Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille

An age of conflict now begins in Norway. On his death, in 1130, Sigurd left his son Magnus and his brother Harald. They soon divided the government, and then entered upon a five-years' conflict, until Magnus, in 1135, with eyes picked out, went into a convent.

The next year, 1136, a new pretender appeared in the person of Sigurd Slembe, who took King Harald's life in 1137. Magnus died in 1139.

Other literature in regard to this epoch is "Fagrskinna" and "Morkinskinna". The corresponding part of "Agrip" is lost.

Skalds quoted are: Haldor Skvaldre, Einar Skulason, and Ivar Ingemundson.

1. MAGNUS AND HARALD PROCLAIMED KINGS.

King Sigurd's son Magnus was proclaimed in Oslo king of all the
country immediately after his father's death, according to the
oath which the whole nation had sworn to King Sigurd; and many
went into his service, and many became his lendermen. Magnus was
the handsomest man then in Norway; of a passionate temper, and
cruel, but distinguished in bodily exercises. The favour of the
people he owed most to the respect for his father. He was a
great drinker, greedy of money, hard, and obstinate.

Harald Gille, on the other hand, was very pleasing in
intercourse, gay, and full of mirth; and so generous that he
spared in nothing for the sake of his friends. He willingly
listened to good advice, so that he allowed others to consult
with him and give counsel. With all this he obtained favour and a
good repute, and many men attached themselves as much to him as
to King Magnus. Harald was in Tunsberg when he heard of his
brother King Sigurd's death. He called together his friends to a
meeting, and it was resolved to hold the Hauga Thing (1) there in
the town. At this Thing, Harald was chosen king of half the
country, and it was called a forced oath which had been taken
from him to renounce his paternal heritage. Then Harald formed a
court, and appointed lendermen; and very soon he had as many
people about him as King Magnus. Then men went between them, and
matters stood in this way for seven days; but King Magnus,
finding he had fewer people, was obliged to give way, and to
divide the kingdom with Harald into two parts. The kingdom
accordingly was so divided (October 3, 1130) that each of them
should have the half part of the kingdom which King Sigurd had
possessed; but that King Magnus alone should inherit the fleet of
ships, the table service, the valuable articles and the movable
effects which had belonged to his father, King Sigurd. He was
notwithstanding the least satisfied with his share. Although
they were of such different dispositions, they ruled the country
for some time in peace. King Harald had a son called Sigurd, by
Thora, a daughter of Guthorm Grabarde. King Harald afterwards
married Ingerid, a daughter of Ragnvald, who was a son of the
Swedish King Inge Steinkelson. King Magnus was married to a
daughter of Knut Lavard, and she was a sister of the Danish King
Valdernar; but King Magnus having no affection for her, sent her
back to Denmark; and from that day everything went ill with him,
and he brought upon himself the enmity of her family.

2. OF THE FORCES OF HARALD AND MAGNUS.

When the two relations, Harald and Magnus, had been about three
years kings of Norway (A.D. 1131-1133), they both passed the
fourth winter (A.D. 1134) in the town of Nidaros, and invited
each other as guests; but their people were always ready for a
fight. In spring King Magnus sailed southwards along the land
with his fleet, and drew all the men he could obtain out of each
district, and sounded his friends if they would strengthen him
with their power to take the kingly dignity from Harald, and give
him such a portion of the kingdom, as might be suitable;
representing to them that King Harald had already renounced the
kingdom by oath. King Magnus obtained the consent of many
powerful men. The same spring Harald went to the Uplands, and by
the upper roads eastwards to Viken; and when he heard what King
Magnus was doing, he also drew together men on his side.
Wheresoever the two parties went they killed the cattle, or even
the people, upon the farms of the adverse party. King Magnus had
by far the most people, for the main strength of the country lay
open to him for collecting men from it. King Harald was in Viken
on the east side of the fjord, and collected men, while they were
doing each other damage in property and life. King Harald had
with him Kristrod, his brother by his mother's side, and many
other lendermen; but King Magnus had many more. King Harald was
with his forces at a place called Fors in Ranrike, and went from
thence towards the sea. The evening before Saint Lawrence day
(August 10), they had their supper at a place called Fyrileif,
while the guard kept a watch on horseback all around the house.
The watchmen observed King Magnus's army hastening towards the
house, and consisting of full 6000 men, while King Harald had but
1500. Now come the watchmen who had to bring the news to King
Harald of what was going on and say that King Magnus's army was
now very near the town.

The king says, "What will my relation King Magnus Sigurdson have?
He wants not surely to fight us."

Thjostolf Alason replies, "You must certainly, sire, make
preparation for that, both for yourself and your, men. King
Magnus has been drawing together an army all the summer for the
purpose of giving you battle when he meets you."

Then King Harald stood up, and ordered his men to take their
arms. "We shall fight, if our relative King Magnus wants to
fight us."

Then the war-horns sounded, and all Harald's men went out from
the house to an enclosed field, and set up their banners. King
Harald had on two shirts of ring-mail, but his brother Kristrod
had no armour on; and a gallant man he was. When King Magnus and
his men saw King Harald's troop they drew up and made their
array, and made their line so long that they could surround the
whole of King Harald's troop. So says Haldor Skvaldre: --

"King Magnus on the battle-plain
From his long troop-line had great gain;
The plain was drenched with warm blood,
Which lay a red and reeking flood."

3. BATTLE AT FYRILEIF.

King Magnus had the holy cross carried before him in this battle,
and the battle was great and severe. The king's brother,
Kristrod, had penetrated with his troop into the middle of King
Magnus's array, and cut down on each side of him, so that people
gave way before him everywhere. But a powerful bonde who was in
King Harald's array raised his spear with both hands, and drove
it through between Kristrod's shoulders, so that it came out at
his breast; and thus fell Kristrod. Many who were near asked the
bonde why he had done so foul a deed.

The bonde replies, "He knows the consequences now of slaughtering
my cattle in summer, and taking all that was in my house, and
forcing me to follow him here. I determined to give him some
return when the opportunity came."

After this King Harald's army took to flight, and he fled
himself, with all his men. Many fell; and Ingemar Sveinson of
Ask, a great chief and lenderman, got there his death-wound, and
nearly sixty of King Harald's court-men also fell. Harald
himself fled eastward to Viken to his ships, and went out of the
country to King Eirik Eimune in Denmark, and found him in Seeland
and sought aid from him. King Eirik received him well, and
principally because they had sworn to each other to be as
brothers (2); and gave him Halland as a fief to rule over, and
gave him seven long-ships, but without equipment. Thereafter
King Harald went northwards through Halland, and many Northmen
came to meet him. After this battle King Magnus subdued the
whole country, giving life and safety to all who were wounded,
and had them taken care of equally with his own men. He then
called the whole country his own, and had a choice of the best
men who were in the country. When they held a council among
themselves afterwards, Sigurd Sigurdson, Thorer Ingeridson, and
all the men of most understanding, advised that they should keep
their forces together in Viken, and remain there, in case Harald
should return from the south; but King Magnus would take his own
way, and went north to Bergen. There he sat all winter (A.D.
1135), and allowed his men to leave him; on which the lendermen
returned home to their own houses.

4. DEATH OF ASBJORN AND OF NEREID.

King Harald came to Konungahella with the men who had followed
him from Denmark. The lendermen and town's burgesses collected a
force against him, which they drew up in a thick array above the
town. King Harald landed from his ships, and sent a message to
the bondes, desiring that they would not deny him his land, as he
wanted no more than what of right belonged to him. Then
mediators went between them; and it came to this, that the bondes
dismissed their troops, and submitted to him. Thereupon he
bestowed fiefs and property on the lendermen, that they might
stand by him, and paid the bondes who joined him the lawful
mulcts for what they had lost. A great body of men attached
themselves, therefore, to King Harald; and he proceeded westwards
to Viken, where he gave peace to all men, except to King Magnus's
people, whom he plundered and killed wherever he found them. And
when he came west to Sarpsborg he took prisoners two of King
Magnus s lendermen, Asbjorn and his brother Nereid; and gave them
the choice that one should be hanged, and the other thrown into
the Sarpsborg waterfall, and they might choose as they pleased.
Asbjorn chose to be thrown into the cataract, for he was the
elder of the two, and this death appeared the most dreadful; and
so it was done. Halder Skvaldre tells of this: --

"Asbjorn, who opposed the king,
O'er the wild cataract they fling:
Nereid, who opposed the king,
Must on Hagbard's high tree swing.
The king given food in many a way
To foul-mouthed beasts and birds of prey:
The generous men who dare oppose
Are treated as the worst of foes."

Thereafter King Harald proceeded north to Tunsberg, where he was
well received, and a large force gathered to him.

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