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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Vol. I. Poetry for Scandinavian Rulers 1: From Mythological Times to c. 1035 8. Volume Introduction 4. Biographies 4.1. Ruler biographies 4.1.a. Kings and jarls of Norway 2. Eiríkr jarl Hákonarson (r. c. 1000-c. 1014)

2. Eiríkr jarl Hákonarson (r. c. 1000-c. 1014)

Eiríkr shared with his father Hákon jarl Sigurðarson (q. v.) in the Norwegian victory against the Jómsvíkingar at Hjǫrungavágr (Liavågen), c. 985, and was one of the three allies who defeated Óláfr Tryggvason (q. v.) at the battle of Svǫlðr c. 1000. He then took over the rule of Norway together with his half-brother Sveinn Hákonarson (q. v.), and as a vassal of the Danish king Sveinn tjúguskegg (q. v.), whose daughter Gyða he married. The jarls ruled together, with a relatively light touch and with religious tolerance (Andersson 1977, 107-8), until Eiríkr was summoned to England c. 1014 to fight in the army of his brother-in-law Knútr inn ríki Sveinsson (q. v.). He was a jarl in Northumbria until at least 1023. His son Hákon Eiríksson (q. v.) and half-brother Sveinn were left to hold Norway, but eventually lost control to Óláfr Haraldsson (q. v.). See Anon Nkt 21-4II (c. 1190); Theodoricus (MHN 23-5; McDougall and McDougall 1998, 18-19, 21); HN (MHN 115, 118; Kunin and Phelpstead 2001, 21-2); Ágr (ÍF 29, 24; Ágr 2008, 34-5); Fsk (ÍF 29, 380 (index); Finlay 2004, 322 (index); ÓTHkr (ÍF 26, 377 (index); Hollander 1964a, 176-85, 221-4); ÓHHkr (ÍF 27, 30-2; Hollander 1964a, 259-62). Skáldatal (SnE 1848-87, III, 257, 266, 280-1) names Eiríkr’s skalds as Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld (Hfr), Gunnlaugr ormstunga (GunnlIV), Þórðr Kolbeinsson (ÞKolb) and Halldórr ókristni (Hókr); ms. 761ax alone adds Eyjólfr dáðaskáld (Edáð) and Skúli Þorsteinsson (Skúli), who are assigned in U to Sveinn jarl Hákonarson, and Þórðr Særeksson (ÞSjár); U alone adds Hrafn Ǫnundarson (HrafnǪV).

Events documented in poetry: Early victory over Tíðenda-Skopti (Edáð Banddr 1-2); Eiríkr stays in Denmark and is granted rule over Norwegian territory (Edáð Banddr 3); the battle of Hjǫrungavágr (Liavågen) c. 985 (ÞKolb Eirdr 1-5); the death of Hákon jarl, arrival of Óláfr Tryggvason in Norway and departure of Eiríkr to the Swedish court (ÞKolb Eirdr 6, 7); Eiríkr’s actions against the Gotar (Edáð Banddr 4), vikings off Staurr (Staver, Edáð Banddr 5), Aldeigja (Staraya Ladoga, Edáð Banddr 6), Danes in the Baltic (Edáð Banddr 7) and Gautar (Edáð Banddr 8); battle of Svǫlðr c. 1000 (Hókr Eirfl; ÞKolb Eirdr 8); consequences of the battle (ÞKolb Eirdr 9-10); Eiríkr joins Knútr in England on the death of Sveinn tjúguskegg c. 1014 (ÞKolb Eirdr 10-13); his campaign in England: attack by Eiríkr and Úlfkell on London (ÞKolb Eirdr 14); battle at Hringmaraheiði (Ringmere Heath, ÞKolb Eirdr 15); other action in England (ÞKolb Eirdr 16); military exploits in general (Edáð Banddr 9; ÞKolb Eirdr 17); kinship by marriage with Knútr (ÞKolb Eirdr 12); a poem offered to Eiríkr (Hfr EirdrV (Hallfr 31)). See also poetry about Hákon jarl Sigurðarson and Óláfr Tryggvason.

References

  1. Bibliography
  2. SnE 1848-87 = Snorri Sturluson. 1848-87. Edda Snorra Sturlusonar: Edda Snorronis Sturlaei. Ed. Jón Sigurðsson et al. 3 vols. Copenhagen: Legatum Arnamagnaeanum. Rpt. Osnabrück: Zeller, 1966.
  3. Ágr = [Anonymous] Ágrip af Nóregs konunga sögum.
  4. MHN = Storm, Gustav, ed. 1880. Monumenta historica Norvegiæ: Latinske kildeskrifter til Norges historie i middelalderen. Kristiania (Oslo): Brøgger. Rpt. 1973. Oslo: Aas & Wahl.
  5. ÍF 26-8 = Heimskringla. Ed. Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson. 1941-51.
  6. Finlay, Alison, trans. 2004. Fagrskinna: A Catalogue of the Kings of Norway. Leiden: Brill.
  7. HN = Historia Norwegiæ. In MHN 69-124.
  8. ÍF 29 = Ágrip af Nóregskonunga sǫgum; Fagrskinna—Nóregs konungatal. Ed. Bjarni Einarsson. 1985.
  9. McDougall, David and Ian McDougall, trans. 1998. Theodoricus monachus. Historia de antiquitate regum norwagiensium: An Account of the Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings. Viking Society for Northern Research Text Series 11. University College, London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  10. Theodoricus = Theodrici monachi historia de antiquitate regum Norwagiensium. In MHN 1-68.
  11. Ágr 2008 = Driscoll, Matthew J., ed. and trans. 2008. Ágrip af Nóregskonungasǫgum: A Twelfth-Century Synoptic History of the Kings of Norway. 2nd edn. Viking Society for Northern Research Text Series 10. University College London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  12. Kunin, Devra, trans., and Carl Phelpstead, ed., introd. and notes. 2001. A History of Norway and the Passion and Miracles of the Blessed Óláfr. Viking Society for Northern Research Text Series 13. London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
  13. Hollander, Lee M., trans. 1964a. Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson. Austin: The American-Scandinavian Foundation. Rpt. 1991 (rpt. cited in SkP II).
  14. Internal references
  15. Russell Poole 2012, ‘(Biography of) Eyjólfr dáðaskáld’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 453.
  16. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Fagrskinna’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=56> (accessed 19 March 2024)
  17. Not published: do not cite (GunnlIV)
  18. Kari Ellen Gade 2012, ‘(Biography of) Halldórr ókristni’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 468.
  19. Not published: do not cite (HrafnǪV)
  20. Diana Whaley 2012, ‘(Biography of) Óláfr Tryggvason’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 383.
  21. (forthcoming), ‘ Heimskringla, Óláfs saga helga (in Heimskringla)’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=152> (accessed 19 March 2024)
  22. Kate Heslop 2017, ‘(Biography of) Skúli Þorsteinsson’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 360.
  23. Jayne Carroll 2012, ‘(Biography of) Þórðr Kolbeinsson’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 485.
  24. Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2009, ‘Anonymous Poems, Nóregs konungatal 21’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 775.
  25. Diana Whaley (forthcoming), ‘ Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Eiríksdrápa’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1255> (accessed 19 March 2024)
  26. Kari Ellen Gade 2012, ‘ Halldórr ókristni, Eiríksflokkr’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 469. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1267> (accessed 19 March 2024)
  27. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 1’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 456.
  28. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 3’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 460.
  29. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 4’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 461.
  30. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 5’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 463.
  31. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 6’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 464.
  32. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 7’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 466.
  33. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 8’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 467.
  34. Russell Poole (ed.) 2012, ‘Eyjólfr dáðaskáld, Bandadrápa 9’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 468.
  35. Diana Whaley (ed.) 2022, ‘Hallfreðar saga 31 (Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld Óttarsson, Eiríksdrápa 1)’ in Margaret Clunies Ross, Kari Ellen Gade and Tarrin Wills (eds), Poetry in Sagas of Icelanders. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 5. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 911.
  36. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 6’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 497.
  37. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 1’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 489.
  38. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 14’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 508.
  39. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 15’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 510.
  40. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 16’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 511.
  41. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 17’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 513.
  42. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 8’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 500.
  43. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 9’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 501.
  44. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 10’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 503.
  45. Jayne Carroll (ed.) 2012, ‘Þórðr Kolbeinsson, Eiríksdrápa 12’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 506.
  46. Not published: do not cite ()
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