_Sigurd the Crusader (1103-1130), and his Brothers, Eystein and Olaf_
In the autumn the remnants of King Magnus's army and fleet left the
island of Man, and with his thirteen year old son, Sigurd, returned
to Norway. On their arrival in Norway, Sigurd and his two brothers,
Eystein and Olaf, were proclaimed kings. Eystein, who was fourteen
years old, was to have the northern, and Sigurd the southern, part of
the country. Olaf was then four or five years old, and his third part
of the country remained under the control of his two brothers.
When the three sons of Magnus Barefoot had been chosen kings of Norway,
several of those who had been away taking part in the crusades returned
home. They had made themselves renowned, and had many things to relate.
Some had been to Jerusalem and some to Constantinople, and it was said
that those who would enter the military service at Constantinople had
the best of opportunities to earn great money. By these extraordinary
tidings many of the Northmen were seized by a desire to make similar
expeditions, and they asked of the two kings that one of them should
place himself at the head of such an expedition. The kings agreed to
this, and had the preparations made at their common expense. Many of
the great men in the country took part in this enterprise, and when all
was ready it was decided that Sigurd was to go with the crusade, while
Eystein was to stay at home and govern the country for their joint
account.
Four years after the fall of King Magnus (1107), King Sigurd sailed
from Norway with sixty ships. He first visited the king of England,
Henry I., and remained with him during the winter. In the spring he
sailed with his fleet to Valland (the west of France), and in the
fall came to Galicia, Spain, where he stayed the second winter. Along
the coast he had several battles with the heathens. At the Straits
of Gibraltar he defeated a large viking force, and on the island of
Forminterra, east of Spain, he exterminated a band of Moorish brigands
and took a great booty. After similar victories on the islands of Ivica
and Minorca, he came to Sicily, where he was very well received by Duke
Roger. It is stated in the saga that King Sigurd, during his stay in
Sicily, conferred upon Duke Roger the title of king, though with what
right he did so does not appear, nor is it mentioned by contemporary
historians.
In the summer King Sigurd sailed to Palestine, and at Acre met Baldwin,
king of Palestine, who received him particularly well, accompanied him
to Jerusalem and showed him the holy sepulchre and other sacred places.
They also rode to the river Jordan and bathed in it, and then returned
to Jerusalem. King Baldwin and the patriarch of Jerusalem presented
Sigurd with a splinter of the holy cross, with the condition that he,
and twelve other men with him, should swear to promote Christianity
with all their power, and erect an archbishop's seat in Norway if
possible, and the splinter was to be kept where the holy king Olaf
reposed. Thereupon King Sigurd with his fleet assisted King Baldwin
in capturing the town of Sidon, Syria, and received his share of a
great booty. He then proceeded to Constantinople, and was received in
the grandest style by Emperor Alexius. After having stayed here for
some time and enjoyed the great festivities given in his honor, King
Sigurd made preparations for his return home. He gave the emperor all
his ships, and the valuable dragon head which had adorned his own ship
was set up in the Sophia church. The emperor gave him horses and guides
to conduct him through his dominions. Leaving quite a number of his
men, who went into the service of the emperor, King Sigurd started
homeward on horseback through Bulgaria, Hungary and Germany. When in
the midsummer of 1111 he came to Schleswig in Denmark, Earl Eilif gave
him a magnificent reception. Here he also met the Danish king Nils, who
had married his stepmother, Margaret Fridkolla. King Nils accompanied
him north to Jutland, and gave him a ship provided with everything
needful. He then returned to Norway, where he was joyfully received by
his people. He had been absent three years and a half, and all agreed
that no one had ever made a more honorable expedition from Norway. From
this day he was given the surname _Jorsalfar_, _i.e._, the Crusader.
While King Sigurd was attaining fame on his journeys far away from his
country, King Eystein was occupied with peaceful achievements at home.
A great deal was done for the real benefit of the country, and under
his wise government Norway made progress in the same way that it had
done in the time of his grandfather Olaf Kyrre. He improved the laws,
built churches and monasteries, made harbors, and established beacon
lights. On the mountain of Dovre he built cabins, where travellers
could find shelter. In Bergen he built the monastery at Nordnes,
Michael's Church, the Church of the Apostles, and the great king's
hall. In Nidaros he built the Church of St. Nikolas. He also built a
Church at Throndenes in Halogaland. King Eystein also extended the
limits of the country, not by warfare and bloodshed, but by peaceful
negotiations. Thus he gained the allegiance of the inhabitants of the
Swedish province Jemteland, which was formerly a Norwegian province,
but was taken by Sweden after the fall of Olaf Trygvason.
King Olaf was taken sick and died before he reached manhood, and
it seems to have been only in name that he had any share in the
government. The relation between Eystein and Sigurd was not always the
most cordial, and Sigurd was usually to blame for it. The winter of
1112-13 King Eystein spent most of the time at Sarpsborg. There lived
at that time at Mikle-Dal in Aamord a rich and influential man called
Olaf of Dal. He spent a good part of the winter at Sarpsborg with his
daughter Borghild, a very handsome and accomplished girl. Borghild and
King Eystein often met, and the king found great pleasure in conversing
with her. The people began to talk about this friendship, and King
Sigurd, who was then at Konghelle, also heard of the girl that his
brother had taken a liking to. When Borghild heard it whispered that
people talked ill of her intimacy with King Eystein, she took it much
to heart. When Eystein had gone north she went to Sarpsborg, and, after
suitable fasts, carried red-hot irons to prove her innocence, endured
the test, and thus cleared herself from all offence. Sigurd then rode
over to her home, where he remained all night, made Borghild his
concubine and took her away with him. They had a son, who was called
Magnus, and was immediately sent to Halogaland to be fostered by Vidkun
Jonson of Biarkey.
The relation between the brothers remained strained as long as they
both were kings, but it never came to a breach of peace. Occasionally
they even peacefully met as each other's guests. On one of these
occasions, when the two kings were feasting together at one of
Eystein's estates, they had what was called a "man-measuring," or
comparison of merits. The saga says that in the evening, when the
people began to drink, the ale was not good, so that the guests were
very quiet and still. Then said King Eystein: "Why are the people so
silent? It is more proper in parties that people are merry, so let us
find some jest over our ale that will amuse us; for surely, brother
Sigurd, all will like to see us happy."
Sigurd replied, rather bluntly: "Do you talk as much as you please, but
give me leave to be silent."
Eystein said: "It is a common custom over the ale-table for one person
to compare himself with another, and now let us do so." Sigurd did not
answer.
"I see," said Eystein, "that I will have to begin this amusement, and
I will take thee, brother, to compare myself with; we are both kings,
have equal property, and there is no difference in our birth."
Sigurd then said: "Dost thou remember that I could always throw thee
when we wrestled, although thou art a year older?"
Eystein: "But I remember also that I was better at the games which
require limberness."
Sigurd: "But how was it when we were swimming? I could duck thee
whenever I wanted to."
Eystein: "But I could swim as far as thou, and could dive as well; and
I could run on ice-legs[10] so well that nobody could beat me, while
thou couldst no more do it than a cow."
[10] Ice-legs were skates made of sheep legs.
Sigurd: "I consider it a more useful and suitable accomplishment for a
chief to be an expert at his bow; but I think thou couldst hardly draw
my bow, even with the help of the foot."
Eystein: "I am not as strong at the bow as thou art, but my aim is
as good; and I can run on skis[11] much better than thou, and that is
usually held a great accomplishment."
[11] Ski (pronounced she), the long snow-shoe used in the North.
Sigurd: "It is much better for a chief who is to be the superior of
other men that he is conspicuous in a crowd, and strong and powerful in
weapons above other men."
Eystein: "It is just as well to be handsome, so as to be easily known
from others on that account; and this behooves a chief, as a fair face
and fine clothes go well together. I am also better versed in law than
thou, and can speak better."
Sigurd: "It may be that thou hast learned more law-quirks than I, for I
have had something else to do; neither will any one deny thee a smooth
tongue. But many say that thy words are not to be trusted; that thy
promises are not kept, and that thou talkest according to what those
who are about thee say, which is not kingly."
Eystein: "Often I promise what people ask of me, as I like to have all
be joyful about me, and it happens that conflicting interests afterward
appear, which must be considered. But thou mostly promisest people what
is evil, and no one is pleased because thy promises are kept."
Sigurd: "All say that the expedition I made out of the country was a
princely expedition, while thou wert sitting at home like thy father's
daughter."
Eystein: "Now thou hast touched the tender spot, and I would not have
brought up this conversation if I had not known what to reply on this
point. I think I equipped thee from home for this expedition like a
sister."
Sigurd: "Thou must have heard that I was in many battles in the
Saracen's land, and gained victory in all. I brought to this country
many valuables, the like of which had never been seen here before. I
became acquainted with great men, and was respected by them. I went
to the Saviour's grave, and saw thee not there. I went to the river
Jordan, in which the Lord was baptized, and I swam across, but I saw
thee not there. On the edge of the river there is a bush of willows,
and there I twisted a knot of willows, and said that this knot thou
shouldst untie, brother, or take the curse thereto attached."
Then King Eystein said: "I have heard that thou hast had some battles
abroad, but it was more useful for the country what I was doing here
at home. North in Vaagen (Lofoten) I put up booths, so that the
poor fishermen could find shelter; I also had a church built there,
appointed a priest, and gave land for the support of the church; before
that, they were nearly all heathens there. These people will remember
that Eystein was king in Norway. Across the Dovre Mountain lay the
road from Throndhjem. Formerly many froze to death, and all suffered
hardships on the journey; but I built a mountain inn and endowed it
with property. Those who hereafter travel there will remember that
Eystein was king in Norway. Off Agdanes there were breakers and shoals
and no harbor, so that many ships were wrecked; now there is a good
harbor and good anchorage for the ships, and a church has also been
built there. I had war-signals erected on the highest mountains, which
is of benefit to all who live in the interior. I built the royal hall
in Bergen and the Apostles' Church and a covered passage between them.
The kings who succeed us will remember my name. I built St. Michael's
Church at Nordnes (in Bergen) and the monastery Munkeliv at the same
place. I improved the laws, brother, so that everybody could deal
justly with his neighbor, and if the laws are upheld the government
will be better. More by gentle words and wise dealings than by violence
and breach of peace did I succeed in making the inhabitants of
Jemteland subjects of this kingdom. All these things may be considered
small matters, but they will benefit the people of the country more
than the fact that thou hast butchered bluemen in Serkland for the
devil and hurled them into hell. And if thou didst tie a knot for me,
I will not untie it; but I think that if I had been inclined to tie a
knot for thee, I could have tied such a knot that thou wouldst not have
been king of Norway on thy return to this country with but a single
ship."
This was the end of the "man-measuring." There was silence in the hall,
and both kings were very angry. Several other incidents are recorded,
which show the jealousy that existed between the kings. However, peace
was preserved between them as long as they lived.
Six years after his brother Olaf's death, King Eystein was taken
suddenly sick and died at the age of thirty-three, August 29, 1122. He
was buried in Christ Church in Nidaros, and it is said that so many
mourners had never stood over any man's grave in Norway since the death
of King Magnus the Good.
Sigurd was now sole king of Norway and free from the restraint which
the pacific disposition of the popular Eystein had placed upon him.
Shortly after the death of Eystein, King Sigurd entered into an
agreement with the Danish king Nils Sveinson, who had married his
stepmother, Margaret Fridkolla. They agreed upon a joint invasion of
Sweden. The real motive was probably to secure this kingdom, which was
at the time torn by internal strifes, for Margaret's son Magnus Nilson;
but the avowed purpose was to christianize the inhabitants of the
Swedish province of Smaaland, where paganism still lingered. The two
kings were to meet with their armies at Oeresund. King Sigurd collected
a fleet of about three hundred and sixty ships and proceeded to the
meeting-place; but through some mistake the Danish army had already
returned home. King Sigurd held a council with his men, at which they
spoke of King Nils' breach of faith and determined to take revenge by
plundering his country. They first plundered the town of Tumartorp, and
then sailed east to the merchant town Kalmar, which they attacked. They
plundered in the province of Smaaland, compelled the people to accept
Christianity, and imposed on the country a tribute of 1,800 cattle.
After this King Sigurd returned to Norway with a great booty. This
expedition was called the Kalmar levy, and was the only levy Sigurd
carried out while he was sole king.
During the later years of his reign, King Sigurd was often violent and
showed unmistakable signs of insanity. One Whit-Sunday he sat in his
high-seat with Queen Malmfrid at his side, and in his hand he held
the holy book, written in gilded letters, which he had brought with
him from Constantinople. On the benches were seated many friends and
guests. Then the king suddenly got one of his attacks. He rolled his
eyes and looked all around him, and then said: "Many are the changes
which may take place during a man's lifetime. Two things were dearer
to me than anything else, namely, this book and the queen; and now it
is quite different. The queen does not know herself how hideous she is;
for a goat's horn is standing out of her head. And this book is good
for nothing." Thereupon he threw the book on the fire which was burning
on the floor, and gave the queen a blow with his fist between the eyes.
Before the king stood the young taper-bearer, Ottar Birting, who was on
duty that day. He was of small stature, but of agreeable appearance,
lively and bold. His surname Birting had been given him on account of
his black hair and dark complexion. He sprang forward and snatched the
book from the fire, held it out, and said: "Yes, sire, different were
the days when you came with great state and splendor to Norway, and
all your friends hastened to welcome you. Now days of sorrow have come
over us; for to this holy festival many of your friends have come,
and cannot be cheerful on account of your sad condition. Now, good
king, follow my advice! Make peace first with the queen, whom you have
so highly affronted, and then gladden by gentleness all your chiefs,
friends, and servants." "What?" cried King Sigurd. "Dost thou dare
to give me advice, thou black churl, thou great lump of a houseman's
lad!" And he sprang up, drew his sword, and swung it, as if going to
cut him down. But Ottar stood quiet and upright, and looked the king
straight in his face. The king turned round the sword-blade, and gently
touched Ottar on the shoulder with it. Then he sat down in silence on
his high-seat. All were silent, for nobody dared to utter a word. In a
little while the king had quieted down. He then rebuked his liegemen
for not having stopped his insane acts, and thanked Ottar for what he
had done. He concluded his speech by making Ottar a liegeman, and
said: "Go thou now and sit among the lendermen, and be a servant no
longer."
Ottar Birting became in later years one of the most celebrated men in
Norway.
A few years before his death King Sigurd, in spite of the strong
protest of Bishop Magne, discarded Queen Malmfrid, and married a
beautiful and high-born woman, named Cecilia. The last winter of his
life King Sigurd spent in Oslo. In the spring he was taken violently
sick. His friends saw in this the punishment of Heaven for his improper
marriage, and urged him to dissolve it; but he loved Cecilia too dearly
to acquiesce in this. At last, she herself suggested a separation. "I
did not know that thou, too, wouldst leave me like the others," said
the king sadly. He grew gradually worse after this, and on March 26,
1130, he died, forty years old. His body was deposited in a vault in
St. Halvard's Church. According to the saga, "the time of his reign was
good for the country, for there was peace, and crops were good."