Produced by D A Alexander and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. Thanks to the Natrona County Library System, Casper, Wyoming, USA, for donating the source book. THE WORLD'S BEST HISTORIES NORWAY BY SIGVART SÖRENSEN EDITOR "MINNEAPOLIS TIDENDE" _WITH FRONTISPIECE_ THE CO-OPERATIVE PUBLICATION SOCIETY NEW YORK AND LONDON COPYRIGHT 1899 BY PETER FENELON COLLIER _Norway_ Illustration: THE INVASION OF GREAT BRITAIN BY THE NORTHMEN _Norway._ PREFACE In preparing this volume it has been my aim to omit as few important events as possible without making the book a mere enumeration of names and dates. Above all, I have tried to be accurate. Among the works which I have used as sources, the first one to be mentioned is the great work of Snorre Sturlason: "The Heimskringla, or The Sagas of the Norse Kings," and I have used the English translation of the same by Samuel Laing, Esq., revised edition by Rasmus B. Anderson (Scribner & Welford, New York, 1889). I have also found much assistance in O. A. Överland's "Norges Historie." Among many other works used as sources or consulted, are: J. E. Sars's "Udsigt over den Norske Historie"; Jacob Aall's "Erindringer"; F. Winkel Horn's "History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North," translated by R. B. Anderson (S. C. Griggs & Co, Chicago, 1895). The Constitution of Norway, the most liberal Constitution of Europe, appeared to me to be an appropriate closing chapter in a History of Norway. This interesting document has been translated into English by the Honorable Knute Nelson, United States Senator from Minnesota, to whom I am under obligation for permission to use his translation. S. S. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 1899. CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE NORTHMEN PAGE The Ancestors of the Present Norwegians--Early Social Conditions--Independence and Self-government of the People--The Kings of the old Northmen 15 CHAPTER II THE RELIGION OF THE NORTHMEN The Creation of the World--Ask and Embla, the first Human Couple--Asgard, the Dwelling of the Gods--The Struggle between Good and Evil--The End of the World--A new Race 18 CHAPTER III THE VIKING AGE The three Stages of the Viking Age--Cruises to Scotland, Ireland, England and other Countries--Norse Kingdom in Ireland 26 CHAPTER IV THE YNGLING FAMILY--HALFDAN THE SWARTHY Beginning of Authentic History--Olaf the Tree-feller--Halfdan Whiteleg--Gudrod the Hunter--Halfdan the Swarthy gives the Eidsiva Law--Queen Ragnhild's Dream 29 CHAPTER V HARALD THE FAIRHAIRED (860-930)--NORWAY UNITED