MAGNUS THE GOOD (1035-1047).
MAGNUS OLAFSSON was an illegitimate child, his mother, Alfhild, being,
according to one report, an Englishwoman of high birth; according to
another, the queen's laundress. When he was born he was so small and
feeble that it seemed as if he could not live many hours. It was in the
middle of the night and no one dared to wake the king. His friend,
Sighvat Scald, was therefore called, and he assumed the responsibility
of naming the child Magnus, after Carolus Magnus, the German emperor. A
priest was then found who baptized it. When the king heard of the
occurrence he was very wroth, and chided the scald. There was no one in
his family named Magnus, and perhaps he even suspected that Sighvat had
made a mistake in selecting the Latin surname of the emperor rather than
his real name, Karl. It was under these unpropitious circumstances that
the boy was born who became the heir to St. Olaf's kingdom and the love
which a repentant people lavished upon his memory. He was not quite
eleven years old when he was proclaimed king at the Oere-_thing_, but
well grown and intelligent. He allowed himself, during the first years
of his reign, to be guided by the counsel of Einar Thambarskelver and
Kalf Arnesson; but soon gained sufficient independence of judgment to
assert his own will.
It was but a short time after the proclamation of Magnus as king that
Harthaknut prepared to invade Norway. Magnus, who was eager to punish
the race of Knut for their insidious plottings against his father, also
made warlike preparations, apparently with the intention of invading
Denmark. Whether any actual fighting took place is not known. It is not
improbable that some insignificant skirmishing may have been done; but
before any decisive battle was fought, the chieftains in both countries
interfered and persuaded the two youthful combatants to make peace. At a
meeting at the Brenn Islands, at the mouth of the Goetha Elv, an
agreement was made in accordance with which each made the other his heir
and successor, in case he died, without issue (1038). This might,
indeed, seem to be a remote contingency, but it actually came to pass
four years later (1042) when Harthaknut died and Magnus was, without
opposition, proclaimed king of Denmark at the Viborg-_thing_, and
received the allegiance of the people. Thus Norway and Denmark were for
the first time united, and the descendants of Harold the Fairhaired were
recognized by the Danish branch of Ragnar Lodbrok's race as their
equals, as they already had been recognized by the branch governing
Sweden.
Magnus must have been aware that it was to the sainthood of his father
that he owed this recognition, and he lost no opportunity to show his
reverence for his memory. He commenced the erection of a church in
Nidaros, which was to bear St. Olafs name, and made him a new
sarcophagus, adorned with gold and silver and precious stones. It was
natural enough that he should take pleasure in the society of those who
had been nearest to his father and stood at his side at Stiklestad. But
the hostility aroused by the battle and the events that led to it
existed, in some measure, yet; and one party began to fan the
smouldering embers of distrust in the king's mind and incite him to
vengeance against the other. Young as Magnus was, it is scarcely to be
wondered at that he allowed himself to be influenced by this evil
counsel. In spite of the amnesty which he had in Russia given to those
who had borne arms against St. Olaf, he began now to punish all the
leaders in the rebellion with great harshness. It was the Troenders,
particularly, who had to bear the brunt of his wrath; because it was
they who had made common cause with Knut and had been foremost in
driving the sainted king into exile. Kalf Arnesson was among the first
to experience the changed temper of King Magnus. Jealousies had early
arisen between him and Einar Thambarskelver, both of whom called the
king their foster-son and prided themselves on possessing his
confidence. Once, it is said, Kalf had seated himself in Einar's seat
next to the king, whereupon Einar sat down upon Kalf's shoulder, saying:
"It behooves an old bull to be stalled before the calf."
At a party at the estate Haug, in Vaerdalen, the king uttered to Einar
a desire to visit the field where his father had fallen.
"I can give you no information about that," answered Einar, "as I was
not present. But let Kalf ride along with you. He can give you full
particulars."
"Then thou shalt accompany me, Kalf," said the king; and Kalf, though he
was very reluctant, was obliged to follow.
When they reached the battle-field the king dismounted and asked to be
shown the spot where his father had received his death-wound.
"He lay here," said Kalf, pointing with his spear.
"Where didst thou stand then, Kalf?" asked Magnus.
"Here where I am now standing."
"Then thy axe could well reach him," cried the king, flushing violently.
"My axe did not reach him," Kalf replied, jumped on his horse and rode
away. He had already given orders to have his ship in readiness, loaded
with all his movable goods. And as soon as he reached home he put to sea
and sailed for the Orkneys. The great possessions which he left behind
were confiscated by Magnus.
Thore Hund escaped punishment by making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from
which he never returned. Haarek of Thjotta was slain with the king's
consent by a private enemy, and many others were deprived of their
cattle and otherwise molested. The odious laws which had been given by
Sweyn Alfifasson were not repealed; and the king acted as if he
regarded himself as the master of every one's goods, life, and liberty.
But the Norsemen were not accustomed to endure arbitrary conduct in
their kings. A general dissatisfaction spread through the country, and
threatened to break out in open rebellion. In Sogn the peasants were
already under arms, and in Troendelag a largely attended meeting was held
at which the bitterest denunciation of the king found utterance.
Happily, however, some were present who were yet kindly disposed to
Magnus, and these determined to let him know how the people felt toward
him. The question then arose as to who was to undertake this hazardous
mission, for Magnus was hot-tempered and had, moreover, made up his mind
to inflict exemplary punishment upon the rebellious Sognings. His
friends determined to let chance decide. They drew lots, and the lot
fell upon Sighvat Scald, who, in a song called the Lay of Candor, took
the king earnestly to task for his inconsiderate harshness, warned him
of the consequences, and reminded him of his duties to the people, who
had of their own accord made him their king. The song made a deep
impression upon Magnus, and he was from that day a changed man. He gave
up all plans of vengeance, became gentle and forgiving, and governed the
land in accordance with the law. His kindness and charm of manner made
him now so popular that scarcely enough could be said in his praise. The
people called him Magnus the Good.
[Illustration: MAGNUS THE GOOD AND KALF ARNESSON, AT STIKLESTAD.]
When Magnus, in 1042, had become King of Denmark, his ambition led him
as the heir of Harthaknut, also to assert his claim to the crown of
England. Edward the Confessor, who was called to the throne at the death
of Harthaknut, was in honor bound to disregard such a claim; but it
compelled him to keep a fleet in readiness to repel an expected Norse
invasion. There is little doubt but that Magnus would have made the
attempt to oust him, if the events in Denmark had not taken a turn which
obliged him to abandon, for a time, all thought of conquest. Among the
Danes who swore allegiance to Magnus and endeavored to win his favor was
Sweyn Estridsson, the son of Earl Ulf and Estrid, the sister of Knut the
Mighty. He was both on his father's and his mother's side descended from
the race of Ragnar Lodbrok, and was therefore better entitled to the
Danish throne than the King of Norway. Sweyn was like his father Ulf, a
shrewd intriguer, smooth of speech, and fair of face, but false and
treacherous. He was loud in protestations of devotion to Magnus and
succeeded in gaining his confidence. Contrary to the advice of his
friends, Magnus made him his vassal and appointed him his earl, giving
him the same fiefs that his father had had before him. It was to be his
special duty to defend Jutland against the Wends and the Saxons. When
the ceremony of investiture took place, Einar Thambarskelver cried out
to the king: "Too great earl, foster-son; too great earl!" to which the
king replied angrily: "You do not credit me with any judgment or
knowledge of men. I do not know what you mean by regarding some earls as
too great, and some as nothing at all."
Sweyn was scarcely out of Magnus' sight, before he made haste to justify
Einar's apprehension. Having regained his father's fiefs and the power
which they gave him, he called the Danish chieftains together at the
_thing_ in Viborg, and was proclaimed King of Denmark. Magnus, incensed
at his treachery, started with a large fleet to punish him; but Sweyn
ran away, first to Sweden and later to the Wendic provinces along the
Baltic. No opposition was, therefore, offered to Magnus, and after
having chastised many who had acknowledged Sweyn as king, he started for
Jomsborg, which had also rebelled against his authority. He stormed and
destroyed the old viking nest, and killed and scattered its occupants.
In the meanwhile an enormous army of Wends, among the chiefs of which
was Sweyn Estridsson himself, was pouring in over Sleswick and met
Magnus at Lyrskogs Heath (1043) where, in spite of their superior
numbers, they were overwhelmingly defeated. It is told that 10,000
corpses covered the battle-field. The victory, which was in a large
measure due to King Magnus' personal bravery, gained him a great
prestige, and what was more, stemmed the tide of Slavonic migration in
the North. If the Wends had then gained a foot-hold in Jutland, Denmark
would probably to-day have been a Slavonic country, and the whole
destiny of the Scandinavian North would have been changed. Magnus took
up his winter-quarters in Sleswick; but no sooner had he dismissed part
of his army than Sweyn was again in arms, and was defeated by Magnus in
two naval battles at Aaros and Helgeness. In the spring of 1044, when
Magnus was twenty years old, he returned to Norway. His fame filled the
North; for so great things scarcely any king of his race had achieved at
so early an age. In spite of his hot temper, he was well beloved by all
his people; for with all his vehemence, he was upright, generous, and
noble. A pleasant story is told of him, which throws much light upon his
character.
In Magnus' guard there was a high-born Icelander, named Thorstein, son
of Side-Hall. Like most of his countrymen he was not amenable to
discipline, and offended the king by going to Dublin without his
permission. In return for this he was outlawed; but, relying upon his
friends and family connections, he returned to Norway, paying no heed to
the judgment of outlawry. He brought with him some fine stud-horses, and
offered them as a gift to Einar Thambarskelver, whose influence with the
king was known to be great. Einar declined them; but his son Eindride,
not knowing of his father's refusal, accepted them with joy. He even
invited Thorstein to be his guest for the winter and had the hardihood
to bring him in his company to the king's Yule-feast. He was, however,
persuaded by his father to return home with the outlaw, before the king
had seen him. On the fourth day after Christmas, Einar, who was sitting
at Magnus' side, ventured to put in a good word for Thorstein, to which
the king answered:
"Let us talk of something else: for I would not willingly anger thee."
Four days later, Einar again mentioned the Icelander; but the king with
a perfectly friendly manner dismissed the subject. Then Einar let five
days pass; and once more asked that the Icelander be forgiven.
"We will not speak of that," said Magnus, with some irritation; "I do
not understand how thou canst presume to protect a man who has provoked
my wrath."
"That was my son Eindride's doing rather than mine," replied Einar; "but
I did think that my prayer for a single man would have some weight with
thee; when we in all things have done and will continue to do what will
promote thy honor. * * * I, my lord, shall be in an evil plight, if you
will not accept atonement in money from my son for Thorstein, instead of
fighting with him. For I cannot bring it over my heart to carry arms
against you. But this will I say, that I do not perceive that you
remember how I went to find you east in Russia, became your
foster-father, and have since supported and strengthened your kingdom,
thinking late and early of how I could advance your honor. Now I will
depart from the land, and no more aid thee. But there will be those who
will say that thou wilt not be the gainer by all this."
Thus spoke Einar, in anger, jumped up from his seat, and went toward the
door. But the king arose, hurried after him, and flung his arms about
his neck.
"Come back, my dear foster-father," he cried; "never shall aught,
whatever it be, have the power to break our friendship. Take the man in
peace, as it may please thee."
When Magnus had been king nine years, his uncle Harold Sigurdsson, the
son of Sigurd Syr and Aasta, came to Norway and demanded half of the
kingdom. Harold had, as we have seen, at the age of fifteen fought at
Stiklestad, and had been severely wounded. After his recovery he betook
himself to Russia, where for some years he held a command under
Jaroslav, and went thence to Constantinople, where he became the captain
of the Varangians, the foreign body-guard kept by the Greek emperors. He
was a man of gigantic frame, fair of face, with long blonde hair, and an
imperious glance which betrayed the race from which he had sprung.
According to the sagas, he made a sensation in Constantinople by his
mere appearance, and his wit, strength, and reckless bravery opened for
him a brilliant career. As the chieftain of the Varangians, he
participated in many campaigns against the Saracens in Asia and in
Sicily, and accumulated great treasures. That some antagonism must have
existed between him and the Greek General-in-chief, Georgios Maniakes,
is evident from the anecdotes preserved in the sagas, all of which
accord to Harold the glory for all victories, and express the contempt
with which the Norsemen regarded the most exalted personage of the
Southern nations. That Harold's importance in these campaigns has been
exaggerated by his Norse followers, to whom the saga-men were indebted
for their accounts, is natural enough; but even allowing for
exaggerations, it is evident that he made a great name for himself, and
was powerful enough to bid defiance, when he was so disposed, to the
Greek commander. He chose, however, if the saga account is reliable,
to outwit Maniakes rather than openly resist him.
[Illustration: MARBLE LION FROM THE PIRAEUS, REMOVED IN 1687 TO VENICE,
WHERE IT NOW STANDS AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE ARSENAL. THE RUNIC
INSCRIPTION, CUT BY SOME VARANGIAN, IS NOW HALF EFFACED AND ILLEGIBLE.]
Harold's adventures in Sicily, where he invented ingenious stratagems
for the capture of cities; his love adventures with Maria, a relative of
the Empress Zoe, the latter's jealousy and attempt to ruin him, his
imprisonment, fight with the serpent, flight, vengeance upon the
emperor, etc., are all of the typical kind and, therefore, more or less
suspicious. Many Germanic heroes, both Norse and German,[A] had
adventures of this order, when they visited the Orient, and there was a
curious uniformity in the fates that befell them, both in love and war.
To make the similarity complete, it was to make himself worthy of
Elizabeth or Ellisif, the daughter of Jaroslav, that Harold set out in
quest of fame and riches; and he did not fail to claim her on his
return, and bring her back with him to the land of his fathers. He met
his nephew, King Magnus, in Denmark, as he was sailing through the Sound
along the coast of Skaane. His ship, in which he carried his treasures,
was the most magnificent that had ever been seen in the North; and made
a sensation wherever it appeared. Magnus, when he saw the beautiful
galley, sent men aboard to find out whence it came and to whom it
belonged. A very tall and handsome man, with courtly manners stepped
forward, and said that he was an embassador from Harold Sigurdsson,
King Magnus' uncle, and his errand was to learn how the king would
receive his master. In response to this, the generous Magnus sent a
message that he would receive his uncle with open arms, as he would
expect to find a strong friend and supporter in a kinsman like him. The
tall man was none other than Harold himself. A meeting was then
arranged, and the two kinsmen were well pleased with each other. One
there was, however, who was not pleased and that was Einar
Thambarskelver. He foresaw what was coming, and when Harold presently
advanced his claim to half the kingdom, he could scarcely restrain his
wrath. Nevertheless, the king, who was most closely concerned in this
demand, answered gently that he would not hastily dismiss his kinsman's
request, but would be guided by the opinion of his counsellors. Einar,
as the most important, was now asked for his advice and he arose, saying
that if King Magnus was to cede half the kingdom of Norway to Harold, it
was only fair that Harold should share his treasures with Magnus. This
proposal did not prove agreeable to Harold; he had not, he said, braved
dangers and gathered wealth for the purpose of enriching his nephew's
men.
[Footnote A: The German stories of "Herzog Ernst" and "Hugditrich," and
particularly that of "King Rother," have many features in common with
the saga records of Harold Sigurdsson.]
"But," rejoined Einar aptly, "thou wast far away, Harold, when we won
the land back from the race of Knut, and no desire have we now to divide
it between the chieftains. Hitherto we have only served one king at a
time, and thus it shall continue to be, as long as King Magnus is alive
and governs. I will do all I can to prevent thee from getting any share
in the kingdom."
The other counsellors agreed that this judgment was sound, and declared
themselves in the same spirit. This was the beginning of the bitter
enmity between Harold Sigurdsson and Einar Thambarskelver which led to
so many unhappy events in the near future. Harold, who in his victorious
career had been unaccustomed to rebuffs, resented keenly his nephew's
attitude toward him; and, for the purpose of bringing him to terms,
formed an alliance with Sweyn Estridsson. With his great wealth he had
no difficulty in raising a considerable force, with which, in Sweyn's
company, he attacked Denmark, ravaging Seeland and Funen with ruthless
cruelty. But the moment he learned that Magnus was approaching with his
fleet, he separated from his ally and returned in haste to Norway. To
justify this breach of faith, he spread the rumor that Sweyn had tried
to assassinate him. A man did actually, in the dead of night, row over
from Sweyn's ship to that of Harold, and steal into the latter's cabin.
But Harold, pretending to expect an attempt upon his life, had put a log
in his bed, covering it carefully with the bedclothes. The assassin,
creeping across the floor, struck his axe into the log and made his
escape. The next morning Harold showed the log with the axe yet sticking
in it to his men, and denouncing Sweyn's faithlessness, set sail for
Norway. There was, however, a suspicion that he had himself arranged the
whole affair.
On his arrival in Norway, Harold sought his old friends and kinsmen in
Ringerike, offering them great rewards if they would recognize him as
king. But, partly because Magnus was so generally beloved, partly for
fear of the consequences, the chieftains held aloof from the new
pretender and discouraged his aspirations. In Guldbrandsdale he met with
a better reception, and succeeded in gathering a band of partisans who
were ready to share his fortunes. Here he summoned the people to a
_thing_, where his cousin Thore of Steig, a youth of fifteen years,
proclaimed him king. As soon as Magnus heard of his uncle's doings, he
sailed to Viken. Here a battle seemed imminent, as Harold and his men
were coming southward to attack the king. Magnus, however, was reluctant
to fight against his father's brother, and, after some negotiations, it
was agreed that the two kinsmen should both be kings, govern together,
and share equally the income from taxes and the royal estates (1046).
Norway was, accordingly, not divided into equal parts, each with a
separate king, but the royal dignity was divided between two kings, who
both exercised authority over the entire land. It was, as the future
proved, a most disastrous precedent, which, however, Harold the
Fairhaired himself had been the first to establish.
In return for his nephew's concession, Harold consented to share with
him his wealth, which is said to have been very great, thus enabling
Magnus to prosecute with the greater vigor his war with Sweyn
Estridsson. The friendship between the two kings was, however, but of
short duration. Not only their interests were in many points
conflicting, but their characters were such as to invite antagonism.
Harold's greed of money, his extortion of the peasants, and his jealous
insistence upon every right which Magnus had of his own accord bestowed
upon him, must have aroused in the latter's mind many bitter
reflections. And still, with his innate generosity and forbearance,
Magnus refused to credit the many complaints that reached his ears. He
was so averse to quarrelling that, where his dignity permitted, he
rather ignored an affront than resented it. It seems, on the other hand,
as if Harold foresaw that so strained a relation could not last, and
perhaps even desired to put an end to it. To his imperious temperament
it was galling to suffer any restraint in the exercise of power.
Many incidents are related of his controversies with Magnus and his men.
Thus, on one occasion, Einar Thambarskelver, in order to convince his
foster-son of Harold's untrustworthiness, went to a _thing_, which the
latter had summoned, and witnessed the proceedings. Einar wore a gilt
helmet and was accompanied by sixty armed men. Harold, irritated by his
presence, surpassed himself in the severity of his demands upon the
peasants, and aroused much indignation. An old peasant named Toke, rose
and said: "I have now lived and borne the name of peasant in the reigns
of several kings, but I supposed when we had one king who with full
right had accepted the kingdom and been proclaimed at Oere-_thing_,
according to the counsel of the chiefs and with the consent of the
people, and a man came later demanding the name and power of a king,
that it is the former and not the latter who has the most power over us,
his _thegns_. My advice is, therefore, ye peasants, that we await King
Magnus' decision in regard to King Harold's demands and extortions, and
that we continue in all things to accord honor to King Magnus."
When the old man had finished, Einar Thambarskelver arose and thanked
him and all the peasants for their friendly disposition toward King
Magnus. This was more than King Harold could endure. He sprang up and
cried angrily: "Loftily dost thou wear thy helmet now, Einar, and always
thou showest thyself as my opponent. Happy will the day be when thy
helmet shall be laid low. As thou now art a head taller than others,
thou shalt then be a head shorter."
Disagreements, of a more or less serious character, between the kings
themselves were of frequent occurrence, and it was usually the prudence
and self-control of Magnus which prevented an open rupture. No record
has been preserved of the war which they waged together against Sweyn
Estridsson. It is to be inferred that the greater number of the Danes
took the part of Magnus against Sweyn, and that no battle of any
consequence was fought. It is told that one day while the Norse fleet
was lying close under land, a horseman, in splendid armor, came riding
out of the forest, and began to exhibit his horsemanship, to the great
admiration of the Norse warriors. When he had thus amused them for a
while, he rode down to the edge of the water, and shouted: "I am a
traitor to King Magnus, but so is King Harold to me; there is an immense
difference between these kings."
At that moment King Magnus came on deck, and recognized Sweyn. But Sweyn
spurred his horse and vanished among the trees. No attempt was made to
pursue him.
"Sweyn Ulfsson is a goodly man," said Magnus, "and if he had as much
people as he has courage and intrepidity, he would win more victories."
It was the bitterness that rankled in Magnus' heart against his uncle
which made him lenient in his judgment of Sweyn. And we shall see how
this sentiment presently affected his action. He had one day gone ashore
with many of his men, and was riding in the neighborhood of the village
Alsted, in Seeland, when his horse took fright and threw him. He was
flung with his head against a stump, and was stunned, but afterward
apparently recovered. Nevertheless, a morbid feeling took possession of
him, and a foreboding of death darkened his mind. A dream which he had
was rather the result than the cause of his melancholy presentiment. It
seemed to him that his father, St. Olaf, came to him and gave him the
choice between two things--viz., either to follow him now, or to live
long and be the mightiest of kings, but load upon his soul a sin which
hardly, if at all, could be forgiven.
"Choose thou for me, father," he seemed to answer.
"Then follow me now," said St. Olaf.
It is not hard to guess what the mortal sin was. That the temptation to
resort to violence against his burdensome rival must have been
frequently present to Magnus' mind, is scarcely to be wondered at. That
the temptation was resisted, is rather a matter of wonder.
A few days passed, during which Magnus pondered the dream. Then, one
morning, he woke up, burning with fever. Einar Thambarskelver, who stood
at his bedside, asked if he was ill.
"Not very ill, yet, dear foster-father," he answered.
"It would be a sorrow which we could never get over if we were to lose
thee," said Einar.
Magnus begged to be moved from one part of the ship to another; but
changed his mind again and wished to be taken back to where he had first
lain. Then Einar took alarm.
"Say to thy friends now, my lord, that which is nearest to thy heart,"
he said. "Give us good counsel; for mayhap our converse will not be
long."
"Dear friend," the king replied, "I fear that this illness will soon
make an end of our intercourse."
When the rumor spread that King Magnus was ill, Harold came aboard his
ship and inquired about his condition.
"Yes, in sooth I am ill, kinsman," said the king, "and I have one prayer
to you, that you will not show disfavor to my friends."
"That is only my duty for your sake," replied Harold, "but there are
some of them who seem eternally sufficient unto themselves, and overlook
me."
"What boots it to speak of such things now?" said Einar; "whatever
Harold may promise, he has already determined in his mind what he will
do."
Little was lacking that Harold got into a dispute with the dying king
about the throne of Denmark, which Magnus had destined for Sweyn
Estridsson, and the gold which they had shared between them when they
shared the government. After having distributed gifts and keepsakes to
his men, King Magnus died (1047), twenty-four years old, after having
governed Norway for twelve years and a half, and Denmark for five years.
No sooner had he closed his eyes than Harold sent men to intercept the
messengers which had been despatched to Sweyn Estridsson to inform him
of his succession to the Danish throne.
The death of King Magnus was announced to the fleet by the blowing of
_loors_,[A] and the saying was indeed true, in his case, that he was
mourned by all the people.
[Footnote A: Loors are long Alpine horns, made of wood bound with
birch-bark, or of metal. They give a powerful sound.]
[Illustration: POMMEL OF GILT BRONZE FROM THE VIKING AGE.]
[Illustration]