History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Vol. 1 (of 2)Dunham, S. A. (Samuel Astley)
History
History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Dunham, S. A. (Samuel Astley)
Scandinavia -- History
persuaded her husband to murder his brother, Halfdan III., king of
Zealand. She then joined in a plot for the destruction of her husband;
but this object was no sooner effected than she was obliged to flee for
protection to the court of Upsal. Yet here she was not safe. Ivar
Vidfadme, the son of Halfdan, in the resolution of avenging his father’s
death, invaded Swionia, and wrapped it in blood and flames. When the
news of this invasion reached Ingiald, he was at an entertainment, with
his daughter and many nobles. He knew that he was hated; that resistance
was impossible; that escape was hopeless; and by the advice of Asa he
adopted an expedient which would, for ever, make his death as remarkable
as his life. This was, to burn himself, his daughter, his guests,
together with the house which contained them.[133]
[Sidenote: 623 to 630.]
By the death of Ingiald, his son, _Olaf Trætelia_, was the last of the
Ynglings; but his claim to the throne, however sanctioned by custom or
blood, was not likely to avail in opposition to so powerful an enemy as
Ivar Vidfadme. At this moment, Ivar was at the head of the Danish, the
Swedish, part of the Saxon and Anglian states (the Angles of Holstein);
and his career was not to be resisted by a youth without army, without
followers. Indeed, Olaf made no effort to resist; he saw that the people
were resolved on the expulsion of the Ynglings; and, with the few
friends who adhered to him, he hastened to the desert lands north and
west of the Vener Lake. There he cleared off the forests,—hence his
surname of Trætelia, or the Tree-feller,—drained them, and not only
rendered them habitable, but in a short time made them the foundation of
a new state, that of Vermeland. From him descended the famous Harald
Harfager, monarch of Norway, the restorer of the ancient glory of the
Ynglings.[134]
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