The The Orkneyinga Saga on Olaf Tryggvason
The Orkneyinga Saga > For > Iv. The Earldom In The Norse Line, 872-1231.
- attestation: Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway, forced Earl Sigurd to convert to Christianity at the harbor of Osmondwall by threatening to kill Sigurd's son if he refused baptism.
"Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway, returning from a western cruise, happened to run his vessels into the same harbour, as the Pentland Firth was not to be passed that day. On hearing that the earl was there he sent for him on board his ship, and told him, without much parley, that he must allow himself to be baptized, and make all his people profess the Christian faith. The Flateyjarbók says that the king took hold of Sigurd's boy, who chanced to be with him, and drawing his sword, gave the earl the choice of renouncing for ever the faith of his fathers, or of seeing his boy slain on the spot."
The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter I. > Of The Earls.
- attestation: Earl Sigurd the Stout was forced by Olaf Tryggvason at Rörvág to embrace Christianity, be baptized, become Olaf's man, and proclaim Christianity over all the Orkneys; Olaf took Sigurd's son Hundi as a hostage.
"In his days Olaf, Tryggvi's son, returning from a viking expedition to the west, came to the Orkneys with his men, and seized Earl Sigurd in Rörvág,[234] as he lay there with a single ship. King Olaf offered the Earl to ransom his life on condition that he should embrace the true faith and be baptized; that he should become his man, and proclaim Christianity over all the Orkneys. He took his son Hundi or Hvelp (whelp) as a hostage"
The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Cxvii > Meeting Between Olaf (Tryggvi'S Son) And The Earl.
attestation: King Olaf Tryggvason sailed west to the Orkneys but could not pass the Pentland Firth; he moored at Osmondwall opposite Rögnvaldsey where Earl Sigurd Hlödver's son was anchored with three ships on his way to war; Olaf summoned the Earl to his ship.
"Olaf, Tryggvi's son, sailed west to the Orkneys, as has been mentioned before. But as the Pentland Firth was not to be passed at the time, he moored his ships in Asmundarvag (Osmondwall) opposite Rögnvaldsey. Earl Sigurd, Hlödver's son, was there before him with three ships, for he was going on a war expedition. When King Olaf became aware that the Earl was there, he called him into his presence."
attestation: King Olaf Tryggvason recited the history of Norwegian dominion over the Orkneys: Harald Harfagri gave them to Rögnvald, Rögnvald gave them to his brother Sigurd, then they passed through successive earls; Olaf claimed the Islands as his inheritance from Harald Harfagri.
""You know, Earl Sigurd, that Harald Harfagri came here to the west with an army when he had obtained possession of all Norway. King Harald conquered the Orkneys and Hjaltland, and many other lands here in the west. The King gave the Islands to Rögnvald the Powerful as a compensation for his son, but Rögnvald gave them to his brother Sigurd, and he became the Earl of King Harald."
attestation: Olaf told Earl Sigurd he must choose between accepting Christianity and becoming Olaf's man, holding his lands as a subject-earl, or being slain immediately with fire and sword sent through all the Orkneys.
"Now, since it has so happened, Earl Sigurd, that you have come into my power, you have to choose between two very unequal alternatives. One is, that you embrace the true faith, become my man, and be baptized with all your subjects. In that case you may have certain hope of honour from me."
attestation: King Olaf seized Earl Sigurd's young son who had been raised in the Islands, threatened to kill him with the sword unless Sigurd and his men accepted baptism; the Earl chose to submit and was baptized along with all the Orkney people.
"he caught hold of his young son, who was with him, and who had been brought up in the Islands. The King carried this son of the Earl to the forepart of the ship. There he drew his sword, and made ready to hew the boy down, saying at the same time: "Now I will show you, Earl Sigurd, that I shall spare no man who will not serve Almighty God"