The Heimskringla on Sigurd the Crusader

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 27. Fall Of King Magnus.

• attestation: King Sigurd abandoned the Irish king's daughter and sailed directly to Norway upon learning of his father's death

  "when King Sigurd heard that his father had fallen, he set off immediately, leaving the Irish king's daughter behind, and proceeded in autumn with the whole fleet directly to Norway."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > Preliminary Remarks.

• attestation: Thjodrek the Monk records that Sigurd conquered heathen cities including Sidon, received gifts from Baldwin, and later became insane

  "Thjodrek the Monk tells of Sigurd that he made a Journey to Jerusalem, conquered many heathen cities, and among them Sidon; that he captured a cave defended by robbers, received presents from Baldwin, returned to Norway in Eystein's lifetime, and became insane"

• attestation: The three brothers became kings in 1103; Olaf died 1115, Eystein 1122/1123, and Sigurd 1130

  "The three brothers became kings in the year A.D. 1103. Olaf died 1115, Eystein 1122 or 1123, Sigurd 1130."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 1. Beginning Of The Reign Of King Magnus'S Sons.

• attestation: Eystein received the northern part and Sigurd the southern part of Norway, while Olaf's third was managed by his brothers

  "Eystein got the northern, and Sigurd the southern part of the country. King Olaf was then four or five years old, and the third part of the country which he had was under the management of his two brothers."

• attestation: Sigurd was thirteen or fourteen at his election, with Eystein a year older

  "King Sigurd was chosen king when he was thirteen or fourteen years old, and Eystein was a year older."

• attestation: Sigurd was chosen to command the crusading expedition while Eystein would rule Norway in their joint interest

  "it was determined that Sigurd should go, and Eystein in the meantime, should rule the kingdom upon their joint account."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 3. King Sigurd'S Journey Out Of The Country.

• attestation: King Sigurd departed Norway in 1107 with a fleet of sixty ships, four years after Magnus Barefoot's death

  "Four years after the fall of King Magnus (A.D. 1107), King Sigurd sailed with his people from Norway. He had then sixty ships."

• attestation: Sigurd sailed to England and wintered with King Henry, son of William the Bastard

  "King Sigurd sailed in autumn to England, where Henry, son of William the Bastard, was then king, and Sigurd remained with him all winter."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 4. Of King Sigurd'S Journey.

• attestation: Sigurd sailed to Valland (France) in spring 1108 and spent his second winter in Galicia in 1109

  "In spring King Sigurd and his fleet sailed westward to Valland (A.D. 1108), and in autumn came to Galicia, where he stayed the second winter (A.D. 1109)."

• attestation: The local earl in Galicia promised market provisions but only honored the agreement until around Yule

  "The earl who ruled over the land made an agreement with King Sigurd, that he should provide King Sigurd and his men a market at which they could purchase victuals all the winter; but this he did not fulfil longer than to about Yule."

• attestation: Sigurd stormed the earl's castle when provisions ran out, seizing food and booty

  "King Sigurd with a great body of men went against a castle which belonged to the earl; and the earl fled from it, having but few people. King Sigurd took there a great deal of victuals and of other booty"

• attestation: Sigurd's first battle against heathens was with viking pirates off the coast of Spain, where he captured eight galleys

  "some vikings who were cruising for plunder met him with a fleet of galleys, and King Sigurd attacked them. This was his first battle with heathen men; and he won it, and took eight galleys from them."

• attestation: Sigurd attacked and destroyed the fortress of Sintre in Spain, killing all its heathen occupants who refused baptism

  "King Sigurd sailed against a castle called Sintre and fought another battle. This castle is in Spain, and was occupied by many heathens, who from thence plundered Christian people. King Sigurd took the castle, and killed every man in it, because they refused to be baptized"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 5. Lisbon Taken.

• attestation: Sigurd fought his third battle against heathens at Lisbon and won

  "There King Sigurd had his third battle with the heathens, and gained the victory, and with it a great booty."

• attestation: Sigurd took the town of Alkasse in his fourth battle, slaughtering so many that the town was left empty

  "he had his fourth battle with the heathens, and took the town, and killed so many people that the town was left empty."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 6. Battle In The Island Forminterra.

• attestation: Sigurd's fifth battle was at Norfasund against a large viking force

  "in the sound he was met by a large viking force, and the king gave them battle; and this was his fifth engagement with heathens since the time he left Norway."

• attestation: Sigurd sailed along the coast of Serkland (Saracen lands) to the island of Forminterra

  "King Sigurd then sailed eastward along the coast of Serkland, and came to an island there called Forminterra."

• attestation: Sigurd devised a tactic of lowering two ship's boats from above the cave mouth, filled with archers who drove the defenders from the wall

  "He had two ship's boats, such as we call barks, drawn up the precipice right above the mouth of the cave; and had thick ropes fastened around the stem, stern, and hull of each. In these boats as many men went as could find room, and then the boats were lowered by the ropes down in front of the mouth of the cave"

• attestation: After clearing the wall defenders, Sigurd's troops climbed the precipice and broke down the stone wall

  "Then Sigurd with his troops climbed up the precipice to the foot of the stone wall, which they succeeded in breaking down, so that they came into the cave."

• attestation: Sigurd ordered large trees piled at the cave mouth and set alight, killing or flushing out the remaining heathens

  "the king ordered large trees to be brought to the cave, made a great pile in the mouth of it, and set fire to the wood. When the fire and smoke got the upper hand, some of the heathens lost their lives in it"

• attestation: The Forminterra battle yielded the greatest booty of all Sigurd's expeditions

  "the Northmen made the greatest booty they had got on all their expeditions."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 7. Of The Battles Of Iviza And Minorca.

• attestation: Sigurd fought his seventh battle against heathens at the island of Iviza and won

  "came to an island called Iviza (Ivica), and had there his seventh battle, and gained a victory."

• attestation: Sigurd's eighth battle was at Minorca, again victorious over the heathens

  "King Sigurd came to an island called Manork (Minorca), and held there his eighth battle with heathen men, and gained the victory."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 8. Duke Roger Made A King.

• attestation: Sigurd arrived in Sicily in spring 1109 and was received kindly by Duke Roger

  "In spring King Sigurd came to Sicily (A.D. 1109), and remained a long time there. There was then a Duke Roger in Sicily, who received the king kindly, and invited him to a feast."

• attestation: Duke Roger served at King Sigurd's table for seven days during a feast

  "Every day Duke Roger stood at the company's table, doing service to the king; but the seventh day of the feast"

• attestation: King Sigurd elevated Duke Roger to the title of King, establishing that Sicily would henceforth always be ruled by kings

  "King Sigurd took the duke by the hand, led him up to the high-seat, and saluted him with the title of king; and gave the right that there should be always a king over the dominion of Sicily, although before there had only been earls or dukes over that country."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 10. King Sigurd'S Expedition To Palestine.

• attestation: Sigurd sailed across the Greek sea to Palestine in summer 1110 and went to Jerusalem

  "In the summer (A.D. 1110) King Sigurd sailed across the Greek sea to Palestine, and thereupon went up to Jerusalem"

• attestation: Sigurd stayed in Jerusalem through autumn and into winter

  "King Sigurd stayed a long time in the land of Jerusalem (Jorsalaland) in autumn, and in the beginning of winter."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 11. Sidon Taken.

• attestation: Sigurd swore to promote Christianity, establish an archbishop's seat in Norway, introduce tithes, and keep the cross where Saint Olaf rested

  "with the condition that he, and twelve other men with him, should swear to promote Christianity with all his power, and erect an archbishop's seat in Norway if he could; and also that the cross should be kept where the holy King Olaf reposed, and that he should introduce tithes"

• attestation: After Saet, Sigurd sailed to Cyprus before continuing to Greek territory

  "Thereafter King Sigurd went to his ships and made ready to leave Palestine. They sailed north to the island Cyprus"

• attestation: Sigurd waited two weeks at Engilsnes for a side wind so that spectators could see the silk panels sewn into his sails

  "Sigurd would wait a side wind, so that the sails might stretch fore and aft in the ship; for in all his sails there was silk joined in, before and behind in the sail"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 12. Sigurd'S Expedition To Constantinople.

• attestation: Sigurd ordered his men to ride in great state and show no wonder at Constantinople's marvels

  "King Sigurd ordered his men to ride in great state into the city, and not to regard all the new things they might see"

• attestation: Sigurd chose the games over the gold, and the spectacle cost the emperor no less than the money offered

  "King Sigurd preferred the games, and the messengers said the spectacle would not cost the emperor less than the money offered."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 13. Sigurd And The Emperor Of Constantinople.

• attestation: Sigurd prepared a sumptuous feast for the emperor but found all firewood in Constantinople had been sold

  "When it was necessary, however, to have firewood, it was found that it was all sold, which they told the king."

• attestation: Sigurd resourcefully ordered walnuts to be used as fuel instead of firewood

  "He replied, "Go and try if you can get walnuts. They will answer as well as wood for fuel.""

• attestation: The empress had secretly arranged the firewood shortage to test Sigurd's resourcefulness, and she praised him upon learning he used walnuts

  ""Truly," said she, "this is a magnificent king, who spares no expense where his honour is concerned." She had contrived this to try what they would do when they could get no firewood"

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 14. King Sigurd The Crusader'S Return Home.

• attestation: Sigurd gave all his ships to the Byzantine emperor and had the valuable figureheads placed in Peter's church

  "He gave the emperor all his ships; and the valuable figureheads which were on the king's ships were set up in Peter's church"

• attestation: Sigurd traveled overland through Bulgaria, Hungary, Pannonia, Suabia, and Bavaria, where Emperor Lotharius received him hospitably

  "King Sigurd traveled from Bulgaria, and through Hungary, Pannonia. Suabia, and Bavaria, where he met the Roman emperor, Lotharius, who received him in the most friendly way"

• attestation: Earl Eilif hosted Sigurd at Slesvik in Denmark, and then the Danish king Nikolas accompanied him to Jutland and gave him a ship

  "In Heidaby he met the Danish king, Nikolas, who received him in the most friendly way, made a great entertainment for him, accompanied him north to Jutland, and gave him a ship provided with everything needful."

• attestation: Sigurd returned to Norway in 1110 at twenty years old after three years of travel, and his journey was considered the most honorable ever from Norway

  "It was the common talk among the people, that none had ever made so honourable a journey from Norway as this of King Sigurd. He was twenty years of age, and had been three years on these travels."

• attestation: Sigurd's brother Olaf was twelve years old when Sigurd returned home

  "His brother Olaf was then twelve years old."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 40. King Sigurd Marries Cecilia.

• attestation: King Sigurd resolved to divorce his queen and marry Cecilia, a great man's daughter, ordering a feast prepared in Bergen

  "In the last period of King Sigurd's life, his new and extraordinary resolution was whispered about, that he would be divorced from his queen, and would take Cecilia, who was a great man's daughter, to wife. He ordered accordingly a great feast to be prepared, and intended to hold his wedding with her in Bergen."

• attestation: King Sigurd returned silently to the hall without acting against Bishop Magne

  "The king returned to the hall, however, without saying a word"

• attestation: After the Bergen confrontation failed to stop him, King Sigurd went south to Stavanger to hold his wedding with Cecilia instead

  "He went south to Stavanger, and prepared a feast there for his marriage with Cecilia."

• attestation: A bishop in Stavanger also confronted King Sigurd about marrying while his queen still lived

  "When a bishop who ruled there heard of this he went to the king, and asked if it were true that he intended to marry in the lifetime of the queen."

• attestation: King Sigurd came to the Bergen confrontation carrying a drawn sword in his hand

  "He did so, and came out with a drawn sword in his hand."

• attestation: The Stavanger bishop permitted King Sigurd's marriage to Cecilia in exchange for gifts and estates to the church, unlike Bishop Magne who refused

  "But you must bestow a great amount of gifts and estates on this foundation, and thereby pay the mulct due to God and to us for such transgression."

• attestation: King Sigurd praised the Stavanger bishop as far more reasonable than Bishop Magne for allowing the marriage

  "Then said the king, "Take what thou wilt of our possessions. Thou art far more reasonable than Bishop Magne.""

• attestation: King Sigurd married Cecilia and loved her tenderly

  "Thereafter the king married the girl, and loved her tenderly."

• attestation: The Stavanger bishop acknowledged the marriage was forbidden to inferior persons but accepted it from the king as a transgression requiring payment

  "If it be so, sire, you must know how much such a thing is forbidden to inferior persons. Now it appears as if you thought it was allowable for you, because you have great power"

• comparison: King Sigurd was as pleased with the compliant Stavanger bishop as he was displeased with Bishop Magne who had prohibited the marriage

  "Then the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill pleased with him who had laid a prohibition on him."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 41. Improvement Of Konungahella.

• attestation: King Sigurd improved Konungahella until it was the greatest town in Norway, and stayed there long to defend the frontiers

  "King Sigurd improved the town of Konungahella so much, that there was not a greater town in Norway at the time, and he remained there long for the defence of the frontiers."

• attestation: Sigurd built a king's house in the castle and required every person aged nine and older to bring five missile stones or five-ell stakes to the castle

  "He built a king's house in the castle, and imposed a duty on all the districts in the neighbourhood of the town, as well as on the townspeople, that every person of nine years of age and upwards should bring to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or as many large stakes sharp at one end and five ells long."

• attestation: Sigurd built a cross-church of timber in the castle, consecrated in the 24th year of his reign (A.D. 1127), where he deposited the piece of the holy cross and other relics

  "In the castle the king built a cross-church of timber, and carefully put together, as far as regards the wood and other materials. The cross-church was consecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign (A.D. 1127). Here the king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and many other holy relics."

• attestation: Before the high altar of the castle church Sigurd placed copper and silver gilt tables adorned with jewels that he had obtained in the Greek country

  "before the high altar he placed the tables he had got made in the Greek country, which were of copper and silver, all gilt, and beautifully adorned with jewels."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > 42. King Sigurd'S Death.

• attestation: King Sigurd fell sick at Viken three years after the cross-church consecration and died the night before Mary's-mass (August 15, A.D. 1130)

  "Three years after the consecration of the cross-church, when King Sigurd was stopping at Viken, he fell sick (A.D. 1130). He died the night before Mary's-mass (August 15)"

• attestation: King Sigurd was buried in Halvard's church, laid in the stone wall outside the choir on the south side

  "was buried in Halvard's church, where he was laid in the stone wall without the choir on the south side."

• attestation: King Sigurd reigned over Norway for twenty-seven years (A.D. 1104-1130) and died at forty years of age

  "Sigurd had been king of Norway twenty-seven years (A.D. 1104-1130), and was forty years of age when he died."

• attestation: Sigurd's reign was good for Norway with peace and good crops throughout

  "The time of his reign was good for the country; for there was peace, and crops were good."

Heimskringla > part in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn > Preliminary Remarks

• attestation: After Sigurd's death in 1130, his son Magnus and brother Harald divided the government, then fought for five years until Magnus was blinded and sent to a convent in 1135

  "On his death, in 1130, Sigurd left his son Magnus and his brother Harald. They soon divided the government, and then entered upon a five-years' conflict, until Magnus, in 1135, with eyes picked out, went into a convent."