THE EGIL SKALLAGRIMSSON SAGA
The saga begins in Norway around 850, with the life of Egill's
grandfather Ulf (Úlfr) aka Kveldulf or "Evening Wolf", and his two sons
Thorolf (Þórólfr) and Skallagrim (Skalla-Grímr). Strife with the royal
house drive the family out of the country, and they settle in Iceland.
The brothers Egill and Thorolf Skallagrimsson are born. They have a
tenuous tenure in Norway, but Egill is outlawed and they
roam Scandinavia and serve the king of England. Egill tries to reclaim
property back in Norway (as his wife's inheritance), but this is
blocked, and Egill develops a personal vendetta against the King.
There are also vivid descriptions of his other fights and friendships,
his relationship with his family (highlighted by his jealousy, as well as
fondness for his older brother Thorolf), his old age, [7] and the fate of
his own son Thorstein (Þorsteinn, who was baptized once Roman
Catholicism came to Iceland) and his children, who had many children
of their own. The saga ends around the year 1000 and spans many
generations.
Kveldulf's lineage
Ulf (Kveldulf) had Hallbjorn Halftroll as his maternal uncle, and was
known for his surpassing size and strength. He had accrued land and
property from viking raids, and was a man of wisdom. He earned the
nickname Kveldulf (Kveldúlfr, "Evening Wolf") because of his erratic
temper at nightfall, and reputation for manifesting the so-called
"shape-shifter" (hamrammr) abilities,[8] explained in later chapters to
be comparable (or equatable) with berserk fury. [9][10][11] Extreme
personal traits like these are manifested by his son Skallagrim [b] and
his grandson Egill as well.
Strife with Harald Fairhair of Norway
King Harald Fairhair (Haraldr Hárfagri) was warring to unite all of
Norway. Kveldulf refused to assist the local king of Fjordane, but
rebuffed Harald's overtures as well, incurring his wrath. A compromise
was mediated by Olvir Hnufa (Ölvir hnúfa or "Olvir Hump"), Kveldulf's
brother-in-law[c] and Harald's court poet: Kveldulf was to send his elder
son Thorolf, as soon as he returned from viking expedition. Thorolf
served the king well, but suspicion fell on him due to his becoming
overly successful, exacerbated by words of slanderers. Thorolf was
killed by the king who led a band of warriors, and the rift would force
Skallagrim and his father Kveldulf to flee Norway to settle in Iceland.
Skallagrim journeyed to Harald's court seeking compensation for the
death of his brother Thorolf, but offended the king and had to make a
hasty exit empty-handed. Skallagrim and Kveldulf then recaptured a
boat that had been seized from Thorolf, and after killing everyone on
board, sent a taunting poem to the King. [14] In the battle, Kveldulf
displayed his "frenzy" (hamrammr or hamremi), which left him
severely weakened. When the family emigrated to Iceland, Kveldulf
did not survive the trip, and his coffin was set adrift. Near the spot
where the coffin washed ashore in Iceland, Skallagrim established his
settlement, which he named Borg. He took up a peaceful livelihood as
a farmer and blacksmith, and raised his sons, Thorolf (named Þórólfr
after his slain brother), and Egill (the titular hero). [15]
Skallagrim's sons
The saga then proceeds to describe the lives of Thorolf and Egill
Skallagrimsson, born in Iceland, and eventually making their way to
Norway in adulthood. Thorolf visited Skallagrim's old friend in Norway,
Thorir the Hersir (Þórir Hróaldsson).[d] Here Thorolf befriended
Prince Eirik Bloodaxe, Harald's favorite son and Thorir's fosterling. He
approached the prince with a gift of a painted warship that Eirik was
admiring, on advice of Bjorn (Björn Brynjólfsson), Thorir's brother-in-
law.[e][f][17]
Afterwards Eirik Bloodaxe was crowned co-king, [g] and as Thorolf
headed home to Iceland, the king gave him a gold-inlaid ax as a gift
to Skallagrim. Skallagrim abused the ax (named "King's Gift"
or konungsnautr) and shattered it, reciting an insulting poem about it
to Thorolf and handing back what was left of the axe, a sooty handle
with a rusted blade.[18] Thorolf flung the axe overboard, but reported to
King Eirik that his father was grateful for the axe, presenting a bolt
of longship sail cloth pretended to be from Skallagrim. [13] In this way
Thorolf managed to somewhat keep the peace between Skallagrim
and King Eirik Bloodaxe.
Egill's boyhood foreshadowed his future rebelliousness and poetic
prowess. At the age of three, his unbridled behavior when drunk and
strength beyond his age earned him a stay at home, ordered by his
father, when a feast was held by Yngvar (Egill's maternal
grandfather). Egill defiantly rode a horse to attend, following his
father and company from afar, and composed his first skaldic verse.
At the age of seven while playing in the ball games (knattleikr), he
committed his first murder (axe-killing an older boy who outclassed
him in the sport).[h][13] By the time Egill was twelve very few grown men
could compete with him in games, but when he and his
friend[i] challenged his father one day, Skallagrim manifested such
strength at nightfall that he slammed the friend dead against the
ground. Egill's life was only saved when Egill's fostra (a female slave
that had acted as Egill's nurse as a child) tried to calm Skallagrim
down and was killed instead.[b] Egill got so upset that he killed one of
his father's favorite slaves in return, and as a result the two were not
on speaking terms for the following winter. [13]
Conflict with Eirik Bloodaxe over ale
The summer after Egill's father killed his friend, Thorolf came home to
visit Iceland. Egill forcibly insisted on accompanying Thorolf back to
Norway, although Thorolf was reluctant. [13] On this trip, Thorolf took his
prospective wife, Asgerd (Ásgerðr Bjarnardóttir), who had been reared
in Iceland,[19] to ask her father Bjorn and uncle Thorir for permission to
marry. While staying with Thorir, Egill became attached to Thorir's son
Arinbjorn (Arinbjörn Þórisson), an important figure in the saga and
Egill's lifelong friend.[21]
Egill missed the wedding on account of illness, [j] and joined Thorir's
men on an errand in Atloy, where he was slighted by the king's
steward Bard (Bárðr), and wound up killing him. When Bard received
Egill's party, he would only serve curd (skyr) to drink, pretending ale
had run out.[k] But later that night when king and queen arrived for the
feast to the dísir, ale was served plentifully. Egill relentlessly jibed
Bard about the deceit with sarcastic poetry, and his unquenchable
thirst embarrassed the host. Bard and the queen sent Egill a poisoned
drink, but the attempt was foiled by Egill, who inscribed runes on the
horn and besmeared it with his own blood, causing the horn to
shatter. Egill then went up to Bard and stabbed him to death with his
sword. Discovering Egill had fled, Eirik ordered an unsuccessful
manhunt to have Egill killed, and lost several men. Despite the
affront, Eirik was persuaded by Thorir (his foster-father) to settle this
by compensation.[23]
Mercenary service in England, Thorolf falls in battle
While raiding near Frisia, Egill and Thorolf hear that King Æthelstan of
England is in need of warriors. The brothers and their men sail to
England to join the armies of the English king, are placed in charge of
the Scandinavian contingent of Æthelstan's forces. The saga here
displays contact with English historical tradition, correctly providing
Æthelstan's lineage and offering only one of two instances of King
Alfred being called 'the Great' outside of English sources. [24] The battle
that follows the brothers' arrival in England, named Vínheiðr in the
text, is widely accepted as being the same as the Battle of
Brunanburh, from which Æthelstan emerged victorious in 937. [25][26] The
saga identifies the primary antagonist at Vínheiðr as "Olaf the Red of
Scotland", who appears to be a conflation of the Æthelstan's historical
opponents, Constantine II of Scotland and Olaf Guthfrithson, a
Hiberno-Norse Uí Ímair dynast.[27][28][29] Egill and Thorolf are instrumental
in Æthelstan's victory; however, Thorolf is killed on the second day of
battle. In the aftermath of the conflict, Æthelstan gives Egill two chest
of silver in compensation for Thorolf's death, intending that they be
passed on to Skallagrim. Egill, however, keeps the silver for himself
along with an arm-ring that the king passes him at sword-point at the
victory feast.[30] Egill stays at Æthelstan's court for the winter, during
which time he composes a drápa in praise of the king. Æthelstan
rewards Egill with yet two more gold arm-rings as well as an
expensive cloak that the king himself had worn. At Egill's parting,
Æthelstan expresses a wish that he would stay permanently in his
service, an offer which Egill declines.
Inheritance case at the Gula-Thing
Egill married his brother Thorolf's widow, Asgerd. [31] Some time later,
Asgerd's father Bjorn the Wealthy died in Norway, but she received no
inheritance, the entire estate having been claimed by Berg-Onund,
married to Gunnhild Bjarnardottir (Asgerd's half-sister). Egill wanted
to claim half-share for his wife, but the prospect was bleak because
Berg-Onund was a favorite of Eirik and his consort Gunnhild. The case
was argued at the Gulaþing assembly, where Berg-Onund asserted
that Asgerd as a slave-woman entitled to no share (due to the
circumstance that her mother eloped without her kinsmen's consent).
Asbjorn countered with witnesses swearing that Asgerd was
acknowledged as heiress, but the processing was blocked by Queen
Gunnhild who ordered a henchmen to disrupt the assembly. Egill
made threat against anyone who tried to make use of the disputed
farm, and fled by ship. Eirik pursued with a fleet, and a skirmish
ensued.[32]
Eirik's power, cursed by Egill
Harald Fairhair dies, and Eirik becomes King of Norway, eliminating
two of his brothers who were rivals to the crown. Eirik declares Egill
an outlaw to be killed on sight, and Egill vows vengeance, especially
against the manipulative queen. Egill's movements are under
surveillance, and when he appears to leave the country, Berg-Onund
dismissed the men he had gathered for protection and traveled not
far from his home (Ask) to the king's farm at Aarstad. By chance, calm
winds force Egill back to shore to the same location. Egill commits
massacre, killing Onund, as well as Eirik's 10 year-old prince
Rognvald. To top it off, Egill erects a scorn-pole (Nithing pole) with a
horse head mounted on top, laying a curse that the nature spirits
drive King Eirik and Queen Gunnhild away from Norway. [33] The hoped-
for outcome of the curse does become reality.
The saga makes note of the death of Skallagrim, Egill's father. [34]
Head-Ransom
Eirik ruled just 1 year before being ousted as Norwegian king by his
brother Hakon the fosterling of King Æthelstan in England. Eirik left
Norway with his family, and eventually appointed king
over Northumbria by Æthelstan of England.[l] Two years later, Egill
sailed to England intending to see Æthelstan and was captured by
Eirik Bloodaxe. Eirik was furious, but Arinbjorn Thorisson convinced
Eirik to spare Egill's life if he could compose a poem in his honor. Egill
succeeded (by reciting Höfuðlausn or "Head Ransom"), and Eirik
allowed him to leave on condition that he never appeared again
before Eirik's sight.[35] Egill made his way to see King Æthelstan, who
was fostering Thorstein (Þorsteinn), a kinsman of Arinbjorn. While
visiting, word arrived from Norway that Thorstein's father died leaving
him a large inheritance. Þorsteinn, Arinbjorn and Egill made plans to
sail to Norway to claim Thorsteinn's share. Before they leave, King
Æthelstan convinced Egill to move to England and command his
armies after their task is completed.
Egill returned to Iceland and spent a few years with his family. During
this time, both Kings Æthelstan and Eirik Bloodaxe died, leaving Eirik's
brother Hakon ruler of Norway. Egill returned to Norway to claim
lands won in a duel with Atli the Short on behalf of his wife Asgerd.
Along the way Egill stayed with Arinbjorn, whom he convinces to go to
King Hákon on his behalf. Hákon denied Egill's claim, so Arinbjorn
compensated Egill with forty marks of silver.
Egill and Arinbjörn went raiding in Saxony and Frisia, after which they
stayed with Thorstein Thoruson (Þorsteinn Þóruson). King Hakon
requested Thorstein to collect tribute in Värmland or be sentenced to
outlawry. Egill went in Thorsteinn's place. Egill traveled with some of
King Hákon's men to Värmland and fought battles, Egill killing many
times more foes than his companions.
Egill lived to be an old age. Arinbjörn became a close advisor
to Harald Eiríksson, to whom Egill composed a poem. Egill's son
Bodvar (Böðvar) died in a shipwreck. Egill composed a poem in his
honor. Egill's son Thorsteinn has many feuds with Steinar, son of
Onund Sjoni (Önundr sjóni Ánason), over land and cattle grazing. Egill
became frail and blind. His one last wish was to travel to the Althing
and toss silver he received from King Æthelstan for the people to fight
over. When he was denied this, he commanded two enslaved men to
help him conceal his silver treasure. After this act, he killed the two
men to conceal the location and to punish his son-in-law.
[36]
near Mosfellsbær, giving birth to the legend of Silfur Egils ("Egill's
Silver").
