XX. THE STORY OF THE BURNING 157 XXI. THINGS DRAW ON TO AN END 166 THE DANISH KINGDOM OF ENGLAND XXII. THE REIGN OF SWEYN FORKBEARD 179 XXIII. THE BATTLE OF LONDON BRIDGE 186 XXIV. CANUTE THE GREAT 191 XXV. CANUTE LAYS CLAIM TO NORWAY 198 XXVI. HARDACANUTE 211 XXVII. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR 221 XXVIII. KING HAROLD, GODWIN’S SON, AND THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE 226 XXIX. KING MAGNUS BARELEGS FALLS IN IRELAND 237 XXX. THE LAST OF THE VIKINGS 244 CHRONOLOGY 249 INDEX 251 Illustrations THE COMING OF THE NORTHMEN _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE LADGERDA 16 ALFRED AT ASHDUNE 26 HARALD FAIRHAIR 42 OLAF CUARAN 62 THOROLF SLAYS EARL HRING AT BRUNANBURH 72 THE DYING KING HAKON CARRIED TO HIS SHIP 88 KING OLAF’S “LONG SERPENT” 102 MURTOUGH ON HIS JOURNEY WITH THE KING OF MUNSTER IN FETTERS 118 “OLAF TOOK THE OLD WOMAN IN HIS ARMS” 132 DEATH OF BRIAN BORU AT CLONTARF 152 “THE VISION OF THE MAN ON THE GREY HORSE” 166 “COME THOU OUT, HOUSEWIFE,” CALLED FLOSI TO BERGTHORA 172 THE BATTLE OF LONDON BRIDGE 188 KING CANUTE AND EARL ULF QUARREL OVER CHESS 214 KING MAGNUS IN THE MARSH AT DOWNPATRICK 240 MAP BRITISH ISLES IN THE TIME OF THE NORTHMEN 176 Authorities For the Sagas of the Norwegian Kings: _Snorri Sturleson’s Heimskringla, or Sagas of the Kings of Norway_. Translated by S. Laing and by W. Morris and E. Magnüsson For Ragnar Lodbrog: _Saxo Grammaticus_ and _Lodbrog’s Saga_ For Ragnar Lodbrog’s Death Song: _Corpus Poeticum Boreale_. Vigfusson and York Powell For the Orkneys: _Orkneyinga Saga_ For the Battle of Brunanburh: _Egil Skallagrimson’s Saga_. Translated by W. C. Green