Heimskringla

The Chronicle of The Kings of Norway

by Snorri Sturlson | c.1179-1241 | 320,198 words

The "Heimskringla" of Snorri Sturlason is a collection of sagas concerning the various rulers of Norway, from about A.D. 850 to the year A.D. 1177....

Chapter IX - Saga Of Harald Hardrade

- Sub-Contents: (+ / -)

Preliminary Remarks:

Harald, son of Sigurd Syr, was born in the year A.D. 1015, and left Norway A.D. 1030. He was called Hardrade, that is, the severe counsellor, the tyrant, though the Icelanders never applied this epithet to him. Harald helped the Icelanders in the famine of A.D. 1056, and sent them timber for a church at Thingvol. It was the Norwegians who gave him the name tyrant in contrast to the "debonairete" of Magnus. He came to Norway in A.D. 1046, and became sole king in A.D. 1047. He died in A.D. 1066, and his son and successor Magnus died in A.D. 1069.

His saga is to be compared with

  • "Agrip",
  • "Fagrskinna", and
  • "Morkinskinna".

The skalds quoted are:

  • Thiodolf,
  • Bolverk,
  • Illuge Bryndalaskald,
  • Stuf the skald,
  • Thorarin Skeggjason,
  • Valgard o' Val,
  • Od Kikinaskald,
  • Grane Skald,
  • Thorleik the Fair,
  • Stein Herdison,
  • Ulf the Marshal,
  • Arnor the earls' skald,
  • Thorkel Skallason,
  • and King Harald Hardrade himself.
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