The Norwegian account of Haco's expedition against Scotland, A.D. MCCLXIII.Sturla Þórðarson
History
The Norwegian account of Haco's expedition against Scotland, A.D. MCCLXIII.
Sturla Þórðarson
Haakon IV Haakonsson, King of Norway, 1204-1263; Norway -- History -- 1030-1397; Scandinavians; Scotland -- History -- To 1603
After St Olave's wake[50] King Haco, leaving Elidarwic, sailed south
before the Mull[51] of Ronaldsha with all his navy. At this place King
Haco was joined by Ronald from the Orkneys, with the ships that had
followed him. King Haco next led the whole armament into Ronaldsvo,
and lay there for some space. He then sent men over to Cathness[52] to
levy contribution. He, on the one hand, proposed peace if the
inhabitants would yield, but otherwise heavy punishment. The
Cathnesians submitted to the tax, and King Haco appointed collectors
to receive it, as is here intimated.
6.
First our wise Sovereign, the Bestower of peace, and
Defender of the Northern Thrones, imposed tribute, the
ransom of life, on the dwellers of the Ness.[53] All its
tribes were terrified by the steel-clad exactor of
rings,[54] and panic-struck at his mighty power.
While King Haco lay in Ronaldsvo a great darkness drew over the sun,
so that only a little ring was bright round the sun, and it continued
so for some hours.[55]
On the day of St Laurence's wake[56] King Haco, having ordered the
Orkney-men to follow him as soon as they were ready, sailed over
Pentland-Firth,[57] Earl Magnus, however, staid behind. He was here
informed that John Drotning,[58] and Kolbein Aslacson, with the ships
expected from the east, but which had been accidentally detained, were
arrived in the Islands. King Haco then sailed with all his forces to a
haven that is called Asleifarvic,[59] from that to Lewes, so on to
Raasa, and, from thence to that place, in Sky-sound, which is called
Callach-stane.[60]
Here he was joined by Magnus King of Man, and the relations Erling
Ivarson, Andrew Nicolson, and Halward. He next proceeded to the Sound
of Mull,[61] and then to Kiararey where King Dugal and the other
Hebridians were assembled with all their troops. King Haco had now
above an hundred vessels, for the most part large, and all of them
well provided both with men and arms.
While King Haco remained at Kiararey he divided his forces, and sent
fifty ships south to the Mull of Kintire[62] to plunder. The captains
appointed over them were King Dugal, Magnus King of Man, Bryniolf
Johnson, Ronald Urka, Andrew Pott, Ogmund Kraekidants, Vigleic
Priestson. He also ordered five ships for Bute; these were under the
command of Erlend Red, Andrew Nicolson, Simon Stutt, Ivar Ungi Eyfari,
and Gutthorm the Hebridian, each in his own ship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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