The Heimskringla on Einar
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 27. Of Earl Torfeinar'S Obtaining Orkney.
attestation: Einar volunteered to go to Orkney after Ragnvald's displeasure with Hallad, despite his father saying his slave-born kin brought little hope of honor
"Earl Ragnvald replied, that he would be glad if he never came back; "For there is little hope," said he, "that thou will ever be an honour to thy friends, as all thy kin on thy mother's side are born slaves.""
attestation: Einar defeated and killed the vikings Thorer Treskeg and Kalf Skurfa upon arriving at the Orkney Islands
"When he came to the Orkney Isles, two vikings, Thorer Treskeg and Kalf Skurfa, were in his way with two vessels. He attacked them instantly, gained the battle, and slew the two vikings."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 31. Halfdan Haleg'S Death.
attestation: Einar returned around harvest time and defeated Halfdan in a short battle, after which Halfdan fled that same night.
"came back soon after about harvest time, unnoticed by Halfdan. They met and after a short battle Halfdan fled the same night."
attestation: Einar's men found Halfdan Haleg hiding on the isle of Rinansey, alternately raising and lowering himself.
"What is that I see upon the isle of Rinansey? Is it a man or a bird? Sometimes it raises itself up, and sometimes lies down again."
attribution: Before the battle, Einar composed a verse taunting his brothers Hrollaug, Rolf Ganger, and Thorer for not avenging their father Ragnvald's murder.
"Where is the spear of Hrollaug? where Is stout Rolf Ganger's bloody spear!"
attestation: Einar executed Halfdan Haleg by cutting a blood eagle on his back, splitting the ribs from the backbone and tearing out his lungs.
"Earl Einar went up to Halfdan, and cut a spread eagle upon his back, by striking his sword through his back into his belly, dividing his ribs from the backbone down to his loins, and tearing out his lungs"
attribution: After killing Halfdan, Einar composed a verse celebrating his vengeance for Ragnvald's death and calling for a burial mound to be raised.
"For Ragnvald's death my sword is red: Of vengeance it cannot be said That Einar's share is left unsped."
attestation: Einar retook possession of the Orkney Isles after killing Halfdan.
"Then Earl Einar took possession of the Orkney Isles as before."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 32. Harald And Einar Reconciled.
attribution: Einar composed defiant verses about killing Halfdan on Rinansey and challenging King Harald's authority.
"but Halfdan's gore Is red on Rinansey's wild shore."
attestation: After negotiation, Einar submitted the dispute to King Harald's judgment, and Harald fined Einar and the Orkney people sixty marks of gold.
"the earl submitted the case altogether to the king's decision, and the king condemned the earl Einar and the Orkney people to pay a fine of sixty marks of gold."
attestation: Einar offered to pay the entire fine himself in exchange for the bondes surrendering their udal lands to him, which they agreed to.
"the earl offered to pay the whole if they would surrender their udal lands to him. This they all agreed to do"
attestation: Through this arrangement, the earls of Orkney possessed all the udal lands until Sigurd son of Hlodver restored the udal rights.
"Thus the earl paid the whole fine to the king, who returned in harvest to Norway. The earls for a long time afterwards possessed all the udal lands in Orkney, until Sigurd son of Hlodver gave back the udal rights."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 100. Of The Earls Einar And Bruse.
- attestation: Einar took two-thirds of Orkney and oppressed the bondes with heavy levies and viking expeditions, causing dearth and scarcity.
"Then Einar took possession of two parts of the country, by which he became a powerful man, surrounded by many followers"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 101. Of Thorkel Amundason.
attestation: Thorkel interceded with Earl Einar on behalf of bondes oppressed by heavy levies; the earl reduced the levy but warned Thorkel not to ask again.
"Thorkel spoke on account of the people, and entreated the earl to spare the people from such heavy burdens"
attestation: When Thorkel interceded a second spring, Earl Einar threatened that they would not both come to the next Thing in whole skin.
"worked himself up into such a rage, that he vowed they should not both come next spring to the Thing in a whole skin"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 102. The Agreement Of The Earls.
attestation: Many powerful men fled Orkney due to Earl Einar's violence, most going to Caithness under Earl Thorfin or to Norway.
"There were many powerful men who fled from their udal properties in Orkney on account of Earl Einar's violence, and the most fled over to Caithness to Earl Thorfin"
attestation: Earl Einar continued viking expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and Bretland.
"Earl Einar was generally on viking expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and Bretland"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 103. Eyvind Urarhorn'S Murder.
attestation: In summer 1018 AD Earl Einar fought Irish king Konofogor in Ulfreks-fjord and suffered a great defeat.
"One summer (A.D. 1018) that Earl Einar marauded in Ireland, he fought in Ulfreks-fjord with the Irish king Konofogor, as has been related before, and suffered there a great defeat"
attestation: Earl Einar captured Eyvind Urarhorn at Osmundwall, ordered him killed, but spared most of his crew.
"When Earl Einar heard of this, he hastened thither with many people, took Eyvind prisoner, and ordered him to be put to death, but spared the lives of most of his people"
attestation: Thorkel narrowly escaped Einar's murder attempt in Orkney and fled back to Caithness, then went east to Norway to King Olaf.
"Thorkel came suddenly back to Caithness from Orkney, and told Earl Thorfin that he had learnt that Earl Einar would have murdered him if his friends and relations had not given him notice to escape"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 104. Earl Einar'S Murder.
attestation: Thorkel and Einar agreed to exchange feasts; Einar went first as Thorkel's guest at Sandwick.
"Thorkel Fosterer was to be in peace and friendship with Earl Einar; and it was agreed that each of them should give a feast to the other, and that the earl should first be Thorkel's guest at Sandwick"
attestation: Thorkel's scouts discovered three ambushes set by Einar along their travel route.
"The spies came back, and said to Thorkel they had discovered three ambushes. "And we think," said they, "there is deceit on foot.""
attestation: Thorkel struck Earl Einar dead with a blow to the head inside the feasting hall, aided by an Icelander from Eastfjord named Halvard.
"Thorkel went in between the fire and the place where the earl was sitting. The earl asked, "Art thou ready at last, Thorkel?" Thorkel answers, "Now I am ready;" and struck the earl upon the head so that he fell upon the floor"
attestation: Nobody avenged Einar because the killing was done quickly, many present were Thorkel's friends, and most were unarmed.
"He was already dead, so nobody thought of avenging him: and also the whole was done so quickly; for nobody expected such a deed from Thorkel"
attestation: Einar delayed his departure from the feast and grew impatient while Thorkel deliberately stalled.
"The earl told him to get ready, as it was time to be on horseback. Thorkel answered, that he had many things to put in order first, and went out and in frequently"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 134. King Olaf'S Message To Iceland, And The Counsels Of The Icelanders.
attestation: Gudmund's brother Einar was noted for having the clearest insight into most things but had not yet spoken.
"some asked why his brother Einar did not speak on the subject. "We think he has the clearest insight into most things.""
attestation: Einar warned that ceding Grimsey would lead to Iceland paying land-scat to King Olaf and becoming enslaved to Norwegian kings forever.
"our countrymen might just as well make themselves at once liable to land-scat to King Olaf, and submit to all his exactions as he has them among his people in Norway; and this heavy burden we will lay not only upon ourselves, but on our sons, and their sons, and all our race"
attestation: Einar argued that to preserve Iceland's freedom since first settlement, they must not give the king any spot to establish a foothold.
"if the people of this country will preserve the freedom they have enjoyed since the land was first inhabited, it is not advisable to give the king the smallest spot to fasten himself upon the country by"
attestation: Einar warned that Grimsey could support a war-force of longships, bringing distress to every peasant's door.
"as to Grimsey Isle, I have to say, that although nothing is drawn from it that can serve for food, yet it could support a great war-force cruising from thence in long-ships; and then, I doubt not, there would be distress enough at every poor peasant's door"
attestation: Einar supported sending voluntary gifts like hawks, horses, tents, and sails, but not anything resembling duty or scat.
"I think it very proper that the people send the king such friendly presents of hawks or horses, tents or sails, or such things which are suitable gifts"
attestation: After Einar's speech, the whole community rejected the proposal, and Thorarin saw the result of his errand.
"When Einar had thus explained the proper connection of the matter, the whole community were of one mind that such a thing should not be permitted; and Thorarin saw sufficiently well what the result of his errand was to be"
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 10. The Rise Of War In Konungahella.
- attestation: Einar brought news of the attack to the Castle church where all inhabitants were gathered for high mass; some hoped it was the Danish king Eirik bringing peace.
"Einar, a relation of priest Andres, brought these tidings up to the Castle church; for there the whole inhabitants of the town were gathered to hear high mass."
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 25. Miracles Of King Olaf On Richard.
attestation: Einar and Andres, sons of Guthorm Grabard, were wealthy Upland men of great family and brothers of King Sigurd Haraldson's mother.
"In the Uplands were two brothers, men of great family, and men of fortune, Einar and Andres, sons of Guthorm Grabard, and brothers of King Sigurd Haraldson's mother"
attestation: The brothers lured Richard away from home under a pretext of travel and had their servant strike him with an axe-hammer.
"enticed him from home with them, saying that they intended to go to another district, where they had some needful business, and inviting him to go with them."
attestation: Einar gouged out both of Richard's eyes using a wedge and axe, and they cut out his tongue twice and a third time to the roots.
"Then the elder brother, Einar, took a wedge, and put it on the priest's eye, and the servant who stood beside him struck upon it with an axe, so that the eye flew out"
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 28. Of King Sigurd'S Fall.
- attestation: Einar son of Laxapaul, one of Sigurd's men, fell at the gates, and Halvard Gunnarson was shot in a loft.
"there in the port fell Einar, a son of Laxapaul, who was of Sigurd's people, together with Halvard Gunnarson, who was shot in a loft, and nobody lamented his death."