BATTLU OF BRUNANBVBGH. Ki'.l 



Olaf, but the people were constantly faithless to him ' ( Iv-il's 

 Saga, c. 6'2). 



Battle of Bruutubburgli. This battle is interesting and im- 

 portant in its details. It illustrates in many instances the 

 customs of the people at the time of Athelstan, and shows that 

 many customs were identical in England and the North, and 

 that these Northmen were continually coming to England t<> 

 help their friends or kinsmen. 



Of Egil, the hero of this important battle, we read : 



" When Egil grew up it could soon be seen that he would 

 be ugly and like his father, with black hair. When he was 

 three winters he was tall and strong as other boys of six or 

 seven. He was early talkative and wise in words, but was 

 rather hard to deal with in games with other youths" (Kgil's 

 Saga, c. 31). 



" Olaf Raudi (the red) was a powerful king of Scotland. 1 1 is 

 father was Scotch, while his mother was Danish, descending 

 from Ragnar Lodbrok. Scotland was said to be a third of the 

 size of England ; Nordimbraland (Northumberland) is called 

 a fifth part of England, and is northernmost, next to Scotland, 

 on the east. The Danish kings had held it in former times : 

 Yorvik (York) was the head burg. This TEthelstan owned. 

 and had placed two jarls to rule it; one was named Alfgeir. 

 the other Gudrek. They were there to defend it, both against 

 the attacks of the Scots and those of the Danes or Northmen, 

 who ravaged there much. They thought they had great 

 claims to it, for in Northumberland were only men whose 

 fathers or mothers were of Danish kin, and, in many cases, 

 both. The brothers Hring and Adils ruled Bretland (Wales), 

 and paid a tribute to yEthelstan. \Yhen they wen- in the king's 

 host, they and their men were to stand foremost in the ranks. 

 in front of the banners. They were among the greatest "I 

 warriors, though not very young. Alfred the (ireat hud 

 deprived all tributary kings of their title and power; they 

 who had been called kings or kings' sons were called jarls: 

 this continued while he and his son bMward lived. J'lt helstan 

 came young to the kingship, and did not inspire much dread. 

 Many who were faithful before then Lvalue faithless. 



"Olaf, king of the Scots, gathered a large host, and went 

 south to England. When he reached Northumberland, he 

 went with * war-shield all over the land. But the jarls who 



1 = Ravaged. 



