The Heimskringla on King Inge

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 14. Of The Northmen.

• attribution: The Northmen mocked King Inge in verse as a 'fat-hipped king' who had to mount before he could ride.

  "The fat-hipped king, with heavy sides, Finds he must mount before he rides."

• attestation: When ice formed on the Vener lake, King Inge rode down with nearly 300 men and sent a message offering the Northmen safe withdrawal.

  "when the ice set in upon the Vener lake King Inge rode down, and had near 300 men with him. He sent a message to the Northmen who sat in the burgh that they might retire with all the booty they had taken, and go to Norway"

• attestation: Inge assaulted the fortification, filled the ditch with timber and stones, used anchors on spars to pull down the walls, and threw burning brands inside.

  "The king made an assault upon them, and they shot at each other. Then the king ordered timber and stones to be collected, and he filled up the ditch; and then he fastened anchors to long spars which were brought up to the timber-walls, and, by the strength of many hands, the walls were broken down. Thereafter a large pile of wood was set on fire, and the lighted brands were flung in among them"

• attestation: The Northmen surrendered and were forced to march out without weapons or cloaks, each receiving a whip-stroke before departing for Norway.

  "The king ordered them to go out without weapons or cloaks. As they went out each of them received a stroke with a whip, and then they set off for Norway"

• attestation: All the forest-men submitted again to King Inge after the fortress fell.

  "all the forest-men submitted again to King Inge"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 17. Meeting Of The Kings At The Gaut River.

• comparison: Observers noted all three kings were extraordinarily chief-like: Inge was the largest and most dignified, Magnus the most gallant and brisk, and Eirik the most handsome.

  "King Inge was the largest and stoutest, and, from his age, of the most dignified appearance. King Magnus appeared the most gallant and brisk, and King Eirik the most handsome. But they were all handsome men; stout, gallant, and ready in speech"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 1. History Of Kings Sigurd And Inge.

• attestation: Queen Ingerid proceeded east to Viken where her son Inge, fostered by Amunde Gyrdson, was chosen king at a Borgar-thing at age two.

  "Inge was the name of her son by King Harald, and he was then fostered by Amunde Gyrdson, a grandson of Logberse. When they came to Viken a Borgar-thing was immediately called together, at which Inge, who was in the second year of his age, was chosen king."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 2. Of Sigurd Slembidjakn.

• attestation: King Inge met Magnus at Mynne in a great battle; Thjostolf Alason carried the infant King Inge in his belt throughout the fighting.

  "It is related that Thjostolf Alason carried King Inge in his belt as long as the battle lasted, and stood under the banner"

• attestation: King Inge received permanent injuries at Mynne: a humped back, one foot shorter than the other, and infirmity that lasted his whole life.

  "it is commonly said that King Inge got his ill health there, and which he retained as long as he lived, so that his back was knotted into a hump, and the one foot was shorter than the other"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 8. Of King Inge'S Letter To King Sigurd.

• attestation: King Inge sent a letter north reproaching King Sigurd for sitting safely in Nidaros while Inge bore the whole burden of defense in Viken.

  "King Inge sent a letter north to the merchant-town Nidaros, in which were these words: "King Inge Haraldson sends his brother King Sigurd, as also Sadagyrd, Ogmund Svipte, Ottar Birting, and all lendermen""

• attestation: Inge acknowledged their childhood helplessness -- Sigurd five and Inge three years old -- explaining why they needed counsellors to govern.

  ""The misfortune is known to all men that on account of our childhoods--thou being five, and I but three years of age--we can undertake nothing without the counsel of our friends and other good men.""

• attestation: Inge demanded Sigurd come as quickly and strongly armed as possible, warning that refusal would force Inge to come against him with an army.

  ""make it so that thou, as soon as possible, come to me, and as strong in troops as possible, that we may be assembled to meet whatever may come.""

• attestation: Inge complained he could not sustain great expense with so many troops while Sigurd held half of all land-tax and revenues without contributing to defense.

  "we are not in a condition to sit here at so great an expense, and with so numerous a body of troops as are necessary here on account of the enemy, and besides many other pressing charges, whilst thou hast half of all the land-tax and other revenues of Norway."

• attestation: The letter closed with 'Live in the peace of God!' despite its threatening content.

  "Live in the peace of God!"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 10. Fall Of Magnus The Blind.

• attestation: Inge's men let no captured enemy escape, killing over forty on a holm including two Icelanders: priest Sigurd Bergthorson and Clemet son of Are Einarson.

  "They killed upon a holm more than forty men, among whom were two Icelanders--the priest Sigurd Bergthorson, a grandson of Mas; the other Clemet, a son of Are Einarson."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 15. King Inge Hears Of Gregorius'S Fall.

• attestation: When told of Gregorius Dagson's death, King Inge wept like a child and blamed those who gave the worst advice.

  "It is said he took it so much to heart that he cried like a child."

• attestation: Inge swore to march against Hakon immediately, declaring that one of them must die, for even killing all of Hakon's men would not fully avenge Gregorius.

  "Now I make an oath to go forth against Hakon, and one of two things shall happen: I shall either come to my death, or shall walk over Hakon and his people; and such a man as Gregorius is not avenged, even if all were to pay the penalty of their lives for him."

• attestation: Inge lamented that had he been with Gregorius, they would have proceeded more cautiously or shared one lodging in death.

  "I wanted to go to Gregorius as soon as I heard of Haldor's murder; for I thought that Gregorius would not sit long before thinking of revenge."

• attestation: Inge prevented his cousin Kristin, King Sigurd's daughter, from fleeing Oslo, asking her to stay and dress his body if he fell since his friends might not get permission.

  "if I fall, my friends may not get leave to dress my body; but you can ask permission, and it will not be denied you, and you will thereby best requite what I have done for you."

• attestation: Inge blamed his men's devotion to Yule feasts for preventing him from joining Gregorius sooner, saying nothing could move them away.

  "the people here would think nothing so important as their Yule feasts, and nothing could move them away"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 16. Of King Inge.

• attestation: On Saint Blasius' day evening (February 3, 1161), Inge's spies reported Hakon approaching; the king mustered nearly 4000 men in a long array five deep.

  "King Inge ordered the war-horns to call together all the troops up from the town; and when he drew them up he could reckon them to be nearly 4000 men."

• attestation: When urged to stay out of battle due to his poor health, Inge declared that if Gregorius were alive and the situation reversed, he would not hide.

  "The king replied, "I think if Gregorius were alive and here now, and I had fallen and was to be avenged, he would not lie concealed, but would be in the battle.""

• attestation: Inge's brother Orm was proposed as army leader instead of the king, but Inge insisted on fighting personally despite his infirmity.

  "some said that the king should not be himself in the battle, as they thought the risk too great; but that his brother Orm should be the leader of the army."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 17. King Inge'S Speech.

• attestation: When told of the betrayal, Inge said 'Such is the difference between my friends. Never would Gregorius have done so in his life!'

  "King Inge, he said, "Such is the difference between my friends. Never would Gregorius have done so in his life!""

• attestation: Advisers urged Inge to ride to Raumarike for reinforcements, but he refused, saying flight had not helped his brother King Eystein who had many kingly qualities.

  ""I have heard you often say, and I think truly, that it was of little use to my brother, King Eystein, that he took to flight; and yet he was a man distinguished for many qualities which adorn a king.""

• attestation: Inge's speech reviewed his entire reign: chosen king at two, now twenty-five, with more misfortune than pleasure, many battles, and never fleeing.

  "I was in the second year of my age when I was chosen king of Norway, and I am now twenty-five; and I think I have had misfortune and sorrow under my kingly dignity, rather than pleasure and peaceful days."

• attestation: Inge concluded with 'God will dispose of my life, and of how long it shall be; but I shall never betake myself to flight.'

  "God will dispose of my life, and of how long it shall be; but I shall never betake myself to flight."

• attestation: Inge acknowledged his great decrepitude and how different his fate would be compared to Eystein's if he fled.

  "Now I, who labour under so great decrepitude, can see how bad my fate would be, if I betook myself to what proved so unfortunate for him; with so great a difference as there is between our activity, health, and strength."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 18. King Inge'S Fall.

• attestation: After Jon's betrayal dispersed King Inge's army, an assault was made on the king's banner near daybreak, and King Inge fell in the fighting.

  "An assault was made against King Inge's banner, and in this conflict King Inge fell"