Scotland under her early kings, Volume 1 (of 2) : $b a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth centuryRobertson, Eben William
History
Scotland under her early kings, Volume 1 (of 2) : $b a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth century
Robertson, Eben William
Scotland -- History -- To 1603
settled the amount of tribute to be paid from the most distant islands!
(_Doc. etc. Illus. Hist. Scot._, No. 33.) The tale reappears, as might
be expected, in the time of the first Edward, in its most exaggerated
form, as “Inventa in quodum libro de vita et miraculis beati Johannis
de Beverlaco _quæ sunt per Romanam curiam approbata_ (_Fœd._, vol.
i., p. 771). Dr. Lingard, through one of those oversights which
occasionally serve to strengthen his arguments in Scottish matters, has
transferred to this expedition the epithets applied by Æthelward to the
battle of Brunanburgh.
[72] At this time there were two prominent characters amongst the
descendants of Ivar of the name of Anlaf or Olave, who have frequently
been confounded. Olave, the son of Sitric, known in the Sagas under
the name of Olave the Red--the _an t sainnr_ of the _A. F. M._
978--sometimes as Olave Cuaran (for his son Sitric, who fought at
Clontarf is called Olave Quaran’s son in the Niala Saga, _Antiq.
Celt.-Scand._, p. 108), became the head of his family upon the death
of his uncle Godfrey, and to him the Sagas invariably attribute the
supreme rule over the Norsemen at Brunanburgh and elsewhere. Upon
the death of Athelstan, the whole of England north of Watling Street
was ceded to “Olave of Ireland,” and for four years Olave Sitricson
retained his hold upon the conquered districts, until the successes of
Edmund drove him across the channel to Ireland. He frequently appears
in English history subsequently as the opponent of Eric of the Bloody
Axe and the Anglo-Saxon monarchs; but his name does not occur in the
Irish annals before he was driven from Northumbria in 944; and about
eight years later, relinquishing all hopes of obtaining his father’s
English kingdom, he established himself permanently in Dublin, ruling
the Irish Norsemen for nearly thirty years, and bequeathing his
dominion to his descendants. Olave, the son of Godfrey, succeeded
his father in Dublin in 934, crossed the sea in the autumn of 937,
and joining in the battle of Brunanburgh, reappeared in Ireland
in the following year. He again appeared in England when Olave of
Ireland was chosen by the Northumbrian Danes for their king, and
shared the supremacy with his kinsman until his death at Tyningham in
941. Guthferd or Godfrey, the son of Hardacanute, a personage whose
existence is somewhat doubtful, but who is supposed to have succeeded
Halfdan, is often confounded with either Godfrey _mac_ Ivar or Godfrey
_hy_ Ivar. The Irish annals, sagas, and Simeon, are my authorities for
this sketch.
[73] _Chron. Sax._ 937. _Egil’s Saga_, _Antiq. Celt.-Scand._ The story
of Olave’s adventures in the camp of Athelstan is also told of Alfred,
and, if I recollect aright, of others. It is probably true in one
instance, and ascribed to the rest. Eogan of Strath Clyde was probably
amongst the kings who fell, as his son Donald soon afterwards appears
as king of Strath Clyde.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account