The Emperor Otta (Otto) was at that time in the Saxon country, and sent
a message to King Harald, the Danish king, that he must take on the true
faith and be baptized, he and all his people whom he ruled; "otherwise,"
says the emperor, "we will march against him with an army." The Danish
king ordered the land defence to be fitted out, Danavirke (1) (the
Danish wall) to be well fortified, and his ships of war rigged out.
He sent a message also to Earl Hakon in Norway to come to him early in
spring, and with as many men as he could possibly raise. In spring (A.D.
975) Earl Hakon levied an army over the whole country which was very
numerous, and with it he sailed to meet the Danish king. The king
received him in the most honourable manner. Many other chiefs also
joined the Danish king with their men, so that he had gathered a very
large army.
ENDNOTES: (1) Danavirke. The Danish work was a wall of earth, stones,
and wood, with a deep ditch in front, and a castle at every
hundred fathoms, between the rivers Eider and Slien,
constructed by Harald Blatand (Bluetooth) to oppose the
progress of Charlemagne. Some traces of it still exist.
--L.