Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/333



When King Eric had left the country, King Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, subdued the whole of Norway. The first winter he visited the western parts, and then went north, and settled in Drontheim. But as no peace could be reasonably looked for so long as King Eric with his forces could come to Norway from the Westsea, he set himself with his men-at-arms in the middle of the country,—in the Fiorde district, or in Sogn, or Hordaland, or Kogaland. Hakon placed Sigurd earl of Lade over the whole Drontheim district, as he and his father had before had it under Harald Haarfager. When King Hakon heard of his brother Eric's death, and also that his sons had no footing in England, he thought there was not much to fear from them, and he went with his troops one summer eastward to Viken. At that time the Danes plundered often in Viken, and wrought much evil there; but when they heard that King Hakon was come with a great army, they got out of the way,—some to Sealand, or to Halland ;