EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY Thomas Carlyle This public-domain text was scanned and proofed by Ron Burkey. It was subsequently converted to LATEX using GutenMark soft- ware, and re-edited with lyx software. Re- port problems to
[email protected]. Revi- sion B differs from the prior revision in that “–” is everywhere replaced with “—” and the formatting of the book has been made consis- tent with Carlyle’s Heroes and Hero Worship. Revision B Date: 01/29/2008 Contents CHAPTER I. Harald Haarfagr. 1 CHAPTER II. Eric Blood-axe and Brothers 9 CHAPTER III. Hakon the Good 13 CHAPTER IV. Harald Greyfell and Brothers 25 CHAPTER V. Hakon Jarl. 31 CHAPTER VI. Olaf Tryggveson. 41 CHAPTER VII. Reign of Olaf Tryggveson 49 CHAPTER VIII. Jarls Eric and Svein 75 CHAPTER IX. King Olaf the Thick-set’s Viking Days 83 CHAPTER X. Reign of King Olaf the Saint 95 CHAPTER XI. Magnus the Good and Others 131 CHAPTER XII. Olaf the Tranquil, Magnus Barefoot, and Sigurd the Crusader 149 CHAPTER XIII. Magnus the Blind, Harald Gylle, and Mutual Extinction of the Haarfa- grs 157 i ii CHAPTER XIV. Sverrir and Descendants, to Hakon the Old 161 CHAPTER XV. Hakon the Old at Largs 165 CHAPTER XVI. Epilogue 169 iii The Icelanders, in their long winter, had a great habit of writing; and were, and still are, excellent in penmanship, says Dahlmann. It is to this fact, that any little history there is of the Norse Kings and their old tragedies, crimes and heroisms, is almost all due. The Icelanders, it seems, not only made beautiful letters on their paper or parchment, but were laudably observant and desirous of accuracy; and have left us such a collection of narra- tives (Sagas, literally “Says”) as, for quantity and quality, is unexampled among rude na- tions.