Norway -- History -- 1030-1397; Norway -- History -- To 1030; Norway -- King and rulers
Whether our refitted Jomsburgers had the least thing to do with it is
only matter of fancy, but if it were they who here again got a good
beating, fancy would be glad to find herself fact. The old piratical
kings of Denmark had been at the founding of Jomsburg, and to Svein of
the Forked Beard it was still vitally important, but not so to the great
Knut, or any king that followed; all of whom had better business than
mere thieving; and it was Magnus the Good, of Norway, a man of still
higher anti-anarchic qualities, that annihilated it, about a century
later.
Hakon Jarl, his chief labors in the world being over, is said to have
become very dissolute in his elder days, especially in the matter of
women; the wretched old fool, led away by idleness and fulness of bread,
which to all of us are well said to be the parents of mischief. Having
absolute power, he got into the habit of openly plundering men's pretty
daughters and wives from them, and, after a few weeks, sending them
back; greatly to the rage of the fierce Norse heart, had there been any
means of resisting or revenging. It did, after a little while, prove the
ruin and destruction of Hakon the Rich, as he was then called. It opened
the door, namely, for entry of Olaf Tryggveson upon the scene,--a very
much grander man; in regard to whom the wiles and traps of Hakon proved
to be a recipe, not on Tryggveson, but on the wily Hakon himself, as
shall now be seen straightway.
CHAPTER VI. OLAF TRYGGVESON.
Hakon, in late times, had heard of a famous stirring person, victorious
in various lands and seas, latterly united in sea-robbery with Svein,
Prince Royal of Denmark, afterwards King Svein of the Double-beard
("_Zvae Skiaeg_", _Twa Shag_) or fork-beard, both of whom had already
done transcendent feats in the viking way during this copartnery. The
fame of Svein, and this stirring personage, whose name was "Ole," and,
recently, their stupendous feats in plunder of England, siege of London,
and other wonders and splendors of viking glory and success, had gone
over all the North, awakening the attention of Hakon and everybody
there. The name of "Ole" was enigmatic, mysterious, and even
dangerous-looking to Hakon Jarl; who at length sent out a confidential
spy to investigate this "Ole;" a feat which the confidential spy did
completely accomplish,--by no means to Hakon's profit! The mysterious
"Ole" proved to be no other than Olaf, son of Tryggve, destined to blow
Hakon Jarl suddenly into destruction, and become famous among the heroes
of the Norse world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account