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The Heimskringla on King Svein

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 60. King Harald'S Foray In Denmark.

attestation: King Svein blockaded the fjord mouth with a large fleet, but the narrow entrance meant only one ship could pass at a time.

"King Svein was come with a large armament to the mouth of the fjord; but that it was too late for him to come into it, as only one ship at a time can come in."

attestation: King Svein failed to appear for the agreed battle, keeping his forces in the south around Fyen and Seeland.

"the Danish king had also called out his forces and lay in the south, partly at Fyen and partly about Seeland."
attestation: King Svein appeared with a Danish fleet of 300 ships, double Harald's 150.

"King Svein came upon them with all the Danish fleet, consisting of 300 ships."

attestation: King Svein placed his own ship at the center of the Danish fleet, directly opposing King Harald's ship.

"Svein, the Danish king, also drew up his fleet, and laid his ship forward in the center against King Harald's ship"
attestation: Both fleets bound their ships together through the middle, though many vessels remained loose, with positioning determined by individual courage.

"on both sides, they bound the ships together all through the middle of the fleets; but as the fleets were so large, very many ships remained loose, and each laid his ship forward according to his courage"
attestation: King Svein had six earls among his followers, while Stein Herdison's verse described Harald standing firm with 160 ships against Svein's 300 from Leire's coast.

"King Svein had six earls among the people following him."

attestation: After Svein's banner was cut down and his ship cleared, all Danish forces fled. More than seventy of Svein's ships were left behind where the bound ships could not be freed.

"when King Svein's banner was cut down, and his ship cleared of its crew, all his forces took to flight"
attestation: More than seventy of King Svein's vessels were captured where the ships had been bound together.

"there were more than seventy left behind of King Svein's vessels."

attestation: News arrived that King Svein had reached Seeland, where all battle survivors and many additional followers had rallied to him.

"King Svein had come to Seeland, and that all who had escaped from the battle had joined him, along with many more, and that he had a great force."

attestation: King Svein spent the winter in Denmark and retained his kingdom after the Nis-river defeat.

"King Svein, it is told, sat in Denmark all that winter, and had his kingdom as formerly."
attestation: Svein summoned Karl the bonde and his wife from Halland and acknowledged Karl's help during his escape, rewarding him with any farm in Seeland and promising to make him great.

"I have to reward thee for all the days I have to live. And now, in the first place, I will give thee any farm in Seeland thou wouldst desire to have; and, in the next place, will make thee a great man"
attestation: Karl asked only to take his wife, but Svein refused, instead providing Karl a better wife and a valuable farm, while letting Karl's old wife keep the bonde-farm for her living.

"The king said, "I will not let thee do that; but I will provide thee a far better and more sensible wife. But thy wife can keep the bonde-farm ye had before and she will have her living from it.""

attestation: Toste urged Svein to invade England as Canute had done, offering his support in exchange for military aid. Svein refused, saying he was a lesser man than Canute.

"So much smaller a man am I than Canute the Great, that I can with difficulty defend my own Danish dominions against the Northmen."