The Viking Age. Volume 2 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nationsDu Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni)
History
The Viking Age. Volume 2 (of 2): The early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English-speaking nations
Footnote 366:
Berserks-gang = going like a Berserk into fits of frenzy.
Footnote 367:
Cf. also Ynglinga Saga, 6; Njal, 104; Egil, 27, 40; Vatnsdæla, 46;
Fornmanna Sögur, i. 132; Svarfdæla, 7; Orvar Odd, 14; Droplaugar Sona
Saga, 19.
Footnote 368:
Landnama, Part V., ch. 5; Hrolf Kraki’s last fight, 50, 51.
Footnote 369:
The wall of the burg is called here fence.
CHAPTER XXVII.
SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS.
Harald Hilditönn’s claim to England—King Hring in England—Battle of
Brávöll—Battle of Dúnheidi—Warlike character of the Race.
In the preceding chapters we have dealt with the customs of the
forefathers of the English-speaking nations of to-day, and will now
proceed to give extracts from those Sagas which deal with the lives and
deeds of some of the earlier kings of the North who claimed to own part
of England, and which mention events that relate to, or took place in,
England, France, Ireland, Scotland, and other countries in later times.
In quoting from the different Sagas there is necessarily a certain
amount of repetition.
Among the earliest kings who claimed to own or have possessions in
England were Ivar Vidfadmi, Harald Hilditönn, Sigurd Hring, and Ragnar
Lodbrok.
“When Sigurd Hring (7th and 8th centuries, A.D.), father of Ragnar
Lodbrok, King of Sweden and Denmark, had made peace in both, and placed
over them tax-kings and jarls, he bethought himself of the kingdom which
his kinsman Harald Hilditönn (war-tooth) had possessed in England, and
before him Ivar Vidfadmi; but it was then ruled by King Ingjald, who it
is said was brother of Petr, Saxon king” (Forrmanna Sögur).[370]
“Ingjald was a powerful king.
“King Hring summoned a great levy from his kingdom, went westward to
England, and, when he came to Northumberland, asked for help, which many
people gave him.
“But when King Ingjald heard of this, he gathered a large host and went
against him, and they fought several battles, in the last of which King
Ingjald and his son Ubbi, with many of their warriors, fell. Hring
thereupon took possession of Northumberland and the whole of Ingjald’s
kingdom.
“King Hring left England, placing as tax-king over Northumberland Olaf,
son of Kinrik, who was said to be a nephew of Moalda the Stout, mother
of Ivar Vidfadmi.
“Then King Hring returned to his realm, and Olaf ruled over
Northumberland, until Eava (or Eana), son of Ubbi, gained the throne. He
and Olaf had many battles; after the last one King Olaf fled, and Eava
won the kingdom.
“Olaf went to Sweden to see King Hring, who then made him chief of
Jutland, and for long afterwards he was tax-king there, first under King
Hring, and afterwards under Ragnar Lodbrok.
“He was called Olaf the English, and his son was Grim the grey, who got
the kingship after his father.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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