Magnus Erlingson's Saga

6. OF ERLING SKAKKE.

On Wednesday, before mass was sung in the town, Erling sailed
from Bergen with all his fleet, consisting of twenty-one ships;
and there was a fresh breeze for sailing northwards along the
coast. Erling had his son King Magnus with him, and there were
many lendermen accompanied by the finest men. When Erling came
north, abreast of the Fjord district, he sent a boat on shore to
Jon Halkelson's farm, and took Nikolas, a son of Simon Skalp and
of Maria, Harald Gille's daughter, and brought him out to the
fleet, and put him on board the king's ship. On Friday,
immediately after matins, they sailed to Steinavag, and King
Hakon, with thirteen ships, was lying in the harbour in the
neighbourhood. He himself and his men were up at play upon the
island, and the lendermen were sitting on the hill, when they saw
a boat rowing from the south with two men in it, who were bending
back deep towards the keel, and taking hasty strokes with their
oars. When they came to the shore they did not belay the boat,
but both ran from it. The great men seeing this, said to each
other, "These men must have some news to tell;" and got up to
meet them. When they met, Onund Simonson asked, "Have ye any
news of Erling Skakke, that ye are running so fast?"

They answered, as soon as they could get out the words, for they
had lost their breath, "Here comes Erling against you, sailing
from the south, with twenty-one ships, or thereabouts, of which
many are great enough; and now ye will soon see their sails."

Then said Eindride Unge, "Too near to the nose, said the peasant,
when his eye was knocked out."

They went in haste now to where the games were playing, and
immediately the war-horns resounded, and with the battle-call all
the people were gathered down to the ships in the greatest haste.
It was just the time of day when their meat was nearly cooked.
All the men rushed to the ships, and each ran on board the vessel
that was nearest to him, so that the ships were unequally manned.
Some took to the oars; some raised the masts, turned the heads of
the vessels to the north, and steered for Veey, where they
expected much assistance from the towns.

7. FALL OF KING HAKON.

Soon after they saw the sails of Erling's fleet, and both fleets
came in sight of each other. Eindride Unge had a ship called
Draglaun, which was a large buss-like long-ship, but which had
but a small crew; for those who belonged to her had run on board
of other ships, and she was therefore the hindmost of Hakon's
fleet. When Eindride came abreast of the island Sek, the
Baekisudin, which Erling Skakke himself commanded, came up with
her; and these two ships were bound fast together. King Hakon
and his followers had arrived close to Veey; but when they heard
the war-horn they turned again to assist Eindride. Now they
began the battle on both sides, as the vessels came up. Many of
the sails lay midships across the vessels; and the ships were not
made fast to each other, but they lay side by side. The conflict
was not long before there came disorder in Hakon's ship; and some
fell, and others sprang overboard. Hakon threw over him a grey
cloak, and jumped on board another ship; but when he had been
there a short time he thought he had got among his enemies; and
when he looked about him he saw none of his men nor of his ships
near him. Then he went into the Baekisudin to the forecastle-
men, and begged his life. They took him in their keeping, and
gave him quarter. In this conflict there was a great loss of
people, but principally of Hakon's men. In the Baekisudin fell
Nikolas, Simon Skalp's son; and Erling's men are accused of
having killed him themselves. Then there was a pause in the
battle, and the vessels separated. It was now told to Erling
that Hakon was on board of his ship; that the forecastle-men had
taken him, and threatened that they would defend him with arms.
Erling sent men forwards in the ship to bring the forecastle-men
his orders to guard Hakon well, so that he should not get away.
He at the same time let it be understood that he had no objection
to giving the king life and safety, if the other chiefs were
willing, and a peace could be established. All the forecastle-
men gave their chief great credit and honour for these words.
Then Erling ordered anew a blast of the war-horns, and that the
ships should be attacked which had not lost their men; saying
that they would never have such another opportunity of avenging
King Inge. Thereupon they all raised a war-shout, encouraged
each other, and rushed to the assault. In this tumult King Hakon
received his death-wound. When his men knew he had fallen they
rowed with all their might against the enemy, threw away their
shields, slashed with both hands, and cared not for life. This
heat and recklessness, however, proved soon a great loss to them;
for Erling's men saw the unprotected parts of their bodies, and
where their blows would have effect. The greater part of Hakon's
men who remained fell here; and it was principally owing to the
want of numbers, as they were not enough to defend themselves.
They could not get quarter, also excepting those whom the chiefs
took under their protection and bound themselves to pay ransom
for. The following of Hakon's people fell: Sigurd Kapa, Sigurd
Hiupa, and Ragnvald Kunta; but some ships crews got away, rowed
into the fjords, and thus saved their lives. Hakon's body was
carried to Raumsdal, and buried there; but afterwards his
brother, King Sverre, had the body transported north to the
merchant town Nidaros, and laid in the stone wall of Christ
church south of the choir.

8. FLIGHT OF THE CHIEFS OF HAKON'S MEN.

Earl Sigurd, Eindride Unge, Onund Simonson, Frirek Keina, and
other chiefs kept the troop together, left the ships in Raumsdal,
and went up to the Uplands. King Magnus and his father Erling
sailed with their troops north to Nidaros in Throndhjem, and
subdued the country as they went along. Erling called together
an Eyra-thing, at which King Magnus was proclaimed king of all
Norway. Erling, however, remained there but a short time; for he
thought the Throndhjem people were not well affected towards him
and his son. King Magnus was then called king of the whole
country.

King Hakon had been a handsome man in appearance, well grown,
tall and thin; but rather broad-shouldered, on which account his
men called him Herdebreid. As he was young in years, his
lendermen ruled for him. He was cheerful and friendly in
conversation, playful and youthful in his ways, and was much
liked by the people.

9. OF KING SIGURD'S BEGINNING.

There was an Upland man called Markus of Skog, who was a relation
of Earl Sigurd. Markus brought up a son of King Sigurd Mun, who
was also called Sigurd. This Sigurd was chosen king (A.D. 1162)
by the Upland people, by the advice of Earl Sigurd and the other
chiefs who had followed King Hakon. They had now a great army,
and the troops were divided in two bodies; so that Markus and the
king were less exposed where there was anything to do, and Earl
Sigurd and his troop, along with the lendermen, were most in the
way of danger. They went with their troops mostly through the
Uplands, and sometimes eastwards to Viken. Erling Skakke had his
son King Magnus always with him, and he had also the whole fleet
and the land defence under him. He was a while in Bergen in
autumn; but went from thence eastward to Viken, where he settled
in Tunsberg for his winter quarters (A.D. 1163), and collected in
Viken all the taxes and revenues that belonged to Magnus as king;
and he had many and very fine troops. As Earl Sigurd had but a
small part of the country, and kept many men on foot, he soon was
in want of money; and where there was no chief in the
neighbourhood he had to seek money by unlawful ways, -- sometimes
by unfounded accusations and fines, sometimes by open robbery.

10. EARL SIGURD'S CONDEMNATION.

At that time the realm of Norway was in great prosperity. The
bondes were rich and powerful, unaccustomed to hostilities or
violence, and the oppression of roving troops; so that there was
soon a great noise and scandal when they were despoiled and
robbed. The people of Viken were very friendly to Erling and
King Magnus, principally from the popularity of the late King
Inge Haraldson; for the Viken people had always served under his
banner. Erling kept a guard in the town, and twelve men were on
watch every night. Erling had Things regularly with the bondes,
at which the misdeeds of Sigurd's people were often talked over;
and by the representations of Erling and his adherents, the
bondes were brought unanimously to consider that it would be a
great good fortune if these bands should be rooted out. Arne,
the king's relation, spoke well and long on this subject, and at
last severely; and required that all who were at the Thing, --
men-at-arms, bondes, towns-men, and merchants, -- should come to
the resolution to sentence according to law Earl Sigurd and all
his troop, and deliver them to Satan, both living and dead. From
the animosity and hatred of the people, this was agreed to by
all; and thus the unheard-of deed was adopted and confirmed by
oath, as if a judgment in the case was delivered there by the
Thing according to law. The priest Hroald the Long-winded, who
was a very eloquent man, spoke in the case; but his speech was to
the same purpose as that of others who had spoken before. Erling
gave a feast at Yule in Tunsberg, and paid the wages of the
men-at-arms at Candlemas.