The Heimskringla on Harald Grafeld
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > Preliminary Remarks
- attestation: The reign of King Harald and Earl Hakon is more fully described in Olaf Trygvason's Saga.
"The reign of King Harald and Earl Hakon is more fully described in the next saga, that is, Olaf Trygvason's."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 1. Government Of The Sons Of Eirik.
attestation: When Harald heard Eyvind's counter-song, he threatened Eyvind's life, but friends mediated so Eyvind became Harald's skald.
"when King Harald came to hear of it, he laid a charge against Evyind affecting his life; but friends made up the quarrel, on the condition that Eyvind should in future be Harald's skald"
attestation: When Harald heard the critical verse, he summoned Eyvind and accused him of being unfaithful.
"when King Harald heard this song, he sent a message to Eyvind to come to him, and when Eyvind came made a charge against him of being unfaithful."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 2. Christianity Of Gunhild'S Sons.
- attestation: Glum Geirason's verse says Harald understood twelve arts or more and had enough of Heimdal's teeth (gold).
"Had Heimdal's teeth (1) enough in store, And understood twelve arts or more."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 3. Councils By Gunhild And Her Sons.
- attestation: Harald replied that Earl Sigurd was of high birth, powerful, and popular, making him dangerous to attack.
"It is not so easy, mother, to cut off Earl Sigurd as to slay a kid or a calf. Earl Sigurd is of high birth, powerful in relations, popular, and prudent"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 4. Gunhild'S Sons And Grjotgard.
attestation: King Harald sent messengers to Throndhjem offering friendship to Earl Sigurd, hoping to lure him into a meeting.
"King Harald sent messengers to Throndhjem with offers of friendship, and with presents."
attestation: Earl Sigurd declined to visit Harald, citing his many affairs, but sent friendly gifts in return.
"The Earl Sigurd received well the king's messengers and friendly message, but said that on account of his many affairs he could not come to the king."
attestation: Harald and Gunhild recruited Grjotgard to spy on Earl Sigurd and help them attack him by surprise, promising Grjotgard the earldom.
"the king promised Grjotgard that he should be his earl, and have the same government that Sigurd had. It came so far that a secret agreement was made between them, that Grjotgard should spy out the most favourable opportunity of attacking by surprise Earl Sigurd"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 5. Sigurd Burnt In A House In Stjoradal
attestation: Harald and Erling burned Earl Sigurd alive at Oglo, along with all his men.
"Late in the night they came to Oglo, where Earl Sigurd was at the feast, and set fire to the house; and burnt the house, the earl, and all his men."
attestation: After the burning, Harald and Erling departed through the fjord southward to More.
"As soon as it was daylight, they set out through the fjord, and south to More, where they remained a long time."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 7. Of Harald Grafeld.
attestation: King Hakon and his brothers often resided in Hordaland, Rogaland, and Hardanger.
"King Hakon had generally his seat in Hordaland and Rogaland, and also his brothers; but very often, also, they went to Hardanger."
attestation: King Harald wrapped himself in a gray skin, prompting his entire retinue and then many others to buy the same skins.
"On this the king wrapped himself up in a gray-skin, and went back to his boat; but before they rowed away from the ship, every man in his suite bought such another skin as the king wore for himself."
attestation: Harald received the nickname Grafeld (Grayskin) from this incident of wearing the gray skin.
"thereafter the king was called Harald Grafeld (Grayskin)."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 9. King Trygve Olafson'S Murder.
attestation: During farewell drinking, a quarrel erupted between King Harald and King Gudrod Eiriksson over who was the greater king, nearly leading to battle.
"comparisons between different men, and at last between the kings themselves. One said that King Harald excelled his brothers by far, and in every way. On this King Gudrod was very angry, and said that he was in no respect behind Harald, and was ready to prove it."
attestation: Gudrod Eiriksson sailed eastward while Harald went to sea, ostensibly westward but actually circling east along the coast.
"Gudrod sailed east ward along the land, and Harald went out to sea, saying he would go to the westward; but when he came outside of the islands he steered east along the coast"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 10. King Gudrod'S Fall.
attestation: King Harald sailed secretly to Viken, arriving at Tunsberg by night.
"King Harald sailed far outside of the rocks and isles; but set his course to Viken, and came in the night-time to Tunsberg"
attestation: Harald learned that Gudrod Bjornson was feasting nearby, surrounded him at night, and killed him along with many of his men.
"King Harald set out immediately with his followers, came in the night, and surrounded the house. King Gudrod Bjornson went out with his people; but after a short resistance he fell, and many men with him."
attestation: After Gudrod Bjornson's death, Harald joined his brother King Gudrod Eiriksson and together they subdued all Viken.
"Then King Harald joined his brother King Gudrod, and they subdued all Viken."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 14. Sigurd Slefa'S Murder.
attestation: King Harald Grayskin led a summer expedition to Bjarmaland, fighting a great battle on the banks of the Dwina river and taking enormous booty.
"One summer Harald Grayskin with his troops went north to Bjarmaland, where be forayed, and fought a great battle with the inhabitants on the banks of the Vina (Dwina)."
attestation: The bondes of Vors attacked Harald and Sigurd at a Thing, forcing them to flee separately.
"There the bondes fell on them, and would have killed them, but they escaped and took different roads."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 15. Grjotgard'S Fall.
- attestation: In 968, King Harald Grafeld and his brother King Gudrod gathered a great army in the east and marched north to Throndhjem.
"King Harald Grafeld and his brother King Gudrod gathered together a great army in the east country, with which they set out northwards to Throndhjem (A.D. 968)."
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 16. King Erling'S Fall.
attestation: King Harald Grafeld and his brothers marched north to Throndhjem and met no opposition, levying taxes and heavy penalties on the bondes.
"King Harald Grafeld and his brothers proceeded northwards to Throndhjem, where they met no opposition. They levied the scat-duties, and all other revenues, and laid heavy penalties upon the bondes"
attestation: King Erling remained behind in Throndhjem after Harald went south in autumn 968, raising heavy contributions from the bondes.
"King Harald went south with the greater part of the men-at-arms, but King Erlin remained behind with his men. He raised great contributions from the bondes, and pressed severely on them"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 2. Of Gunhild S Sons.
- attestation: Harald and Gudrod heard a rumor that Astrid was pregnant with Trygve's child but went north without pursuing her.
"A loose report came to their ears that she was pregnant to King Trygve; but they soon went away northwards"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 11. Harald Gormson'S Message To Norway.
- attestation: Harald Grafeld's advisors were divided about the journey's danger, but most favored going because of the famine in Norway.
"Some thought that the expedition was not without its danger, on account of the men with whom they had to deal; but the most were in haste to begin the journey, for at that time there was such a famine in Norway that the kings could scarcely feed their men-at-arms"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 12. Treachery Of Harald And Hakon.
- attestation: Harald Grafeld sailed to Denmark in summer 969 with three longships, landing at Limfjord in Jutland.
"Harald Grafeld went to Denmark in the summer (A.D. 969) with three long-ships; and Herse Arinbjorn, from the Fjord district, commanded one of them. King Harald sailed from Viken over to Limfjord in Jutland"
Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 13. Death Of Harald Grafeld.
attestation: Harald Grafeld advanced foremost, hewing down on each side, urging his men with brave words.
"Before the lines came together Harald Grafeld urged on his men, and told them to draw their swords. He himself advanced the foremost of the troop, hewing down on each side."
attestation: Herse Arinbjorn fell alongside most of King Harald's men in the battle.
"The most of King Harald's men fell with him. There also fell Herse Arinbjorn."
attestation: Harald Grafeld's death occurred fifteen years after Hakon Athelstan's foster-son died and thirteen years after Earl Sigurd of Hlader's death.
"This happened fifteen years after the death of Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, and thirteen years after that of Sigurd earl of Hlader."