The Heimskringla on King Olaf the Saint

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 11. King Olaf'S Shrine.

• attestation: King Olaf's holy day was established by law as the greatest Church day in all Norway

  "It was also appointed by law that King Olaf's holy day should be held sacred over all Norway, and that day has been kept ever afterwards as the greatest of Church days."

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

• attestation: In the dream, Olaf the Saint promised to be with Magnus in battle and told him to prepare for battle when he heard his trumpet

  "Be not afraid of heathens, although they be many; for I shall be with thee in the battle. Prepare, therefore, to give battle to the Vindlanders, when thou hearest my trumpet."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 14. King Olaf'S Miracle And Blinding The Greek Emperor.

• attestation: Saint Olaf appeared to Harald as he was being taken to prison and promised to assist him.

  "When Harald drew near to the prison King Olaf the Saint stood before him and said he would assist him."

• attestation: A chapel was built and consecrated to Saint Olaf on the street where Olaf appeared to Harald, and it remained there ever since.

  "On that spot of the street a chapel has since been built and consecrated to Saint Olaf and which chapel has stood there ever since."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 58. Miracle Of King Olaf In Denmark.

• attestation: A wicked Danish count employed a Norwegian servant-girl from Throndhjem district who worshipped King Olaf the Saint and believed in his sanctity.

  "There was a wicked, evil-minded count in Denmark who had a Norwegian servant-girl whose family belonged to Throndhjem district. She worshipped King Olaf the Saint, and believed firmly in his sanctity."

• attestation: The count mocked and rejected belief in Olaf's miracles, and on Olaf's holy day ordered the servant-girl to bake bread in defiance of the saint's feast.

  "the above mentioned count doubted all that was told of the holy man's miracles, insisted that it was nothing but nonsense and idle talk"

• attestation: As divine punishment, the count was struck blind in both eyes at the same hour the girl baked, and the bread she put in the oven turned to stone.

  "It happened, namely, in the same hour that the count became blind of both eyes, and the bread which she had shoved into the oven was turned into stone!"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 104. King Harald And King Olaf Compared.

• comparison: Haldor contended that Olaf and Harald were actually very alike in disposition: both supremely intelligent, bold, greedy of power, courageous, and severe in revenge.

  "never did I know two men more like in disposition. Both were of the highest understanding, and bold in arms, and greedy of power and property; of great courage, but not acquainted with the way of winning the favour of the people; zealous in governing, and severe in their revenge"

• attestation: Olaf forced Christianity on the people and was killed by chiefs who could not bear his severity, which led to his sainthood.

  "King Olaf forced the people into Christianity and good customs, and punished cruelly those who disobeyed. This just and rightful severity the chiefs of the country could not bear, but raised an army against him, and killed him in his own kingdom; and therefore he is held to be a saint"

• comparison: Both brothers lived worthily in daily life: experienced, laborious, and celebrated far and wide.

  "Both brothers, in daily life, were of a worthy and considerate manner of living; they were of great experience, and very laborious, and were known and celebrated far and wide for these qualities"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 6. Miracles Of King Olaf The Saint.

• attestation: The day before Olafsmas, at a great assembly, a blind man was restored to sight.

  "The following summer, on the same day of the year as the church was consecrated, which was the day before Olafsmas, there was a great assemblage of people, and then a blind man was restored to sight"

• attestation: On mass-day itself, when the shrine was carried outside to the churchyard, a man long mute recovered his speech and sang praise-hymns.

  "on the mass-day itself, when the shrine and the holy relics were taken out and carried, and the shrine itself, according to custom, was taken and set down in the churchyard, a man who had long been dumb recovered his speech again, and sang with flowing tongue praise-hymns to God"

• attestation: A woman from Svithjod who had been blind for fourteen years was cured during the mass service, recovering full sight in both eyes.

  "a woman who had come from Svithjod, and had suffered much distress on this pilgrimage from her blindness; but trusting in God's mercy, had come travelling to this solemnity. She was led blind into the church to hear mass this day; but before the service was ended she saw with both eyes, and got her sight fully and clearly, although she had been blind fourteen years"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 7. Of The Shrine Of King Olaf The Saint.

• attestation: While King Olaf's coffin was being carried through the streets of Nidaros, it became immovably heavy at one spot.

  "There happened a circumstance in Nidaros, when King Olaf's coffin was being carried about through the streets, that it became so heavy that people could not lift it from the spot"

• attestation: When the street was dug up beneath the coffin, the body of a murdered and concealed child was found.

  "when the coffin was set down, the street was broken up to see what was under it at that spot, and the body of a child was found which had been murdered and concealed there"

• attestation: After the child's body was removed and the street restored, the shrine could be carried on as normal.

  "The body was carried away, the street put in order again as it had been before, and the shrine carried on according to custom"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 23. Miracle Of King Olaf The Saint At A Fire.

• attestation: A fire broke out in Nidaros and King Olaf's shrine was carried from the church and set up opposite the flames.

  "It happened once in the merchant town (Nidaros) where King Olaf reposes, that there broke out a fire in the town which spread around. Then Olaf's shrine was taken out of the church, and set up opposite the fire"

• attestation: A crazy man struck the shrine and threatened Olaf that everything would burn unless he intervened with prayers.

  "Thereupon came a crazy foolish man, struck the shrine, threatened the holy saint, and said all must be consumed by the flames, both churches and other houses, if he did not save them by his prayers"

• attestation: The fire ceased through divine help; the insane man suffered sore eyes the following night but was healed after Olaf interceded with God.

  "Now the burning of the church did cease, by the help of Almighty God; but the insane man got sore eyes on the following night, and he lay there until King Olaf entreated God Almighty to be merciful to him; after which he recovered in the same church"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 24. Miracle Of King Olaf On A Lame Woman.

• attestation: A severely crippled woman, with both feet curled against her loins, was brought to the place where King Olaf reposes in Nidaros.

  "It happened once in the merchant town that a woman was brought to the place where the holy King Olaf reposes. She was so miserably shaped, that she was altogether crumpled up; so that both her feet lay in a circle against her loins"

• attestation: Through diligent prayer and vows to King Olaf, the woman's feet, legs, and all limbs were straightened and restored to full use.

  "as she was diligent in her prayers, often weeping and making vows to King Olaf, he cured her great infirmities; so that feet, legs, and other limbs straightened, and every limb and part came to the right use for which they were made"

• attestation: The woman who could not even crawl before walked away active and brisk to her home.

  "Before she could not creep there, and now she went away active and brisk to her family and home"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 20. Of King Sigurd'S Dream.

• attestation: In the dream, Saint Olaf took brother Olaf by the hand with joy and led him into the church, then returned less brilliantly and led Eystein in as well.

  "He went to our brother King Olaf, took him by the hand, and said cheerfully, to him, 'Come with me, friend.' On which he appeared to stand up and go into the church. Soon after King Olaf the Saint came out of the church, but not so gay and brilliant as before. Now he went to thee, brother, and said to thee that thou shouldst go with him"

• attestation: The dream at Christ church in Throndhjem featured King Olaf the Saint as a spiritual guide choosing which brothers to take into the sacred space, with the order implying their sequence of death.

  "King Olaf the Saint, came out of the church adorned with the royal raiment glancing and splendid, and with the most delightful and joyful countenance."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 39. King Olaf'S Miracle With A Prisoner.

• attestation: Fellow prisoners advised the Danish captive to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, devoting himself to service in Olaf's sacred house in exchange for freedom

  "One day they advised him to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, to devote himself to some office in his sacred house, if he, by God's compassion and Saint Olaf's prayers could get away from this prison"

• attestation: The prisoner dreamed King Olaf appeared at his side and commanded him to rise, declaring he was loose from his chains

  "The night after he thought in his sleep that he saw a man, not tall, standing at his side, who spoke to him thus, "Here, thou wretched man, why dost thou not get up?""

• attestation: The prisoner identified his visitor as King Olaf, whom he had called upon for help

  ""I am King Olaf, on whom thou hast called.""

• attestation: Olaf told the prisoner to stand up without fear, declaring him freed from his bonds

  "Thereupon the king accosts him with the words, "Stand up at once and be not afraid; for thou art loose.""

• attestation: The prisoner's vow to King Olaf represents the pattern of Olaf's posthumous miracles involving captives in heathen lands

  "He gladly agreed to this, and made a vow and prepared himself for the situation they mentioned to him"

• attestation: King Olaf appeared as a man who was not tall in the prisoner's dream vision

  "he saw a man, not tall, standing at his side"

• attestation: The prisoner protested he was bound with iron chains on his legs alongside other captive men

  "Oh, my good lord! gladly would I raise myself; but I lie bound with iron and with chains on my legs, and also the other men who lie here."

• attestation: Olaf's miraculous liberation of a prisoner in Vindland demonstrates his saintly power extending beyond Norway to heathen territories

  "The heathens took prisoner a young man of Danish family and carried him to Vindland, where he was in fetters along with other prisoners"

• attestation: The prisoner awoke to find himself truly loosened from his chains, confirming the dream vision of King Olaf

  "He awoke immediately, and told his comrades what, had appeared to him in his dream. They told him to stand up, and try if it was true. He stood up, and observed that he was loose"

• attestation: An old prisoner encouraged the freed man not to doubt the mercy of King Olaf, who had loosened his chains

  "Then an old man who sat there in a deplorable condition put in his word, and told him not to doubt the mercy of the man who had loosened his chains"

• attestation: The door was locked both inside and outside, yet the prisoner found it miraculously open when he tried it

  "Now said his fellow-prisoners, this would help him but little, for the door was locked both on the inside and on the outside"

• attestation: The escaped prisoner travelled through the wilderness to safety, eventually reaching a place where he could give thanks for his deliverance

  "He did so, found the door open, slipped out, and away to the forest"

• attestation: The old captive attributed the miracle explicitly to King Olaf, saying he had wrought it so the prisoner should enjoy his mercy and be free

  "For he has wrought this miracle on thee that thou shouldst enjoy his mercy, and hereafter be free, without suffering more misery and torture"

• attestation: The miracle narrative follows a pattern: vow to Olaf, dream visitation, physical liberation, pursuit thwarted by divine intervention

  "Make haste, then, and seek the door; and if thou are able to slip out, thou art saved."

• comparison: The Vindland captivity miracle parallels other Olaf miracle stories where the saint intervenes for prisoners who invoke his name

  "told him not to doubt the mercy of the man who had loosened his chains; "For he has wrought this miracle on thee that thou shouldst enjoy his mercy"

• attestation: The fellow prisoners recognized the miracle as genuine and urged the freed man to act quickly before the opportunity was lost

  "Make haste, then, and seek the door; and if thou are able to slip out, thou art saved."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 25. Miracles Of King Olaf On Richard.

• attestation: The apparition identified himself as Olaf from Throndhjem before disappearing.

  "Then the priest asked who he was. He looked at him, and said, "Olaf, come here from Throndhjem;" and then disappeared."

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

• attestation: At Stiklestad, King Olaf threw away his sword Hneiter when wounded; a Swedish fugitive picked it up and it passed through generations of his family.

  "King Olaf threw from him the sword called Hneiter when he received his wound. A Swedish man, who had broken his own sword, took it up, and fought with it."

• attestation: Long after, during Emperor Kirjalax's reign in Constantinople, a Varing found his sword had moved on its own during the night, lying on the plain far from where he slept.

  "One of these comrades, whose lot it was to watch the latter part of the night, found, on awakening towards morning, that his sword was gone. He looked after it, and saw it lying on the flat plain at a distance from him."

• attestation: The sword moved on its own three consecutive nights, amazing the Varings; the owner then revealed it was Hneiter, King Olaf the Saint's sword from Stiklestad.

  "The same thing happened three nights. Then he wondered at it, as well as they who saw or heard of it; and people began to ask him how it could have happened. He said that his sword was called Hneiter, and had belonged to King Olaf the Saint"

• attestation: The emperor paid three times the sword's value in gold and placed Hneiter in Saint Olaf's church in Constantinople, which the Varings supported, over the altar.

  "the emperor, who called the man before him to whom the sword belonged, and gave him three times as much gold as the sword was worth; and the sword itself he had laid in Saint Olaf's church, which the Varings supported, where it has been ever since over the altar."

• attestation: Each successive owner of the sword told the next its name and origin, maintaining an unbroken chain of custody from Stiklestad to Constantinople.

  "when the sword shifted its owner, the one told to the other the name of the sword and where it came from."

• attestation: The sword's miraculous self-movement demonstrated Saint Olaf's continuing power even in distant Constantinople.

  "He got up and took the sword, thinking that his comrades who had been on watch had taken the sword from him in a joke; but they all denied it."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 21. Olaf'S Miracle In Favour Of The Varings.

• attestation: The blind heathen king asked who the venerable man on a white horse was leading the small troop, but his men could not see him -- implying Saint Olaf's supernatural presence.

  "The king says, "Who is that venerable man riding on a white horse at the head of the troop?" They replied, "We do not see him.""

• attestation: Despite odds of sixty heathens per Christian, the Varings' attack caused immediate terror and flight among the enemy, who were then pursued by the returning Greeks and Franks.

  "There was so great a difference of numbers, that there were sixty heathens for every Christian man; but notwithstanding the Varings went boldly to the attack. As soon as they met terror and alarm seized the army of the heathens, and they instantly began to fly"

• attestation: The heathen blind king could see the apparition on the white horse while his sighted soldiers could not, inverting the expected relationship between sight and spiritual vision.

  "The king says, "Who is that venerable man riding on a white horse at the head of the troop?" They replied, "We do not see him.""