Heimskringla [88]
of shields Upon the vikings' water-fields: From Gotland's lonely shore has gone Far up the land, and battles won: And o'er the sea his name is spread, To friends a shield, to foes a dread."
Afterwards Earl Eirik sailed south to Vindland, and at Stauren found some viking ships, and gave them battle. Eirik gained the victory, and slew the vikings. So it is told in the "Banda- drapa": --
"Earl Eirik, he who stoutly wields The battle-axe in storm of shields, With his long ships surprised the foe At Stauren, and their strength laid low Many a corpse floats round the shore; The strand with dead is studded o'er: The raven tears their sea-bleached skins -- The land thrives well when Eirik wins."
97. EIRIK'S FORAY ON THE BALTIC COASTS.
Earl Eirik sailed back to Sweden in autumn, and staid there all winter (A.D. 997); but in the spring fitted out his war force again, and sailed up the Baltic. When he came to Valdemar's dominions he began to plunder and kill the inhabitants, and burn the dwellings everywhere as he came along, and to lay waste the country. He came to Aldeigiuburg, and besieged it until he took the castle; and he killed many people, broke down and burned the castle, and then carried destruction all around far and wide in Gardarike. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --
"The generous earl, brave and bold, Who scatters his bright shining gold, Eirik with fire-scattering hand, Wasted the Russian monarch's land, -- With arrow-shower, and storm of war, Wasted the land of Valdemar. Aldeiga burns, and Eirik's might Scours through all Russia by its light."
Earl Eirik was five years in all on this foray; and when he returned from Gardarike he ravaged all Adalsysla and Eysysla, and took there four viking ships from the Danes and killed every man on board. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --
"Among the isles flies round the word, That Eirik's blood-devouring sword Has flashed like fire in the sound, And wasted all the land around. And Eirik too, the bold in fight, Has broken down the robber-might Of four great vikings, and has slain All of the crew -- nor spared one Dane. In Gautland he has seized the town, In Syssels harried up and down; And all the people in dismay Fled to the forests far away. By land or sea, in field or wave, What can withstand this earl brave? All fly before his fiery hand -- God save the earl, and keep the land."
When Eirik had been a year in Sweden he went over to Denmark (A.D. 996) to King Svein Tjuguskeg, the Danish king, and courted his daughter Gyda. The proposal was accepted, and Earl Eirik married Gyda; and a year after (A.D. 997) they had a son, who was called Hakon. Earl Eirik was in the winter in Denmark, or sometimes in Sweden; but in summer he went a-cruising.
98. KING SVEIN'S MARRIAGE.
The Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married to Gunhild, a daughter of Burizleif, king of the Vinds. But in the times we have just been speaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell sick and died. Soon after King Svein married Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglartoste, and mother of the Swedish king Olaf; and by means of this relationship there was great friendship between the kings and Earl Eirik, Hakon's son.
99. KING BURIZLEIF'S MARRIAGE.
Burizleif, the king of the Vinds, complained to his relation Earl Sigvalde, that the agreement was broken which Sigvalde had made between King Svein and King Burizleif, by which Burizleif was to get in marriage Thyre, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Svein: but that marriage had not proceeded, for Thyre had given positive no to the proposal to marry her to an old and heathen king. "Now," said King Burizleif to Earl Sigvalde, "I must have the promise fulfilled." And he told Earl Sigvalde to go to Denmark, and bring him Thyre as his queen. Earl Sigvalde loses no time, but goes to King Svein of Denmark, explains to him the
Afterwards Earl Eirik sailed south to Vindland, and at Stauren found some viking ships, and gave them battle. Eirik gained the victory, and slew the vikings. So it is told in the "Banda- drapa": --
"Earl Eirik, he who stoutly wields The battle-axe in storm of shields, With his long ships surprised the foe At Stauren, and their strength laid low Many a corpse floats round the shore; The strand with dead is studded o'er: The raven tears their sea-bleached skins -- The land thrives well when Eirik wins."
97. EIRIK'S FORAY ON THE BALTIC COASTS.
Earl Eirik sailed back to Sweden in autumn, and staid there all winter (A.D. 997); but in the spring fitted out his war force again, and sailed up the Baltic. When he came to Valdemar's dominions he began to plunder and kill the inhabitants, and burn the dwellings everywhere as he came along, and to lay waste the country. He came to Aldeigiuburg, and besieged it until he took the castle; and he killed many people, broke down and burned the castle, and then carried destruction all around far and wide in Gardarike. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --
"The generous earl, brave and bold, Who scatters his bright shining gold, Eirik with fire-scattering hand, Wasted the Russian monarch's land, -- With arrow-shower, and storm of war, Wasted the land of Valdemar. Aldeiga burns, and Eirik's might Scours through all Russia by its light."
Earl Eirik was five years in all on this foray; and when he returned from Gardarike he ravaged all Adalsysla and Eysysla, and took there four viking ships from the Danes and killed every man on board. So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --
"Among the isles flies round the word, That Eirik's blood-devouring sword Has flashed like fire in the sound, And wasted all the land around. And Eirik too, the bold in fight, Has broken down the robber-might Of four great vikings, and has slain All of the crew -- nor spared one Dane. In Gautland he has seized the town, In Syssels harried up and down; And all the people in dismay Fled to the forests far away. By land or sea, in field or wave, What can withstand this earl brave? All fly before his fiery hand -- God save the earl, and keep the land."
When Eirik had been a year in Sweden he went over to Denmark (A.D. 996) to King Svein Tjuguskeg, the Danish king, and courted his daughter Gyda. The proposal was accepted, and Earl Eirik married Gyda; and a year after (A.D. 997) they had a son, who was called Hakon. Earl Eirik was in the winter in Denmark, or sometimes in Sweden; but in summer he went a-cruising.
98. KING SVEIN'S MARRIAGE.
The Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married to Gunhild, a daughter of Burizleif, king of the Vinds. But in the times we have just been speaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell sick and died. Soon after King Svein married Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglartoste, and mother of the Swedish king Olaf; and by means of this relationship there was great friendship between the kings and Earl Eirik, Hakon's son.
99. KING BURIZLEIF'S MARRIAGE.
Burizleif, the king of the Vinds, complained to his relation Earl Sigvalde, that the agreement was broken which Sigvalde had made between King Svein and King Burizleif, by which Burizleif was to get in marriage Thyre, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Svein: but that marriage had not proceeded, for Thyre had given positive no to the proposal to marry her to an old and heathen king. "Now," said King Burizleif to Earl Sigvalde, "I must have the promise fulfilled." And he told Earl Sigvalde to go to Denmark, and bring him Thyre as his queen. Earl Sigvalde loses no time, but goes to King Svein of Denmark, explains to him the