Svein Knutsson

Heimskringla

• attestation: King Svein introduced new laws modeled partly on Danish law but in many respects more severe, including forfeiture of property for anyone leaving the country without royal permission. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "King Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country, partly after those which were in Denmark, and in part much more severe. No man must leave the country without the king's permission; or if he did, his property fell to the king."

• attestation: Under Svein's laws, a killer forfeited all land and movables, and if a banished person inherited property, it went to the king instead. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Whoever killed a man outright, should forfeit all his land and movables. If any one was banished the country, and all heritage fell to him, the king took his inheritance."

• attestation: At Yule every household owed the king a meal of malt, a leg of a three-year old ox called a 'friendly gift,' butter, and unspun lint from every house-wife. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "At Yule every man should pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a leg of a three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together with a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of unspun lint"

• attestation: One in every seven males from the age of five was to be conscripted for war service, and every fisherman owed the king five fish as a land-defence tax. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Of every seven males one should be taken for the service of war, and reckoning from the fifth year of age; and the outfit of ships should be reckoned in the same proportion. Every man who rowed upon the sea to fish should pay the king five fish as a tax, for the land defence"

• attestation: Every ship leaving the country had to reserve stowage space in the middle for the king, and a tax was levied on every person traveling to Iceland. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Every ship that went out of the country should have stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the ship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland, should pay a tax to the king."

• attestation: Danes were given legal superiority in Norway such that one Danish witness could invalidate the testimony of ten Norwegians. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Danes should enjoy so much consideration in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate ten of Northmen"

• attestation: When the laws were promulgated, the people who had not fought against King Olaf accused the Throndhjem men of having been promised peace and justice but instead receiving oppression and slavery. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Now take your reward and friendship from the Canute race, ye men of the interior Throndhjem who fought against King Olaf, and deprived him of his kingdom. Ye were promised peace and justice, and now ye have got oppression and slavery for your great treachery and crime."

• attestation: The bondes were required to build all houses the king needed on his farms, adding to the burdensome obligations imposed by Svein's regime. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "The bondes were bound to build all the houses the king required upon his farms."

• attestation: Public resentment against Svein's harsh laws was widespread but difficult to act on, as all men saw how miserable the change had been from Olaf's reign. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "Nor was it very easy to contradict them, as all men saw how miserable the change had been."

• attestation: The minds of the people were instantly raised against Svein's laws when they were promulgated, and murmurs spread throughout the country. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 253. Of King Svein'S Laws.)

  "When these laws were promulgated the minds of the people were instantly raised against them, and murmurs were heard among them."

• attestation: King Svein, son of Canute the Great, ruled Norway for some years but was a child in both age and understanding, with his mother Alfifa wielding most of the actual power. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 261. Of The Throndhjem People.)

  "King Svein, the son of Canute the Great, ruled over Norway for some years; but was a child both in age and understanding. His mother Alfifa had most sway in the country"

• attestation: After King Svein had ruled Norway for three years (A.D. 1031-33), news came that a force had assembled in the west under a chief named Trygve who claimed to be a son of Olaf Trygvason and Queen Gyda of England. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 262. Of King Svein'S Levy.)

  "When King Svein had been three years in Norway (A.D. 1031-33), the news was received that a force was assembled in the western countries, under a chief who called himself Trygve, and gave out that he was a son of Olaf Trygvason and Queen Gyda of England."

• attestation: King Svein ordered a levy in the north and most lendermen complied, but Einar Tambaskelfer refused to join the expedition. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 262. Of King Svein'S Levy.)

  "he ordered out the people on a levy in the north, and the most of the lendermen hastened to him; but Einar Tambaskelfer remained at home, and would not go out with King Svein."

• attestation: None of the Arnason brothers appeared at the levy, and King Svein steered south to Rogaland and Agder, guessing Trygve would first make his attempt on Viken where his forefathers had their strength. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 262. Of King Svein'S Levy.)

  "None of these Arnasons appeared at this levy to accompany the king. He steered with his fleet southwards along the land; but as he could not hear the least news of any fleet having come from the west, he steered south to Rogaland, and all the way to Agder"

• attestation: Trygve landed first on the coast of Hordaland and then headed to Rogaland when he heard King Svein had gone south; both fleets met within Bokn in Soknarsund. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 263. King Trygve Olafson'S Fall.)

  "When Trygve came from the west he landed first on the coast of Hordaland, and when he heard King Svein had gone south he went the same way to Rogaland. As soon as Svein got the intelligence that Trygve had come from the west he returned, and steered north with his fleet; and both fleets met within Bokn in Soknarsund"

• attestation: King Trygve fell in the battle along with many of his men, while some fled and some received quarter; after this victory King Svein ruled peacefully for a time. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 263. King Trygve Olafson'S Fall.)

  "In this battle King Trygve fell, and many of his men with him; but some fled, and some received quarter and their lives."

• attestation: King Svein's men fled on all sides and concealed themselves as soon as they heard Magnus had arrived, offering no opposition while Svein was in the south. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 2. Magnus'S Expedition From Svithjod.)

  "But no sooner did the men of King Svein, the son of Alfifa, hear that King Magnus Olafson was come to the country, than they fled on all sides and concealed themselves, so that no opposition was made to King Magnus; for King Svein was in the south part of the country."

• attestation: King Svein Alfifason was staying in South Hordaland when he heard the news of Magnus's arrival, and immediately sent out war-tokens to four quarters summoning the bondes. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 4. King Svein'S Flight.)

  "King Svein Alfifason was staying in South Hordaland when he heard this news of war. He immediately sent out war-tokens to four different quarters, summoned the bondes to him, and made it known to all that they should join him with men and ships to defend the country."

• attestation: At the Thing, Svein announced he would fight Magnus, but the bondes gave a mixed response: some pledged support, some refused, some stayed silent, and some declared they would join Magnus. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 4. King Svein'S Flight.)

  "although many said they would follow Svein, and fight on his side, some refused to do so bluntly, some were altogether silent, and some declared they would join King Magnus as soon as they had an opportunity."

• attestation: Svein assessed that fewer than half the bondes would help him and concluded it was not enough to fight Magnus, counseling retreat to Denmark where the people were loyal. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 4. King Svein'S Flight.)

  "as to those who promise to help us, there are not more than every other man; and that force will avail us little against King Magnus. It is my counsel, therefore, that we do not trust to these bondes; but let us rather go to the land where all the people are sure and true to us"

• attestation: King Svein sailed eastward along the coast and then directly over to Denmark without delay, where Hardaknut received his brother kindly. (Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 4. King Svein'S Flight.)

  "King Svein sailed eastward along the land, and then set right over to Denmark without delay, and Hardaknut received his brother Svein very kindly."