King Sverri's march to Nidaros. Lord Karl slain at Berg. Speech of Thorstein Kugad.

152. Soon afterwards King Sverri went away from Bergen, leaving a garrison in the castle for its defence. From Bergen he marched up to Vors, and thence to Raudafell; and now for the second time he marched over Raudafell; again with much toil. The force came down into Sogn, and delayed in Aurlands-fiord, because the men were so sore; then they marched the whole north to Throndham, where the King was well received.

King Sverri learnt the tidings of what had lately happened. The Bagals had come to the town with three cutters under Kinnad Eldridarson, Thorstein Kugard, and Eirik the Thrond. Karl, son of King Sorkvi, was in the town before they arrived. He had married Ingibiorg, daughter of King Sverri. A rumour of their coming had reached Lord Karl, and in the evening he had left the town by the bridge and was at the homestead of Berg. The Bagals reached the town in the night, they found Lord Karl gone, but they were told where he probably was. During the night they went there and slew Lord Karl and all his company, and then left the town. After that, they held an Assembly at Eyra, at which Thorstein Kugad spoke and said, “You must know, townsmen, that King Sverri will be a long time in coming here to you to defend the land in Throndham.” Then he told of the conflicts of the Bagals and King Sverri, how they had proceeded in the summer, mentioning especially the great events last happened, where the king had lost men under the walls of the castle. Thorstein ended his speech by saying that the King had left the castle, and would probably come to town by the land road; “for”, said he, “the King has not so much in ships as even a single boat. The Bagals have taken his ships, and many another thing that was under the King's rule aforetime. The Birkibeins acted as if none could stand before them, and as if one of them singly was a match for three Bagals. You must know, however, that this summer has come about that we have taken little short of as many Birkibeins as they have now left for themselves. Some of these are now present with us, no worse treated than among the Birkibeins; and they will afford you no help now, for they believe they can see what great fraud Priest Sverri has long practised.”

Thorstein Kugad sues King Sverri for pardon.

153. The Bagals had fled from the town, down the Fiord, before the King Arrived. King Sverri inquired diligently into all these matters, and was much displeased at the slaying of his son-in-law, Lord Karl.

The Bagals sailed from the south with all their host. They had large ships, and when they reached Folskn on their voyage they lay there for a time, for they did not wish to sail into the Fiord when they heard that King Sverri was there. They fell short of provisions, because they had a large force; they dispatched a band, therefore, into the peopled districts. Some of the force sailed south to Mœri, as far as Borgund; and as they passed the entrance to Hefni. Thorstein Kugad ran his ship on purpose against a skerry and wrecked it as he wished. Then with his men he went ashore, and in the night, without their knowledge, he fled with to companions over the fell and came down into Orkdale. Many other men who had homes in Throndham and had been with the Bagals all summer now deserted them.

Thorstein Kugad remained in concealment at his homestead, and sent a messenger into the town of Gunnar Grionbak, begging him to ask pardon for him from the King. And once on a time Gunnar spoke with the King and said, “Sire, we have lost a very able man, now Thorstein Kugad is with the Bagals, and would gladly entice him back to us.” “I do not suppose Thorstein remembers,” answered the King, “that he has been my man; and I think him small loss to us.” And Gunnar replied, “I am sure, Sire, that Thorstein will have your pardon if we can entice him from the Bagals.” The King answered with a laugh: “What does this mean, Gunnar? Is Thorstein now in your keeping? He shall have my pardon; but if the Birkibeins meet him in the street, I know not how matters will go with him.” Shortly after, Gunnar sent word to Thorstein to come to the town. Thorstein went therefore in all secrecy. Then during the day, Gunnar and Thorstein went before the King as he was at a meeting. Thorstein had a deep hood over his head, so that he was not recognized till he stood before the King. Throwing off his overcoat, he fell to the floor as if he had been struck, and grasping the King's foot, kissed it, and said: “Happy am I, my lord, to have come so near as to touch you, and happy that I have escaped out of the hand of those devil's men, the Bagals. Under ban they are, and deserving of it; they are robbers and evil-doers, and not chiefs. They show hatred to the best of men, you, Sire, for you are a crowned King, before, my lord, and let me nevermore be separated from you. I know not by what means that false Bishop so blinded me that I should not see what fraud they practiced, those dastards who swore fealty to you. How could they be good to me who had been traitors to their King.” And while he spoke, the Birkibeins threw in remarks, not agreeable ones. “There was no greater dastard than himself,” they said; and some bade carry him out to Eyra and hand him. Then the king said: “Stand up Thorstein, you shall have pardon, and shall tell me of the ways of the Bagals.” And Thorstein answered: “Happy am I that my eyes behold you; and never again will I falter in your service. Of the Bagals I have much to say, whenever you wish, and chiefly to their discredit. Thorstein then received pardon, and the king let him often speak at meetings of the guard and tell of the ways of the Bagals, he was a constant speaker also at Assemblies.

The Bagals in halogaland. King Sverri builds shops of war in Nidaros [1199]

154. The Bagals seized all the revenues and war contributions over North and South Mœri and Raumsdale; they also plundered in places, delaying half a month over the voyage. Afterwards they went all the way north to Halogaland, sailing into every fiord, and behaving with much violence. They seized immense wealth, and took all the best men there into their band, Thori Knapp, Buthorm of Miola and his brother Bryniolf, and Biarni Mardarson, Halldor of Hioleifsvik and his sons, Ivar Nef, Gregorious Kik, Elring of Thiotta, Guzalin Prest, and a multitude of men besides.

This autumn, Richard, King of the English, was slain³⁰ and his brother John, called Lackland, took the kingdom in England.

King Sverri sat in Kaupang. And on a time in the winter, after Yule, the king was holding an Assembly with the yeomen, and he requested that they would build ships to aid him, that he might deliver the land from pillage by the Bagals. “We may be certain,” he said, “that as soon as spring comes, the Bagals will direct their course here into the Fiord, and will do you ill turns, because your force is ever opposed to them. We Birkibeins are without ships, and not well prepared to defend your goods or your lives. We cannot run so swiftly across the country by road as they can row here by sea; and although the cost of ships may seem something to you, the loss of money which the Bagals will cause you is greater.” The yeomen answered him: “The plan is good, Sire, of building ships for the defence of the land, but what means will be found here to build them in sufficient numbers and size?” The King replied: “ I propose, as the best plan, that in each shire of the communities of the Thronds the yeomen shall pay the cost of furnishing one ship; the townsmen and we Birkibeins shall then build as many in addition as we possibly can/ The Ships shall not have less then twenty-five benches, and shall rise from that in size. At the battle off Thorsbiorg I did not like to see the beaks of the Bagals' ships above my eyes. It may happen that we shall have the like superiority over them in the difference of height.” The following morning the yeomen held a meeting in Olafskirk and reckoned up the cost, and it appeared to them as if man's share would not be large. They resolved to submit to it gladly, and said that no expense would be spared by them to do what the King Decided. The King them made plans for shipbuilding, and after Easter eight were finished-six on the Eyra, all large; and two in the kings-court and Bishops-court. The one built in the Kings-court had thirty cabins, and was called Ognarbrand. All these ships were built high in the bulwarks, considering the number of their cabins. King Sverri also caused some merchant vessels to be cut in two, that their keels might be lengthened, and they might have oars from end to end. Then all the ships in the town that seemed to be seaworthy were made ready with all speed.

The Bagals enter the Fiord and plunder Inner Throndham.

155. The Following spring the Bagals set out form Halogaland with all their host, and sailed south to the entrance of Throndham, up to Holm, and their task did not seem easy. They then sailed to Inner Throndham and plundered all the inner Fiord, getting booty form themselves. The yeomen gathered to oppose them and shot at the Bagals, doing them all the harm they could. Bishop Nikolas often addressed the force and thus spoke: “Priest Sverri now holds no more or Norway than a single ness; it would be a very fit lot for him to govern the part of Eyra outside the palisades and be there hanged on a gallow. We Bagals care very little, I should suppose, where he goes with his sea rams that he had got together in the town. Before the Thronds receive any good from them, I expect all their buildings will be charcoal. We will roam over the Fiord as we please, in spite of them, quite free from fear, for they have no force to bring against us.” The Bagals then sailed with their host from the inner Fiord and anchored off Depil, within the Hladhamra. They now formed their plan; the crews of the large ships should go on shore, march by land to the bridge, and thence advance into the town; the crews of the cutters should sail into the river and there attempt a landing.

The Bagals attack Nidaros unsuccessfully. Narrow escape of Bishop Nikolas.

156. King Sverri had made preparations in the town. A catapult was raised on the Eyra, and another by the river; and from end to end of the town, a breastwork of boards had been fixed on the buildings outside the roofs, like war-bulwarks on a ship, and a great mass of stones carried up. Here, for the defence, were placed the levies and the townsmen. The King himself was out on the Eyra, having a small force with him; the most part of his Guards were up at the bridge, under Hakon Galin and Petr Steypi. The Bagals rowed their cutter into the river in front of the town, and placed them all the way up to Skellingarhella; they decided not to make a landing on Brottu-eyri, for they thought it like a house door beset with trolls when they recognized the Sigrfluga aloft there. They shot at the townsmen, but could nowhere come near them for the shower of stones thrown from the buildings and the quays. The Bagals who marched by land to the bridge were commanded by the young King Ingi, Bishop Nikolas, and Hallvard of Sasteads. They attacked the bridge at once, and at once the Birkibeins came against them; they met on the bridge and the fiercest blows were struck. Men were slain on both sides. The Birkibeins, hard pressed, retreated form the bridge, and the Bagals followed fast after them. There were Birkibeins in the blockhouse at the end of the bridge, and they cast stones in plenty on the Bagals from above. Then the most valiant of the Birkibeins pushed forward to the bridge, and the Bagals gave way; and when the foremost would take to flight, the others stood firm, being farther from the weapons of the Birkibeins. So there was a great crush all along the bridge, and the railings were broken off. Many Bagals were slain on the bridge, and some leapt into the water; the rest were all driven back. There was great slaughter, especially of the Bagals. Afterwards the Birkibeins turned back over the river, and the Bagals made no further attack on the bridge, but went out of range and took counsel together. Bishop Nikolas advised to set fire to the bridge and burn it down. “They will then have no way out of town,” He said, “except past the castle, and we will hast there and hinder the,. They must then either starve in the town or else make their way out in face of our weapons.” This advice was followed; they set fire to the bridge; but the Birkibeins kept the fire down and put it out, and part of the bridge at the southern end remained standing. Then Bishop Nikolas and the others went to Helgasetr, and threatening to burn down the monastery, forced the prior and canons to give aid in the fight; they therefore went away with them, and were on board his ship. The crews of the cutters were unable to do much in the battle; they found the town not easy to win, and they let their cutters drift down the river opposite Bakki. King Sverri went from the eyra to the Smithy-booths, and gave the Bagals opportunity to come on shore at Brottu-eyri; the Bagals prepared to land, but their fears got the better of them. When the King perceived this, he urged his men against them, and they shot arrows and hurled spears at them with all their might. The Bagals started sharply and turned at once to flee, but one of the ships had grounded and was on the point of being won by the Birkibeins; many of its crew were slain and many wounded. They rowed out of the river to the large ships, and found their fellows who had marched by land to the bridge. All lay there at anchor during the night.

The next morning the Bagals rowed their cutters past the Hladhamara, and brought them where they overlooked the town. Bishop Nikolas rowed over to Iluvik; he had the Raudsida at this time, the swiftest of all ships, nad he was observing where was the best palce if they should land their men. King Sverri marked the Bishop's ship and guessed his errand; then he caused a galley, which Onund Ufrid commanded, to be dragged across the Eyra, and so great a crowd of men surrounded the ship that she could not be seen from the sea. But when she came into the water Bishop Nikolas saw her, and bade his men strike their oars into the water with all their might. “Row as hard as you can.” He said. “If you row boldly I will give each of you cloth for kirtles, green and red. “But you are not towing! Can't you see our foes speeding like madmen after us, and our cutter seems standing still?” Then he flung himself from the aftcastle and rushed right along the ship, and his mitre was blown form his had overboard. Again the Bishop called upon his men. “Do your best now! They would gladly get hold of me.” At first while the Bagals were turning the Raudsida and she was not going at full speed, the pursuers drew near them. But the Bishop had no need to urge his men, they were all eager enough themselves to row out of danger. And when the Bagals in the other ships marked this, they started with their cutters so as to cut off Onund from land. Onund saw that this would not be to his advantage, and his men turned back from the pursuit, having got nothing more of Bishop Nikolas than his mitre, which they carried away as a token.

Skirmishes near Nidaros.

157. After that, a fresh breeze from the north-east sprang up, and the large ships of the bagels all lay exposed to it. King Sverri supposed that it would not be easy for them to remain there, and he caused eight horses to be taken to the other side of the river; he himself followed, and mounted and rode to the ships by the road above Hladi. He arrived just as the Bagals had sent boats to land to unloose the mooring-cables. They had cast anchor, and the ships were straining at the anchor ropes. The King rode to the men who were unloosing the cables and slew nine of them. Some were forced into the water, and others pushed out in the boats to the ships. The Bagals cut the cables and moved off; they then set up the sails, and sailed out to Raudabiorg, where they lay two days. King Sverri dispatched men to Orkadale, Eyiolf Alfason, Bialfi Skinnstakk, and a company with them. On the third day the Bagals sailed over to Orkadale, directing their course to Roaberg and other places along the strang; and as soon as their gangways were pushed to shore they hurried up into the forests and sought for meat and cattle, both in the mountain pastures and the peopled districts. The Birkibeins lay in ambush form them at the homestead called Holta, where Bagals were slain, both at the farm-house and on the way to the river Orkn. Many leapt into the water, some were drowned, the others swam across the river and made their way back to the ships. At certain mountain pastures in another place the Birkibeins lay in wait for Bagals, some of whom were slain, and the others escaped. After this there were no more descents on land. Then the Bagals learnt where cattle of the Birkibeins were, and dispatch three hundred men who went and drove the cattle to the strand and slew every beast. They took a Birkibein prisoner at the homestead of Roda, but he dissembled and said his was merely one of the levy, and not a Birkibein. They cut off one of his feet. The Bagals lay here a week, but made no more descents on land; they then sailed to Holm. After this, they planned to search for booty in the district rather than go to the town. They therefore sailed up the Fiord, to Asfiord in Hindey, where they lay a few days. The building of King Sverri's ships advanced rapidly; many urged that they should be launched as soon as there was hope that they would not split asunder under their load of men. The utmost haste was made to get the ships all ready, and they were launched as soon as they could; moreover, all the King's host then in the town was ready to go on board.

King Sverri sails with his new fleet of ships to find the Bagals.

158. On Friday, the day after Botolfs-mass, early in the morning, King Sverri sailed forth from the river with his host, his own ship leading the way. And when the whole fleet had followed him out of the river, he ordered the ships to be laid together. Then the King stood on the high deck and bade men give careful heed to what he should say. The King then spoke thus:-

“A great force is here come together, and if we succeed in our purpose and a meeting with the Bagals takes place, we may not hope that all those here present will return alive. Death hands over all alike; let each man take the warning to himself. It is my desire and prayer that all go to confession who have not lately so done. Likewise, I advise my men, though it is yet early, to get food and drink, and thereby courage; this may well be done while they row away without engaging in battle, we will follow with ships abreast and in loose order at the distance of a bowshot or farther from one another, and the cutters shall attend each long-ship.”

It was near the time of the morning meal, the sun shone brightly, and there was a slight wind in the Fiord outside, enough to hold the fluttering banner from the pole. The Birkibeins began to row up the Fiord, and contrary to the expectation of the Bagals, the ships were exceedingly swift under the oar. They were new and lately tarred, and they carried nothing but the crews. King Sverri went on board a cutter and rowed swiftly up the Fiord, wishing to get information where the bagels were. Seeing a man on land, they rowed their cutter up and called out to him, inquiring if he knew where the Bagals were. The yeoman answered, “Look within the Horni, there lies their whole host.” The he wished good fortune to the King and all the rest. The King sailed back to his fllet and told them how they should steer. When they rowed nearly half across the Fiord they perceived the Bagals' ships rowing from under the Horni across to Tautra, and their course was to the fiord north of the island. The bagels now saw the ships of the Birkibeins, and bishop Nikolas, Sigurd Earlsson, and Hreidar willed and advised to row down the Fiord and have nothing to do with King Sverri; they said he would not be able to row after them with his large ships. Hallvard of Sasteads and Philippus of Veigin wished to wait for the King. But the Bishop's advice prevailed, to row out to sea. They changed places at the rudder-bands, and Bishop Nikolas went on board the Rausida, Sigurd and Hreidar on cutters, and they rowed in front of the long-ships. And now the Birkibeins saw where the Bagals rowed, and directed their ships to get ahead of them west of Tautra, on the Fiord. The two fleets were soon near one another within Omburness. While they were still distant more than a bowshot, the Birkibeins threw up their oars, and hastily put on their armour, expecting the bagels would attack them. But the Bagals would not attack, and rowed aside. Then King Sverri said: “I fear they mean to go to the town. They will make the place hot for the townsmen before we arrive, if they plan to go there.” And now both sides grasped their oars: four men to every oar on the King's ship and it flew as it had been a bird, every oar being strained to the point of breaking. The Bagals' ships went with less speed; they were soaked with water and very heavy, for they had been at sea all the winter, and were laden with provisions and plunder.