The Greatest Viking by Desmond Seward

Author:Desmond Seward [Seward, Desmond]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Birlinn

12

The Killing of Asbjorn Slayer of Seal

When men of power saw the king gave equal judgement to great and small, they began to be ill-pleased.

Fagrskinna1

Olav’s rule seemed firmly established. In 1022 Einar Tambarskjelve finally submitted, coming home from years of exile in Sweden to be given back the Trøndelag estates that had been his wife’s dowry as a sister of Olav Tryggvason. The following year Erling Skjalgsson reached a better understanding with the king. Recognition by Norway’s two greatest magnates gave his regime an appearance of solidity. So did the devotion of fine men such as Jarl Rognvald of Orkney, Bjorn the Marshal and Kalv Arnason’s brother, Finn, with that of many others who were ready to fight to the death for him.

Yet this solidity was an illusion. Many lendmenn and rich bonder, especially in the Trøndelag, thought Olav was a tyrant. Some alleged that he was ‘hard, overbearing, severe, spiteful, mean, avaricious, ferocious, quarrelsome, haughty and proud’. Surprisingly, the catalogue comes from the hagiographic Legendary Saga of St Olav, although whoever wrote the saga dismissed such allegations as vile slanders. Yet it may well have been the real opinion of those who had always disliked him, even of some of his supporters. Certainly, he could be a difficult man to deal with, prone to react violently.

More and more of Norway’s ruling class resented Olav’s growing power over their lives and what they saw as his harsh rule. In the old days their sons had sailed on Viking expeditions or plundered neighbours as a matter of course, in the way that Olav had done himself when he was a boy. But now he was king, he forbade raids on Christians, whether at home or abroad. Anybody who broke the law was sentenced to death or mutilation. Nothing could save those found guilty, however rich and powerful their relations might be, however much money was offered to spare them. As Snorri saw, Olav had banned the Viking way of life, a prohibition that played a role in his downfall.

Sverre Bagge argues that there are no examples of the king coming into conflict with the magnates because of banning robbery or Viking expeditions.2 But if Snorri does not record specific instances, he quotes some lines by the skald Sigvat Thordarson:

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