Heimskringla
King
Haraldr was a powerful man and a firm ruler within his own country, very
intelligent in his thinking, so that it is universally held that there has been
no ruler in Northern Lands that has been as profoundly wise as Haraldr or as
clever in his decisions. He was a great warrior and of the very boldest in
fighting. He was strong and better able to use weapons than any other man, as
has been written above.
King Haraldr was a handsome man and
noble-looking, fair-haired and with a fair beard and long moustache, one
eyebrow a little higher than the other, large hands and feet and both well
shaped. His height measured five ells. He was fierce to his enemies and harsh
in punishments for any opposition.
King Haraldr was most ambitious for
power and for any advantageous possessions. He was hugely liberal towards his
friends, those that he was well pleased with.
King Haraldr was fifty years of age
when he fell. We have no noteworthy accounts of his youth until he was fifteen
winters old, when he was at Stiklarstaðir in the battle along with his brother
King Óláfr, and after that he lived thirty-five winters. And all that time he
never had any respite from violence and warfare. King Haraldr never fled from a
battle, but he often took precautions in the face of overwhelming odds that he
had to deal with. Everyone said, who followed him in battle and warfare, that
when he was in a situation of great danger and it had suddenly come upon him,
that he would adopt the course that everyone realised afterwards had been the
most likely to work.
…
Brynjólfr gamli úlfaldi’s (Camel’s) son
Halldórr was an intelligent man and a great leader. He said this, when he heard
people’s talk, and people were assessing the characters of the brothers King
Óláfr the Saint and Haraldr quite differently, then Halldórr spoke as follows:
“I was on very friendly terms with both
the brothers, and I was acquainted with both their characters. I never came
across two men more alike in character. They were both most sensible and most
bold as fighters, men ambitious for wealth and power, imperious, not in
sympathy with ordinary people, natural rulers and stern in punishment. King
Óláfr forced the people of the country to Christianity and right conduct, and
harshly punished those that turned a deaf ear. The leaders of the land would
not put up with his just and fair judgments and rose against him here and
killed him on his own territory. As a result he became a saint. But Haraldr
fought for fame and power and forced all the people to submit to him, as far as
he could. He also fell on other kings’ territory. Both the brothers were men
that were virtuous in general conduct and high-minded. They were widely
travelled and men of great energy and from this became widely renowned and
famous.”
…
King Magnús ruled over Norway, the son
of Haraldr, the first winter after the fall of King Haraldr, and after that he
ruled two winters with his brother Óláfr. There were then these two kings.
Magnús held the more northerly part of the country, and Óláfr the more
easterly. King Magnús had a son that was called Hákon. He was fostered by
Steigar-Þórir. He was a most promising man.
No comments:
Post a Comment