Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson, sailed with his fleet from
England from Hrafnseyr, and came in autumn to the Orkney Isles, where
the event had happened that Maria, a daughter of Harald Sigurdson, died
a sudden death the very day and hour her father, King Harald, fell. Olaf
remained there all winter; but the summer after he proceeded east to
Norway, where he was proclaimed king along with his brother Magnus.
Queen Ellisif came from the West, along with her stepson Olaf and her
daughter Ingegerd. There came also with Olaf over the West sea Skule, a
son of Earl Toste, and who since has been called the king's foster-son,
and his brother Ketil Krok. Both were gallant men, of high family in
England, and both were very intelligent; and the brothers were much
beloved by King Olaf. Ketil Krok went north to Halogaland, where King
Olaf procured him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great
people. Skule, the king's foster-son, was a very clever man, and the
handsomest man that could be seen. He was the commander of King Olaf's
court-men, spoke at the Things (1) and took part in all the country
affairs with the king. The king offered to give Skule whatever district
in Norway he liked, with all the income and duties that belonged to the
king in it. Skule thanked him very much for the offer, but said he
would rather have something else from him. "For if there came a shift
of kings," said he, "the gift might come to nothing. I would rather
take some properties lying near to the merchant towns, where you, sire,
usually take up your abode, and then I would enjoy your Yule-feasts."
The king agreed to this, and conferred on him lands eastward at
Konungahella, Oslo, Tunsberg, Sarpsborg, Bergen, and north at Nidaros.
These were nearly the best properties at each place, and have since
descended to the family branches which came from Skule. King Olaf
gave Skule his female relative, Gudrun, the daughter of Nefstein, in
marriage. Her mother was Ingerid, a daughter of Sigurd Syr and Asta,
King Olaf the Saint's mother. Ingerid was a sister of King Olaf the
Saint and of King Harald. Skule and Gudrun's son was Asolf of Reine, who
married Thora, a daughter of Skopte Ogmundson; Asolf's and Thora's son
was Guthorm of Reine, father of Bard, and grandfather of King Inge and
of Duke Skule.
ENDNOTES: (1) Another instance of the old Norse or Icelandic tongue
having been generally known in a part of England.