Battle of Hjörungavágr
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Hjörungavágr (Norwegian Slaget ved Hjørungavåg) is a semi-legendary naval battle
that took place in the late 10th century between the Jarls of Lade
and a Danish invasion fleet led by the fabled Jomsvikings
. This battle played an important role in the struggle by Haakon Sigurdsson
to unite his rule over Norway.
as a vassal of King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark, but he was in reality an independent ruler. Haakon was a strong believer in the old Norse gods.When Harald Bluetooth attempted to force Christianity
upon him around 975, Haakon broke his allegiance to Denmark.
Harald Bluetooth had suffered defeat from the Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor
. Haakon took advantage of the weakened position of the Danish king to make Norway independent of Denmark.
—such as Heimskringla
—as well as in Jómsvíkinga saga
and Saxo Grammaticus
' Gesta Danorum
. Saxo Grammaticus
estimated that the battle took place while Harald Bluetooth was still alive. Traditional has set the battle during the year 986. Those late literary accounts are fanciful but historians believe that they contain a kernel of truth.
Some contemporary skaldic poetry alludes to the battle, including verses by Þórðr Kolbeinsson
and Tindr Hallkelsson
. The battle has also been the subject of later poems and sagas. Jómsvíkingadrápa
by Bjarni Kolbeinsson honors the fallen Jomsvikings at the Battle of Hjörungavágr.Vellekla
, composed by the Icelandic skald Einarr Helgason
, speaks of the Battle of Hjörungavágr. Fagrskinna
, contains a history of Norway with a heavy emphasis on battles, including the Battle of Hjörungavágr.
Jómsvíkinga saga
offers two mutually contradictory descriptions of the bay in which the battle took place. According to the first one, Hjorungavágr lies on the landward side of the island Hoð (now Hareidlandet
, an island in Møre og Romsdal
). According to the other, the bay is situated south of an island called Primsigð/Primsignd and north of an island called Horund. Both of these names are unknown today.
Naval battle
A naval battle is a battle fought using boats, ships or other waterborne vessels. Most naval battles have occurred at sea, but a few have taken place on lakes or rivers. The earliest recorded naval battle took place in 1210 BC near Cyprus...
that took place in the late 10th century between the Jarls of Lade
Jarls of Lade
The Jarls of Lade or Old Norse Hlaðir were a dynasty of Norwegian rulers, who ruled Trøndelag and Hålogaland from the 9th century to the 11th century. -Lade Gaard:...
and a Danish invasion fleet led by the fabled Jomsvikings
Jomsvikings
The Jomsvikings were a possibly-legendary company of Viking mercenaries or brigands of the 10th century and 14th century AD, dedicated to the worship of such deities as Odin and Thor. They were staunchly pagan, but they reputedly would fight for any lord able to pay their substantial fees, and...
. This battle played an important role in the struggle by Haakon Sigurdsson
Haakon Sigurdsson
Haakon Sigurdarsson was the de facto ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995.-Background:Haakon was the son of Sigurd Haakonsson, Jarl of Lade and ruler of Trøndelag and Hålogaland. His mother was Bergljot Toresdatter, daughter of Tore Ragnvaldsson, Earl of Møre...
to unite his rule over Norway.
History
Haakon Sigurdsson ruled NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
as a vassal of King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark, but he was in reality an independent ruler. Haakon was a strong believer in the old Norse gods.When Harald Bluetooth attempted to force Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
upon him around 975, Haakon broke his allegiance to Denmark.
Harald Bluetooth had suffered defeat from the Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto II , called the Red, was the third ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty, the son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.-Early years and co-ruler with Otto I:...
. Haakon took advantage of the weakened position of the Danish king to make Norway independent of Denmark.
Sources
The battle is described in the Norse kings' sagasKings' sagas
The kings' sagas are Norse sagas which tell of the lives of Scandinavian kings. They were composed in the 12th to 14th centuries in Iceland and Norway....
—such as Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
—as well as in Jómsvíkinga saga
Jómsvíkinga saga
The Jómsvíkinga saga relates of the founding of Jomsborg by Palnatoke, and of the famous Viking brotherhood of the Jomsvikings....
and Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
' Gesta Danorum
Gesta Danorum
Gesta Danorum is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th century author Saxo Grammaticus . It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essential source for the nation's early history...
. Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
estimated that the battle took place while Harald Bluetooth was still alive. Traditional has set the battle during the year 986. Those late literary accounts are fanciful but historians believe that they contain a kernel of truth.
Some contemporary skaldic poetry alludes to the battle, including verses by Þórðr Kolbeinsson
Þórðr Kolbeinsson
Þórðr Kolbeinsson was an 11th century Icelandic skald, or poet. He was the court poet of Eiríkr Hákonarson and some 17 stanzas of his poetry on the earl are preserved in the kings' sagas...
and Tindr Hallkelsson
Tindr Hallkelsson
Tindr Hallkelsson was an Icelandic skald active around the year 1000. He was the court poet of earl Hákon Sigurðarson and fragments of his drápa on the earl are preserved in Jómsvíkinga saga, the kings' sagas and the Prose Edda...
. The battle has also been the subject of later poems and sagas. Jómsvíkingadrápa
Jómsvíkingadrápa
Jómsvikingadrápa is a skaldic poem by Bjarni Kolbeinsson , Bishop of Orkney, in honour of the fallen Jomsvikings at the Battle of Hjörungavágr.- External links:* in Old Norse...
by Bjarni Kolbeinsson honors the fallen Jomsvikings at the Battle of Hjörungavágr.Vellekla
Vellekla
Vellekla is a partially preserved drápa composed in the late 10th century by the Icelandic skald Einarr Helgason skálaglamm. It is one of the two drápas he made for Hákon jarl...
, composed by the Icelandic skald Einarr Helgason
Einarr Helgason
Einarr Helgason or Einarr skálaglamm was a 10th century Icelandic skald.He was a court-poet of Lord Hákon to whom he dedicated his magnum opus, the Vellekla...
, speaks of the Battle of Hjörungavágr. Fagrskinna
Fagrskinna
Fagrskinna is one of the kings' sagas, written around 1220. It takes its name from one of the manuscripts in which it was preserved, Fagrskinna meaning 'Fair Leather', i.e., 'Fair Parchment'. Fagrskinna proper was destroyed by fire, but copies of it and another vellum have been preserved...
, contains a history of Norway with a heavy emphasis on battles, including the Battle of Hjörungavágr.
Jómsvíkinga saga
Jómsvíkinga saga
The Jómsvíkinga saga relates of the founding of Jomsborg by Palnatoke, and of the famous Viking brotherhood of the Jomsvikings....
offers two mutually contradictory descriptions of the bay in which the battle took place. According to the first one, Hjorungavágr lies on the landward side of the island Hoð (now Hareidlandet
Hareidlandet
Hareidlandet is an island in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Hareid and Ulstein. The island has a population of 11,687. The island is mentioned by Snorri in his reports about the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986 where Haakon Jarl defeated Bue Digre and the...
, an island in Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
). According to the other, the bay is situated south of an island called Primsigð/Primsignd and north of an island called Horund. Both of these names are unknown today.
See also
- Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson
- Vagn ÅkessonVagn ÅkessonVagn Åkesson was a Norseman of the late 10th century, mentioned in the Jómsvíkinga saga. At the age of 12 Vagn, a precocious warrior, applied for admission to the mercenary brotherhood of the Jomsvikings. According to the Jómsvíkinga saga, Vagn was the son of Aki, a son of the Jomsviking chieftain...
- Eiríkr HákonarsonEiríkr HákonarsonEiríkr Hákonarson or Eric of Norway or Eric of Hlathir was earl of Lade, ruler of Norway and earl of Northumbria.-Background:...
- Thorkell the Tall
- Vigfúss Víga-GlúmssonVigfúss Víga-GlúmssonVigfúss Víga-Glúmsson was an Icelandic skald, active around the year 1000. He was the son of Víga-Glúmr, the protagonist of Víga-Glúms saga. According to various sources, Vígfúss was the court poet of Hákon Sigurðarson,...
Other sources
- Holmsen, Andreas Norges historie fra de eldste tider til 1660 (Oslo, 1961) Norwegian
- Krag, Claus Aschehougs Norges historie, Vikingtid og rikssamling 800-1130 (Oslo, 1995) Norwegian
- Näsström, Britt-Mari (2001) Blot - tro og offer i det førkristne Norden (Pax) ISBN 82-530-2146-1 Norwegian
- Steinsland, GroGro SteinslandGro Steinsland is a Norwegian scholar of medieval studies and history of religion and since August 2009 has been the Scientific Director of the Centre for Advanced Study of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters....
(2005) Norrøn religion. Myter, riter, samfunn (Pax) ISBN 82-530-2607-2 Norwegian - Fløtre, Odd Karstein (2009) Jomsvikingslaget i oppklarende lys (haugenbok.no) ISBN 9788292055342 Norwegian
- Ottesen, Johan (2010) Slagstaden (Fotoarkivet) ISBN 9788293042013 Norwegian