The Heimskringla on King Eystein Haraldson

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 13. Eystein Haraldson Comes To Norway.

• attestation: Eystein, son of Harald Gille, came from Scotland in spring 1142 and was chosen king at the Eyra-thing on Ascension-day with a third of Norway.

  "Eystein, who was a son of Harald Gille, came in spring from Scotland (A.D. 1142). Arne Sturla, Thorleif Brynjolfson, and Kolbein Hruga had sailed westward over the sea after Eystein, accompanied him to Norway"

• attestation: Eystein's mother was called Bjadok, and she followed him to Norway from Scotland.

  "King Eystein's mother was called Bjadok, and she followed him to Norway."

• attestation: People accepted Eystein's claimed parentage because King Harald himself had testified to it, so no ordeal of iron was required.

  "People believed what he said of his paternal descent, because King Harald himself had testified to it, and he did not resort to the ordeal of iron."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 15. Beginning Of King Eystein.

• attestation: King Eystein Haraldson summoned a bonde-army after hearing of Ottar's murder, and Ottar's relations accused King Sigurd of instigating the killing.

  "King Eystein Haraldson was in the interior of the Throndhjem district when he heard of Ottar's murder, and summoned to him the bonde-army"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 19. Eystein And The Peasants Of Hising Isle.

• attestation: King Eystein Haraldson fought the bondes of Reine and the inhabitants of Hising Isle at a place called Leikberg while he was in Viken.

  "While King Eystein Haraldson was in Viken, he fell into disputes with the bondes of Reine and the inhabitants of Hising Isle, who assembled to oppose him; but he gave them battle at a place called Leikberg"

• attestation: After defeating the bondes at Leikberg, Eystein burnt and destroyed all around Hising, forcing the bondes to submit, pay great fines, and surrender hostages.

  "afterwards burnt and destroyed all around in Hising; so that the bondes submitted to his will, paid great fines to the king, and he took hostages from them"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 20. War Expedition Of King Haraldson.

• attestation: King Eystein began a western expedition in A.D. 1153, sailing first to Caithness.

  "Soon after King Eystein began his journey out of the country over sea to the West (A.D. 1153), and sailed first to Caithness."

• attestation: Eystein captured Earl Harald Maddad's son at Thursa with only three small boats, despite the earl having a ship with thirty banks of oars and nearly eighty men.

  "Earl Harald Maddad's son was in Thursa, to which he sailed directly in three small boats. The earl had a ship of thirty banks of oars, and nearly eighty men in her. But they were not prepared to make resistance, so that King Eystein was able to board the ship with his men; and he took the earl prisoner"

• attestation: Eystein sailed south along east Scotland and plundered the merchant-town of Aberdeen, killing many people.

  "From thence King Eystein sailed south along the east side of Scotland, and brought up at a merchant-town in Scotland called Aberdeen, where he killed many people, and plundered the town."

• attestation: Eystein fought horsemen at Hartlepool, put them to flight, and seized ships there.

  "The next battle was at Hartlepool in the south, with a party of horsemen. The king put them to flight, and seized some ships there."

• attestation: Eystein won a victory at Whitby and burnt the town.

  "Then he went southwards to England, and had his third battle at Whitby, and gained the victory, and burnt the town."

• attestation: Eystein plundered widely in England during the reign of King Stephen.

  "Thereafter he plundered wide around in England, where Stephen was then the king."

• attestation: Eystein fought cavalry at Skarpasker and defeated them.

  "After this King Eystein fought with some cavalry at Skarpasker."

• attestation: Eystein won at Pilavik against the Perthmen and then burnt Langatun, a large village that never recovered.

  "He fought next at Pilavik, and gained the victory."

• attestation: Eystein burnt Langatun, which never recovered to its former condition, and returned to Norway in autumn.

  "Here they burnt Langatun, a large village; and people say that the town has never since risen to its former condition. After this King Eystein left England in autumn, and returned to Norway."

• attestation: People spoke in various ways about Eystein's western expedition, suggesting it was controversial.

  "People spoke in various ways about this expedition."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 22. Habits And Manners Of Harald'S Sons.

• attestation: King Eystein was dark-complexioned, of middle height, prudent and able, but unpopular due to avarice and narrowness.

  "King Eystein was dark and dingy in complexion, of middle height, and a prudent able man; but what deprived him of consideration and popularity with those under him were his avarice and narrowness."

• relationship: Eystein married Ragna, daughter of Nicolas Mase.

  "He was married to Ragna, a daughter of Nicolas Mase."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 26. King Inge And Sigurd Hold A Thing.

• attestation: Eystein and Sigurd held a conference in winter in the Uplands, reportedly planning to reduce King Inge to two or three farms and income for only thirty men.

  "King Inge should have two or three farms, and as much income as would keep thirty men beside him, as he had not health to be a king."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 28. Of King Sigurd'S Fall.

• attestation: Two or three days after, Eystein arrived from the east with thirty ships and Sigurd's son Hakon, but stayed in Floruvagar without entering the town.

  "Two or three days after King Eystein came from the eastward with thirty ships, and had along with him his brother's son Hakon, a son of King Sigurd. Eystein did not come up to the town, but lay in Floruvagar"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 29. Of Gregorius Dagson.

• attestation: King Eystein was in the fjord at Oslo with ships drawn over two miles of frozen sea.

  "King Eystein was up in the fjord at Oslo, and had his ships drawn above two miles over the frozen sea, for there was much ice at that time in Viken."

• attestation: Eystein went to Hofund to capture Gregorius, but Gregorius escaped with ninety men through Thelemark, over the mountains, down to Hardanger, and finally to Erling Skakke's farm at Studla in Etne.

  "King Eystein went up to Hofund to take Gregorius; but he got news of what was on foot, and escaped to Thelemark with ninety men, from thence over the mountains, and came down in Hardanger; and at last to Studla in Etne, to Erling Skakke's farm."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 30. Reconciliation Of Eystein And Inge.

• attestation: The settlement terms gave King Inge thirty marks of gold for the docks and ships, and Gregorius fifteen marks for his burnt property; Philip and his accomplices were outlawed.

  "King Eystein should be bound to pay forty-five marks of gold, of which King Inge should have thirty marks, because King Eystein had occasioned the burning of the docks and ships; and, besides, that Philip, and all who had been accomplices in the deed, should be outlawed. Also that the men should be banished the country"

• attestation: Eystein was displeased with the forced treaty and did not pay the money; the brothers killed each other's friends afterward.

  "King Eystein was ill pleased with these terms, and looked upon the treaty as one forced upon him."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 31. Of Eystein And Inge.

• attestation: Eystein sent Aslak Jonson and Arne Sturla (son of Snaebjorn) with one ship to meet Inge, but Inge's men attacked them, killed many, and took their ship.

  "King Eystein sent the young Aslak Jonson, and Arne Sturla, a son of Snaebjorn, with one ship to meet King Inge; but when the king's men knew them, they assaulted them, killed many of their people, and took all that was in the ship belonging to them."

• attestation: Eystein held a House-thing asking his men to follow him, but Halkel Huk retorted he should let his gold chests follow and defend him instead.

  "Halkel replied, so loud that many heard him, "Let thy chests of gold follow thee, and let them defend thy land.""

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 32. King Eystein'S Death.

• attestation: Many of Eystein's ships rowed away secretly at night, some joining Inge and some going to Bergen or the fjords, leaving Eystein with only ten ships by morning.

  "In the night many of King Eystein's ships rowed secretly away, some of them joining King Inge, some going to Bergen, or up into the fjords; so that when it was daylight in the morning the king was lying behind with only ten ships."

• attestation: Eystein abandoned the Great Dragon, which was heavy to row, cut and destroyed it, started out ale, and destroyed what they could not carry.

  "Then he left the Great Dragon, which was heavy to row, and several other vessels behind; and cut and destroyed the Dragon, started out the ale, and destroyed all that they could not take with them."

• attestation: Eystein boarded Eindride son of Jon Morner's ship and sailed north into Sogn, then traveled east by land to Viken.

  "King Eystein went on board of the ship of Eindride, a son of Jon Morner, sailed north into Sogn, and then took the land-road eastwards to Viken."

• attestation: By the time Eystein reached Fold in the east with 1200 men, Inge's superior force caused his army to scatter into the forest until only one man remained with the king.

  "King Eystein had then got east as far as Fold, and had with him 1200 men; but when they saw King Inge's force, they did not think themselves sufficiently strong to oppose him, and they retired to the forest. Every one fled his own way, so that the king was left with but one man."

• attestation: Eystein requested to hear mass before his death, then lay face-down on the grass and told them to cut the sign of the cross between his shoulders to test if he could bear steel as Inge's followers claimed.

  "Then the king begged that he might hear mass before he died, which accordingly took place. Then Eystein laid himself down on his face on the grass, stretched out his hands on each side, and told them to cut the sign of the cross between his shoulders"

• attestation: Eystein's body was carried to Fors and buried in the middle of Fors church, where a fringed canopy covered his grave, and he was considered a saint.

  "His body was carried to Fors, and lay all night under the hill at the south side of the church. King Eystein was buried in Fors church, and his grave is in the middle of the church-floor, where a fringed canopy is spread over it, and he is considered a saint."

• attestation: Fountains sprang up where Eystein was executed and where his body lay overnight, from which many believed they received cures.

  "Where he was executed, and his blood ran upon the ground, sprang up a fountain, and another under the hill where his body lay all night. From both these waters many think they have received a cure of sickness and pain."

• attestation: Eystein's enemies reportedly poured soup made of boiled dog's flesh on his grave to stop the miracles.

  "many miracles were wrought at King Eystein's grave, until his enemies poured upon it soup made of boiled dog's flesh."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 20. Of Olaf'S Miracle.

• attestation: The events took place during the reigns of Harald Gille's sons Eystein, Inge, and Sigurd, establishing the timeframe.

  "There was a lenderman of Norway while Harald Gille's sons, Eystein, Inge, and Sigurd lived, who was called Eindride Unge"