The The Orkneyinga Saga on Hakon

The Orkneyinga Saga > For > Iv. The Earldom In The Norse Line, 872-1231.

• attestation: After murdering Magnus, Hakon became sole earl, went on a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land, returned as a good ruler, and was so beloved that the Orkneymen desired no other rulers but Hakon and his descendants.

  "After the murder of Magnus, Hakon became sole earl. He went on a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land, and after his return became a good ruler, and was so popular "that the Orkneymen desired no other rulers than Hakon and his issue.""

The Orkneyinga Saga > part large and all well equipped, was divided into two squadrons, one of

• attestation: King Hakon of Norway's fleet was disabled by a storm after failed peace negotiations, leading to his decisive defeat at the battle of Largs.

  "The negotiations failed, and soon after the fleet was disabled by a storm, and the power of the Norwegian King utterly broken in the battle of Largs."

• attestation: King Hakon, retreating after Largs, fell ill at Kirkwall and died at midnight on 15th December 1263 after having been read Norwegian chronicles of all kings from Halfdan the Black.

  "King Hakon laid up his fleet in Midland Harbour and Scapa Bay. He then rode to Kirkwall, and lay down to die. He was lodged in the bishop's palace, and after having been confined to his bed for some days, he recovered so much that he attended mass in the bishop's chapel, and walked to the cathedral to visit the shrine of St. Magnus."

• attestation: King Hakon's body lay in state in St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall before being temporarily interred in the choir near the shrine; his corpse was later exhumed and taken to Bergen where it was interred in Christ's Church.

  "On Monday the royal remains were borne to St. Magnus' Cathedral, where they lay in state all that night. On Tuesday they were temporarily interred in the choir of the church, near the steps leading to the shrine of St. Magnus."

• attestation: King Hakon personally examined the false Margaret and confronted her with the princess's attendants; she was burned at Nordness in Bergen as an impostor in 1301 and her husband was beheaded.

  "There is no record of the trial, but soon after the king's arrival the "false Margaret" was burnt at Nordness in Bergen, as an impostor, and her husband was beheaded."

The Orkneyinga Saga > part large and all well equipped, was divided into two squadrons, one of > Vi. The Earldom In The Stratherne Line—1321-1379.

• attestation: In 1375, King Hakon of Norway granted the earldom of Orkney provisionally for a year to Alexander de Ard as Governor and Commissioner, not as earl, pending establishment of his claim; the grant was not renewed.

  "In 1375, King Hakon of Norway granted the earldom of Orkney for a single year till next St. John's Day to Alexander de Ard,[84] naming him, however, in the document not as Earl but simply as Governor and Commissioner for the King, and declaring, in the document addressed to the Islanders, that this grant is given provisionally until the said Alexander shall establish his claim to the earldom."

The Orkneyinga Saga > part large and all well equipped, was divided into two squadrons, one of > Vii. The Earldom In The Line Of St. Clair—1379-1469.

• attestation: King Hakon's investiture of Earl Henry St. Clair required him not to ally with the bishop without royal consent, indicating the bishop was then opposing the king and civil power.

  "The fact that King Hakon's investiture of Earl Henry took him bound not to enter into any league with the bishop nor to establish any friendship with him without the king's express consent, shows us that the bishop was then acting in opposition to the king and the representatives of the civil power."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxiv > Here Is Told Of The Death Of King Harald And His Daughter.

• attestation: Among Paul and Erlend's sons, Hákon Paul's son wished to lead and considered himself of higher birth than Erlend's sons; this caused violent dissensions among the kinsmen and their fathers took their respective sons' sides.

  "Hákon, Paul's son, wished to take the lead among his brothers; he considered himself of higher birth than the sons of Erlend, as he was the daughter's son of Earl Hákon Ivar's son, and Ragnhild, the daughter of King Magnus the Good. Hákon wished his friends to have the lion's share of everything before those who leant to the sons of Erlend, but Erlend did not like his sons to be inferior to any in the Islands."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxv > A Meeting Of Peace.

• attestation: After the brothers agreed to divide the Orkneys equally, Hákon Paul's son was exiled on account of his violence and went first to Norway then to King Ingi of Sweden, where he was well received because of the high regard for his grandfather Hákon Ivar's son.

  "After this Hákon left the Islands, and first went east to Norway, and saw there King Olaf Kyrri (the quiet), and stayed with him for a while. This was towards the end of his reign. After that he went east to Sweden to King Ingi, Steinkel's son, who received him well. He found friends and kinsmen there, and was highly honoured on account of the esteem in which Hákon, his mother's father, was held."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxvi > Of The Words Of The Spae-Man.

• attestation: In Sweden, Hákon sought out a pagan spae-man to learn his future; the man initially challenged Hákon's faith in Christian saints versus spae-craft, and asked him to return in three nights.

  "WHEN Hákon, Paul's son, was in Sweden he had heard of a man in that country who practised sorcery and spae-craft, whether he used for those purposes witchcraft or other magical arts. Hákon became very curious to see this man, and anxious to know what he could ascertain about his future. So he went in search of the man, and at last he found him in a seaside district, where he went from one feast to another, and foretold the seasons and other things to the country people."

• attribution: The spae-man foretold that Hákon would eventually become sole ruler of the Orkneys and his sons would rule there; that his next journey to the Orkneys would be very eventful; that he would commit a crime for which he might not obtain pardon; and that he would rest his bones in the northern parts.

  "The spae-man said: "If you wish your whole fate unfolded, it is long to tell, for there is a great future in store for you, and grand events will happen at certain periods of your life. I foresee that you will at last become the sole ruler of the Orkneys; but you will perhaps think you have long to wait. I also see that your sons will rule there. Your next journey to the Orkneys will be a very eventful one, when its consequences appear. In your days you will also commit a crime, for which you may or may not obtain pardon from the God in whom you believe.""

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxvii > Of The Schemes Of Hakon, Paul'S Son.

• attestation: Hákon went from Sweden to Norway to see his kinsman King Magnus who received him well; he heard that Erlend and his sons largely controlled the Orkneys and were beloved, while his father Paul took little part in government.

  "He went first to Norway to see his kinsman, King Magnus, who received him very well. There he heard that the government of the Orkneys was almost exclusively in the hands of Earl Erlend and his sons, and that they were greatly loved, but that his father Paul took little part in the government."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxviii > Hakon'S Interview With King Magnus.

• attestation: Hákon persuaded King Magnus to mount an expedition to the western islands by suggesting it would be a princely feat like Harald the Fairhaired's; King Magnus expressed intent to assert strong claims there regardless of others' rights, which worried Hákon.

  "Hákon began to tell the King that it would be a princely feat to make an expedition to the west, and subdue the Islands, as Harald the Fairhaired had done. He also said that if he established his power in the Sudreyar (Hebrides), he might easily make forays into Ireland and Scotland from them.

When they were speaking about these things, it became evident that the King was pleased with this proposal, and said it was spoken like a nobleman, and quite according to his own mind."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxii. > Sigurd Made King.

• attestation: One or two winters after Magnus's death, Hákon Paul's son came from the west and was given an earl's title by the Norwegian kings; he returned west and took possession of the Orkneys.

  "One winter or two after the death of King Magnus, Hákon, Paul's son, came from the west, and the kings gave him an earl's title and possessions beseeming his birth. Then he returned to the west and took possession of the Orkneys."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxiii > Magnus (Erlend'S Son) Obtains The Title Of Earl.

• attestation: Magnus son of Earl Erlend came from Scotland claiming his patrimony; the Bœndr were pleased as he was beloved; Earl Hákon refused to cede any of the islands but friends mediated and Hákon agreed to give up half if approved by the Norwegian kings.

  "WHEN Earl Hákon had ruled the Orkneys for some time, Magnus, the son of Earl Erlend, came from Scotland, and wished to take possession of his patrimony. The Bœndr were highly pleased with this, for he was beloved among them, and had many kinsmen and connections who wished to help him to his dominions."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxvi > Of Earl Magnus.

• attestation: The enmity between the two earls was stirred by Sigurd and Sighvat Sokki; they gathered troops and met at the Orkney Thingstead in Hrossey where friends made peace again during Lent, confirmed with oaths.

  "TWO men with Earl Hákon are chiefly mentioned as being the worst in creating enmity between the two kinsmen. These were Sigurd and Sighvat Sokki (sock)."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxvii > Earl Hakon And Earl Magnus.

• attestation: Hákon gathered a large army and many ships for the meeting, intending that it should decide between them so that only one would rule the Orkneys; Hávard Gunnar's son jumped overboard when he learned of the treacherous plan as he would have no part in it.

  "NOW it is to be told of Earl Hákon that he gathered together a numerous army, and had many ships equipped as if for battle. And when the troops were assembled, he made known to his men that he intended that this meeting should decide between him and Earl Magnus, so that both of them should not rule over the Orkneys. Many of his men approved of this plan, adding many wicked suggestions to it, yet Sigurd and Sighvat Sokki counselled the worst things."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxviii. > The Offers Of Earl Magnus.

• attribution: Hákon accepted Magnus's third offer of mutilation rather than exile, but his chiefs refused and said one of them must die; Hákon replied "Slay him then, for I will rather have earldom and lands than instant death"; this was witnessed by Höldbodi a truthful Bondi of the Hebrides.

  "Then said Earl Hákon: "This offer I accept, and I ask for no more."

But the chiefs started up and said to Earl Hákon: "One of you will we kill now, and from this day you shall not both rule the lands of the Orkneys."

Earl Hákon replied: "Slay him then, for I will rather have earldom and lands than instant death.""

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxxix > The Beheading Of Earl Magnus.

• attribution: Magnus was executed at Hákon's order; when his banner-bearer Ofeig refused to slay him and cook Lífólf wept, Magnus consoled Lífólf saying the task was honourable and he did it against his will; Magnus then prayed, gave his tunic to Lífólf, and was struck dead.

  "Hákon ordered his banner-bearer, Ofeig, to slay the Earl, but he refused, with the utmost wrath. Then forced he Lífólf, his cook, to be the slayer of Magnus, but he began to weep aloud. "Weep not thus," said Earl Magnus, "for this is an honourable task. Be firm, and you shall have my clothing, according to the custom and laws of the men of old. Be not afraid, for you do this against your will, and he who forces you sins more than you.""

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xliv > The Journey Of Earl Hakon To The South.

• attestation: After murdering Magnus, Hákon Paul's son seized all the Orkneys, exacted oaths of fealty, and made heavy exactions from Magnus's supporters; some winters later he made a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem, bathed in the Jordan, and returned to govern well with new popular laws.

  "AFTER the murder of Earl Magnus, Hákon, Paul's son, took possession of all the Orkneys, and exacted an oath of fealty from all men, and took submission from those who had served Earl Magnus. He became a great chief, and made heavy exactions from those of Earl Magnus's friends who in his opinion had taken part against him.

Some winters after this he prepared to leave the country, and went to Rome. Then he also went to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the palmers, and brought away sacred relics, and bathed in the river Jordan."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xlv > Genealogical.

• attestation: Moddan of Caithness had daughters Helga and Frákork; Helga was Hákon's concubine and bore him Harald Sléttmáli and daughter Ingibiorg; Frákork married Liót Níding of Sutherland and their children included Olvir Rosta and Steinvör the Stout.

  "WHEN Earl Hákon ruled over the Orkneys there lived a noble and wealthy man, by name Moddan, at Dal (Dale), in Caithness. His daughters were Helga and Frákork Thórleif. Helga, Moddan's daughter, was the concubine of Earl Hákon, and their son was Harald, who was called Sléttmáli (smooth-talker), and their daughter was Ingibiorg, who was married to Olaf Bitling (little bit), the King of the Sudreyar. Their second daughter was Margarét. Moddan's daughter, Frákork, was married to a man who was named Liót Níding (miscreant), in Sutherland"

• attestation: Hákon Paul's son had a son Paul called Umálgi (speechless); after Hákon's death on his sick-bed, his sons Harald and Paul succeeded him but soon disagreed and divided the islands.

  "Hákon, Paul's son, had a son named Paul, who was called Umálgi (speechless); he was a reserved man, but popular. When the brothers grew up they never agreed. Hákon, Paul's son, died on a sick-bed in the Islands, and his death was considered a great loss, for in the later days of his reign there was unbroken peace"

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xlvi > The Slaying Of Thorkel FóStri.

• attestation: After Hákon's death his sons Harald and Paul divided the Orkneys and quickly fell into strife; Frákork and Helga took a large share in the government with Earl Harald.

  "AFTER the death of Earl Hákon, his sons succeeded him; but they soon disagreed, and divided the dominions between them. Then also dissensions arose between the great men, and the vassals of each were divided into factions. Earl Harald held Caithness from the King of the Scots, and he resided frequently there"