King Olaf Trygvason’s Saga

Olaf Trygvasson (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken (Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.

Olaf is seen as an important factor in the conversion of the Norse to the Roman Catholic religion. Many of these new converts were converted under threat of violence.He is said to have built the first Christian church in Norway, in 995, and to have founded the city of Trondheim in 997. A statue of Olaf Tryggvason is located in the city’s central plaza.

Historical information on Olaf is sparse. He is mentioned in some contemporary English sources,and some skaldic poems. The oldest narrative source mentioning him briefly is Adam of Bremen’s Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum of circa 1070.

In the 1190s, two Latin versions of “Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar“ were written in Iceland, by Oddr Snorrason and by Gunnlaugr Leifsson – these are now lost, but are thought to form the basis of later Norse versions. Snorri Sturluson gives an extensive account of Olaf in the Heimskringla saga of circa 1230, using Oddr Snorrason’s saga as his primary source. Modern historians do not assume that these late sources are accurate, and their credibility is debated.The most detailed account is named Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta (“Greatest Saga of Óláfr Tryggvason”) and is recorded in the Flateyjarbók, and in the early 15th-century Bergsbók.

The Icelandic, Danish and Norwegian versions can be found here.
Vellekla is kind of special since it has two endings. The first ending happens in stanza 33 (the skald is thanking the earl for his payment for the kvad).

This gives reason to believe that it was created after Hakon Earl of Lade had defended Denmark against the Saxon Emperor in 976, and that the skald later added 4 stanzas.

Snorri Sturlasson renders parts of Vellekla (‘Lack of Gold’) in Heimskringla You’ll find it in the “Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd”. but he is missing stanzas 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 33, 34, 35, and 36.

Vellekla ‘Lack of Gold’ (Eskál Vell) is an unusually long and well-preserved praise-poem for one of the most powerful rulers of tenth-century Norway, Hákon jarl Sigurðarson. Hákon belonged to the house of the Hlaðajarlar, the jarls of Hlaðir (Lade), whose power base lay in what is now Trøndelag. He was born c. 940, and ruled c. 970-c. 995;

Contents ;

Olaf Trygvason’s Birth
Of Gunhild S Sons
Astrid’s Journey
Hakon’s Embassy To Sweden
Of Sigurd Eirikson
Olaf Is Set Free In Eistland
Klerkon Killed By Olaf
Of Hakon Earl Of Hlader
Of Gold Harald
Councils Held By Hakon And Harald
Harald Gormson’s Message To Norway
Treachery Of Harald And Hakon
Death Of Harald Grafeld
Gold Harald’s Death
Division Of The Country
Gunhild’s Sons Leave The Country
Hakon’s Battle With Ragnfred
Battle Between Hakon And Ragnfred
Earl Hakon’s Marriage
Death Of Skopte
Olaf Trygvason’s Journey From Russia
Olaf Trygvason’s Marriage
Earl Hakon Pays No Scat
Harald Opposes Christianity
Olaf Trygvason’s War Expedition
Otta And Hakon In Battle
Harald And Hakon Are Baptized
Hakon Renounces Christianity
Emperor Otta Returns Home
Olaf’s Journey From Vindland
King Olaf’s Forays
King Olaf Is Baptized
Olaf Marries Gyda
King Olaf And Alfvine’s Duel
King Olaf Gets His Dog Vige
Harald Gormson Sails Against Iceland
Harald Sends A Warlock To Iceland
Harald Gormson’s Death
Vow Of The Jomsborg Vikings
Eirik And Hakon Make A War Levy
Expedition Of The Jomsborg Vikings
Of The Jomsborg Vikings
Battle With The Jomsborg Vikings
Earl Sigvalde’s Flight
Bue Throws Himself Overboard
Vikings Bound Together In One Chain
Death Of Gissur Of Valders
King Harald Grenske’s Death
Birth Of Olaf, Son Of Harald Grenske
About Earl Hakon
Thorer Klakka’s Journey
Olaf Trygvason Comes To Norway
Earl Hakon’s Flight
Erlend’s Death
Earl Hakon’s Death
Earl Hakon’s Head
Olaf Trygvason Elected King
Lodin’s Marriage
Olaf Baptizes The Country Of Viken
Of The Hordaland People
Rogaland Baptized
Erling Skjalgson’s Wooing
Hordaland Baptized
Erling Skjalgson’s Wedding
Raumsdal And Fjord-districts Baptized
Olaf Proposes Marriage To Queen Sigrid
Olaf Haraldson Baptized
Meeting Of Olaf And Sigrid
The Burning Of Warlocks
Eyvind Kelda’s Death
Olaf And Odin’s Apparition
The Thing In Throndhjem
Jarnskegge Or Iron Beard
The Feast At Hlader
Of The Thing In Throndhjem
The Throndhjem People Baptized
A Town In The Throndhjem Country
King Olaf’s Marriage
Building Of The Ship Crane
Thangbrand The Priest Goes To Iceland
Of Sigurd And Hauk
Of Harek Of Thjotta
Eyvind Kinrifa’s Death
Halogaland Made Christian
Thorer Hjort’s Death
King Olaf’s Voyage To Godey
Of Raud’s Being Tortured
Of The Icelanders
Baptism Of The Icelanders
Halfred Vandredaskald Baptized
Thangbrand Returns From Iceland
Of King Olaf’s Feats
Baptism Of Leif Eirikson
Fall Of King Gudrod
Building Of The Ship Long Serpent
Earl Eirik, The Son Of Hakon
Eirik’s Foray On The Baltic Coasts
King Svein’s Marriage
King Burizleif’s Marriage
Olaf Gets Thyre In Marriage
Olaf’s Levy For War
Crew On Board Of The Long Serpent
Iceland Baptized
Greenland Baptized
Ragnvald Sends Messengers To Olaf
Olaf Sends Expedition To Vindland
Olaf’s Expedition Vindland
Conspiracy Against King Olaf
Earl Sigvalde’s Treacherous Plans
King Olaf’s Voyage From Vindland
Consultation Of The Kings
Of King Olaf’s People
Olaf’s Ships Prepared For Battle
Of King Olaf
The Battle Begins
Flight Of Svein And Olaf The Swede
Of Earl Eirik
Of Einar Tambarskelver
Olaf Gives His Men Sharp Swords
The Serpent Boarded
The Serpent’s Decks Cleared
Report Among The People
Of Earl Eirik, The Son Of Hakon

Hitherto the narrative has been more or less fragmentary. With Olaf Trygvason’s Saga reliable history begins, and the narration is full and connected. The story of Hakon the earl is incorporated in this saga.

Accounts of Olaf Trygvason may be found in

Od the Monk’s legendary saga,
in parts of “Agrip”,
“Historia Norvegiae”,
and in Thjodrek.

Icelandic works on this epoch are:

“Egla”,
“Eyrbyggja”,
“Finboga”,
“Floamanna”,
“Faereyinga”,
“Hallfredar Saga”,
“Havardar Saga”,
“Are’s Islendinga-bok”,
“Kristni Saga”,
“Laxdaela”,
“Ljosvetninga”,
“Njala”,
“Orkneyinga”,
“Viga Glums Saga”,
and “Viga Styrs Saga”.

The skalds quoted are:

Glum Geirason,
Eyvind Finson,
Skaldaspiller,
Einar Skalaglam,
Tind Halkelson,
Eyjolf Dadaskald,
Hallarstein,
Halfred Vandraedaskald,
Haldor Ukristne,
Skule Thorsteinson,
and Thord Kolbeinson.

Source

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King Olaf Trygvason’s Saga

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