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History of the Northmen Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/historyofnorthmeOOwhea HISTORY OF THE NORTHMEN, OR DANES AND NORMANS, FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES THE CONQUEST OF ENGLAND BY WILLIAM OF NORMANDY. By HENRY WHEATON, HONORARY MEMBER OF THE SCANDINAVIAN AND ICELANDIC LITERARY SOCIETIES AT COPENHAGEN. Pour remembrer des ancessors, Les fails, et les dits, et les moeurs, Et les felonies des felons, Et les exploits des Barons. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. MDCCCXXXI. LONDON: PRINTED BY C. AND \V. HtVNiiLL. RUOAD STREET, UOLDEN SQUARE. <i' 6 ' PREFACE. In the following attempt to illustrate the early annals of the North, it has been the writer's aim to seize the principal points in the progress of society and manners in this remote period, which have been either entirely passed over or barely glanced at by the national historians of France and England, but which throw a strong and clear light upon the affairs of Europe during the middle ages, and illustrate the formation of the great monarchies now constituting some of its leading states. For this purpose, resort has, in general, been had to the original sources of information found in the multiplied collections of the learned men and associations of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden—to the ancient historical Songs and VI PREFACE. Sagas, and especially to the great historical work of Snorre Sturleson, written in the Ice- landic or old Scandinavian language, prevailing in the three Northern kingdoms until the form- ation of the present living tongues of Denmark and Sweden. These sources embrace the most authentic and valuable historical monuments of early transactions possessed by any European nation, which have been illustrated with a diligence and critical skill that may fairly be said to be unrivalled by the antiquarian labours of any other country. In addition to these materials, the author has also made a free and full use of the modern national historians, Schoening, Suhm, and Geijer, — as well as Mr Turner's History of the Anglo-Saxons, and M. Depping's valuable work upon the Maritime Expeditions of the Normans. It may be pro- per to add, that he has incorporated into the present work the substance of two papers in the North-American and Philadelphia Quarterly Reviews, written by himself, the one upon Scandinavian mythology and literature, and the other upon M. Depping's book. He has also PREFACE. Vll frequently had occasion to quote the first volume of the Ecclesiastical History of Den- mark and Norway, by his learned friend, the late Dr Miinter, bishop of Zealand ; the Saga- bibliothek of Professor (now Bishop) P. E. Miil- ler ; and the different publications of Professors F. Magnussen, Schlegel, Rafn, and Rask, upon the mythology, language, laws, and literature of the ancient North. He acknowledges, with pride and pleasure, the valuable assistance he has derived from the personal suggestions of these and other literary friends during his residence in this capital—a residence which will ever be associated with some of the most pleasing recollections of his life. Copenhagen, April 1831, — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Knowledge which the Greeks and Romans had of Scandinavia. — Cimbri and Teutones.—Fenni, or Skrithfinni.—Migration of the Gothic Tribes.— Voeringjar at Constantinople. Emigration of the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes, to Britain. Otter and Wulfstan's Periplus of the North Sea and Baltic Page 1 CHAPTER II. Discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians.—Physical features of that Island.— Settlement of Iceland by Ingolf.—Disco- very of Greenland by Erik the Red.—Discovery of North America by Leif, the son of Erik the Red.—Vinland explored by Thorvald, brother of Leif. —Thorvald slain by the native Esquimaux.—Settlement of Vinland by Thorfin and his companions.—Ultimate fate of the Norwegian colony in Vinland.—Voyages of the Venetian navigators, the brothers Zeni, in the Northern ocean ...... 16 CHAPTER III. Permanent settlement of Iceland by the Norwegians.—Saga of Thorolf.—Religion of the first settlers.—Temples, sacrifices, and worship.—Authority of the pontiff-chieftains.—Local and general popular assemblies. — Legislation. — Laws of Ulfljot.—Laws preserved by local tradition.— Spirit of Free- dom.—Various religious sects among the heathen Icelanders. —First Christian missionaries to Iceland.—Final establish- ment of Christianity.—Abolition of the Holmgdnga, or trial by battle. —Egill's Saga.—Forms of civil procedure . 32 — X CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Icelandic language and literature.—History and poetry pre- served by oral tradition.— Skalds.—Their poetry influenced by the wild beauty of Northern scenery.— Saga-man, or story-teller. —Saemund Sigfussen.—Compilation of the poetic or elder Edda.—Runic characters and writing.—Arrange- ment of the different Songs contained in Saemund's Edda. Mythology and Ethics of the ancient religion of the North. —Authenticity of the poetic Edda.— Prose Edda of Snorre Sturleson — Skalda.—Icelandic versification . Page 49 CHAPTER V. Icelandic Sagas —Mythic, romantic, and historical Sagas. Historical value of the Sagas.—Ari Frode, the first Icelandic historian.—Life and character of Snorre Sturleson.—Com- position of his great historical work, Heimskringla . 94* CHAPTER VI. Legend of Odin, from the Ynlinga-saga.— Its historical interpre- tation.—Finns.—Goths.— Sviar.—Mythology and religious rites of the ancient North.—Religious system preceding that of Odin.—Ynglings in Sweden, and Skjoldungs in Denmark. — State of society and manners.—Rigsmal.—Anglo-Saxon poem of Bjowulf . .110 CHAPTER VII. Causes of the Scandinavian maritime expeditions to the South of Europe. — Wild spirit of adventure. — Sea- Kings. Religion. — Champions and Berscerker. — Amazons, or Skjold-meyar.—Art of ship-building.—Battle of Bravalla. First incursions to Scotland, the Orcades, Hebrides, and Ireland.—Invasions of England.—Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok. —His death-song 133 CHAPTER VIII. Wars of Charlemagne on the Elbe.—Invasion of France by Hastings and the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok.—Normans plunder — CONTEXTS. XI the coasts of Spain and Italy, and enter the Mediterranean. Sack of Luna by Hastings.—Return of Hastings to France. —His conversion to Christianity .... Page 155 CHAPTER IX. First Attempts to convert the North to Christianity.—Mis- sionaries, Ebbo and Halitgar.— Conversion and baptism of Harald Klak.—His intercourse with Louis-le-Debonnaire. Character and first mission of Ancharius, the apostle of the North. — His first visit to Sweden.—Obstacles to the progress of the new religion.—Papal bull erecting archiepiscopal See of Hamburg.—Sack of that city by the Danes, and flight of Ancharius.—His second mission to Sweden.—Death and canonization of Ancharius . .172 CHAPTER X. Expedition of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok to England. Defeat and death of king Ella.—Conquest of Northumbria. —Death of Edmund, king of East-Anglia.—Conquest of that kingdom.—Wars of Alfred, king of the West-Saxons, with the Northmen.—Peace between Alfred and Godrun, by [which the Danes are permanently confirmed in the possession of East-Anglia.—Invasion of England by Hastings the Younger—Desperate contest between him and Alfred. —Final expulsion of Hastings from the island . 187 CHAPTER XI. Reign of Harald Harfager in Norway.—Battle of Hafursfjord. — His intercourse with king Athelstane.—Endeavours to extirpate piracy. —Battle of Brunaburgh.—Anglo-Saxon lay. — Egill's Saga.—Norman invasion of France continued. Siege of Paris . 206 CHAPTER XII. Origin and early life of Rollo, first duke of Normandy.—The Jarls of Maere.— Prohibition of piracy by Harald Harfager. — Banishment of Rollo from Norway.— Condition of France — —— Xll CONTENTS. under Charles le Simple.—Landing of Rollo at Rouen. Defeats the Franks, and ravages Neustria.—Negociation between Charles and Rollo.— Cession of Neustria to the Normans.—Baptism of Rollo.— Settlement of Normandy. Legislation of Rollo. Clameurde Huro.—Trial by battle. Norman architecture and poetry.—Romantic literature. Norman historians.—Robert Wace . Page 233 CHAPTER XIII. Reign of Gorm the Old in Denmark.—Constitution of the monarchy.—Free spirit of the people.—Expulsion of Erik Blodcexe from Norway.—His death and Drdpa.—Hakon the Good attempts to introduce Christianity into Norway. Opposition of the nation.— Sigurd Jarl. —Death of Hakon. The Hdkomr-mdl, or elegiac lay of Hakon . 266 CHAPTER XIV. William Long-Sword (Son of Rollo) second duke of Nor- mandy.—His son Richard succeeds, and is aided by Harald Blaatand, king of Denmark, against Louis d'Outremer. Harald Graafeld and the other sons of Gunilhda reign in Norway.—Hakon Jarl, son of Sigurd.—His relations with Harald Blaatand, king of Denmark.—Wars of the latter with the emperor Otho.—Republic of Vikingar at Jomsborg, Joint expedition of the Jomsvikingar and Danes against Hakon Jarl.— Spartan courage of the Jomsvikingar youth. Reaction and triumph of heathenism in Norway under Hakon Jarl.—Life and adventures of Olaf Tryggvason.—His accession to the throne of Norway.—Death of Hakon Jarl. —Olaf converts Norway by fire and sword.—League against Olaf.—His death and character . 287 CHAPTER XV. Svend Haraldson, king of Denmark.—Renewal of the Northern invasions of England.—Ethelred the Unready.—Death of Svend.—His son Canute succeeds him.— Causes of the decline of the Anglo-Saxon race. — Conquest of England by — CONTENTS. Xlll Canute.—His legislation. —Pilgrimage to Rome.—Assassi- nation of Ulfr Jarl.— State of Christianity in Denmark. St Olaf, king
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