The Heimskringla on Earl Hakon

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 181. Of King Canute.

• relationship: Earl Hakon was Canute's kinsman.

  "he made his relation Earl Hakon"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 188. Death Of Aslak Fitiaskalle.

• attestation: Court-men from Frekeysund warned Olaf that Earl Hakon and lendermen had arrived with a large force to kill him.

  "they came from Frekeysund, and brought the king tidings that Earl Hakon, and many lendermen with him, had come in the morning to Frekeysund with a large force; "and they will end thy days, sire, if they have strength enough.""

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 65. Beginning Of The Battle Of Nis-River.

• attestation: Earl Hakon did not bind his ships to the main fleet but instead rowed freely against the loose Danish ships, slaying all their crews.

  "Earl Hakon, and the people who followed him, did not make fast their ships in the fleet, but rowed against the Danish ships that were loose, and slew the men of all the ships they came up with."

• attestation: When the other wing of Harald's fleet began failing, Hakon rowed there and delivered such a fierce assault that the Danes retreated, repeatedly saving threatened positions throughout the night.

  "Then the earl rowed thither and gave so severe an assault that the Danes had to retreat before him. The earl went on in this way all the night, coming forward where he was most wanted"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 66. King Svein'S Flight.

• attestation: Earl Hakon's ships were trapped behind the main fleet and could not advance to pursue the fleeing Danes.

  "Earl Hakon lay behind with his ships, while the king and the rest of the forces were pursuing the fugitives; for the earls' ships could not get forward on account of the ships which lay in the way before him."

• attestation: A stout man in a white hat identified himself as 'Vandrad' and asked Earl Hakon for his life from a small boat alongside the earl's ship.

  "The man was stout and had on a white hat. He hailed the ship, "Where is the earl?" said he."

• attestation: Earl Hakon was in the fore-hold of his ship tending to a wounded man's blood when Vandrad appeared.

  "The earl was in the fore-hold, stopping a man's blood."

• attestation: Hakon secretly rescued Vandrad by sending two trusted men to row him ashore to his friend Karl the bonde, providing a horse and Karl's son as guide.

  "Go into the boat; bring Vandrad to the land; attend him to my friend's Karl the bonde; and tell Karl, as a token that these words come from me, that he let Vandrad have the horse which I gave to him yesterday, and also his saddle, and his son to attend him."

• attestation: The escape occurred around daybreak with ships in movement; the earl's men identified themselves to pass through the Norwegian fleet unchallenged.

  "This took place just about daybreak, while the vessels were in movement, some rowing towards the land, some towards the sea"

• attestation: The earl's men returned to his ship and reported the success of their secret mission to rescue the Danish king.

  "the earl's men returned to the boat, rowed to the earl's ship and told the success of their expedition."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 70. Of The Talk Of The Court-Men.

• attestation: Harald's men unanimously agreed that no one in the Nis-river battle had been equal to Earl Hakon in boldness, quickness, and luck, crediting him with winning the battle.

  "They all agreed that no man there had been at all equal to Earl Hakon. He was the boldest in arms, the quickest, and the most lucky; what he did was of the greatest help, and he won the battle."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 71. Of The Attempt To Take Earl Hakon.

• attestation: Earl Hakon wintered in the Uplands where he was beloved by the people, who continued debating his role in the Nis-river battle.

  "Earl Hakon went in winter to the Uplands, and was all winter in his domains. He was much beloved by all the Uplanders."

• attestation: It was revealed in drinking conversation that Hakon's greatest stroke of luck was secretly giving King Svein quarter (saving his life) during the battle.

  "The same man replied, "It was greater luck that he gave King Svein quarter.""

• attestation: Hakon fled with his men and loose property into the forest and then rode east to King Steinkel in Svithjod (Sweden), staying there all summer.

  "Hakon rode away, and came east to Svithjod to King Steinkel and stayed with him all summer."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 72. Of Earl Hakon.

• attestation: Earl Hakon returned to the Uplands in summer 1063 as soon as Harald went north, then retreated east to Vermaland for the winter when Harald came back.

  "As soon as Earl Hakon heard the king had gone north he returned immediately in summer to the Uplands (A.D. 1063), and remained there until the king had returned from the north. Then the earl went east into Vermaland"

• attestation: King Steinkel gave Earl Hakon fiefs in Vermaland, and the earl briefly raided Raumarike in winter with Gautland and Vermaland troops to collect his taxes.

  "the king, Steinkel, gave him fiefs. For a short time in winter he went west to Raumarike with a great troop of men from Gautland and Vermaland, and received the scat and duties from the Upland people which belonged to him"

• attestation: The Upland bondes refused to pay King Harald's taxes, declaring they would pay all dues to Earl Hakon as long as he lived.

  "the Uplanders said they would pay all the scat and dues which they had to pay, to Earl Hakon as long as he was in life, and had forfeited his life or his fief; and the king got no dues that winter."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 74. King Harald'S Battle With Earl Hakon.

• attestation: Earl Hakon was in Gautland with a large armed force raised by the Gautland people.

  "Earl Hakon was then up in Gautland with a large armed force."

• attestation: When Hakon heard of Harald's expedition he retreated rather than fight, letting his Gautland forces protect the land.

  "when the earl got news of the king's expedition he retreated down the country, and would not let the king plunder the land."

• attestation: Earl Hakon carried the same banner that had belonged to King Magnus Olafson.

  "Earl Hakon had the same banner which had belonged to King Magnus Olafson."

• attestation: The Northmen captured Earl Hakon's banner and believed him dead, but as they rode single-file through a forest, a rider galloped across the path, speared the banner-carrier, and recaptured the banner.

  "Suddenly a man came full gallop across the path, struck his spear through him who was carrying the earl's banner, seized the banner-staff, and rode into the forest on the other side with the banner."

• attestation: Some said the earl had taken his revenge by the daring banner recovery, despite losing the battle.

  "many said that the earl had now taken his revenge."