was very fertile, but its coasts were full of CHA P. pirates. 30 ZEALAND was distinguished amidst the other isles for its magnitude, and its ancient metropolis, Lethra, whose sovereign was superior to the other kings who governed in the various provinces of the Danes. 31 Jutland, which extended from the Angles to the Sound, constituted a principal part of the Danish strength. Its soil was sterile, but the country upon the rivers was cultivated; and the most frequented cities were on the arms of the sea, which ran into it. The rest was made up of vast solitudes and briny marshes, like all the north in this savage and calamitous period. It abounded with uninhabited forests, which concurred with the fens to keep the interior unpeopled. Hence the maritime coasts, though full of incessant danger, from the pirates, were the parts frequented. 32 THE Danes also occupied Scania, on the Scandinavian continent. It was their richest province. 33 This peninsula was almost an island; a tract of land, composed of deep forests and Latin writers. The Saxon piracies show, that the Frankish voyage gave a new impulse to society in the north. 30 Adam Brem. 64. 31 On Lethra and its topography, see Stephanius in Sax. p. 74. It was in the middle of the island, not far from Roschild. Sveno, who lived in 1186, says, that this famous city had in his time so declined, that inter abjectissima ferme vix colitur. Hist. Reg. Dan. 1 Langb. 45. Roschild became afterwards the metropolis. 32 Adam Brem. 63. Jutland was anciently called Reidgotaland. Torfæus, Series Reg. Dan. 86, 87. The rest of Denmark was called Ey-gotaland, the insular Gothland. Ibid. 83.87. 33 Knytlinga Saga. Worm. Mon. Dan. App. p. 35. I. IV. BOOK rugged mountains, divided it from Gothland. It produced Ivar, the king whose invasion destroyed the dynasty of the Ynglingi at Upsal, and who occupied part of England. Saxo mentions Hallandia and Blekingia as Danish possessions. WULFSTAN, a navigator with whom Alfred conversed about the north-eastern countries of the Baltic, enumerated the isles of Langoland, Leland, Falster, and Sconey, as belonging at that period to Denemearca. 37 The German chronicles at this time generally mean Jutland when they speak of Denmark, but the isles seem to have always formed an important part of the Danish population. 38 DENMARK was anciently possessed by many contemporary kings. The Knytlinga Saga, after enumerating the districts which Denmark contained in the time of Canute, adds, that although then under one sovereign, they had been formerly divided into many kingdoms. 59 According to this document, Jutland contained five of these Konga-ryki, at Sleswick, Ripen, Arhusen, Wiburg, and Hording, 40 The islands, and the continental provinces 39 34 Adam, 64. In his time it had become very opulent. 36 In his preface, he mentions the rock in Blekingia, so famous for its surprising inscriptions. He says, lib. vii. p. 138., Harald Hyldetand, as a monument to his father, caused his actions to be described on it. Wormius relates what remains of it. Monum. Dan. p. 221. 37 Alfred's Orosius, p. 25. 38 They were anciently called Witahedh, or Vitaslett. Verelius, Hist. Suio-Goth. 16. Peter Olaus says, that the name Dania primo et principaliter, comprehended the islands. Chron. 1 Langb. 83. 39 Knytlinga Saga. Wormius, App. 36. 40 In Canute's time the proportionate importance of these provinces may be inferred from the war-ships they furnished to 41 I. of Scania and Hallandia, had also their respective C HA P. sovereigns, among whom the king of Lethra appears the most ancient and the most powerful. These petty kings were styled Fylki Kongr, people, or provincial kings. 42 Ambition, before the eighth century, had diminished the number of the rival thrones. Two monopolised Jutland; Fionia, Seeland, and Scania, had each 43 another. This number also lessened; and at the period of their first aggression on England, the Danish royalty was confined to a king in Jutland, and one over the isles. Soon afterwards one monarcha commanded the whole. Gormo Grandævus, who lived in the end of the ninth century, is stated to have destroyed the other reguli. 4 44 In speaking of kings and kingdoms, we use words of swelling sound, and magnificent import. Splendour, extensive dominion, pomp, power, and venerated dignity, are the majestic the king. Heida bay, containing 350 kyrckna or parishes, provided 130 ships. Ripen, 324 parishes, 110 or 120 ships. Arhusen, 210 parishes, 90 ships. Wiburg, 250 parishes, 100 ships. Hording, 160 parishes, 50 ships. Fionia, 300 parishes, 100 ships. Zealand, 309 churches, 120 ships. Scania, 353 churches, 150 ships. Worm. p. 34, 35. 41 Snorre generally calls the Danish kings, kings of Hleidra, as p. 9. 17. 41. 43. &c. Stephanius says, ab hac Lethra Daniæ reges in antiquissimis monumentis semper nominantur Kongar aff Ledru, p. 74. 42 Stephan. p. 103. Verelius. informs us, that fylking is an embodied army, fylke a province furnishing a fylking, and fylke king its sovereign. In Got. et Rol. p. 27. 43 Anon. Roskild. Chron. 1 Langb. 374. To the same purpose Stephanius, p. 103. 44 Torfæus Hist. Norv. i. p. 410. Snorre intimates as much. Harald's Saga, c. 3. p. 78. IV. BOOK images which arise in our minds when we hear of thrones. But we must dismiss from our thoughts the fascinating appendages to modern royalty, when we contemplate the petty sovereigns of the North. Some of their kingdoms may have equalled an English county in extent, but many would have been rivalled by our hundreds. Seated in their rural halls, with a small band of followers scattered about, these northern fylki kings were often victims to pirates who assailed them. They had neither castles, cities, nor defensive fortifications. 45 Even the Thiod-Kongr, the preponderant ruler, sometimes fell before one of his inferiors whom plunder had enriched. 46 THE more settled kings of Denmark became known more distinctly to us in the time of Charlemagne. During his life, Godfrid reigned in Jutland, who had subdued the Frisians, and also the Obotriti and a part of the Slavi. He threatened Charlemagne with war. He was succeeded by Hemming, his cousin, who made peace with the Frankish monarch, and the Eyder was estab lished as their common boundary. On Hemming's death, the Danish sovereignty was contested between Sigefrid and Ring, in whose warfare 11,000 men with both the competitors perished. 45 We have a remarkable instance of this in Birca, the port and chief commercial emporium of Sweden. Rembert, who lived about 865, states this Birca to have been so defenceless, that on the approach of the Danes, the people fled from it to a neighbouring civitatem. This civitas was also non multum firma. They offered 120 pounds of silver to save Birca. Ansch. vita, p. 460. 1 Langb. 46 Verelius in Hervarar Saga, 142. CHAP. II. The Sea-Kings and Vikingr of the North. II. kings. W HEN we review these kings and sub-kings of CHA P. the North, we behold only a part of its political situation. There were also sovereigns who The seapossessed neither country nor regular subjects, and yet filled the regions adjacent with blood and misery. The sea-kings of the North were a race of beings whom Europe beheld with horror. Without a yard of territorial property, without any towns, or visible nation', with no wealth but their ships, no force but their crews, and no hope but from their swords, the sea-kings swarmed on the boisterous ocean, and plundered in every district they could approach. Never to sleep under a smoky roof, nor to indulge in the cheerful cup over a hearth 2, were the boasts of these watery sovereigns, who not only flourished in the plunder of the sea and its shores, but who sometimes amassed so much booty, and enlisted so many followers, as to be able to assault provinces for permanent conquest. Thus Haki and Hagbard were sea-kings; their reputation induced many bands of rovers to join their fortunes. They attacked the king of Upsal, whom Haki defeated and succeeded. 3 Some Some years 1 Multi enim reges hine fuere maritimi (Sæ-konungar) qui maximis quidem copiis sed nulli præerant regioni. Snorre, Yngl. Saga, c. 34. p. 43. Multi insuper qui nec ditiones nec subditos habebant sed piratica tantum et latrociniis opes quærebant, Wiik-kungar et Naak-kungar, i. e. reges maritimi dicebantur. Verelius, Hist. Suio-Gott. p. 6. 2 Snorre, p. 43. 3 Snorre, Yngling. c. 25. p. 30, 31. |