Story of Harald Hairfair, Chapters 1-10
From The Stories of the Kings of Norway: Called the Round World: (Heimskringla) by Snorri Sturluson, translated by William Morris and Erikr Magnusson, 1893.
From: 850 C.E. To: 932 C.E.
Location: Rogaland, Norway
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From The Stories of the Kings of Norway: Called the Round World: (Heimskringla) by Snorri Sturluson, translated by William Morris and Erikr Magnusson, 1893.
Chapter I. Harald’s Fight With Haki and Gandalf his Father.
King Harald took the kingdom after his father when he was but ten winters old; he was the biggest of all men, the strongest, and the fairest to look on; a wise man, and very high-minded. Guthorm, his mother's brother, was made ruler of his bodyguard, and of all matters pertaining to his lands; withal he was duke of the host.
Now after the death of King Halfdan the Black many chieftains fell on the realm he had left, and the first man of these was King Gandalf, and those brethren Hogni and Frodi, the sons of King Eystein of Heathmark; Hogni Karason also was abroad far and wide through Ringrick. Then Haki Gandalfson also arrayed him to fare out to Westfold with three hundred men, and went the inland roads through certain dales, being minded to fall on King Harald unawares; but King Gandalf abode with his host in his land with intent to put across the firth, he and his army, into Westfold. But when Duke Guthorm heard thereof he gathered an army and went his ways with King Harald.
And first he goes to meet Haki up country, and they met in a certain dale, and there was a battle fought, and King Harald had the victory, but King Haki fell there, and a great part of his folk, even at the place sithence called Hakisdale. Then back wend King Harald and Duke Guthorm, but by then was King Gandalf come into Westfold, and so each goes to meet the other, and when they met was a hard fight foughten, but thence away fled King Gandalf, and lost the more part of his men, and came home to his own realm with things in such a plight. And when these tidings come to the sons of King Eystein of Heathmark, they looked to have an host upon them speedily, so they send word to Hogni Karason and Hersir Gudbrand, and appoint a meeting between them at Ringsacre in Heathmark.
Chapter II. King Harald Overcomes Five Lords.
After these battles fared King Harald and Duke Guthorm with all the host they may get, and wend toward the Uplands, going much by the woodland ways, and they hear where the Upland kings have appointed their muster, and come thither a-midnight, nor were the warders aware of them till an host was come before the very house wherein was Hogni Karason, yea, and that wherein slept Gudbrand; so they set fire to both of them, but Eystein's sons got out with their men and fought a while, and there fell both Hogni and Frodi.
After the fall of these four lords, King Harald, by the might and furtherance of Guthorm his kinsman, got to him Ringrick and Heathmark, Gudbrand's-dales and Hadaland, Thotn, and Raumrick, and all the northern parts of Vingulmark. Thereafter had King Harald and Duke Guthorm war and battles with King Gandalf, with such end that Gandalf fell in the last battle, and King Harald got to him all his realm south away to Raumelf.
Chapter III. Of Gyda, Eric’s Daughter.
King Harald sent his men after a certain maiden called Gyda, the daughter of King Eric of Hordaland, and she was at fostering at Valldres with a rich bonder. Now the king would fain have her to his bed-mate, because she was a maiden exceeding fair, and withal somewhat high-minded. So when the messengers came there, they put forth their errand to the maiden, and she answered in this wise:
"I will not waste my maidenhood for the taking to husband of a king who has no more realm to rule over than a few Folks. Marvellous it seems to me," she says, "that there be no king minded to make Norway his own, and be sole lord thereof in such wise as Gorm of Denmark or Eric of Upsala have done."
Great words indeed seemed this answer to the messengers, and they ask her concerning her words, what wise this answer shall come to, and they say that Harald was a king so mighty, that the offer was right meet for her. But yet though she answered to their errand otherwise than they would, they see no way as at this time to have her away but if she herself were willing thereto, so they arrayed them for their departing, and when they were ready, men lead them out ; then spake Gyda to the messengers :
"Give this my word to King Harald, that only so will I say yea to being his sole and lawful wife, if he will first do so much for my sake as to lay under him all Norway, and rule that realm as freely as King Eric rules the Swede-realm, or King Gorm Denmark; for only so meseems may he be called aright a King of the People."
Chapter IV. Of King Harald’s Bounden Oath.
The messengers fare back to King Harald and tell him of this word of the maiden, calling her overbold and witless, and saying withal that it would be but meet for the king to send after her with many men, for the doing of some shame to her. Then answered the king that the maid had spoken nought of ill, and done nought worthy of evil reward. Rather he bade her much thank for her word; "For she has brought to my mind that matter which it now seems to me wondrous I have not had in my mind heretofore."
And moreover he said: "This oath I make fast, and swear before that god who made me and rules over all things, that never more will I cut my hair nor comb it, till I have gotten to me all Norway, with the scat thereof and the dues, and all rule thereover, or else will I die rather."
For this word Duke Guthorm thanked him much, and said it were a work worthy of a king to hold fast this word of his.
Chapter V. Battle in Orkdale.
After this the kinsmen gather much folk and array them to go into the Uplands, and so north through the Dales, and thence north over the Dofrafell; and when they came down into the peopled country, they let slay all men and burned the country. So when the folk were ware of this all who might fled away; some down to Orkdale, some to Gauldale, some into the woodland; and yet othersome sought for peace, and all got that who came to the king and became his men. Nought they found to withstand them before they came to Orkdale, and there was a gathering against them, and there they had their first fight with a king called Gryting.
King Harald had the victory, and Gryting was taken, and much of his folk slain; but he gave himself up to King Harald, and swore oaths of fealty to him: thereafter all the Orkdale folk submitted them to King Harald and became his men.
Chapter VI. How King Harald Laid Law on the Land.
Such law King Harald laid on all land that he won to him, that he made all free lands his own, and he caused the bonders pay land dues to him, both the rich and the unrich. He set up an earl in each county, who should maintain law and right in the land, and gather all fines and land dues; and each earl was to have a third of the scat and the dues for his board and costs.
Each earl was to have under him four hersirs or more, and each of these was to have twenty marks for his maintenance. Each earl was to bring sixty men-at-arms to the king's host at his own costs, and each hersir twenty; but, by so much had King Harald increased the taxes and land dues, that his earls had more wealth and might than the kings had had aforetime. So when this was heard of about Thrandheim, then many rich men came to King Harald and became his men.
Chapter VII. Battle in Gauldale.
It is told that Earl Hakon Griotgard's son came to King Harald from the west from Yriar with a great company for the helping of King Harald; and after that went King Harald to Gauldale, and had a battle there, and slew two kings, and gat their realms to him, that is to say, the Gauldale-folk and the Strind-folk. Then he gave to Earl Hakon the lordship over the Strind-folk. Thereafter King Harald went into Stiordale and had there a third battle, and won the victory, and gat that folk to him.
After these things the upcountry Thrandfolk gathered together, and four kings with their hosts were assembled; whereof one ruled over Verdale, the second over Skaun, the third the folk of the Sparbiders, and the fourth from Inner-isle who ruled the Isles'-folk: these four kings went with their host against King Harald, and he fell to battle with them and gained the day, and of these kings, some fell, and some fled. King Harald had eight battles in all, yea, or more, in Thrandheim, and when eight kings had been slain, he gat to him all Thrandheim.
Chapter VIII. Harald Wins the Naumdale Folk.
North in Naumdale were two brethren kings, Herlaug and Hrollaug, and they had been three summers at the making of a howe, and that howe was built of stone and lime, and roofed with timber; and so when it was all done, those brethren heard the tidings that King Harald with his host was coming upon them. Then let King Herlaug gather to the howe much victual and drink, and thereafter went into the howe with eleven men, and then let cover up the howe again.
But King Hrollaug went on the top of the howe whereon the kings were wont to sit, and let array the kingly high-seat, and sat down therein; then he let lay pillows on the footpace whereon the earls were wont to sit, and tumbled himself down from the high-seat on to the earl's seat, and gave himself the name of earl.
After that fared Hrollaug to meet King Harald, and gave him up all his realm, and prayed to become his man, and told in what wise he had done in all things; then King Harald took a sword and did it on to his girdle, then hung a shield about the neck of him, and made him his earl, and led him to the high-seat; then he gave him the Naumdale folk, and made him earl over them.
Chapter IX. How King Harald Manned Ship.
Therewith King Harald fared back to Thrandheim, and abode there the winter through, and called it his home ever after, and there he set up his chiefest stead, which was called Ladir.
That winter he wedded Asa, the daughter of Earl Hakon Griotgard's son, and Hakon had beyond all men the greatest honour of the king. In the spring Harald gat a shipboard, for he had let make in the winter a dragon-galley, great, and arrayed in the seemliest wise.
The said dragon he manned with his court-guard and bareserks; the stem-men were the men most tried, because they had with them the king's banner; aft from the stem to the baling-place was the forecastle, and that was manned by the bareserks. Those only could get court-service with King Harald who were men peerless both of strength and good heart, and all prowess; with such only was his ship manned, whereas by now he had good choice of men to pick out for his bodyguard from every folk.
He had a great company of folk, and big ships, and many mighty men followed him. Hereof tells Hornklofi in Glymdrapa how that King Harald had fought in the Updale Woods with the Orkdalers or ever he led out his folk on this voyage:
The king for ever wrathful With them that crave the singing Of the fight-fish on its home-road, Had battle high on the heathland, Ere the high-heart war-din's raiser With sea-skates fell a-faring To the battle of the horses In wind-swept hall that welter.
The host of the war-din's heeder, Who showeth hell to robbers, Set battle-din a-roaring Over the wolf-pack's highway, Ere that manscathe that meeteth The home-way unto the sea-log Drave the proud-gliding dragon And sundry ships out seaward.
Chapter X. Battle at Solskel.
King Harald led out his folk from Thrandheim, and turned south toward Mere; but Hunthiof was the king's name who ruled over the Mere-folk, and Solfi Klofi was his son's name, and mighty men of war they were. But the king who ruled Raumsdale was called Nockvi, and he was the father of Solfi's mother. These kings drew together a great host when they heard tidings of King Harald, and went against him, and they met at Solskel. There then was battle, and King Harald gained the day. Thereof singeth Hornklofi:
Storm drave from the north the board-steed; So that the wargear's wielder Was borne aboard amidward The battle of two war-kings. There then the kings all valiant Wordless each other greeted With din-shots midst the murder; The red shields' voice long lasted.
Both the kings fell, but Solfi fled away; and both these folks did Harald lay under him, and dwelt there long that summertide. There he set up law and right for men, and established rulers over them, and took the fealty of folk; but, autumn-tide come, he arrayed him to fare northaway unto Thrandheim. Rognvald the Mere Earl, son of Eystein Glumra, had become King Harald's man that summer, and him King Harald made lord over the two folks, Northmere and Raumsdale, and strengthened his hands thereto both with lords and franklins; and ships he gave him withal that he might ward the land against war: he was called Rognvald the Mighty, or the Keen-counselled, and as folk say it was good sooth of either name. So King Harald abode the next winter in Thrandheim.
Sturluson, Snorri. The Stories of the Kings of Norway: Called the Round World: (Heimskringla). Translated by William Morris and Erikr Magnusson, Bernard Quaritch, 1893.
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