Early in spring (A.D. 997) King Olaf set out from Viken with a great
force northwards to Agder, and proclaimed that every man should be
baptized. And thus the people received Christianity, for nobody dared
oppose the king's will, wheresoever he came. In Hordaland, however, were
many bold and great men of Hordakare's race. He, namely, had left four
sons,--the first Thorleif Spake; the second, Ogmund, father of Thorolf
Skialg, who was father of Erling of Sole; the third was Thord father of
the Herse Klyp who killed King Sigurd Slefa, Gunhild's son; and lastly,
Olmod, father of Askel, whose son was Aslak Fitjaskalle; and that family
branch was the greatest and most considered in Hordaland. Now when this
family heard the bad tidings, that the king was coming along the country
from the eastward with a great force, and was breaking the ancient law
of the people, and imposing punishment and hard conditions on all who
opposed him, the relatives appointed a meeting to take counsel with each
other, for they knew the king would come down upon them at once: and
they all resolved to appear in force at the Gula-Thing, there to hold a
conference with King Olaf Trygvason.