The Gesta Danorum (Books I-IX) on Gotar

The Danish History, > Book Five.

• attestation: Gotar, King of Norway, planned to invade Denmark believing the Danes were discontented with Frode

  "When Gotar, the King of Norway, heard this, he assembled his soldiers, and said that the Danes were disgusted with their own king, and longed for another"

• attestation: Gotar gave Erik the byname Shrewd-spoken for his wise counsel

  "Gotar, who had hitherto held him a man of no parts, now marvelled that he had graced his answer with sentences so choice and weighty, and gave him the name of Shrewd-spoken"

• attestation: Gotar sent Hrafn to raid the Danes

  "by leave of Gotar, the task of making a raid on the Danes fell to one Hrafn"

• attestation: Gotar desired Gunwar for himself and planned to take her from Erik, offering his own daughter in exchange

  "he feared that his immense self-confidence would lead him to plan the worst against the Norwegians, and was anxious to take his wife from him and marry him to his own daughter in her place"

• attestation: Gotar's queen had recently died, intensifying his desire to marry the sister of Frode

  "his queen had just died, and he was anxious to marry the sister of Frode more than anyone"

• attestation: Gotar offered his daughter to Erik rather than Frode, wanting alliance with Frode through Gunwar instead

  "he wished for the sister of Frode, but would rather offer his own daughter to Frode's envoy, that Erik might not repent the passing of his own wife to another man"

• attestation: Gotar gave Erik the district of Lither in addition to his daughter's hand in marriage

  "not satisfied with giving him his daughter in marriage he also made over to him the district of Lither"

• attestation: Gotar was bewildered by finding the same face in both halls no matter how often he checked

  "as often as he changed to go from one hall to the other, he found her whom he sought in either place"

• attestation: Gotar escorted Alfhild and Erik to their wedding chamber as was customary

  "when the revel broke up, he courteously escorted his daughter and Erik as far as their room, as the manner is at weddings"

• attestation: Gotar sent two assassins to kill Erik if found with Gunwar

  "the king sent two men privily into the bedroom of Erik to learn the truth, and bade them stand behind the hangings and note all things carefully. They further received orders to kill Erik if they found him with Gunwar"

• attestation: Gotar fled by ship thinking the enemy was attacking, while Brak's men plundered the palace

  "When the king heard this, he thought it meant that the enemy was upon them, and made off hastily in a ship. Meanwhile Brak, and those who had broken in with him, snatched up the goods of the king"

• attestation: Gotar pursued Erik but his fleet was stranded at the harbor now called Omi, where famine led to mutual slaughter among his men

  "he sailed to the harbour which is now called Omi. Here the weather began to be bad, provision failed, and they thought it better, since die they must, to die by the sword than by famine"

• attestation: Gotar equipped an army to punish Erik, and Frode prepared a fleet against Norway

  "Gotar, in order to punish Erik, equipped his army for war: and Frode, on the other side, equipped a great fleet to go against Norway"

• attestation: Gotar attacked Frode's fleet and was killed in the engagement

  "Then Gotar attacked the fleet of the Danes; he was unsuccessful in the engagement, and slain"

The Danish History, > Book Eight.

• attestation: Gotar blamed Siward for the treachery and prepared to avenge the wrong by arms

  "Gotar judged that this affair had been inspired by Siward, and prepared to avenge his wrongs by arms"