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The Heimskringla on Earl Svein

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 39. Of Earl Svein'S Proceedings.

attestation: Earl Svein was at Steinker, a merchant town in the Throndhjem fjord, preparing for the Yule festival in A.D. 1015.

"Earl Svein was at that time far up in the Throndhjem fjord at Steinker, which at that time was a merchant town, and was there preparing for the yule festival (A.D. 1015)"
attestation: Earl Svein immediately loaded his longship with movable goods, provisions, and people, then rowed out during the night to escape Olaf.

"immediately, in the evening, he ordered all his movable goods, his people's clothes, and also meat and drink, as much as the vessel could carry, to be put on board, rowed immediately out in the night-time"
attestation: At Skarnsund, Svein spotted Olaf's fleet rowing into the fjord and hid his ship near the rocks at Masarvik, using cut trees to camouflage it.

"There he saw King Olaf rowing in with his fleet into the fjord. The earl turned towards the land within Masarvik, where there was a thick wood, and lay so near the rocks that the leaves and branches hung over the vessel"
attestation: Once Olaf's fleet passed, Svein rowed out of the fjord to Frosta, where his kingdom lay, and landed there.

"when the king's fleet was out of sight the earl rowed out of the fjord, and on to Frosta, where his kingdom lay, and there he landed"

relationship: Earl Svein sent for his brother-in-law Einar Tambaskelfer from Gaulardal to plan a counterattack against Olaf.

"Earl Svein sent men out to Gaulardal to his brother-in-law, Einar Tambaskelfer; and when Einar came the earl told him how it had been with him and King Olaf"
attestation: The earl followed Einar's advice and went to Stjoradal for guest-quarters among the bondes.

"Einar's advice was taken; and the earl went to Stjoradal, into guest-quarters among the bondes"

attestation: Earl Svein had collected half the harbour-dues from Iceland traders in autumn A.D. 1014 as was customary for the earls.

"Earl Svein had, according to custom, taken one half of the harbour-dues from the Iceland ship-traders about autumn (A.D. 1014); for the Earls Eirik and Hakon had always taken one half of these"

attestation: Earl Svein and Einar Tambaskelfer gathered nearly 2000 armed men and approached Nidaros via Gaulardal.

"Earl Svein and Einar Tambaskelfer gathered a large armed force, with which they came by the upper road into Gaulardal, and so down to Nidaros, with nearly 2000 men"

attestation: After Yule A.D. 1015, Earl Svein gathered all men of the Throndhjem country, proclaimed a levy, and fitted out ships.

"After Yule (A.D. 1015) Earl Svein gathers all the men of the Throndhjem country, proclaims a levy for an expedition, and fits out ships"
attestation: Earl Svein's combined fleet sailed eastward to Viken and arrived at Nesjar near the end of Easter in A.D. 1015.

"Earl Svein ran in there towards the end of Easter. The earl steered his fleet to Grenmar, and ran into Nesjar (A.D. 1015)"

attestation: Many of Svein's men fell and some jumped overboard as Olaf's men stormed the decks.

"Now was the severest fighting. Many of Svein's men fell, and some sprang overboard"
attestation: Earl Svein ordered cables cut to free his ship when he saw defeat approaching, and King Olaf's men threw grapplings to hold it.

"the earl saw how it was going, he called out to his forecastle-men to cut the cables and cast the ship loose, which they did. Then the king's men threw grapplings over the timber heads of the ship"
attestation: Earl Svein ordered the timber heads cut away so his ship could escape the grapplings.

"the earl ordered the timber heads to be cut away, which was done"
attestation: Earl Svein's entire fleet then fled from the fjord.

"Thereafter the whole of the earl's fleet took to flight, and rowed out of the fjord"

attestation: After the Battle of Nesjar, some of Earl Svein's men fled inland while others surrendered.

"Now some of the earl's men fled up the country, some surrendered at discretion"
attestation: Earl Svein and Einar sailed across Folden while Erling Skialgson returned north to his lands and kept many men about him.

"The earl sailed across Folden, and with him Einar Tambaskelfer. Erling Skialgson again, and likewise many other lendermen who would not abandon their udal possessions, went north to their homes"

attribution: Sigvat composed verses boasting that few of Svein's northerners returned home from the Sunday battle.

"The tale I tell is true To their homes returned but few Of Svein's men who came to meet King Olaf's gallant fleet"

attestation: Earl Svein went to his brother-in-law Olaf the Swedish king to report what had happened and seek counsel.

"Earl Svein went first to Svithjod to his brother-in-law Olaf the Swedish king, told him all that had happened between him and Olaf the Thick, and asked his advice"
attestation: Earl Svein chose military aid to retake Norway, and they planned a winter march through Helsingjaland and Jamtaland into Throndhjem.

"it was resolved that in winter they should take the land-way over Helsingjaland and Jamtaland, and so down into the Throndhjem land"
attestation: Meanwhile, they planned a summer viking cruise in the Baltic to gather resources.

"it was determined to take a cruise in summer in the Baltic to gather property"

attestation: Earl Svein went east to Russia on a marauding cruise in summer A.D. 1015.

"Earl Svein went eastward with his forces to Russia, and passed the summer (A.D. 1015) in marauding there"
attestation: Earl Svein fell ill and died upon returning to Sweden in autumn.

"on the approach of autumn returned with his ships to Svithjod. There he fell into a sickness, which proved fatal"
attestation: After Earl Svein's death, some followers remained in Sweden while others traveled through Helsingjaland, Jamtaland, and over the ridge to Throndhjem, spreading the news.

"After the earl's death some of the people who had followed him remained in Svithjod; others went to Helsingjaland, thence to Jamtaland, and so from the east over the dividing ridge of the country to the Throndhjem district"
attestation: The truth of Earl Svein's death became known in A.D. 1016.

"thus the truth of Earl Svein's death was known (A.D. 1016)"

attestation: When the Throndhjem people confirmed Earl Svein was dead and would not return, they submitted to King Olaf.

"the Throndhjem people, when they heard for certain that the earl was dead. and could not be expected back to Norway, turned all to obedience to King Olaf"