Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/399

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 387 events there. In 1019, King Canute appears by the Saxon notes. Chronicle to have visited Denmark. In 1025, or between 1025 and 1027, the battle of Plelge-a appears to have been fought. But some antiquaries of great note — Gramm and Schoning — think that King Canute himself went on a pil- grimage to Rome in 1027. There is no mention in the Saxon Chronicle nor in Snorro, but there is in the Knytlinga Saga, of this journey of Canute to Rome. It does not appear that there could have been time for any such pilgrimage in Canute's life ; for in 1027 and 1028 he appears to have been certainly in the Baltic, and to have driven Olaf to Russia. It is very remarkable that the Knytlinga Saga does not give Canute the Great, nor his father King Swein, nor liis prede- cessors Harald or Gorm, the credit of having been very wise men. It says of Canute, " Ekki var hann storvitr madr, ok sua Sweinn konungr med sama hastti, ok enn adr Haraldr ok Gormr, at their voru ongir spekingar at viti." 1030. King Olaf returned from Russia, and was slain at the battle of Stiklestad on the 29th July of this year. 1034. Einar Tambarskelver and Kalf Arneson appear to have come to Russia in the autumn of this year, to offer their aid to King Magnus, the son of Saint Olaf. Harald Haardrade, the half-brother of Saint Olaf, appears to have gone from Russia to Constantinople this year. Romanus Argyropolis was then emperor, and was succeeded by Michael Paphlago. 1035. King Magnus, then in his eleventh year, was received as king in Norway. Swend Alfifason, the son of Canute, was driven out to Denmark. Canute the Great died on the 13th November of this year, and was succeeded in England by his son Harald, and in Denmark by liis son Hardacanute. 1036. Swend Alfifason died. A peace concluded between King Magnus of Norway and Hardacanute, with the condition that the survivor of the two should succeed to the dominions of the other. 1040. According to Snorro's account, (but 1039, on the 17 th March, according to the Saxon Chronicle,) King Harald of England, called Harefoot, died, and was succeeded by his brother Hardacanute of Denmark. C C 2