When King Harald was eighty years of age (A.D. 930) he became very
heavy, and unable to travel through the country, or do the business of
a king. Then he brought his son Eirik to his high-seat, and gave him the
power and command over the whole land. Now when King Harald's other sons
heard this, King Halfdan the Black also took a king's high-seat, and
took all Throndhjem land, with the consent of all the people, under his
rule as upper king. After the death of Bjorn the Chapman, his brother
Olaf took the command over Vestfold, and took Bjorn's son, Gudrod,
as his foster-child. Olaf's son was called Trygve; and the two
foster-brothers were about the same age, and were hopeful and clever.
Trygve, especially, was remarkable as a stout and strong man. Now when
the people of Viken heard that those of Hordaland had taken Eirik as
upper king, they did the same, and made Olaf the upper king in Viken,
which kingdom he retained. Eirik did not like this at all. Two years
after this, Halfdan the Black died suddenly at a feast in Throndhjem
and the general report was that Gunhild had bribed a witch to give him
a death-drink. Thereafter the Throndhjem people took Sigrod to be their
king.