Harald Fairhair's campaign in Götaland was an attack that took place in the 870

870

Year 870 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Prague Castle is founded....

's.

Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson

Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...

 writes in Harald Fairhair's saga that Harald Fairhair disputed the Swedish king Eric Eymundsson's hegemony in what is today southern Norway.

He attacked and forced Viken

Viken

Viken was the historical name for the district in southeastern Norway, including the area surrounding the Oslofjord and Skagerrak, the strait running between Norway and the southwest coast of Sweden and the Jutland peninsula of Denmark.-History:...

 to accept his rule and then plundered and burnt in Ranrike

Ranrike

Ranrike was the old name for a part of Viken, corresponding to southeast Norway and the northern half of the modern Swedish province of Bohuslän...

. Because of this the Norwegian skald

Skald

The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...

 Þorbjörn hornklofi

Þorbjörn hornklofi

Þorbjörn Hornklofi was a 9th century Norwegian poet. He was the court poet of King Harald Fairhair.-Bibliography:*Glymdrápa - A drápa on King Harald.*Hrafnsmál/Haraldskvæði - Another poem on King Harald using the málaháttr metre....

 boasted that the Swedes stayed indoors whereas the Norwegians were out on the sea.

Úti vill jól drekka, ef skal einn ráða, fylkir framlyndi , ok Freys leik heyja, Ungr leiddisk eldvelli ok inni at sitja, varma dyngju eða vöttu dúnsfulla.http://www.heimskringla.no/original/heimskringla/haraldssaga.php

The Norseman's king is on the sea, Tho' bitter wintry cold it be. On the wild waves his Yule Yule Yule or Yuletide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January...  keeps he. When our brisk king can get his way, He'll no more by the fireside stay Than the young sun; he makes us play The game of the bright sun-god Frey. But the soft Swede loves well the fire The well-stuffed couch, the doway glove, And from the hearth-seat will not move.(Samuel Laing's translation)

The Gauts (Geats) did not accept this and assembled their forces. In the spring, they put stakes in Göta älv

Göta älv

The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...

 to stop Harald's ships. Harald Fairhair put his ships alongside the stakes and plundered and burnt everything he could reach.
The Norwegian skald said of this:

Grennir þröng at gunni gunnmás fyrir haf sunnan, sá var gramr, ok gumnum, geðvörðr, und sik jörðu. Ok hjálmtamiðr hilmir hólmreyðar lét ólman lindihjört fyrir landi lundprúðr við stik bundinn.http://www.heimskringla.no/original/heimskringla/haraldssaga.php

The king who finds a dainty feast, For battle-bird and prowling beast, Has won in war the southern land That lies along the ocean's strand. The leader of the helmets, he Who leads his ships o'er the dark sea, Harald, whose high-rigged masts appear Like antlered fronts of the wild deer, Has laid his ships close alongside Of the foe's piles with daring pride.(Samuel Laing's translation)

The Geats arrived to the ships with a great army to fight king Harald, but they lost after great losses.

Ríks, þreifsk reiddra öxa rymr, knáttu spjör glymja, svartskygð bitu seggi sverð, þjóðkonungs ferðar, Þá er, hugfyldra hölda, hlaut andskoti Gauta, hár var söngr um svírum, sigr, flugbeiddra vigra.http://www.heimskringla.no/original/heimskringla/haraldssaga.php

Whistles the battle-axe in its swing O'er head the whizzing javelins sing, Helmet and shield and hauberk ring; The air-song of the lance is loud, The arrows pipe in darkening cloud; Through helm and mail the foemen feel The blue edge of our king's good steel Who can withstand our gallant king? The Gautland men their flight must wing.(Samuel Laing's translation)

Then the Norwegians travelled far and wide in Götaland

Götaland

Götaland , Gothia, Gothland, Gothenland, Gautland or Geatland is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises provinces...

, winning most of the battles. In one of the battles, the Geatish commander Hrani the Geat fell. Harald then proclaimed himself the ruler of all land north of Göta älv

Göta älv

The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...

 and north and west of lake Vänern

Vänern

Vänern is the largest lake in Sweden, the largest lake in the EU and the third largest lake in Europe after Ladoga and Onega in Russia. It is located in the provinces of Västergötland, Dalsland, and Värmland in the southwest of the country.- History :...

 and placed Guttorm Haraldsson

Guttorm Haraldsson

Guttorm Haraldsson was the first son of king Harald Fairhair of Norway and Åsa, daughter of Håkon Grjotgardsson. C. 890 Harald made Guttorm king of Ranrike, which he had wrested from the Swedish king Erik Eymundsson, and gave him the responsibility of defending Norway from Sweden. He fell in a sea...

to defend the region with a large force.