"
says the emperor, "we will march against him with an army." The Danish
king ordered the land defence to be fitted out, Danavirke (1) (the
Danish wall) to be well fortified, and his ships of war rigged out.
He sent a message also to Earl Hakon in Norway to come to him early in
spring, and with as many men as he could possibly raise. In spring (A.D.
975) Earl Hakon levied an army over the whole country which was very
numerous, and with it he sailed to meet the Danish king. The king
received him in the most honourable manner. Many other chiefs also
joined the Danish king with their men, so that he had gathered a very
large army.

ENDNOTES: (1) Danavirke. The Danish work was a wall of earth, stones,
and wood, with a deep ditch in front, and a castle at every
hundred fathoms, between the rivers Eider and Slien,
constructed by Harald Blatand (Bluetooth) to oppose the
progress of Charlemagne. Some traces of it still exist.
--L.

25. OLAF TRYGVASON'S WAR EXPEDITION.

Olaf Trygvason had been all winter (A.D. 980) in Vindland, as before
related, and went the same winter to the baronies in Vindland which
had formerly been under Queen Geira, but had withdrawn themselves from
obedience and payment of taxes. There Olaf made war, killed many
people, burnt out others, took much property, and laid all of them under
subjection to him, and then went back to his castle. Early in spring
Olaf rigged out his ships and set off to sea. He sailed to Skane and
made a landing. The people of the country assembled, and gave him
battle; but King Olaf conquered, and made a great booty. He then sailed
eastward to the island of Gotland, where he captured a merchant vessel
belonging to the people of Jamtaland. They made a brave defence; but the
end of it was that Olaf cleared the deck, killed many of the men, and
took all the goods. He had a third battle in Gotland, in which he
also gained the victory, and made a great booty. So says Halfred
Vandredaskald:--

"The king, so fierce in battle-fray,
First made the Vindland men give way:
The Gotlanders must tremble next;
And Scania's shores are sorely vexed
By the sharp pelting arrow shower
The hero and his warriors pour;
And then the Jamtaland men must fly,
Scared by his well-known battle-cry."

26. OTTA AND HAKON IN BATTLE.

The Emperor Otta assembled a great army from Saxland, Frakland,
Frisland, and Vindland.