The king of the English, King Harald, died (A.D.1040) five years after his father King Canute, and was buried beside his father at Winchester.After his death his brother Hardaknut, the second son of the old King Canute, was king of England, and was thus king both of Denmark and England.He ruled these kingdoms two years, and then died of sickness in England, leaving no children.
He was buried at Winchester beside his father.After his death Edward the Good, a son of the English king Ethelred (and Emma, a daughter of Richard earl of Rouen), was chosen king in England.
King Edward the Good was, on his mother's side, a brother of Harald and Hardaknut, the sons of Canute the Great; and the daughter of Canute and Queen Emma was Gunhild, who was married to the Emperor Henry of Germany, who was called Henry the Mild.
Gunhild had been three years in Germamy when she fell sick, and she died five years after the death of her father King Canute the Great.
19.OF KING MAGNUS OLAFSON.
When King Magnus Olafson heard of Hardaknut's death, he immediately sent people south to Denmark, with a message to the men who had bound themselves by oath to the peace and agreement which was made between King Magnus and Hardaknut, and reminded them of their pledge.He added, as a conclusion, that in summer (A.D.1042.) he would come with his army to Denmark to take possession of his Danish dominions, in terms of the agreement, or to fall in the field with his army.So says Arnor, the earls'
skald: --
"Wise were the words, exceeding wise, Of him who stills the hungriest cries Of beasts of prey -- the earl's lord;And soon fulfilled will be his word:
`With his good sword he'll Denmark gain, Or fall upon a bloody plain;And rather than give up his cause, Will leave his corpse to raven's claws.'"20.KING MAGNUS'S ARMAMENT.
Thereafter King Magnus gathered together a great army, and summoned to him all lendermen and powerful bondes, and collected war-ships.When the army was assembled it was very handsome, and well fitted out.He had seventy large vessels when he sailed from Norway.So says Thiodolf the skald: --"Brave king! the terror of the foe, With thee will many a long-ship go.
Full seventy sail are gathered here, Eastward with their great king to steer.
And southward now the bright keel glides;O'er the white waves the Bison rides.
Sails swell, yards crack, the highest mast O'er the wide sea scarce seen at last."Here it related that King Magnus had the great Bison, which his father King Olaf had built.It had more than thirty banks of rowers; and forward on the bow was a great buffalo head, and aft on the stern-post was its tail.Both the head and the tail, and both sides of the ship, were gilded over.Of this speaks Arnor, the earls' skald: --"The white foam lashing o'er the deck Oft made the glided head to shake;The helm down, the vessel's heel Oft showed her stem's bright-glacing steel.
Around Stavanger-point careering, Through the wild sea's white flames steering, Tackle loud singing to the strain, The storm-horse flies to Denmark's plain."King Magnus set out to sea from Agder, and sailed over to Jutland.So says Arnor: --"I can relate how through the gale The gallant Bison carried sail.
With her lee gunwale in the wave, The king on board, Magnus the brave!
The iron-clad Thingmen's chief to see On Jutland's coast right glad were we, --Right glad our men to see a king Who in the fight his sword could swing."21.KING MAGNUS COMES TO DENMARK.
When King Magnus came to Denmark he was joyfully received.He appointed a Thing without delay, to which he summoned the people of the country, and desired they would take him as king, according to the agreement which had been entered into.As the highest of the chiefs of the country were bound by oath to King Magnus, and were desirous of keeping their word and oath, they endeavoured zealously to promote the cause with the people.It contributed also that King Canute the Great, and all his descendants, were dead; and a third assistance was, that his father King Olaf's sanctity and miracles were become celebrated in all countries.
22.KING MAGNUS CHOSEN KING OF DENMARK.
King Magnus afterwards ordered the people to be summoned to Viborg to a Thing.Both in older and later times, the Danes elected their kings at the Viborg Thing.At this Thing the Danes chose Magnus Olafson to be king of all the Danish dorninions.
King Magnus remained long in Denmark during the summer (A.D.
1042); and wherever he came the people received him joyfully, and obeyed him willingly.He divided the country into baronies and districts, and gave fiefs to men of power in the land.Late in autumn he returned with his fleet to Norway, but lay for some time at the Gaut river.
23.OF SVEIN ULFSON.
There was a man, by name Svein, a son of Earl Ulf, and grandson of Thorgils Sprakaleg.Svein's mother was Astrid, a daughter of King Svein Forkbeard.She was a sister of Canute the Great by the father's side, and of the Swedish King Olaf Eirikson by the mother's side; for her mother was Queen Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglar Toste.Svein Ulfson had been a long time living with his relation the Swedish king, ever since King Canute had ordered his father Ulf to be killed, as is related in the saga of old King Canute, that he had his brother-in-law, Earl Ulf, murdered in Roskilde; and on which account Svein had not since been in Denmark.Svein Ulfson was one of the handsomest men that could be seen; he was very stout and strong, and very expert in all exercises, and a well-spoken man withal.Every one who knew him said he had every quality which became a good chief.
Svein Ulfson waited upon King Magnus while he lay in the Gaut river, as before mentioned, and the king received him kindly, as he was by many advised to do; for Svein was a particularly popular man.He could also speak for himself to the king well and cleverly; so that it came at lasf to Svein's entering into King Magnus's service, and becoming his man.They often talked together afterwards in private concerning many affairs.