Saga of Hakon Herdebreid ("Hakon the Broad-Shouldered")

This saga describes the feud between Hakon Sigurdson and his uncle Inge.

The only skald quoted is Einar Skulason.

The period is from A.D. 1157 to 1161. -- L.


1. BEGINNING OF HAKON HERDEBREID.

Hakon, King Sigurd's son, was chosen chief of the troop which had
followed King Eystein, and his adherents gave him the title of
king. He was ten years old. At that time he had with him
Sigurd, a son of Halvard Hauld of Reyr, and Andreas and Onund,
the sons of Simon, his foster-brothers, and many chiefs, friends
of King Sigurd and King Eystein; and they went first up to
Gautland. King Inge took possession of all the estates they had
left behind, and declared them banished. Thereafter King Inge
went to Viken, and was sometimes also in the north of the
country. Gregorius Dagson was in Konungahella, where the danger
was greatest, and had beside him a strong and handsome body of
men, with which he defended the country.

2. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.

The summer after (A.D. 1158) Hakon came with his men, and
proceeded to Konungahella with a numerous and handsome troop.
Gregorius was then in the town, and summoned the bondes and
townspeople to a great Thing, at which he desired their aid; but
he thought the people did not hear him with much favour, so he
did not much trust them. Gregorius set off with two ships to
Viken, and was very much cast down. He expected to meet King
Inge there, having heard he was coming with a great army to
Viken. Now when Gregorius had come but a short way north he met
Simon Skalp, Haldor Brynjolfson, and Gyrd Amundason, King Inge's
foster-brothers. Gregorius was much delighted at this meeting,
and turned back with them, being all in one body, with eleven
ships. As they were rowing up to Konungahella, Hakon, with his
followers, was holding a Thing without the town, and saw their
approach; and Sigurd of Reyr said, "Gregorius must be fey to be
throwing himself with so few men into our hands." Gregorius
landed opposite the town to wait for King Inge, for he was
expected, but he did not come. King Hakon put himself in order
in the town, and appointed Thorliot Skaufaskalle, who was a
viking and a robber, to be captain of the men in the merchant
ships that were afloat in the river; and King Hakon and Sigurd
were within the town, and drew up the men on the piers, for all
the townspeople had submitted to King Hakon.

3. KING HAKON'S FLIGHT.

Gregorius rowed up the river, and let the ship drive down with
the stream against Thorliot. They shot at each other a while,
until Thorliot and his comrades jumped overboard; and some of
them were killed, some escaped to the land. Then Gregorius rowed
to the piers, and let a gangway be cast on shore at the very feet
of Hakon's men. There the man who carried his banner was slain,
just as he was going to step on shore. Gregorius ordered Hal, a
son of Audun Halson, to take up the banner, which he did, and
bore the banner up to the pier. Gregorius followed close after
him, held his shield over his head, and protected him as well as
himself. As soon as Gregorius came upon the pier, and Hakon's
men knew him, they gave way, and made room for him on every side.
Afterwards more people landed from the ships, and then Gregorius
made a severe assault with his men; and Hakon's men first moved
back, and then ran up into the town. Gregorius pursued them
eagerly, drove them twice from the town, and killed many of them.
By the report of all men, never was there so glorious an affair
as this of Gregorius; for Hakon had more than 4000 men, and
Gregorius not full 400. After the battle, Gregorius said to Hal
Audunson, "Many men, in my opinion, are more agile in battle than
ye Icelanders are, for ye are not so exercised as we Norwegians;
but none, I think, are so bold under arms as ye are." King Inge
came up soon after, and killed many of the men who had taken part
with Hakon; made some pay heavy fines, burnt the houses of some,
and some he drove out of the country, or treated otherwise very
ill. Hakon fled at first up to Gautland with all his men; but
the winter after (A.D. 1159), he proceeded by the upper road to
Throndhjem, and came there before Easter. The Throndhjem people
received him well, for they had always served under that shield.
It is said that the Throndhjem people took Hakon as king, on the
terms that he should have from Inge the third part of Norway as
his paternal heritage. King Inge and Gregorius were in Viken,
and Gregorius wanted to make an expedition against the party in
the north; but it came to nothing that winter, as many dissuaded
from it.

4. FALL OF GYRD AND HAVARD.

King Hakon left Throndhjem in spring with thirty ships nearly;
and some of his men sailed before the rest with seven ships, and
plundered in North and South More. No man could remember that
there ever before had been plundering between the two towns
(Bergen and Nidaros). Jon the son of Halkel Huk collected the
bondes in arms, and proceeded against them; took Kolbein Ode
prisoner, killed every woman's son of them in his ship. Then
they searched for the others, found them all assembled in seven
ships, and fought with them; but his father Halkel not coming to
his assistance as he had promised, many good bondes were killed,
and Jon himself was wounded. Hakon proceeded south to Bergen
with his forces; but when he came to Stiornvelta, he heard that
King Inge and Gregorius had arrived a few nights before from the
east at Bergen, and therefore he did not venture to steer
thither. They sailed the outer course southwards past Bergen,
and met three ships of King Inge's fleet, which had been
outsailed on the voyage from the east. On board of them were
Gyrd Amundason, King Inge's foster-brother, who was married to
Gyrid a sister of Gregorius, and also lagman Gyrd Gunhildson, and
Havard Klining. King Hakon had Gyrd Amundason and Havard Klining
put to death; but took lagman Gyrd southwards, and then proceeded
east to Viken.

5. OF THE CONSULTATIONS OF KING INGE.

When King Inge heard of this he sailed east after them, and they
met east in the Gaut river. King Inge went up the north arm of
the river, and sent out spies to get news of Hakon and his fleet;
but he himself landed at Hising, and waited for his spies. Now
when the spies came back they went to the king, and said that
they had seen King Hakon's forces, and all his ships which lay at
the stakes in the river, and Hakon's men had bound the stems of
their vessels to them. They had two great East-country trading
vessels, which they had laid outside of the fleet, and on both
these were built high wooded stages (castles). When King Inge
heard the preparations they had made, he ordered a trumpet to
call a House-thing of all the men; and when the Thing was seated
he asked his men for counsel, and applied particularly to
Gregorius Dagson, his brother-in-law Erling Skakke, and other
lendermen and ship-commanders, to whom he related the
preparations of Hakon and his men.

Then Gregorius Dagson replied first, and made known his mind in
the following words: -- "Sometimes we and Hakon have met, and
generally they had the most people; but, notwithstanding, they
fell short in battle against us. Now, on the other hand, we have
by far the greatest force; and it will appear probable to the men
who a short time ago lost gallant relations by them, that this
will be a good occasion to get vengeance, for they have fled
before us the greater part of the summer; and we have often said
that if they waited for us, as appears now to be the case, we
would have a brush with them. Now I will tell my opinion, which
is, that I will engage them, if it be agreeable to the king's
pleasure; for I think it will go now as formerly, that they must
give way before us if we attack them bravely; and I shall always
attack where others may think it most difficult."

The speech was received with much applause, and all declared they
were ready to engage in battle against Hakon. Then they rowed
with all the ships up the river, until they came in sight of each
other, and then King Inge turned off from the river current under
the island. Now the king addressed the lendermen again, and told
them to get ready for battle. He turned himself especially to
Erling Skakke, and said, what was true, that no man in the army
had more understanding and knowledge in fighting battles,
although some were more hot. The king then addressed himself to
several of the lendermen, speaking to them by name; and ended by
desiring that each man should make his attack where he thought it
would be of advantage, and thereafter all would act together.

6. ERLING'S SPEECH.

Erling Skakke replied thus to the king's speech: "It is my duty,
sire, not to be silent; and I shall give my advice, since it is
desired. The resolution now adopted is contrary to my judgment;
for I call it foolhardy to fight under these circumstances,
although we have so many and such fine men. Supposing we make an
attack on them, and row up against this river-current; then one
of the three men who are in each half room must be employed in
rowing only, and another must be covering with the shield the man
who rows; and what have we then to fight with but one third of
our men? It appears to me that they can be of little use in the
battle who are sitting at their oars with their backs turned to
the enemy. Give me now some time for consideration, and I
promise you that before three days are over I shall fall upon
some plan by which we can come into battle with advantage."

It was evident from Erling's speech that he dissuaded from an
attack; but, notwithstanding, it was urged by many who thought
that Hakon would now, as before, take to the land. "And then,"
said they, "we cannot get hold of him; but now they have but few
men, and we have their fate in our own hands."

Gregorius said but little; but thought that Erling rather
dissuaded from an attack that Gregorius's advice should have no
effect, than that he had any better advice to give.