The Heimskringla on Harek of Thjotta

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 82. Of Harek Of Thjotta.

• attestation: Harek, recognizing he was outnumbered and outmatched, swore an oath to let the brothers navigate.

  "As a single man, he was not better than one of those brothers, even if he had been as well armed; so it appeared to him wisest to let them determine the course to steer, and bound himself by oath to abide by this condition"

• attestation: Harek was eager to leave as quickly as possible after his release.

  "Harek was well pleased to get away as fast as he could"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 83. Eyvind Kinrifa'S Death.

• attestation: Harek left Nidaros quickly while Sigurd and Hauk stayed and were baptized.

  "Harek of Thjotta went away from the town as fast as he could; but Hauk and Sigurd remained in the king's house, and both took baptism"

• attestation: Harek sent a message to Eyvind Kinrifa warning that Olaf planned to come north in summer, and inviting Eyvind to visit.

  "He sent immediately a message to his friend Eyvind Kinrifa, with the word that he had been with King Olaf; but would not let himself be cowed down to accept Christianity. The message at the same time informed him that King Olaf intended coming to the north in summer against them"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 84. Halogaland Made Christian.

• attestation: Harek entered Olaf's service and received fiefs and the privileges of a lendsman.

  "he entered into the king's service, and got fiefs, and the privileges of lendsman from the king"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 110. Of Harek Of Thjotta.

• attestation: Harek was the son of Eyvind Skaldaspiller and dwelt on the island of Thjotta in Halogaland.

  "a man by name Harek, a son of Eyvind Skaldaspiller, who dwelt in an island called Thjotta in Halogaland"

• attestation: Harek acquired all the land on Thjotta by buying out the small bondes and built a large head-mansion.

  "Harek began with buying a farm not very large and lived on it, and in a few years he had got all the bondes that were there before out of the way; so that he had the whole island, and built a large head-mansion"

• relationship: Harek's grandmother Gunhild was a daughter of Earl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg was Harald Harfager's daughter.

  "Harek's father's mother Gunhild was a daughter of Earl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg, Harald Harfager's daughter"

• attestation: Harek was the most respected man in Halogaland and long held the Lapland trade and conducted the king's business there.

  "Harek was the most respected man in Halogaland, and for a long time had the Lapland trade, and did the king's business in Lapland"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 111. Of The People Of Halogaland.

• attestation: Harek of Thjotta hosted a feast for the king and was made lenderman with the same privileges as under former chiefs.

  "Harek of Thjotta also made a feast for the king, at which there was a great multitude of guests, and the feast was very splendid. Harek was made lenderman, and got the same privileges he had enjoyed under the former chiefs of the country"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 132. The Murder Of Asbjorn Selsbane.

• attestation: Harek objected that former sovereigns had not diminished the rights of those entitled by birth, giving offices to peasants.

  "the former sovereigns had not been in use to diminish our rights who are entitled by birth to hold powers from the king, and to give them into the hands of the peasants who never before held such offices"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 150. Dispute Between Harek And Asmund.

• attestation: Harek of Thjotta claimed a rock that had historically belonged to Grankel's farm, which provided seal, bird, fishing, and egg-gathering resources.

  "There lies a rock out in the sea, on which there is both seal and bird catching, and a fishing ground, and egg-gathering; and from old times it had been an appendage to the farm which Grankel owned, but now Harek of Thjotta laid claim to it."

• attestation: Harek accused Asmund of having killed chiefs and left their deaths unpaid for by any mulct.

  "It has succeeded with thee to kill some chiefs, and leave their slaughter unpaid for by any mulct"

• attestation: Harek accepted the beating of his servants without outward reaction, saying only that it was news that seldom happened.

  "Harek replies, "That is called news indeed that seldom happens; never before has it happened that my people have been beaten.""

• attestation: Harek noted it was no disgrace to obey the king's decision, regardless of the case outcome.

  "Harek observed it was no disgrace to obey the king's decision, whatever way the case itself was decided."

• attestation: Harek rigged out a well-equipped cutter of twenty rowing seats to attend the levy.

  "Harek rigged out a cutter of twenty seats of rowers, and manned it with his house-servants, and the ship was remarkably well fitted out"

• attestation: Harek claimed Asmund was far from his equal in family status.

  "thou art far from being my equal in family."

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 168. Harek Of Thjotta'S Voyage.

• attestation: Harek of Thjotta refused to march overland, declaring himself old, heavy, and unwilling to part with his ship.

  "It is evident that I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am old and heavy, and little accustomed to walking. Besides, I am unwilling to part with my ship"

• attribution: Harek composed a verse declaring he would sail his ship through the Sound rather than walk, regardless of Canute blocking the passage.

  "I'11 mount my ocean steed, And o'er the sea I'll speed; Forests and hills are not for me,-- I love the moving sea"

• attestation: Harek disguised his ship by lowering the mast, removing the vane and flag, and covering the upper works with grey canvas.

  "he let the sail and the vane, and flag and mast be taken down, and let the upper works of the ship be covered over with some grey tilt-canvas, and let a few men sit at the oars"

• attestation: Once past the Sound, Harek raised the mast, hoisted a white sail with red and blue stripes, and displayed a gilded vane.

  "he raised the mast, hoisted sail, and set up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow, and in it were red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven."

• attribution: Harek composed a mocking verse about the Danish widows as he sailed north past Vedrey.

  "The widows of Lund may smile through their tears, The Danish girls may have their jeers"

• attestation: Harek sailed all the way north to his home in Thjotta in Halogaland without stopping.

  "Harek went on his way, and never stopped till he came north to Halogaland, to his own house in Thjotta."

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 179. Harek Of Thjotta Burns Grankel And His Men.

• attestation: In spring 1028 Harek of Thjotta took revenge on Asmund Grankelson for plundering and beating his house-servants by sailing overnight with about eighty men to Grankel's house.

  "The same spring (A.D. 1028) it happened in Halogaland that Harek of Thjotta remembered how Asmund Grankelson had plundered and beaten his house-servants."

• attestation: Harek surrounded Grankel's house, set fire to it, and burned Grankel and his people; about thirty men died in the attack, some killed outside.

  "They then made an attack on the house, and set fire to it; and Grankel with his people were burnt, and some were killed outside; and in all about thirty men lost their lives."

• attestation: Harek returned home and sat quietly on his farm; since Asmund was with King Olaf, nobody in Halogaland sued Harek for the killings.

  "After this deed Harek returned home, and sat quietly in his farm. Asmund was with King Olaf when he heard of it; therefore there was nobody in Halogaland to sue Harek for mulct for this deed"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 231. Of The Lendermen.

• attestation: Harek declined the leadership on grounds of age and his kinship with King Olaf, proposing Thorer Hund instead.

  "I am now," says he, "an old and decaying man, not able to do much in battle: besides, there is near relationship between me and King Olaf"

• attestation: Harek argued Thorer Hund should lead because he had to avenge his relative Asbjorn and had been outlawed by Olaf.

  "thou hast to avenge the death of thy relation, and also hast been driven by him as an outlaw from thy property."

• attestation: Harek reminded Thorer that King Canute had extracted a promise from Thorer to avenge the murder of Asbjorn.

  "Thou hast also promised King Canute, as well as thy connections, to avenge the murder of thy relative Asbjorn"

• relationship: Harek of Thjotta was descended from Harald Harfager's race.

  "he was descended from Harald Harfager's race"

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 244. Of The Bondes Of Veradal.

• attestation: The Veradal bondes complained to Harek and Thorer that fleeing king's men were destroying their habitations along the valley.

  "The fugitives who have escaped from the battle have proceeded up over the valley of Veradal, and are destroying our habitations"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 13. Of The Murder Of Harek Of Thjotta.

• attestation: Harek of Thjotta remained on his farm until Magnus became king, then traveled south to Throndhjem

  "Harek of Thjotta sat at home on his farm, till King Magnus Olafson came to the country and was made king. Then Harek went south to Throndhjem to King Magnus."