Harald the III

[Kjertesvein]

ED-OP

I have never seen any comic books or movies of King Harald the
III and his journy to success, therefor I would like to try to make
one. I will add pictures directly from DLV, edit something
here and there, add some minor facts, quotes ( "..." ) and
comments aswell as add the words from the Kings Saga of the
Icelandic writer Snorre Sturlasson. The Saga of Harald the III consist
of 105 chapters, so there is enuff to go around.

I'm not looking for platitudes, but any jests, questions or constructive tips
are more then welcome.

~Wille the Skald

Harald, son of Sigurd Syr, was born in the year A.D. 1015, and left Norway A.D. 1030. He was called Hardrade, that is, the severe counsellor, the tyrant, though the Icelanders never applied this epithet to him. Harald helped the Icelanders in the famine of A.D. 1056, and sent them timber for a church at Thingvol. It was the Norwegians who gave him the name tyrant in contrast to the "debonairete" of Magnus. He came to Norway in A.D. 1046, and became sole king in A.D. 1047. He died in A.D. 1066, and his son and successor Magnus died in A.D. 1069.

ANCESTRY:

• Harald III of Norway (half brother of King Olav II)
  
  • Sigurd Syr Halfdansson, King of Ringeringe
  • Åsta Gudbrandsdatter
    
    • Halfdan Sigurdsson, King of Hadaflyke
      
      • Sigurd Hrise, King of Hadaflyke
        
        • Harald I of Norway
        • Snøfrid Svåsesdotter of the Finns

0. THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

After crossing the friendly regions of Svealand, and gathering up the few royal allys King Olav II could assemble, he finally met the huge Peasant Army back in Stikletstad, Northern Norway...



"Forward, forward..."



"...Christ's men..."



"...Cross men..."



"... King's men!!"

Dag Ringsson held the rear right flank secure on the hill, while
Olav the II held the rear left flank, abit lower. Then suddenly after
the rain came rushing down that august afternoon, Olav could
hear the crys and tremble of angry mobs closing in:



"Forward, forward, farmers!!"



"Forward, forward, farmers!!"

7000 of these reckles traitors. Whores of the Canute and the Danes;
Pawns of the corrupt Norse nobles of this land. King Olav kindly
answers the farmers call with rain of showers from his best hunters.
Thinning the numbers of the first row, who were closing in on his
fylking, made up of light sturdy Huscarls in the center, and
heavier royal Men-at-Arms on the flanks.



Out of the blue, cowards on mounted war beastes came charging
like the cold coastel wind. This cold breeze of fast danish horses
swept brutally into the midst of his royal knights. Olav's
confidence felt the royal house take a deep punch in it's future
rulers.






The endless force of warrior peasants, mercinarys, corrupt levies,
danish professionals, and all around well rested troops made this a
hard strugle for Olav. Tho his shieldwall succesfully locked down
upon he who dares to fight against a professional army, the
overwhelming might surrounded and choked any scope of flanking.



Peasant Commander Haarek from Tjotta stormed and forced a
upperhand on our right flank, the hillside. Dag Ringsson fell like a
loyal, but beaten dog. Without cry nor drama, his men fought on
beliving there was no hope in running with loose legs. The fight
turn desperate. Lines begun to crack and the moving tides were turning.

May God show mercy upon our remainding Svea allys on the hill...



There is only so much a Lion can take before the hounds bring
him down. Olav met his martyr death like the pagan days of old.
Jet there was some thing diffent in the eye's of the Norwegian
peasants, their faces turned white... In remorse... There was a celestial atmosphere.
However, in pious life or Saintly death -- his Hirdmen had no choice but to
uphold their sacred oath and fold a fylkingkrans around
their King's bleeding body.





It was a grim result to lay our eyes on. The peasants call the battle decisive -- We call the crual twisted odds and it's resault: Undoubtedly undecided. This is not the end of the holy Fairhair dynasty!



No matter the loss of fine men, the loss of old royal family lines
holding the nation on it's back: The Fairhair dynasty is still holding
onto a thin thread. A wounded and battle hardned 15 year old silk
thread named Harald the III. Half brother of King Olav the Saint.
The battle of Stiklestad is over. The battle of royal rule is about to begin.
All our hopes now lie with one young man and his trusted
retinue, wounded and bleeding, he now seeks refuge somewhere
in the Swedish wilderness...

1. HARALD ESCAPES FROM THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.

Harald, son of Sigurd Syr, brother of Olaf the Saint, by the same
mother, was at the battle of Stiklestad, and was fifteen years
old when King Olaf the Saint fell, as was before related. Harald
was wounded, and escaped with other fugitives. So says Thiodolf:

"At Haug the fire-sparks from his shield
Flew round the king's head on the field,
As blow for blow, for Olaf's sake,
His sword and shield would give and take.
Bulgaria's conqueror, I ween,
Had scarcely fifteen winters seen,
When from his murdered brother's side
His unhelmed head he had to hide."

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Ragnvald Brusason led Harald from the battle, and the night after
the fray took him to a head farmer who dwelt in a forest far from
other people. The peasant received Harald, and kept him concealed;
and Harald was waited upon until he was quite cured of his
wounds. Then the bonde's son attended him on the way east over
the ridge of the land, and they went by all the forest paths they
could, avoiding the common road. The bonde's son did not know
who it was he was attending; and as they were riding together
between two uninhabited forests, Harald made these verses:

"My wounds were bleeding as I rode;
And down below the bondes strode,
Killing the wounded with the sword,
The followers of their rightful lord.
From wood to wood I crept along,
Unnoticed by the bonde-throng;
`Who knows,' I thought, `a day may come
My name will yet be great at home.'"

He went eastward over the ridge through Jamtaland and
Helsingjaland, and came to Svithjod, where he found Ragnvald
Brusason, and many others of King Olaf's men who had
fled from the battle at Stiklestad, and they remained there till winter was over.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

End note:
Snorre Sturlasson: No words can match his. Try wiki for a well formulated
entymology.
Svithjod: Norse nick name for Svealand, Sweden.
Bulgaria's conqueror: A name Harald III recived when campaigning
in south east europe.
Fylking: A shieldwall, made up of sturdy men with
large shield locked togather.
Fylkingkrans: Schiltron.
Dag Ringsson: Norwegian Chieftain of Oppland and one of the
few allys of Olav the Saint had in the end.
Skald: Norse historians, poets and writers.
Ragnvald Brusesson: Commander in the Battle of Stiklestad. Years
later, he became Jarl of Orkney after his father. He buildt the church
of Kirkwall in honor of St. Olav.
Gerhard Munthe: the title.
Halfdan Egedius: «Torgils og Grim fører bort liket til kong Olav.» ENG: Torgils and Grim carries the body of King Olav.

~Wille

[Xtiaan72]

That is really cool, mate.

[Shadrach]

This is awesome, please keep it up Ombudsmannen! Really cool to see the battle of Stiklestad and read the historic info.

Never actually read the whole of Snorre's Sagas, I did read some in school (being forced to lol). I guess its time to borrow my dad's copy, its just such a HUGE work so take a lot of time to read, and not the easiest prose to digest either....

Love the screenshots but one thing they do show is that the Norwegian battle banners are in *dire need* of a makeover to match the stunning work by Tokus on the stratmap. The "modern" day Lion just looks completely out of place today.

[Kjertesvein]

Thanks, I never read it either. I 'm reading the first half of Njal saga, it's said to be good, but I have jet to read any other.

I did some inaccuracy by the next chapter - which I will not accept. But now as I postponed the heating problem with my computer then I will resume this soon

[Kjertesvein]

Just some local rythems, video is irrelevant. :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Instrumental while readingOr more vocalic
Nice tune on the end there.

~Wille the Skald.

2. HARALD'S JOURNEY TO CONSTANTINOPLE.

The spring after (A.D. 1031) Harald and Ragnvald got ships, and
went east in summer to Gardarike to King Jarisleif, and were with
him all the following winter.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I'm puzzled, A, b or C from here on?

a:


b:

So says the skald Bolverk: --

"The king's sharp sword lies clean and bright,
Prepared in foreign lands to fight:
Our ravens croak to have their fill,
The wolf howls from the distant hill.
Our brave king is to Russia gone, --
Braver than he on earth there's none;
His sharp sword will carve many feast
To wolf and raven in the East."

King Jarisleif gave Harald and Ragnvald a kind reception, and
made Harald and Ellif, the son of Earl Ragnvald, Druzhinas -
men of the king.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ED-OP: Harald and Ellif set out with Grand Prince Jarisleif to conquer and put down the land of Polish Permeshyl and Galicia.

.
"Where Ellif was, one heart and hand.
The two chiefs had in their command;
In wedge or line their battle order
Was ranged by both without disorder.
The eastern Vindland men they drove
Into a corner; and they move
The Lesians, although ill at ease,
To take the laws their conquerors please."
~Skald Thiodolf --

Harald remained several years in Gardarike, and travelled far and
wide in the Eastern land. Then he began his expedition out to
Greekland, and had a great suite of men with him; and on he went to
Miklagard.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ED-OP: In june 1034 AD. Harald had with him 500 Kiev-Varangians down Dneiper on the The Varangian trade rout to Constantinople.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ED-OP: No reason to read this, but it's what Harald would have used when traveling down the Dnieper.

De administrando imperio (On the Administration of the Empire)

(...)

Of the coming of the Russians in monoxyla, from Russia to Constantinople

The monoxyla which come down from outer Russia to Constantinople are from Novgorod, where Sviatoslav, son of Igor, prince of Russia, had his seat, and others from the city of Smolensk and from Teliutza and Chernigov and from Vyshegrad. All these come down the river Dnieper, and are collected together at the city of Kiev, also called Sambatas. Their Slav tributaries, the so-called Krivichians and the Lenzanenes and the rest of the Slavonic regions, cut the monoxyla on their mountains in time of winter, and when they have prepared them, as spring approaches, and the ice melts, they bring them on to the neighbouring lakes. And since these lakesdebouch into the river Dnieper, they enter thence on to this same river, and come down to Kiev, and draw the shipsalong to be finished and sell them to the Russians. The Russians buy these bottoms only, furnishing them with oars and rowlocks and other tackle from their old monoxyla, which they dismantle; and so they fit them out. And in the month of June they move off down the river Dnieper and come to Vitichev, which is a tributary city of the Russians, and there they gather during two or three days; and when all the monoxyla are collected together, then they set out, and come down the said Dnieper river. And first they come to the first barrage, called Essoupi, which means in Russian and Slavonic 'Do not sleep!'; the barrage itself is as narrow as the width of the Polo-ground; in the middle of it are rooted high rocks, which stand out like islands. Against these, then, comes the water and wells up and dashes down over the other side, with a mighty and terrific din. Therefore the Russians do not venture to pass between them, but put in to the bank hard by, disembarking the men on to dry land leaving the rest of the goods on board the monoxyla; they then strip and, feeling with their feet to avoid striking on a rock.... This they do, some at the prow, some amidships, while others again, in the stern, punt with poles; and with all this careful procedure they pass this first barrage, edging round under the river-bank. When they have passed this barrage, they re-embark the others from the dry land and sail away, and come down to the second barrage, called in Russian Oulvorsi, and in Slavonic Ostrovouniprach, which means 'the Island of the Barrage'. This one is like the first, awkward and not to be passed through. Once again they disembark the men and convey the monoxyla past, as on the first occasion. Similarly they pass the third barrage also, called Gelandri, which means in Slavonic 'Noise of the Barrage', and then the fourth barrage, the big one, called in Russian Aeifor, and in Slavonic Neasit, because the pelicans nest in the stones of the barrage. At this barrage all put into land prow foremost, and those who are deputed to keep the watch with them get out, and off they go, these men, and keep vigilant watch for the Pechenegs. The remainder, taking up the goods which they have on board the monoxyla, conduct the slaves in their chains past by land, six miles, until they are through the barrage. Then, partly dragging their monoxyla, partly portaging them on their shoulders, they convey them to the far side of the barrage; and then, putting them on the river and loading up their baggage, they embark themselves, and again sail off in them. When they come to the fifth barrage, called in Russian Varouforos, and in Slavonic Voulniprach, because it forms a large lake, they again convey their monoxyla through at the edges of the river, as at the first and second barrages, and arrive at the sixth barrage, called in Russian Leanti, and in Slavonic Veroutzi, that is 'the Boiling of the Water', and this too they pass similarly. And thence they sail away to the seventh barrage, called in Russian Stroukoun, and in Slavonic Naprezi, which means 'Little Barrage'. This they pass at the so-called ford of Vrar, where the Chersonites cross over from Russia and the Pechenegs to Cherson; which ford is as wide as the Hippodrome, and, measured upstream from the bottom as far as the rocks break surface, a bow-shot in length. It is at this point, therefore, that the Pechenegs come down and attack the Russians. After traversing this place, they reach the island called St. Gregory, on which island they perform their sacrifices because a gigantic oak-tree stands there; and they sacrifice live cocks. Arrows, too, they peg in round about, and others bread and meat, or something of whatever each may have, as is their custom. They also throw lots regarding the cocks, whether to slaughter them, or to eat them as well, or to leave them alive. From this island onwards the Russians do not fear the Pecheneg until they reach the river Selinas. So then they start off thence and sail for four days, until they reach the lake which forms the mouth of the river, on which is the island of St. Aitherios. Arrived at this island, they rest themselves there for two or three days. And they re-equip their monoxyla with such tackle as is needed, sails and masts and rudders, which they bring with them. Since this lake is the mouth of this river, as has been said, and carries on down to the sea, and the island of St. Aitherios lies on the sea, they come thence to the Dniester river, and having got safely there they rest again. But when the weather is propitious, they put to sea and come to the river called Aspros, and after resting there too in like manner, they again set out and come to the Selinas, to the so-called branch of the Danube river. And until they are past the river Selinas, the Pechenegs keep pace with them. And if it happens that the sea casts a monoxylon on shore, they all put in to land, in order to present a united opposition to the Pechenegs. But after the Selinas they fear nobody, but, entering the territory of Bulgaria, they come to the mouth of the Danube. From the Danube they proceed to the Konopas, and from the Konopas to Constantia, and from Constantia to the river of Varna, and from Varna they come to the river Ditzina, all of which are Bulgarian territory. From the Ditzina they reach the district of Mesembria, and there at last their voyage, fraught with such travail and terror, such difficulty and danger, is at an end. The severe manner of life of these same Russians in winter-time is as follows. When the month of November begins, their chiefs together with all the Russians at once leave Kiev and go off on the poliudia, which means 'rounds', that is, to the Slavonic regions of the Vervians and Drugovichians and Krivichians and Severians and the rest of the Slavs who are tributaries of the Russians. There they are maintained throughout the winter, but then once more, starting from the month of April, when the ice of the Duleper river melts, they come back to Kiev. They then pick up their monoxyla, as has been said above, and fit them out, and come down to Romania....

~Byzants Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, a letter to his son about political science in the northern regions. [950 AD]

C

So says Bolverk: --

"Before the cold sea-curling blast
The cutter from the land flew past,
Her black yards swinging to and fro,
Her shield-hung gunwale dipping low.
The king saw glancing o'er the bow
Miklagard's metal glow
From tower and roof, and painted sails
Gliding past towns and wooded vales."

End note:
Erendamaðr: Messager. Erend = 'to under take a task' or 'deliver something' + -maðr = Man.
Styrimaðr: Sea Captain. Styr = chief + -maðr = Man.
Gardarike: Gardar = City(s) + -riki = kingdom. Russia, currently including Kievskaya Rus (Kiev-Rus). Know for their wast cities and well fortified castles.
King Jarisleif: Grand Prince Yaroslav I the Wise, King of Kievskaya Rus, good ally of several western kingdoms.
Ellif: (or Eilif) Not to be related to the Jarl of Orkney Ragnvald Brusesson(20). Ellif is the son of a Swedish Earl, which makes him nephew to the swedish wife of Jarisleif the Wise.
Druzhina: Joint Commanders and chiefs over the land-defence and Grand Prince's retinue. The equivalent to the Scandinavian Hird and the Saxon Huscarl.
Dnieper: Dnie·per (nē'pər, dnyě'-) A river rising near Smolensk in west-central Russia and flowing about 2,285 km (1,420 mi) southward through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It has been a major commercial waterway since the ninth century.
Miklagard: Constantinople, Mikil = Big + Gard = City.

~Wille