Hafrsfjord

"Sverd i fjell": a monument in memory of the naval battle that took place in Hafrsfjord in 872 when King Harald "Fairhair" unified Norway into one kingdom

Table of contents

1 The Battle In Hafrsfjord 2 Møllebukta 3 External links:

The Battle In Hafrsfjord

1.

Hørte du i Hafrsfjord,         Did you hear in Hafrsfjord

hvor hardt de slåss der,       how hard they fought

den ættstore kongen            the high born king

med Kjotve den rike.           against Kjotve the Rich.

Knarrer kom østfra,            ships came from the east

lystne på strid,               wanting to fight,

med gapende hoder              with its threatening throats

og utskårne stavnbrett.        and of dragon fierce.

News came in from the south land that the people of Hordaland and Rogaland, Agder and Thelemark, were gathering, and bringing together ships and weapons, and a great body of men. The leaders of this were Eirik king of Hordaland; Sulke king of Rogaland, and his brother Earl Sote: Kjotve the Rich, king of Agder, and his son Thor Haklang; and from Thelemark two brothers, Hroald Hryg and Had the Hard. Now when Harald got certain news of this, he assembled his forces, set his ships on the water, made himself ready with his men, and set out southwards along the coast, gathering many people from every district. King Eirik heard of this when he same south of Stad; and having assembled all the men he could expect, he proceeded southwards to meet the force which he knew was coming to his help from the east. The whole met together north of Jadar, and went into Hafersfjord, where King Harald was waiting with his forces. A great battle began, which was both hard and long; but at last King Harald gained the day. There King Eirik fell, and King Sulke, with his brother Earl Sote. Thor Haklang, who was a great berserk, had laid his ship against King Harald's, and there was above all measure a desperate attack, until Thor Haklang fell, and his whole ship was cleared of men. Then King Kjotve fled to a little isle outside, on which there was a good place of strength. Thereafter all his men fled, some to their ships, some up to the land; and the latter ran southwards over the country of Jadar.

Earlier it was believed that the battle was a very decisive event to unify the country. But later evidence have shown that the battle only represented the last convulsions from the enemies of Harald. Before the battle, King Harald controled large parts of the south-east of Norway, and with the battle of Hafrsfjord it marks the fact that he has destroyed the opposition from the eastern part of Norway. This makes it possible for him to control a large part of the country, and hence being the truly first legitimate King of Norway.

Møllebukta

External links:

• Heimskringla - Battle in Hafersfjord