SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS.
(_Continued._)
Harald Hardradi—His influence on English history—His appearance and
character—Numerous expeditions—His bravery—His career in England
and Normandy—Jealousy between him and Godwin—His invasion of
England—The battle of Stamford Bridge—The battle of Hastings.
Among the great heroes of the North, and one who had a special influence
on the English history of his period—for without his invasion of England
William the Conqueror would probably not have been victorious at the
battle of Hastings—was Harald Sigurdsson, surnamed Harald Hardradi,
whose life is a fine illustration of the life of a Viking. His forces,
added to those of Harald, son of Godwin, would have proved very
formidable. Here is a description of the appearance of this hero.
“It was said by all that Harald surpassed other men in wisdom and
sagacity (counsel-skill), whether a thing was to be done quick or in a
long time, for himself or for others. He was more weapon-bold than any
man, as has been told. (Thjódólf, in a stanza on him, says that ‘the
mind rules one half of the victory.’) He was a handsome and
majestic-looking man with hair (auburn), an auburn beard and long
moustaches; one eyebrow a little higher up than the other; large arms
and legs and well shaped. His measure in height three ells. He was cruel
towards his foes, and punished all offences severely. He was very eager
for rule, and all prosperous things. He gave his friends great gifts
when he liked them well. He was fifty when he fell. We have no
noteworthy tellings about his youth before he was at Stiklastadir,
fifteen winters old, in the battle with his brother Olaf. He lived
thirty-five winters afterwards; all that time uproar and war were his
pastime. He never fled from a battle, but often he took precautions when
he had to do with an overwhelming force. All men who followed him in
battle and warfare said that when he was in a great danger which came
quickly upon him he would take the expedient which afterwards was seen
by all to be the best” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, Heimskringla, c. 104).
We cannot follow him through the numerous expeditions which he undertook
and which are described in his Saga.
We find that Harald swept all over the shores of the Mediterranean, went
to Serkland (land of the Saracens), Africa, Sicily, Italy, Greece,
Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Bulgaria. He was present, often as
leader, in about eighty battles. There are many examples of his strategy
and consummate generalship.
His life ended at the famous battle of Stamford Bridge, the account of
which is a masterpiece of description.
From his youth up he was valiant. He joined in the battle of
Stiklastadir, to help his half-brother, King Olaf the Stout, when he was
fifteen years old. His mother’s name was Asta (descended from Ragnar
Lodbrok).
“When the array stood with its standards ready to fight, the king said:
‘I do not think it right for my brother Harald to be in the battle, for
he is a child.’ Harald answered: ‘I shall certainly be in the battle,
but if I am so weak that I cannot wield the sword, I know what to do; my
hand shall be tied to the hilt; no man shall have a better will than I
to do harm to the bœndr. I want to follow my companions.’ It is told
that Harald sang this stanza:—
‘I shall be daring enough
To defend the wing in which I stand.
* * * * *
* * * * *
The young battle-glad poet
Will not draw back from the spears
Where the blows rain down;
When hardest the fight.’
“Harald had his way and was in the battle, and won great renown. He was
then fifteen winters old, as has been told. The skald Thjódólf mentions
it in the poem he made about King Harald, called _sexstefja_
(six-stave); among them is the following:—
I heard that the strong war-storm
Burst upon the king (Harald) close to Haug,
But the burner of the Bulgarians (Bolgara brennir = Harald)
Supported his brother (St. Ólaf) well.
The king did part against his will
Fifteen winters old
From the dead Olaf
And hid his helmet-seat (head).
“Harald got severely wounded in the battle, and Rögnvald Brúsason took
him to a bondi in the night after the battle. The bondi lived in an
out-of-the-way place, and kept him secretly, and cured him completely”
(Fms. Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 1).
Prof. Wassiliewsky has published a treatise, in Moscow, in which he
gives extracts from a Greek work of the eleventh century. We here give
part of them:—
“_Araltes_ (Harald) was a son of the king in Varangia; he had a brother
Julavos (St. Ólaf) who inherited the realm after his father’s death, and
made his brother Araltes the highest man next after himself. Araltes was
young, and admired the Roman power. He came and bowed knee before the
late Emperor Michael Paflagon; he had with him a host of five hundred
valiant men. The Emperor received him befittingly, and sent him to
Sicily into the war. Araltes went there and performed deeds of high
renown; and when Sicily was subdued he came back to the Emperor with his
host. Thereafter it happened that Delianos made a revolt in Bulgaria,
and Araltes with his men, together with the Emperor and his host, went
there; and he performed against the enemies feats worthy of his birth
and valour. When the Emperor had subdued Bulgaria he went home. I was
there too, and fought for the Emperor as well as I could. On the way
home, in Mosynupolis, the Emperor, in reward for his feats, made him
_Spatharokandidatos_ (a title). After Michael’s death, in the time of
the Emperor Monomachos, Araltes wanted to go home to his country, but
was not allowed to do so, and he was hindered from going. Nevertheless
he got away secretly, and became king in his own country, instead of his
brother Julavos (Olaf). Even as king he preserved his loyalty and love
towards the Romans” (Gustav Storm: Norsk Historisk Tidsskrift, 1884).
We will now give some extracts from the Sagas which contain an account
of Harald’s remarkable career, and which relate to the English and
Norman history of that period.
“Edward, Æthelred’s son, was king in England after Hörda-Knut; he was
called Edward the Good, and so he was. His mother was Queen Emma, the
daughter of Rikard jarl of Rouen; her brother was Rodbjart (Robert), the
father of William the Bastard, who was then duke (_hertogi_)[428] in
Rouen in Normandy. Edward was married to Gyda, the daughter of Godwin
jarl, son of Ulfnadr. Gyda’s youngest brother, Harald, Godwin’s son, was
raised in the hird of Edward. The king loved him very greatly, and
looked on him as his son, for he had no children” (Harald Hardradi’s
Saga, c. 77).
The death of King Edward the Confessor is here referred to:—
“One summer Harald Godwinson had to go to Bretland (Wales), and went
there by ship; when they got out they had head winds, and drifted out to
sea. They landed in Northmandi after having experienced a dangerous
storm. They sailed up to the burgh of Rouen (Rúda), and met William
(Vilhjálm) jarl, who gladly received them; Harald stayed there a long
time, in the autumn, well entertained, for it kept on stormy, and they
could not get to sea. Towards winter the jarl invited Harald to stay
there during the winter. Harald sat in a high-seat on one side of the
jarl, and on the other side sat the jarl’s wife; she was a very handsome
woman; these three often conversed, drinking and amusing themselves. The
jarl usually went to sleep early, but Harald sat up long in the evenings
talking to his wife. This went on for a long time. One evening she said:
‘The jarl has asked me what we have been talking about so often, and now
he is angry.’ Harald answered: ‘As soon as possible we will let him know
all our conversation.’ The next day Harald wished to speak to the jarl,
and they went into the speaking (málrúm) room, where were also the
jarl’s wife and the councillors. Harald said: ‘I must say, jarl, that
there are more reasons for my coming hither than I have as yet told you.
I want to ask thy daughter for my wife; I have often spoken of this to
her mother, and she has promised to help me in this matter with you.’
When Harald had said this, all present thought it well fit, and
recommended it to the jarl; at last the maiden was betrothed to Harald,
but as she was young the wedding was to be delayed for some winters. In
the spring Harald made his ship ready and went away; he and the jarl
parted with much love. Harald went to England to King Edward (Jatvard)
and never came back to Valland to celebrate his wedding. Edward was king
over England for twenty-three winters, and died in London the fifth of
January (1066); he was buried in St. Paul’s Church, and the English call
him a saint” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, cc. 78, 79).
“The sons of Earl Godwin were then the most powerful men in England.
Tosti had been made chief over the king’s host, and was the defender of
the land and ruler over all the other jarls, when Edward began to grow
old. His brother Harald was always in the hird, and was nearest
attendant on the king, and had charge of all his money. It is said that
when the king was about to die Harald and a few others were with him; he
bent down over him, and said: ‘I call you all to witness that the king
just now gave me the kingship, and the rule over all England.’ Then the
dead king was carried away from his bed. The same day there was a
meeting of the chiefs, who decided whom they would take to be king. Then
Harald called forth his witnesses to prove that King Edward gave him the
realm on his dying day. The meeting ended by Harald being taken as king,
and consecrated the thirteenth day (of Yule = 6th of January, 1066) in
St. Paul’s Church, and the chiefs and the people made homage to him.
When his brother Tosti heard this he was displeased, and thought he had
as much right to be king. ‘I want,’ said he, ‘the chiefs of the land to
choose the man whom they think most fit to be king.’ Harald heard these
words, and said he would not give up the kingship, for he had been
placed on the king’s high-seat in Edward’s place, and had been anointed
and consecrated. The greatest part of the people favoured him, and he
had all the treasures of the king” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 80).
When Harald, son of Godwin, had got the kingship in England his brother
Tosti did not like being his underman:
“So he went away with his men southwards across the sea to Flanders.
There he stayed for a little while, and went to Frisland, and thence to
Denmark to see his kinsman King Svein. Ulf jarl, Svein’s father, and
Gyda, Tosti jarl’s mother, were brother and sister. Tosti asked Svein
for help and support, but Svein asked him to stay there, and said that
he should have a jarlship in Denmark, over which he might rule as an
honoured chief. Tosti answered: ‘I long to go back to England, to my
homestead; but if I get no support from you, I will rather give you all
the help I can give in England, if you will go there with the Danish
host to win the land, as your uncle Knut the Great did.’ The king
answered: ‘I am much weaker than my kinsman Knut, so that I can scarcely
defend Danaveldi against the Northmen (Norwegians) and Harald
(Hardradi). Knut the Old got Denmark by inheritance, and England by
warfare and battle, though it was not unlikely for a while that he would
lose his life; he obtained Norway without fight. Now I had rather act
moderately according to my strength, than follow the deeds of my kinsman
Knut.’ Tosti said: ‘My errand has been less successful than I thought
you would let it be, seeing that I am your kinsman. Maybe I shall search
for friendship where it is far more undeserved; and I may find a chief
who is less afraid to plan great things than thou, king.’ Then they
parted, and not on very friendly terms” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 81).
“Tosti then changed his journey and went to Norway to Harald Hardradi,
who was in Vik. Tosti told the king his errand, and all about his
journey since he had left England, and asked him to help him to get his
realm there. The king answered that the Northmen were not willing to go
to England and make warfare under an English chief. ‘It is said that the
English are not to be much trusted.’ Tosti asked: ‘Is it true, what I
heard in England, that thy kinsman Magnus sent men to King Edward with
the message that he owned England as well as Denmark, and had inherited
them after Hörda-Knut, as they had sworn.’ The King answered: ‘Why had
he it not if he were its owner?’ Tosti said: ‘Why hast thou not Denmark,
as Magnus before thee?’ The king answered: ‘The Danes need not boast to
us Northmen; many marks have we left on those kinsmen of thine (often
have we defeated them)’. Tosti continued: ‘If thou wilt not tell me I
will tell thee; Magnus got Denmark because the chiefs in the land helped
him, and thou didst not get it because all the people were against thee;
Magnus did not fight for England, because all the people of the land
wanted to have Edward for king. If thou wouldst get England, I can
contrive that the greater part of the chiefs there will be thy friends
and helpers; I lack nothing but the name of king to equal my brother
Harald. All know that a greater warrior than thou has never been born in
the Northern lands, and it seems to me strange that thou didst fight
fifteen years for Denmark and wilt not try for England, which is easy
for thee to get.’ Harald thought carefully about the jarl’s words, and
saw that there was much truth in them, and moreover was willing to get
the realm. He and the jarl spoke often together; they decided that they
would go in the summer to England, and win it. Harald sent word over the
whole of Norway, and made a half levy. This was very much talked about,
and there were guesses as to the result of the expedition. Some reckoned
up the great deeds of Harald, and said it would not be impossible to
him; but others thought that England would be difficult to win, that
there was an immense mass of people there, and the warriors called
_Thingamannalid_ so valiant, that one was better than two of Harald’s
best men. Tosti jarl sailed in the spring westward to Flæmingjaland
(Flanders) to meet the men who had followed him from England; and those
who gathered to him from England and Flæmingjaland” (Harald Hardradi’s
Saga, c. 82).
The following tells of his preparations against England, his invading
fleet amounting to over 240 warships, and describes the Battle of
Stamford Bridge (Stafnfurdubryggia):—
“The host of Harald gathered in Solundir. When he was ready to leave
Nidaros he first went to the shrine of St. Olaf, opened it, and cut his
hair and nails; then he shut the shrine and threw the keys out on the
Nid (a river), and went southward with his host. So many men had
gathered to him that it is said he had nearly 240 ships, besides
store-ships and small skutas” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 83).
“When King Harald was ready for the expedition to England and a fair
wind rose, he sailed out to sea with all his fleet; he reached Shetland,
and lay a short while there, and then sailed southward to the Orkneys,
whence he took many men, and the jarls Pál and Erlend, the sons of
Thorfinn jarl, but he left there Queen Ellisif, and their daughters
Maria and Ingigerd. Then he sailed southward past Scotland till he came
off England, to a place called Kliflönd (Cleveland); then he went
ashore, and ravaged and subdued the land, meeting with no resistance.
Thereupon he sailed to Skardaborg (Scarborough) and fought against the
townsmen; he went up on a high rock near the town, and set fire to a
large pile which he made. They took large poles and lifted it up and
threw it down into the town; soon one house after the other began to
burn, and the whole town was destroyed. The Northmen slew many people,
and took all the property they could get. There was no other choice for
the English who wanted to save their lives but to ask peace and become
King Harald’s men; thus he subdued the land wherever he went. Then he
sailed with all his host southward along the shore, and landed at
Hellornes, where a gathered host came against him; he fought a battle,
and got the victory. Then he went up the Humra (Humber) to Usa (Ouse),
and there he landed; the sons of Godwin, Morcar and Waltheof, Earl of
Huntingdon, were at Jórvík (York) with an overwhelming host, which had
been gathering all summer. When the host of the jarls came down, Harald
went ashore and began to array[429] his men: one wing[430] stood on the
river bank, and the other higher up, near a ditch which was deep, broad,
and full of water. The jarls let their arrays[431] go down along the
river, and most of their men; the standard of Harald was near the river;
there the ranks were thick; but they were thinnest at the ditch, and
least to be depended upon. Thither Morcar came down with his standard.
The wing of the Northmen by the ditch retreated, and the English
followed them, thinking they were going to flee; but when Harald saw
that his men retired along the ditch, he ordered a war-blast to be
blown, and urged them on; he had the standard _land-waster_ (landeyda)
carried forward, and made so hard an attack that all were driven back.
There was great slaughter in the jarls’ host. Waltheof had had his
standard brought along the river downward against the array of Harald,
but when the king hardened the attack the jarl and his men fled along
the river upward; only those who followed him escaped, but so many had
fallen that large streams of blood in many places flowed over the
plains. When the jarl had fled Harald surrounded Morcar and the men who
had advanced along the ditch with him; the English fell by hundreds.
Many jumped into the ditch, and the slain lay there so thick that the
Northmen walked across it with dry feet on human bodies; there Morcar
perished.
“Tosti jarl had come northward from Flæmingjaland (Flanders) to meet
King Harald when he arrived in England; he was in all the battles which
we have related. It all happened as he had told the king, for many
friends and kinsmen of Tosti jarl joined them in England, which was a
great support to Harald. After this battle the people of the nearest
districts submitted to King Harald, while some fled. Then he set off to
take the town of York, and went with the entire host to
Stafnfurdubryggja (Stamford Bridge);[432] but as he had won so great a
victory over great chiefs and an overwhelming host, they had all become
frightened and despaired of resistance. The townsmen resolved to send
word to Harald and offer to surrender themselves and the town; it was
agreed that the next Sunday the king should hold a Thing and speak to
the townsmen; so on this Sunday Harald went up to the town with his
host, and had a meeting outside of it at which all the people promised
to obey and serve him; they gave him as hostages sons of high-born men
whom Tosti jarl pointed out, for he knew all in the town. The king and
his men went down to the ships in the evening, having won an easy
victory, and they were very merry. It was agreed that on the second day
of the week there should be a Thing, at which Harald was to appoint
chiefs and give rights and grants. The same evening, after sunset,
Harald, son of Godwin, came from the south with an overwhelming host; he
was led into the town with the consent and goodwill of all the townsmen;
then all the roads and the gates were occupied so that the Northmen
should not get any news; the host was in the town during the night.
“On Monday, when King Harald Sigurdarson and his men had had their day
meal, he sounded the horns to go ashore; he made his host ready, and
selected those who should remain or go ashore;[433] he let two men from
each detachment[434] go, and one remain. Tosti jarl prepared himself and
his host to go ashore with the king; but Olaf, the king’s son, and
Eystein Orri (black cock) were left behind to guard the ships; also the
son of Thorberg Arnason, who was then the most renowned and dearest of
all lendirmen in Norway to the king—Harald had promised him his daughter
Maria—the jarls of the Orkneys, Pál and Erlend, remained behind. The
weather was exceedingly fine, and the sun so hot that the men left their
armour behind, and went up with shields, helmets, spears, and swords;
many carried bows and arrows, and they were in high spirits. When they
came near the town they saw great clouds of dust, and a large host on
horseback, with fine shields and shining brynjas. The king stopped, and,
calling Tosti jarl, asked what men those were who were coming against
them. The jarl said: ‘They are most likely foes, though it may be that
they are some of our kinsmen who come to seek friendship and mercy from
us, and give us in return their faith and trust.’ The king said that
they would stop there and find out about this host; they did so, and the
nearer the host approached the more numerous it seemed. It was so well
armed, and the weapons glittered so, that it was as if one looked at
broken shining ice. Then Tosti jarl said: ‘Herra (lord), let us take a
good expedient. It cannot be doubted that these are foes, and the king
himself probably leads them.’ The king asked: ‘What is your advice?’
Tosti answered: ‘The first is to go back as soon as we can to the ships
to fetch the rest of our men and our coats of mail (brynjas), then let
us fight as well as we can; or otherwise let us go on board the ships,
and then the horsemen cannot reach us.’ The king said: ‘I will follow
another plan. I will put three brave men on the swiftest horses, and let
them ride to our men as fast as they can, and tell them what has
happened; their aid will soon come, for the English will have a hard
fight before we are defeated.’ The jarl said: ‘You shall have your will,
lord, in this as in other things; but I am not more eager to flee than
any other man, though I said what I thought advisable.’ Harald put up
his standard, the land-waster, and arrayed his host, and made the line
(fylking) long, but not thick; then he bent the wings (arms) backwards,
so that they met each other; it was a wide thick circle, equal on all
sides; it had shield against shield on all sides, and shields above
also.[435] The array was thus formed because the king knew that the
horsemen were wont to rush up in small squads (ridil) and draw back at
once; the king’s guard, very picked men, was inside the circle, the
archers also, and Tosti with his men. Then the king ordered the jarl to
go forward where it was most needed. ‘Those who stand outermost in the
array,’ he said, ‘shall put the handles of their spears down on the
ground, and the points against the breasts of the horsemen if they
attack; those who stand next shall direct their spear points against the
breasts of their horses; keep the spears thus everywhere that they
cannot advance; let us stand firm and take care not to break this
array.’
“Harald, son of Godwin, had come thither with an overwhelming host both
of horsemen and footmen; it is told that King Harald had not the half of
his men. Harald Sigurdarson, on a black horse with a white spot on its
forehead, rode about his army and examined how it was arranged; his
horse stumbled, and he fell forward off it; as he rose, he said: ‘A fall
bodes a lucky journey.’
“King Harald Gudinason said to the Northmen who were with him: ‘Do you
know the tall man with the blue kirtle (kyrtil) and the fine helmet who
fell off his horse?’ ‘It is the king of the Northmen,’ they said. The
king added: ‘He is a tall and noble-looking man, but nevertheless it is
likely that his luck is now gone.’ Then twenty English horsemen[436]
rode forth, fully armoured, as were also their horses; when they came to
the array of the Northmen, one of them asked: ‘Where is Tosti jarl in
the host?’ Tosti answered: ‘It is not to be concealed that you may find
him here.’ The horseman said: ‘Harald thy brother sends thee greeting,
and the message that thou shalt have peace, and get Northumberland, and
rather than that thou shouldst not join him he will give thee one-third
of all his realm.’ The jarl replied: ‘Then something else is offered
than the enmity and disgrace of last winter; if this had been offered
then, many who now are dead would be alive, and the realm of the King of
England would stand more firm. Now if I accept these terms, what will my
brother Harald offer to the King of Norway for his trouble?’ The
horseman answered: ‘He has said what he will grant King Harald
Sigurdarson: it is a space of seven feet, and it is so long because he
is taller than most other men.’ The jarl answered: ‘Go and tell my
brother, King Harald, to prepare for battle; it shall not be said among
Northmen that Tosti jarl left Harald, King of Norway, and went into the
host of his foes when he made warfare in England; rather will we all
resolve to die with honour, or win England with a victory.’ As the
horsemen rode back to their host, King Harald asked the jarl: ‘Who was
that eloquent man?’ ‘It was my brother, Harald, son of Godwin.’ The king
said: ‘Too long was this hidden from us, for they had come so near our
host that this Harald would not have been able to tell of the death of
our men.’[437] The jarl said: ‘It is true, lord, that he acted
incautiously, and I saw that it might have been as you said; but when he
came to offer me peace and great power, I should have been his slayer if
I had betrayed who he was; I acted thus because I will rather suffer
death from my brother, than be his slayer, if I may choose.’ The king
said to his men: ‘This man (Harald) was little and nimble, and stood
proudly in the stirrups.’ Then King Harald Hardradi went into the ring
(circle) of the shieldburgh and sang this stanza:—
‘Forth we go
In the array;
Armour-less
Under the blue edge;
The helmets shine,
I have not mine (brynja, namely)
Now lies our war-dress
Down on the ships.’
“Emma was his brynja called; it was so long that it reached to the
middle of his leg, and so strong that never had a weapon stuck in it.
The king said: ‘This song was badly composed, and I will sing a better
one.’ He sang:—
‘Not that we crouch
From the clash of weapons
In the bight of the shield;
Thus bade to fight the word-true Hild.
The woman (Hild) asked me early
To carry the helmet-stem (= the head)
High in the din of metals (= fight)
Where the ice of Hlokk (sword) met with heads.’
“Then Thjodolf skald sang—
‘Not shall I though the king
Himself sink to the ground—
It goes as God will—leave
The heirs of the king.
The sun shines not on sightlier
Heirs of a king
Than these two.
The hawks (= sons) of Harald are ready for revenge.’
“It is said by people that Tosti’s advice, given first when they saw the
land-host, was the best and wisest, namely, that they should go back to
the ships; but since a death-fated man cannot be saved, they suffered
from the stubbornness of the king, who could not bear that this
cautiousness should be regarded as fear or flight by his foes.
“They began the battle. The English horsemen made an attack on the
Northmen; the resistance was very hard, for the spears of the latter
were so placed that the horsemen could not reach them with their
weapons. Then they rode around the array, but as soon as they came near,
the archers of the Northmen shot at them as fast as they were able. The
English saw that they could effect nothing, and rode back. The Northmen
thought they were going to flee, and followed in pursuit; but as soon as
the English saw that they had broken their shieldburgh they rode at them
from all sides, shooting arrows and spears at them. When Harald
Sigurdarson saw that his men were falling, he rushed into the fray where
it was hottest. Many men fell on both sides. Harald, King of Norway,
fought with the greatest bravery, and became so eager and furious that
he rushed forward out of the array, dealing blows on all sides; neither
helmet nor coat of mail could withstand him; he went through the ranks
of his foes as if he were walking through air, for all who came near him
fell back. Then, as the English almost fled, Harald Sigurdarson was hit
with an arrow in the throat, so that a stream of blood gushed from his
mouth; this was his death-wound; he fell there with all the men who had
gone forward around him, except those who retreated and kept their
standard. There was yet a stubborn fight, because the Northmen were very
eager, and each urged the other on. When Tosti jarl became aware that
the king had fallen he went to where he saw the standard aloft, and
under the king’s standard he urged the men on strongly; a little after
both hosts rested themselves, and there was a long delay in the battle.
“Both sides made ready for battle again, but before the arrays met,
Harald, son of Godwin, offered peace to Tösti jarl, his brother, and all
Northmen who were left alive; but the Northmen shouted all at once, and
said that sooner would every one of them fall than accept truce from the
English. Then the Northmen raised a war-cry, and the battle began a
second time. Tosti jarl was then chief of the host; he fought valiantly
and followed up the standards, and ere the fight ended fell there with
great bravery and renown. At that moment Eystein Orri came from the
ships with the men who followed him; they were in full war-dress, and
Eystein at once took the standard of Harald, the “landeyda.” Then there
was a third and very severe battle; many of the English fell and they
almost fled; this was called Orrahrid (the tempest of Orri). Eystein and
his men had hurried so much from the ships that they were almost
disabled by weariness (exhaustion) before they began the fight; but
afterwards they were so eager that they did not spare themselves while
they were able, and at last took off their coats of mail (ring-brynjas);
then the English could easily find places for wounding them. Some died
unwounded from over-exertion, and nearly all the highborn Northmen fell
there; this was late in the day. It happened as it always does, where
many people gather, that all were not equally brave; many tried to
escape in various ways. It went as fate would; some were destined to a
longer life and escaped. It was dark in the evening when the
manslaughter was over. Styrkar, the stallari (marshal) of King Harald,
was a famous man; he got a horse in the evening, and rode away, but it
was blowing a strong and cold gale; he had no other clothes than a shirt
(skyrta), a helmet, and a drawn sword in his hand; he soon cooled when
the weariness left him. A waggoner (vagn-karl) who had on a lined jacket
(kösung) met him. Styrkar asked: ‘Wilt thou sell the jacket, bondi?’ He
answered: ‘Not to thee; thou must be a Northman; I know thy speech.’
Styrkar said: ‘If I am a Northman, what will thou then?’ ‘I will slay
thee,’ replied the bondi, ‘but now it is so bad that I have not got a
weapon that I can use.’ Styrkar added: ‘If thou canst not slay me,
bondi, I will try to slay thee.’ He raised his sword and smote his neck
so that his head dropped down; Styrkar then took the skin-jacket and put
it on, jumped on his horse, and rode down to the shore. Arnor jarla
skald sang about this battle, now told of, which was the last that
Harald and his men fought, in the erfidrapa (funeral song) which he made
about the king. Arnor says: ‘It is doubtful if any other king under the
sun has fought with such a valour and bravery as Harald.’
“It was on the second day of the week (Monday) that King Harald
fell,[438] two nights before _Mikjalsmessa_ (Michaelmas)” (Fornmanna
Sögur, cc. 115–119).
Here is a short account of the battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror
is called _Vilhjalm Jarl_.
“Vilhjalm (William) bastard, jarl of Rouen, heard of the death of
Játvard (Edward) his kinsman, and that Harald, son of Godwin, had been
made King of England, and been consecrated. He thought he had more right
to the kingdom of England than Harald, on account of his relationship to
Edward, and he also wanted to pay Harald for the disgrace of having
broken his betrothal with his (Vilhjalm’s) daughter. William gathered a
host in Normandy (Northmandi), with very many men and ships. When he
rode from the town to his ships, and had mounted his horse, his wife
went to him and wanted to speak to him; he struck at her with his heel
and thrust the spur deeply into her breast, and she fell dead, and then
he rode on to his ship, and went with his host to England. Bishop Otto,
his brother, was with him. When the jarl reached England he plundered
and subdued the land wherever he went.
“He was taller and stronger than others, and a good rider; a very great
warrior, but rather cruel; very wise, but, it was said, not trustworthy.
Harald, son of Godwin, allowed Olaf, the son of Harald Sigurdsson, and
those there with him who had survived the battle, to go, and King Harald
then turned southward with his host to England, for he had heard that
William the Bastard was in the south of England subduing the land. There
were with Harald his brothers, Svein, Gyrd, and Valthjóf. Harald and
William met in the south of England at _Helsingjaport_ (port of
Hastings); there was a great battle, where fell Harald and Gyrd his
brother, with a great part of their men. That was nineteen nights after
the fall of Harald Sigurdsson. Valthjóf, Harald’s brother, escaped by
flight, and late in the evening met a detachment of William’s men, who
when they saw the Valthjóf men fled into an oak forest; they were one
hundred men. Valthjóf set the forest on fire, and burnt it up
altogether.
“William had had himself proclaimed King of England. He sent word to
Valthjóf that they should be reconciled, and gave him truce to meet him.
The jarl went with few men; when he came on the heath north of
_Kastalabryggja_ (Castlebridge) two king’s stewards met him with a
detachment, took him and fettered him, and he was slain; the English
call him a saint. William was king over England for twenty-one years,
and his kin ever since” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, Hkr. cc. 99–101).
The battle of Hastings was fought on October 14th, 1066. Gyrd played an
important part in the conflict.
“Then said Gyrd jarl to his brother King Harald: ‘I fear that thou wilt
not succeed in the fight against William, for thou hast sworn not to
defend England against him.’ The king replied: ‘It may be, brother, that
it will suit thee better to fight against William than me; but I have
not been wont to lie in my room when other men have fought, and William
shall not hear that I dare not behold him.’ After this King Harald had
his standard raised, and began the battle against William. The fight was
most violent, and it was long thought uncertain which of them would get
the victory; but as the battle continued the fall of men turned on the
hands of the English (Enskir menn). William had before the attack let
the relics of Otmar be tied to his standard; on these Harald had taken
his oath. But when the battle began to turn against King Harald, he
asked: ‘What is tied to William’s standard?’ And when he was told, he
said: ‘It may be that we need not then expect victory in this battle.’
And thus it ended that King Harald and his brother Gyrd fell, and a
large part of their men, but all who were alive fled” (Fornmanna Sögur,
vi, c. 121).
-----
Footnote 428:
Her = host, togi = leader.
Footnote 429:
Fylkja; the array itself is called Fylking.
Footnote 430:
Fylkingar-arm.
Footnote 431:
Fylking.
Footnote 432:
In Heimskringla the corresponding passage has Stanfurdubryggja.
Footnote 433:
All through the Sagas we see that it seemed the custom that one-third
of the men should remain on board of the ships to protect them.
Footnote 434:
Sveit.
Footnote 435:
It was a shieldburgh, with walls and roof of shields.
Footnote 436:
In Snorri the twenty horsemen are described thus: “Twenty horsemen of
the Thingmannalid rode up in front of the array of the Northmen. They
were armoured all over and also their horses. Then a horseman said:
‘Is Tosti jarl here in the host?’” (Snorri Sturluson, Harald
Hardradi’s Saga, c. 9.)
From this we see that the English, like their kinsmen, had horsemen;
and the finds of spurs, &c., prove this.
Footnote 437:
Meaning that if he had been known he would have been slain.
Footnote 438:
“One winter after the fall of King Harald (Hardradi) his body was
brought from England north to Nidarós (Throndhjem) and buried in Maria
Church, which he had built” (Harald Hardradi’s Saga, c. 104).