The Heimskringla on King Valdemar
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 2. King Magnus Goes To Denmark.
attestation: King Valdemar of Denmark, a blood-relation of Magnus through their grandmothers Ingebjorg and Malmfrid who were cousins, received them hospitably.
"King Valdemar was King Magnus's blood-relation; for Ingebjorg, mother of King Valdemar, and Malmfrid, mother of Kristin, King Magnus's mother, were cousins."
attestation: A secret treaty gave Valdemar all of Viken north to Rygiarbit -- the domain his ancestors Harald Gormson and Svein Forked-beard had held -- in exchange for military support.
"King Valdemar should get that domain in Norway which his ancestors Harald Gormson and Svein Forked-beard had possessed; namely, the whole of Viken as far north as Rygiarbit."
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 23. King Valdemar'S Embassy.
- attestation: Valdemar reminded Erling of the agreement that Viken east to Rygiarbit would be ceded if Magnus became sole king of Norway.
"reminded them of the agreement which Erling had entered into, under oath, with King Valdemar, of which we have spoken before; namely, that Viken from the east to Rygiarbit should be ceded to King Valdemar, if Magnus became the sole king of Norway."
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 24. Erling And The People Of Viken.
- attestation: The Danish ambassadors returned home and spread word that Valdemar would send an army to lay waste Norway in spring.
"The ambassadors of the Danish king then returned home, and told the issue of their errand. The Danes abused Erling, and all Northmen, and declared that evil only proceeded from them"
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 25. Letters Of The Throndhjem People.
- attestation: In winter 1165, Danish agents traveled through the Uplands disguised as pilgrims heading to the holy King Olaf's festival, carrying King Valdemar's messages to Throndhjem men of influence.
"some Danish people came by land through the Uplands, saying they were to go, as was then the general practice, to the holy King Olaf's festival. But when they came to the Throndhjem country, they went to many men of influence, and told their business"
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 27. King Valdemar'S Expedition To Norway.
attestation: King Valdemar assembled a great army in spring 1165 and marched north to Viken, but the Norwegian bondes assembled in great numbers against him.
"The Danish king Valdemar assembled in spring (A.D. 1165) a great army, and proceeded with it north to Viken. As soon as he reached the dominions of the king of Norway, the bondes assembled in a great multitude."
attestation: Country people shot at Danish soldiers even in groups of two or three, showing obvious ill-will toward them.
"the people shot at them even when there were only two or three together, from which the ill-will of the country people towards them was evident."
attestation: Valdemar summoned a Hauga-thing at Tunsberg, but nobody from the countryside attended.
"When they came to Tunsberg, King Valdemar summoned a Hauga-thing; but nobody attended it from the country parts."
attribution: Valdemar chose to withdraw rather than ravage the country, preferring to fight heathens in the east over killing Norwegian Christians.
"it is more my inclination to go with the army to the East against the heathens, of whom we have enough before us in the East country, than to kill Christian people here, although they have well deserved it."
attestation: Despite Valdemar's restraint, his men pillaged the distant islands before returning to Denmark without accomplishing their purpose.
"They pillaged, however, all around in the distant islands, or where the king was not in the neighbourhood. They then returned south to Denmark without doing anything."
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 29. Erling'S Expedition To Denmark.
- attestation: King Valdemar granted Erling peace, saying he would not use force against a man who came to visit him, despite having eighty unarmed men in the room.
"There were eighty of the king's men in the room, but all unarmed. The king replies, "Peace ye shall have, Erling, according to thy desire; for I will not use force or villainy against a man who comes to visit me.""
Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 30. King Valdemar And Erling.
attestation: King Valdemar gave Erling the title of earl and Viken as a fief, leading Erling to the earl's seat.
"the king led Erling to the earl's seat one day, and gave him the title of earl, and Viken as a fief under his rule."
attribution: King Valdemar said no Danish chief would go to Norway to manage an obstinate hard people when he has it easy in Denmark.
""No," replied the king; "no Danish chief would go to Norway, where he would have to manage an obstinate hard people, when he has it so easy here with me.""