daughters of Geysa, that Haraldr would not be coming to Denmark.’ Dótta replied: ‘That was true yesterday.’ Þorkell ransomed his daughters with a huge amount of money. So says Grani:
Never did the dogged one et dry her eyelashes in heavily dense Hornskógr the Hlǫkk of Kraki’s snowdrift. The lord of Filir drove the fleeing of the chieftain’s foes to the shore. Very fast Dótta’s father was forced to pay out riches.
King Haraldr made raids all that summer in the realm of the Danes and got a huge amount of wealth, but he was not resident in Denmark that summer, going back to Norway in the autumn and staying there during the winter.
King Haraldr married Þorbergr Árnason’s daughter Þóra the next winter after King Magnús inn góði died. They had two sons. The elder was called Magnús and the second Óláfr. King Haraldr and Queen Ellisif had two daughters. One was called Maria and the other Ingigerðr. Now the next spring after this military expedition that has just been told about, King Haraldr called out a force and went in the summer to Denmark and made raids and after that every summer in succession. So says the poet Stúfr:
Falstr, it is said, was laid waste; fear lay heavy on people. The raven was fed; the Danish were frightened every year.
King Sveinn ruled over the whole of Denmark after King Magnús died. He stayed put in the winters, but lay out with a levy in the summers and threatened to go north into Norway with an army of Danes and cause no less damage there than King Haraldr had done in the realm of the Danes. One winter King Sveinn challenged King Haraldr that they should meet on the Elfr the next summer and fight to the finish or else come to a settlement. Then both spent the whole winter preparing their ships, and they both called out a half levy the following summer. That summer Þorleikr fagri came from out in Iceland and set himself to compose a flokkr about King Sveinn Úlfsson. He heard, when he got to the north of Norway, that King Haraldr was gone south to the Elfr against Sveinn. Then Þorleikr uttered this:
It is likely that the Innþrœndr army, active in point-onslaught, will meet on the road of Rakni the ruler expert in battle. Of the two, God can determine which takes life from the other, or lands; Sveinn cares little for lightly kept covenants.
And again he uttered this:
Haraldr, who often raises red shield off land, angrily steers broad board-oxen southwards onto Buðli’s pathways, while glorious leek-beasts, gold-mouthed, gaily covered with colour, of Sveinn, who reddens spears, sailed across the sea northwards.
King Haraldr came to the arranged meeting with his army. Then he learnt that King Sveinn was lying south off Sjáland with his fleet. Then King Haraldr divided his forces, letting most of the troop of farmers go back. He went with his following and landed men and his favourite troops and all those of the troop of farmers who were closest to the Danes. They went south to Jótland to the south of Vendilskagi, and so south round Þjóð, laying everywhere they went waste. So says the poet Stúfr:
Those at Þjóð fled forthwith from the prince’s meeting. High-hearted, he dared boldly. . . . Haraldr’s spirit above lands . . .
They went all the way south to Heiðabýr, took the market town and burnt it. King Haraldr’s men then composed this:
All Heiðabœr in anger from end to end was ravaged with fire; that can be called a courageous deed, I consider. There is hope we bring harm to— high flame spewed from buildings— Sveinn; I stood last night on the rampart of the stronghold before dawning.
Þorleikr also mentions this in his flokkr when he had heard that no battle had taken place on the Elfr:
How the king hoping for battle to Heiðabœr travelled the war-Rǫgnir can enquire of the king’s troop, if he knows not, when Haraldr took westward once to the king’s town, that year that never should have been, needlessly, skis of fair weather.
Then Haraldr travelled north taking sixty ships, most of them being large ones and heavily loaded with plunder that they had captured during the summer. And when they got north past Þjóð, then King Sveinn came down to the shore with a large army. He then challenged King Haraldr to fight and go ashore. King Haraldr had a force that was less than half their number. Yet he challenged King Sveinn to fight with him on ships. So says Þorleikr fagri:
Sveinn bade—he was born at the best time under Miðgarðr— the powerful ranks redden rimmed shields on land. But Haraldr, shy of hesitation, held he would, if the land was defended by the rash king, fight on the fair-weather horse rather.
After that Haraldr sailed north past Vendilskagi. Then the wind blew them off course and they took shelter under Hlésey and lay there during the night. Then a dense fog came down upon the sea. And when morning came and the sun rose, then they saw to one side on the sea what looked like some fires burning. King Haraldr was now told of this. Then he looked and straightway said: 
‘Take the awnings off the ships, and let men start rowing. The army of Danes must be come upon us. The fog must have cleared where they are, the sun must be shining on their dragon heads that are gilded.’ So it was as Haraldr said. Now was come there King Sveinn of the Danes with an invincible army. Both parties then rowed as fast as they could. The Danes had ships that were faster to row, but the Norwegians’ ships were both swollen and deep in the water. Now the distance between them grew less. Then Haraldr realised that it would not do to leave things as they were. Haraldr’s dragon ship was sailing in the rear of all his ships. Then King Haraldr said that they were to throw planks of wood overboard and put on them clothing and things of value. There was such a complete calm that this was carried along by the current. So when the Danes saw their wealth drifting on the sea, then those that were ahead turned after it, thinking it easier to take what was floating free than to get it on board from the Norwegians. Now the pursuit was delayed. Now when King Sveinn came up behind them with his ship, he urged them on and said it was a great disgrace, having such a large army, that they should not manage to catch them and gain power over them, when they had a small force. Then the Danes set to and worked hard at the rowing a second time. So when King Haraldr realised that the Danes’ ships were gaining on them, then he told his men to lighten the ships and carry overboard malt and wheat and bacon and chop out their drink. This worked for a while. Then King Haraldr had the bulwarks and casks and barrels that were empty taken and thrown overboard, and prisoners of war as well. So when all this was tossing about together on the sea, then King Sveinn ordered the men to be helped, and this was done. With this delay they drew apart. Then the Danes turned back and the Norwegians went on their way. So says Þorleikr fagri:
I have heard it all, how on the ships’ path Norwegians were pursued by Sveinn, while the second king escaped, keen-spirited. The loot of the lord of Þrœndr — they lost more vessels— was all set on storm-swollen sea of Jótland floating. 
King Sveinn turned his fleet back under Hlésey, meeting there seven of the Norwegians’ ships. This was troops from the levy and just farmers. So when King Sveinn got up to them, then they begged for quarter for themselves and offered ransom for themselves. So says Þorleikr fagri:
To the lord of men a large ransom the leader’s friends offered. They soothed the fight, stern-minded, whose force was smaller. And swiftly deciding farmers stayed then, when they started exchanging words—life was cherished by children of men —the onset.
King Haraldr was a powerful man and a firm ruler within his own country, very intelligent in his thinking, so that it is universally held that there has been no ruler in Northern Lands that has been as profoundly wise as Haraldr or as clever in his decisions. He was a great warrior and of the very boldest in fighting. He was strong and better able to use weapons than any other man, as has been written above. And yet there are many more of his famous achievements that have not been recorded. The reason for this is our ignorance, and this too, that we are unwilling to write down in books unattested stories. Though we have heard talk or mention of other things, still it seems to us better from now on that material should be added than that the same should have to be removed. There is much material about King Haraldr recorded in poems that Icelandic men presented to him or to his sons. He was for that reason a great friend to them. He was also a very great friend to all the people here in this country. And when there was a great famine in Iceland, then King Haraldr allowed four ships licence to export meal to Iceland and stipulated that no pound of a ship’s cargo was to be dearer than the cost of a hundred ells of homespun. He licensed all poor people who could provide their own food for the voyage to travel out of Iceland. And as a result this land was able to eke out its sustenance until there was harvest and recovery. King Haraldr sent out here a bell for the church that the blessed King Óláfr sent the timber for, which was raised at the Alþingi. Such memorials have people here of King Haraldr, and many others in the noble gifts that he presented to people who visited him. Halldórr Snorrason and Úlfr Óspaksson, who were mentioned above, came to Norway with King Haraldr. Their natures were different in many ways. Halldórr was one of the biggest and strongest and handsomest of men. King Haraldr bore this testimony of him, that he has been the one of the men that had been with him that was least taken aback by sudden events. Whether it was deadly danger or welcome news or whatever might turn up in the way of danger, then he was no happier and no sadder, he slept and drank and enjoyed food neither more nor less than was his custom. Halldórr was a man of few words and not of ready speech, outspoken and severe in character and uncompromising; and that was unpleasant for the king, when he had plenty of other decent and compliant men around him. Halldórr stayed a short time with the king. He went to Iceland, set up house in Hjarðarholt, lived there until his old age and became an old man.
Úlfr Óspaksson stayed with King Haraldr on very friendly terms. He was a most intelligent person, well-spoken, a most outstanding person, reliable and straightforward. King Haraldr made Úlfr his marshal and gave him in marriage Jórunn Þorbergsdóttir, sister of Þóra, who was married to King Haraldr. Úlfr and Jórunn’s children were Jóan sterki at Rásvǫllr and Brígiða, mother of Sauða-Úlfr, father of Pétr byrðarsveinn, father of Úlfr flý and his brothers. Jóan sterki’s son was Erlendr hímaldi, father of Archbishop Eysteinn and his brothers. King Haraldr gave Úlfr stallari the privileges of a landed man and revenues of twelve marks and in addition half a district in Þrándheimr. So says Steinn Herdísarson in Úlfsflokkr.
King Magnús Óláfsson had Óláfskirkja built in Kaupangr. It was in the place where the king’s body had been kept the night before its burial. It was at that time above the town. He also had the royal palace raised there. The church was still not fully finished before the king died. King Haraldr had that completed that was still lacking. He also provided materials for building himself a stone hall there in the palace grounds, and it was not fully finished before he had Máríukirkja built from its foundations up on the gravel bank near where the holy relics of the king lay in the ground the first winter after his fall. It was a great minster strongly built with mortar, so that it could hardly be demolished when Archbishop Eysteinn had it pulled down. The holy relics of King Óláfr were kept in Óláfskirkja while Máríukirkja was being built. King Haraldr had the buildings of the royal palace placed below Máríukirkja by the river, where they are now. But the building he had had erected as his hall he had consecrated as Gregoriuskirkja. 
There is a man called Ívarr hvíti who was an important landed man. He had an estate in Upplǫnd. He was Jarl Hákon inn ríki’s grandson. Ívarr was of all men the most handsome in looks. Ívarr’s son was called Hákon. It is said of him that he was superior to all men living at that time in Norway in valour and strength and abilities. He was already in his youth on warlike expeditions and won great honour for himself on them, and Hákon became a most excellent person.
Einarr þambarskelfir was the most powerful of the landed men in Þrándheimr. He and King Haraldr were not on very good terms. Yet Einarr still had the revenues that he had had while King Magnús was alive. Einarr was most extremely wealthy. He was married to Jarl Hákon’s daughter Bergljót, as was written above. Their son Eindriði was now fully grown up. He was now married to Sigríðr, daughter of Ketill kálfr and King Haraldr’s niece Gunnhildr. Eindriði inherited handsomeness and fairness from his mother’s family, Jarl Hákon or his sons, but got his size and strength from his father Einarr, and all the abilities in which Einarr surpassed other men. He was a most popular person.
There was a jarl named Ormr in Upplǫnd at this time. His mother was Jarl Hákon inn ríki’s daughter Ragnhildr. Ormr was a most excellent man. At this time Áslákr Erlingsson was east at Sóli in Jaðarr. He was married to Jarl Sveinn Hákonarson’s daughter Sigríðr. Jarl Sveinn’s other daughter, Gunnhildr, was married to King Sveinn Úlfsson of the Danes. These were descendants of Jarl Hákon now in Norway, as well as many other fine people, and this line was all much handsomer than other folk and most were people of very great ability, and all of them fine people. 
King Haraldr was an imperious person. And this became more marked as he strengthened his hold on the land, and it reached the point that it was no good for most people to cross him in speech or to bring forward any matter other than what he wished to have done. So says the poet Þjóðólfr:
The trusty troop of the battle- attender must, at the pleasure of the splendid strife-grower, sit and stand, lord-dutiful. The whole nation kneels to the nourisher of the war-starling, the only choice is to say yea to all that the king bids people.
Einarr þambarskelfir was the most prominent leader of the landowners out over all Þrándheimr. He was the spokesman for them at assemblies attended by the king’s men. Einarr had a good knowledge of the laws. He was not lacking in boldness in invoking them at assemblies, even if the king himself was present. All the landowners supported him. This made the king very angry, and eventually it came about that they quarrelled with each other openly. Einarr said that the landowners would not put up with injustice from him if he contravened the law of the land with them. And this went on between them on a number of occasions. Then Einarr took to having a large number of men about him in his residence, but many more when he went to the town if the king was going to be present there. It happened one time that Einarr went in to the town and had a large following, eight or nine longships and nearly five hundred men. And when he got to the town, he went ashore with this troop. King Haraldr was in his palace and was standing out on a balcony and saw Einarr’s troop disembarking, and it is said that Haraldr then spoke:
Here I see the active Einarr, able, þambarskelmir, to cut the kelp-halter, come ashore well-attended. With full force he is waiting to fill the king’s throne; often at a jarl’s heels a smaller host of housecarls surges, I notice.
The reddener of radiance of rims from the country will oust us, unless Einarr the axe’s thin mouth kisses.
Einarr stayed some days in the town.
One day a meeting was being held, and the king himself was at the meeting. A thief had been taken in the town and was brought to the meeting. The man had previously been with Einarr, and he had been well pleased with the man. Einarr was told. Now he felt sure that the king would not let the man off even if Einarr thought it important. So Einarr had his troop arm themselves and after that go to the meeting. Einarr took the man from the meeting by force. After this friends of both came up and negotiated a settlement between them. So it came about that a meeting was arranged; they were to meet face to face. There was an audience chamber in the royal palace down by the river. The king went into this chamber with a few men, while the rest of his following was out in the courtyard. The king had a board placed across the roof-hole, and this left a very small opening. Then Einarr came into the courtyard with his troop. He said to his son Eindriði: ‘You stay ouside with our troop, then I shall be in no danger.’ Eindriði stood outside by the entrance. And when Einarr came into the hall, he said: ‘It is dark in the king’s audience chamber.’ At that moment men leapt at him, some were thrusting and some cutting. So when Eindriði heard this, he drew his sword and ran into the chamber. He was immediately cut down, as were both of them. Then the king’s men ran to the chamber and in front of the entrance, and the landowners were at a loss what to do, for they now had no leader. They egged each other on, saying it was disgraceful that they should fail to avenge their chief, and yet nothing came of any attack. The king went out to his troops and he put them in battle order and raised his standard, but there was no attack made by the landowners. Then the king went out onto his ship, and all his troops, after that rowing out along the river and so on his way out into the fiord. Einarr’s wife Bergljót heard about his death. She was then in the lodging that she and Einarr had previously used out in the town. She immediately went up into the king’s palace where the troop of landowners was. She urged them hard to battle, but at that moment the king rowed out along the river. Then said Bergljót: ‘It is a pity that my kinsman Hákon Ívarsson is not here now. The slayers of Eindriði would not be rowing out here along the river if Hákon was standing here on the river bank.’ 
After that Bergljót had Einarr and Eindriði’s bodies laid out. They were buried at Óláfskirkja by the tomb of King Magnús Óláfsson. After the fall of Einarr Haraldr was hated so much for what he had done there that the only reason why the landed men and landowners made no attack and fought no battle against him was that no leader came forward to raise a standard at the head of the army of landowners. 
At this time Finnr Árnason was living at Yrjar in Austrátt. He was now one of King Haraldr’s landed men. Finnr was married to Hálfdan son of Sigurðr sýr’s daughter Bergljót. Hálfdan was King Óláfr inn helgi and King Haraldr’s brother. King Haraldr’s wife Þóra was Finnr Árnason’s niece. Finnr was on very good terms with the king, as were all his brothers. Finnr Árnason had been for some summers on raids in the west. They had at this time all been together raiding, Finnr and Guthormr Gunnhildarson and Hákon Ívarsson. King Haraldr travelled out through Þrándheimr and out to Austrátt. He was welcomed there. After that they spoke together, the king and Finnr, and discussed between themselves these events that had now taken place a very short time before, the killing of Einarr and his son, and also the grumbling and unrest that the Þrœndir were directing at the king. Finnr replies instantly: ‘You have managed everything in the worst possible way. You do all sorts of bad things, and afterwards you are so frightened that you don’t know where you are.’ The king answers with a laugh: ‘Kinsman-in-law, I shall now send you into the town. I want you to reconcile the landowners to me. If that does not work, I want you to go to Upplǫnd and see to it with Hákon Ívarsson that he is not against me.’ Finnr replies: ‘What will you offer me if I undertake this dangerous mission, for both the Þrœndir and the Upplendingar are such great enemies of yours, that it is impossible for any messengers of yours to travel there unless they can rely on their own resources?’ The king replies: ‘Go, kinsman-in-law, on this mission, for I know that you will be successful, if anyone can be, in making us reconciled, so choose a favour from me.’ Finnr says: ‘Keep your word then, and this is the favour I choose: I choose a truce and the right to stay in the country for my brother Kálfr, and that he may keep all his possessions, and also this, that he may have all his titles and all his power, such as he had before he left the country.’ The king spoke and agreed to all this that Finnr said: they had witnesses and confirmed it by shaking hands. After that Finnr said: 
‘What shall I promise Hákon for agreeing to a truce with you? He has now most say with the Þrœndir.’ The king says: ‘What you must hear first, is what Hákon demands on his part for a settlement. After that promote my interests as far as you can, but ultimately refuse nothing except only the kingdom.’ After this King Haraldr travelled south to Mœrr and and gathered troops to himself and got a large following.
Finnr Árnason went in to the town, taking with him his personal following, nearly eighty men. And when he got into the town, then he had a meeting with the townspeople. Finnr spoke long and eloquently at the meeting, telling the townspeople and the farmers to adopt quite another course than hostility towards their king and driving him out, reminding them of how much evil had come upon them after they had done that before with the blessed King Óláfr, saying that the king would atone for this slaying in accordance with the judgment the noblest and wisest men would be willing to pass. By the time Finnr had ended his speech, people were willing to leave this matter as it was until the messengers returned that Bergljót had sent to Upplǫnd to see Hákon Ívarsson. After that Finnr went out to Orkadalr with the men that had accompanied him to the town. After that he went up to Dofrafjall and east across the mountain. Finnr went first to his kinsman-in-law Jarl Ormr—the jarl was married to Finnr’s daughter Sigríðr—and told him about his mission.
After that they arranged a meeting with Hákon Ívarsson. And when they met, then Finnr presented his message to Hákon that King Haraldr had sent to him. It was soon apparent from what Hákon said that he felt himself under a deep obligation to avenge his kinsman Einarr, saying that word had come to him from Þrándheimr that he would be getting plenty of support from there for an uprising against the king. After that Finnr put it to Hákon how much difference it would make to him, that it would be better to accept from the king honours as great as he could ask for rather than risk starting warfare against the king to whom he was in the past bound in service, saying that he would suffer defeat. ‘And you will then have forfeited both wealth and security. But if you defeat King Haraldr, then you will be named a traitor to your lord.’ The jarl supported what Finnr said too. So when Hákon had considered this business then he revealed what was in his mind, saying as follows:
‘I will come to terms with King Haraldr if he will give me in marriage his kinswoman King Magnús Óláfsson’s daughter Ragnhildr, with as great a dowry as befits her and pleases her.’ Finnr says that he will agree to this on behalf of the king. They confirm these terms between themselves. After that Finnr travels back north to Þrándheimr. Then this unrest and disturbance was settled, so that the king still held his kingdom in peace within the country, since now all the banding together that Eindriði’s kinsmen had started in opposition to King Haraldr was put an end to. 
So when the appointed time for Hákon to claim the fulfilment of the particular promises made to him came, then he went to see King Haraldr. And when they start their discussion, then the king says that he is willing for his part to stand by all the terms of the settlement agreed between Finnr and Hákon. ‘You, Hákon,’ says the king, ‘must discuss this matter with Ragnhildr, to see whether she is willing to accept this match. But neither you nor anyone else has the power to decide on marrying Ragnhildr unless she is in agreement.’ After this Hákon went to see Ragnhildr and raised the matter of this proposal with her. She replies as follows: ‘I frequently realise that my father King Magnús is truly dead and gone as far as I am concerned, if I must give myself in marriage to just a farmer, even if you are a fine man and endowed with many skills. If King Magnús were alive, then he would not marry me to any man of lower rank than king. So it is not to be expected that I should be willing to marry a man of no rank.’ After this Hákon went to see King Haraldr and tells him what had passed between him and Ragnhildr, then brings up the special agreement between him and Finnr. Finnr was also present, and other men who had been there at the conversation between him and Finnr. Hákon calls them all to witness, that it had been stipulated that the king was to endow Ragnhildr with whatever she wished. ‘Now if she is unwilling to marry a man with no rank, then you can give me a title. I have the descent that makes me entitled to be a jarl, and some other qualifications, according to what people say.’ The king says: ‘My brother King Óláfr and his son King Magnús, when they were ruling the kingdom, they had one jarl at a time in the country. I have also done the same since I became king. I do not want to take the title from Jarl Ormr that I have previously given him.’ Then Hákon realised in regard to his petition, that it would not be successful. He was now greatly displeased. Finnr was very angry too. They said that the king was not keeping his word, and parted with matters thus. 
Hákon straightway left the country taking a well-manned longship. He reached the south of Denmark and went straight to see his kinsman-in-law King Sveinn. The king welcomed him warmly and gave him large revenues there. Hákon became defender of the land there against vikings who were raiding the realm of the Danes a great deal, Vinðr and other people from the eastern Baltic, including Kúrir. He lay out on warships winter and summer. 
There is a man named Ásmundr, of whom it is said that he was King Sveinn’s nephew and his foster-son. Ásmundr was the most accomplished of all men. The king was very fond of him. But when Ásmundr grew up, he was soon a very overbearing person, and he became a fighter. The king was displeased at this, and made him go away from him, giving him a good estate on which he could well maintain himself and his followers too. So when Asmundr got this property of the king’s, he gathered a large troop around himself. But the wealth the king had given him was not sufficient for his maintenance. Then he took over another one, much larger, that belonged to the king. And when the king learnt this, then he summoned Ásmundr to see him. And when they met, then the king says that Ásmundr was to stay in his court and have no following, and it had to be as the king wished. But when Ásmundr had been a short time with the king, then he could not stand it there and ran away during the night and got back to his following and now did even more wickedness than before. And as the king was riding round the country and got to where Ásmundr was, then he sent a troop to take Ásmundr prisoner by force. After that the king had him put in irons and kept like that for a while, thinking he might settle down. But when Ásmundr got out of his irons, then he immediately ran away and got himself a troop and warship, taking it then and raiding both abroad and at home and caused a very great deal of damage, killing many men and plundering widely. But the people that were the victims of this warfare came to the king and complained to him about their losses at his hands. He replies: ‘What’s the point of telling me about this? Why don’t you go to Hákon Ívarsson? He is my land-protector and appointed to protect you farmers from warfare and punish vikings. I was told that Hákon was a bold man and valiant, but now it seems to me he does not want to get involved anywhere that he thinks there will be any danger.’ These words of the king’s were conveyed to Hákon and were greatly expanded on. After this Hákon went with his troop to search for Ásmundr. 
Their meeting was at sea. Hákon immediately engaged in battle. A fierce and great battle took place there. Hákon boarded Ásmundr’s ship and cleared the ship. So it came about that he and Ásmundr engaged in hand to hand fighting and exchanged blows in person. Ásmundr fell there. Hákon cut off his head. After that Hákon went straightway to see King Sveinn and came before him while the king was sitting at table. Hákon went in front of the table and laid Ásmundr’s head on the table before the king and asked if he recognised it. The king made no reply and his face went red as blood. After that Hákon went away. A little later the king sent men to him and ordered him to leave his service. ‘Say that I will do him no harm, but I cannot be responsible for all our kinsmen.’
After this Hákon left Denmark and went to the north of Norway to his properties. His kinsman Jarl Ormr was now dead. People were very pleased to see Hákon, his relatives and friends. Then many high-ranking people came forward to negotiate terms of a settlement between King Haraldr and Hákon. It came about that they reached agreement on these terms, that Hákon married the king’s daughter Ragnhildr and King Haraldr gave Hákon a jarldom and the same power as Jarl Ormr had had. Hákon swore oaths of allegiance to King Haraldr for the service that he was bound to perform.
Kálfr Árnason had been on viking raids in the west after he left Norway, but in the winters he often stayed in Orkney with his kinsman-in-law Jarl Þorfinnr. His brother Finnr Árnason sent word to Kálfr, and had him told of the private agreement that he and King Haraldr had entered into together, that Kálfr should have the right to live in Norway and keep his possessions and the same revenues as he had had from King Magnús. And when this message reached Kálfr, then he immediately set out, travelling east to Norway, first of all to see his brother Finnr. After that Finnr secured a truce for Kálfr, and they met face to face, the king and Kálfr, then made their peace in accordance with what the king and Finnr had previously agreed privately between themselves. Kálfr pledged himself to the king and all the undertakings such as he had previously entered into with King Magnús, so that Kálfr was duty bound to carry out all the tasks that King Haraldr wished to have done and that he felt his realm would be benefitted by. Then Kálfr took over all his possessions and revenues that he had previously had.
So the next summer following, King Haraldr called out a levy, going south to Denmark and raiding there during the summer. But when he got south to Fjón, then he found himself faced with a great gathering of troops. Then the king made his troops disembark from their ships and prepared to go ashore. He drew up his troops, putting Kálfr Árnason at the head of one company and ordering them to go ashore first and telling them which direction they were to take, while he said he would go ashore after them and come to their support. Kálfr and his men went ashore, and soon they were met by troops. Kálfr immediately engaged in battle, and this battle did not last long, since Kálfr was soon overpowered, and he took to flight along with his men, and the Danes pursued them. Many of the Norwegians fell. There fell Kálfr Árnason. Haraldr went up inland with his host. There it soon turned out to be in their path that they found the slain before them, and soon found Kálfr’s body. It was carried down to the ships. But the king went up inland and made raids and slew many men there. So says Arnórr:
The flashing blade on Fjón— fire ran through men’s houses— the king crimsoned; the Fjón-dwellers’ company grew smaller.
After this Finnr Árnason expressed his feeling of hatred towards the king in respect of his brother Kálfr’s fall, declaring that the king had engineered Kálfr’s death and that Finnr had just been the victim of a fraud when he persuaded his brother Kálfr to return over the sea from the west into the power and trust of King Haraldr. And when this talk got about, then many people said that it seemed foolish of Finnr to believe that Kálfr would gain the trust of King Haraldr, it being evident that the king would be revengeful about lesser offences than those that Kálfr had committed against King Haraldr. The king let anyone say what they pleased about this, not admitting anything, also not denying anything. The only thing that was clear was that the king felt it had turned out well. King Haraldr spoke this verse:
Now, urged to enmity, of eleven and two in all I’ve caused the killing; I recall still those men’s slaying. spoilers of gold still pay back deceptions with malice, which goes with guile; little gets the leek, they say, growing.
Finnr Árnason took this affair so much to heart that he left the country and turned up in the south in Denmark, went to see King Sveinn and was welcomed warmly there, and they spoke in private for long periods, and it turned out in the end that Finnr became subject to King Sveinn and became his follower, and King Sveinn gave Finnr a jarldom and Halland to govern, and he stayed there as defender of the land from the Norwegians.
Ketill kálfr and Gunnhildr at Hringunes’s son was called Guthormr, nephew of King Óláfr and King Haraldr. Guthormr was an able and manlylooking person at an early age. Guthormr frequently stayed with King Haraldr and was there on very friendly terms and took part in the king’s policymaking, for Guthormr was an intelligent person. He was a very popular person. Guthormr frequently went raiding and raided a great deal in the British Isles. He had a large troop of men. He had a retreat and winter quarters in Dublin in Ireland and was on very friendly terms with King Margaðr.
The following summer King Margaðr and Guthormr with him went and raided in Bretland and they gained a huge amount of wealth there. After that they made their way into Ǫngulseyjarsund. There they were going to share out their booty. But when that great pile of silver was brought out and the king saw it, then he wanted to have all the wealth for himself alone and paid little regard to his friendship with Guthormr. Guthormr was ill pleased with this, that he and his men should be denied their share. The king says that he should have two alternatives available: ‘The first, to put up with what we wish to have done, the second, to engage in battle with us, and the one that is victorious shall have the wealth, and this besides, that you must leave your ships, and I shall have them.’ It seemed to Guthormr that there were great objections to both courses, feeling he could not with honour abandon his ships and wealth without having done anything to deserve it. It was also very perilous to fight with the king and the great force that he had with him. But the odds between their forces were so great, that the king had sixteen longships, and Guthormr five. Then Guthormr asked the king to grant him three nights’ respite on this matter for him to have discussions with his men. He imagined that he might be able to soften the king’s attitude during this time and put his friendship with the king on a better footing by means of his men’s representations. But nothing that he asked for could be got from the king. This was the eve of St Óláfr’s day. Now Guthormr chose rather to die bravely or win victory rather than the other course, to suffer disgrace and dishonour and get a name for cowardice from such a great loss. Then he invoked God and his kinsman the blessed King Óláfr, praying for their support and help, and vowing to give a tenth part of all the booty they got if they won the victory to that blessed person’s house. After that he organised his troops and drew them up in battle order against that great host and set to and fought them. And with the help of God and the blessed King Óláfr, Guthormr won the victory. Margaðr fell there and every man, young and old, that was in his following. And after this sublime victory Guthormr wends his way happily home with all the wealth they had won in battle. Then from the silver that they had won there was taken every tenth coin, as had been promised to the blessed King Óláfr, and this was an immense amount of money, so that of this silver Guthormr had a crucifix made of the same height as himself or his forecastle man, and that image is seven ells high. Guthormr gave this crucifix made like that to the foundation of the blessed King Óláfr. It has stayed there since as a memorial of Guthormr’s victory and the miracle performed by the blessed King Óláfr.
There was a count in Denmark, evil and envious. He had a Norwegian servant girl whose family was from Þrœndalǫg. She worshipped the blessed King Óláfr and firmly believed in his sainthood. But this count, whom I mentioned just now, did not believe all that he was told about that holy man’s miracles, saying it was nothing but just rumour and gossip, making mock and fun of the praise and glory that all the people of the country accorded the good king. So now came the feast day on which the gracious king lost his life and which all Norwegians observed. Then this foolish count did not wish to keep it holy, and gave his servant girl orders to bake and heat the oven for bread on that day. She knew for certain the nature of the count, that he would harshly punish her if she did not comply with what he had ordered her to do. She goes unwillingly to her task and heated the oven, lamenting bitterly as she worked and vowing to King Óláfr, saying she would never believe in him unless he avenged this monstrous behaviour by some sign. Now here you may hear the fitting punishments and just miracles: it all happened straight away and at the same time, that the count went blind in both eyes and the bread that she had put in the oven turned to stone. Pieces of this stone reached the foundation of the blessed King Óláfr and many other places. After that Óláfsmessa has always been kept in Denmark.
West in Valland there was a man that was disabled so that he was a cripple, walking on knees and knuckles. He had been out on the road during the day, and was now asleep. He dreamt that a noble-looking man came to him and asked where he was bound for, and he mentioned a certain town. So this noble person spoke to him: ‘Go to the church of St Óláfr that stands in London, and you will then be made whole.’ And after that he awoke and went straight to seek St Óláfr’s church. And eventually he came to London Bridge and asked the citizens there if they could tell him where St Óláfr’s church was, but they replied that there were many more churches there than they could tell to which person each of them was dedicated. So a little later a man went up to him there and asked where he was bound for. He told him, and this person then spoke: ‘We shall both go together to St Óláfr’s church, and I know the way there.’ After that they went across the bridge and went up the street that led to St Óláfr’s church. And when they got to the gateway into the churchyard, then this person stepped over the threshold that was in the gateway, and the cripple rolled himself in over it and immediately stood up cured. But when he looked around, then his companion had disappeared.
King Haraldr had a market town built east in Oslo, and often stayed there, for it was a good place for getting supplies, the land around being very productive. Staying there was very convenient for guarding the land from the Danes, and also for incursions into Denmark. He was accustomed to doing this frequently, even when he did not have a large army out. It happened one summer that King Haraldr was travelling with some light ships and did not have a large force of men. He made his way south into the Vík, and when he got a favourable wind, he sails across to the coast of Jótland, then set to and made raids, but the people of the country gathered together and defended their land. Then King Haraldr made his way to Limafjǫrðr and sailed into the fiord. Limafjǫrðr is so shaped that the entrance there is like a narrow river channel, but when you get in along the fiord, then it is like a huge sea there. Harald made raids there on both shores, while the Danes had hosts gathered everywhere. Then King Haraldr took his ships up to a certain island. It was a small and uninhabited place. And when they searched, then they found no water, so told the king about it. He had a search made for if any heather-snake was to be found on the island, and when one was found, they brought it to the king. He had the snake brought to a fire and heated up and made exhausted so that it should get as thirsty as possible. After that a thread was tied to its tail and the snake released. Then it soon wriggled off, and the thread unwound itelf from the ball of thread. Men followed the snake until it dived down into the ground. The king told them to dig for water there. This was done; they found water there so that there was no lack. King Haraldr learnt from his informants the news that King Sveinn was come with a large naval force before the entrance to the fiord. He took a long time to get in, since only one ship could go at a time. King Haraldr took his ships further in to the fiord. And where it is broadest it is called Lúsbreið, and there from the inner bay there is a narrow isthmus across to the open sea to the west. Haraldr and his men rowed over to it in the evening. And during the night, when it had got dark, they cleared the ships and dragged them over the isthmus and had completed the whole job before dawn and put the ships to rights once more, making their way north past Jótland. Then they said:
Haraldr slipped out of the hands of the Danes.
Then the king said that the next time he came to Denmark, he would have more troops with him and larger ships. Then the king travelled north to Þrándheimr.
King Haraldr stayed the winter in Niðaróss. He had a ship built during the winter out on Eyrar. It was a buss-type ship. This ship was built after the style of Ormr inn langi and finished with the finest craftsmanship. There was a dragon head at the prow, and in the rear a curved tail, and the necks of both were all decorated with gold. It numbered thirty-five rowing benches, and was of a proportionate size, and was a most handsome vessel. The king had all the equipment for the ship carefully made, both sail and rigging, anchor and cables. King Haraldr issued a challenge during the winter south to Denmark to King Sveinn that he should the next spring come from the south to the Elbr and meet him and fight to reassign the lands and let one or the other have both kingdoms.
That winter King Haraldr called out a levy, a full one, from Norway. And when spring came, a great army gathered. Then King Haraldr had the great ship launched on the river Nið. After that he had the dragon heads set up. Then spoke the poet Þjóðólfr:
Launched forth, fair lady, from river to flood I saw the warship; look where long linked planks lie offshore, of the splendid dragon. The bright snake’s manes, since it was sent out from the slipway, glow—garnished necks bear pure gold—over the cargo.
After that King Haraldr prepares the ship and his journey. And when he was ready, he sailed the ship out of the river. It was very skilfully rowed. So says Þjóðólfr: 
The squad-Baldr on a Saturday slings off the long awning where at the linked planks of the serpent splendid ladies gaze from town. The young lord set about steering the spanking-new warship out of the Nið; in the ocean the oars of men dip, westward.
Straight from the stroke the king’s army Stanzas about slices the oar expertly. At the oars’ motion maiden marvels as she stands amazed. Rowing there’ll be, till into two the tarred sea-gear breaks, lady. The fir, four-sided, to that gives in full peacetime its sanction.
There is strain for troops before slicing Stanzas about sea-gear from the strong ocean, where in readiness for rowing the rowlock holds seventy oars. Northmen row out the iron-nailed adder on the hail-dashed— it is like seeing from beneath an eagle’s wing—current.
King Haraldr took the army south along the coast, having a full levy of troops and ships out. And when they make their way eastwards into the Vík, they met a strong headwind, and the host lay in harbours far apart from each other, both off the outlying islands and within the fiords. So says Þjóðólfr:
The ship’s shaven prows have shelter under the forest. The lord of the fleet locks in lands with stems of warships. All the host is anchored— the isthmus for shelter is used by armoured warships— in each bay in the skerries.
But in the great storm that arose, the great ship needed good anchoring. So says Þjóðólfr:
The king hits high crashing Hlésey’s fence with the forestem. Then the prince uses to the utmost the anchor-ropes of the warship. Not gentle to the bowed iron is the scathe of the lime-tree. The thick fluke is fretted by foul weather and rocks.
And when they got a favourable wind King Haraldr took the army east to the Elfr and arrived there in the evening of the day. So says Þjóðólfr:
Haraldr has now hastened halfway to Elfr, valiantly. The lord of Norway overnights near to the lands’ border. The king has a þing at Þumli: there for Sveinn is appointed— if the Danes do not run—a meeting due to the raven with him.
And when the Danes learn that the army of Norwegians was come, then they all flee that are able to do so. The Norwegians learn that the king of the Danes also has his army out and that it is lying south round Fjón and round Smálǫnd. And when King Haraldr learnt that King Sveinn was unwilling to hold a meeting with him or a battle, as had been arranged, then he adopted this course again like the previous time, let the force of farmers go back and manned a hundred and fifty ships. After that he took this force south past Halland and raided widely. He sailed the army into Lófufjǫrðr and made raids inland there. A little later King Sveinn came upon them there with his army of Danes. He had three hundred ships. And when the Norwegians saw the army, then King Haraldr had the army called together by trumpets. Many said that they should flee, saying that it was impracticable to fight. The king replied as follows: ‘Each man of us shall fall one on top of another before we flee.’ So says Steinn Herdísarson:
This he said, what, hawk-minded, he thought would happen: The king held there was hardly hope from him there of mercy. Rather than surrender, the ruler, famous, said we must each fall crossways on top of the other; men readied all weapons.
After that King Haraldr placed his host in position for an attack. He placed his great dragon forward in the middle of the force. So says Þjóðólfr:
Giver of friendly gifts, eager, gracious to wolves, he made hover his dragon in the fleet’s forefront, in the force’s vanguard, at the middle.
This ship was very well manned and had a large complement. So says Þjóðólfr:
To stand firm the prince, peace-choosy, instructed the bold company; the ruler’s friends over rowlocks raised a shield-wall, as I saw it. He closed in the strong-swimming serpent with shields beyond Niz, the able man of action, so that each touched the other.
Úlfr stallari placed his ship to one side of the king’s ship. He spoke to his men, saying that they were to sail the ship forward energetically. Steinn Herdísarson was on Úlfr’s ship. He spoke:
Úlfr urged us all, the king’s marshal, when out at sea were shaken long-hafted halberds; rowing was hastened on the ocean. He bade, brisk confidant, of the bold king, that the ship properly advance—and men assented— side by side with the ruler.
Jarl Hákon Ívarsson lay furthest out on one wing, and many ships accompanied him, and this force was very well equipped. But outermost on the other wing lay the leaders of the Þrœndir. There too there was a large army and a fine one.
King Sveinn also drew up his forces. He placed his ship to face King Haraldr’s ship in the middle of the force, and next to him Finnr Árnason brought forward his ship. The Danes positioned all the troops next to them that were boldest and best equipped. After that each side tied their ships together right across the middle of the fleet. But because the army was so huge, there was a very large number of ships that were not tied in, and so each one brought his ship forward whenever he felt like it, and this happened all at very different times. And though there was a great unevenness in the odds, yet each side had an invincible army. King Sveinn had six jarls with him in his force. Sveinn Herdísarason said this:
The hersir’s lord faced hazard, who awaited with longships, half the second hundred, heart-strong, a Danish meeting. Next it came about that the country of kelp was carved by the angry Hleiðr-dweller, with three hundred horses of the sea, thither.
King Haraldr had a blast of trumpets sounded as soon has he had got his ships ready, and let his men hasten forward to the attack. So says Steinn Herdísarson:
Before the river’s mouth Haraldr hindered Sveinn’s access. Resistance ensued, for no peace the sovereign would beg for. The king’s confidants increased the rowing, sword-girt, outside Halland; hot wounds splashed blood on the water.
After that the battle began and it was of the fiercest. Each of them urges his troops on. So says Steinn Herdísarson:
Shy of shields, each ruler—short the distance between armies— capable, bade the company of combatants shoot and strike. Both flew, when red blood the blade discharged— that snapped the span of fated sailors—rocks and arrows. 
It was late in the day when battle was joined, and so it continued all night. King Haraldr shot from a bow for a long time. So says Þjóðólfr:
All night the king of Upplǫnd his elm-bow drew, valiant. Onto white shields showered shafts sent by the ruler. The bloodied point broke wounds on byrnie-wearers, where— flight of Fáfnir’s spears thickened— Finns’ payment pierced shields.
Jarl Hákon and the troops that accompanied him did not tie their ships together, and rowed at the ships of the Danes that were going free, and every ship that he grappled with, he cleared. And when the Danes realised this, then each of them moved their ship away from where the jarl was sailing. He pursued the Danes as they backed away, and they were then on the point of fleeing. Then a small boat rowed up to the jarl’s ship and someone called to him, saying that one wing of the formation was giving way and many of their troops were fallen. After that the jarl rowed over there and launched a strong attack there, so that the Danes were now again in retreat. So the jarl went on all night, pushing forward where there was the greatest need, and wherever he turned up, then there was no resistance to him. Hákon rowed round the fringes of the battle. In the latter part of the night there was a general flight of Danes, for now King Haraldr had gone up with his men aboard King Sveinn’s ship. This was then so completely cleared that all the men on the ship had fallen except those that had leapt into the water. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Sveinn went from his warship with reason, most valiant—steel struck hard on helmets— such is my opinion. The ship of the fluent-speaking friend of Jótar had to float empty before the ruler fled from his dead followers.
So when King Sveinn’s standard had fallen and his ship emptied, then all his men fled, though some fell. But on the ships that were tied together, the men there leapt into the water, though some got onto other ships that were not tied. But all Sveinn’s men now rowed away, those that managed to. There was a very great loss of life. And where the kings themselves had been fighting and most of the ships were tied together, there were left behind empty more than seventy of King Sveinn’s ships. So says Þjóðólfr:
They said Sogn’s able ruler stripped at least seventy splendid ships of Sveinn’s people all in a single moment.
King Haraldr was rowing after the Danes and pursuing them, but that was not easy, for the fleet of ships in front was so tightly packed that one could hardly move forward. Jarl Finnr refused to flee, and he was captured. He also had poor sight. So says Þjóðólfr:
Six Danish jarls for success Sveinn need not reward, who increase in one conflict courage in arrow-play. He who was not willing, war-bright, to save his valiant heart, was captured in the company’s kernel, Fiðr Árnason.
Jarl Hákon lay behind with his ship, while the king and other troops pursued the rout, since the jarl’s ship could not move forward there because of the ships that lay in the way. Then a man rowed to the jarl’s ship on a boat and made for the raised deck. This was a big man and he had a broad hood. He called up onto the ship: ‘Where is the jarl?’ He was in the part of the ship in front of the raised deck, and was staunching some man’s blood. The jarl looked at the man with the hood and asked him his name. He says:
‘This is Vandráðr. Talk with me, jarl.’ The jarl leant out to him over the side of the ship. Then the man in the boat said: ‘I would receive life from you, if you will grant it.’ The jarl straightened up and called over two of his men by name that were both dear to him, saying: ‘Step into the boat and convey Vandráðr to land. Take him to my friend, Farmer Karl. Say this to him as a token, that he should give Vandráðr the horse that I gave Karl the other day and his saddle and his son to accompany him.’ After that they stepped into the boat and take to the oars, while Vandráðr steered. This was when day was just breaking. There was then the maximum of ships moving about, some were rowing to land, some out to sea, both on small ships and large ones. Vandráðr steered where he thought there was the greatest space between the ships. And where the Norwegians’ ships were rowing close to them, then the jarl’s men announced themselves, and everyone let them pass wherever they wanted to go. Vandráðr steered on along the shore and did not go in to land until they had got beyond where the crowd of ships was. After that they went up to Karl’s dwelling, and it began to get light. They went into the living room. Karl was there and had just got dressed. The jarl’s men told him their errand. Karl spoke, saying that they should have something to eat first, and had a table set up for them and let them have a wash. Then the housewife came into the room and immediately said: ‘It is a very strange thing that we never get any sleep or peace in the night for the shouting and racket.’ Karl replies: ‘Did you not know that the king has been fighting in the night?’ She asked: ‘Which side came off best?’ Karl replies: ‘The Norwegians won.’ ‘Our king must have fled again,’ she says. Karl replies: ‘People are not sure of that, whether he has fallen or fled.’ She said: ‘We are unfortunate in our king. He is both a cripple and a coward.’ Then Vandráðr spoke: ‘The king will not be a coward, but he is not blessed with victories.’ Vandráðr was the last to take a wash, and when he took the towel, then he wiped himelf on the middle of it. The housewife took hold of the towel and snatched it from him. She said:
‘You haven’t much idea how to behave. It is boorish to wet the whole of the towel at once.’ After this Karl set the table up before them, and Vandráðr sat in the middle. They ate for a while, and after that they went out. Now a horse was ready and the old man’s son was ready to accompany him, and he had another horse. They ride away to the forest, and the jarl’s men went to their boat and row out to the jarl’s ship.
King Haraldr and his men pursued the rout a short way, after that rowed back to the ships that were empty. They then searched the slain. A large number of dead men were found on the king’s ship, but the king’s body was not found, and yet they felt sure that he was fallen. Then King Haraldr had the bodies of his own men prepared for burial, and the wounds of those that needed it bandaged. After that he had the bodies of Sveinn’s men conveyed to land and sent messages to the farmers that they were to bury the dead. After that he had the plunder shared out. He waited there some time. Then he learnt the news that King Sveinn was come to Sjáland, and the whole of his army that had fled from the battle was now come to him, and many other troops, and he had got a huge army.
Jarl Finnr Árnason was captured in the battle, as was written above. He was taken to the king. King Haraldr was now very cheerful and said: ‘We have now met here, Finnr, but the last time was in Norway. The Danish court has not stood by you very well, and Norwegians will have a thankless task dragging you about with them, a blind man, and so keeping you alive.’ Then the jarl replies: ‘Norwegians have many thankless tasks to perform, and that worst of all everything you make them do.’ Then said King Haraldr: ‘Will you accept quarter, though you do not deserve it?’ Then the jarl replies: ‘Not from a hound like you.’ The king said: ‘Then do you want your kinsman Magnús to give you quarter?’ King Haraldr’s son Magnús was now captain of a ship. Then the jarl replies: ‘What say does that puppy have in the giving of quarter?’ Then the king laughed, finding it fun to taunt him, and said: ‘Will you accept quarter from your kinswoman Þóra?’ Then says the jarl: ‘Is she here?’ ‘She is so,’ says the king.
Then jarl Finnr spoke this nasty speech when he could not control what he said, which has since been quoted to show how angry he was: ‘It is not surprising that you have done well in horsefights, since the mare is behind you.’ Jarl Finnr was given quarter, and King Haraldr kept him with him for a while. Finnr was rather gloomy and abrupt in what he said. Then said King Haraldr: ‘I can see, Finnr, that you will not now be friends with me and with your kinsmen. I will now give you leave to go to your king, Sveinn.’ The jarl replies: ‘I will accept that, and all the more thankfully in that I may the sooner get away from here.’ After that the king had the jarl’s party conveyed ashore. The Hallandsfarar welcomed him. King Haraldr now took his troops to the north of Norway, going first in to Oslo, then giving leave to return home to all those of his troops that wished to go.
People say that King Sveinn stayed in Denmark that winter and continued his rule as before. During the winter he sent men north to Halland for Karl and his wife. And when they came to where the king was, then he summons Karl to him. After that the king asked if Karl recognised him or felt he had seen him before. Karl replied: ‘I recognise you now, king, and I recognised you before when I saw you, and it is thanks to God that the little service I was able to do you was of benefit to you.’ The king replies: ‘All the days that I live henceforward I have to reward you for. Now in the first place, I will give you whatever dwelling in Sjáland you choose for yourself, and in addition I shall make you a great man, if you know how to cope with that.’ Karl thanked the king warmly for what he said, and added: ‘There still remains a boon that I wish to ask for.’ The king asked what it was. Karl says: ‘I would ask this, that you, king, let me take my wife with me.’ The king says as follows: ‘This I will not grant you, for I shall provide you with a much better and wiser woman. But your wife can keep the cottage that you have both had previously. That will provide a maintenance for her.’ The king gave Karl a large and splendid estate and arranged a good marriage for him, and then he became an important person. This got to be well known and was reported widely. It reached north to Norway.
King Haraldr stayed the winter after the Battle of the Niz in Oslo. In the autumn, when the troops returned from the south, there were many discussions and stories told about this battle that had taken place in the autumn by the Niz. Everyone that had been there felt he had something to tell about it. It happened on one occasion that some men were sitting in a lower room and were drinking and were full of talk. They were discussing the Battle of the Niz, and also who had left it with the greatest renown. They were all agreed on one thing, that there had been no one there like Jarl Hákon: ‘He was the boldest fighter, and he was the most skilful, and he was the most successful, and everything that he did was of the greatest help, and it was he that won the victory.’ King Haraldr was out there in the yard and was talking with some people. After this he went to the entrance to the room and said: ‘Everyone here would like to be called Hákon.’ And he went on his way.
Jarl Hákon travelled in the autumn to Upplǫnd and stayed there in his realm during the winter. He was very popular among the Upplendingar. It happened during the spring, towards its end, that on one occasion when people were sitting drinking, there was again discussion of the Battle of the Niz, and people were loud in their praise of Jarl Hákon, but even so there were some who preferred others. So when they had been discussing this for a while, then some man or other puts in: ‘It may be that other men fought boldly by the Niz besides Jarl Hákon, and yet there can have been no one there that I think can have achieved such success as he did.’ They say that his greatest success was in having forced into flight many of the Danes. The same man replies: ‘It was a greater success when he gave King Sveinn his life.’ Someone replies to him: ‘You cannot know what you are saying.’ He replies: ‘I have very precise knowledge of this, for it was the man that conveyed the king to land himself that told me.’ And then it was, as is often said, that ‘many are the ears of the king’. The king was told of this, and he immediately had many horses brought out and rode straight away during the night with two hundred men. He rode all that night and during the following day. Then there came riding towards them some men that were on their way out to the town with meal and malt. There was a man called Gamall that was in the king’s party. He rode up to one of the farmers. He was an acquaintance of his. They spoke in private. Gamall says: ‘I will pay you to ride as fast as you can along the shortest secret routes that you know, and get to Jarl Hákon. Tell him that the king is going to kill him, for the king now knows that the jarl put King Sveinn ashore by the Niz.’ They agree on the terms. This farmer rode and got to the jarl, he was at the time sitting drinking and was not gone to bed. So when the farmer had delivered his message, the jarl stood up straight away, and all his men.The jarl had all his movable wealth taken away from the dwelling into the forest. All the men too were away from the dwelling during the night when the king arrived. He stayed there during the night, and Jarl Hákon rode on his way and turned up east in Svíaveldi at King Steinkell’s and stayed with him during the summer. King Haraldr after that turned back out to the town. The king went in the summer north to Þrándheimr. They stayed there during the summer, and in the autumn went back east into Vík.
Jarl Hákon travelled straight away in the summer back to Upplǫnd when he heard that the king was gone north, remaining there until the king came from the north. After that the jarl travelled east into Vermaland and stayed there for a long time during the winter. King Steinkell gave the jarl the governorship there. He went during the winter, towards its end, west into Raumaríki, and he had a large troop that the Gautar and Vermir had provided him with. Then he took up his land dues and the taxes that he was entitled to from the Upplendingar. After that he travelled back east to Gautland and remained there during the spring. King Haraldr stayed during the winter in Oslo and sent men of his into Upplǫnd to collect the taxes and land dues and the fines payable to the king. But the Upplendingar say this, that they were going to pay all the dues that they were bound to pay and hand them over to Jarl Hákon as long as he was alive and had not forfeited his rights or his realm, and the king got no land dues from there that winter.
That winter there passed dispatches and messengers between Norway and Denmark, and these involved the desire of both sides, the Norwegians and the Danes, to make peace between themselves and a settlement, and they called upon the kings to undertake this, and these embassies seemed to be getting close to coming to terms; and it came about eventually that a peace conference was arranged on the Elfr between King Haraldr and King Sveinn. So when spring came, both the kings gathered large numbers of forces and ships together for this expedition, and the poet tells in a flokkr about the travels of these kings:
The lord, land-encircling, locks it north of Eyrarsund with ship’s stems. The raven-soother spurned with his heel the harbour. Gold-encrusted prows keenly carve—and the washboards quiver— the ocean ahead under the army west of Halland. 
Oath-firm Haraldr often encloses land with warships. Sveinn cuts, to encounter the other king, island-sounds also. He has out no small army of all the Danes, the praise-winning raven-feeder, all bays enfolding in the south with prows. 
Here it says that these kings keep the appointment that has been made between them, and they both come to the frontier, as it says here:
You set out south, whither, sage king, all the Danes requested. Still for a set meeting is seen no less matter. Sveinn starts northwards to strive, nearly to the frontier, off the wide land it waxed windy—to meet Haraldr.
So when the kings met, people began to discuss the settlement between the kings, and when the topic turned to this, then there were many that complained of the losses they had suffered from the raiding, plundering and killing. This went on for a long time, as it says here:
On both sides eloquent farmers utter very loudly words that much worry people when the men encounter. Not quick are men who quarrel constantly throughout— stubbornness swells in the princes— settlement terms to approve.
Rulers’ great rage grows very risky, if they must settle. Men who can mediate measure the weight of issues. All that pleases the people princes must be told of. If men must part less friendly, malice is the reason. 
After this the best men and those that had most sense got involved. Then the terms of peace between the kings were concluded in this way, that Haraldr was to have Norway, and Sveinn Denmark as far as the frontier that had been of old between Norway and Denmark. Neither was to compensate the other. The raiding that had been started was to stop, and whoever had been lucky in what he had gained was to keep it. This peace was to remain in force as long as they were kings. This settlement was confirmed by oaths. After that the kings exchanged hostages. As it says here:
This I have heard, that hostages Haraldr and Sveinn allotted against trouble—God arranges that— gladly, each with the other. Their oaths may they honour and all the peace terms—with witnesses sealed was the settlement there—so that neither side may blemish it.
King Haraldr took his troops north into Norway, and King Sveinn went south to Denmark.
King Haraldr was in the Vík during the summer, and he sent his men to Upplǫnd for the dues and taxes that he was entitled to there. Then the farmers carried out no payments, saying they would let everything there wait for Jarl Hákon, in case he should come to them. Jarl Hákon was now up in Gautland and had a large force. And when the summer was coming to an end, King Haraldr made his way south to Konungahella. Then he took all the light ships he could get hold of and made his way up along the Elfr. He had the ships dragged out of the water past the waterfalls and conveyed them up into Lake Vænir. After that he rowed east across the lake to where he had heard Jarl Hákon was. So when the jarl got intelligence of the king’s travels, then he made his way down towards the sea, not wanting the king to make raids on them. Jarl Hákon had a large force that the Gautar had provided him with. King Haraldr sailed his ships up into a certain large river. After that he took to land marches, but left behind some of his troops to guard the ships. The king himself rode and some of his men, but many more were on foot. They had to pass through a certain wood and there lay ahead of them some marshland with brushwood on it and then again a wooded ridge. And when they got up on the ridge, then they saw the jarl’s troops. There was now only marsh between them. Then both sides drew up their troops. Then the king said that his troops were to sit up on the ridge. ‘Let us see first if they want to attack. Hákon is impetuous,’ he says. The weather was frosty and there was some drifting of snow. Haraldr and his men sat under their shields, but the Gautar had not put much clothing on and they got cold. The jarl told them to wait until the king attacked and they were all standing on the same level. Jarl Hákon had the standards that King Magnús Óláfsson had had. The Gautar’s lawman was called Þorviðr. He was sitting on a horse and the reins were tied to a peg that was stuck in the marsh. He spoke, saying: ‘God knows that we have a large troop here and pretty bold men. Let us ensure that King Steinkell hears that we are giving proper support to this good jarl. I am sure that if the Norwegians attack us, we shall resist them dauntlessly. But if the young ones squeal and will not stand firm, then let us run no further than here to this brook. And if the young ones squeal more, as I am sure will never happen, then let us run no further than to this mound.’ At that moment the army of Norwegians leapt up and shouted a war cry and beat on their shields. Then the army of Gautar began to shout, and the lawman’s horse shied so violently when it was startled by the war cry that the peg came up and struck him on the head, the lawman. He said: ‘The worst luck of all the Norwegians upon whoever shot that!’
The lawman then galloped away. King Haraldr had earlier said to his troops as follows: ‘Though we give off a banging and shouting, yet let us not go over the ridge before they come up here at us.’ And they did as he advised. But as soon as the war cry was raised, then the jarl had his standard brought up, and when they got beneath the ridge, then the king’s troops threw themselves down upon them. Then immediately some of the jarl’s troops fell, and some fled. The Norwegians did not pursue the rout far, because it was late in the day. They captured there Jarl Hákon’s standards and such of the weapons and clothing as they could get hold of. The king had both the standards carried before him as he came down. They discussed among themselves whether the jarl must have fallen. But when they rode down through the wood, then they had to ride in single file. A man leapt across the path and thrust a halberd through the man carrying the jarl’s standard. He takes hold of the standard pole and ran the opposite way into the wood with the standard. And when the king was told this, then he said: ‘The jarl is alive! Give me my coat of mail!’ The king then rides through the night to his ships. Many said that the jarl had taken his vengeance. Then Þjóðólfr said this:
The men who owed aid to the jarl battle-happy— the strong ruler achieved this— Steinkell’s, to death are given. But Ho̧kon swiftly, his hope of help from there turning out badly, retreated; he who tones down the tale may tell it thus.
King Haraldr was that night, what was left of it, by his ships, but in the morning when it was light, then there was ice covering all round the ships so thick that one could walk round the ships. Then the king told his men that they were to cut the ice away from the ships and out into the lake. Men then went up and set about the ice-cutting. King Haraldr’s son Magnús was captain of the ship that lay furthest down the large river and furthest out in the lake. And when men had pretty well cut out the ice, then a man leapt out over the ice to where it was waiting to be cut and after that went at the ice-cutting as if he were mad and crazy. Then a man said: ‘Now it is as often happens, that no one is as handy, wherever he joins in, as that Hallr Koðránsbani. See now how he is cutting the ice!’ Now there was a man on Magnús’s ship called Þormóðr Eindriðason, and when he heard Koðránsbani named, then he leapt at Hallr and struck him a mortal blow. Koðrán had been the son of Guðmundr Eyjólfsson, and Valgerðr was Guðmundr’s sister and mother of Þormóðr’s mother Jórunn. Þormóðr was a winter old when Koðrán was killed and had never seen Hallr Ótryggsson before now. Now the ice was also cut out as far as the lake, and Magnús sailed his ship out into the lake and immediately set sail and sailed west across the lake, while the king’s ship lay furthest in in the broken ice, and he was the last to get out. Hallr had been in the king’s following and was a great friend of his, and he was very angry. The king was late reaching the harbour. Magnús had now shot the killer in the wood and offered atonement for him, but the king was on the point of attacking Magnús and his men until their friends came up and made peace between them.
That winter King Haraldr travelled up into Raumaríki and had a large force. He brought charges against the farmers, accusing them of having withheld dues and taxes from him, and supported his enemies in acts of hostility against him. He had the farmers taken prisoner, some of them mutilated, some killed, and many deprived of all their possessions. They fled, those that were able to. He had settlements burnt very widely and caused complete devastation. So says Þjóðólfr:
The humbler of island-Danes harshly bridled the Raumar. There, I hold, bold Haraldr’s host advanced strongly. Fire was kindled for requital; the king prevailed, and later the high roof-hound brought to heel the wretched farmers.
After that Haraldr went up into Heiðmǫrk and burnt there and and caused damage there no less than in the previous place. From there he travelled out to Haðaland and out to Hringaríki, burning there and laying everywhere waste. So says Þjóðólfr:
Burned were fierce men’s assets. Embers lodged in rafters. With a harsh stone the Heinir he hit, the war-leaders’ shaker. For life people pleaded. Fire imposed on the Hringar harsh judgement, before the halting of Ho̧alfr’s damage happened.
After that the farmers submitted all their affairs to the king.
After King Magnús died, fifteen winters passed before the Battle of the Niz took place, and after that two more before Haraldr and Sveinn were reconciled. So says Þjóðólfr:
The ruler of Hǫrðar hung up hostility finally; peace began in the third year; iron had bitten shields off the seashore.
After the settlement there was the king’s dispute with the Upplendingar for three seasons. So says Þjóðólfr:
Now of actions it is not easy adequately to speak, whereby the king taught Upplendingar to own a barren plough. Such long-lasting fame the clever lord’s head has won itself in these past three seasons that it will endure forever.
Eaðvarðr Aðalráðsson was king in England after his brother Hǫrða-Knútr. He was known as Eaðvarðr inn góði. That is what he was. King Eaðvarðr’s mother was Ríkarðr Ruðujarl’s daughter Queen Emma. Her brother was Viljálmr Bastard’s father Jarl Roðbjartr, who was now duke in Rúða in Normandy. King Eaðvarðr was married to Jarl Guðini Úlfnaðrsson’s daughter Queen Gyða. Gyða’s brothers were Jarl Tósti—he was the eldest—, the second Jarl Mǫrukári, the third Jarl Valþjófr, the fourth Jarl Sveinn, the fifth Haraldr—he was the youngest. He was brought up in King Eaðvarðr’s court and was his foster-son, and the king loved him immensely and treated him as his son, for the king had no child.
It happened one summer that Haraldr Guðinason had a journey to make to Bretland and went by ship. And when they got out to the open sea, then a contrary wind arose and they were driven far out to sea. They reached land west in Normandy and had endured a deadly storm. They made for the city of Rúða and there met Jarl Viljálmr. He welcomed Haraldr warmly and his company. Haraldr stayed there a long time in the autumn with hospitable entertainment, for storms were raging and it was not possible to go to sea. So when it got close to winter, then they discussed this, the jarl and Haraldr, that Haraldr should stay there for the winter. Haraldr was sitting in a seat of honour on one side of the jarl, and the jarl’s wife on his other side. She was fairer than any other woman that people had seen. They always all had entertaining talk together over their drinks. The jarl generally went early to bed, but Haraldr sat long in the evenings talking with the jarl’s wife. So it went on for a long time during the winter. On one occasion, as they were talking, she said: ‘The jarl has now spoken about it to me and asked what it is that we talk about so constantly, and he is now angry.’ Haraldr replies: ‘We must now let him know as soon as possible everything that we have talked about.’ The next day Haraldr called the jarl to speak with him, and they went into the audience chamber. The jarl’s wife was also there and their advisers. Then Haraldr began his speech: ‘There is this that you have to be informed of, jarl, that there is more to my coming here than what I have yet revealed to you. I am intending to ask for your daughter as my wife. I have spoken of this often to her mother, and she has promised me to support this suit with you.’ And as soon as Haraldr had raised this request, then everyone that heard welcomed it, and backed it with the jarl. This business was concluded in such a way that the girl was betrothed to Haraldr, but because she was so young, then some winters’ delay was laid down until the marriage date.
So when spring came, then Haraldr got his ship ready and prepared to be off. He and the jarl parted on very friendly terms. Then Haraldr sailed out to England to see King Eaðvarðr and did not come to Valland afterwards to fulfil this marriage agreement. King Eaðvarðr ruled England for three and twenty winters, and he died of sickness in London on the nones of January. He was buried at Pálskirkja, and English people declare him to be a saint. Jarl Guðini’s sons were at this time the most powerful men in England. Tósti was appointed chief over the king of the English’s army, and he was the defender of the country when the king started to get old. He was made superior to all other jarls. His brother Haraldr was always within the court the next in line for all services and it was his duty to watch over all the royal treasuries. People say that when the king’s death drew close, then Haraldr was nearby and few other people. Then Haraldr bent over the king and said: ‘I call you all to witness that the king has just now given me the kingdom and complete power in England.’ Next the king was lifted dead from the bed. That same day there was a meeting of the leading men there. At this there was a discussion of the election of a king. Now Haraldr produced his testimony that King Eatvarðr had given him the kingdom on the day of his death. This meeting ended with Haraldr being taken as king and he was consecrated king on the thirteenth day in Pólskirkja. Then all the leading men gave allegiance to him, and all the people. But when his brother Jarl Tósti heard this, he was ill pleased. He thought he had no less a claim to be king. ‘I want,’ he says, ‘the chief men of the land to choose as king the one that they think is most suitable.’ So these words were spread around among the brothers. King Haraldr says this, that he will not give up the kingdom since he had been enthroned in the place that the king was entitled to sit, and had after that been annointed and consecrated king. All the support of the multitude came to be behind him too. He also had control of all the royal treasuries.
So when Haraldr realised that his brother Tósti wanted to deprive him of the kingdom, then he was mistrustful of him, for Tósti was a clever man and a great man and was on good terms with the leading men of the land. Then King Haraldr took from Jarl Tósti the control of the army and all the power that he had previously held greater than that of other jarls in that country. Jarl Tósti would by no means suffer to be the underling of a brother to whom he was equal in birth. So he went off with his following south across the sea to Flanders, stayed there a short time, then went to Frísland and on from there to Denmark to see his kinsman King Sveinn. They were siblings, King Sveinn’s father Jarl Úlfr and Jarl Tósti’s mother Gyða. The jarl asks King Sveinn for help and support. King Sveinn invited him to stay with him, saying that he shall get a jarldom in Denmark so that he can be a leader of fitting status there. The jarl says as follows: ‘I wish to go to England back to my patrimony. And if I get no support for this from you, king, then I will instead offer you to give you all the support that I have at my command in England if you will go with an army of Danes to England to win land just like your uncle Knútr.’ The king says: ‘I am so far an inferior man to my kinsman King Knútr that I can hardly keep the realm of the Danes from the Norwegians. The old Knútr gained the kingdom of the Danes by inheritance, and England by warfare and battle, and yet it was for a time rather uncertain whether he might not lose his life there afterwards. He got Norway without a battle. Now I have the sense to adjust the level of my ambitions more to my weak abilities than to the achievements of my kinsman King Knútr.’ Then the jarl said: ‘I have had less success in my errand here than I expected that you, such a high-ranking man, would grant me, your kinsman, in my need. It may now be that I shall look for friendship in a direction that is much less fitting, and yet it may be that I shall find a ruler that is less prone to be dismayed by the idea of very great undertakings than you are, king.’ After that the king and the jarl parted not entirely of one mind.
Jarl Tósti changed direction in his travel, and turned up in Norway and went to see King Haraldr. He was in the Vík. And when they meet, the jarl reveals his errand to the king, telling him all about his travels since he left England and asking the king to give him support in getting back his realm in England. The king’s reply is this, that Norwegians would not be keen to travel to England and lay it waste and have an English ruler over them. ‘People say,’ he says, ‘that those English are not very reliable.’ The jarl replies: ‘Is it true what I have heard people say in England, that your kinsman King Magnús sent men to King Eaðvarðr, and it was in the message that King Magnús had inherited England just like Denmark from Hǫrða-Knútr, as stood in their oaths?’ The king says: ‘Why did he then not get it, if he had a right to it?’ The jarl says: ‘Why do you not have Denmark, as King Magnús had before you?’ The king says: ‘The Danes have no reason to boast over us Norwegians. Many a burnt patch have we left for those kinsmen of yours.’ Then said the jarl: ‘If you will not tell me, then I will tell you. King Magnús won Denmark because the leading men of that land helped him, and you did not get it because all the people of the country stood against you. King Magnús did not fight to conquer England because the people of the country wanted to have Eatvarðr as king. If you want to gain England, then I can bring it about that the majority of the leaders in England will be your friends and supporters. I lack nothing more in comparison with my brother Haraldr than just the name of king. Everyone knows that no such fighting man has been born in Northern Lands as you, and I find it surprising that you have been fighting for fifteen winters to win Denmark, but you will not take England, which now lies open to you.’ King Haraldr considered carefully what the jarl was saying, and realised that much of what he said was true, and on the other hand he began to get keen to have the kingdom. After this the king and the jarl spoke together long and often. They settled on this plan, that they should in the summer go to England and conquer the country. King Haraldr sent word all over Norway and called out troops for an expedition, a half levy. This now became widely known. There were many guesses about where the expedition would be going. Some said, reckoning up King Haraldr’s achievements, that nothing would be impossible for him, while some said that England would be difficult to defeat, the population there being enormous and the host that is known as þingamannalið being there. These were men of such boldness that the support of one of them was better than that of two of King Haraldr’s best men. Then Úlfr stallari replies:
There’s no call for king’s marshals constantly to hang about— I gain wealth eagerly— in Haraldr’s prow-area, if we are bound, bright linenbank, to flee two before— young, I learned otherwise— only one þingamaðr. 
Úlfr stallari died that spring. King Haraldr stood over his grave and said, as he was walking away: ‘There lies one now that was most faithful and most loyal to his lord.’ Jarl Tósti sailed in the spring west to Flæmingjaland to meet up with the troops that had gone with him from out in England and the others that had joined him from both England and there in Flæmingjaland.
King Haraldr’s army assembled in Sólundir. And when King Haraldr was ready to sail out from Niðaróss, then he first went to King Óláfr’s shrine and opened it and cut his hair and nails and afterwards locked the shrine and threw the keys out into the Nið, and the blessed King Óláfr’s shrine has never since been opened. There had now passed from his fall thirty-five winters. He had also lived thirty five winters in this world. King Haraldr took the troops that were following him south to meet up with his own troops. A large force was collected there, so that it is people’s report that King Haraldr had nearly two hundred ships, and in addition carriers for provisions and small craft. While they were lying in Sólundir, a man that was on the king’s ship who is named as Gyrðr had a dream. He dreamt he was standing on the king’s ship and looking up at the island where a large troll-wife was standing with a long knife in her hand, and in the other hand a trough. He also dreamt he could see across all their ships and it seemed to him that there was a bird sitting on every ship’s prow. These were all eagles and ravens. The trollwife spoke:
It’s sure, the eastern overlord urges himself westwards for a meeting with many splendid— my gain is this—knucklebones. The corpse-grouse can pick out, confident of plenty, steak from the sovereign’s stem-hawks. I go along with that.
There is a man named Þórðr, who was on a ship that was lying a short way from the king’s ship. He dreamt during the night that he thought he saw King Haraldr’s fleet sail to land, felt sure that it was England. He saw on the coast a great host and he dreamt that both sides were preparing for battle, and had many standards raised, but in front of the troops of people of the country rode a great trollwife mounted on a wolf, and the wolf had a man’s corpse in its mouth and blood flowed over its chops, and when it had eaten it, then she flung another into its mouth, and after that one after another, and it gulped them all down. She said :
The she-troll makes shine the blood-red shield, when war approaches. The wife of Aurnir’s offspring sees the king’s downfall fated. The woman with jaws working worries the flesh of soldiers. the wolf’s mouth is stained within with blood by the mad woman, and with blood by the mad woman. 
Moreover King Haraldr dreamed one night that he was in Niðaróss and met his brother King Óláfr, and he uttered a verse before him:
The famous king, for his advancement, the fat one, won most battles; I had, since at home I lingered, a holy fall to earth. Still I dread that death is due, lord, to come upon you; the greedy troll’s steeds you’re going to glut. God will not cause it.
Many other dreams were narrated at this time, and other kinds of ominous visions, most of them dismal ones. King Haraldr, before he left Þrándheimr, had his son Magnús taken as king there, and set him in charge of the kingdom in Norway while King Haraldr was away on his travels. Þóra, Þorbergr’s daughter, was also left behind, but Queen Ellisif went with him, and her daughters Maria and Ingigerðr. King Haraldr’s son Óláfr also left the country with him.
So when King Haraldr was ready and there arose a favourable wind, he sailed out to sea and came to land by Hjaltland, though some of his troops came by Orkney. King Haraldr lay there a short while, before he sailed to Orkney, and he took with him from there a large troop and Jarl Þorfinnr’s sons, the jarls Páll and Erlendr, but left there Queen Ellisif and their daughters Maria and Ingigerðr. From there he sailed south past Scotland and on past England and came to land there where it is called Kliflǫnd. There he went ashore and immediately made raids and subjected the land to himself, meeting no resistance. After that King Haraldr made for Skarðaborg and fought there with the citizens. He went up onto the cliff that is situated there and had a great fire made there and set ablaze. And when the fire was burning, they took great forks and flung the fire down into the town. Then one building after another caught fire. Then the whole place went up in flames. The Norwegians slew many people there, and took all the wealth they got hold of. There was then nothing else the English people could do, if they were to stay alive, but submit to King Haraldr. He then subjected all the land to himself wherever he went. After that King Haraldr made his way with the whole army south along the coast and landed by Hellornes. There he was met by an assembled force, and King Haraldr fought a battle there and was victorious.
After that King Haraldr went to the Humber and up along the river and came to land there. At this time the jarls were up in Jórvík, Mǫrukári and his brother Jarl Valþjófr, and had an invincible force. King Haraldr was lying in the Ouse when the jarls’ army made their way down. Then King Haraldr went ashore and began to draw up his troops. One wing of his formation was stationed forward on the bank of the river, and the other extended up inland to a certain dyke. It was a deep fen, broad and full of water. The jarls let their formation move slowly down along the river with the whole host. The king’s standard was close to the river. There the formation was very deep, but it was shallowest by the dyke and those troops were the most unreliable. Then the jarls advanced down along the dyke. Then the wing of the Norwegian formation that reached to the dyke gave way, and the English men pushed forward there after them, thinking that the Norwegians must be going to flee. Mǫrukári’s standard advanced there.
So when King Haraldr saw that the formation of English men was come down along the dyke opposite them, then he had the war trumpets blown and urged on the army vigorously, then letting the standard Landeyða be carried forward, pressing the attack so strongly that everything gave way before them. Then the casualties in the jarls’ troops became heavy. Then their troops soon turned in flight, some fleeing up and down along the river, but most of the host leapt out into the dyke. The dead lay there so thickly that the Norwegians were able to walk across the dyke dry-shod. Jarl Mǫrukári perished there. So says Steinn Herdísarson:
Many troops perished in the river. Submerged, men drowned. Soon lay no few soldiers encircling young Mǫrukári. The forward lord of men pursued the flight; before the valiant ruler the host rushed headlong. High-spirited, knows under . . .
This drápa was composed by Steinn Herdísarson about King Haraldr’s son Óláfr, and in it he mentions that Óláfr was in the battle with his father King Haraldr. This is spoken of in Haraldsstikki too:
There lay fallen in the fen below the host of Valþjófr hewn by weapons, so that war-bold Norwegians might cross walking on corpses alone.
Jarl Valþjófr and the troops that got away fled up to the city of Jork. There was a very great slaughter there. The battle was on Wednesday, the next day before Matheusmass.
Jarl Tósti had come from the south from Flæmingjaland to King Haraldr as soon as he got to England, and the jarl was in all these battles. It then turned out as he had said to Haraldr before this meeting, that multitudes of people thronged to them in England. These were relations and friends of Jarl Tósti, and it was a great enhancement of the king’s forces. After this battle that has just been related, troops from all round the neighbouring districts submitted to King Haraldr, though some fled. Then King Haraldr prepared his expedition to capture the city and stationed his army by Stamford Bridge. And because the king had won such a great victory against great leaders and overwhelming forces, all the people were afraid and despaired of standing up to him. Then the citizens decided to send a petition to King Haraldr and offer themselves and also the city into his power. The result of this whole petition was that on the Sunday King Haraldr went with his whole army up to the city and set up an assembly, the king and his men, outside the city, and the citizens attended the assembly. All the people accepted submission to King Haraldr, and gave him hostages, sons of high-ranking men, it being the case that Tósti knew details of all the people in that city, and in the evening the king went down to his ships with an automatic victory, and was very merry. An assembly was arranged for early on the Monday in the city. King Haraldr was then to set up the organisation of the place with men of the ruling class and hand out ranks and fiefs. That same evening after sunset there came to the city from the south King Haraldr Guðinason with an invincible army. He rode into the city with the goodwill and consent of all the citizens. All the gates of the city and all the routes in were occupied, so that no information could reach the Norwegians. This army was in the place during the night.
On the Monday, when Haraldr Sigurðarson had eaten breakfast, he had the trumpets blown for going ashore, then he makes his army ready and divides the troops, which parts are to go and which are to be left behind. In every company he had two men go inland for every one left behind. Jarl Tósti got ready for going inland with King Haraldr with his company, but there were left behind to guard the ships the king’s son Óláfr and the Orkney jarls Páll and Erlendr and Þorbergr Árnason’s son Eysteinn orri, who at that time was the noblest and dearest to the king of all the landed men. King Haraldr had before this promised him his daughter Maria. The weather was now extremely good and the sun was hot. The men left behind their mailcoats, and marched up with shields and helmets and halberds and girded with swords, and many also had arrows and bows and were very merry. But when they advanced into the neighbourhood of the city, they found riding towards them a large troop. They saw the cloud of dust raised by the horses and beneath it fair shields and white mailcoats. Then the king halted his troops, had Jarl Tósti called to him and asked what troops these would be. The jarl speaks, saying he thought it more than likely that it would be hostile, saying also that it could on the other hand turn out that this would be some of his kinsmen, looking for mercy and friendship, so as to get in return the king’s support and trust. Then the king said that they would first of all hold still and find out about the army. They did so, and the troop turned out to be larger the closer it got, and to look at it all seemed just like a heap of bits of ice with the glittering of their weapons.
King Haraldr Sigurðarson spoke then: ‘Let us now take up some good and sensible plan, for there is no denying that it is hostile, and it must be the king himself.’ Then the jarl replies: ‘The first thing is to turn back as quickly as we can to our ships for our troops and weapons, then face them as best we can, or alternatively let the ships look after us, and then riders will have no power over us.’ Then King Haraldr replies: ‘I wish to follow a different plan, to mount three bold fellows on the swiftest horses and let them ride as fast as they can and tell our troops—then help will soon come to us—because the English men can expect a storm of the sharpest, rather than that we should get the worst of it.’ Then the jarl speaks, bidding the king have his own way in this as in everything else, saying that he too was not eager to flee. Then King Haraldr had his standard, Landeyða, set up. He was called Frírekr that was carrying the standard.
After that KingHaraldr drew up his troops, making the battle line long and not deep. Then he curved the wings round backwards so that they met. It then formed a wide circle and a thick one, and the same everywhere all round the outside, shield against shield and the same above their heads, but the king’s company was within the circle and the standard was there too. It was a picked troop. In a separate place was Jarl Tósti with his company. He had a different standard. It was drawn up in this way, because the king knew that mounted men were accustomed to ride forwards in small detachments and withdraw immediately. So the king says that his company and the jarl’s company should move forward to where the greatest need was. ‘And our bowmen shall also be there with us, and those that are standing foremost shall set the butts of their spears in the ground, and set the points before the breasts of the riders, if they ride at us, and those that are standing closest, they are to set their spear points before the breasts of the horses.’
King Haraldr Guðinason was come there with an invincible army, both horsemen and men on foot. King Haraldr Sigurðarson then rode round his formation and examined how they were drawn up. He was sitting on a black horse with a white blaze on its head. The horse fell under him and the king forward off it. He stood up straight away and said: ‘A fall is a good omen for a journey.’
Then King Haraldr of the English spoke to the Norwegians that were with him: ‘Did you recognise that big man that fell off his horse there, with the dark tunic and the fair helmet?’ ‘That is the king himself,’ they said. The king of the English says: ‘A big man and he has a stately air, and it is more than likely that he has run out of luck.’
Twenty horsemen rode forward from the þingmannalið out in front of the Norwegians’ battle line and they were fully mailcoated and their horses too. Then spoke one of the horsemen: ‘Is Jarl Tósti among the troops?’ He answers:’That is not to be denied, you will find him here.’ Then spoke one of the horsemen: ‘Your brother Haraldr sends you a greeting and has this to say too, that you should have pardon and the whole of Northumberland, and rather than that you should not be willing to pay homage to him, then he will give you a third of the whole kingdom alongside him.’ Then answers the jarl: ‘Then there is something on offer other than hostility and dishonour like last winter. If this had been offered then, then there would be many a man still alive that is now dead, and the kingdom in England would then have been in a better state. Now if I accept this offer, what will he offer King Haraldr Sigurðarson for his trouble then?’ Then spoke the horseman: ‘He has said something about that, what he will grant him of England: a space seven foot long, or so much longer as he is taller than other men.’ Then says the jarl: ‘Go now and tell King Haraldr that he should prepare for battle. Something other shall be the truth to be told among the Norwegians than this, that Jarl Tósti departed from King Haraldr Sigurðarson onto the side of his enemies when he was going to fight west in England. Rather than that, we shall all adopt the same course, die with honour or gain England by victory.’ Then the horsemen rode back. Then King Haraldr Sigurðarson spoke to the jarl: ‘Who was this well-spoken man?’ Then says the jarl: ‘It was King Haraldr Guðinason.’ Then spoke King Haraldr Sigurðarson: ‘Too long has this been kept hidden from us. They were come in such a way in front of our troops that this Haraldr would not have been able to report the deaths of our men.’
Then says the jarl: ‘That is true, lord. He was behaving incautiously for such a ruler, and it could have been as you say. I could see that he wanted to offer me pardon and great power, but I would have been his slayer if I had told who he was. I would rather that he were my slayer than I his.’ Then said King Haraldr Sigurðarson to his men: ‘This was a small man and he stood proudly in his stirrups.’ People say that King Haraldr spoke this verse:
We go forward in formation without byrnies under dark blades. helmets shine. I have not mine. Now lies our armour at the ships below.
His mailcoat was called Emma. It was long, so that it reached halfway down his leg, and so strong that never had a weapon pierced it. Then King Haraldr Sigurðarson spoke: ‘This was poorly expressed, and it will be necessary to make another verse that is better.’ Then he spoke this:
We creep not because of weapons’ crash—so the discreet falcon- field Hildr ordered—in battle into the shield’s hollow. To hold my helmet-stump high the necklace-prop long ago commanded me, in metal-din where met skulls and battle-ice.
Then Þjóðólfr also spoke:
I shall not desert, though the sovereign himself fall on the battlefield, young heirs of the ruler; it will go as God wills. The sun shines on no stronger stuff of kingship than those two; true hawks are the unhesitant Haraldr’s avengers.
Now the battle begins, and the English men launch a charge at the Norwegians. Their resistance was harsh. It became difficult for the English men to charge the Norwegians because of their shooting at them, and they rode in a circle round them. There was at first sporadic fighting as long as the Norwegians kept their formation properly, but the English men charged them hard and immediately withdrew, when they could not achieve anything. So when the Norwegians saw this, and felt the charges had been made weakly, then they attacked them and tried to pursue the rout, but when they had broken from the shield wall, then the English men charged them from all sides and used spears and missiles on them. So when King Haraldr Sigurðarson saw this, he stepped forward in the battle to where the the fighting was densest. There was then the most violent of battles, and many troops on both sides fell. Then King Haraldr Sigurðarson got so furious that he leapt forward right out of the formation and struck with both hands. There stood against him then neither helmet not mailcoat. Then all those that were closest took to flight. The English men were then right on the point of fleeing. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
The mediocrity-shy leader little defence before him had in helmet-din, nor trembled the heart, battle-swift, of the ruler, where, watching the lord of hersar, warriors the army saw by the bloody sword bitten of the bold prince subduer.
King Haraldr Sigurðarson was struck in the throat by an arrow. That was his death wound. Then he fell and all the company that had advanced with him, except those that pulled back, and they held the standard. There was then still the harshest of battles. Then Jarl Tósti went beneath the royal standard. Then both sides began to form up a second time, and there was then a very long pause in the battle. Then spoke Þjóðólfr:
People have paid a heavy penalty; now defeated I declare the host. Haraldr had men fare west needlessly. The bold leader’s life ended leaving us all in an awkward place; the praised ruler experienced life-harm.
But before the battle was joined, then Haraldr Guðinason offered a truce to his brother Jarl Tósti and the other men who were then still alive of the Norwegian troops. But the Norwegians all shouted out together saying this, that every man should fall across the corpse of the next before they would accept a truce from English men, then shouted a war cry. Then the battle began a second time. So says Arnórr jarlaskáld:
Not decorous was the death of the dread king; gold-reddened spear-points did not spare the slayer of wrongdoers. All the glorious lord’s liegemen elected much rather to fall round the king, fast in fight, than accept quarter.
Eysteinn orri arrived at that moment from the ships with the troops that belonged to him. They had full mailcoats on. Eysteinn then took hold of King Haraldr’s standard the Landeyða. Now the battle began a third time, and it was of the bitterest. English men were now falling in large numbers, and they were on the point of fleeing. This battle was known as Orrahríð. He and Eysteinn had gone in such a rush from the ships that they were already so tired as to be almost out of action before they got to the battle, but after that they were in such a fury that they did not protect themselves as long as they could stand up. In the end they threw off their mailcoats. It was then easy for the English men to find somewhere to land their blows, but some completely collapsed and died without being wounded. Nearly all the high-ranking men of the Norwegians fell. This was in the latter part of the day. It turned out, as might have been expected, that they still did not all act the same, many fled, and there were many too that were able to get away as the result of various pieces of good fortune. It had also got dark in the evening before all the killing was over.
King Haraldr Sigurðarson’s marshal Styrkárr got away, a splendid person. He got hold of a horse and thus rode away. In the evening some wind arose, rather a cold one, but Styrkárr had no clothing other than a tunic and a helmet on his head and some kind of sword in his hand. He got cold when he recovered from his weariness. Then he was met by a wagoner and he was in a fur-lined coat. Then spoke Styrkárr: ‘Will you sell the coat, farmer?’ ‘Not to you,’ he said. ‘You must be a Norwegian, I recognise your speech.’ Then said Styrkárr: ‘If I am a Norwegian, what do you want, then?’ The farmer answers: ‘I would like to kill you, but unfortunately I have no usable weapon.’ Then said Styrkárr: ‘If you cannot kill me, farmer, then I shall try whether I can kill you.’ He swings up his sword and brings it down on his neck so that his head flew off, after that took the fur-lined coat and leapt on his horse and went down to the shore.
Viljálmr Bastard, jarl of Rúða, heard of the death of his kinsman King Eatvarðr, and this too, that now Haraldr Guðinason was accepted as king in England and had received consecration to the kingship. But Viljálmr thought he had a better claim than Haraldr to power in England because of his kinship with King Eatvarðr. There was also the fact that he felt he had to repay Haraldr for the disgrace in his breaking his engagement with his daughter. And for all these reasons combined Viljálmr gathered an army together in Normandy and had a very large host of men and a sufficient fleet of ships. The day he rode out of the city to his ships and was mounted on his horse, then his wife went up to him wanting to speak with him. So when he saw this, then he struck at her with his heel and kicked his spur against her breast so that it sank in deeply. She fell down and died straight away, and the jarl rode to his ship. He travelled with his army out to England. There with him was his brother Bishop Ótta. So when the jarl got to England, then he made raids and subjected the land to himself wherever he went. Viljálmr was bigger and stronger than anyone and a good horseman, the greatest of fighters and very fierce, a most clever man and said to be unreliable.
King Haraldr Guðinason gave King Haraldr Sigurðarson’s son Óláfr leave to depart, and also to the troops that were there with him and had not fallen in battle. Then Haraldr turned towards the south of England with his army, for he had now heard that Viljálmr Bastard was travelling from the south into England and was subjecting the land to himself. There were there now with King Haraldr his brothers, Sveinn, Gyrðr, Valþjófr. The encounter between King Haraldr and Jarl Viljálmr was in the south of England by Helsingjaport. A great battle took place there. King Haraldr and his brother Jarl Gyrðr fell there, and a large part of their troops. This was nineteen nights after the fall of King Haraldr Sigurðarson. Jarl Valþjófr got away by flight, and late in the evening the jarl met a certain company of Viljálmr’s men. And when they saw the jarl’s troops, these men fled away to a certain oak wood. There were a hundred men. Jarl Valþjófr had the wood set on fire and completely burnt up with everything in it. So says Þorkell Skallason in Valþjófsflokkr:
In hot fire a hundred henchmen of the ruler were burned by the Yggr of battle: a broiling night for warriors. It is learned that men were laid under the ogress-steed’s talon. Flesh of Frakkar fed the dusky filly of the troll-woman.
Viljálmr had himself taken as king in England. He sent word to Jarl Valþjófr that they should come to an agreement, and grants him a truce for the meeting. The jarl went with a few men, but when he got onto the heath to the north of Kastalabryggja, then there came against him two officers with a company of men and took him prisoner and put him in irons, and after that he was executed, and English people declare him to be a saint. So says Þorkell:
Verily brave Valþjófr Viljálmr in truce cheated, stainer of swords, who northwards sliced the frosted ocean. Truly, slow to cease will be— no splendid prince more glorious than my gallant master was will perish— men’s slaughter in England. 
Viljálmr was afterwards king in England for one and twenty winters, and his descendants for ever after. 
King Haraldr’s son Óláfr took his troops away from England and sailed out from Hrafnseyrr and came in the autumn to Orkney, and there the news was learnt that King Haraldr Sigurðarson’s daughter Maria had died suddenly on the same day and at the same hour as her father King Haraldr had fallen. Óláfr stayed there during the winter. And the following summer Óláfr travelled east to Norway. He was then accepted as king with his brother Magnús. Queen Ellisif travelled from the west with her stepson Óláfr and her daughter Ingigerðr. Then there came also with Óláfr across the sea from the west Skúli, who was later known as konungsfóstri, and his brother Ketill krókr. They were both great men and of high lineage in England, and both very intelligent. They were both very dear to King Óláfr. Ketill krókr went north to Hálogaland. King Óláfr arranged him a good marriage, and many high-ranking people are descended from him. Skúli konungsfóstri was an intelligent person and an outstanding man, the most handsome of men in looks. He became the steward in King Óláfr’s court and spoke at assemblies and decided all the national policies with the king. King Óláfr offered to give Skúli an area of Norway, that which most appealed to him, with all the revenues and dues that belonged to the king. Skúli thanked him for his offer and said he wanted to request other things of him, because ‘If there should be a change of king, it could be that the gifts would become void. I would like,’ he says, ‘to accept some properties that are situated close to the market towns in which you, king, are accustomed to stay and receive Yule feasts.’ The king granted him this and transferred to him estates in the east near Konungahella and near Oslo, near Túnsberg, near Borg, near Bjǫrgvin and in the north near Niðaróss. They were practically the best properties in each place, and these properties have since remained with the family that has descended from Skúli’s line. King Óláfr gave him his kinswoman Guðrún Nefsteinsdóttir in marriage. Her mother was King Sigurðr sýr and Ásta’s daughter Ingiríðr. She was King Óláfr the Saint and King Haraldr’s sister. Skúli and Guðrún’s son was Ásólfr at Rein. He was married to Skopti Ǫgmundarson’s daughter Þóra. Ásólfr and his wife’s son was Guthormr at Rein, father of Bárðr, father of King Ingi and Duke Skúli.
One winter after King Haraldr’s fall his body was conveyed from the west from England and north to Niðaróss and was buried in Máríukirkja, which he had had built. It was everyone’s opinion that King Haraldr has been superior to other people in intelligence and good decision-making, whether he was to act quickly or give long deliberation to what he was to do or others. He was of all people the boldest in fighting. He was also blessed with victory, as now has been shown in writing for a while. So says Þjóðólfr:
The most splendid destroyer of Selund-dwellers gained by daring. Men’s valour brings half the victory, as verified by Haraldr. 
King Haraldr was a handsome man and noble-looking, fair-haired and with a fair beard and long moustache, one eyebrow a little higher than the other, large hands and feet and both well shaped. His height measured five ells. He was fierce to his enemies and harsh in punishments for any opposition. So says Þjóðólfr: 
For proven pride Haraldr For proven pride Haraldr The king’s fighters pay fittingly for their deeds, I think. Sword bearers have burdens they bring upon themselves. All gain—thus Haraldr hands out: harshness—from justice to others.
King Haraldr was most ambitious for power and for any advantageous possessions. He was hugely liberal towards his friends, those that he was well pleased with. So says Þjóðólfr:
A mark for a work the waker of war of ships had me granted. He makes merit of actions command his favour. 
King Haraldr was fifty years of age when he fell. We have no noteworthy accounts of his youth until he was fifteen winters old, when he was at Stiklarstaðir in the battle along with his brother King Óláfr, and after that he lived thirty-five winters. And all that time he never had any respite from violence and warfare. King Haraldr never fled from a battle, but he often took precautions in the face of overwhelming odds that he had to deal with. Everyone said, who followed him in battle and warfare, that when he was in a situation of great danger and it had suddenly come upon him, that he would adopt the course that everyone realised afterwards had been the most likely to work. 
Brynjólfr gamli úlfaldi’s son Halldórr was an intelligent man and a great leader. He said this, when he heard people’s talk, and people were assessing the characters of the brothers King Óláfr the Saint and Haraldr quite differently, then Halldórr spoke as follows: ‘I was on very friendly terms with both the brothers, and I was acquainted with both their characters. I never came across two men more alike in character. They were both most sensible and most bold as fighters, men ambitious for wealth and power, imperious, not in sympathy with ordinary people, natural rulers and stern in punishment. King Óláfr forced the people of the country to Christianity and right conduct, and harshly punished those that turned a deaf ear. The leaders of the land would not put up with his just and fair judgments and rose against him here and killed him on his own territory. As a result he became a saint. But Haraldr fought for fame and power and forced all the people to submit to him, as far as he could. He also fell on other kings’ territory. Both the brothers were men that were virtuous in general conduct and high-minded. They were widely travelled and men of great energy and from this became widely renowned and famous.’
King Magnús ruled over Norway, the son of Haraldr, the first winter after the fall of King Haraldr, and after that he ruled two winters with his brother Óláfr. There were then these two kings. Magnús held the more northerly part of the country, and Óláfr the more easterly. King Magnús had a son that was called Hákon. He was fostered by Steigar-Þórir. He was a most promising man. After King Haraldr Sigurðarson’s fall King Sveinn of the Danes reckoned that the peace between the Norwegians and the Danes was ended, reckoning that the peace had been agreed for no longer than they both lived, Haraldr and Sveinn. So a levy was called out in each of the two kingdoms. Haraldr’s sons had a full levy from Norway in troops and ships, and King Sveinn travelled from the south with his army of Danes. Then messengers passed between them and brought offers of settlement terms. The Norwegians said that they would either keep to the same terms as had been agreed before or else fight. Therefore was this composed:
O̧leifr defended, with words of war and peace-talks, his country, so to claim it no king, mighty, ventured. 
So says Steinn Herdísarson in Óláfsdrápa: 
The war-strong one in Kaupangr where the holy king lies buried will withhold from Sveinn his inheritance; he is a powerful ruler. To his kin King O̧leifr conclusively will render all Norway; the heir of Úlfr need make no claim there.
On this expedition to the arranged meeting, a settlement was made between the kings, and peace between the two countries. King Magnús caught an illness, ringworm disease, and kept to his bed for some time. He died in Niðaróss and was buried there. He was a popular king with all the common people.

King Óláfr was sole king over Norway after his brother Magnús’s death. Óláfr was a big man in every part of his growth and well shaped. Everyone used to say that no one had seen a handsomer man or one nobler in appearance. He had yellow hair like silk and it became him extremely well, a shining body, the finest of eyes, well-shaped limbs, generally not given to saying much and silent in assemblies, merry with wine, a great drinker, talkative and cheerful in speech then , peaceable as long as his rule lasted. Steinn Herdísarson mentions this:
In all lands the lord of Þrœndr looks, blade-bold, to establish peace—that well pleases people—with ample skill. Folk are glad that his followers are forced into peace-talks by the obstinate English-scarer. . . . Óláfr born under the sun.
It was an ancient custom in Norway for the king’s high seat to be in the middle of the long bench. Ale was handed across the fire. But King Óláfr was the first to have his high seat put on a dais across the room. He was also the first to have rooms built with fireplaces and the floor strewn with straw in winter as well as summer. It was in the time of King Óláfr that market towns developed extensively in Norway, and some were founded from scratch. King Óláfr founded the market town in Bjǫrgyn. There soon came to be there a great settlement of wealthy men and shipping bringing in merchants from other countries. He had the great stone church Christchurch built up on foundations there, though little of it was completed, but he got the timber church finished. King Óláfr had the Miklagildi set up in Niðaróss and many others in market towns where previously there had been just informal drinking clubs. Then Bœjarbót, the great drinking-feast bell, was in Niðaróss. The club members had Margrétarkirkja, a stone church, built there. In the time of King Óláfr there were started public houses for drinking and wakes in the market towns. And then people took up new fashions in dress, wearing fancy hose gathered in to the legs, some clasped gold rings round their legs, and now people wore trailing gowns, ties to draw them in at the side, sleeves five ells long and so narrow that they had to be drawn up with arm bands and gathered right up to the shoulders, high shoes and all embroidered with silk, and in some cases covered in gold. There were many other new fashions introduced at that time.
King Óláfr used these customs in his court, that he had his cup-bearers stand before the table and serve him in goblets and likewise all the men of rank that sat at his table. He also had candle boys that held candles before his table, as many as there were men of rank sitting there. Further out from the high table, there was also a marshals’ seat, that the marshals would sit on, and other important men, and they would face in towards the high seat. King Haraldr and other kings before him were accustomed to drink from animal horns and carry ale from the high seat across the fire and drink a toast to anyone he wanted to. So says the poet Stúfr: 
I have known the strife-stirrer very useful he was to know— with a good breeze of Gríðr greet me, victory-blessed, when, fierce to rings, eagerly the feeder of the blood-starling held at Haugr the gilded horn to toast me in person.
King Óláfr had a hundred members of his court and sixty guests and sixty housecarls whose duty it was to convey to the palace whatever was needed, or to carry out other tasks that the king wanted done. And when the landowners asked the king about this, why he had more attendants than the law provided for or than previous kings had had when he travelled round to banquets where the landowners had put them on for him, the king replies as follows:
‘I would not be able to rule the kingdom any better, and I would not keep people more in awe of me than they were of my father, even if I had twice as many attendants as he had, but it is not just for the sake of imposing burdens on you or because I want to increase your expenses.’ 
King Sveinn Úlfsson died of sickness ten winters after the fall of the two Haraldrs. The king there in Denmark next was his son Haraldr hein, four winters, then Sveinn’s second son Knútr, seven winters and he is a true saint, then the third son of Sveinn, Óláfr, eight winters, then the fourth son of King Sveinn, Eiríkr góði, again eight winters. King Óláfr of Norway married King Sveinn of the Danes’ daughter Ingiríðr, and King Óláfr Sveinsson of the Danes married Ingigerðr, King Haraldr’s daughter, King Óláfr of Norway’s sister. Óláfr Haraldsson, whom some called Óláfr kyrri and many Farmer Óláfr, he had a son with Þóra Jóansdóttir. He was called Magnús. This boy was most fair of face and very promising. He grew up in the king’s court.
King Óláfr had a stone minster built in Niðaróss and sited it in the place that King Óláfr’s body had at first been buried, and the altar was placed over where the king’s grave had been. It was consecrated as Christchurch. After that King Óláfr’s shrine was also conveyed there and placed over the altar there. Then many miracles were performed there. And the next summer after, on the anniversary of the consecration of the church, then it was very well attended. It was on the eve of St Óláfr’s day that a blind man received his sight there. And on the feast-day itself, when the shrine and the holy relics were carried out—the shrine was set down in the churchyard, as it was the custom to do—then a man who for a long time previously had been dumb, received his speech, and he then sang praises to God and the blessed King Óláfr with fluent voice. The third person was a woman who had made her way there from the east in Svíþjóð and had on this journey suffered great difficulty because of blindness, and yet she trusted in God’s mercy and arrived there on her journey at this festival. She was led sightless into the minster at Mass during the day, and before the service was over she could see with both eyes and was now sharp-sighted and bright-eyed, but before that she had been blind for fourteen winters. She went from there with sublime joy.
The event took place in Niðaróss that King Óláfr’s shrine was being carried through the streets, and the shrine got heavy so that people could not carry it on from the spot. So after that the shrine was set down and the street was broken up and what was underneath was examined, and a child’s body was found there that had been murdered and hidden there. This was then removed, and the street repaired as it had been before, and the shrine was carried on as usual.
King Óláfr stayed generally in country areas on great estates that he had. And when he was east in Ranríki at Haukbœr on an estate of his, then he caught a sickness that led to his death. He had then been king in Norway six and twenty years, and he was accepted as king one year after King Haraldr’s fall. King Óláfr’s body was conveyed north to Niðaróss and buried at Christchurch, which he had had built. He was a most popular king, and Norway had prospered and been improved greatly under his rule.
King Óláfr’s son Magnús was immediately accepted as king over the whole of Norway in the Vík after King Óláfr’s death. But when the Upplendingar heard of King Óláfr’s death, then they took as king Magnús’s cousin Hákon Þórisfóstri. After that Hákon and Þórir travelled north to Þrándheimr, and when they got to Niðaróss, then they summoned Eyraþing, and at this assembly Hákon asked for the title of king for himself, and this was granted him, insofar as the farmers took him as king over half the country, which is what his father Magnús had had. Hákon abolished the land-dues payment for the Þrœndir and granted them many other changes in the law. He also abolished Yule gifts for them. Then all the Þrœndir switched to friendship with King Hákon. Then King Hákon set up a following for himself, going after that to Upplǫnd. He granted the Upplendingar the same changes in the law as he had granted the Þrœndir. They were also his absolute friends. At this time the following was composed in Þrándheimr:

Young, Ho̧kon came hither; he, kindly with glory, born best of men on earth, brought with him Steigar-Þórir. He himself then kindly offered ·leifr’s heir rule in half of Norway, but well-spoken Magnús wanted to wield power over all.
In the autumn King Magnús travelled north to Kaupangr. And when he got there, then he went into the royal palace and stayed there in the quarters and remained there the first part of the winter. He kept seven longships in an opening where the ice had thawed in the Nið by the royal palace. So when King Hákon learnt that King Magnús was come to Þrándheimr, then he travelled west across Dofrafjall and so to Þrándheimr and to Kaupangr and took up his quarters in Skúlagarðr down from Clemenskirkja. This was the old royal palace. King Magnús was displeased at the great grants that King Hákon had given the farmers so as to gain their friendship. Magnús felt it was just as much his own property that had been given away, and he was very annoyed in his mind about this and felt himself wronged in this by his kinsman, that he should have so much less revenue than his father had had or his forefathers, and he blamed what had been decided on Þórir. King Hákon and Þórir became aware of this, and were worried about what course Magnús might take. What seemed to them most suspicious was that Magnús had longships with awnings up, launched and ready. In the spring, close to Candlemas, then King Magnús set out in the dead of night and sailed out the ships with awnings still up and lights underneath and made out for Hefring, spending the night there and making great fires up on the shore there. Then King Hákon and the troops that were in the town assumed that this was done with an eye to treason. He had trumpets blown to call out his troops and all the Kaupangr people made their way up and were gathered together during the night. And in the morning when it began to get light and King Magnús saw the host of ordinary people on the Eyrar, then he sailed out from the fiord and so south to Gulaþingslǫg. King Hákon then prepared for a journey and was planning to go east into Vík, and first held a meeting in the town, then spoke and asked people for their friendship and promised his friendship to all. He said he was in the dark about the intentions of his kinsman King Magnús. King Hákon was sitting on a horse and was ready to travel. Everyone promised him friendship with goodwill and support, if it were necessary, and all the people escorted him out under Steinbjǫrg. King Hákon travelled up to Dofrafjall. And as he was going over the mountain, he rode during the day after a ptarmigan that was flying away from him. Then he was taken ill and contracted a mortal sickness and died there on the mountain, and his body was conveyed north and arrived in Kaupangr a fortnight later than he had left it. Then all the townspeople went, and most of them weeping, to meet the king’s body, for everyone loved him with deep affection. King Hákon’s body was entombed in Christchurch. King Hákon lived to be a good twenty-five years of age. He has been the one most popular of leaders in Norway among all the people. He had travelled north to Bjarmaland and fought a battle there and was victorious. 
King Magnús sailed during the winter east into Vík, and when spring came he sailed south to Halland and raided in many places there. Then he burned Viskardalr there and other areas. He gained much wealth there and travelled back after that to his kingdom. So says Bjǫrn inn krepphendi in Magnússdrápa:
The Vǫrsar’s lord had Halland— the Hǫrðar’s king burned buildings, the flight was swiftly followed— far and wide with sword, ravaged. The Þrœndr’s ruler fired—flames were fanned by death of the woodpile — the Viskardalr women lay wakeful— a wealth of districts later.
Here it mentions this, that King Magnús caused the greatest devastation in Halland.
There is a man named Sveinn, son of Haraldr flettir, a Danish person by birth. He was a very great viking and a mighty fighter and a most valiant, a man of high lineage in his own country. He had been with King Hákon. Now after the death of Hákon, then Steigar-Þórir was not confident that he would be able to achieve a settlement or friendly relations with King Magnús if his power was extended across the country, because of Þórir’s offences and opposition that he had previously been involved in against King Magnús. After that Þórir and Sveinn adopted this plan, which was afterwards carried out, that they raised a troop with Þórir’s resources and large numbers of adherents. But because Þórir was now an old man and infirm, Sveinn then took on the management of the troop and the title of leader. Other leaders joined in with this plan. The most notable of these was Áslákr of Forland’s son Egill. Egill was a landed man. He was married to Ǫgmundr Þorbergsson’s daughter Ingibjǫrg, Skopti in Gizki’s sister. There was a man called Skjálgr, powerful and wealthy, who also joined the troop. Þorkell Hamarskáld mentions this in Magnússdrápa:
From far and wide his forces he formed, high-minded Þorkell, with Egill—not advantageous those aims were for people. I have heard that heavy harm once befell Skjálgr’s friends when too large a stone landed men lobbed at the war-falcon’s waterer.
Þórir and his party raised their troops in Upplǫnd and came down into Raumsdalr and Sunn-Mœrr and got themselves ships there, after that sailing north to Þrándheimr.
There was a man called Sigurðr ullstrengr, son of Loðinn Viggjarskalli. He gathered troops by means of an arrow-summons when he heard about Þórir and his party’s company, and called out to Vigg all the troops he could get. So Sveinn and Þórir sailed their troops there and fought with Sigurðr and his men and were victorious and inflicted great loss of life, though Sigurðr fled and went to see King Magnús. But Þórir and his party went to Kaupangr and stayed there in the fiord for a while, and many men came to them there. King Magnús heard about all these doings and immediately called troops together and after that sailed north to Þrándheimr. And when he got into the fiord and Þórir and his party heard about it—they were lying now by Hefring and were ready to sail out of the fiord—then they rowed to Vagnvíkastrǫnd and there disembarked from their ships and came north into Þexdalir in Seljuhverfi, and Þórir was carried on a stretcher over the mountain. After that they took to ships and travelled north to Hálogaland. So King Magnús followed them from Þrándheimr when he was ready. Þórir and his party travelled all the way north to Bjarkey, and Jón fled off, and his son Víðkunnr. Þórir and his men plundered all the movable property there and burned the farm and a good longship that Víðkunnr had. Then said Þórir as the warship burned and the ship tilted over: ‘More to starboard, Víðkuðr!’ Then this was composed:
There burns in mid Bjarkey the best farm I know of. The grief—no good from Þórir is gained—of the stick is roaring. At evening Jóan need not complain at an absence of fire and plundering. Bright fire the broad farmstead burns; to the clouds smoke rises.
Jón and Víðkunnr travelled day and night until they met King Magnús. Sveinn and Þórir also sailed from the north with their troops and plundered widely round Hálogaland. And when they were lying in the fiord called Harmr, then they saw King Magnús’s fleet going by, and he and Þórir felt they had not the forces to fight and rowed away and fled. Þórir and Egill rowed to Hesjutún, but Sveinn rowed out to sea, and some of their troops rowed into the fiord. King Magnús sailed after Þórir’s party. And when the ships rowed up to the landing place, then Þórir was in the middle part of his ship. Then Sigurðr ullstrengr called to him: ‘Are you sound in health, Þórir?’ Þórir replies: ‘Sound in my hands, infirm in my feet.’ Then Þórir’s party’s troops all fled up on land, while Þórir was captured. Egill was also captured, because he did not want to run leaving his wife. King Magnús had them both taken to Vambarhólmr. And when Þórir was led ashore, he staggered on his feet. Then spoke Víðkunnr: ‘More to larboard, Þórir!’ After that Þórir was led to the gallows. Then he spoke:
We were four fellows formerly, one the helmsman.
And when he stepped up to the gallows, he spoke: ‘Evil are evil counsels.’ After that he was hanged, and when the gallows-beam was tilted up, Þórir was so heavy that his neck was severed, and his trunk fell to the ground. Þórir was the biggest of all men, both tall and stout. Egill was also led to the gallows, and when the king’s slaves were about to hang him, then Egill spoke: ‘The reason for you hanging me is not that each of you would not be more deserving of hanging.’ As it was said:
I am told from tongue of Egill a true word was spoken to the king’s slaves, restrained in loyalty, Sól of the wave’s daylight. he called them each far fitter for hanging, and higher, than himself; too great a sorrow the spoiler of battle-gleam suffered.
King Magnús was sitting by while they were hanged, and was so angry that none of his men was so bold as to dare to ask for quarter for them. Then the king spoke, when Egill kicked the gallows: ‘Good kinsmen are of poor service to you when you need it.’ From this it could be seen that the king wished to have been asked that Egill’s life might be saved. So says Bjǫrn inn krepphendi:
Swords the bold lord of Sygnir stained on raiding parties; the wolf began widely warm meat to tear on Harmr. You have heard how the ruler— hanged was Þórir, so it happened; well went the war-maker’s venture— could wean men from treason.
After that King Magnús made his way south to Þrándheimr and sailed into Þrándheimr, dealing out heavy punishments there to the people that were guilty of treason against him. Some he killed, and burned the property of others. So says Bjǫrn inn krepphendi:
Shield-shy, the raven-feeder frightened the host of Þrœndr who seemed to see in settlements surging bane of forest. Of two hersar the host-Baldr halted the lives together, I think. The ogress’s horse was not empty. The eagle flew to the hanged.
Sveinn Haraldsson first of all fled out to sea and on to Denmark, and stayed there until he had brought about a settlement for himself with Magnús’s son King Eysteinn. He accepted a reconciliation with Sveinn and made him his cup-bearer and allowed him to be on very good terms with him and held him in honour. King Magnús now held the kingdom as sole ruler. He established peace for his country and destroyed all the vikings and pirates. He was a valiant man and warlike and diligent and in every way more like his grandfather Haraldr than his father in character.
King Magnús set out on an expedition abroad, taking with him a large and splendid troop and a good naval force. He sailed this troop west across the sea and first of all to Orkney. He captured the jarls Páll and Erlendr and sent them both east to Norway, and appointed instead his son Sigurðr as ruler over the islands and provided him with counsellors. King Magnús sailed his troop to the Suðreyjar, and when he got there, he began straight away to lay waste and burn the settlements, and slew the people and plundered everything wherever they went, and the inhabitants fled away in all directions, and some into the fiords of Scotland, and some south to Saltíri or out to Ireland. Some were given quarter and offered submission. So says Bjǫrn inn krepphendi:
All over Ljóðhús, limb-sorrow leapt near the sky, fiercely. Far and wide folk were eager for flight; fire poured from buildings. The liberal lord—farmers lost life and wealth—ravaged Ívist with fire; the king coloured crimson the battle-beam.
The storm-gosling’s hunger-slaker Skíði caused to be harried. Skíði caused to be harried. made its tooth red within Tyrvist. Grenland’s lord made maidens— men of Mull ran till weary; far inland went the Scots’ scatterer— south in the islands weep.
King Magnús brought his troop onto Eyin helga and there offered quarter and peace to everyone and everyone’s goods. People say that he decided to open the small Kolumkillakirkja and the king did not go inside and immediately fastened the door shut with a lock, saying that no one was to be so bold as to enter this church after that, and this has been held to ever since. Then King Magnús took his force south to Islay, laying waste and burning there. And when he had won that land, then he sets out south past Saltíri, then laid waste on both sides in Ireland and Scotland, so harrying everywhere south to Man and laid waste there as in other places. So says Bjǫrn krepphendi: 
Far and wide on smooth Sandey the smart king bore shields. All over Islay smoked when the overlord’s men stoked the burning. Sons of men stooped under sword-blades south of Sanntíri. The bold builder of victory brought about fall of Manxmen.
King Guðrøðr of the Suðreyjar’s son was called Lǫgmaðr. Lǫgmaðr was appointed to the defence of the land in the Northern Isles. But when King Magnús came to the Suðreyjar with his army, then Lǫgmaðr fled away from this army but stayed in the islands, though eventually King Magnús’s men captured him with his ship’s crew when he was about to flee to Ireland. The king had him set in irons and kept under guard. So says Bjǫrn krepphendi:
Every shelter owned by the heir of Guðrøðr was parlous. Lands were refused to Lǫgmaðr by the lord of Þrœndr there. The able king of Egðir, young, where tongues of battle-strips resounded, had the destroyer of snake’s bed caught off the headlands.
After that King Magnús took his troop to Bretland. But when he got to Ǫngulseyjarsund, then there came against him an army from Bretland, and two jarls, Hugi prúði and Hugi digri were in command of it, and they immediaely engaged in a fight. There was a tough battle there. King Magnús shot from a bow, but Hugi prúði was in a full coat of mail so that nothing of him was visible except his eyes. King Magnús shot an arrow at him, and so did a Hálogaland man that was standing next to the king. They both shot at the same time. One arrow hit the noseguard of his helmet, and it was deflected off it away in another direction, but the other missile hit the jarl in the eye and flew back through his head, and that one was attributed to the king. Jarl Hugi fell there, and after that the Bretar fled, having lost a large number of men. So says Bjǫrn krepphendi:
The tree of Laufi contrived— tips of spears flew fast, where arms sped—in Ǫngulssund the end of Hugi inn prúði.
And this was also composed: 
Sword-point sounded on mailcoat. Strongly shot the ruler. The Egðir’s lord bent the bow. Blood spurted on helmets. The string’s hail flew—forces fell, and in hard battle for land the jarl’s killing was caused by the king of Hǫrðar —into ring-mail.
King Magnús was victorious in that battle. Then he won Ǫngulsey, which was as far as the furthest south the previous kings that had been in Norway had gained power. Ǫngulsey is a third part of Bretland. After this battle King Magnús turns his troops back and made his way first to Scotland. Then men travelled between him and King Melkólmr of the Scots, and they made an agreement with each other. King Magnús was to have all the islands that lie to the west of Scotland, all those that a ship with a rudder attached could travel between and the mainland. So when King Magnús came from the south to Saltíri, then he had a light warship dragged across Saltíriseið with the rudder fastened in position. The king himself sat on the raised deck holding the tiller and thus gained possession of the land, what lay on the port side. Saltíri is a large area and better than the best island in the Suðreyjar except Man. There is a narrow isthmus between it and the mainland of Scotland. Longships are often dragged across it.
King Magnús stayed in the Suðreyjar during the winter. Then his men travelled all round the fiords of Scotland inside all the islands, both inhabited ones and uninhabited, and made all the islands possessions of the king of Norway. King Magnús obtained on behalf of his son Sigurðr the hand of Bjaðmynja, daughter of King Mýrjartak Þjálbason king of the Irish. He was ruling over Kunnaktir. The following summer King Magnús went with his troops east to Norway. Jarl Erlendr had died of sickness in Niðaróss and is buried there, and Páll in Bjǫrgyn. Skopti son of Ǫgmundr Þorbergsson was an excellent landed man. He lived at Gizki in Sunn-Mœrr. He was married to Þórðr Fólason’s daughter Guðrún. Their children were Ǫgmundr, Finnr, Þórðr, Þóra, who was married to Ásólfr Skúlason. Skopti’s sons were the most promising men in their youth.
King Steinkell of the Svíar died about the time of the fall of the two Haraldrs. The king that was next in Svíþjóð after King Steinkell was called Hákon. After that Steinkell’s son Ingi was king, a good and powerful king, of all men the biggest and strongest. He was king in Svíþjóð at the same time as Magnús was in Norway. King Magnús claimed these had been the boundaries of the countries in ancient times, that the Gautelfr had been the frontier between the realms of the king of the Svíar and the king of Norway, and after that Lake Væni as far as Vermaland. King Magnús reckoned he had all the area that was west of Lake Væni, that is Sunndalr and Norðdalr, Véar and Varðynjar and all of Markir that belong to them. But these had now for a long time been subject to the power of the king of the Svíar and the taxes had belonged to Vestra-Gautland, but the people of Markir wanted to carry on being subject to the king of the Svíar. King Magnús rode out of the Vík and up into Gautland and took a large and splendid troop with him, and when he got to the frontier area he laid waste and burnt, travelling thus through all the areas. People submitted to him and made over the lands to him by oath. But when he got up to Lake Væni, it was getting to the end of autumn. Then they went out onto Kvalðinsey and built a fortification there of turf and timber and dug a ditch round it. So when this stronghold was built, then food and other provisions that were necessary were conveyed into it. The king put into it three hundred men, and the commanders over them were Finnr Skoptason and Sigurðr ullstrengr, and they had the finest troops, and the king then went back out to the Vík.
So when the king of the Svíar heard about this, then he called troops together, and the word went round that he would be riding down, but this was delayed. Then Norwegians composed this:
Overlong delays Ingi, arse broad, his descending.
But when Lake Væni was frozen over, then King Ingi rode down, taking nearly thirty hundred men. He sent word to the Norwegians that were occupying the stronghold, telling them to be off with the goods they had and go back to Norway. So when the messengers brought the king’s words, then Sigurðr ullstrengr replied saying that King Ingi would achieve something other than driving them away like a herd to the pasture, and said he would need to come closer first. The messengers took back these words to the king. After that King Ingi went out to the island with his whole army. Then he a second time sent men to the Norwegians telling them to be off and take their weapons, clothing and horses, but leave behind all their plunder. They refused this. So after this they launched an attack and shot at each other. Then the king had stones and timber brought up and the ditch filled. Then he had anchors and cables with long poles got and lifted up onto the timber wall. Many men went up and dragged the wall apart. Then great fires were made and flaming brands were shot at them. Then the Norwegians asked for quarter, but the king told them to come out without weapons and without coats, and when they went out, then each of them was struck a blow with a rod. They went away thus and back home to Norway, and then the people of Markir all returned back to allegiance to King Ingi. Sigurðr and his companions went to see King Magnús and told him of their disaster.
Straight away in the spring when the ice melted, King Magnús went with a large troop east to the Elfr and made his way up along the eastern branch and laid waste all the realm of the king of the Svíar. And when he got up to Foxerni, then they went up ashore from the ships, and when they got across a certain river which flows there, then there came to meet them the army of Gautar, and a battle took place there, and the Norwegians were overpowered and resorted to flight, and a large number were killed near a waterfall. King Magnús fled and the Gautar followed them and slew as many as they could. King Magnús was easily recognised, the biggest of men, he had a red jacket over his mailcoat, his hair like pale silk and it fell down onto his shoulders. Ǫgmundr Skoptason was riding on one side of the king. He was also a very large and handsome man. He said: ‘Give me your jacket, king!’ The king replied: ‘What do you want the jacket for?’ ‘I want to have it,’ he said. ‘You have given me greater gifts.’ The lie of the land there was such that there was open level ground all around, and one could see now everywhere Gautar and Norwegians, then there were more stony slopes and brushwood and then there was dead ground. Then the king gave Ǫgmundr his jacket and he put it on. After that they rode on over the open ground. Then Ǫgmundr turned abruptly aside with his men, and when the Gautr saw that, then they thought it was the king and all rode that way after him. Then the king rode on his way to his ship, and Ǫgmundr drew away with difficulty and yet reached the ship unharmed. After that King Magnús made his way down along the river and so north into the Vík.
The following summer a conference of kings was arranged by Konungahella on the Elfr, and King Magnús of Norway and King Ingi of the Svíar, King Eiríkr Sveinsson of the Danes attended it, and this conference was secured by a truce. So when the meeting was in session, then the kings went out in front of everyone else on the open ground and they spoke together for a short while, then went back to their followers, and thus the peace terms were concluded. Each of them was to have the area of rule that their fathers had had previously, and each of the kings was to compensate the people of their country for the plundering and loss of life, and each of them afterwards was to make it commensurate with what the other had given. King Magnús was to marry King Ingi’s daughter Margrét. She was afterwards known as friðkolla ‘Peace-Girl’. People said that more princely-looking men than they all were had never been seen. King Ingi was biggest of all and most mightily framed, and he seemed most like a nobleman, but King Magnús seemed most imposing and most lively, while King Eiríkr was handsomest of all. But they were all fine, big men and noble-looking and eloquent. And thus they parted.
King Magnús married Queen Margrét. She was sent from the east from Svíþjóð to Norway, and she was provided with a splendid escort. But King Magnús had previously had some children that are named: a son of his was called Eysteinn, and his mother was of low rank. A second was called Sigurðr, and he was a winter younger. His mother was called Þóra. The third was called Óláfr, and he was by far the youngest. His mother was Sigríðr, daughter of Saxi in Vík, a noble person in Þrándheimr. She was the king’s mistress. People say that when King Magnús returned from raiding in the west, that he to a large extent adopted the customs and clothing fashions that were usual in the British Isles, as did many of his men. They went round the streets with bare legs and had short coats and then cloaks. So people called him Magnús berfœttr or berbeinn. Some called him Magnús hávi, and some Styrjaldar-Magnús. He was the tallest of men. There was a mark made for his height in Máríukirkja in Kaupangr, a church that King Haraldr had had built. There on the north doorway three crosses were chiselled in the stone wall, one Haraldr’s height, one Óláfr’s height, the third Magnús’s height; and these indicated where each of them found it easiest to kiss, the highest Haraldr’s cross, the lowest Magnús’s cross and Óláfr’s mark equidistant from the two.
Skopti Ǫgmundarson had a quarrel with King Magnús, and they were disputing about a certain inheritance; Skopti was holding it, but the king was claiming it with such great vehemence that it almost amounted to a threat. Then many meetings were held, and Skopti advised that he and his sons should never all at once be at the king’s mercy, saying that until then all would be fine. When Skopti was in the king’s presence, he put forward the argument that there was close relationship between him and the king, and this too, that Skopti had always been a close friend of the king and their friendship had never failed, saying this, that people could be certain of this, that he was gifted with such intelligence ‘that I,’ he says, ‘would not persist in a dispute with you, king, if I was in the wrong. And in this I take after my forebears, that I shall maintain my rights in the face of any person, and I will not make any distinction between one person and another in this.’ The king was the same, and his mood was not softened by such speeches. Skopti returned home.
After that Finnr went to see the king and spoke with him and asked the king for this, that he should let him and his father get justice in this matter. The king replied angrily and abruptly. Then Finnr spoke: ‘I expected something else from you, king, than that you would deprive me of my legal rights after I went to stay on Kvalðinsey which few of your other friends were willing to do, saying, as was true, that those that occupied it were being handed over and doomed to death, if King Ingi had not shown us more generosity than you had treated us with, and even so it will have seemed to many that we left there with dishonour, if that means anything.’ The king’s mood did not change with these words, and Finnr went home.
Then Ǫgmundr Skoptason went to see the king, and when he came into the king’s presence, he stated his purpose and asked the king to treat the family justly. The king maintained that what he had spoken was just, and they were remarkably impudent. Then spoke Ǫgmundr: ‘You will be able to act in this way, treating us wrongfully, because of your power. In this it will be shown to be true, as they say, that most whose life have been saved give little or no reward. I will add this to what I have said, that never again shall I enter your service, nor any of our family, if I have my way.’ After that Ǫgmundr went home, and he and King Magnús never saw each other afterwards.
In the following spring Skopti Ǫgmundarson sets out away out of the country. He had five longships and all of them well fitted out. His sons Ǫgmundr and Finnr and Þórðr joined him on this journey. They were rather late getting ready, sailed in the autumn to Flæmingjaland and stayed there for the winter. Early in the spring they sailed west to Valland and in the summer they sailed out through Nǫrvasund and in the autumn to the City of Rome. There Skopti died. The whole family died on this journey. Þórðr lived longest of them. He died in Sicily. People say that Skopti was the first of the Norwegians to sail through Nǫrvasund and that journey became most famous. 
An event took place in Kaupangr, where King Óláfr lies, that a house in the town caught fire and the fire spread. Then King Óláfr’s shrine was carried out of the church and placed facing the fire. After that a reckless and foolish man leapt up and banged on the shrine and spoke threateningly at the blessed man, saying this, that everything was now going to burn up unless he saved them by his prayers, both the church and other buildings. Now almighty God caused the burning of the church to be prevented, but to the foolish man he sent a pain in the eyes immediately the following night, and he lay there right on until the blessed King Óláfr prayed to almighty God for mercy for him, and he was cured in the selfsame church.
Another event took place in Kaupangr, that a woman was conveyed to the foundation there in which King Óláfr lies. She was so misshapen that she was all curled up so that both feet lay bent up by her thighs, and since she was all the time in prayer and had prayed to him with tears, then he cured her from that great affliction, so that feet and legs and other limbs were straightened from their curving, and afterwards every joint and limb served its correct purpose. Previously she was not able to crawl there, but afterwards she walked sound and joyful to her home.
King Magnús set out on a journey abroad and took a great army. He had now been king over Norway for nine winters. Now he went west across the sea and had the finest troops that were available in Norway. All the men of the ruling class that were in the country went with him, Sigurðr Hranason, Víðkunnr Jóansson, Dagr Eilífsson, Serkr from Sogn, the king’s marshal Eyvindr ǫlbogi, Sigurðr’s brother Úlfr Hranason and many others of the ruling class. The king went with all this troop west to Orkney, and took with him from there Jarl Erlendr’s sons Magnús and Erlingr. Then he sailed to the Suðreyjar, and while he was lying off Scotland, then Magnús Erlendsson leapt from the king’s ship during the night and swam ashore, went after that up into the forest and turned up at the court of the king of the Scots. King Magnús took his troop to Ireland and made raids there. Then King Mýrjartak came to join him, and they defeated much of the country, Dublin and the county of Dublin, and King Magnús stayed during the winter up in Kunnaktir with King Mýrjartak, but set his men to guard the land where he had conquered it. And when spring came, the kings went with their army west into Ulster and fought many battles there and defeated the land and had defeated the greater part of Ulster. Then Mýrjartak went back to Kunnaktir.
King Magnús then prepared his ships and was planning to sail east to Norway. He set his men in Dublin to guard it. He was lying off Ulster with all his troops and they were ready to sail. They felt they needed animals at the coast for slaughter, and King Magnús sent some of his men to King Mýrjartak asking him to send him animals for slaughter, and named a day for them to come, the next before Bartholomeusmass if the messengers were unharmed. But on the eve of the feast day they were not come. So on the feast day, when the sun rose, King Magnús went ashore with the greater part of his troop and went inland from the ships, wanting to search for his men and cattle. The weather was still and sunny. The way led over bogs and fens and there were logs cut across there, but scrub on both sides. When they pressed on, they were faced by a very high rise in the ground. From it they could see a long way all round. They saw a great cloud of dust from horses up inland, then discussed among themselves whether it would be an army of Irish, but some said that it must be their men with the cattle for slaughter. They called a halt there. Then said Eyvindr ǫlbogi: ‘King,’ he says, ‘what is your opinion about that group travelling there? People think you are going on incautiously. You know that the Irish are treacherous. Work out some plan now for your troop.’ Then the king spoke: ‘Let us now draw up our troops and be prepared in case this is a trap.’ Then they were drawn up. The king and Eyvindr stepped out in front of the battle line. King Magnús had a helmet on his head and a red shield with a lion depicted on it in gold, was girded with a sword that was called Leggbítr, with the fittings on the hilt of walrus ivory and the haft wrapped in gold, a very fine weapon. He had a halberd in his hand. He was wearing a red silk jacket over his tunic with lions cut out in yellow silk on the front and back. And people said that there had not been seen a more imposing or gallant-looking person. Eyvindr also had a red silk jacket of the same style as the king’s. He was also a big man and handsome and most warrior-like. 
But when the cloud of dust came closer, then they recognised their men, and they were travelling with a large herd of cattle for slaughter that the king of the Irish had sent them, and he had kept all his promises to King Magnús. After that they turned back out to the ships, and it was then about the period of midday. But when they got out onto the bogs the going was slow for them over the fens. Then an army of Irish rushed forward from every forest edge and immediately engaged in battle, but the Norwegians were in scattered order and many soon fell. Then spoke Eyvindr: ‘King,’ he says, ‘Our troops are faring unfortunately. Let us now quickly adopt a good plan.’ The king spoke: ‘Blow a war trumpet to call all the troops under the standards, but the troop that is here, let it set up a shield wall, and after that let us go away in retreat out across the bogs. After that it will not matter, when we get to the level ground.’ The Irish were shooting boldly, and yet they were falling in very large numbers, but always another man took over every man’s place. And when the king got to the lowest ditch—it was there very hard going and in few places possible to get across—the Norwegians were falling in large numbers. Then the king called to his landed man Þorgrímr skinnhúfa - he was an Upplander—and told him to go across the ditch with his company. ‘And we shall hold the defence meanwhile,’ he says, ‘so that you will not be hurt. Go afterwards to that knoll that is over here, and shoot at them while we get over the ditch. You are good bowmen.’ But when Þorgrímr and his men got over the ditch they threw their shields over their backs and ran down to the ships. So when the king saw that, he spoke: ‘You are deserting your king in an unmanly way. It was unwise of me to make you a landed man, and to make Sigurðr hundr an outlaw. He would never have behaved so.’ King Magnús got a wound, a halberd was stabbed through both thighs above the knee. He grasped the shaft between his legs and broke off the shank and spoke: ‘Thus we break every foreleg, boys.’
King Magnús was struck in the neck by a battleaxe, and that was his death-wound. Then those that remained fled. Víðkunnr Jóansson took the sword Leggbítr and the king’s standard to the ships. Those that ran last were he, secondly Sigurðr Hranason, thirdly Dagr Eilífsson. Eyvindr ǫlbogi, Úlfr Hranason and many other men of rank fell there with King Magnús. Many of the Norwegians fell, but yet very many more of the Irish. And those Norwegians that got away went off immediately in the autumn. Jarl Erlendr’s son Erlingr fell in Ireland with King Magnús. And when the troops that had fled from Ireland got to Orkney and Sigurðr heard of his father King Magnús’s fall, then he immediately joined them on their journey, and they travelled in the autumn east to Norway.
King Magnús was over Norway ten winters, and in his time there was satisfactory peace within the country, but people had a hard and costly time with the expeditions. King Magnús was most popular with his men, but to the farmers he seemed harsh. People report words of his, when his friends would say that he often went on incautiously when he was raiding abroad, he would say this: ‘A king should be had for fame and not for long life.’ King Magnús was nearly thirty years of age when he fell. In the battle Víðkunnr slew the man that had caused the death of King Magnús. Then Víðkunnr fled, and had received three wounds. And for these reasons King Magnús’s sons admitted him to the closest friendship.

Magnússona saga

After the fall of King Magnús berfœttr his sons took over the kingdom in Norway: Eysteinn, Sigurðr, Óláfr. Eysteinn had the more northerly part of the country, and Sigurðr the more southerly. King Óláfr was now four winters old or five. So the third of the country that was his, they both had in their keeping. Sigurðr was accepted as king when he was thirteen winters old or fourteen, but Eysteinn was a winter older. King Sigurðr left the King of the Irish’s daughter behind across the sea to the west. When Magnús’s sons were accepted as kings, there came back from Jórsalaheimr and in some cases from Mikligarðr the men that had travelled out with Skopti Ǫgmundarson, and they were most famous and were able to tell about all kinds of events, and because of this news a large number of people in Norway became keen to undertake that journey. It was said that in Mikligarðr, Norwegians who were willing to become mercenaries received great wealth. They asked the kings that one or other of them, Eysteinn or Sigurðr, should go and be the leader of this party that was undertaking the journey. So the kings agreed to this and made preparations for the journey at the expense of both of them. Many of the ruling class, both landed men and powerful landowners, resolved upon this journey. So when preparations had been made for the journey, then it was decided that Sigurðr should go, and Eysteinn should have the rule over the land on behalf of both of them.
One winter or two after the fall of Magnús berfœttr there came from the west from Orkney Jarl Páll’s son Hákon, and the kings gave him a jarldom and government in Orkney, the same as jarls had had before him, his father Páll and his uncle Erlendr. Hákon travelled west to Orkney. 
Four winters after King Magnús’s fall, King Sigurðr left Norway with his party. He now had sixty ships. So says Þórarinn stuttfeldr : 
So large and fine a force assembled of the most wise leader beloved of the king, that sixty ships slid hence over sea, fine-planked, governed by pure God’s decrees. 
In the autumn King Sigurðr sailed to England. Now Viljálmr Bastard’s son Heinrekr was king there. King Sigurðr stayed there for the winter. So says Einarr Skúlason:
The leader went, unwearied, west with the largest of forces. To English soil under the ruler the ocean’s steed waded. The prince let, pleased with battle, the prows rest, and stayed there winter-long. No better leader alights from a Valr of Vimur.
The following spring King Sigurðr went west to Valland with his party and turned up in the autumn out in Galizuland and stayed there the second winter. So says Einarr Skúlason: 
And he who highest power had got under the sun’s mansion, the nation’s king, his soul nourished the next winter in Jacob’s land. There, I heard, the prince of the people paid the fine jarl for cheating speech; the black swan of battle the bold-spirited king gladdened. 
Now these were the circumstances with this event, that the jarl that was ruling over that country there made an agreement with King Sigurðr, and the jarl was to have a market set up for Sigurðr for the purchase of food the whole winter. But it lasted no longer than until Yule, and then it became difficult to get hold of food, for the country is barren and a poor country for food. Then King Sigurðr took a large troop to the castle that the jarl owned and the jarl fled away, as he had few troops. From there King Sigurðr took much food and a great deal of other plunder and had it conveyed to his ships, after that setting off and travelling west past Spain. As King Sigurðr was sailing past Spain, it happened that some pirates that were going about after booty came towards him with a host of galleys, so King Sigurðr joined battle with them and so they began their first battle with heathens, winning from them eight galleys. So says Halldórr skvaldri :
And pirates went, worthless— war-gods of the roof of Fjǫlnir the prince piled up—to encounter the powerful ruler. Eight galleys the army emptied. True to the people, the warriors’ friend, where fell no few troops, gained booty.
After that King Sigurðr made for the castle that is called Sintré, and fought a second battle there. This is in Spain. It was occupied by heathen people making raids on Christians. He won the castle and killed all the people there, as they were unwilling to have themselves be made Christian, and took much wealth there. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
Mighty deeds of the monarch I must tell, that happened in Spain; Ván’s daylight’s slinger assaulted Sintré proudly. Opposing the stern prince proved, for warriors, rather fearsome, but they flatly refused God’s law, offered to them.
After that King Sigurðr took his party to Lisbon. This is a great city in Spain, and half Christian and half heathen. There is the dividing line between Christian Spain and heathen Spain. All the areas that lie to the west of there are heathen. There King Sigurðr fought his third battle with heathens and was victorious, winning much wealth there. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
South near the city, daring descendant of a ruler, they call Lisbon, when you landed, you won the third victory. 
Then King Sigurðr took his party west past heathen Spain and sailed to the city that is called Alkasse, and there fought his fourth battle with heathens and won the city, killing many people there so that he caused the city to be deserted. There they won an enormous amount of wealth. So says Halldórr skvaldri: 
I heard you were eager out at so-called Alkasse for the fourth time fiercely to fight, war-advancer.
And also this: 
I heard it was enacted in one sacked town, to a heathen— folk found it best to hasten into flight—woman’s sorrow. 
Then King Sigurðr continued his journey and made for Nǫrvasund, but in the straits he was faced by a large army of pirates, and the king joined battle with them and fought there his fifth battle and was victorious. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
Edge of swords you ventured east of Nǫrvasund to redden. To fresh wounds—God favoured you—flew the gull of carrion.
After that King Sigurðr sailed his army on along the southerly coast by Serkland and came to the island that is called Formentera. At that time there had established themselves there a great army of heathen blacks in a certain cave, and they had set up a stone wall in front of the cave entrance. They made raids widely over the country and conveyed all the booty to the cave. King Sigurðr made a foray up onto the island and went to the cave, and it was in a certain cliff, and it was a long way to go up into the cave to the stone wall, and the cliff jutted out forwards above the stone wall. The heathens defended the stone wall and were not afraid of the Norwegians’ weapons, but they were able to get stones and missiles down below their feet onto the Norwegians from above. The Norwegians also did not attempt the ascent as things were. Then the pirates took fine silk clothes and other costly items and carried them out onto the wall and shook them at the Norwegians and shouted at them and egged them on and taunted them for lack of courage. Then King Sigurðr made himself a plan. He had two ships’ boats taken, those that are called barkar, and hauled up onto the cliff above the entrance to the cave and poles with thick cables all the way beneath the ribs and round the stems. After that as many men as there was space for got in, then they let the boats down in front of the cave by ropes. Those that were in the boats shot and threw stones so that the heathens retreated from the stone wall. Then King Sigurðr went up into the cliff with his army under the stone wall and broke down the wall and so got up into the cave, so the heathens fled in past the stone wall that was built across the cave. Then the king had large timbers brought into the cave and a great bonfire heaped up in the entrance to the cave and set alight. And the heathens, when the fire and smoke overcame them, then some lost their lives, some went onto the Norwegians’ weapons, but all the people were killed or burnt. There the Norwegians got the greatest amount of booty that they had taken on this expedition. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
Formentera before the war-keen peace-disturber’s prow appeared. There blades and fire the black men’s troop must endure, till death they received. 
And also this: 
From above, battle-strengthener, boats you had lowered—the prince’s feats on Serkir become famous— before the ogress’s short cut. And up the cliff to the crowded cavern you pressed forward with your company, keen on battle, clash-Þróttr of Gǫndul’s meeting. 
Again Þórarinn stuttfeldr says:
The king, battle-skilled, bade men drag onto the cliff breeze-wolves, dark black, two, when strong beasts of ship-rails sank down on cables, bringing the company, before the cave’s opening.
Then King Sigurðr went forward on his way and came to the island that is called Íviza, and there fought a battle and was victorious. This was his seventh. So says Halldórr skvaldri: 
The death-wheel marker moved, much glorified, his ship-fleet— keen for fame was peace-fracturing’s forwarder—to Íviza. 
After that King Sigurðr came to the island that is called Manork, and there fought his eighth battle with heathens and was victorious. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
And once more the eighth arrow-storm was wakened on green Manork; the monarch’s men reddened the Lapp’s payment. 
In the spring King Sigurðr came to Sicily and stayed there a long time. Duke Roðgeirr was there at this time. He welcomed the king and invited him to a banquet. King Sigurðr came to it and a large troop with him. There was splendid entertainment there, and every day at the banquet Duke Roðgeirr stood and served at King Sigurðr’s table. And the seventh day of the banquet, when people had taken a wash, then King Sigurðr took the duke by the hand and led him up into a high seat and gave him the title of king and the right of being king over the realm of Sicily, for previously jarls had been there over that realm. 
King Roðgeirr of Sicily was a most powerful king. He defeated the whole of Púll and made it subject to himself, and many great islands in Griklandshaf. He was known as Roðeirr ríki. His son was King Viljálmr in Sicily, who for a long time conducted a great war with the emperor of Mikligarðr. King Viljálmr had three daughters, but no son. He gave one of his daughters in marriage to Emperor Frírekr’s son Emperor Heinrekr, and their son was Frírekr who was now emperor in the City of Rome. King Viljálmr’s second daughter was married to the Duke of Kapr, the third was married to Margrít yfirkussari. Emperor Heinrekr slew both these men. King Rodgeirr of Sicily’s daughter was married to Emperor Mánúli in Mikligarðr. Their son was Emperor Kirjalax.
In the summer King Sigurðr sailed out across Griklandshaf to Jórsalaland, after that went up to Jórsalaborg and there met King Baldvini of Jórsalir. King Baldvini welcomed King Sigurðr exceedingly warmly and rode with him out to the River Jórðán and back to Jórsalaborg. So says Einarr Skúlason: 
The lord set the hull sailing, sea-cold—the poet’s praise of the mighty king’s munificence is many-sided—in Gríksalt, until by extra broad Akrsborg the injurer of wealth his vessel moored; all men awaited a morn of joy with the leader. 
I tell how the king travelled to the town of Jórsalir, strife-glad; men know no lord nobler beneath the wind’s wide dwelling. And the foe of hawks’ land flame— famous was that action— was able to wash in the pure water of Jórðán, valiant.
King Sigurðr stayed a very long time in Jórsalaland in the autumn and the first part of winter. 
King Baldvini gave a fine banquet to King Sigurðr and a great troop of his men with him. Then King Baldvini gave King Sigurðr many holy relics, and now a piece of the Holy Cross was taken with the consent of King Baldvini and the Patriarch, and they both swore on a holy relic that this piece of wood was from the Holy Cross that God himself was tormented on. After that this holy relic was given to King Sigurðr, on condition that he and twelve other men with him first swore that he would promote Christianity with all his might and establish in his country an archbishop’s see, if he could, and that the cross should be kept there where the blessed King Óláfr lay, and that he should introduce tithes and pay them himself. King Sigurðr went after this to his ships in Akrsborg. Now King Baldvini also got his army ready to go to Sýrland to the city that is called Sæt. This city was heathen. King Sigurðr joined him on this expedition. And when the kings had been surrounding this city for a short while, the heathens gave themselves up, and the kings won the city for themelves, and the troops had the rest of the plunder. King Sigurðr let King Baldvini have the whole city. So says Halldórr skvaldri:
You seized the heathen city, sater of the wound-bitch, with force—each fight nobly fought—but yielded it kindly. 
Here Einarr Skúlason also tells of this: 
Dœlir’s king captured—the warrior recalls it—Sætt, I heard; death-slings started wildly swinging in Hrist’s tempest. The strife-hawk’s mouth-stainer, strong, breached the harmful fort; fair swords were reddened; and the fast king could hail victory. 
After this King Sigurðr went to his ships and prepared to leave Jórsalaland. They sailed north to the island that is called Kípr, and King Sigurðr stayed there a certain time, going after that to Grikland, and sailed his whole troop out off Engilsnes and lay there a fortnight, and every day there was a fresh fair wind north across the sea, but he wanted to wait for a wind that would be a cross wind and the sails could be set longways down the ship, for all his sails had fine silk cloths stitched on them, both the side that faced forwards and that which faced back, since both those in the bows and those that were aft did not want to have to look at the less beautiful side of the sails.
When King Sigurðr sailed in to Mikligarðr, he sailed close to the shore. There are everywhere there up on the shore cities and castles and villages in an unbroken line. Then could be seen from the shore into the inner sides of all the sails, and there was no space between them just as if it was a fence. All the people were standing outside that could see King Sigurðr sailing by. Emperor Kirjalax had also heard about King Sigurðr’s journey, and he had the city gate in Mikligarðr that is called Gullvarta opened. The emperor must ride in through that gate when he has been a long time previously away from Mikligarðr and has had successful victories. Then the emperor had silk cloths spread over all the streets of the city from Gullvarta and up to Laktjarnir. There the most splendid imperial palaces are. King Sigurðr spoke with his men, saying that they were to ride proudly into the city and not to seem impressed by all the new sights they saw, and they did this. King Sigurðr and all his men rode into Mikligarðr with this kind of pomp and on to the most splendid palace, and there everything was prepared for them. King Sigurðr stayed here for some time. Then King Kirjalax sent men to him to see whether he wished to accept six pounds of ship’s cargo of gold, or would rather that the king made arrangements for the games that the emperor was accustomed to have performed in the Hippodrome. King Sigurðr chose the games, and the messengers said that the games cost the emperor no less than that amount of gold. Then the king made arrangements for the games, and the games were performed in the usual way, and all the games went better for the king that time. Half the games are the queen’s, and their men compete in all the games. And the Greeks say that when the king wins more games than the queen in the Hippodrome, then the king will be victorious if he goes on a warlike expedition.
After that King Sigurðr prepared for his journey home. He gave the emperor all his ships, and gold-ornamented figureheads were on the ship that the king had commanded. They were placed in Pétrskirkja. Emperor Kirjalax gave King Sigurðr many horses and provided him with a guide all the way across his realm. Then King Sigurðr left Mikligarðr, but a large number of men stayed behind and became mercenaries. King Sigurðr returned from abroad going first to Bolgaraland and then through Ungaraland and through Pannonia and through Sváfa and Býjaraland. There he met Emperor Lozarius of the City of Rome, and he welcomed him exceedingly warmly, providing him with a guide all the way across his realm and had a market held for them for all the purchases that they needed. And when King Sigurðr got to Slésvík in Denmark, then Jarl Eilífr gave him a splendid banquet. It was about the time of midsummer. In Heiðabýr he met King Níkolás of the Danes, and he welcomed him extremely warmly and himself accompanied him north to Jótland and gave him a ship with all its fittings that he had in Norway. Then King Sigurðr went home to his kingdom, and he was warmly welcomed, and people said that no more honourable journey has been made out of Norway than this one was, and he was now twenty years of age. He had been three years on this journey. His brother Óláfr was now twelve winters old.
King Eysteinn had done a great deal in the country that was beneficial while King Sigurðr was on his journey. He started the Monastery in Bjǫrgyn on Norðnes and spent a lot of money on it. He had Mikjálskirkja built there, a most magnificent stone minster. He also had built in the royal palace grounds Postolakirkja, a timber church. He also had built there the great palace, which is the most magnificent timber building that has been built in Norway. He also had a church built on Agðanes and a fortress and harbour where before there was no place to land. He also had Níkoláskirkja built in Niðaróss in the royal palace grounds, and that building was very elaborately finished with carvings and all kinds of craftsmanship. He also had a church built at Vágar in Hálogaland and provided it with an income for its maintenance.
King Eysteinn sent word to Jamtaland to the wisest and greatest people, inviting them to visit him, and he welcomed all who came with much warmth and sent them on their way with friendly gifts, thus drawing them into friendship with him. And since many of them became accustomed to going to him and accepted his gifts, while some sent him gifts who did not visit him, so he got himself on completely friendly terms with all the people that were in authority in the land. After that he spoke before them, saying the Jamtr had behaved badly when they had turned away from the kings of Norway in their fealty and paying of taxes, going over the story of how the Jamtr had gone under the sway of King Hákon Aðalsteinsfóstri and after that been for a long time under the kings of Norway, going also into how many benefits they could receive from Norway and how much trouble it must be for them to have to go to the king of the Svíar for anything they wanted. And he so managed his speech that the Jamtr themselves suggested to him and asked him if they might switch to fealty to King Eysteinn, and claimed that this was what they both needed and must have. Their friendship became so close that the Jamtr handed over all their land to the rule of King Eysteinn. In order to achieve this, the men of the ruling class there took oaths of loyalty from all the people, after that going to King Eysteinn and swearing the land to him, and this has remained valid ever since. King Eysteinn won Jamtaland by the use of reason, and not by making attacks like some of his predecessors.
King Eysteinn was a man most handsome in looks, blue-eyed and rather wideeyed, fair-haired and curly-haired, a man not taller than average, of great good sense, well-informed about everything, law and history and genealogy, wise in advice and sensible in speech and very well-spoken, the most cheerful of men and most humble, attractive to and popular with all the common people. He was married to Guthormr Steigar-Þórir’s daughter Ingibjǫrg. Their daughter was called Maria, who was later married to Guðbrandr Skafhǫggsson. 
King Sigurðr was a man of large build and brown-haired, imposing in appearance, not handsome, with a well-formed body, brisk in movements, reticent and not generally sociable, kind to his friends and steadfast in mind, not a great talker, of virtuous life and noble-minded. King Sigurðr was a firm ruler and stern in punishment, kept the laws well, generous with wealth, powerful and splendid. King Óláfr was a tall and slender person, handsome in looks, cheerful and humble, popular. When the brothers were kings in Norway, they abolished many taxes that the Danes had imposed on the people while Sveinn Álfífuson was ruling the land, and as a result they became extremely popular with the common people and the men of rank. 
King Óláfr caught a sickness that led to his death, and he is buried at Christchurch in Niðaróss, and he was greatly mourned. After that the two kings Eysteinn and Sigurðr ruled the land, but previously the three brothers had been kings for twelve winters, five since Sigurðr came back to the country and seven before. King Óláfr was seventeen winters old when he died, and that was the eleventh of the calends of January. When King Eysteinn had been one winter in the east of the country, and Sigurðr was in the north, then King Eysteinn remained for a large part of the winter in Sarpsborg.
There was a powerful landowner called Óláfr in the Dale, a wealthy man. He lived at Aumorð in Dalr mikli. He had two children. His son was called Hákon faukr, and his daughter Borghildr. She was the fairest of women and a sensible person and very knowledgeable. Óláfr and his children were for a large part of the winter in Borg, and Borghildr was always in talk with the king, and there were different opinions among people about their friendship. Now the following summer King Eysteinn travelled to the north of the country, while Sigurðr travelled to the east, and the next winter after that King Sigurðr remained in the east of the country. He stayed for a long time in Konungahella and extended that market town greatly. He built a great fortification there and had a great ditch dug round it. It was built of turf and stone. He had buildings erected inside the fortress. He had a church built there. He let the Holy Cross stay in Konungahella and in doing so did not keep to his oaths that he had sworn in Jórsalaland, but he promoted tithes and almost everything else that he had sworn. But in placing the Cross east by the frontier, he imagined that it would be a safeguard to the whole land, but it turned out to be most ill-advised to place that holy relic so much under the power of heathens, as it proved later. Borghildr Óláfsdóttir heard the rumour wherein people slandered her and King Eysteinn about their talk and friendship. So she went to Borg and undertook a fast before an ordeal of carrying hot iron and carried the iron to clear her from this slander and was proved innocent. And when King Sigurðr heard about this, then he rode in one day a distance equivalent to two long days’ travel, and turned up in Dalr at Óláfr’s, and stayed there the night. Then he took Borghildr as his mistress and carried her away with him. Their son was Magnús. He was soon sent away for fostering north to Bjarkey in Hálogaland to Víðkunnr Jóansson, and he was brought up there. Magnús was the handsomest of all men and matured early in stature and strength. 
King Sigurðr married Málmfríðr, daughter of King Haraldr Valdamarsson from the east from Hólmgarðr. King Haraldr’s mother was King Haraldr Guðinason of the English’s daughter Queen Gyða gamla. Málmfríðr’s mother was King Ingi Steinkelsson of the Svíar’s daughter Kristín. Málmfríðr’s sister was Ingilborg, who was married to Knútr lávarðr, son of King Eiríkr góði of the Danes, son of Sveinn Úlfsson. Knútr and Ingilborg’s children were Valdamarr, who took over the kingdom in Denmark after Sveinn Eiríksson, Margrét, Kristín and Katrín. Margrét was married to Stígr hvítaleðr. Their daughter was Kristín, who was married to King Karl Sørkvisson of the Svíar. Their son was King Sørkvir.
King Eysteinn and King Sigurðr were one winter both being entertained at a banquet in Upplǫnd, and each of them was staying at a different place. And since there was only a short distance between the residences where the kings were to receive their banquets, then people adopted this plan, that they should be both together at the banquets, alternately at the residences of each. First of all they were both together at the residence that belonged to Eysteinn. And in the evening when people began to drink, then the beer was not good, and people were silent. Then King Eysteinn spoke: 
‘But people are silent. That is a better custom with ale, that people should provide themselves with some amusement. Let us get ourselves some ale-cheer. Then people’s fun will start up again. Brother Sigurðr, that will by everyone be thought most suitable that we engage in some entertaining conversation.’ King Sigurðr replies rather curtly: ‘You be as expansive as you want, but let me be allowed to be silent before you.’ Then spoke King Eysteinn: ‘This ale custom has often been indulged in, for people to choose their equals to compare themselves with. I wish that to be done here.’ Then King Sigurðr said nothing. ‘I see,’ says King Eysteinn, ‘that I am going to have to start this entertainment. I will choose you, brother, to compare myself to. I adduce this, that we have equal titles and equal possessions. I can see no difference in our descent or upbringing.’ Then King Sigurðr replies: ‘Do you not remember how I was able to force you over backwards, if I wished, and you were a winter older?’ Then King Eysteinn replies: ‘I remember it no less clearly, how you were unable to take part in any sport that required agility.’ Then King Sigurðr spoke: ‘Do you remember how it went with our swimming? I was able to duck you if I wished.’ King Eysteinn says: ‘I could swim no less far than you, and I was no worse at swimming under water. And I was able to go on ice-skates so well that I knew no one that could compete with me at it, but you could not do it any better than an ox.’ King Sigurðr says: ‘I think it a nobler and more useful accomplishment to be well skilled with a bow. I believe you will not be able to get any use from my bow even if you use your feet to bend it.’ King Eysteinn replies: ‘I am not as strong with a bow as you, but there is less difference between us in marksmanship, and I am much more skilled on skis than you, and that has always before been said to be a fine accomplishment.’ King Sigurðr says: ‘In this there seems to be a great difference, that it is more princely that one that is going to be a superior over others should stand out in a crowd, be strong and a better fighter than others, and conspicuous and easily recognised when there are most people around.’ King Eysteinn says: ‘It is a no less distinguishing feature for a man to be handsome, and he will also be easily recognised in a crowd. That also seems to me princely, for the finest outfit suits handsomeness. I am also much better acquainted with the law than you, and also, whatever we have to talk about, I am a much more fluent speaker.’
King Sigurðr replies: ‘It may be that you have learned more legal tricks, for at that time I had other things to occupy me. And while no one questions your fluency, yet many also say that you are not too reliable in what you say, and little notice can be taken of what promises you make, you speak to please those that are present at the time, and that is not kinglike.’ King Eysteinn replies: ‘The reason for this is that when people bring their suits before me, then I am concerned first to conclude everyone’s business in a way that will please them best. Then there often comes another that has a suit against him, and then it is often necessary to make adjustments to reach a compromise so that both will be pleased. It also often happens that I promise something that someone asks, because I would like everyone to go from his audience with me happy. The alternative I can see, if I wished to follow it, is what you do, to promise everyone something unpleasant, and I never hear anyone complaining of your failure to fulfil those promises.’ King Sigurðr says: ‘People have said that the journey that I took abroad was pretty princely, but you sat at home in the mean time like your father’s daughter.’ King Eysteinn replies: ‘Now you have touched on a sore spot. I would not have started this conversation if I had had no answer to give to this. I think it more to the point that I fitted you out as I would my sister before you were ready to set out on your journey.’ King Sigurðr says: ‘You must have heard that I fought very many battles in Serkland that you must have heard tell about, and that I won the victory in all of them and many kinds of treasure such that none like them have ever come into this country. I was considered the more highly where I met the noblest people, but I think you have not yet ceased to be a stay-at-home.’ King Eysteinn replies: ‘I have heard that you fought some battles abroad, but of more benefit to our country was what I did meanwhile. I built five churches from their foundations, and I built a harbour by Agðanes where before there was no place to land, it being on the route for everyone travelling north or south along the coast. I also built the tower in Sinhólmssund and the hall in Bjǫrgyn, while you were chopping up blacks for the devil in Serkland. I guess that was of little benefit to our kingdom.’ King Sigurðr says: ‘The furthest away I travelled on that journey was to the Jórðán, and I swam across the river. And out on the bank there is a sort of thicket. And in the foliage there I tied a knot, and I laid this spell on it, that you were to untie it, brother, or else be the subject of the curse that is attached to it.’
King Eysteinn says: ‘I shall not be untying the knot you have tied for me, but I could have tied a knot for you that you would have been much less able to untie, when you sailed with a single ship into my fleet when you came ashore.’ After that they were both silent, and each of the two was angry. There were other things in the dealings between the brothers in which one could see that each wanted to make much of himself and his importance, and each wanted to be superior to the other, and yet the peace was kept between them as long as they lived.
King Sigurðr was in Upplǫnd at a certain banquet, and hot baths were prepared there. And while the king was in the hot bath and the tub had an awning over it, then he thought there was a fish gliding round in the bath beside him. Then he had such a great fit of laughter that he seemed out of his mind, and after that this afflicted him very frequently. Her brothers gave King Magnús berfœttr’s daughter Ragnhildr in marriage to Haraldr kesja. He was King Eiríkr góði of the Danes’ son. Their sons were Magnús, Óláfr, Knútr, Haraldr.
King Eysteinn had a great ship built in Niðaróss. It was built in shape and after the fashion in accordance with how Ormr inn langi had been, which Óláfr Tryggvason had had made. It also had a dragon-head on the front and a curved tail at the back and both were gilded. The ship floated high in the water, but the stems seemed somewhat smaller than would have been most suitable. He also had built there in Niðaróss boat sheds that were both so big that they were outstanding, and also built with the best materials and with very splendid craftsmanship. King Eysteinn was at a banquet in Hústaðir at Stimr. There he caught a sudden illness that led to his death. He died on the fourth of the calends of September, and his body was conveyed north to Kaupangr and he is buried there in Christchurch. And people say that over no one’s body have so many people in Norway stood as sad as over King Eysteinn’s since the blessed King Óláfr’s son Magnús was dead. Eysteinn was king in Norway twenty winters. And after King Eysteinn’s death Sigurðr was sole king in the country as long as he lived.
King Níkolás Sveinsson of the Danes after that married Ingi’s daughter Margrét, who had previously been married to King Magnús berfœttr, and the son of her and Níkolás was called Magnús inn sterki. King Níkolás sent word to King Sigurðr Jórsalafari and asked him to give him troops and every kind of support from his kingdom and go with King Níkolás east past Svíaveldi to Smálǫnd to Christianise people there, as those that lived there did not observe Christianity, though some had accepted Christianity. At this time widely in Svíaveldi many people were heathen and many poorly Christian, since now there were some of the kings that had abandoned Christianity and maintained heathen worship, as did Blót-Sveinn and later Eiríkr inn ársæli. King Sigurðr promised to go, and the kings arranged an appointment for meeting up in Eyrarsund. After that King Sigurðr called out a full levy from the whole of Norway, both in troops and ships. And when this army assembled, then he had a good three hundred ships. King Níkolás arrived much earlier at the arranged place and waited there a long time. Then the Danes complained bitterly, saying that the Norwegians would not be coming. After that they broke up the expedition force. The king went away and the whole army. After that King Sigurðr arrived there, and he was displeased, sailing then east to Svimraróss and holding a meeting of his troops there, and King Sigurðr spoke about King Níkolás’s breaking his word and it was agreed that they should carry out some depredation on his land because of this. They plundered a village that is called Tumaþorp and lies a short way from Lund and made their way after that east to the market town that is called Kalmarnar, and raided there and also on Smálǫnd, and exacted a payment in food from Smálǫnd, fifteen hundred cattle, and the Smálendingar accepted Christianity. After that King Sigurðr turned his army back and came into his kingdom with many very costly things and items of value that he had gained on this journey, and this expedition was known as the Kalmarnar expedition. This was the summer before the great darkness. This was the only warlike expedition by sea that King Sigurðr undertook while he was king.
King Sigurðr was on one occasion at his residence, and in the morning when the king was dressed, he was quiet and gloomy, and his friends were afraid that now one of his fits would be coming over him again. But the steward was a sensible and bold person and begged the king to speak, asking if he had had some news that was so significant that it prevented him being cheerful, or whether it was that he was not well pleased with the banquet, or whether there were any matters that people could do something about. King Sigurðr says that none of the things he had mentioned were the reason for it. ‘But the reason for it is,’ he says, ‘that I am pondering on the dream that came to me in the night.’ ‘Lord,’ he says, ‘it ought to be a good dream, and we would very much like to hear it.’ The king spoke: ‘I dreamt I was outside here at Jaðarr, and I looked out to sea and saw there a great darkness and it was moving and was getting near here. It seemed to me as if it was a certain large tree, and the branches could be seen up above the water, but the roots went into the sea. And when the tree reached land, then it broke up, and the pieces of the tree were carried widely over the country, both over the mainland and the outlying islands, skerries and shores, and then I had a vision, so that I thought I was looking over all the coastal parts of Norway by the sea, and I saw into every inlet, that pieces of this tree had drifted in, and most of them were small but some larger.’ Then the steward replies: ‘It is most likely with this dream that you yourself will be the best person to explain it, and we would very much like to hear you interpret it.’ Then spoke the king: ‘It seems to me most likely that it will be a portent of the arrival of some person into this country, and he will establish himself here and his offspring will spread widely over this land and be of varying importance.’
Jóan smjǫrbalti’s son Hallkell húkr was a landed man in Mœrr. He travelled west across the sea and all the way to the Suðreyjar. There a man that was called Gillikristr came to see him from out in Ireland, saying he was King Magnús berfœttr’s son. His mother was with him and said that his other name was Haraldr. Hallkell welcomed these people and took them with him to Norway and he went straight to see King Sigurðr with Haraldr and his mother. They announced their business to the king. King Sigurðr discussed this matter before the leading men, so that each could put forward his thoughts as he felt inclined, but they all bade him decide for himself. Then King Sigurðr had Haraldr summoned to him and says this to him, that he will not refuse Haraldr the opportunity to carry out an ordeal to prove his paternity on condition that he will give a guarantee that even if his paternity is proved to be what he says it is, Haraldr shall not claim the kingdom while King Sigurðr or the king’s son Magnús is alive, and these guarantees were given with oaths. King Sigurðr said that Haraldr was to tread over hot bars to prove his paternity, though this ordeal seemed rather demanding since he was now to perform the ordeal for his paternity, and not for the kingdom. He had already sworn oaths about that. But Haraldr agreed to this. He fasted in preparation for the ordeal by hot iron, and this ordeal was performed, which was the heaviest that has been performed in Norway, in which nine glowing ploughshares were put down, and Haraldr walked over them with bare feet with two bishops leading him. And three days later the results of the ordeal were examined. His feet were then unburned. After this King Sigurðr welcomed his kinship with Haraldr, but his son Magnús grew to hate Haraldr heartily, and many leading men sided with him. King Sigurðr was so confident of his popularity with all the people in the country that he asked that everyone should swear oaths that King Sigurðr’s son Magnús should be king after him, and he received oaths from all the people in the country. 
Haraldr gilli was a tall man and slenderly built, long in the neck, rather long in the face, black-eyed, dark haired, lively and quick, very Irish in his dress, short clothing and lightly clad. He was not fluent in the Norwegian language, found it very difficult to find words, and many people used to make a great deal of fun of this. Haraldr was sitting drinking on one occasion and was talking with another man and speaking about the west of Ireland. Part of what he said was that there were men in Ireland that were such fast runners that no horse could catch up with them in a race. The king’s son Magnús heard this and said: ‘Now he is lying again, as usual.’ Haraldr replies: ‘It is true,’ he says, ‘that men can be found in Ireland that no horse in Norway will be able to overtake.’ They spoke a few words about this. They were both drunk. Then Magnús spoke: ‘You shall wager your head on it, if you cannot run as hard as I ride my horse, and I will stake against you my gold ring.’ Haraldr replies: ‘I do not say that I can run so hard. I can find the men in Ireland, that will run so, and I can bet about that.’ The king’s son Magnús replies: ‘I am not going to go to Ireland. We shall wager here, but not there.’ Haraldr then went to bed and would have nothing more to do with him. This was in Oslo. And the next morning, when early Mass was over, Magnús was riding up through the streets. He sent word to Haraldr that he was to come there. And when he came, he was dressed like this: he had on a coat and breeches with straps under the feet, a short cloak, an Irish hat on his head, the shaft of a spear in his hand. Magnús marked out the course. Haraldr spoke: ‘You are intending too long a course.’ Magnús immediately decided on a much longer one, saying that it was still too short. A large number of people were present. Then they had a race along the course, and Haraldr kept up with the horse’s shoulder. So when they got to the end of the course, Magnús spoke: ‘You are holding on to the saddle-girth, and the horse was pulling you.’ Magnús had a very swift Gautish horse. They now had another race back. Then Haraldr ran the whole race ahead of the horse. So when they got to the end of the course, then Haraldr asked: ‘Was I holding on to the saddle-girth this time?’ Magnús says: ‘This time you set off first.’ Then Magnús let his horse have a breather for a while and when it was ready, then he drives his spurs into his horse and it was soon at a gallop. Haraldr then stood without moving. Then Magnús looked back and shouted: ‘Now run,’ he says. Then Haraldr ran and was soon ahead of the horse and a long way ahead, and on to the end of the course. He arrived a long way in front, so he lay down and sprang up and greeted Magnús when he arrived. After that they went back to the town. But King Sigurðr had meanwhile been at Mass, and it wasn’t until after his meal during the day that he knew about all this. Then he spoke angrily to Magnús: ‘You say Haraldr is silly, but I think you are a fool. You have no knowledge about people’s way of life abroad. Didn’t you know before that people abroad train themselves to other sports than swilling drink and making themselves crazy and incapable and losing their senses? Give Haraldr his ring and never again try to make a fool of Haraldr as long as my head is above the ground.’
Once when King Sigurðr was out with his ships, they sailed into harbour and a certain merchant ship beside them, a trader with Iceland. Haraldr gilli’s place was in the middle part of the king’s ship, and next to him to the fore would lie Sveinn Hrímhildarson. He was son of Knútr Sveinsson of Jaðarr. Sigurðr Sigurðarson was a splendid landed man. He was captain of a ship there. It happened one day of fine weather—there was hot sunshine—many men were going swimming both from the longships and from the merchant ship. A certain Icelandic man who was swimming was having fun from ducking those men that were not such good swimmers. People were laughing at this. King Sigurðr saw and heard all this. After that he threw off his clothes and leapt into the water and swam to the Icelander, takes hold of him and pushed him under the water and held him down, and straightway a second time, when the Icelander came up, the king forced him down and time and time again. Then spoke Sigurðr Sigurðarson: ‘Are we to let the king kill the man?’ Someone said that no one was very keen to go up to him. Sigurðr spoke: ‘There would be someone to do it if Dagr Eilífsson were here.’ After that Sigurðr leapt overboard and swam to the king, took hold of him and said: ‘Don’t kill the man. Everyone can now see that you are much the better swimmer.’ The king said: ‘Let me go, Sigurðr. I am going to kill him! He wants to duck our men.’ Sigurðr replies: ‘We must play together first, but you, Icelander, make for the shore.’ He did so, and the king let Sigurðr go and swam to his ship. Sigurðr did the same. And the king spoke, telling Sigurðr not to be so bold as to come into his sight. Sigurðr was told, and he went up ashore.
In the evening, when people were going to bed, some men were playing games up on land. Haraldr was in the games, and told his boy to go out to the ship and prepare his bed and wait for him there. The boy did so. The king was gone to bed. So when the boy felt it was getting late, then he lay down upon Haraldr’s bed. Sveinn Hrímhildarson spoke: ‘It is quite disgraceful for valiant men to go out from home from their dwellings in order to drag up servant boys here to the same level as themselves.’ The boy replies, saying that Haraldr had directed him to come there. Sveinn Hrímhildarson said: ‘We don’t think it any great advantage having Haraldr lying here, without him dragging in here slaves or beggars.’ And he snatches up a net pole and struck the boy on the head so that blood flowed all over him. The boy immediately ran up ashore and tells Haraldr what had happened. Haraldr went straight out onto the ship and aft to the middle. He struck at Sveinn with a hand-axe and gave him a great wound on the arm. Haraldr went straight up ashore. Sveinn leapt up ashore after him. Then Sveinn’s kinsmen rushed up and took Haraldr prisoner and were going to hang him. But while they were making preparations for this, then Sigurðr Sigurðarson went out onto King Sigurðr’s ship and woke him. So when the king opened his eyes and recognised Sigurðr, he said: 
‘For this very thing, that you have come into my sight, you shall die, for I forbade you to do that.’ And the king leapt up. Sigurðr said: ‘You will have a chance to do that, king, whenever you like, but other business is now more urgent first. Go as quickly as you can up ashore and help your brother Haraldr. The Rygir are just going to hang him.’ Then the king spoke: ‘God forbid! Sigurðr, call the trumpeter, have the troops summoned up by trumpet to follow me.’ The king leapt up ashore, and everyone that recognised him followed him and went to where the gallows was set up. He immediately took Haraldr into his charge, and all the people that the trumpet had summoned immediately rushed up to the king fully armed. Then the king said that Sveinn and all his companions were to go into exile, but at everyone’s entreaty it was conceded by the king that they should be allowed to stay in the country and keep their possessions, but the wound would not be compensated for. Then Sigurðr Sigurðarson asked if the king wished him to go away now. ‘That I do not wish,’ says the king. ‘I can never do without you.’
There was a man called Kolbeinn, young and poor, and King Sigurðr Jórsalafari’s mother Þóra had his tongue cut out of his head, and there was no greater reason for this than that this young man Kolbeinn had eaten half a piece of meat from the king’s mother’s plate, saying that the cook had given it him, but did not dare to confess this before her. After that this man went without being able to speak for a long time. Einarr Skúlason mentions this in Óláfsdrápa:
A drinking-horn Hǫrn, high-ranking, had the tongue, for a young man’s small fault, from the head severed of the seeker of wealth, wretched. We saw, certainly deprived of speech, that hoard-breaker when we, some weeks later, were at the place called Hlíð.
He made his way after that to Þrándheimr and to Niðaróss and watched at Christchurch. But about the time of mattins on the later St Óláfr’s day then he fell asleep and dreamt he saw King Óláfr the Saint come to him and take hold of the stump of his tongue and pull it. And he awoke healed and thanked Our Lord joyfully and the blessed King Óláfr for having received health and grace from them, having gone there without speech and visited his holy shrine, and gone from there healed and clear-spoken.
Heathens captured a certain young man of Danish origin and took him to Vinðland and kept him there in bonds with other men captured in warfare. He was now in irons unguarded during the daytime on his own, but at night a farmer’s son was then in the fetter with him so that he could not escape from him. But this poor man could never get any sleep or peace because of his grief and sorrow, thinking out many ways in which help might be available, very anxious about his difficult situation and afraid of both hunger and torments and expecting no ransoming from his kinsfolk, since they had twice previously freed him from heathen lands with treasure, and so he felt sure that they would now find it both very difficult and costly to undertake it a third time. It is well for the man who does not have to endure such evil in this world as he felt he had endured. Now he could see nothing else for it but for him to run off and get away if it turned out to be possible. Next he sets about trying at night-time and kills the farmer’s son, cuts off his leg and so makes away for the forest with the fetter. But the next morning when it got light, then they realise and go after him with two dogs that were accustomed to track down those that ran away, find him in the forest where he was lying and hiding from them. Now they capture him and beat him and baste him and ill-treat him in all sorts of ways. After that they drag him back, nevertheless grant him his life and no other kind of mercy, drag him to torture and put him straight into a dungeon where there were already present inside sixteen others, all Christians, fastened him there both in irons and other bonds as securely as they could. He felt the misery and torments he had had before were as it were a kind of shadow of all the evil that he had had previously. He saw no one with his eyes in this prison that would beg for mercy for him. No one felt pity for this wretch except the Christians that there lay bound with him. They lamented and wept for his hurts and his distress and misfortune. So one day they put to him a plan, bidding him make a vow to the blessed King Óláfr and offer himself as servant in his glorious house if he by God’s grace and his intercession got out of this prison. Now he happily agreed to this and dedicated hinself immediately to that foundation as they bade him. The following night he thought he saw in a dream a man, not very tall, standing there next to him and speaking to him in this manner: ‘Listen, you unhappy man,’ he says, ‘why do you not get up?’ He says: ‘My Lord, what person are you?’ ‘I am King Óláfr, whom you invoked.’ ‘Oh ho, my good lord,’ he says, ‘I would gladly get up if I could, but I lie fastened in irons and moreover in a fetter with other men that here sit bound.’ After that he exhorts him and addresses him with these words: ‘Stand up straight away and do not lose heart, indeed you are now free.’ Next he awoke and then told his companions what vision he had had. After that they told him to stand up and see if it was true. Up he stands and found that he was free. Now his other companions spoke, saying it would do him no good, since the door was locked outside and inside. Then an old man that was sitting there painfully bound put in a word and told him not to doubt the grace of that person that he had received release from. ‘And he for this reason must have performed a miracle upon you, so that you should benefit from his grace and get free from here, not so that you should have more misery and torment. Now be quick about it,’ he says, ‘and find the doorway, and if you can get out, then you are saved.’ This is what he did, finds the doors already open, leaps out straight away and immediately off into the forest. They discovered this. Then they set on their dogs and went after him as swiftly as they could, but he is lying and hiding and sees clearly, poor fellow, where they are going after him. Now the dogs immediately lose the track when they passed up to him, and their eyes were all deceived so that no one could find him, and he was lying there in front of their feet. They now turned back home from there and bewailed and lamented that they could not catch him. King Óláfr did not let him perish now he was come to the forest, gave him his hearing and complete health when they had previously battered and lambasted him all over his head so that he had gone deaf. Next he got on a ship together with two Christians who had long been tormented there, and they all together took advantage of this vessel with as much haste as they could and were conveyed on their way then from that escape route. After that he made his way to that holy man’s house, having now become healed and capable of war service. Then he repented of his vows, went back on his word to the gracious king and ran away during the day and came in the evening to a certain farmer’s who gave him lodging for God’s sake. After that, in the night while he was asleep, he saw three maidens go up to him, fair and beautifully clothed, and they immediately addressed him and loaded him with great reproaches for having been so bold as to run away from the good king that had granted him such great grace, since he had freed him from fetters and the whole prison, and desert the dear lord whose service he had entered. Next he awoke full of fear and got up straight away early in the morning and told the master of the house, and the good farmer declared that he could do nothing other than return back home to the holy place. This miracle was written down in the first place by a person that had himself seen the man and the marks of the irons on him.
King Sigurðr had the market town at Konungahella developed so much that now there was no wealthier one in Norway, and he stayed there for long periods to guard the land. He had buildings erected in the royal palace grounds within the fortifications. He imposed on all the areas that were in the vicinity of the market town, and also on the citizens, that every twelve months each man nine winters old or older was to carry to the fortification five stone war-missiles or another five stakes, and these must be sharpened at one end and five ells high. Inside the fortification there King Sigurðr had Krosskirkja built. It was a timber church and very carefully constructed in materials and workmanship. When Sigurðr had been king four and twenty winters, Krosskirkja was consecrated. Then the king deposited there the Holy Cross and many other holy relics. It was known as Kastalakirkja. He placed a table before the altar there that he had had made in Grikland. It was made of copper and silver and beautifully gilded, ornamented with enamelling and jewels. On it was a shrine that King Eiríkr eimuni of the Danes had sent King Sigurðr, and a plenarius written in gold lettering that the Patriarch had given King Sigurðr.
Three winters after Krosskirkja was consecrated, King Sigurðr caught a sickness. He was at the time staying in Oslo. He died there one night after Máríumass in Lent. He was buried at Hallvarðskirkja, laid in the stone wall outside the choir on the southerly side. King Sigurðr’s son Magnús was there in the town at the time. As soon as King Sigurðr died, he took charge of all the king’s treasuries. Sigurðr was king over Norway seven and twenty winters. He was forty years of age. And his time was good for the people of the country: there was then both prosperity and peace.

King Sigurðr’s son Magnús was accepted as king over the whole country in Oslo, as the common people had sworn to King Sigurðr. Then many men, including landed men, immediately entered his service. Magnús was more handsome than any man that was then in Norway. He was a proud-minded and stern person, a man of great ability, and his father’s popularity was what most ensured him the friendship of the common people. He was a great drinker, avaricious, unfriendly and difficult to deal with. Haraldr gilli was affable, cheerful, playful, humble, generous, so that he spared nothing for his friends, open to advice, so that he let others make decisions with him on anything they wanted. All this brought him friendship and praise. Many men of the ruling class then came to be on good terms with him no less than with Magnús. Haraldr was then in Túnsberg when he learnt of the death of his brother King Sigurðr. He then immediately held meetings with his friends, and they decided to hold a Haugaþing there in the town. At that assembly Haraldr was accepted as king over half the country. It was declared to be oaths taken under duress when he had abjured his patrimony. Haraldr then got himself a following and appointed landed men. Troops soon gathered to him no whit less than to King Magnús. Then men passed between them and so matters stood for seven nights. But because Magnús got many fewer forces, then he saw no other choice than to divide the kingdom between himself and Haraldr. Then it was so divided that each of them was to share half the kingdom that King Sigurðr had had with the other, while King Magnús had the ships and table service and things of value and all the money that King Sigurðr had had, and yet he was the less pleased with his share, and yet they ruled the land for some time in peace, though their thoughts ran on very different lines. King Haraldr had a son that was called Sigurðr with Guthormr grábarði’s daughter Þóra. King Haraldr married Rǫgnvaldr’s daughter Ingiríðr. He was King Ingi Steinkelsson’s son. King Magnús was married to Knútr lávarðr’s daughter Kristín, sister of King Valdamarr of the Danes. Magnús got to be not fond of her and sent her back south to Denmark, and after that everything went worse for him. He came to be greatly disliked by her relatives.
When the two of them, Magnús and Haraldr, had been kings for three winters, they both stayed the fourth winter north in Kaupangr, and each invited the other to a banquet. And yet battle was always on the point of breaking out among their followers. So in the spring Magnús makes his way south along the coast with a naval force and gathered troops to himself, all that he could get, then seeking from his friends whether they were willing to give him support in order to deprive Haraldr of the kingdom and share with him such of his rule as he thought fit, pointing out to them that Haraldr had abjured the kingdom. King Magnús got the agreement to this from many men of the ruling class. Haraldr travelled to Upplǫnd and took the inland route east to Vík. He also gathered troops to himself when he heard about King Magnús. And wherever they went each side slaughtered the other’s cattle, and also slew their men for them. King Magnús had many more men, since he had had all the greater part of the land to collect troops from. Haraldr was in Vík on the eastern side of the fiord and gathered troops to himself, and then each was taking both men and animals that were the other’s. His half-brother on the mother’s side, Kristrøðr was now there with Haraldr, and many landed men were with him, and yet many more were with King Magnús. King Haraldr was with his troops in a place called Fors in Ranríki, and travelled from there out to the sea. On the eve of the Feast of Láfranz they took their evening meal in a place called Fyrirleif. Now the watchmen were on horses and were keeping mounted guard on all sides of the residence, and now the watchmen became aware of King Magnús’s men, that they were now approaching the residence, King Magnús having nearly sixty hundred men, and Harald having fifteen hundred men. Then the watchmen came and brought King Haraldr intelligence, saying that King Magnús’s troops were now come to the residence. Haraldr replies: ‘What can my kinsman King Magnús want? It cannot be that he is wanting to fight with us.’ Then says Þjóstólfr Álason: ‘Lord, you must make plans for yourself and our troops on the assumption that King Magnús will have been assembling an army all this summer for this purpose, that he is intending to fight as soon as he finds you.’ Then the king stood up and spoke with his men, bidding them take up their weapons: ‘If Magnús wishes to fight, then we shall also fight.’ Next a trumpet was blown, and King Haraldr’s troops went right out of the residence into a certain enclosed arable field and there set up his standards. King Haraldr had two mailcoats, but his brother Kristrøðr, who was said to be a most valiant man, had no mailcoat. When King Magnús and his men saw King Haraldr’s troops, then they drew up their forces and made such a long battle line that they would be able to encircle King Haraldr’s troops entirely. So says Halldórr skvaldri: 
There Magnús got much longer— he made use of a large following; warm carrion came to cover the field—battle-lines.
King Magnús had the Holy Cross carried before him in battle. There was a great and tough battle fought there. The king’s brother Kristrøðr had gone with his company to the middle of King Magnús’s battle line and was striking out on both sides, and men were fleeing before him in two directions. So one powerful landowner that had been in King Haraldr’s troop was stationed behind Kristrøðr. He swung up his halberd with both hands and thrust it through his shoulders and it came out through his breast, and Kristrøðr fell there. Then many that were standing nearby spoke, asking why he had done this so evil deed. He replied: ‘Now he knows that, for they slaughtered my animals in the summer and took everything that was in the house, and forced me to go with them into their army. I had been planning this for him earlier if I had an opportunity.’ After that King Haraldr’s troops began to take to flight, and he fled himself and all his troops. Now many of King Haraldr’s troops had fallen. Ingimarr Sveinsson of Askr, a landed man from King Haraldr’s troops, received a mortal wound there and nearly sixty of his followers. King Haraldr then fled east into Vík to his ships and went after that to Denmark to see King Eiríkr eimuni and went to ask him for support. They met south in Sjáland. King Eiríkr welcomed him, most of all because they had sworn oaths of brotherhood. He granted Haraldr Halland for revenue and government and gave him eight unrigged longships. After that King Haraldr travelled north round Halland, and now troops joined him. King Magnús subjected the whole country to himself after this battle. He gave quarter to everyone that was wounded and had them healed like his own men and then claimed the whole country as his. He had now all the best choice of troops that were in the country. But when they held discussions about their policies, then Sigurðr Sigurðarson and Þórir Ingiríðarson and all the most sensible people wanted them to take their host into the Vík and wait there to see if Haraldr was going to try to come from the south. King Magnús adopted a contrary course on his own initiative, going north to Bjǫrgyn and settling down there for the winter, and let his troops go away and his landed men to their estates.
King Haraldr came to Konungahella with the troop that had accompanied him from Denmark. Now they had gathered together to oppose him, the landed men and the citizens, and drew up a line of battle above the town. But King Haraldr disembarked from his ships and sent men to the troop of landowners and asked them not to shut him out of the country by warfare, saying he would make no other demands than he had a right to, and men passed between them. In the end the landowners abandoned their muster and submitted to King Haraldr. Then in order to get support for himself, Haraldr gave fiefs and revenues to landed men and improved rights to landowners that joined his party. After that large numbers of people gathered to King Haraldr. He travelled from the east round the Vík and gave satisfactory peace to all men except King Magnús’s men. These he had plundered or killed wherever he found himself. And when he got from the east to Sarpsborg, he took there two of King Magnús’s landed men, Ásbjǫrn and his brother Nereiðr, and offered them the choice that one of them should be hanged and the other thrown into the Sarp waterfall, and told them to choose for themselves. Ásbjǫrn chose to go into Sarp, since he was the elder and this death seemed the more terrible, and this was done. Halldórr skvaldri mentions this:
Ásbjǫrn was, who kept his words to the lord badly—widely the king fed the corpse-falcon — forced to leap into Sarpr. Nereiðr the king had hanged on the harm-tree, cruel, of Sigarr’s foe; for speeches at followers’ assemblies the spoiler of wave-fire suffered.
After that King Haraldr travelled north to Túnsberg, and there he was welcomed warmly. There too a great army gathered round him. 
King Magnús was still in Bjǫrgyn and learnt of these events. Then he had called to a discussion with him the leading men that were in the town, and asked for advice about what was to be done. Then Sigurðr Sigurðarson replied:
‘I can suggest a good plan for this situation. Have a small warship manned with good fellows and put on it as captain myself or another landed man to go to see your kinsman King Haraldr and offer him terms in accordance with the arbitration that just men who are in the country decide on between you, including this stipulation, that he is to have a half share of the kingdom with you. And it seems to me likely with the support of the persuasion of good men that King Haraldr will accept this offer and then there will be a settlement between you.’ Then King Magnús replied: ‘And I do not want this course, for what would then have been the good of our getting the whole kingdom into our power last autumn, if we are now to share half the kingdom? So give some other advice.’ Then Sigurðr Sigurðarson replied: ‘It seems to me as if your landed men are now staying at home and do not want to come to you, those that in the autumn asked you for leave to go home. You acted then much against my advice when you then dispersed so much the large numbers that we had, for I felt sure that Haraldr and his companions would make back for the Vík as soon as they heard that there was no ruler there. Now there is another course available, and it is a bad one, and yet it may be that it will work. Send out guests and other men with them, let them go and visit the landed men, and kill those that are now unwilling to respond to your distress, and give their posessions to some that you can rely on, though in the past they have been of little account. Let them then whip up the people, and having no fewer evil men than good, travel after that east against Haraldr with the troops that you can get, and fight.’ The king replied: ‘It will be very unpopular to have many great men killed, and to raise up insignificant men. They have often failed us no less, and been less efficient in managing the country. I wish to hear yet more suggestions from you.’ Sigurðr replied: ‘I am now finding it difficult to work out any plans, since you will not make terms and will not fight. Let us then go north to Þrándheimr where the main power of the country is well-disposed to us, taking whatever troops we can get the whole of the way there. Then it may be that the Elfargrímar will get tired of wandering about after us.’ The king replied: ‘I don’t want to flee from those we were chasing last summer. So give me better advice.’ Then Sigurðr stood up and was about to go off, and said: ‘I shall give you the advice that I see you want to have and that will be carried out. Stay here in Bjǫrgyn until Haraldr comes with a crowd of warriors, and then you will have to endure one of two things, death or disgrace.’ And Sigurðr stayed no longer at this discussion. 
King Haraldr travelled from the east along the coast, taking a very large army. This winter was known as the Winter of Crowds. Haraldr came to Bjǫrgyn on Yule Eve and sailed his troops into Flóruvágar and did not want to fight over Yule because of the sanctity of the time. But King Magnús had his preparations made in the town. He had a ballista set up out on Hólmr, and he had iron chains and some timber booms made and placed across the bay over below the royal palace. He had caltrops forged and thrown across onto Jóansvellir, and no more than three days over Yule were kept sacred so that no work was done. But on the last day of Yule, then King Haraldr had the trumpet blown for the troop’s departure. Nine hunded men had joined King Haraldr over Yule.
King Haraldr vowed to the blessed King Óláfr in return for victory for himself to have Óláfskirkja built there in the town at his own expense. King Magnús drew up his line of battle out in Christchurch churchyard, but Haraldr rowed first to Norðnes. So when King Magnús and his party saw that, they turned into the town and in to the head of the bay. But as they went in along the streets, then many townspeople leapt in to their courtyards and to their homes, while those that were going across to the open ground ran onto the caltrops. Then Magnús and his party saw that Haraldr had rowed all his troops across into Hegravík and were walking up there onto the ridge above the town. Then King Magnús turned out along the streets. Then his troops fled from him, some up onto the mountain, some up through Nunnusetr, some into churches or hid in other places. King Magnús went out onto his ship, but they had no chance to get away, since the iron chains blocked the exit. Moreover few men were accompanying the king, so that they were unable to do anything. So says Einarr Skúlason in Haraldsdrápa:
They closed Bjǫrgyn’s bay week-long; no chance had thole-bulls to hurry off. A little later King Haraldr’s men came out onto the ships. Then King Magnús was captured, but he was sitting back amidships on the high seat chest, and with him his uncle Hákon faukr, a most handsome-looking man and said to be not clever, and Ívarr Ǫzurarson and many others of his friends were now captured, and some already killed. 
King Haraldr now held meetings with his advisers and asked them to make plans with him, and at the conclusion of this meeting they reached the decision to deprive Magnús of his kingship in such a way that he could not call himself a king from then on. He was then handed over to the king’s slaves, and they mutilated him, putting out his eyes and cutting off one leg and finally castrating him. Ívarr Ǫzurarson was blinded, Hákon faukr was killed. After this the whole country submitted to the rule of King Haraldr. Then it was diligently enquired who had been the greatest friends of King Magnús and who would know most about his stores of treasures and precious things. Magnús had had the Holy Cross with him since the Battle of Fyrileif had taken place, and he would not tell where it had got to now. Bishop Reinaldr in Stafangr was English and said to be very avaricious. He was a close friend of King Magnús and it was thought most likely that he would have been got to look after great wealth and valuable things. He was sent for, and he came to Bjǫrgyn. Then this charge was brought against him and he denied it and offered to undergo an ordeal about it. Haraldr did not want that. He imposed a fine on the bishop of paying him fifteen marks of gold. The bishop said that he did not wish thus to impoverish his establishment, he would rather risk his life. After that they hanged Bishop Reinaldr out on Hólmr on the ballista. And as he walked to the gallows he shook his boot off his foot and spoke, swearing: ‘I know of no more of King Magnús’s wealth than what is there in the boot.’ In it there was a gold ring. Bishop Reinaldr was buried on Norðnes at Mikjálskirkja, and this deed was spoken very ill of. After this Haraldr was sole king over Norway as long as he lived.
Five winters after the death of King Sigurðr great events took place in Konungahella. The prefects there then were Haraldr flettir’s son Guthormr and Sæmundr húsfreyja. He was married to the priest Andreas Brúnsson’s daughter Ingibjǫrg; their sons Páll flípr and Gunni físs. Ásmundr was Sæmundr’s illegitimate son. Andreas Brúnsson was a very distinguished person. He officiated at Krosskirkja. His wife was called Solveig. At this time there was with him being fostered and brought up Jóan Loptsson and he was eleven winters old. Jóan’s father the priest Loptr Sæmundarson was also there at this time. The priest Andreas and Solveig’s daughter was called Helga, who was married to Einarr. It happened in Konungahella the next Saturday night after Easter week that there was a great noise out in the streets all over the town, as when the king passed through with all his followers, and dogs made such a racket that they could not be restrained and they broke out, and all those that got out went mad and bit whatever they came across, people and animals, and all that were bitten and bled then went mad, and all that were with young lost their foetuses and went mad. This portent happened nearly every night from Easter to the Ascension. The people were very frightened at this prodigy, and many decided to leave and sold their premises, going into the country or to other market towns, and it seemed most significant to all those that were most intelligent, and they feared that it must be a portent for great events that had then not yet come about, as it was. But the priest Andreas then spoke long and eloquently on Whit Sunday and finally turned his speech to this, that he spoke about the duties of the citizens, and told people to take heart and not to desert that so glorious place, rather to keep watch over themselves and take thought about what they should do and guard themselves against everything that might happen, against fire or hostility, and pray to God for grace for themselves.
Thirteen trading ships set out from the town and were making for Bjǫrgyn, and eleven were lost with men and goods and everything that was on them, but the twelfth was wrecked and the men were saved but the goods were lost. Then the priest Loptr travelled to Bjǫrgyn, and he was kept safe. It was on the Feast of Láfranz that the trading ships were lost. King Eiríkr of the Danes and Archbishop Ǫzurr both sent word to Konungahella bidding them to be on their guard about their town, and saying that Vinðr had a great army out and were raiding widely on Christians and were always being victorious. The citizens paid too little attention to their situation, neglecting and being oblivious of it the more time that passed from the terror that had been afflicting them. On the Feast of Láfranz, while the address was being made before High Mass, King Réttiburr of the Vinðr came to Konungahella bringing five hundred and fifty Wendish warships, and on every warship there were forty-four men and two horses. Dúnímiz was the name of the king’s nephew and Úniburr was the name of one leader that was in charge of a huge troop. These two leaders rowed up with part of their army along the eastern branch of the river round Hísing and thus came down to the town, and with part of their troop they sailed up the western branch to the town. They came ashore out by the stakes and took the mounted force up there and rode there round Bratsáss and so up through the town. Andreas’s son-in-law Einarr carried news of this up to Kastalakirkja, since the townspeople were there, having come for High Mass, and Einarr arrived while the priest Andreas was speaking. Einarr told people that an army was coming to the town with a large number of ships, though some of the troops were riding down round Bratsáss. Then many said that it must be King Eiríkr of the Danes there, and people expected to get quarter from him. Then all the people ran down into the town to their goods and armed themselves and went down to the jetties and then immediately saw that there was hostility and an overwhelming army. Nine ships trading with the eastern Baltic that were owned by merchants were afloat in the river at the jetties. The Vinðr attacked there first and fought with the merchants. The merchants armed themselves and defended themselves well and valiantly for a long time. A tough battle was fought there before the merchants were defeated. In this attack the Vinðr lost a hundred and fifty ships with all their crews. When the battle was at its fiercest, the townspeople were standing on the jetties and shooting at the heathens, but when the attack subsided the townspeople fled up into the town and after that all the people fled to the fortification, and people took with them their valuable items and all the money that they could escape with. Solveig and her daughters and two other women went up inland. When the Vinðr had defeated the trading ships, they went ashore and mustered their troops and then their losses became apparent. Some of them ran into the town, some onto the trading ships, and they took all the goods that they wanted to take away with them. Next they set fire to the town and burnt it all and also the ships. After that they made for the fortification with all their troops and lined themselves up for their attack. 
King Réttiburr had an offer made to those that were in the fortification that they might go out and have quarter for their lives with weapons and clothing and gold. All without exception shouted in opposition and went out into the town, some shooting, some casting stones, some throwing stakes, and there was now a great battle. Now there were casualties on both sides, and many more among the Vinðr. Solveig came up to Sólbjargir and tells there what has happened. Then a war arrow was raised and sent to Skúrbágar. There a kind of drinking party was being held and many people were there. A farmer was there that was called Ǫlvir miklimunnr. Now he leapt up immediately and took shield and helmet and a great axe in his hand and spoke: ‘Stand up, good fellows, and take your weapons and let us go to help the townspeople, for it will be considered a disgrace by everyone that hears of it if we sit here and swill ale while good fellows are putting their lives in danger in the town for our sakes.’
Many replied speaking against it, saying that they would destroy themselves and be no help to the townspeople. Then Ǫlvir leapt up and spoke: ‘Even if everyone stays behind, yet I shall go on my own, and the heathens shall lose one or two in exchange for me before I fall.’ He runs down to the town. So people go after him, wanting to see how he was getting on, and also whether he could be given any help. But when he got so near the fortification that the heathens could see him, then eight men ran towards him fully armed. And when they met, the heathens leapt all round him. Ǫlvir swung up his axe and with the foremost point of the axe-blade struck the one that was behind him under the throat so that it cut his jaw and windpipe in two, and he fell over backwards onto his back. Then he swung the axe forwards in front of himself and strikes a second on the head and split him down to the shoulders. After that they attacked him and he now killed two more and was himself badly wounded, but the four that remained now fled. Ǫlvir ran after them, but a kind of dyke was before them, and two of the heathens leapt into it, and Ǫlvir slew them both. Now he stood and was stuck fast in the dyke. So two heathens of the eight got away. The men that had followed Ǫlvir took him and carried him with them to Skúrbágar, and he was fully healed. And people say that no one has carried out a nobler exploit. Two landed men, Philippus’s brother Sigurðr Gyrðarson and Sigarðr, came to Skúrbágar with six hundred men, and Sigurðr turned back with four hundred men and was considered of little worth after that and lived a short time. Sigarðr went to the town wih two hundred men and fought there with heathens and fell there with his whole troop. The Vinðr attacked the fortification, but the king and the ships’ captains stayed away from the battle. In one place where Vinðr were standing there was one man and he was shooting from a bow and was shooting a man to death with each arrow. Two men stood in front of him with shields. Then Sæmundr spoke with his son Ásmundr, saying that they should both shoot at the marksman at once. ‘And I shall shoot at that one that is holding the shield.’ He did so, and the man slid the shield in front of himself. Then Ásmundr shot between the shields and the arrow hit the marksman in the forehead so that it came out at the back of his head and he fell over backwards, dead. So when the Vinðr saw that, then they all howled like dogs or wolves. Then King Réttburr had someone call to them and offer them quarter, but they refused this. After that the heathens launched a fierce assault. Then there was one of the heathens that went so close that he went right up to the entrance to the fortification and thrust with his sword at the man that was standing inside the entrance, and men hurled missiles and stones at him, and he was without a shield but was so skilled in magic that no weapon could penetrate him. So the priest Andreas took consecrated fire and made the sign of the cross over it and cut tinder and set it on fire and fastened it on an arrow point and gave it to Ásmundr, and he shot this arrow at the man skilled in magic, and this shot pierced him so that he was completely done for, and he fell dead to the ground. Then the heathens made horrible sounds again as before, howling and snarling. Then all the people went up to the king. The Christians thought that now they were discussing whether they should withdraw. Now an interpreter that could understand Wendish understood what the leader that is named Úniburr was saying. He spoke as follows: ‘This people is savage and terrible to deal with, and even if we took all the wealth that is in this place, then we might well give as much wealth again not to have come here, so many troops have we lost, and so many leaders. And to begin with today when we began to fight against the fortification, then they had for their defence missiles and spears, next they battered us with stones, and now they are hitting us with sticks like dogs. I can see therefore that their supplies for defence are on the wane, and we shall again make a fierce attack on them and try them.’ And it was as he said, that they were now shooting with stakes, but in the first attack they had been using missiles and stones imprudently. So when the Christians realised that the stock of stakes was geting low, they cut each stake in two. But the heathens attacked them and made a fierce assault and rested in between. They got both weary and wounded. And in each of the pauses then the king again had them offered quarter, that they might keep their weapons and clothing and what they could themselves carry out across the fortification. Now Sæmundr húsfreyja was fallen, and what the men that were left decided to do was to give up the fortification and submit themselves to the power of the heathens, and this was a most unwise thing to do, for the heathens did not fulfil their promise, they took all the people, men and women and children, slew many, all those that were wounded or young and they felt would be a nuisance to take with them. They took all the wealth that was there in the fortification. They went in to Krosskirkja and plundered it of all its finery. The priest Andreas gave King Réttiburr a silver-mounted mace and his nephew Dúnímiz a gold finger-ring. As a result they felt sure that he must have some kind of authority in the place, and they honoured him more than other men. They took the Holy Cross and carried it away. Then they took the table that stood before the altar, which King Sigurðr had had made in Grikland and brought to the country. They laid it down on the step in front of the altar. Then they went out of the church. Then the king said:
‘This building has been ornamented out of great love for the God whose building this is, and it seems to me that little care must have been taken of the place or the building, since I can see that God is angry with those that are in charge of it.’ King Réttiburr gave the priest Andreas the church and the shrine, the Holy Cross, the plenarius book and four clerics. But the heathens burnt the church and all the buildings that were within the fortification. But the fire that they had kindled in the church went out twice. Then they knocked down the church. Then it all began to blaze inside and burnt like the other buildings. Then the heathens went to their ships with their plunder and mustered their troops, and when they realised their losses, then they took all the people as prisoners of war and divided them between their ships. Then the priest Andreas and his companions went to the king’s ship and took with them the Holy Cross. Then the heathens were struck with fear because of the portent whereby such a great heat came over the king’s ship that they all felt they were almost burning. The king told the interpreter to ask a priest why this was. He said that almighty God, in whom Christians believed, was sending them a sign of his anger, in that they, who refused to believe in their creator, dared to take in their hands the sign of his Passion. ‘And there is so much power in the Cross, that such miracles have often taken place upon heathens, in some cases much plainer ones, when they have taken it in their hands.’ The king had the clerics shoved into the ship’s boat, and Andreas carried the Cross in his bosom. They drew the boat forward the whole length of the ship and on past the beak and back along the other side to the raised deck, pushed it after that with poles and thrust the boat in to the jetties. After that during the night the priest Andreas went taking the Cross to Sólbjargir, and there was both storm of wind and torrential rain. Andreas conveyed the Cross to a good place of safety.
King Réttiburr and his troops, what remained of them, went away and back to Vinðland, and many of the people that had been captured in Konungahella were for long after in Vinðland in bondage, while those that were ransomed and returned to Norway to their native places prospered very little. The market town at Konungahella has never recovered the success it had before. Magnús, who had been blinded, went after that to Niðaróss and entered a monastery and took on a monk’s habit. Then Hernes mikla in Frosta was conveyed to that foundation for his maintenance. So Haraldr now ruled the land alone the following winter and granted all men reconciliation that wished to have it, then took many men into his service that had previously been with Magnús. Einarr Skúlason says this, that King Haraldr had two battles in Denmark, one off Hveðn, the other off Hlésey:
On untrusty warriors you had, under high Hveðn, thin blades with blood reddened, brave raven’s mouth-stainer.
And also this:
You fought a fight by Hlésey’s flat shore, Ho̧arr’s shirt-reddener, strong, where storms buffeted standards over warriors.
There is a man named Sigurðr that was brought up in Norway. He was said to be the priest Aðalbrikt’s son. Sigurðr’s mother was Saxi in Vík’s daughter Þóra, sister of Sigríðr mother of King Óláfr Magnússon and of the king’s brother Kári, who was married to Dagr Eilífsson’s daughter Borghildr. Their sons were Sigurðr in Austrátt and Dagr. Sigurðr’s sons were Jóan in Austrátt and Þorsteinn, Andreas daufi. Jóan was married to Sigríðr, sister of King Ingi and Duke Skúli. Sigurðr was set to book-learning in his childhood and he became a cleric and was ordained deacon. But when he became full-grown in age and strength, then he was the most valiant of men and strong, a big man, and in all accomplishments he was superior to all those of his own age and almost everyone else in Norway. Sigurðr was at an early age a very overbearing man and an unruly man. He was known as slembidjákn. He was the most handsome of men, with rather thin and yet fine hair. Then it got about concerning Sigurðr that his mother says that his father was Magnús berfœttr. So as soon as he became independent in his way of life, then he neglected the clerical life, then left the country. He stayed a long time on his travels. Then he set out on a journey to Jórsalir and reached the Jórðán and visited the holy relics, as is customary with pilgrims. And when he got back, then he spent time on trading voyages. One winter he was present for some time in Orkney. He was with Jarl Haraldr at the fall of Þorkell fóstri Sumarliðason. Sigurðr was also up in Scotland with King David of the Scots. He was regarded very highly there. After that Sigurðr travelled to Denmark and according to his own and his followers’ account, he had there performed an ordeal about his paternity and it was proved that he was King Magnús’s son, and there were five bishops present. So says Ívarr Ingimundarson in Sigurðarbo̧lkr:
Five bishops, felt to be foremost, ran the ordeal for the ruler’s kin. Proofs appeared that of this powerful king, this munificent one, Magnús was father.
Haraldr’s friends said that this had been a deceit and lie of the Danes.
When Haraldr had been king over Norway for six winters, Sigurðr came to Norway and went to see his brother King Haraldr, meeting him in Bjǫrgyn, went straight to see him, revealed his paternity to the king and asked the king to accept his kinship with him. The king gave no immediate decision on that matter and put it before his friends, having discussions and meetings with them. And the outcome of their discussions was that the king brought charges against Sigurðr about his having been present at the killing of Þorkell fóstri west of the sea. Þorkell had accompanied King Haraldr to Norway in the beginning when he had come to the country. Þorkell had been a very close friend of King Haraldr. This case was pressed so hard that Sigurðr was adjudged because of it to be guilty of a capital crime, and on the authority of landed men it now came about that late one evening some guests went to where Sigurðr was and called him to go with them and took a kind of small boat and rowed away from the town and south to Norðnes with Sigurðr. Sigurðr sat aft on a chest and considered his situation and suspected that this might be a plot. He was dressed like this, he had on dark breeches and coat and a cloak with ties as overcoat. He was looking down in front of himself and had his hands on the cloak-ties, sometimes taking them off his head, sometimes putting them on his head. And when they had got round a certain headland—they were merry and drunk and were rowing furiously and little suspected anything—then Sigurðr stood up and went to the side, and the two men that had been set to guard him stood up and went to the side, both grasping the cloak and holding it away from him, just as it is common to do with high-ranking men. And as he suspected that they might be holding other clothing of his, then he grabbed both of them, one with each hand and threw himself overboard with the whole lot, and the boat glided on forward a long way, and they took a long time to turn it and there was a long delay before they were able to rescue their men. And Sigurðr swam away so far under water that he was up ashore before they had turned their ship to follow him. Sigurðr was the fastest of runners and he makes his way up inland, and the king’s men went and searched for him all night and could not find him. He was lying in a kind of cleft in the rock. He got very cold. He took off his breeches and cut a hole in the seat and pulled them on over his head and put his arms out through the legs and so saved his life for the time being. The king’s men went back and were unable to conceal their failure.
Sigurðr realised that it would not help him to go to see King Haraldr and was now in hiding all the autumn and the first part of the winter. He stayed in the town in Bjǫrgyn with a certain priest and was plotting how he might bring about King Haraldr’s death, and there were very many men in this conspiracy with him including some of those that were now followers of King Haraldr and members of his household, they having earlier been followers of King Magnús. They were now on very good terms with King Haraldr, so that there was always one of them that was sitting at the king’s table. In the evening on Lucia’s day there were two men sitting there who were talking together. One of them spoke to the king: ‘Lord, we have now referred the judgment in our dispute to you for the final decision, and we have each of us wagered a bowl of honey. I say that tonight you will lie with your wife Queen Ingiríðr, but he says that you will lie with Þóra Guthormsdóttir.’ Then the king replied with a laugh, and completely unaware that this question was posed with so much cunning, saying: ‘You will not win your bet.’ From this they felt certain where he would be to be found that night, though the bodyguard was still kept over the chamber that most people thought the king would be in and that the queen slept in.
Sigurðr slembidjákn and some men with him came to that chamber where the king was asleep, and broke down the door and went in there with weapons drawn. Ívarr Kolbeinsson was the first to wound King Haraldr, but the king had lain down drunk and was fast asleep and awoke to men attacking him and spoke while still unconscious: ‘You are treating me roughly, Þóra!’ She leapt up at this and spoke: ‘Those that wish you worse than I are treating you roughly.’ King Haraldr lost his life there, but Sigurðr went off with his men. Then he had the men called to him that had promised to be his supporters if he got King Haraldr’s life put an end to. Then Sigurðr and his men went to a certain warship and set men to the oars and rowed out into the bay below the royal palace. Then day began to dawn. Then Sigurðr stood up and spoke with those that were standing on the royal jetty, and announced the killing of King Haraldr at their hands and requested acceptance by them and that they should take him as king, as his birth entitled him to be. Then crowds of men from the royal palace rushed there onto the jetties, and all swore as if they spoke with one mouth, saying that it should never be that they granted allegiance and service to a man that had murdered his brother. ‘But if he was not your brother, than your descent does not entitle you to be king.’ They clashed their weapons together, condemning them all as outlaws and proscribed. Then the royal trumpet was blown and all the landed men and members of the king’s following were summoned together, and Sigurðr and his men saw their most attractive course was to be off. He sailed to NorðrHǫrðaland and there held an assembly with landowners. They submitted to him and gave him the title of king. Then he travelled in to Sogn and held an assembly there with landowners. He was also accepted there as king. Then he travelled north into Firðir. He was welcomed there. So says Ívarr Ingimundarson:
The Hǫrðar and Sygnir, Haraldr having fallen, accepted the generous son of Magnús. There swore many men at assembly to be like brothers to the lord’s son. 
King Haraldr was buried in the old Christchurch.

Haraldssona saga

Queen Ingiríðr together with landed men and the following that King Haraldr had had, decided this, that a fast ship should be dispatched and sent north to Þrándheimr to tell of King Haraldr’s fall, and this too, that the Þrœndir were to take as king King Haraldr’s son Sigurðr, who was now there in the north and being fostered by Sáða-Gyrðr Bárðarson, but Queen Ingiríðr immediately travelled east into Vík. Ingi was the name of her and King Haraldr’s son, who was being fostered there in the Vík with Gyrðr LǫgBersason’s son Ámundi. So when they got to the Vík, Borgarþing was summoned. Ingi was taken as king there. He was now in his second winter. Ámundi and Þjóstólfr Álason and many other great leaders supported this resolution. And when the news reached Þrándheimr in the north that King Haraldr was deprived of life, then King Haraldr’s son Sigurðr was taken as king there, and this resolution was supported by Óttarr birtingr and Pétr Sauða-Úlfsson and the brothers Guthormr Ásólfsson of Rein and Óttarr balli and a large number of other leaders. And nearly all the people now switched their allegiance to the brothers, most of all because their father was said to be saintly, and the land was sworn to them with the stipulation that it should submit to no other person as long as any of the sons of King Haraldr was alive.
Queen Ingiríðr together with landed men and the following that King Haraldr had had, decided this, that a fast ship should be dispatched and sent north to Þrándheimr to tell of King Haraldr’s fall, and this too, that the Þrœndir were to take as king King Haraldr’s son Sigurðr, who was now there in the north and being fostered by Sáða-Gyrðr Bárðarson, but Queen Ingiríðr immediately travelled east into Vík. Ingi was the name of her and King Haraldr’s son, who was being fostered there in the Vík with Gyrðr LǫgBersason’s son Ámundi. So when they got to the Vík, Borgarþing was summoned. Ingi was taken as king there. He was now in his second winter. Ámundi and Þjóstólfr Álason and many other great leaders supported this resolution. And when the news reached Þrándheimr in the north that King Haraldr was deprived of life, then King Haraldr’s son Sigurðr was taken as king there, and this resolution was supported by Óttarr birtingr and Pétr Sauða-Úlfsson and the brothers Guthormr Ásólfsson of Rein and Óttarr balli and a large number of other leaders. And nearly all the people now switched their allegiance to the brothers, most of all because their father was said to be saintly, and the land was sworn to them with the stipulation that it should submit to no other person as long as any of the sons of King Haraldr was alive.
Sigurðr slembidjákn made his way north past Staðr, and when he got to NorðMœrr, there were already letters and tokens for him from the influential men that had switched their allegiance to King Haraldr’s sons, and he met with no acceptance or success. So since he himself had only a small following, they now decided to make their way in to Þrándheimr, as he had previously sent word on his own behalf in there to his friends and to the friends of King Magnús, who had been blinded. So when he got to Kaupangr, he rowed up into the river Nið and got his cables ashore in the royal palace grounds and had to retreat from there because the people all opposed him. They sailed after that to Hólmr and took away out of the monastery there Magnús Sigurðarson against the wishes of the monks. He had before this taken vows as a monk. A number of people say that Magnús left of his own free will, since it was done in order to better his situation and he was hoping thereby to get troops to support him, and so it happened and turned out. And this was directly after Yule. Sigurðr and his party went out along the fiord. After that they were pursued by Bjǫrn Egilsson, Gunnarr of Gimsar, Halldórr Sigurðarson, Áslákr Hákonarson and the brothers Benedikt and Eiríkr and the following that had previously been with King Magnús, and a number of other men. They went with their band south past Mœrr and right on past the entrance to Raumsdalr. There they divided their troop, and Sigurðr slembidjákn travelled west across the sea straight away during the winter, but Magnús travelled to Upplǫnd, hoping for many troops there, which he got. He stayed there for the winter and all through the summer there in Upplǫnd and now had a large troop. So King Ingi went with his troop, and they met in the place that is called in Mynni. A great battle took place there, and King Magnús had a larger force. It is said that Þjóstólfr Álason had King Ingi in his lap while the battle was raging, and went beneath the standard, and Þjóstólfr got into great distress because of his tiredness and the attack, and people say that it was then that Ingi caught the sickness that he suffered from all the rest of his life, and his back became crooked and one leg was shorter than the other, and he was so lacking in strength that he had difficulty in walking as long as he lived. Then the casualties started to go against King Magnús’s men, and these men fell that were in the van of the battle line, Halldórr Sigurðarson and Bjǫrn Egilsson, Gunnarr of Gimsar and a large part of Magnús’s force, before he was willing to flee or ride away. So says Kolli:
You waged east by Mynni arrow-storm, and soon after, ruler, the host with swords rendered raven’s food, wearing helmets.
And also this:
Felled lay all his forces before the ring-generous lord to leave was willing. The war-skilled king heaven...
Magnús fled from there east to Gautland and from there to Denmark. At that time Jarl Karl Sónason was in Gautland. He was mighty and ambitious. Magnús blindi and his men used to say, wherever they came into the presence of leaders, that Norway would lie open to grabs if any great leaders wanted to go for it, as there was no king over the country and the government of the realm was in the hands of landed men, while those landed men that were first appointed as rulers had all fallen out with each other because of their jealousy. So because Jarl Karl was greedy for power and open to persuasion, he now gathers troops and rides from the east into the Vík, and many people submitted to him out of fear. So when Þjóstólfr Álason and Ámundi heard about this, then they went against him with whatever troops they could get, and with them took King Ingi. They met Jarl Karl and an army of Gautar east in Krókaskógr and there fought another battle, and King Ingi was victorious. There Jarl Karl’s uncle Munán Ǫgmundarson fell. Munán’s father Ǫgmundr was son of Jarl Ormr Eilífsson and Jarl Finnr Árnason’s daughter Sigríðr. Ǫgmundr’s daughter Ástríðr was Jarl Karl’s mother. Many fell at Krókaskógr, but the jarl fled east out of the forest. King Ingi drove them all the way eastwards out of his kingdom, and their expedition came to be regarded as most contemptible. So says Kolli:
I’ll show how the ruler reddened— raven over wounds of Gautar stooped; eagle was not seldom sated—bright wound-icicles. Repaid were—your power is proven—strengtheners of sword-noise, who started strife, at Krókaskógr.
Magnús blindi made his way to Denmark to see Eiríkr eimuni, and he had a warm reception there. He invited Eiríkr to accompany him into Norway, if Eiríkr would like to subject the land to himself and take an army of Danes into Norway, saying that if he comes with the backing of an army, that no one in Norway will dare to let fly a spear against him. So the king responded by calling out a levy. He went with six hundred ships north into Norway, and Magnús blindi and his men joined in this expedition with the king of the Danes. But when they got to the Vík, then they proceeded with some restraint, acting sensibly and peaceably on the eastern side of the fiord, and when they got to Túnsberg with their troops, they found there before them a great gathering of King Ingi’s landed men. Gregorius’s brother Vatn-Ormr Dagsson had most authority over them. The Danes were unable to get ashore there or to get themselves water. Many of them were killed there. Then they sailed in along the fiord to Oslo, and there they came up against Þjóstólfr Álason. It is said that they wanted to have the blessed Hallvarðr’s shrine carried out of the town in the evening and as many as could manage it got under the shrine and they were unable to carry it further than just out onto the floor of the church. But in the morning when they saw that the army was travelling in to Hǫfuðey, then four men carried the shrine up out of the town, and Þjóstólfr and all the townspeople were accompanying the shrine.
King Eiríkr and his men made their way up into the town, and some ran after Þjóstólfr and his men. Þjóstólfr shot a spiked shaft at a man that is called Áskell—he was King Eiríkr’s forecastle man—and struck him under the chin so that the point appeared out at the back of his head, and Þjóstólfr thought he had never achieved a better shot, for there was no bare skin visible on him except just that spot. The blessed Hallvarðr’s shrine was conveyed up into Raumaríki and was there for three months. Þjóstólfr travelled round Raumaríki and he gathered troops during the night and came down to the town in the morning. King Eiríkr had Hallvarðskirkja set on fire and various other places through the town and burnt absolutely everything up. Next Þjóstólfr came down with a large troop, and King Eiríkr set off with his naval force and they could nowhere get ashore on the northern side of the fiord because of the gathering of landed men, and wherever they sought to go ashore, then they left five or six or more lying behind. King Ingi lay in Hornborusund with a large force. So when King Eiríkr heard that, then he turns back south to Denmark. King Ingi went after them and picked up from them all that they could. And people say that no worse expedition has been undertaken with a large force into another king’s realm, and King Eiríkr was displeased with Magnús and his men and thought they had made a great fool of him when he had entered on this expedition, saying that never again would he be their friend as he had been before.
Sigurðr slembidjákn came that summer from west across the sea to Norway. And when he heard of his kinsman Magnús’s misfortune, he realised that now he would get little support in Norway. He now sailed all along the outer route south along the coast and ended up in Denmark. He sailed into Eyrarsund. But south off Erri he came across some warships of Vinðr and joined battle with them and was victorious, cleared there eight warships and killed there a large number of men, and hanged some. He also fought a battle by Mǫn with Vinðr and was victorious. Then he laid his course from the south and sailed up into the Elfr by the eastern branch and defeated there three ships from the force of Þórir hvinantorði and his nephew, Haraldr kesja’s son Óláfr. Óláfr’s mother was King Magnús berfœttr’s daughter Ragnhildr. He chased Óláfr ashore. Þórir was in Konungahella and had a host waiting there. Sigurðr sailed there and they shot at each other and men fell from both sides and many were wounded. Sigurðr’s party were unable to get ashore. Úlfheðinn Sǫxólfsson, a man from the north of Iceland, Sigurðr’s forecastle man, fell there. Sigurðr sailed away and laid his course north into the Vík and plundered widely. He lay in Portyrja on Lungarðssíða and laid an ambush for ships that were going into or out of the Vík, and plundered them. The people of Túnsberg sent a force against him and took him unawares, so that Sigurðr and his men were ashore and sharing out their booty. Some troops came down upon them, and they positioned their ships across the harbour outside of them. Sigurðr leapt on his ship and rowed out at them, but Vatn-Ormr’s ship was the closest there, and he drew back. But Sigurðr rowed out past them and got away on a single ship, but many of his troops fell. So this was composed: 
Poorly in the fight Vatn-Ormr at Portyrja did perform.
After that Sigurðr slembidjákn sailed south to Denmark, and a man was lost from his ship who was called Kolbeinn Þorljótsson from Bataldr. He was in a boat in tow that was tied to the ship, and they were sailing fast. Sigurðr wrecked the ship when they got south, and he stayed in Álaborg during the winter. And the following summer, then he and Magnús travelled from the south with seven ships and reached Listi unexpectedly during the night and sailed their ships to land. Waiting there was Benteinn Kolbeinsson, a follower of King Ingi and a most valiant man. Sigurðr and his party went ashore there at daybreak and arrived unexpectedly and captured them in the building and were going to set fire to the residence, but Benteinn got out into a kind of storehouse in armour and well equipped with weapons and stood inside the entrance with drawn sword and had a shield before him and a helmet on his head, being now ready for defence. The entrances were rather low. Sigurðr asked why they did not go in. They replied that no one was keen to do that. So while they were discussing this most eagerly, Sigurðr leapt into the building past him. Benteinn struck after him and missed. After that Sigurðr turned round to him and they exchanged few blows before Sigurðr killed him and carried his head out in his hand. They took all the valuables that were in the residence, after that went to their ships. And when King Ingi and his friends and Kolbeinn’s sons, Benteinn’s brothers Sigurðr and Gyrðr, learnt of the death of Benteinn, then the king sent out a troop against Sigurðr and his party, and went along himself, taking a ship from Hákon pungelta , son of Páll, grandson of Áslákr Erlingsson of Sóli and cousin of Hákon magi. Ingi chased Hákon up ashore and took every last thing from them. These fled away in to Firðir, Eindriði in Gautdalr’s son Sigurðr storkr and his brother Eiríkr hæll, and Grímr from Vist’s son Andreas kelduskítr, but Sigurðr and Magnús and Þorleifr skjappa sailed north on three ships by the outer route to Hálogaland. Magnús was during the winter in Bjarkey with Víðkunnr Jónsson. But Sigurðr cut the stems off his ship and knocked holes in it and sank it down in the inner part of Ægisfjǫrðr, and Sigurðr stayed during the winter in Tjaldasund on Hinn in a place called Gljúfrafjǫrðr. In the inner part of this fiord there is a cave in the cliff. There Sigurðr and his party, more than twenty men, stayed during the winter, and closed off the entrance to the cave so that the entrance could not be seen from the beach. Sigurðr was provided with food during the winter by Þorleifr skjappa and Einarr, son of Ǫgmundr of Sandr and Guðrún, daughter of Ari of Reykjahólar’s son Einarr. That winter, it is said, Sigurðr had Lapps build him two light ships deep in the fiord and they were fastened together with sinews and there were no nails in them, and they had withies instead of knees under the beams , and they had twelve rowers on each side. Sigurðr stayed with the Lapps while they were building the ships, and the Lapps had beer there and put on a banquet there for him. Afterwards Sigurðr composed this:
It was good in the gammi when we gladly drank, and the glad king’s son would go between benches. Cheer was not lacking at the cheerful drinking. Thane gladdened thane there as everywhere.
These light ships were so fast that no ship could overtake them in the water, as this composition says: 
Only few can keep up with the fir-ship from Hálogaland: under sail speeds the sinew-bound vessel.
So in the spring Sigurðr and Magnús travelled from the north with the two light ships that the Lapps had built. And when they got to Vágar, they killed the priest Sveinn and his two sons there.
Sigurðr then travelled south into Víkar and there captured Viljálmr skinnari - he was one of King Sigurðr’s landed men—and secondly Þóraldi keptr, and killed them both. Then Sigurðr travelled south along the coast and met Styrkárr glæsirófa south there by Byrða when he was travelling from the south from Kaupangr, and they killed him. And when Sigurðr got south to Valsnes, then he met Svína-Grímr and had his right hand cut off. Then he went south to Mœrr beyond Þrándheimsmynni and there captured Heðinn harðmagi and Kálfr kringluauga, and let Heðinn go away, but they killed Kálfr. King Sigurðr and his foster-father Sáða-Gyrðr heard about Sigurðr’s movements and what he was up to. Then they sent men to find him. They then put in charge Kálfr inn rangi’s son Jón kaða, brother of Bishop Ívarr, and secondly the priest Jón smyrill. They manned Hreinninn, which had two and twenty rowing benches and was the swiftest of all ships. They went to look for Sigurðr and could not find him and returned with little glory, for people say that they saw them and dared not attack them. Sigurðr travelled south to Hǫrðaland and got to Herðla. There Laxa-Páll’s son Einarr had an estate, and he was gone in to Hamarsfjǫrðr to the Rogation Days assembly. They took all the valuables that were in the house and a twenty-five-benched longship that was owned by Einarr and his four-winter-old son who was staying with his workman. There were some that wanted to kill the boy, but some to carry him off with them. The workman said to them: ‘It will be no stroke of luck for you to be able to kill this boy, and no benefit to you to carry him off. That is my son, and not Einarr’s.’ And because of what he said they left the boy behind, and they went off. So when Einarr came back, then he gave the workman money to the value of two ounces of gold and thanked him for what he had done and said he would be his friend for ever after. This is what Eiríkr Oddsson says, who first wrote down this account, that he heard Einarr Pálsson tell of these events in Bjǫrgyn. Sigurðr then travelled south along the coast and right on east to Vík and met Finnr Sauða-Úlfsson east at Kvildir where he was going round collecting King Ingi’s land dues, and had him hanged. They then travelled south to Denmark.
The Víkverjar and Bjǫrgynjarmenn said it was a disgrace that King Sigurðr and his friends sat doing nothing north in Kaupangr, though the slayers of his father were sailing the high seas outside Þrándheimsmynni, and King Ingi and his troops were staying east in Vík in danger and defending the land and had fought many battles. So King Ingi sent a letter north to Kaupangr. In it stood these words: ‘King Haraldr’s son King Ingi sends God’s and his own greetings to his brother King Sigurðr and to Sáða-Gyrðr, Ǫgmundr sviptir, Óttarr birtingr and all landed men, followers and housecarls and all the common people, rich and poor, young and old. All are acquainted with the problems that we have and also with our youth, that you are reckoned to be five winters old, and I three winters. We can undertake nothing except what we do with the help of our friends and kind people. It seems to me that now I and my friends are more afflicted with the trouble and distress that we both suffer than you or your friends. Now be so kind as to go to see me as soon as possible and with as many men as possible, and let us be both together whatever happens. Now he is our greatest friend who continues to ensure that we may be always on the best of terms and treated in as equal a manner as possible in everything. But if you neglect to come and are unwilling to respond to my urgent message again, as you have done before, you must be prepared for me to come against you with a force. Let God then judge between us, for we cannot go on any longer with things as they are, staying with such great expense and large numbers as are necessary here because of the hostility, while you are taking half of all the land dues and other revenues in Norway. Live in the peace of God!’ Then Óttarr birtingr replies and stood up at the assembly and spoke.
‘These are King Sigurðr’s words in reply to his brother King Ingi, that may God thank him for his kind greeting and also the labour and difficulty that you and your friends have had in this kingdom in our common time of need. And though some things seem rather harsh in the words of King Ingi to his brother Sigurðr, yet there is a great deal in what he says in many respects. Now I will make known to you my mind and find out whether the wishes of King Sigurðr and other men of the ruling class are in accordance with it, that you, King Sigurðr, should also make ready such force as is willing to follow you to defend your land and go with as large numbers as are available to meet your brother King Ingi as soon as you can, and that each of you should support the other in all useful matters, and may almighty God support both of you. Now we wish to hear what you have to say, king.’ Sauða-Úlfr’s son Pétr, who was afterwards known as Pétr byrðarsveinn, had carried King Sigurðr to the assembly. Then the king spoke: 
‘Let all men know that if I have my way I shall go to see my brother King Ingi as soon as I can.’ Now one after another there spoke and each began in his own way but ended his speech at the same spot as Óttarr birtingr had replied, and now it was decided to summon a troop together and travel to the east of the country. After that King Sigurðr travelled east into Vík and there met his brother King Ingi.
The same autumn there came Sigurðr slembidjákn and Magnús blindi from the south from Denmark with thirty ships, both Danish troops and Norwegian. It was close to the winter nights. So when the kings and their troops learn of this, they travel east against them. They met at Hvalir by Hólmr inn grái. This was the next day after Marteinsmass. It was a Sunday. Kings Ingi and Sigurðr had twenty ships and all large ones. A great battle took place there, but after the first onslaught the Danes fled back south with eighteen ships. Then Sigurðr’s and Magnús’s ships were cleared. And when Magnús’s ship was pretty well cleared, but he was resting in his bed, Hreiðarr Grjótgarðsson, who had been with him a long time and had been one of his personal followers, he took King Magnús in his arms and was going to jump onto another ship. Then Hreiðarr was hit by a spear between the shoulders and in through them, and people say that there King Magnús met his death from the same spear, and Hreiðarr fell over on his back onto the deck with Magnús on top of him. But everyone tells that he was felt to have served his liege lord well and gallantly. It is well for each one that gets such report. There fell Loðinn saupruðr of Línustaðir on King Magnús’s ship, and Sigurðr slembidjákn’s forecastle man Brúsi Þormóðarson and Ívarr Kolbeinsson and Sigurðr slembidjákn’s midshipman, Hallvarðr fægir. This Ívarr had gone in against King Haraldr and been the first to injure him. Now a large part of Magnús’s party’s troops fell, for Ingi’s men let none escape that they could lay hands on, though I name but few men to whom this happened. They killed on one islet more than sixty men. Two Icelandic men were killed there, Bergþórr Másson’s son the priest Sigurðr and secondly Ari Einarsson’s son Klémet. Kálfr inn rangi’s son Ívarr skrauthanki, who was later bishop north in Þrándheimr - he was Archbishop Eiríkr’s father; Ívarr had steadfastly followed Magnús - he managed to get onto his brother Jón kaða’s ship, and Jón was married to Gyrðr Bárðarson’s daughter Cecilia, and was there among the troops. And there were these three that managed to get onto Jón’s ship, the second being Arnbjǫrn Ambi who later married Þorsteinn in Auðsholt’s daughter, the third Ívarr dynta Starason. He was Helgi Starason’s brother and Þrándish on his mother’s side, a most promising man. But when the troops realised that they were there, then they grabbed their weapons and went for Jón and his friends, and they got on the defensive and the whole host was on the point of fighting among themselves. And this settlement was reached among them, that Jón redeemed his brother Ívarr and Arnbjǫrn and he pledged ransom for them and he was paid back this money afterwards. But Ívarr dynta was taken up ashore and executed, for Kolbeinn’s sons Sigurðr and Gyrðr would not take payment for him, as they recognised him as having been at the killing of their brother Benteinn. Bishop Ívarr said it had affected him in this way, that he felt the worst thing was when Ívarr was taken up ashore to face the axe and first he turned to them and said he hoped they would meet again in happiness. This is what Archbishop Jón’s sister Guðríðr Birgisdóttir told Eiríkr Oddsson, and she said she had heard Bishop Ívarr say that.
There was a man called Þrándr gjaldkeri that captained a ship in Ingi’s fleet. And now it had reached the stage where Ingi’s men were rowing in small boats to the men that were in the water and killing each one that they got hold of. Sigurðr slembidjákn dived into the water from his ship when it had been cleared, and threw off his mailcoat while under the water, after that swimming and holding his shield above him. And some men from Þrándr’s ship captured one man in the water and were going to kill him, but he begged to be released, saying he would tell them where Sigurðr slembir was, and they agreed to that. But shields and spears and dead men and clothing were floating all over round the ships. ‘You will see,’ he says, ‘where a red shield is floating. He is underneath that.’ After that they rowed over there and captured him and took him to Þrándr’s ship, and Þrándr sent word to Þjóstólfr and Óttarr and Ámundi. Sigurðr slembir had had a tinderbox on him, and the touchwood was inside a walnut shell and wax poured over it. This is mentioned because it seemed a clever way to keep it from ever getting wet. He held his shield above himself while he swam so that no one would know whether it was that shield or some other when there were many of them floating on the sea. They said that they would never have come across him if they had not been told where he was. When Þrándr got ashore with him, then the troops were told that he had been captured. Then a shout of joy arose from the army. And when Sigurðr heard that, he said: ‘Many a wicked man will be joyful over my head today.’
Then Þjóstólfr Álason went up to where he was sitting and brushed off his head a silken cap adorned with lace. Then Þjóstólfr said: ‘Why were you so bold, you son of a slave, as to dare to call yourself King Magnús’s son?’ He replied: ‘You have no reason to regard my father as like a slave, for your father was worth little in comparison with my father.’ Þorgeirr Steinsson the physician’s son Hallr was one of King Ingi’s followers and was present while this was going on. He dictated the story to Eiríkr Oddsson, and he wrote down this account. Eiríkr wrote the book that is known as Hryggjarstykki. In that book it tells about Haraldr gilli and his two sons and about Magnús blindi and about Sigurðr slembir, right up until their deaths. Eiríkr was an intelligent man and was at this time for a long period in Norway. He wrote some of his account according to what Haraldr’s sons’ landed man Hákon magi dictated. Hákon and his sons were in all these conflicts and strategies. Eiríkr further mentions others that told him about these events, intelligent and reliable people, and were nearby, so that they heard or saw what happened, and some things he wrote according to what he himself had heard or seen.
Hallr says this, that the leading men wanted to have him Sigurðr slembir killed straight away, but the men that were fiercest and felt the need to avenge their griefs on him decided his torments, and there were named for this the brothers of Benteinn, Kolbeinn’s sons Sigurðr and Gyrðr, and Pétr byrðarsveinn wanted to avange his brother Finnr, but the leading men and most of the ordinary people went off. They broke his legs in two with the backs of axes and his arms. Then they stripped him of his clothes and were going to flay him alive and cut the scalp off his head. They got no further with this because of the blood flowing. Then they took whips of hide and beat him for a long time so that all his skin was completely off as if it had been flayed. And after that they took a log of wood and banged it on his spine so that it broke in two. Then they dragged him to a tree and hanged him and after that cut off his head and dragged his body away and buried it in a sort of heap of stones. Everyone said, his friends and enemies, that no man in Norway had been more accomplished in everything than Sigurðr within the memory of the people that were then around, though he was an unlucky man in some things. Hallr said that he spoke little and often did not reply very much even if people addressed words to him, and Hallr says this, that he never reacted any more than if they were striking a stock or a stone. But he added this, that it could be true of a good fellow that was well endowed with endurance that he might be able to bear torture to the extent that he might keep his mouth shut or react very little, but he said that he Sigurðr never altered his voice and he spoke as lightheartedly as when he was indoors on the ale bench, he spoke neither louder nor more softly nor with more of a tremor than his custom was. He went on speaking right on until he died, and sang a third of the psalter, and he Hallr declared that this seemed to him beyond the endurance and strength of other men. And the priest that had a church there a short way away had Sigurðr’s body conveyed there to the church. This priest was a friend of Haraldr’s sons. And when this got about, then they directed their anger towards him and had the body taken back to where it had been before, and yet the priest had to pay money for it. But Sigurðr’s friends afterwards went from south in Denmark by ship to fetch the body and conveyed it to Álaborg and buried it at Máríukirkja there in the town. The provost Ketill, who was in charge of Máríukirkja, told Eiríkr that Sigurðr was buried there. Þjóstólfr Álason had King Magnús’s body conveyed to Oslo and buried at Hallvarðskirkja by his father King Sigurðr. They conveyed Loðinn sauprúðr to Túnsberg, but all the other troops they buried where they were. 
Sigurðr and Ingi had been ruling Norway six winters. That spring Eysteinn came from the west from Scotland. He was Haraldr gilli’s son. Árni sturla and Þorleifr Brynjólfsson and Kolbeinn hrúga, they had travelled west across the sea after Eysteinn and accompanied him to land and immediately sailed north to Þrándheimr, and the Þrœndir welcomed him and he was accepted as king at Eyraþing around Rogation Days, so that he was to share a third of Norway with his brothers. Sigurðr and Ingi were now in the east of the country. Then people passed between the kings and made a settlement between them whereby Eysteinn was to have a third of the kingdom . . . except that what King Haraldr had said about it was believed. King Eysteinn’s mother was called Bjaðǫk, and she came to Norway with him.
The fourth son of King Haraldr was called Magnús. He was fostered by Kyrpinga-Ormr. He was also accepted as king and had his share of the land. Magnús was diseased in the feet and lived a short time and died of sickness. Einarr Skúlason speaks of him:
Eysteinn bestows wealth on people. Sigurðr adds to shield-clamour. Ingi makes metal sing. Magnús makes peace among men. The kin of the king much valued colour with blood the war-tent. Never came beneath the sun, four nobler brothers.
After the fall of King Haraldr gilli Queen Ingiríðr was married to Óttarr birtingr. He was a landed man and a great leader, Þrándish by descent. He was a great helper of King Ingi while he was in his childhood. King Sigurðr was not a great friend of his and felt he was rather too biassed in favour of his kinsman-in-law King Ingi. Óttarr birtingr was killed north in Kaupangr by a single attacker one evening when he was supposed to be going to evensong. And when he heard the whistling of the blow, then he moved up his arm and cloak against it, thinking that a snowball was being thrown at him, as often happens with young boys. He fell at the blow. But his son Álfr hroði now came walking into the churchyard. He saw his father’s fall and also that the man who had attacked him was running eastwards round the church. Álfr ran after him and killed him by the corner of the choir, and people said his vengeance had turned out well for him, and he was thought a much greater man than before.
King Eysteinn Haraldsson was now inside Þrándheimr when he heard of Óttarr’s fall, and he summoned a troop of farmers to him. He went out to the town and came to have a very large following. But Óttarr’s kinsmen and other friends blamed the plot mainly on King Sigurðr, and he was now in Kaupangr, and the farmers were greatly incensed against him. But he offered to undergo an ordeal and pledged a trial by hot iron that would prove his innocence, and they settled for that. After that King Sigurðr travelled to the south of the country, and this ordeal was never performed.
Queen Ingiríðr had a son by Ívarr sneis. He was called Ormr, and later known as King’s Brother. He was most handsome in looks and became a great leader, as will be described further later. Queen Ingiríðr was married to Árni in Stoðreimr. He was later known as King’s Brother-in-Law. Their children were Ingi, Níkolás, Philippus in Herðla and Margrét, who was married to Bjǫrn bukkr and afterwards to Símun Kárason. 
Erlingr was the name of the son of Kyrpinga-Ormr and Sveinki Steinarsson’s daughter Ragnhildr. Kyrpinga-Ormr was son of Sveinn Sveinsson, son of Erlendr from Gerði. Ormr’s mother was Ragna, daughter of Jarl Ormr Eilífsson and Jarl Finnr Árnason’s daughter Ingibjǫrg. Jarl Ormr’s mother was Jarl Hákon inn ríki’s daughter Ragnhildr. Erlingr was an intelligent man and was a great friend of King Ingi’s, and with his consent Erlingr married Kristín, daughter of King Sigurðr and Queen Málmfríðr. Erlingr had an estate in Stuðla in Sunn-Hǫrðaland. Erlingr travelled abroad and with him Eindriði ungi and still other landed men, and they had a fine force. They set out on a journey to Jórsalir and travelled west across the sea to Orkney. From there Jarl Rǫgnvaldr, who was known as Kali, travelled with them , and Bishop Viljálmr. They took altogether from Orkney fifteen longships and sailed to the Suðreyjar and from there west to Valland and after that the route that King Sigurðr Jórsalafari had travelled, out to Nǫrvasund, raiding widely out round heathen Spain. A little after they had sailed through the straits, Eindriði ungi and those that were accompanying him separated off with six ships, and each party then went their own way. But Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and Erlingr skakki encountered a drómundr on the sea and attacked it with nine ships and fought with them. And in the end they brought smaller warships underneath the drómundr. Then the heathens brought down on them both weapons and stones and pots of boiling pitch and olive oil. Erlingr was positioned with his ship closest to them and the heathens’ shower of weapons came down outside this ship. Then Erlingr and his men knocked holes in the drómundr, some down under the water, some up in the sides, so that they could get in there. So says Þorbjǫrn Skakkaskáld in Erlingsdrápa:
With the axe’s blades underwater— eagerly it was done—Northmen, bold, in the new boarding broke openings, fearlessly. Enders of eagle’s hunger in the dark wave-animal’s iron-cladding saw your cunning. You opened war-slits from above.
Auðunn inn rauði was the name of the man, Erlingr’s forecastle man, that first went up into the drómundr. They defeated the drómundr and slew there a huge number of men, taking there a large amount of wealth and winning a fine victory there. On this journey Jarl Rǫgnvaldr and Erlingr skakki got to Jórsalaland and out to the River Jórðán, then turned back, first to Mikligarðr, leaving their ships behind there, travelling home by land, and kept all safe until they got to Norway, and their journey was very highly praised. Erlingr was seen now as a much greater man than before, both from his journey and his marriage. He was also a very intelligent person, wealthy and of good family, well spoken and was most attached in full friendship to Ingi of the brothers.
King Sigurðr was riding round attending banquets east in Vík with his following and rode past a farm owned by a powerful man that was called Símun. And as the king was riding through the farm, then could be heard from inside one of the buildings such beautiful singing that he was quite enchanted with it, and rode up to the building and saw inside that there was a woman standing there at a hand-mill singing to it amazingly beautifully as she was grinding. The king dismounted from his horse and went inside to the woman and lay with her. And as he rode away, then Farmer Símun realised what the king had been up to there. But she was called Þóra and she was Farmer Símun’s servant woman. Afterwards Símun had her taken care of. And later on this woman gave birth to a child, and this boy was named Hákon and was said to be King Sigurðr’s son. Hákon was brought up there with Símun Þorbergsson and his wife Gunnhildr. Also brought up there were her and Símun’s sons Ǫnundr and Andreas, and they were very fond of Hákon, so that nothing could part them but death.
King Eysteinn Haraldsson was located east in Vík close to the border. He had a dispute with landowners, Renir and Hísingsbúar. They assembled troops against him, and he fought a battle with them and was victorious. The place where they fought is called Leikberg. He also set fire to very many places in Hísing. After that the landowners submitted and paid great fines, and the king took hostages from them. So says Einarr Skúlason:
The generous, bold king— so things for them went wrong— the Víkverjar pays for arbitrary ways. Most were afraid before terms were made, and hostages takes he who harsh payment makes. 
The sovereign fought the stout cohort— to his men praise is clear— Leikberg near. Renir fled a lot and rendered what— riches men paid— the ruler bade.
A little later King Eysteinn set out on a journey abroad west across the sea and sailed to Katanes. He got intelligence about Jarl Haraldr Maddaðarson in Þórsá. He attacked him with three small warships and came upon them unawares, though the jarl had a thirty-benched ship with eighty men aboard. Yet as they were unprepared for it, King Eysteinn and his men now immediately managed to board the ship and captured the jarl and took him with them onto one of their ships. He ransomed himself with three marks of gold, and they parted without more ado. So says Einarr Skúlason:
Eighty men were aiding the offspring of Maddaðr; the wound-fiord gull’s feeder forwards himself, mighty. The tide-horse’s tirer took that jarl with three vessels. The bold baiter of the corpse-skua bowed his head to the fine ruler.
King Eysteinn sailed on from there southwards along the eastern coast of Scotland and made for the market town in Scotland that is called Apardjón, and there killed many people and plundered the place. So says Einarr Skúlason: 
The troop, I’ve heard tell, of Apardjón fell. Smashed was war-ice ; the prince spoiled peace.
He fought a second battle south by Hjartapollr with a mounted troop and forced them to flee. They cleared some ships there. So says Einarr: 
The king’s sword did pierce. Blood fell on spears. The troop kept together loyally by Hjartapollr. Hot sword-hilt-Rhine — the wolf got more wine — Huginn cheered; English ships were cleared.
Then he sailed southwards again to England and there fought a third battle by Hvítabýr and was victorious and burned the town. So says Einarr:
The prince increased war, swords chanted there, war-clouds were hewn, by Hvítabýr town. Strongly played on each house— people endured woes, the wolf’s tooth grew red— the Garmr of fir-wood.
After that he made raids in many places across England. Stefnir was now king in England. Next King Eysteinn fought a battle by Skarpasker with some mounted troops. So says Einarr: 
The able king— rain drove of bow-string by Skǫrpusker killed the troop shield-skilled.
Next he fought in Pílavík and was victorious. So says Einarr:
In Pilavík the lord reddened the sword. Tore the wolf’s band Partar corpses grand. He made, the king— sword on brow did sing— all Langatún west of sea burn.
There they burned Langatún, a large village, and people say that this town hardly recovered afterwards. After this King Eysteinn travelled away from England and in the autumn back to Norway, and people gave very varying reports of this expedition.
There was satisfactory peace in Norway in the early days of Haraldr’s sons, and there was fairly reasonable concord between them as long as their original advisers lived, indeed Ingi and Sigurðr were more or less children. At that time they both had a single following, while Eysteinn had one of his own. He was a full-grown man in age. But when Ingi and Sigurðr’s guardians were dead, Sáða-Gyrðr Bárðarson, Ámundi Gyrðarson, Þjóstólfr Álason, Óttarr birtingr, Ǫgmundr sviptir and Erlingr skakki’s brother Ǫgmundr dengir - Erlingr was taken little notice of while Ǫgmundr was alive—after that Ingi and Sigurðr split their following, and then Gregorius, son of Dagr Eilífsson and Skopti Ǫgmundarson’s daughter Ragnhildr, ruled as a support to King Ingi. Gregorius had great wealth and was himself a most outstanding person. He came to be in charge of the government of the country alongside King Ingi, and the king allowed him to take what he wished of his own possessions. King Sigurðr became a very overbearing person and unruly in every way as soon as he was grown up, and so was Eysteinn too, and this was even more true in the case of Eysteinn, indeed he was the most greedy for wealth and most avaricious of them all. King Sigurðr grew into a big and strong man, a valiant man in looks, with brown hair and ugly mouth, but all right in his other features. He was of all men the most well-spoken and readiest of speech. Einarr Skúlason mentions this:
The speech-craft of Sigurðr excels, he who reddens with gore sharp fires of gash-floods. God himself has given the king success. It is, if the Raumar’s ruler orates, angry-worded, as if— the glad-spoken king displays splendour— silent are other people. 
King Eysteinn was a swarthy man and dark in colouring, of quite tall average build, a sensible and intelligent person, but what was most detrimental to his authority was that he was avaricious and greedy for wealth. He married Níkolás mási’s daughter Ragna. King Ingi was the most handsome of men in his features. He had yellow hair, and it was rather thin and very curly. He had not grown very tall, and he could scarcely walk on his own, one leg was so withered, and his shoulders and chest were deformed. He was cheerful of speech and pleasant with his friends, generous with wealth, mostly letting leading men make decisions about the government with him, popular with ordinary people, and all of this very much attracted power and followers to him. King Haraldr gilli’s daughter was called Brígiða. She was first of all married to King Ingi Hallsteinsson of the Svíar, and later to Jarl Karl Sónason and then to King Magnús of the Svíar. He and King Ingi Haraldsson were sons of the same mother. Last of all she was married to Jarl Birgir brosa. They had four sons, one Jarl Philippus, second Jarl Knútr, third Fólki, fourth Magnús. Their daughters were Ingigerðr, who was married to King Sørkvir—their son was King Jón—second Kristín, third Margrét. Haraldr gilli’s second daughter was called Maria. She was married to Hallkell húkr’s son Símun skálpr. Their son was called Níkolás. Haraldr gilli’s third daughter was called Margrét. She was married to Símun’s brother Jón Hallkelsson. Now many things happened with these brothers that led to differences between them, but yet I shall only mention what seems to me to have had the most significant consequences.
Cardinal Níkolás from the City of Rome came to Norway in the time of the sons of Haraldr, and the Pope had sent him to Norway. Now the cardinal was angry with Sigurðr and Eysteinn, and they had to make atonement with him, but he was very well pleased with Ingi and called him his son. So when they were all at peace with him, he granted them that he would consecrate Jón Birgisson as archbishop in Þrándheimr and gave him the vestment that is called pallium and declared this, that the archbishop’s see was to be in Niðaróss at Christchurch, where King Óláfr the Saint rests, though previously there had only been suffragan bishops in Norway. The cardinal brought it about that no one should bear weapons in marketplaces with impunity excpt the twelve men that were the king’s bodyguard. He in many ways improved people’s practices in Norway while he was there in the country. No foreigner has visited Norway that everyone thought as highly of or that had as much authority over the common people as he. He returned south afterwards with great gifts of friendship and declared he would always be the greatest friend of Norwegians. And when he got south to the City of Rome, then the previous pope died suddenly, and all the people of the City of Rome wanted to take Níkolás as Pope. So he was consecrated Pope with the name of Adrianus. Those people that visited the City of Rome in his time say that he never had such urgent business with other people that he did not always speak with Norwegians first when they wanted an audience with him. He was not Pope for long, and he is said to be a saint.
In the time of the sons of Haraldr gilli an event took place in which a man that is named Halldórr came across some Vinðr, and they captured him and caused him injuries, cutting his throat and pulling out his tongue from there and cutting it off at the roots of his tongue. Afterwards he made his way to the blessed King Óláfr, meditated devoutly on this holy person and weeping bitterly, begged King Óláfr to grant him speech and health. Next he received his speech and grace from that good king and immediately became his servant all the days of his life and turned into a glorious and faithful person. This miracle took place a fortnight before the later St Óláfr’s day, on the day that Cardinal Níkolás reached land.
There were two brothers in Upplǫnd, men of high lineage and well off, Einarr and Andreas, sons of Guthormr grábarðr, maternal uncles of King Sigurðr Haraldsson. They had their ancestral property there and all their possessions. They had a sister quite handsome to look at, but yet not too prudent about what wicked people say, as later became apparent. She was very friendly with an English priest that was called Ríkarðr, who was living there with her brothers, and she did him many favours and frequently great benefits out of kindness. This led to no better result than that there got about and flew around monstrous words about this woman. After this had become common talk, then everyone believed this was the priest’s fault, as also her brothers did, as soon as they became aware of this, then they declared him the most likely one to be reponsible before the public in the great friendship that existed between them. This turned out to be the greatest misfortune for them the couple afterwards, as was not unexpected, since they the brothers remained silent about their concealed plot and let no sign of it be apparent in them. So one day they called the priest to them—he was expecting nothing from them but just something good—, enticed him away with them saying that they had to go to another district to see to something there that they needed done, and told him to go with them; taking with them a member of their household who was in the plot with them. They went by ship along the lake that is called Rǫnd, and on along the shore of the lake and landed on a promontory that is called Skiptisandr. There they went ashore and played for a little while. Then they went to a certain secret place, then told their workman to strike him a blow with the back of an axe. He struck the priest so that he lay in a daze. But when he came to himself, he said: ‘Why must you play so roughly with me?’ They replied: ‘Even if no one tells you, yet you shall now discover what you have done.’ After that they put forward their charges against him. He denied them and spoke, bidding God and the blessed King Óláfr judge between them. After that they broke his leg in two. Then they dragged him between them to the forest and bound his hands behind his back. After that they passed cords round his head and a plank beneath his shoulders and head and put in a stick and twisted the cord. Then Einarr took a peg and put it in the priest’s eye, and his servant stood above and struck it with the axe and forced out the eye so that it immediately flew down onto his moustache. So then he put the peg in the other eye and said to his servant:
‘Strike somewhat more gently.’ He did so. Then the peg shot off his eyeball and tore away his eyelid. After that Einarr took hold of the eyelid in his hand and stretched it up and saw that the eyeball was still there. Then he put the peg out on his cheek and the servant struck it then, and the eyeball sprang down onto the cheekbone where it was most prominent. After that they opened his mouth and took hold of his tongue and pulled it out and cut it off, and after that freed his hands and head. As soon as he came to himself it occurred to him to place his eyeballs up against his eyebrows in their places and he held them there with both hands as well as he could. So then they carried him to the ship and went to the farm that is known as at Sæheimruð and landed there. They sent a man to the farm to say that a priest was lying there by a ship on the shore. While the man that had been sent was gone up there, then they asked if the priest was able to speak, but he fluttered his tongue and wanted to try to speak with it. Then Einarr spoke to his brother: ‘If he recovers and the stump of his tongue grows, then it occurs to me that he may speak.’ After that they pinched the stump of his tongue with tongs and pulled at it and twice cut pieces off it, and a third time from in the roots of his tongue and left him lying there half dead. The housewife there on the farm was poor, and yet she went immediately and her daughter with her and they carried him back to the house in their shawls. After that they fetched a priest, and when he got there, then he bound up all his wounds and they tried to relieve him as much as they could. He lay there, the wounded priest, in a sad state, hoping constantly for God’s grace and never doubting it, praying to God in his mind and with sorrowful heart without speaking, all the more trusting the more he was distressed, and meditated in his mind on the gracious king, Óláfr the Saint, God’s darling, having previously heard much said about his glorious works and trusting in him all the more zealously with his whole heart for every help in his need. So as he lay there maimed and devoid of any strength, then he wept bitterly and sighed, begging with sorrowful breast the saint, King Óláfr, to succour him. So then after midnight the wounded priest fell asleep. Then he dreamt he saw a noble-looking man come to him and speak with him: ‘Badly have you now been treated, Ríkarðr my friend. I can see that now your strength is not great.’ He dreamt he agreed on this. Then this person spoke to him: ‘You are in need of grace.’ The priest says: ‘I would need the grace of almighty God and of the blessed King Óláfr.’ He says: ‘And you shall have it.’
Next he took hold of the stump of his tongue and pulled it so hard that it was painful for the priest. Next he rubbed over his eyes with his hand, and over his leg, also over his other limbs that were painful. Then the priest asked who it was there. He looked at him and said: ‘It is Óláfr here from the north in Þrándheimr.’ And after that he disappeared, but the priest awoke completely cured, and immediately began to speak. ‘Blessed am I,’ he said, ‘thanks to God and the blessed King Óláfr. He has cured me.’ And miserably as he had previously been treated, so he received swift remedy for all his misfortune, and it felt to him as if he had neither been wounded nor distressed, his tongue whole, both his eyes come in their correct positions, the fractures in his bones grown together and all his other wounds healed and free from pain, back in the best of health. And it was now as a sign that his eyes had been put out that there grew a white scar on each of his eyelids in order that the glory of this noble king might be seen in this man that had been in such a miserable state.
Eysteinn and Sigurðr had been in dispute because King Sigurðr had killed a follower of King Eysteinn’s, Haraldr inn víkverski, who had premises in Bjǫrgyn, and another, the priest Jón son of Táparðr, Bjarni Sigurðarson. Because of this they arranged a peace meeting between them for in the winter in Upplǫnd. The two of them sat in discussion for a long time, and the outcome of their talk was that they would meet in Bjǫrgyn, all the brothers, the following summer. It was also part of their statement that they wanted King Ingi to have two or three estates and enough other wealth for him to keep thirty men with him, saying they felt he did not have the health to be king. Ingi and Gregorius heard this news and went to Bjǫrgyn and gathered a very large troop. Sigurðr arrived a little later, and he had considerably fewer troops. Ingi and Sigurðr had now been kings over Norway for nineteen winters. Eysteinn was longer coming from the Vík in the east than they coming from the north. Then King Ingi had a trumpet blown for an assembly in Hólmr, and Sigurðr and Ingi with their men and a large number of people turned up there. Gregorius had two longships and a good ninety men for whom he provided all their food and drink. He maintained his following better than other landed men, for he never drank in taverns without all his following drinking with him. He wore a gilt helmet to the assembly, and all his following were helmeted. King Ingi stood up and told people about what he had heard, how his brothers wanted to deal with him, and asked for support, and the common people applauded what he said loudly and said they would stand by him. Then King Sigurðr stood up and speaks, saying it was untrue what King Ingi had accused them of, declared Gregorius had made it up, and said it should not be long before such a meeting between them should take place, if he had his way, at which he would cast down that gilt helmet there, and ended his speech by saying that they would not both be walking about for long. Gregorius answers, saying he thought that he King Sigurðr had little need to be eager for that, and declaring he was ready for it. A few days later one of Gregorius’s menservants was killed out in the street, and the killer was one of King Sigurðr’s menservants. Then Gregorius wanted to attack King Sigurðr and his men, but Ingi dissuaded him, as did many other people. But as King Ingi’s mother Ingiríðr was returning from evensong, then she came across where Sigurðr skrúðhyrna had been killed. He was one of King Ingi’s followers and was an old man and had been in the service of many kings. And he had been killed by King Sigurðr’s men Hallvarðr Gunnarsson and Eysteinn trafali’s  son Sigurðr, and people blamed their action on King Sigurðr. So she went straight to King Ingi and told him, said he would always be an insignificant king if he was unwilling to do anything even when his followers were slaughtered one after another just like pigs. The king got angry at her criticism, and as they were arguing together, Gregorius came walking in, helmeted and mailcoated, telling the king not to be angry, saying she was quite right. ‘But I have come here to support you if you want to make an attack on King Sigurðr, and there are more than a hundred men out here in the courtyard, my followers, helmeted and mailcoated, and we shall attack them from there where it seems hardest to others to do so.’ But most people were against it and declared that Sigurðr would be willing to atone for his unlucky deed. So when Gregorius saw that it would be decided against, he spoke to King Ingi: ‘They are plucking your men off, killing my manservant a little while ago, and now your follower, and they will be wanting to hunt down me or some other landed man that they think will be the greatest loss to you, since they can see that you are doing nothing about it, and will deprive you of the kingdom after your friends have been killed. Now whichever way your other landed men want to go, I am not willing to wait to be slaughtered like an ox, and Sigurðr and I shall conclude our business tonight in whatever way may turn out to be possible. But it is both that you are in a bad way on account of your poor health, and moreover I think you have little desire to keep your friends. But I am now quite ready to go from here to face Sigurðr, for my standard is here outside.’ King Ingi stood up and called for his clothes, told everyone to get ready who wanted to stand by him, saying it would do no good to hold him back, declaring he had given way a long time, affirming now they must fight it out to the finish.
King Sigurðr was drinking on Sigríðr sæta’s premises and was getting ready and thought that nothing would come of the attack. After that they approached the premises, King Ingi down from the smiths’ shops, the king’s brother-in-law Árni from out at Sandbrú, Áslákr Erlendsson from his premises, and Gregorius from the street, and it was considered to be hardest from there. Sigurðr and his men shot a great deal from upstairs windows and broke up ovens and threw the stones at them. Gregorius and his men broke down the gate of the enclosure, and it was there in the gateway that Laxa-Páll’s son Einarr fell of King Sigurðr’s troop, and Hallvarðr Gunnarsson. He was shot in through the upstairs room and no one grieved for him. They knocked down the buildings and Sigurðr’s troops left his side to receive quarter. Then Sigurðr went to an upper room and tried to ask for a hearing, but he had a gilt shield and people recognised him and would not listen to him. People shot at him, so that it was like looking at a snowstorm, and he could not stay there. So when the troops had left his side and people were knocking down the buildings very rapidly, then he went out and his follower Þórðr húsfreyja with him, a man from Vík, and they wanted to go up to where King Ingi was to be found, and Sigurðr called to his brother Ingi, that he should give him quarter, but they were both cut down. Þórðr húsfreyja fell with great glory. Many men fell there, though I name but few, of Sigurðr’s troops and also of Ingi’s troops, and four men of Gregorius’s troops, and also those that were with neither, and they were hit by missiles down on the jetties or out on the ships. They fought a fortnight before the feast of John the Baptist, and that was a Friday. King Sigurðr was buried at the old Christchurch out at Hólmr. King Ingi gave Gregorius the ship that had been King Sigurðr’s. And two or three nights later King Eysteinn arrived from the east with thirty ships and brought his nephew Hákon along with him and did not go to Bjǫrgyn but stayed in Flóruvágar, and people passed between them and tried to reconcile them. But Gregorius wanted them to sail out against them, saying there would not be a better opportunity in the future, declaring that he would be the leader in this.
‘But you, king, are not to go. There is now no lack of troops for it.’ But many were against it, and so nothing came of the expedition. King Eysteinn travelled east to the Vík, but King Ingi north to Þrándheimr and they were now nominally reconciled, but did not meet in person.
Gregorius Dagsson travelled east a short time after King Eysteinn and stayed up in Hǫfund on Bratsberg at his residence. King Eysteinn stayed in Oslo and had his ships dragged more than two sea-miles over the ice, because there was a lot of ice lying over the Vík. He went up to Hǫfund and was going to capture Gregorius, but he found out about it and went away up into Þelamǫrk with ninety men and on north there across the mountains and came down in Harðangr and went after that into Eðni to Stuðla. Erlingr skakki had a residence there, but he was gone north to Bjǫrgyn, though his wife Kristín, King Sigurðr’s daughter, was at home and offered Gregorius whatever he wanted from there. Gregorius was warmly welcomed there. He took a longship from there that was Erlingr’s, and everything that he needed. Gregorius thanked her heartily and said she had become a magnificent person, as one might have expected. After that they travelled to Bjǫrgyn and found Erlingr, and he thought she had acted well.
After that Gregorius Dagsson travelled north to Kaupangr and arrived there before Yule. King Ingi was delighted to see him and bade him have everything he wanted of his possessions. King Eysteinn burned Gregorius’s farm and slaughtered his stock. And the boat sheds that the elder King Eysteinn had had built north in Kaupangr, which were the most splendid constructions, were then burnt during the winter and some fine ships with them that were King Ingi’s, and this act was very ill thought of, and the idea was attributed to King Eysteinn and King Sigurðr’s foster-brother Philippus Gyrðarson. The following summer King Ingi travelled from the north and acquired a very large following, and King Eysteinn from the east, and he too gathered troops to himself. They met in Seleyjar to the north of Líðandisnes, and King Ingi had the larger force. They were on the point of fighting. They were reconciled, and the terms of their agreement were that Eysteinn was to pledge himself to pay forty-five marks of gold. King Ingi was to have thirty marks as compensation for Eysteinn having instigated the burning of the ships and also of the boat sheds, and then Philippus was to be outlawed and also all those that had been at the burning when the ships were burnt. The men were also to be outlawed who were guilty of wounding King Sigurðr, for King Eysteinn accused King Ingi of protecting those men. And Gregorius was to have fifteen marks in compensation for King Eysteinn having burned him out of house and home. King Eysteinn was displeased and felt it had been a forced settlement. King Ingi travelled east into Vík from the meeting, and Eysteinn north into Þrándheimr. After that King Ingi stayed in the Vík, and King Eysteinn in the north, and they did not meet. And the only contacts they had were not such as to be conducive to peace, and also each had friends of the other killed and nothing came of the compensation payments on Eysteinn’s part. And each blamed the other for what had been agreed not being fulfilled. King Ingi and Gregorius’s party attracted many troops from King Eysteinn’s side, Bárðr standali Brynjólfsson and Hallkell húkr’s son Símun skálpr and many other landed men, Halldórr Brynjólfsson and Jón Hallkelsson. 
When two winters had passed after the fall of King Sigurðr, the kings gathered armies together, Ingi from the east of the country, and he got eighty ships, and King Eysteinn from the north and he got forty-five ships. Now he had the great dragon ship that King Eysteinn Magnússon had had built, and they had very fine troops and large numbers of them. King Ingi lay with his ships south off Mostr, and King Eysteinn a little further north in Grœningasund. Eysteinn sent Áslákr ungi Jónsson and Árni sturla Sæbjarnarson south to Ingi. They had a single ship. So when Ingi’s men recognised them, they attacked them and killed many men of theirs, capturing their ship and everything that was on it, and all their goods. But Áslákr and Árni and some men with them got ashore and went to see King Eysteinn and told him how King Ingi had received them. King Eysteinn now called a meeting of his men and tells people what hostile acts Ingi and his men were willing to commit and asked his supporters to stand by him. ‘And we have such a large and good force that I am by no means going to flee away if you are willing to stand by me.’ But there was no applause for what he said. Hallkell húkr was there, but both his sons, Símun and Jón, were with Ingi. Hallkell replied, so that many heard: ‘Let your chests of gold stand by you now and defend your land!’
During the following night they rowed away in secret on many ships, some to join King Ingi, some to Bjǫrgyn, some into the fiords. So in the morning when it was light, then the king had only ten ships remaining. So he left the great dragon ship behind there as it was heavy to row, and other ships and largely knocked the dragon ship to pieces, and also they cut open their beer barrels and destroyed everything they could not take with them. King Eysteinn went aboard Jón mǫrnefr’s son Eindriði’s ship, and they travelled north and in to Sogn and from there overland east to Vík. King Ingi took the ships and travelled east to the Vík along the coast. But now on the eastern side of Fold, Eysteinn was there and he had nearly twelve hundred men. Then they saw king Ingi’s naval force and felt they did not have the troops to face him and ran off into the forest. Then they fled all in different directions, so that the king was just with one other man. King Ingi and his men got to know of Eysteinn’s movements, and also that he had few men with him. They went to search for him. Símun skálpr came across him as he was coming out towards them from a clump of bushes. Símun greeted him: ‘Hail, lord,’ he says. The king says: ‘I am not sure whether you don’t think you are my lord now,’ he says. ‘That’s as may be,’ says Símun. The king asked him to get him away, saying that would be fitting for him. ‘Because for a long time things have been well between us, though now it is different.’ Símun said that now nothing could come of anything of that kind. The king asked that he might hear Mass first, and this was done. Then he lay face down and stretched out his arms to both sides of him and asked that he be struck in the cross between his shoulders, saying that then it should be put to the test whether he could endure being cut by weapons or not, as Ingi’s comrades had claimed. Símun spoke with the man that was to execute him, telling him to act now, saying that the king had been crouching there over the heather far too long. He was then dispatched and was thought to have reacted manfully. His body was conveyed to Fors, and south of the church beneath the slope his body was placed for the vigil. King Eysteinn was buried at Fors church, and his tomb is in the centre of the floor of the church and there is a fringed covering spread over it, and people say that he is a saint. Where he was executed and his blood fell onto the ground a spring came up, and another there beneath the slope where his body had been placed for the vigil. From the water of each of these many men claim to have received cures. It is said by the Víkverjar that many miracles have been performed at King Eysteinn’s tomb, until his enemies poured broth made of the flesh of a dog over the tomb. It was Símun skálpr that was most criticised for this deed, and this was how the common people reacted to it. But some say that when King Eysteinn was captured, Símun sent someone to see King Ingi, and the king said Eysteinn was not to come before his sight. That is what King Sverrir has had written. But this is what Einarr Skúlason says about it:
Late will be saved Símun skalpr by such actions, who, most evil, oft committed murders, and betrayed his ruler.

King Sigurðr’s son Hákon was accepted as leader of the troop that had previously followed King Eysteinn, and the men of this troop gave him the title of king. He was now ten winters old. There were with him there now Hávarðr hǫlðr of Reyrr’s son Sigurðr and Hákon’s fosterbrothers, Símun’s sons Andreas and Ǫnundr, and many other leading men and friends of King Eysteinn and King Sigurðr. They first went up into Gautland. King Ingi took possession of all that they owned in Norway, and made them outlaws. King Ingi travelled to the north of the Vík and stayed there, though sometimes in the north of the country. Gregorius was facing the danger in Konungahella and defended the land from there.
The next summer Hákon and his party came down from Gautland and went to Konungahella taking a very large and fine troop. Gregorius was there in the town and called a large assembly with landowners and townspeople and requested troops. He felt the people were not very responsive and said he placed little trust in them. He went away with two ships and in to the Vík and was very gloomy. He was planning to go to see King Ingi. He had heard that King Ingi was travelling with a great army from the north around the Vík. But when Gregorius had got a short way north, then he met King Ingi’s foster-brothers Símun skálpr and Halldórr Brynjólfsson and Gyrðr Ámundason. Gregorius was very pleased to see them. So he turned back and all of them together and had eleven ships. But when they rowed up to Konungahella, then Hákon and his party were holding a meeting outside the town and saw them coming. Then said Sigurðr of Reyrr: ‘Now Gregorius is doomed, coming into our hands with a small force.’ Gregorius came to land opposite the town and was going to wait for King Ingi, for he was expected, but he did not arrive. King Hákon got ready in the town and made Þorljótr skaufuskalli leader in the force that was in the merchant ships that were floating in front of the town. He was a pirate and a freebooter. But Hákon and Sigurðr and the whole army were in the town and drew up their forces on the jetties. Everyone there had become subject to Hákon.
Gregorius and his party rowed up along the river and let the ships be carried down by the current against Þorljótr’s party. They shot at each other for a while, until Þorljótr leapt overboard and his fellows. Some were killed, but some reached land. Then Gregorius and his party rowed to the jetties, and Gregorius immediately had gangways shoved up under Hákon’s men’s feet. Then the man that was carrying his standard fell when he was about to go up. Then Gregorius called on Auðunn Hallsson’s son Hallr to pick up the standard. He did so and after that carried the standard up onto the jetties, and Gregorius went straight after him and shoved his shield forward above his head. But as soon as Gregorius got onto the jetties and Hákon’s men recognised him, then they drew back and immediately there was space made on both sides. So when more of his troops came up from the ships, then Gregorius and his men pushed forward, and Hákon’s men first drew back and next they were running up into the town, and Gregorius and his men chased them and twice drove them up out of the town and killed many of them. There never was a more glorious attack than this, according to what people say, that Gregorius made, because Hákon had more than forty hundred men, and Gregorius not fully four hundred. Then Gregorius spoke to Hallr Auðunarson after the battle: ‘Many people seem to me less fierce in attacking than you Icelanders, for you are less accustomed to it than we Norwegians, but none seem to me to be bolder in fighting than you.’ Then Ingi arrived a little later and had many men killed that had accepted Hákon, though some he made pay fines, and he burnt some people’s dwellings, and some he drove out of the country and treated harshly in many ways. In the winter Hákon travelled overland north into Þrándheimr and arrived before Easter, and the Þrœndir took him as king there to rule over what he inherited from his father, a third part of Norway to be shared with King Ingi. Ingi stayed in the Vík, and Gregorius, and Gregorius wanted to travel north against them, but many were against it, and nothing came of this that winter.
Hákon travelled from the north in the spring taking nearly thirty ships. The Víkverjar had left Hákon’s force with eight ships and gone ahead, raiding in both Mœrrs. No one remembers raids having been made before between the market towns. Hallkell húkr’s son Jón assembled a troop of landowners and went against them and captured Kolbeinn óði and killed every mother’s son on his ship. After that he searched for the rest and found them with seven ships, and they fought, but his father Hallkell did not go to meet him, as they had arranged. There fell many good landowners there, and he was wounded himself. Hákon travelled south to Bjǫrgyn with his troops, and when they got to Stjórnvelta they learnt that King Ingi had arrived in Bjǫrgyn from the east a few nights before, and Gregorius, and then they dared not sail that way. They sailed south past Bjǫrgyn by the outer route and then came across comrades of King Ingi’s on three ships that had happened to arrive from the east later. On them were King Ingi’s foster-brother Gyrðr Ámundason—he was married to Gregorius’s sister Gyríðr—and secondly Gyrðr lǫgmaðr Gunnhildarson, thirdly Hávarðr klíningr. So Hákon had Gyrðr Ámundason killed and secondly Hávarðr klíningr, but took Lawman Gyrðr with him and travelled east into the Vík. 
So when King Ingi learnt of this, then he travelled east after them. They met east on the Elfr. King Ingi sailed up into the river along the more northerly branch and sent out for intelligence for himself concerning Hákon and his men. But King Ingi came to land out by Hísing and waited there for the intelligence. And when his intelligence men got back, then they went to the king and said that they had seen Hákon’s force and all their arrangements, saying that they were lying up by the stakes and had tied the stems of their smaller ships together up between the stakes. ‘They have two merchant ships that trade with the Baltic and have positioned them outermost of their ships.’ There were fortified crows’ nests on the merchant ships, which they also had forward at the stems of both. So when the king learnt this, what preparations they had made, then he had a trumpet blown for a meeting of his whole force. So when the assembly had been summoned and was in session, then the king seeks advice from his troops and addresses Gregorius Dagsson and his brother-in-law Erlingr skakki and other landed men and ships’ masters and tells them of all Hákon’s men’s preparations. Gregorius was the first to reply and made known what he wanted, saying this: ‘Encounters between us and Hákon have taken place a few times, and they have generally had more troops and yet had the worst of it in our dealings. But now we have many more troops, and it will now seem likely to those people who have recently lost good kinsmen of theirs at their hands that now vengeance may well take place, for they have this summer for some time up to now escaped from us. We have often said this, that if they wait for us, as it is said that they are doing now, it may be that we should risk a fight with them. Now there is this to say about my disposition, that I want to engage in battle with them, if this is not contrary to the king’s wishes, for I think that, as has happened before, they will again be forced to yield if we attack vigorously. I will launch my attack from where it seems to others most difficult.’ There was great applause for Gregorius’s speech, and everyone said they were ready to engage in battle with Hákon and his troops. Then all the ships were rowed up along the river until each side could see the other. Then King Ingi and his troops turned out of the current of the river behind the island. The king then had a talk with all the ships’ captains and told them to prepare to attack and then called on Erlingr skakki, saying, as was true, that there was no person in that troop more sensible, nor one more expert in battle, though there were some that were even more impetuous. The king then again turned to speak to other landed men, addressing some by name, and ended his speech by saying that he was urging everyone to make their attack when they saw that it would be useful, and afterwards all to be united in one effort. 
Erlingr skakki replied to the king’s speech: ‘It is my duty, king, not to be silent in response to your speech. And if you want to know what my strategy will be, then I shall let you hear what it is. This plan that is now being adopted is quite contrary to my inclination, for I consider it to be an impossibility to fight with them in these circumstances, even though we have many troops and fine ones. If we are to make an attack on them and row at them against this current, where there are three men on one side of a rowing bench, then one must row and another must hold a shield over that one. What is there then but a third of our troops available to fight? It seems to me that they will be coming into battle quite unable to fight that are at the oars turning their backs towards their enemies. Give me some time to make plans, and I promise you in return that I shall work out a strategy for this before three days are passed, so that we may more easily sail to battle with them.’ And it was very clear from what Erlingr said that he was against attacking them, but nevertheless many others urged it, saying that Hákon and his men would leap up ashore again like before. ‘And then we shall get none of them,’ they say, ‘and they now have few forces, and we have their fate entirely in our hands.’ Gregorius made little comment about it and spoke slightingly of it as if the main reason for Erlingr being so against the attack was that he wanted to put aside the plan that Gregorius proposed, rather than that he was able to understand everything better than anyone else.
King Ingi then spoke to Erlingr: ‘Brother-in-law,’ he says, ‘we shall now carry out your advice as to how to manage the attack, but since the advisers are more keen for this, we shall now make our attack on them today.’ Then spoke Erlingr: ‘All the smaller ships and light vessels shall row out round the island and up the more easterly branch and so downstream against them and try whether they can loose them from the stakes, and then we shall row the large ships against them up from below, and I am not sure until we have put it to the test whether they will attack the better than I in that they are in a greater fury.’ This plan appealed to everyone. A sort of headland jutted out between them and Hákon, and neither ships could be seen from the others. So when the fleet of light ships rowed down along the river, then Hákon’s party saw it, but before that they had been holding a discussion and making their plans. Some supposed that King Ingi and his troops would attack, but many thought that they probably did not dare to, since the attack seemed to be much delayed, and they had great confidence in their preparations and troops. In their party there were many important men. Sigurðr of Reyrr was there, and the two sons of Símun. Níkolás Skjaldvararson was also there, and Jón mǫrnefr’s son Eindriði, who was now the best known and most popular man in Þrændalǫg. Many other landed men and troop-leaders were there. Now when they saw that Ingi’s men were rowing many ships down along the river, then Hákon and his men thought that Ingi and his troops were trying to flee, and they cut the cables from their ships, grabbed at their oars and rowed after them and were going to chase them. The ships drifted quickly with the current, and when they were brought down along the river past the headland that before was between them, then they saw that Ingi’s main fleet was lying out by the island Hísing. Ingi’s comrades then saw where Hákon’s ships were moving, and assumed that they would be attacking. Then there was a great turmoil and clashing of weapons and shouting of encouragement and they raised up war-cries, and Hákon and his troops turned their ship towards the north of the country, and there is there a sort of sheltering bay, and they got out of the current. They got themselves ready there, took cables from their sterns up ashore and turned their prows outwards and tied all their ships together, let the two Baltic merchant ships lie out at the ends of the line of other ships, the one above them, and the other below them, and tied them to the longships. And in the middle of the fleet lay the king’s ship, and next to it Sigurðr’s ship, and on the other side of the king’s ships lay Níkolás, and next to him Eindriði Jónsson. All the smaller ships lay further out from them. They had loaded nearly all their ships up with stones and weapons. 
Sigurðr of Reyrr made a speech and spoke as follows: ‘It is now likely that what we have long been promised will come about, that a battle between us and Ingi will take place. We have also now for a long time been expecting this, and many of our comrades have boasted proudly that they would not flee or flinch in the face of King Ingi or Gregorius, and it is good now to call to mind what they have said. Yet we can with less confidence speak about how we have in the past suffered something of a toothache in our dealings, and it is true, as everyone has heard, that we have very often been given a rough ride by them. But none the less it is necessary for us to behave in as manly a way as possible and to stand as firmly as we can, for that is the only way out for us so that we may be victorious. And though we have somewhat fewer forces, yet fate can decide which side shall come out on top. This is our best hope in our situation, that God knows that we have the better case. Ingi has already cut down his two brothers, and no one is blind to what compensation is intended for King Hákon for the death of his father. It is to be cut down like his other kinsmen, and this will become apparent today. From the beginning Hákon has asked for no more of Norway than the third of it that his father had had, and this was refused him. But by my reckoning Hákon has a better claim to inherit from his uncle Eysteinn than Ingi or Símun skálpr or the other men that deprived Eysteinn of life. To many a one that is concerned for the salvation of his soul and that has such great crimes on their consciences as Ingi it would seem that he would not dare before God to give himself the title of king, and I am surprised that God permits him such impudence, and it must be God’s will that we overthrow him. Let us fight boldly, for God will give us victory. But if we fall, then God will reward us for it with manifold joys if he grants evil men the power to overcome us. Let men behave with moderation and not be afraid if battle takes place. Let each look after himself and his comrades, and God after all of us.’ Sigurðr’s speech was applauded warmly, and everyone made sincere promises to respond to it properly. King Hákon went aboard one of the Baltic merchant ships, and a shield wall was formed round him, but his standard was on the longship that he had previously been on.
Now this is to be said about Ingi’s men, that when they saw that Hákon’s men were getting ready for battle—now there was only the river between them—then they sent out a swift boat after their troops that had rowed away to tell them to turn back, while the king and the rest of the troops waited for them and lined up their forces for an attack. Then the leaders made speeches and told the troops their plans, this first, which ships were to lie closest. Gregorius spoke: ‘We have a large and fine force. This is now my advice, that you, king, be not in the attack, because everything is taken care of if you are, and one cannot tell where a bad marksman’s arrow may end up. Their dispositions are such that from the fortified crows’ nests on the merchant ships stones and missiles will be thrown. This is a little less dangerous for those that are far off. They have no more troops than are within the capacity of us landed men to fight a battle with. I shall sail my ship at that one of their ships that is largest. I still expect that fighting them will be a brief test for us. Thus it has generally been in our encounters up to now, even when the odds have been the reverse of what they are now.’ It appealed to everyone when Gregorius said that the king himself should not be in the battle. Then Erlingr skakki spoke: ‘I shall support this advice that you, king, should not go into the battle. It looks to me from their dispositions that we shall need to take great care if we are not to receive many casualties from them. It seems to me best only to have unwounded men to bandage up. In the planning that we were doing earlier today, then many people spoke against what I advised, claiming that I did not want to fight. But it seems to us that the situation has changed much for the better now that they are away from the stakes. And now the point has been reached where I shall not oppose engaging in battle, for I can see what everyone is aware of, how very necessary it is to drive off this band of villains that has roamed all over the country robbing and plundering, so that afterwards people may inhabit the land in peace serving one king that is as good and just as King Ingi is and yet has for long suffered hardship and trouble from the overbearing and injustice of his kinsmen and has borne the brunt of it on behalf of the whole population and exposed himself to manifold dangers to bring peace to the land.’ Erlingr spoke much and eloquently, and so did still other leaders, and they all ended on the same note, that everyone urged the attack. They waited until all their force had assembled. King Ingi now had Bœkisúðin, and submitted to his friends’ entreaty that he should not go into battle, and he lay behind by the island.
So when the troops were ready, then they rowed hard forward to make their attack and both sides raised their war cries. Ingi’s men did not tie their ships together and did not row linked together, for they were rowing across all the currents and the large ships were forced sideways a great deal. Erlingr skakki attacked King Hákon’s ship and thrust his prow in between it and Sigurðr’s ship. Then the battle began. But Gregorius’s ship drifted sideways up onto the shallows and listed heavily, and to begin with they could not join in the attack. So when Hákon’s men saw that, then they sailed towards it and attacked them, and Gregorius’s ship lay open before them. Then Hákon magi’s son Ívarr sailed up to it and the raised decks ran into each other. Ívarr hooked a grappling iron round Gregorius where he was thinnest and hauled him towards himself, and Gregorius was forced out to the ship’s side and the grappling iron up along the side and it came close to hooking him overboard. Gregorius was not much wounded, for he had a coat of plate-mail. Ívarr shouted to him and said he had thick boards round him. Gregorius spoke, saying he had so arranged it that it should be what was necessary and no more. Then it came very close to Gregorius and his men having to go overboard until Áslákr ungi got an anchor onto their ship and pulled them off the shallows. Then Gregorius attacked Ívarr’s ship and they then fought together for a long while. Gregorius’s ship was bigger and had more men on it. The troops on Ívarr’s ship fell in large numbers, but some leapt overboard. Ívarr was badly wounded so that he was unable to fight, but when the ship had been cleared, then Gregorius had him conveyed ashore and got him away, and they were friends after that.
So when King Ingi and his comrades saw that Gregorius was on the shallows then the king shouted to the troops that they were to row over to him. He said: ‘This is the worst kind of tactics for us to lie behind here when our friends have gone into battle. We have the ship that is the biggest and best manned in the whole fleet. Now I see that Gregorius is in need of support, the person that I owe most to, so let us join in battle as hard as we can. It is also most proper that I should be in the battle, since I want to win the victory, if it is going to be won. But even if I knew in advance that our men would not be victorious, yet it would be our only course to be where our other men are, because I cannot do anything if I lose the men who are my shield and are the most valiant and have long been in charge of me and my kingdom.’ Then he told them to set up the standards, and this was done, and they rowed across the river. The battle was now at its fiercest and the king found no space to attack, the ships were crowded so tightly together. So they sailed beneath the Baltic merchant ships. Then halberds and pointed staves were used on them from above and such a load of stones that they could not withstand them, and they found they could not stay there. So when the men in the troop realised that the king was come, then they made room for him, and then he attacked Eindriði Jónsson’s ship. Now Hákon’s men left the small ships and went up onto the merchant ships, but some of them went ashore. Erlingr skakki and his men had a hard fight. He was in the position forward of the raised deck. He shouted to his forecastle men telling them to board the king’s ship. They replied that that was not possible and there were iron spikes on the rails in front of them. Erlingr went forward to the stem and stayed there a short while before they forced their way up aboard the king’s ship and cleared that ship. Then the whole force began to flee. After this many of the troops leapt into the sea and many fell, but a whole multitude reached land, as Einarr Skúlason says:
From the bloody sea-steed’s stem to the depths fell many The ogress’ Glaumr fed amply. On the stream carrion drifted. The surge of wounds, scalding, stained the Elfr, poison-cold; wolf-ale flowed with the water, warm, into Kǫrmt’s necklace. 
In the swift stream floated, deserted, many vessels, prows bloody—the troop bent the bow—red darts flew at wet helmets, until the lords’ following fled ashore from—Hfkon’s— deer of the deep —company dwindled in the shield’s clamour.
Einarr composed a flokkr about Gregorius Dagsson that is called Elfarvísur. King Ingi gave quarter to Níkolás Skjaldvararson when his ship had been cleared, and he then went over to King Ingi and stayed with him afterwards as long as he lived. Eindriði Jónsson leapt onto King Ingi’s ship when his own ship was cleared, and asked for quarter for himself. The king wanted to give him quarter, but Hávarðr klíningr’s son leapt up and struck him his death blow and this deed was much criticised, but he said that Eindriði had been behind the killing of his father Hávarðr. Eindriði was much lamented, and yet most of all in Þrœndalǫg. There many of Hákon’s troops had fallen, though no further leaders. Few fell of Ingi’s troops, though many were wounded. Hákon fled up inland while Ingi travelled north into the Vík with his troops. He stayed in the Vík during the winter, and Gregorius. And when they got to Bjǫrgyn from the battle, King Ingi’s men, Bergljótr and his brother, sons of Ívarr of Elda, they then killed Níkolás skegg, who had been a steward, and afterwards went back north to Þrándheimr. King Hákon came north before Yule, but Sigurðr was sometimes at home up in Reyrr. Gregorius had received quarter for him from Ingi, so that he might keep all his possessions, for Gregorius and Sigurðr were close relatives. King Hákon was in Kaupangr over Yule, and his men had a fight one evening over Yule in the royal hall early in the Yule season and seven men were killed and many were wounded. And afterwards on the eighth day of Yule, then these comrades of Hákon travelled in to Elda, Óttarr birtingr’s son Álfr hroði and nearly eighty men, and they arrived in the early part of the night when the others were drunk, and they set fire to the hall, while the others went out and defended themselves. And Ívarr’s son Bergljótr and his brother Ǫgmundr fell there, and very many men. There had been nearly thirty men inside there. In the winter north in Kaupangr King Hákon’s foster-brother Andreas Símunarson died, and he was lamented most of all. Erlingr skakki and those of Ingi’s men that were in Bjǫrgyn went on as though they were going to go north during that same winter and capture Hákon, but nothing came of it. Gregorius sent this message from the east in Konungahella that if he was staying as close as Erlingr and his men, he would not stay put in Bjǫrgyn, if Hákon was having King Ingi’s friends in Þrándheimr and their mates killed.
King Ingi and Gregorius travelled from the east to Bjǫrgyn in the spring. So as soon as Hákon learnt this, and Sigurðr and his men, that Ingi had left the Vík, then they travelled eastwards overland into the Vík. And when King Ingi and his men got to Bjǫrgyn, then a quarrel arose between Halldórr Brynjólfsson and Bjǫrn Níkolásson. And Bjǫrn’s manservant had asked his opposite number why he was so pale when they met down on the jetties, and he said he had been being bled. ‘I would not want to look as pale as chaff like you are with bloodletting.’ ‘And I guess,’ said the other, ‘that you would have borne it worse and less manfully.’ 
And the start of it was no more than that. Then one word led to another until they quarrelled and next they were fighting. So Halldórr Brynjólfsson was told that his manservant had been wounded on the jetties. Now Halldórr was drinking nearby on his premises. Then he went down there, though already Bjǫrn’s menservants had got there, and Halldórr thought they had parted on unequal terms, and they drove Bjǫrn’s menservants off and knocked them about. Then Bjǫrn bukkr was told that the Víkverjar were beating his menservants down at the jetties. Then Bjǫrn and his men took their weapons and went down and were going to avenge their men. Then there were serious woundings. Now Gregorius was told that his brother-inlaw Halldórr needed support and his menservants were being slaughtered out on the street. Then Gregorius and his men leapt into their mailcoats and went down. Now Erlingr skakki heard that his nephew Bjǫrn was fighting with Halldórr and Gregorius in on the jetties and that he needed support. So he went over there and had a very large number of men and told people to give him support, saying that it would be shameful ‘If one man from the Vík is going to trample over us here in our native place, and that will be remembered against us for evermore.’ Fourteen men fell there, and nine were killed immediately, though five died later from their wounds, and many were wounded. Then word reached King Ingi that they were fighting in there on the jetties, Gregorius and Erlingr, and he went up and tried to part them and could do nothing about it, for both sides were in such a fury. Then Gregorius shouted to King Ingi telling him to go away, saying he would not be able to do anything about it as things were, and saying that it would be the greatest disaster if anything happened to him, ‘For one cannot tell who it would be that would hold himself back from any calamity if he felt it was within his power.’ So the king went away. And when the worst of the fighting was over, then Gregorius and his men went up to Níkoláskirkja and Erlingr and his men after them, and they shouted at each other. After that King Ingi came a second time and made peace between them, and both sides were now in favour of him alone arbitrating between them. Then they learnt that Hákon was in the Vík, and King Ingi and Gregorius travelled east and had a very large number of ships. So when they got to the east, then Hákon and his men fled and there was no battle. Then King Ingi travelled in to Oslo, but Gregorius stayed in Konungahella.
Gregorius heard of the whereabouts of Hákon and his men a little later, in a place called Saurbýir. It is up by the forests. He went there and arrived at night, thinking that Hákon and Sigurðr must be in the larger farmstead, and set the buildings there on fire. Hákon and his men were in the smaller farmhouse. They made their way to where they saw the fire, wanting to help the others. Áli óskeyndr’s son Munán, brother of Hákon’s father King Sigurðr fell there. Gregorius and his men killed him when he tried to help those that were being burned in the building. They went out, and a large number of men was killed there. Ásbjǫrn jalda got away from the farm—he was a very great robber— and had been badly wounded. But a farmer met him and Ásbjǫrn asked the farmer to let him escape, saying he would give him payment for it. The farmer said he would do what he was keener for, saying he had often gone in fear of him, and struck him his death blow. Hákon and Sigurðr got away, but a large number of their troops was killed. Afterwards Gregorius travelled east to Konungahella. A little later Hákon and Sigurðr went to Halldórr Brynjólfsson’s estate in Vettaland and set fire to the buildings and burnt them. Halldórr went out and was immediately killed and his menservants with him. There were killed nearly twenty men in all. His wife Sigríðr, Gregorius’s sister, her they let go away to the wood in just her nightshirt. There they captured Gregorius’s nephew Ámundi, son of Gyrðr Ámundason and Gyríðr Dagsdóttir, and took him with them. He was five winters old at the time.
Gregorius heard about these events, and he was greatly affected by them. He made detailed enquiries about where they were. Gregorius left Konungahella towards the end of the Yule season with a large troop, and they came to Fors on the thirteenth day of Yule and stayed there for the night and held mattins there on the last day of Yule, and the Gospel was read to him afterwards. This was a Saturday. And when Gregorius and his men saw Hákon’s party, then it seemed to them that Hákon’s men’s troop was much smaller than their troop. There was a river between them when they met. It is called Befja. The ice on the river was unsafe, because there was a current running under the ice round the edges. Hákon’s party had knocked holes in the ice on the river and shovelled debris over them so that they could not be seen. When Gregorius got to the river, he spoke, saying the ice looked unsafe to him, telling them it was advisable to go to the crossings that were a little higher up the river. The troop of farmers spoke, saying that they could not understand what reason he had for not daring to attack them over the ice, when they had no more troops facing them than were there, declared the ice perfectly sound, saying that it seemed to have been passed over by people. Gregorius replied, saying that it had seldom been necessary to taunt him for lack of courage very much, and that it would not be so now, told them to back him up well and not to stay standing on the land if he went onto the ice, and said their advice should be adopted to walk onto unsafe ice though he declared himself to be unwilling. ‘But I refuse to put up with your taunts,’ he says, and ordered his standard to be carried forward. He then went out onto the ice. But as soon as the troop of farmers realised that the ice was unsafe, then their troop turned back. Gregorius sank into the ice, though not deeply. He told his men to go carefully, but no more followed him than nearly twenty men, and all the rest of his men turned back. Someone from Hákon’s party shot an arrow at him and hit him in the throat. Gregorius fell there and twenty men with him, and this is now the end of his life. And it was universally said that he has been the greatest leader out of the landed men in Norway that those that were alive at the time could remember, and has been the most well-disposed to us Icelanders since the elder King Eysteinn died. Gregorius’s body was conveyed up to Hǫfund and buried on Gimsey at a nunnery that is there. At that time Gregorius’s sister Baugeið was abbess there.
Two royal stewards travelled in to Oslo to tell the news to King Ingi. And when they got there, then they called the king to speak with them. He asked what news they had to tell. ‘The fall of Gregorius Dagsson,’ they said. ‘How have things turned out so badly?’ said the king. They told him. The king replied: ‘Then they had their way who understood the least.’ It is said that he took this so badly that he wept like a child. But when he got over this, he spoke as follows: ‘I wanted to go to see Gregorius as soon as I heard about the killing of Halldórr, for I felt sure that Gregorius would not hang about for long before deciding to avenge him. But those people behaved as if nothing was as important as that Yule drinking feast and it could not be interrupted. For I am certain, that if I had been there, either more circumspection would have been employed or else Gregorius and I would have shared the same night’s lodging. So has passed away there the man that has been best to me and has done most to keep the land in my hands. But I had thought until now that our deaths would not have been far apart. Now I shall make it my first priority to go to battle with Hákon and his men and there will be one of two outcomes, I shall either be killed or else overcome Hákon and his men. For such a man as Gregorius was will not be too much avenged even if they all die to pay for his death.’
Two royal stewards travelled in to Oslo to tell the news to King Ingi. And when they got there, then they called the king to speak with them. He asked what news they had to tell. ‘The fall of Gregorius Dagsson,’ they said. ‘How have things turned out so badly?’ said the king. They told him. The king replied: ‘Then they had their way who understood the least.’ It is said that he took this so badly that he wept like a child. But when he got over this, he spoke as follows: ‘I wanted to go to see Gregorius as soon as I heard about the killing of Halldórr, for I felt sure that Gregorius would not hang about for long before deciding to avenge him. But those people behaved as if nothing was as important as that Yule drinking feast and it could not be interrupted. For I am certain, that if I had been there, either more circumspection would have been employed or else Gregorius and I would have shared the same night’s lodging. So has passed away there the man that has been best to me and has done most to keep the land in my hands. But I had thought until now that our deaths would not have been far apart. Now I shall make it my first priority to go to battle with Hákon and his men and there will be one of two outcomes, I shall either be killed or else overcome Hákon and his men. For such a man as Gregorius was will not be too much avenged even if they all die to pay for his death.’ 
On the evening of Blasius’s Day intelligence reached King Ingi that Hákon was now expected to arrive in the town. Then King Ingi had his troops called up from the town by a trumpet, and nearly forty hundred men were now called out. The king had his battle line made a long one and no more than five men deep. Then people told the king that he was not to be in the battle, saying that there was much at stake in him. ‘And let your brother Ormr be the leader of the troops.’ The king says: ‘I think that if Gregorius were alive and were here now, and I were fallen and had to be avenged, that he would not lie in hiding, but would be in battle himself. And though I am in a worse state because of my poor health than he was, yet I shall not be less determined in his case, and there is no chance of my not being in the battle.’ People say that Gunnhildr, who had been married to Hákon’s foster-brother Símun, had someone sit outside at night to cast a spell to bring victory to Hákon, but it was revealed that they should fight Ingi by night, and never by day, and it said that then it would work. And the woman who it is said sat outside is named as Þórdís skeggja, but I do not know the truth of it. Símun skálpr, he had gone into the town and lain down to sleep and had woken up at the war cry. And towards the end of the night intelligence came to King Ingi. He was told that Hákon and his men were now coming in over the ice, for the ice was lying all the way from the town out to Hǫfuðey.
King Ingi then went out onto the ice with his army and set up his battle line in front of the town. Símun skálpr was in the wing that reached out towards Þrælaborg, but in the wing that went in, in front of Nunnusetr, was Óláfr klíningr’s son Guðrøðr Suðreyjakonungr and Jón son of Sveinn son of Bergþórr bukkr. So when Hákon and his men got to where King Ingi’s battle line was, then both sides shouted a war cry. Guðrøðr and Jón made signs to Hákon’s force and let them know where they were to be found. After that Hákon’s men turned to where they were and Guðrøðr and his men immediately fled, and that must have been nearly fifteen hundred men. But Jón and a large troop with him ran over to Hákon’s troop and fought alongside them. King Ingi was told of this. He replies thus: ‘There has been a wide difference between my friends. Gregorius would never have behaved thus as long as he lived.’ Then people spoke, begging the king that a horse might be shoved under him and that he should ride out of the battle and up into Raumaríki. ‘There you will get plenty of help straight away today.’ ‘I have no heart for that,’ says the king. ‘I have often heard you say this, and it seems true to me, that little came of my brother King Eysteinn after he took to flight, and he was very well endowed in every way that beseems a king. Now I can see what poor prospects I shall have with my poor health if I take up the course that was so great a disaster for him, considering how greatly our activity and health and all our endurance differ. I was then in my second winter when I was taken as king in Norway, and now I am at least twenty-five. I feel that I have had more difficulties and troubles during my kingship than pleasure and comfort. I have had many battles, sometimes with larger forces, sometimes with fewer. That has been my greatest good fortune that I have never had to flee. Let God decide about my life, how long it is to be, but never shall I take to flight.’
So when Jón and his comrades had severed King Ingi’s battle line, then many of those that had been nearest there also fled, and then the battle line broke up and fell into disorder, but Hákon’s party then pressed forward hard. Day was also about to break. Then an attack was made on Ingi’s standard. In that storm King Ingi fell, but his brother Ormr then carried on the battle. Many of the host then fled up into the town. Ormr went twice into the town after the king had fallen, and urged on the troops, and each time he went out onto the ice and carried on the battle. Then Hákon and his men attacked the wing of the formation that Símun skálpr was in charge of, and in that onslaught the king’s kinsman-in-law Guðbrandr Skafhǫggsson fell from Ingi’s troop, and Símun skálpr and Hallvarðr hikri went at each other and fought each other with their companies and drove each other out in front of Þrælaborg. In this onset they both fell, Símun and Hallvarðr. The king’s brother Ormr achieved very great renown and yet fled in the end. Earlier in the winter Ormr had engaged himself to Níkolás masi’s daughter Ragna, who had been married to King Eysteinn Haraldsson, and was now to have gone to his wedding the next Sunday. Blasius’s Day was on a Friday. Ormr fled to Svíþjóð to his brother Magnús, who was now king there, while their brother Rǫgnvaldr was jarl there. They were sons of Ingiríðr and Heinrekr halti. He was King Sveinn Sveinsson of the Danes’ son. The king’s daughter Kristín saw to King Ingi’s corpse, and he was laid in the stone wall in Hallvarðskirkja on the outer side of the choir on the southern side. He had now been king for twenty-five years. In this battle many men fell from both sides and yet many more from Ingi’s troops. Árni Fríreksson fell from Hákon’s troops. But Hákon’s men took possession of the wedding banquet and a very great deal of other booty.
King Hákon then subjected the whole land to himself and appointed his own men to all the stewardships and likewise the market towns. King Hákon and his men held their meetings in Hallvarðskirkja when they were deciding national policies. The king’s daughter Kristín gave money to the priest that was in charge of the keys of the church to hide one of her men in the church so as to be able to hear what Hákon and his men were talking about. And when she found out what they were planning, she sent word to her husband Erlingr skakki in Bjǫrgyn saying that he was never to trust them.
The event took place in the battle at Stiklarstaðir, as was written above, in which King Óláfr threw away from himself his sword Hneitir when he had been wounded. Now some man or other, Swedish by descent, had broken his sword, and he picked up the sword Hneitir and fought with it. Now this man got away out of the battle and went with other men that were fleeing. He turned up in Svíþjóð and went back to where he lived. He kept this sword all his life, and afterwards his son, and one after another of their kinsmen, and it was always a condition of owning the sword that each owner told the next the sword’s name and also where it had come from. Now it was much later, in the days of Emperor Kirjalax of Mikligarðr, that there were there in Garðr large companies of Væringjar. Then it came about one summer when the emperor was on some military expedition and they were lying in their camp, that the Væringjar were keeping watch and were staying awake to guard the king, lying out on the level ground round the outside of the camp. They divided the night into watches among themselves, and those that had just been on the watch then lay down and slept. They were all fully armed. It was their custom when they lay down to sleep for each one to have his helmet on his head and his shield on top of him, and his sword under his head, and he was to lay his right hand on the handle. A certain one of their comrades to whose lot had fallen the watch in the last part of the night, now awoke at dawn. Then his sword was gone. And when he searched for it, then he saw the sword lying on the ground a long way off from him. He stood up and picked up the sword. He thought his comrades who had been on the watch must have done it for a joke, taking his sword from him by a trick. They denied this as far as they were concerned. Similar things happened for three nights. Then he was quite amazed himself and so also were the others who saw this or heard about it, and men enquired of him what this could mean. Then he said that this sword was called Hneitir and the blessed Óláfr had owned it and carried it himself in the battle at Stiklarstaðir. He recounts what had happened to the sword after that. Afterwards King Kirjalax was told. So he had the man who was wearing this sword called to him, gave him gold, three times the value of the sword. And the king had the sword taken into Óláfskirkja which is maintained by the Væringjar. It stayed there afterwards above the altar. Eindriði ungi was in Mikligarðr at the time when these events took place. He told this story in Norway, as Einarr Skúlason bears witness in the drápa that he composed about the blessed King Óláfr, and in it there is a passage that tells of this happening.
The event took place in Grikland when Kirjalax was king there, that the king went on a military expedition to Blǫkumannaland. And when he got to Pézínavellir, then there came against him there a heathen king with an invincible army. They had brought there a mounted troop and very large waggons with battlements up on them. And when they prepared their night quarters, then they arranged their waggons side by side round the outside of their camp, and around them they dug a great ditch. All this then became a stronghold as big as if it were a castle. The heathen king was blind. Now when the king of the Greeks arrived, then the heathens drew up their battle line on the level ground in front of their waggon-castle. Then the Greeks drew up their battle line facing it, and both sides rode and fought. It then went badly and unfortunately. The Greeks now fled and had suffered a large loss of men, and the heathens gained the victory. Then the king drew up a battle line of Frakkar and Flemings, and after that they rode forward against the heathens and fought with them and it went the same as with the previous ones, that many were killed and all that escaped fled. Then the king of the Greeks got very angry with his soldiers, but they replied to him telling him now to get in the Væringjar, his wine bags. The king replies, saying that he will not waste his treasures by taking a small number of men, though they were valiant, against such a large army. Then Þórir helsingr, who was then the leader of the Væringjar, replied to what the king had said: ‘Though we were faced by raging fire, yet I and my troops would leap straight in if I knew that the result would be that you, king, would have peace thereafter.’ So the king replied: ‘Make a vow to your king, the blessed Óláfr, for help and victory for yourselves.’ The Væringjar had four hundred and fifty men. They made their vow by joining hands and vowed to raise a church in Mikligarðr at their own expense and with the support of good men and to have this church dedicated to the honour and glory of the blessed King Óláfr. After that the Væringjar ran forward onto the battlefield, and when the heathens saw this, then they told their king that another detachment of the King of the Greeks’ army was now coming. ‘And this one,’ they said, ‘is but a handful of men.’ Then the king replies: ‘Who is that noble-looking man that is riding there on the white horse at the head of their troops?’ ‘We do not see such a man,’ they say. The odds there were no less than sixty heathens against one Christian, but nevertheless the Væringjar advanced into battle very boldly. And as soon as they engaged, then fear came over the troop of heathens and terror so that they immediately began to flee, and the Væringjar chased them and soon killed a huge number of them. And when the Greeks and Frakkar saw this, they that had previously fled before the heathens, they now joined in and pursued the rout with them. The Væringjar were now come up into the waggon-castle.There a very great number of casualties took place. And after the heathens had fled, then the heathen king was captured and the Væringjar took him with them. Then the Christians captured the heathens’ camp and the waggon-castle.
After Erlingr became aware of what the plans of Hákon and his men were, then he sent messages to all the leaders that he knew had been trusty friends of King Ingi, and also to the king’s personal following and the men in his service that had got away, and Gregorius’s men, and arranged to meet them. And when they met and had their discussion, then it was immediately decided that they should keep their company together, and they confirmed this arrangement between them. After that they discussed whom they should take as their king. Now Erlingr skakki spoke, enquiring whether it was the opinion of leaders or other landed men that King Haraldr gilli’s daughter’s son, Símun skálpr’s son, should be taken as king, and that Jón Hallkelsson should take on the leadership of their company. Jón declined. Then it was enquired of King Magnús berfœttr’s sister’s son Níkolás Skjaldvararson whether he was willing to become leader of their company. He replied in this way, that it was his advice that they should take one as king that was descended from a kingly line, but take one as leader of the company that was likely to turn out to be intelligent, saying he would find it easier to get followers. It was enquired of the king’s brother-in-law Árni whether he was willing to have some one of his sons, the brothers of King Ingi, taken as king. His reply was that Kristín’s son, King Sigurðr’s daughter’s son, had the best descent entitling him to the kingdom in Norway. ‘There is for him,’ he says, ‘the man to govern with him that is duty bound to be in charge of him and the kingdom in his father Erlingr, an intelligent man, determined and well tried in battles and a good ruler. He will not lack success in this enterprise if good luck is on his side.’ Many seconded this suggestion readily. Erlingr replies: ‘From what I have heard, most of those that have been enquired of for this business are rather reluctant to take on this responsibility. Now it seems to me to lie in the balance, if we carry out this proposal, which is more likely, that the honour goes to the person that is put at the head of this company, or that it should turn out the contrary, which has now previously befallen very many of those that have taken up such a dangerous course, that as a result they have lost all their possessions and their lives as well. But if this business is concluded successfully, then it may be that there will be some that would have liked to have taken up this opportunity. The person that takes on this responsibility will need to set up strong safeguards against his then suffering opposition or hostility from those that are now taking part in these negotiations.’
Everyone agreed to set up this alliance in all good faith. Erlingr spoke: ‘It can be said as far as I am concerned that it seems to me almost the same as my death to serve Hákon, and though this seems to me the most dangerous course, yet I am willing to risk letting you arrange things, and I will take on the leadership of the company if that is what you all consent to and want, and if you are all willing to confirm this by oaths.’ Everyone agreed to this, and it was decided at this meeting that they should take Magnús Erlingsson as king. After that they held an assembly in the town, and at this assembly Magnús was taken as king over the whole country. He was now five winters old. After that everyone that was present and had been in the service of King Ingi paid allegiance to him, and each of them kept the same titles as he had previously had with King Ingi.
Erlingr skakki set out on his journey and committed himself to some ships, taking with him King Magnús and all the landed men that were there. In company there with him were the king’s brother-in-law Árni and King Ingi’s mother Ingiríðr and her two sons and Sigurðr storkr’s son Jón kútiza and Erlingr’s personal following and also those that had been followers of Gregorius, and they had in all ten ships. They travelled south to Denmark to see King Valdamarr and King Ingi’s brother Búriz Heinreksson. King Valdamarr was King Magnús’s blood relative. They were sisters, the daughters of King Haraldr of Garðar in the east—he was Valdamarr Jarizleifsson’s son —King Valdamarr’s mother Ingilborg and King Magnús’s mother Kristín’s mother Málmfríðr. King Valdamarr welcomed them and he and Erlingr spent a long time on meetings and planning, and the outcome of their talk was that King Valdamarr was to provide King Magnús with all the support from his kingdom that he needed in order to gain possession of Norway and thereafter keep it, while Valdamarr was to have the rule in Norway that his previous relatives Haraldr Gormsson and Sveinn tjúgusjegg had had, the whole of the Vík as far north as Rýgjarbit. This plan was confirmed by oaths and special agreements. After that Erlingr set out from Denmark and sailed out from Vendilskagi.
In the spring immediately after Easter King Hákon went north to Þrándheimr. He now had all the ships that King Ingi had possessed. Hákon held an assembly in the town in Kaupangr and at it he was taken as king over the whole country. Then he gave Sigurðr of Reyrr a jarldom, and there he was accepted as jarl. After that Hákon and he travelled back south and all the way east to Vík. The king went to Túnsberg, but sent Jarl Sigurðr east to Konungahella to defend the land with part of their force, in case Erlingr should come from the south. Erlingr and his company got to Agðir and immediately made north for Bjǫrgyn. There they killed King Hákon’s steward Árni Brígiðarskalli and went back east from there to meet with King Hákon. Now Jarl Sigurðr had not become aware of Erlingr’s journey from the south, and he was still now east by the Elfr, while King Hákon was in Túnsberg. Erlingr sailed to near Hrossanes and lay there for a few nights. King Hákon got ready in the town. Erlingr sailed to the town. They captured a trading ship and loaded it with wood and straw and set it on fire, and the wind got up towards the town and drove the trading ship up to the town. He had two cables put aboard the trading ship and two small ships tied to it, had these row along behind as the trading ship was blown ahead. And when the fire was very nearly got into the town, then they held the cables that were on the trading ship so that the town could not catch fire. Smoke blew so thickly into the town that they could not be seen from the jetties where the king’s battle line was standing. After that Erlingr sailed all his force in behind where the wind was blowing the fire and shot up at them. So when the townspeople saw that the fire was getting close to their houses, and many were getting wounded from the missiles, then they made up their minds and sent the priest Hróaldr langtala out to see Erlingr to receive quarter for themselves and the town from Erlingr, and they broke up the king’s battle line when Hróaldr told them that the quarter had been accepted. So when the troop of townspeople was gone away, then the troops on the jetties became thinned out. Then some urged Hákon’s men that they should fight back, but Ǫnundr Símunarson, who now had the greatest say over the troop said this: ‘I am not going to fight for Jarl Sigurðr’s realm when he is nowhere near.’ After that Ǫnundr fled, and then the whole troop with the king, and they went up inland and a very large number of men of Hákon’s troops fell there. Then this was composed:
Ǫnundr would not enter into battle, he declared, until from the south Jarl Sigurðr sailed bringing the housecarls. Up the street Magnús’s soldiers, splendid, are rushing, but the hawks of Hokon hurried away quickly.
Þorbjǫrn Skakkaskáld says this:
It turned out in broad Túnsberg— teeth of Gríðr’s steed you are not reluctant to redden—lord of men, I learned, for you smoothly. Townspeople took fright at the torrent of bright spear-points. Trees of weapon-tumult felt terror of fire and bent elm-bow.
King Hákon travelled by the inland route north into Þrándheimr. And when Jarl Sigurðr learnt of this, then he travelled with all the ships he could get hold of by the coastal route north to meet with King Hákon.
Erlingr skakki captured all the ships in Túnsberg that King Hákon possessed. Along with them he got Bœkisúðin, which had been King Ingi’s. Erlingr went after that and subjected the whole of the Vík to Magnús, and also on northwards wherever he went, and stayed the winter in Bjǫrgyn. Then Erlingr had King Hákon’s landed man Ingibjǫrn sipill killed north in Firðir. King Hákon stayed in Þrándheimr during the winter, but the following spring he called out a levy and got ready to travel south to meet with Erlingr. There with him then were Jarl Sigurðr, Jón Sveinsson, Eindriði ungi and Ǫnundr Símunarson, Philippus Pétrsson, Philippus Gyrðarson, Rǫgnvaldr kunta, Sigurðr kápa, Sigurðr hjúpa, Frírekr kœna, Áskell at Forland, Gunnarr gjaldkeri’s son Þorbjǫrn, Strað-Bjarni.
Erlingr stayed in Bjǫrgyn and had a large force and came to the decision to impose an embargo on all trading ships that were intending to travel north to Kaupangr, since he thought that intelligence would reach Hákon too soon if the ships were to sail from one to the other, though he gave as his reason that the Bjǫrgynjarmenn were more deserving of having the goods that were on the ships even though they were being purchased at a lower price from the crews of the trading ships than they thought suitable, rather than that they should be transported ‘into the hands of our enemies and foes for their support’. So the number of ships gathered at the town increased, for many arrived each day, and none left. Then Erlingr had the lightest of his ships drawn up ashore, and allowed the rumour to get about that he was going to stay there and give a welcome to the support coming from his friends and relations. And one day Erlingr had a trumpet blown for a meeting of the skippers and then gave permission for all the skippers of trading ships to depart for wherever they wanted to go. So when men had got leave from Erlingr skakki, those that were in charge of trading ships and had previously been lying fully prepared to travel with their wares, some with their purchases and some that had other business, there being then too weather that was very favourable for sailing north along the coast, and before mid-afternoon of that day had come, all those that were ready had sailed. Then whoever had the fastest ship pushed ahead most energetically. They all raced each other. So when this fleet got north to Mœrr there was then there facing them King Hákon’s force, and he himself was there assembling and preparing his troops and he was summoning to him landed men and the men of his levy, not having had for a long time before this learnt any news from Bjǫrgyn, but now they got the same news from all the ships that were travelling from the south that Erlingr skakki had beached his ships in Bjǫrgyn and that they would have to seek him there, and they said that he had a large force. From there Hákon sailed to Véey and sent out Jarl Sigurðr and Ǫnundr Símunarson in to Raumsdalr to get him forces and ships, and he sent out men into both Mœrrs. But when King Hákon had stayed a few nights in the market town, then he sailed away and a bit further south, thinking that then their journey would be sooner started and forces would sooner reach him. Erlingr skakki had given permission for the trading ships to sail out of Bjǫrgyn on Sunday, and on Tuesday when mattins was over the king’s trumpet was blown and the men of the levy and the people of the town were summoned to him to launch the ships that had previously been beached. Erlingr held an assembly with his own troops and the men of the levy, saying what his plan was now, naming men to captain ships, having who were enrolled onto the king’s ship read out. This assembly ended with Erlingr telling everyone to get ready in his place, wherever they had been assigned, and saying that anyone that was then waiting behind in the town when he sailed Bœkisúðin away should lose life or limbs. The king’s brother-in-law Ormr sailed his ship away straight away in the evening, and most ships had already been afloat.
On Wednesday, before the Masses were sung in the town, Erlingr had sailed all his forces away out of the town. They had twenty-one ships. There was now a fresh wind from the south along the coast. Erlingr had his son King Magnús with him. There were many landed men there and they had a very fine troop. While Erlingr was sailing north past Firðir he sent a light ship aside from their route in to Jón Hallkelsson’s dwelling and had Níkolás, son of Símun skálpr and son of Haraldr gilli’s daughter Maria captured, and they brought him with them out to the troop. He went on the king’s ship. Straight away in the last part of the night on Friday they sailed to Steinavágr. King Hákon was then lying in the harbour that is called . . ., and had fourteen ships. He himself and his men were up on the island playing a game, and his landed men were sitting on a kind of mound. They saw that some boat or other was rowing to the island from the south. There were two men on it, and they were leaning back down to the keel and pulling forward on the oars with no little vigour, and when they got to land, they did not tie up the boat but both ran. So the ruling men saw this and discussed among themselves that these men must have some tidings to tell. They stood up and went towards them. And as soon as they met, Ǫnundr Símunarson asked: ‘Are you able to tell anything of Erlingr skakki, as you are going in such a rush?’ The one that was first able to get out a word because of his exhaustion replied: ‘Erlingr is sailing at you here with twenty ships or thereabouts and many of them pretty large, and you will soon see their sails now.’ Then said Eindriði ungi: ‘ “Too close to my nose,” said the old man, he had been shot in the eye.’ Then they went hastily to where the game was being played, and next a trumpet sounded, and a war summons called all the troops to the ships in as much haste as possible, and this was at the time of day when the cooking was nearly done. All the people made for the ships. Each man leapt out onto the ship that was closest to him there, and the ships were unequally manned. They take to the oars, some are raising the masts and they turn the ships to the north and make for Véey, since they were expecting a great deal of support for themselves there from the townspeople.
The next thing was that they see the sails of Erlingr and his troops, and each side sees the others. Eindriði ungi had the ship that was called Draglaun, a large longship built like a transport vessel, and it had now got short of crew, as those that had previously been on it had leapt onto other ships. This was the slowest of Hákon’s ships. So when Eindriði got opposite the island of Sekkr, then Bœkisúðin came after them, which was skippered by Erlingr skakki, and these two ships got fastened together. But Hákon was now nearly come in to Véey when they heard the sound of trumpets, since the ships that were closest had turned back, wanting to help Eindriði, and now both sides engaged in battle as far they could. Many of the sails went down across the ships, but none of them were tied together and they came side by side. This battle did not go on long before the organisation broke down on King Hákon’s ship. Some fell, some leapt overboard. Hákon threw a grey hooded cloak over himself and leapt onto another ship. And when he had been on it a short time then he realised that he had come where he was surrounded by enemies, and when he thought about it, then he could see none of his own men nor of his own ships very close. Then he went onto Bœkisúðin and forward into the company of forecastlemen and asked for quarter, and the forecastlemen received him and gave him quarter. But in this onslaught there had been a large number of casualties, and yet more of them among Hákon’s men. There had now fallen on Bœkisúðin Símun skálpr’s son Níkolás, and his killing was attributed to Erlingr’s men themselves. After this there was a lull in the fighting and the ships on the two sides were disentangled. Now Erlingr was told that King Hákon was there on the ship and his forecastlemen had taken charge of him and had promised to defend him. Erlingr sent someone forward on the ship and bade him tell the forecastlemen that they were to guard Hákon so that he did not go away, and said that he was not against the king getting quarter if this was what the ruling men decided and if peace terms were negotiated based on that. The forecastlemen all spoke, blessing him for saying that. Then Erlingr had the trumpet sounded vigorously and gave men orders that they were to attack the ships that had not been cleared, saying that they would never have a better opportunity to avenge King Ingi. Then they all shouted a war cry and each urged on the next and went to the attack. In this tumult King Hákon was mortally wounded. And after his fall and when his men became aware of it, then they rowed hard forwards and threw down their shields and hewed with both hands, caring nothing for their lives. This rashness soon caused them great harm, for Erlingr’s men could see unprotected parts of their bodies to strike at. A large part of Hákon’s force fell. This was for the most part because the difference in numbers was great and Hákon’s men protected themselves so little, and there was no point in any of Hákon’s men speaking of quarter except just those that men of the ruling class took into their power and pledged ransom for. These men fell of Hákon’s troop, Sigurðr kápa, Sigurðr hjúpa, Rǫgnvaldr kunta. But some ships got away and rowed in into the fiords and so saved their lives. King Hákon’s body was conveyed in into Raumsdalr and was buried there. His brother King Sverrir had King Hákon’s body conveyed north to Kaupangr and laid in the stone wall in Christchurch in the choir on the south side.
Sigurðr and Eindriði ungi, Ǫnundr Símunarson, Frírekr kœna and yet more leaders kept the troop together, abandoned the ships in Raumsdalr and after that travelled to Upplǫnd. Erlingr skakki and King Magnús went with their troop north to Kaupangr and subjected the whole land to themselves wherever they went. After that Erlingr had Eyraþing summoned. There Magnús was taken as king over the whole country. Erlingr stayed there a short time, since he thought the Þrœndir were not faithful to him and his son. Magnús was now said to be king over the whole country. King Hákon was a quite handsome person in looks, well shaped, tall and thin. He was very broad-shouldered. Therefore his followers called him Hákon herðibreiðr. But because he was young of age, other leaders took part in policy-making with him. He was cheerful and unassuming in speech, playful and had the nature of a youthful person. He was popular with the common people.
There was a man of Upplǫnd called Markús in Skógr, a kinsman of Jarl Sigurðr. Markús fostered a son of King Sigurðr. He was called Sigurðr. Afterwards the Upplendingar took Sigurðr as king with the consent of Jarl Sigurðr and other leaders that had followed King Hákon, and they had now still the support of a large troop. The band was often divided ino two groups. The king and Markús were less in exposed positions, while Jarl Sigurðr and other leaders with their troops were more exposed to dangers. They travelled with this band mostly round Upplǫnd, and sometimes down into the Vík. Erlingr skakki always kept his son Magnús with him. He had the whole fleet and the defence of the country in his charge. He stayed in Bjǫrgyn for some time in the autumn and travelled from there east into the Vík and established himself in Túnsberg, making arrangements for winter quarters there and gathering to himself the taxes and dues that belonged to the king round the Vík. He also had a fine and large troop of men. But because Jarl Sigurðr had a small part of the country and his following was large, there was soon a shortage of money, and where there were no leaders near, then money was demanded very unlawfully, some by harsh accusations of wrongdoing, and some straightforwardly by plundering.
At this time the realm of Norway was in a properous condition. The farming community was wealthy and powerful and unused to lack of freedom and the hostility of the bands of men. There soon got to be many reports and detailed accounts when plundering took place. The Víkverjar were staunch friends of King Magnús and Erlingr. This was chiefly on account of the popularity of King Ingi Haraldsson, for the Víkverjar had often served under that standard with their support. Erlingr had guards kept on watch in the towns, and twelve men were on the watch every night. Erlingr was always holding an assembly with the farmers and at them the unruliness of Sigurðr’s men was often discussed and with the encouragement of Erlingr and other members of the troop there came to be great support among the farmers for the idea that it would be a very fortunate act for people to ensure that that band never prospered. The king’s brother-in-law Árni spoke at length on this matter and fiercely towards the end. He asked everyone that was at the assembly, both men from the troop and farmers and townsfolk that people should pass a resolution to condemn according to the law Jarl Sigurðr and all their band to the Devil, both during their lives and after their deaths. And with the vehemence and rage of the crowd everyone now assented to this. This unprecedented act was carried out and confirmed in the way that the law provided for judgments to be passed at assemblies. The priest Hróaldr langtala spoke about this business. He was an eloquent man, and this speech came to very much the same conclusion as had previously been expressed. Erlingr gave a banquet in Túnsberg at Yule and he distributed pay there at Candlemas.
Jarl Sigurðr travelled round the Vík with his finest body of men, and many men submitted to him as a result of bullying, and many paid money. In this way he travelled widely up inland and turned up in various places. There were many in the band that secretly sought quarter from Erlingr, and this answer came in reply that everyone that asked for it should have mercy on his life but only those would be allowed to remain in the country that had not committed serious offences against him. So when the men in the band learned that people were not to be allowed to remain in the country, then this held the band together to a large extent, for there were many that knew they could be so truly charged that Erlingr would think them very guilty. Philippus Gyrðarson reached an agreement with Erlingr and got back his property and returned to his estates. A little later Sigurðr’s men came there and killed him. Each side struck many blows on the other in persecutions or in killing of people and that is not recorded in writing when leading men were not involved.
It was in the first part of Lent that intelligence came to Erlingr that Jarl Sigurðr must be coming to fight him, and he was heard of here and there, sometimes nearby, and sometimes further off. Erlingr sent out scouts so that he should know about it wherever they might turn up. He also had his whole troop called out every evening from the town by trumpet, and they lay assembled during the nights with the troop all set out in battle array. Then intelligence reached Erlingr that Jarl Sigurðr and his men were a short way off up in Ré. Erlingr then set out from the town taking with him all the townspeople that were capable of fighting and had arms, and also the merchants, except for twelve men that were left behind to guard the town. He left the town on Tuesday in the second week of Lent after mid-afternoon, and every man had with him two days’ provisions. Then they travelled during the night and they took a long time to get their troops out of the town. There were two men to each horse and each shield. When the troop was counted then there were nearly thirteen hundred men. Now when intelligence came to meet them, they were told that Jarl Sigurðr was in Ré at the farm that is called Hrafnsnes with five hundred men. Then Erlingr had his troops called together and told them the news that he had heard, and everyone urged that they should hurry and capture them in the building or fight straight away during the night. Erlingr made a speech and spoke as follows: ‘It would seem likely that our meeting with Jarl Sigurðr will come about soon. In their band there are many other men too whose handiwork may stick in our memory when they cut down King Ingi and also many others of our friends whom it would take long to number. They carried out these deeds with the help of fiends and witchcraft and villainy, for it stands here in our statutes and laws of the land that no one is so degenerate that he not call it an act of villainy or murderous crime if people are killed by night. This band have sought to find their salvation, on the instruction of those skilled in the black arts, in fighting by night and not under the sun. They have also by such methods achieved the victory of overcoming such a ruler as they have laid low. Now we have often maintained and demonstrated how hateful their way of going on seems to us when they have engaged in battle by night. We shall therefore rather follow the example of those other leaders, that are better known to us and better models to imitate, by fighting in the light of day and in a properly organised way, and not stealing upon sleeping men by night. We have a good force against them, no larger an army than they have. We shall wait for daytime and the dawn and keep together in our formation in case they decide to make some attack on us.’ After this the whole troop sat down. Some spread out some haystacks and made themselves beds, some sat on their shields and thus waited for dawn. The weather was cool and and there was sleet falling.
Jarl Sigurðr had so far received the intelligence that the force was come close to them. His men got up and armed themselves, not knowing precisely how large a force Erlingr and his men had. Some wanted to flee, though most wanted to wait. Jarl Sigurðr was a sensible person and a good speaker, but was not said to be a man of great daring. He also was now more keen to flee, and because of this came in for a great deal of criticism from his troops. But when it began to get light, both sides began to draw up their troops. Jarl Sigurðr drew up his on a kind of slope above the bridge between it and the town. A small river was flowing there. And Erlingr and his men drew up theirs on the other side of the river. Behind their formation were men on horseback, well armed. They had the king with them. The jarl’s men saw now that the difference in numbers was going to be great, and reckoned it was advisable to make for the forest. The jarl replies: ‘You say that I have no courage in me, but now it will be put to the test, so now each one must take care that he does not flee or flinch before I do. We have a good vantage position, we shall let them go over the bridge, and when their standard gets over the bridge, then we shall throw ourselves on them in front of the slope, and let no one flee from anyone else.’ Jarl Sigurðr had a dark-coloured tunic and a red cloak with the skirts tucked up, skin boots on his feet. He had a shield and a sword that was called Bastard. The jarl spoke: ‘God knows with me, that rather than get a lot of gold I would like to manage to get one blow on Erlingr skakki with Bastard.’
Erlingr skakki’s troop wanted to advance to the bridge. He spoke, telling them to turn up along the river. ‘This river is small and not difficult to cross, for it is level ground up to it.’ This was done. The jarl’s battle-line went up along the slope keeping opposite to them. And when the slope came to an end and it was level and straightforward across the river, then Erlingr said that his men should sing the Paternoster and pray that the side should be victorious that was most proper. Then they all sang the Kyrie in a loud voice and all beat their weapons on their shields. And at that noise three hundred men of Erlingr’s troop shot off and fled. Erlingr and his troop went across the river, and the jarl’s men shouted a war cry, but their rush forward broke off at the bottom of the slope at Erlingr’s battle line. The battle began at the beginning of the slope. First there were spear thrusts and soon it was already a hand-to-hand fight. The jarl’s standard turned tail, so that Erlingr and his men got up onto the slope. There was then a short battle before the jarl’s force fled into the forest that was behind them before. Now Jarl Sigurðr was told, and men told him to flee. He replied: ‘Forward with us now, while we still can!’ Then they went forward very valiantly and hewed to both sides. In this onset Jarl Sigurðr and Jón Sveinsson and nearly sixty men fell. Erlingr and his troop lost few men and pursued the rout up to the forest. Then Erlingr reviewed his troops and turned back. He came to where the king’s slaves were trying to drag the clothes off Jarl Sigurðr and he was not entirely dead though he was unconscious. He had put his sword in its sheath, and it was lying next to him. Erlingr picked it up and hit the slaves with it, telling them to creep off. After that Erlingr turned back with his force and established himself in Túnsberg. Seven nights after the jarl fell some of Erlingr’s men caught Eindriði ungi, and he was killed.
Markús of Skógr and his foster-son Sigurðr decided to go down into the Vík when spring came, and there got themselves a ship. So when Erlingr learnt that, then he went east after them and they met in Konungahella. Markús and his companion fled out onto the island of Hísing. The people of the country, the Hísingsbúar, rushed down there and joined the battle array with Markús’s men. Erlingr and his men rowed to land, and Markús’s men shot at them. Then Erlingr spoke with his men: ‘Let us take their ships and not go ashore to fight with the country’s army. The Hísingsbúar are bad to visit, rough people and stupid. They will not keep this band with them for long, for Hísing is a small country.’ This was done, they took the ships and conveyed them over to Konungahella. Markús and his troop went up into Markir and planned to launch attacks from there. They each had watch kept on the other. Erlingr had a large number of men, calling out troops to join them from the surrounding areas. Now neither side made attacks on the other. 
Erlendr hímaldi’s son Eysteinn was chosen as archbishop after the death of Archbishop Jón. Eysteinn was consecrated in the same year as King Ingi fell. And when Archbishop Eysteinn came to his see, he was well liked by all the people of the land. He was a very outstanding person, a man of noble family. The Þrœndir welcomed him, for most of the men of rank in Þrœndalǫg were related to or had some link with the archbishop, and all were firm friends of his. The archbishop then started negotiations with the landowners, speaking first of the foundation’s need of money, and also of what great development the foundation needed to have if it was now to be as much more decently maintained than before as it was more dignified than before now that an archbishop’s see was established there. He asked the landowners that they should grant him the equivalent of an ounce of pure silver as his share of fines. Now previously he had had an ounce in ordinary currency, which was legal tender for the king’s share of fines, but there is a fifty per cent difference in the value of this ounce by which the one he wanted to have, the ounce of pure silver, is greater. So with the support of kinsmen of the archbishop and his friends, and his own management ability, this change was brought about, and it was made law over the whole of Þrœndalǫg, and it was brought about too throughout the area that came under his authority as archbishop.
Sigurðr and Markús, after they had lost their ships on the Elfr, realised that they would not be able to get hold of Erlingr. So they turned up towards Upplǫnd and thus travelled overland north to Þrándheimr. They were welcomed there. Sigurðr was taken as king there at Eyraþing. Many good men’s sons joined the band there. They took to ships there and made quick preparations, travelling, when summer came, south to Mœrr and received all the royal dues wherever they went. There were these landed men in Bjǫrgyn to defend the land, Níkolás Sigurðarson, Nǫkkvi Pálsson and yet more leaders of troops, Þórólfr dryllr, Þorbjǫrn gjaldkeri and many others. Markús and his party sailed from the north and learnt that Erlingr’s men were with large numbers in Bjǫrgyn. They sailed past there to the south by the outer route outside the islands . People commented on the fact that that summer Markús’s men had a favourable wind wherever they wanted to go.
Erlingr skakki, as soon as he learnt that Markús’s party had turned to the north, then he sailed north into the Vík and gathered troops to himself, and soon had a large following and had large and numerous ships. But when he tried to sail out into the Vík, he got a contrary wind and lay here and there in harbours all that summer. So when Markús and his band came east to Listi, then they learnt that Erlingr had an invincible army in the Vík, and turned back north. And when they got to Hǫrðaland, then they planned to go to Bjǫrgyn, and when they got in front of the town, then Níkolás and his men were rowing out towards them and had a much larger force and larger ships. Markús and his party then saw they had no other choice but to row away south. Some make out to sea, some south into the sounds, some in into the fiords, but Markús and some men with him leapt ashore up onto the island that is called Skarpa. Níkolás and his men took their ships, gave Jón Hallkelsson and some other men quarter, but killed most of those they caught. A few days later Eindriði heiðafylja found Sigurðr and Markús. They were conveyed to Bjǫrgyn. Sigurðr was beheaded out from Grafdalr, and Markús hanged with another man on Hvarfsnes, and that was at Michaelmas. The band that had followed them then dispersed.
Frírekr kœna and Bjarni inn illi, Ǫnundr Símunarson, Ǫrnólfr skorpa, they had rowed out to sea with some ships and sailed the outer route along the ocean past the coast, and wherever they came to land they plundered and killed Erlingr’s friends. But when Erlingr learnt of the killing of Markús and his men, then he gave the landed men and the men of the levy leave to return home, and he himself then sailed with his troops east across Foldin, for he had heard of some of Markús’s men being there. Erlingr sailed to Konungahella and stayed there during the autumn. In the first week of winter Erlingr went out to the island of Hísing with a large troop and requested an assembly there. The Hísingsbúar came down and opened an assembly. Erlingr brought charges against them for having rushed to join Markús’s men and for drawing up their forces against him. Ǫzurr was the man that was the most powerful of the farmers that spoke on their behalf. The assembly lasted a long time, but in the end the farmers entrusted the judgment to Erlingr, and he gave them an appointment for a meeting for a week later and appointed fifteen men of the farmers to come to it. And when they came, Erlingr sentenced them to pay three hundred cattle. The farmers went back home dissatisfied with their lot. A little later the river froze over and Erlingr’s ship was stuck in the ice. Now the farmers withheld the payment and lay assembled for a while. Erlingr prepared his Yule banquet there, and the Hísingsbúar held a joint feast and had a party together over Yule. In the night after the fifth day of Yule, Erlingr went out onto the island and captured Ǫzurr’s house and burnt him inside, and in all he slew a hundred men and burnt three farms, after that travelling back to Konungahella. Afterwards the farmers came to him and paid the fine.
In the spring Erlingr skakki got ready as soon as he could get his ships afloat because of the ice and left Konungahella. He learnt that those that had previously been Markús’s men were making raids north in the Vík. Erlingr had watch kept on their movements and went to look for them and found them while they were lying in a certain harbour. Ǫnundr Símunarson and Ǫrnólfr skorpa got away, but Frírekr kœna and Bjarni inn illi were captured and many of their troops killed. Erlingr had Frírekr tied to an anchor and thrown overboard. For this deed Erlingr was very greatly disliked in Þrœndalǫg, for Frírekr had very noble relatives there. Erlingr had Bjarni hanged, and then, before he was hanged, he uttered the most horrible words, as he usually did. So says Þorbjǫrn Skakkaskáld:
East of the fiord Erlingr issued death to the vikings— many men got from Kœna misery—when he went there. A fluke was fastened between Frírekr’s shoulders; ill-eager, hung on a tree somewhat higher, harmful to people, Bjarni.
Ǫnundr and Ǫrnólfr and the groups that had got away fled to Denmark, but were sometimes to be found in Gautland or in the Vík.
Erlingr skakki sailed after that to Túnsberg and stayed there a long time during the spring. But when summer came he sailed north to Bjǫrgyn. There was at the time a very large number of people there. The legate Stephanus was there from the city of Rome and archbishop Eysteinn and other native bishops. There also was bishop Brandr, who had now been consecrated bishop for Iceland. There also was King Magnús berfœttr’s grandson Jón Loptsson. King Magnús and other kinsmen of Jón’s had now acknowledged his kinship to them. Archbishop Eysteinn and Erlingr skakki were often in conversation and in private talks. And on one occasion it came up in their discussion that Erlingr asked: ‘Is that accurate, lord, what people say, that you have increased the standard of money for your share of fines among farmers in the north of the country?’
The archbishop replies: ‘It is indeed true that farmers have granted me an increase in the standard of money for my share of fines. They have done this voluntarily, and under no compulsion, thus increasing God’s glory and the wealth of our foundation.’ Erlingr says: ‘Is this the law, lord, of the blessed King Óláfr, or have you interpreted this provision rather more rigorously than the way it is written in the lawbook?’ The archbishop says: ‘The blessed King Óláfr will have set up the laws in accordance with what was accepted and agreed to by the people, but one cannot find in his laws that it is forbidden to increase God’s due.’ Erlingr replies: ‘If you are going to increase your dues, then you will want to support us in increasing the king’s dues by the same amount.’ The archbishop says: ‘You have already now increased sufficiently the name and power of your son. And if I have now taken an unlawful standard of money from the Þrœndir, then I maintain that it amounts to a greater breach of the law that he is king over the land that is not the son of a king. There are neither laws nor precedents in this country to justify this.’ Erlingr says: ‘When Magnús was taken as king over the realm of Norway, it was done with your knowledge and consent and also with that of other bishops in this country.’ The archbishop says: ‘You promised, Erlingr, that if we agreed with you that Magnús should be taken as king, you would support God’s rights in all respects with all your power.’ ‘I acknowledge this,’ says Erlingr, ‘that I have promised to uphold God’s law and the laws of the land with all my strength and that of the king. Now I can see a better way forward than for each of us to accuse the other of breaking his promises. Let us rather keep all our personal promises. You support King Magnús in his power, as you have promised, and I shall support your power in all profitable matters.’ The whole discussion now proceeded smoothly between them. Now Erlingr spoke: ‘If Magnús has not been taken as king in accordance with what has been the ancient custom in this country, then you can use your power to give him a crown, in accordance with what God’s laws are for annointing a king to power. And though I am not a king nor descended from a kingly line, yet have most kings in our memory now been such as have not been as well acquainted with the statutes and laws of the land as I. For King Magnús’s mother is a legitimate daughter of a king and queen. Magnús is also son of a queen and son of a lawfully wedded wife. So if you are willing to grant him consecration as king, then no one will afterwards be able to deprive him of the kingdom lawfully. Viljálmr Bastard was not a king’s son, and he was consecrated and crowned king over England, and since then the kingdom has remained in his family in England and all of them have been crowned. Sveinn Úlfsson in Denmark was not a king’s son, and yet he was crowned king there and afterwards his sons and one after another of that family has been crowned king. There is now an archbishop’s see here in this country. That is a great glory and honour for our country. Let us enhance it further with good things, let us have a crowned king no less than English people or Danes.’ After this the archbishop and Erlingr frequently discussed this business, and everything proceeded in a peaceable way. Afterwards the archbishop put this to the legate and easily brought the legate into agreement with himself. The archbishop then had a meeting with his suffragan bishops and other clerics and put this matter to them, and all replied in the same way, saying they consented to whatever the archbishop wished to have done, and all were eager for the consecration to go ahead as soon as they found that that was what the archbishop wished to have done. That was the decision of them all.
Erlingr skakki had preparations made in the royal palace for a great banquet, and the great hall was hung with precious cloths and tapestries and adorned in the most expensive way. Then the court and all the people in the king’s service were given entertainment. There was a huge number of guests and many leaders there. Magnús then received consecration as king from Archbishop Eysteinn, and there were present at the consecration five other bishops and the legate and a huge number of clerics. Erlingr skakki and twelve landed men with him swore legally binding oaths together with the king. And on the day that the consecration took place, the king and Erlingr had as their guests the archbishop and the legate and all the bishops, and this banquet was the most glorious. Father and son gave out there many great gifts. King Magnús was now eight winters old. He had now been king for three winters.
King Valdamarr of the Danes had now heard the news from Norway that Magnús was now sole king there. Now all other groups in that country had been got rid of. Then the king sent men of his with letters to King Magnús and Erlingr, reminding them of the personal agreement that Erlingr had entered into with King Valdamarr, as was written here above, that King Valdamarr was to gain possession of the Vík from the east to Rýgjarbit if Magnús became sole king in Norway. So when the messengers came forward and showed Erlingr the letters from the king of the Danes, and he realises the claim that the king of the Danes has in Norway, then Erlingr put this before other people that he went to for advice, and they all said the same thing, that never should the Danes be given a share of Norway, for people said that the time that had been worst in the country was when Danes had power over Norway. The messengers of the king of the Danes discussed their request with Erlingr and asked him for a decision. Erlingr told them to go with him east into Vík in the autumn, saying that he would then give his decision when he had seen the men in the Vík that were most knowlegeable.
In the autumn Erlingr skakki travelled east into Vík and stayed in Túnsberg, sending men over to Borg and having a four-district assembly called there in the Borg. After that Erlingr went there with his troops. And when the assembly was in session, then Erlingr spoke and told about what plans had been agreed between him and the king of the Danes when Erlingr and his party had set up their band for the first time. ‘I am moreover willing,’ he says, ‘to keep to all the personal agreements that we entered into then, if it is what you farmers wish and consent to, to serve the king of the Danes rather than this king that is here consecrated and crowned king over the country.’ The farmers answered Erlingr and said as follows: ‘By no means are we willing to become subjects of the king of the Danes as long as one of us Víkverjar is alive.’ Then the whole crowd rushed up with shouts and cries bidding Erlingr keep his oaths that he had sworn to all the people of the land to defend ‘your son’s land, and we shall all follow you.’ Thus this assembly was broken up. After this the messengers of the king of the Danes went back south to Denmark and told the result of their errand such as it was. The Danes subjected Erlingr and all the Norwegians to much criticism, saying that one never got anything from them but what was bad. The word got around that the next spring the king of the Danes would take out an army and make raids in Norway. In the autumn Erlingr went north to Bjǫrgyn and stayed there during the winter and distributed wages there.
That winter some Danish men travelled round the country overland saying what is very common, that they were on their way to the blessed King Óláfr for the vigil. But when they got to Þrándheimr, then they went to see many men of rank, saying now that their business was that the king of the Danes had sent them to seek their friendship towards him, and their welcome if he came to the country, and he was promising to give them both power and wealth. This message was accompanied by a letter and seal of the king of the Danes, and the instruction that the Þrœndir were to send in reply their letters and seals. They did so and most responded positively to the message of the king of the Danes. The messengers went back east towards the end of Lent. Erlingr was staying in Bjǫrgyn. And when spring came, Erlingr’s friends told him the rumour they had heard from men on trading ships that were come from Þrándheimr in the north that the Þrœndir had come out in open hostility to him and they had announced at their assemblies that if Erlingr came to Þrándheimr he should never get out past Agðanes with his life. Erlingr said that this was a false rumour and nonsense. Erlingr announced that he was going to go south to Unarheimr for the Rogation Days assembly, and had a warship prepared, a twenty-benched one, and a lighter ship, a fifteen-benched one, and also a ship to carry stores. So when the ships were ready, then there arose a fresh southerly wind. On the Tuesday in Rogation Days Erlingr had his troops summoned to the ships by trumpet, but men were reluctant to leave the town and thought it unpleasant to have to row against the wind. Erlingr sailed north into Byskupshǫfn. Then said Erlingr: ‘You are grumbling a lot about rowing against the wind, get out now and raise the masts, after that hoist the sails, and let us sail the ships north.’ They did so, sailed north during the day and during the night. Wednesday in the evening they sailed in past Agðanes. Then they found before them a great collection of ships, cargo ships and rowing boats and light ocean-going vessels—these were for people attending the festival —going in to the town, some ahead of them, some behind. The townspeople therefore took no notice of longships sailing past. Erlingr skakki arrived in the town at the time that mattins was being sung up at Christchurch. Erlingr and his men ran into the town, and they were told that Óttarr birtingr’s son Álfr hroði, a landed man, was still sitting and drinking with his men. Erlingr made an attack on them. Álfr was killed and nearly all his men. Few other men fell, for most had gone to church. This was the night before Ascension Day. Straightway in the morning Erlingr had all his troops called out onto Eyrar by trumpet for an assembly, and at the assembly Erlingr brought charges against the Þrœndir, accusing them of treason against the king and himself, and naming as responsible Bárðr standali and Páll Andreasson and Raza-Bárðr - he at that time was town steward—and very many others as well. They replied, denying the charges. Then Erlingr’s chaplain stood up holding up many letters and seals and asked if they recognised their seals there that they had sent in the spring to the king of the Danes. Then the letters were then also read aloud. Also present there with Erlingr were the Danish men that had brought letters during the winter. Erlingr had got hold of them for this purpose. Then they repeated before all the people the words that each of them had spoken: ‘Thus you spoke, Raza-Bárðr, and you smote your chest: “From this breast came all these plans originally”.’ Bárðr replied: ‘I was mad then, my lord, when I said that.’ There was no other choice then but to hand over the judgment of the whole affair to Erlingr. He then took on the spot an immense amount of money from many people, and pronounced all those that had been killed to have forfeited compensation. Afterwards he went back south to Bjǫrgyn.
That spring King Valdamarr had a great army out in Denmark and sailed his troops north into the Vík. As soon as he got into the realm of the king of Norway, then the farmers brought out against him a host and a crowd of men. The king travelled peaceably and sensibly, but wherever they travelled by the mainland, then men shot at them even if they were one or two, and it seemed to the Danes like the absolute hostility of the people of the country. So when they got to Túnsberg, then King Valdamarr called an assembly there on Haugar, but no one attended from the surrounding districts. Then King Valdamarr made a speech, saying this: ‘It is obvious as regards the people of this land, that all are opposed to us. We now have two options open to us. The one is to lay waste this land and spare nothing, neither cattle nor men. The other option is to go back south without more ado. But it is more to my mind to go rather to the eastern Baltic to heathen countries of which there are plenty available, and not to kill Christian folk here even though they deserve it well enough.’ But all the others were eager to make raids, and yet the king prevailed, so that they went back south, and yet there was plundering very widely round the outlying islands and everywhere when the king was not nearby. They travelled south to Denmark.
Erlingr skakki heard that an army of Danes was come into the Vík. Then he called out a levy over the whole country of troops and ships, and this turned out to be a huge rush to arms and he took this army east along the coast. But when he got to Líðandisnes, he learnt that the army of Danes was gone back south to Denmark and they had plundered widely in the Vík. Then Erlingr gave leave to all the levy troops to return home, but he himself and some landed men sailed with a very large number of ships south after the Danes to Jótland. And when they got to the place called Dýrsá, then they found before them Danes returned from an expedition, and they had many ships. Erlingr attacked them and fought with them. The Danes soon fled and lost many men, but Erlingr and his men plundered the ships and also the market town and got a very large amount of wealth there and afterwards went back to Norway. Then there was for a time warfare between Norway and Denmark.
The king’s daughter Kristín travelled in the autumn south to Denmark. She went to see her kinsman King Valdamarr. They were the children of sisters. The king welcomed her extremely warmly and presented her with banquets with him there, so that she could maintain her following there well. She was often in conversation with the king, and he was very friendly with her. So the following spring Kristín sent men to Erlingr and bade him go to see the king of the Danes and be reconciled with him. The next summer Erlingr was in the Vík. He prepared a single longship and manned it with his finest troops. After that he sailed over to Jótland. He learnt that King Valdamarr was in Randaróss. Erlingr sailed there and arrived in the town at the time when most people were sitting over their food. So when they had put up their awnings and made fast their ship, Erlingr went ashore in a party of twelve and all mailcoated, having hoods over their helmets and swords under their cloaks. They went to the king’s quarters. Just then dishes were being carried in, and the doors were open. Erlingr and his men went straight in before the high seat. Erlingr spoke: ‘We wish to have a truce, king, both here and for our journey back.’ The king looked at him and said: ‘Is it you there, Erlingr?’ He replied: ‘It is Erlingr here, so tell us quickly whether we shall have a truce.’ There were inside there eighty of the king’s men and all of them unarmed. The king said: 
‘You shall have a truce, Erlingr, as you ask. I do not act the villain to any man if he comes to see me.’ Erlingr kissed the king’s hand and after that went out and to his ship. He stayed there for a while with the king. They spoke about making peace between themselves and their countries, and it was agreed that Erlingr should stay there as hostage with the king of the Danes, while Archbishop Absalon’s brother Ásbjǫrn snara travelled to Norway as hostage in return.
It happened on one occasion that King Valdamarr and Erlingr were in conversation. Erlingr spoke: ‘Lord, it seems to me that the best way to reach a settlement is for you to have all of that part of Norway that you were promised in our personal agreement. So if that were the case, what leader would you put in charge there? Would it be some Danish one? No,’ he says, ‘no leaders of the Danes would be willing to go to Norway and have to deal with a tough and disobedient people, when he has previously been well enough off here with you. It was for this reason that I came here, that I wish under no circumstances to lose your friendship. In the past men have travelled here to Denmark from Norway, Hákon Ívarsson and Finnr Árnason, and your kinsman King Sveinn made both of them his jarls. I am not now a person of less power in Norway than they were then, and the king gave them the administration of Halland, a realm that he had held previously. Now it seems to me, lord, that you might well grant me this land if I pledge my fealty to you so that I shall be holding this realm from you. Moreover my son King Magnús cannot refuse me this, so I shall be subject and bound to you for every service that belongs to this title.’ Erlingr said this and other similar things, and it came about in the end that Erlingr became subject to King Valdamarr, and the king led Erlingr to his seat and gave him a jarldom and the Vík as his fief and to administer. Then Erlingr went back to Norway and afterwards was jarl as long as he lived, and remained at peace with the king of the Danes for ever after. Erlingr had four sons by concubines. One was called Hreiðarr, the second Ǫgmundr; they had their own separate mothers. The third was Finnr, the fourth Sigurðr; their mother was Ása in ljósa. They were younger. The king’s daughter Kristín and Erlingr had a daughter that was called Ragnhildr. She was married to Jón Þorbergsson of Randaberg. Kristín left the country with a man that was called Grímr rusli. They went out to Mikligarðr and stayed there a while, and they had some children.
Óláfr, son of Guðbrandr Skafhǫggsson and son of King Eysteinn Magnússon’s daughter Maria, was being fostered with Sigurðr agnhǫttr in Upplǫnd. Now while Erlingr was in Denmark, then the foster-father and -son, Óláfr and Sigurðr, started a band of men and many Upplendingar joined it. Óláfr was taken as king of it. They travelled round Upplǫnd with this band, and sometimes into the Vík, sometimes east to Markir. They were not aboard ships. So when Jarl Erlingr heard about this band, then he took his troops into the Vík and was on board ships during the summer and in the autumn in Oslo and gave banquets there over Yule. He had watch kept up inland on the band and went himself up inland to look for them, and with him the king’s brother Ormr. And when they got to the lake that is called . . . then they captured all the ships that were by the lake.
The priest that officiated at Ryðjǫkull—this is by the lake—invited the jarl and his men to a banquet and to come there at Candlemas. The jarl promised to go, he felt it would be a good thing to go to the services there. They rowed there across the lake during the evening before the feast day. But this priest had a different plan in hand. He sent men to bring intelligence to Óláfr and his men about Erlingr’s movements. He gave Erlingr and his party strong drink in the evening and made them drink a great deal. And when the jarl went to sleep, then there were beds for them made in the banqueting hall. Now when they had slept a little while, the jarl awoke and asked if it was now time for mattins. The priest said that little of the night had passed, bade them sleep in peace. The jarl replied: ‘I am having a lot of dreams tonight, and I am sleeping badly.’ After that he fell asleep. He awoke a second time and told the priest to stand up and sing the service. The priest told the jarl to sleep, saying it was now midnight. The jarl lay down and slept a short time and leapt up and told his men to get dressed. They did so and took their weapons, went to church and laid their weapons outside while the priest sang mattins.
Intelligence reached Óláfr during the evening, and they walked during the night along six leagues of pathways, and people thought this was a great deal of travelling. They arrived in Ryðjǫkull during mattins. It was absolutely pitch-dark. Óláfr and his men went to the banqueting hall and shouted a war cry, killing a few men inside there that had not gone to mattins. But when Erlingr and his men heard the shout they ran to their weapons and after that made off down for the ships. Óláfr and his men met them by a sort of enclosure. There was a battle there. Erlingr and his men retreated down by the side of the enclosure, and the enclosure protected them. They had a much smaller troop. Many of them fell, and many were wounded. What helped them most was that Óláfr and his men could not distinguish them, it was so dark. So Erlingr’s men made straight for the ships. Bishop Guðmundr’s father Ari Þorgeirsson fell there and many others of Erlingr’s followers. Erlingr was wounded in his left side, and some people say that he scraped the sword against himself when he was drawing it. Ormr was also badly wounded. With difficulty they got aboard their ships and immediately drew away from the shore. It was said that Óláfr and his men had had very bad luck in the encounter, considering how Erlingr and his men had been delivered up to them if Óláfr had proceeded more sensibly. Afterwards people called him Óláfr ógæfa, but some called them Hettusveinar. They went up round the countryside with this band again as before, but Jarl Erlingr went out into the Vík to his ships and stayed behind in the Vík during the summer, while Óláfr and his men were in Upplǫnd and sometimes east in Markir. They had the band like that a second winter.
The next spring Óláfr and his band went out into the Vík and took all the royal dues there, staying there a long time during the summer. Jarl Erlingr heard about this and took his troops east to find them, and their meeting was on the eastern side of the fiord in a place that is called at Stangir. A great battle took place there and Erlingr was victorious. Sigurðr agnhǫttr fell there and many of Óláfr’s men, but Óláfr got away by flight. He travelled after that south to Denmark and stayed in Jótland at Álaborg the next winter after that. And the following spring Óláfr caught an illness that led to his death, and he is buried there at Máríukirkja, and the Danes call him a saint. 
Páll Skoptason’s son Níkolás kúfungr was one of King Magnús’s landed men. He captured Haraldr, who was said to have been son of King Sigurðr Haraldsson and the king’s daughter Kristín and half-brother of King Magnús. Níkolás conveyed Haraldr to Bjǫrgyn and handed him over to Jarl Erlingr. It was Erlingr’s custom, if enemies of his came before him, that he spoke nothing or very little to them, and calmly what he did say, if he was resolved to kill them, while those that he wanted to have life he verbally abused most bitterly. Erlingr said little to Haraldr, and people were suspicious about what he was intending. Then people bade King Magnús to intercede for Haraldr with the jarl. The king did so. The jarl replied: ‘That is what your friends advise. But you will not long rule the country in peace if you are always going to act with goodwill towards everyone.’ Afterwards Erlingr had Haraldr conveyed across to Norðnes and he was beheaded there.
There is a man called Eysteinn that claimed to be King Eysteinn Haraldsson’s son. He was then a young man, not completely full-grown, when it is told that he turned up one summer east in Svíaveldi and went to see Birgir brosa. He was now married to Haraldr gilli’s daughter Brígiða, Eysteinn’s aunt. Eysteinn put before them his purpose and asked for their help for himself. The jarl and his wife too welcomed what he said and promised him their support. He stayed there a while. Jarl Birgir gave Eysteinn some troops and a good sum of money for his immediate needs and sent him on his way generously. They both assured him of their friendship. Eysteinn then went north in Norway and came down in the Vík. Now troops immediately rushed to him, and this band expanded. They took Eysteinn as king, and they stayed with this band in the Vík during the winter. But because they were short of money, then they plundered widely, and the landed men and farmers brought a troop against them. So when they were overpowered, then they fled away into the forests and lay for long periods in deserted places. Then their clothing wore out, so they fastened birch bark round their legs. The farmers then called them Birkibeinar. They often rushed into settlements and turned up here and there and launched an attack if they were not faced by large numbers. They fought some battles with farmers, and now one side, now the other was victorious. The Birkibeinar had three pitched battles and were victorious in all of them. At Krókaskógr they narrowly escaped disaster. A gathering of farmers came against them, a huge number of troops. The Birkibeinar felled heaps of trees in front of them and afterwards ran into the forest. The Birkibeinar were two winters in the Vík without going to the north of the country.
King Magnús had then been king for thirteen winters when the Birkibeinar started up. The third summer they took to ships, then went out along the coast, getting themselves wealth and troops. They were at first in the Vík, but towards the end of summer they made for the north of the country, travelling so fast that no intelligence preceded them before they reached Þrándheimr. The Birkibeinar’s band consisted mainly of men from Markir and Elfargrímar, and they had a large number from Þelamǫrk, and they were now well armed. Their king, Eysteinn, was handsome and fair of feature, small of face, not a big person. By many people he was known as Eysteinn meyla. King Magnús and Jarl Erlingr were staying in Bjǫrgyn when the Birkibeinar sailed past to the north, and they were not aware of them. Erlingr was a powerful man, intelligent in mind, a very great warrior when there was war, a good ruler of the land and authoritarian, said to be rather severe and harsh. But the real thing was that he gave only a few of his enemies permission to stay in the country, even when they begged for quarter, and for this reason many ended up running off to join the bands when these rose against him. Erlingr was a tall man and tough in build, rather high-shouldered, long-faced, sharp-featured, light-coloured and growing very grey-haired, carried his head rather on one side, pleasant in manner and dignified, wore old-fashioned clothing, tunics and shirts long in the body and sleeves, French cloaks, boots high in the leg. He made the king wear similar clothing while he was young, but when he could decide for himself he dressed in great finery. King Magnús was highspirited and playful, a very sociable person and a great man for the ladies.
Sigurðr Hranason’s son Níkolás, he was son of Brynjólfr úlfaldi’s daughter Skjaldvǫr, sister of Halldórr Brynjólfsson and half-sister of King Magnús berfœttr. Níkolás was a very great leader. He had an estate in Hálogaland on Ǫngull at a place called at Steig. Níkolás had a dwelling in Niðaróss down from Jóanskirkja where the chaplain Þorgeirr had lived. Níkolás was frequently in Kaupangr, and he had complete authority over the people of the town. Níkolás’s daughter Skjaldvǫr was married to Eiríkr Árnason. He was a landed man too.
It was on the later Máríumass, when people were returning from mattins in the town, that Eiríkr went to Níkolás and spoke: ‘Father-in-law, some fishermen that have come in are saying that longships were sailing in along the fiord, and people suppose that it must be Birkibeinar, and the thing to do, father-in-law, is to have the whole town militia with arms summoned by trumpet call out onto Eyrar.’
Níkolás replied: ‘I do not, son-in-law, go by rumours of fishermen. I shall set a watch out in the fiord, and we shall hold an assembly today.’ Eiríkr went home, and when the bell was rung for High Mass, Níkolás went to church. Now Eiríkr came to him and spoke: ‘I think, father-in-law, that the information is true. There are now men here that say they have seen the sails. It seems to me advisable for us to ride out of the town and muster troops for ourselves.’ Níkolás replied: ‘You are chattering on again, son-in-law. Let us first hear Mass, then decide what to do afterwards.’ Níkolás went to church. And when Mass had been sung, Eiríkr went to Níkolás and spoke: ‘Father-in-law, now my horses are ready. I am going to ride out.’ Níkolás replied: ‘Farewell then! We shall hold an assembly on Eyrar and find out what troops are in the town.’ Then Eiríkr rode away, but Níkolás went to his premises and afterwards to eat.
Now just when food was being served, a man came in and told Níkolás that now Birkibeinar were rowing into the river. Then Níkolás called out that his men were to arm themselves, and when they were armed, Níkolás told them to go inside into the upper part of the building, and this was the most unwise thing to do, for if they had guarded the courtyard, then the townspeople would have come up to help them, for the Birkibeinar went and filled the whole courtyard and then went to the upper storeys all round. They shouted to each other. The Birkibeinar offered Níkolás quarter, but he refused. After that they fought. Níkolás and his men defended themselves with bowshots and handshots and oven stones, but the Birkibeinar knocked down the buildings and shot as often as they could. Níkolás had a red shield with gilt studs in it and stars on it, a Viljálmr’s make. The Birkibeinar shot so that the arrows stuck in as far as the binding of the heads. Níkolás spoke: ‘The shield is now proving false to me.’ There Níkolás fell and a large part of his company and he was very greatly mourned. The Birkibeinar gave quarter to all the people of the town.
Afterwards Eysteinn was taken as king there, and all the people submitted to him. He stayed for a while in the town, after that travelled in into Þrándheimr. Many troops joined him there. Þorfinnr svarti of Snǫs joined him there, and he had a troop of men. At the beginning of winter they travelled out to the town. Then Guðrún of Saltnes’s sons, Jón kettlingr, Sigurðr and Viljálmr, joined them. They travelled up out of Niðaróss to Orkadalr—then there were calculated to be nearly twenty hundred men there—travelling on to Upplǫnd and then out across Þótn and Haðaland, then to Hringaríki.
In the autumn King Magnús travelled east into Vík with some of the troops, and the king’s brother Ormr as well. Jarl Erlingr stayed behind in Bjǫrgyn and kept a large force there and was to go against the Birkibeinar if they travelled down the coastal route. King Magnús established himself in Túnsberg, he and Ormr as well. The king gave a banquet there over Yule. King Magnús heard about the Birkibeinar up in Ré. After that the king left the town with his troop and Ormr as well and they reached Ré. There was a lot of snow and the weather was amazingly cold. So when they got to this farm, then they went out of the enclosure onto the road, and on the outside of the fence they lined up and trod the snow down hard for themselves. They had just less than fifteen hundred men. The Birkibeinar were at another farm but some of their troops were in buildings here and there. But when they became aware of King Magnús’s army, they gathered together and set up a battle line. And when they saw King Magnús’s troops, then they thought, as was true, that their force was greater. They immediately went into battle. But when they advanced along the road, then few at a time were able to move forward, and those that jumped out off the road found the snow so deep that they could hardly get forward, and now their line broke up, while those that went forward along the road first fell. Then their standard was cut down, and those that were next in line retreated, while some took to flight. King Magnús’s men pursued them and killed them one after the other when they caught them. Then the Birkibeinar could not get their battle line formed and were exposed to weapons, and now many fell and many fled. It was then as can often happen, that though men are brave and bold in battle, if they suffer heavy blows and start to flee, most find it difficult to turn around again. Then the main force of Birkibeinar began to flee, and a multitude fell, for King Magnús’s men killed all they could, and none of those they caught were granted quarter, and the rout scattered widely. King Eysteinn took to flight. He ran into a certain building and begged for quarter for himself and also that the farmer would hide him. But the farmer killed him, afterwards going to see King Magnús and finding him at Hrafnsnes. The king was inside in a room and was warming himself by the fire, and there were many people there. Afterwards men went and conveyed the body there, carrying it into the room. Then the king told men to go and identify the body. There was a man sitting on the corner bench, and it was a Birkibeinn, and no one had taken any notice of him. But when he saw the corpse of his leader and recognised it, then he stood up quickly and sharply. He had an axe in his hand, he ran quickly further in across the floor and struck at King Magnús, hitting him on the neck by the shoulders. Some man or other saw the axe swing down and shoved him away. That caused the axe to turn down onto the shoulders, and it was a great wound. Then he swung the axe up a second time and struck at the king’s brother Ormr. He was lying on the bench. The blow was aimed at both his legs. So when Ormr saw that the man was trying to kill him, he moved quickly, throwing his feet forwards over his head, and the blow fell on the edge of the bench frame. The axe stuck fast. But weapons were sticking so thickly on the Birkibeinn that he was hardly able to fall. Then they saw that he had dragged his intestines across the floor after him, and this man’s valour is very highly praised. King Magnús’s men pursued the rout for a long time and they killed all they could. Þorfinnr at Snǫs fell there, and many other Þrœndir fell there too.
This band, that were called Birkibeinar, had gathered together with a great multitude. These people were tough and the most valiant fighters and were a rather unruly crew, going about quite furiously and madly, once they felt they had a great force. They had in their band few men that were good planners or were accustomed to the administration of land or laws or managing an army, and although some knew better, yet the majority all wanted to do what each himself thought fit. They felt themselves secure with the numbers in their band and their valour. But of the troops that got away, many were wounded and had lost their weapons and clothing, and all were without money. Some made their way east to Markir and many to Þelamǫrk, mostly those that had relatives there. Some went all the way east to Svíaveldi. They all ran away because they had little hope of quarter from King Magnús or Jarl Erlingr.
After this King Magnús travelled back out to Túnsberg, and he came to be very celebrated for this victory, for everyone said that Jarl Erlingr was the shield and organiser of the pair, but after King Magnús had gained victory over such a powerful and numerous band when he had a smaller force, then it seemed to everyone as if he was going to overcome all, and he would then be as much greater a warrior than the jarl as he was a younger one.