early kings of norway(古挪威的国王)-第1节
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
EARLY KINGS OF
NORWAY。
by Thomas Carlyle
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
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 narratives （_Sagas_； literally 〃Says〃） as； for quantity and
quality； is unexampled among rude nations。 Snorro Sturleson's History of
the Norse Kings is built out of these old Sagas； and has in it a great deal of
poetic fire； not a little faithful sagacity applied in sifting and adjusting
these old Sagas； and； in a word； deserves； were it once well edited；
furnished with accurate maps； chronological summaries； &c。； to be
reckoned among the great history…books of the world。 It is from these
sources； greatly aided by accurate； learned and unwearied Dahlmann；＇1＇
the German Professor； that the following rough notes of the early Norway
Kings are hastily thrown together。 In Histories of England （Rapin's
excepted） next to nothing has been shown of the many and strong threads
of connection between English affairs and Norse。
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
CHAPTER I。
HARALD HAARFAGR。
Till about the Year of Grace 860 there were no kings in Norway；
nothing but numerous jarls；essentially kinglets； each presiding over a
kind of republican or parliamentary little territory； generally striving each
to be on some terms of human neighborhood with those about him； but；
in spite of 〃_Fylke Things_〃 （Folk Things； little parish parliaments）； and
small combinations of these； which had gradually formed themselves；
often reduced to the unhappy state of quarrel with them。 Harald Haarfagr
was the first to put an end to this state of things； and become memorable
and profitable to his country by uniting it under one head and making a
kingdom of it； which it has continued to be ever since。 His father； Halfdan
the Black； had already begun this rough but salutary process；inspired by
the cupidities and instincts； by the faculties and opportunities； which the
good genius of this world； beneficent often enough under savage forms；
and diligent at all times to diminish anarchy as the world's worst savagery；
usually appoints in such cases；conquest； hard fighting； followed by wise
guidance of the conquered；but it was Harald the Fairhaired； his son； who
conspicuously carried it on and completed it。 Harald's birth…year； death…
year； and chronology in general； are known only by inference and
computation； but； by the latest reckoning； he died about the year 933 of
our era； a man of eighty…three。
The business of conquest lasted Harald about twelve years （A。D。 860…
872？）； in which he subdued also the vikings of the out…islands； Orkneys；
Shetlands； Hebrides； and Man。 Sixty more years were given him to
consolidate and regulate what he had conquered； which he did with great
judgment； industry and success。 His reign altogether is counted to have
been of over seventy years。
The beginning of his great adventure was of a romantic character。
youthful love for the beautiful Gyda； a then glorious and famous young
lady of those regions； whom the young Harald aspired to marry。 Gyda
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
answered his embassy and prayer in a distant； lofty manner： 〃Her it would
not beseem to wed any Jarl or poor creature of that kind； let him do as
Gorm of Denmark； Eric of Sweden； Egbert of England； and others had
done；subdue into peace and regulation the confused； contentious bits of
jarls round him； and become a king； then； perhaps； she might think of his
proposal： till then； not。〃 Harald was struck with this proud answer； which
rendered Gyda tenfold more desirable to him。 He vowed to let his hair
grow； never to cut or even to comb it till this feat were done； and the
peerless Gyda his own。 He proceeded accordingly to conquer； in fierce
battle； a Jarl or two every year； and； at the end of twelve years； had his
unkempt （and almost unimaginable） head of hair clipt off；Jarl Rognwald
（_Reginald_） of More； the most valued and valuable of all his subject…jarls；
being promoted to this sublime barber function；after which King Harald；
with head thoroughly cleaned； and hair grown； or growing again to the
luxuriant beauty that had no equal in his day； brought home his Gyda； and
made her the brightest queen in all the north。 He had after her； in
succession； or perhaps even simultaneously in some cases； at least six
other wives； and by Gyda herself one daughter and four sons。
Harald was not to be considered a strict…living man； and he had a great
deal of trouble； as we shall see； with the tumultuous ambition of his sons；
but he managed his government； aided by Jarl Rognwald and others； in a
large； quietly potent； and successful manner； and it lasted in this royal
form till his death； after sixty years of it。
These were the times of Norse colonization； proud Norsemen flying
into other lands； to freer scenes；to Iceland； to the Faroe Islands； which
were hitherto quite vacant （tenanted only by some mournful hermit； Irish
Christian _fakir_； or so）； still more copiously to the Orkney and Shetland
Isles； the Hebrides and other countries where Norse squatters and settlers
already were。 Settlement of Iceland； we say； settlement of the Faroe
Islands； and； by far the notablest of all； settlement of Normandy by Rolf
the Ganger （A。D。 876？）。＇2＇
Rolf； son of Rognwald；＇3＇ was lord of three little islets far north； near
the Fjord of Folden； called the Three Vigten Islands； but his chief means
of living was that of sea robbery； which； or at least Rolf's conduct in
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
which； Harald did not approve of。 In the Court of Harald； sea…robbery was
strictly forbidden as between Harald's own countries； but as against
foreign countries it continued to be the one profession for a gentleman；
thus； I read； Harald's own chief son； King Eric that afterwards was； had
been at sea in such employments ever since his twelfth year。 Rolf's crime；
however； was that in coming home from one of these expeditions； his crew
having fallen short of victual； Rolf landed with them on the shore of
Norway； and in his strait； drove in some cattle there （a crime by law） and
proceeded to kill and eat； which； in a little while； he heard that King
Harald was on foot to inquire into and punish； whereupon Rolf the Ganger
speedily got into his ships again； got to the coast of France with his sea…
robbers； got infeftment by the poor King of France in the fruitful； shaggy
desert which is since called Normandy； land of the Northmen； and there；
gradually felling the forests； banking the rivers； tilling the fields； became；
during the next two centuries； Wilhelmus Conquaestor； the man famous to
England； and momentous at this day； not to England alone； but to all
speakers of the English tongue； now spread from side to side of the world
in a wonderful degree。 Tancred of Hauteville and his Italian Normans；
though important too； in Italy； are not worth naming in comparison。 This is
a feracious earth； and the grain of mustard…seed will grow to miraculous
extent in some cases。
Harald's chief helper；
