148 Norway and the Norwegians 



Viking age ; but likewise because that country had 

 been long in closer communication with Denmark and 

 Sweden than any other part of Norway, so that it was 

 more likely to follow the example of these states. 



The first king of Viken or Westfold, who emerges 

 out of the mythological age, is Halfdan the Black. 

 The family to which he belonged claimed to be a 

 branch of the famous Ynglinga line — descended from 

 the God Frey — which gave likewise kings to Sweden. 

 Of Halfdan the Black we know very little. He may 

 have been the Philip of this Macedon, and prepared the 

 way for the son who was to follow him. This son, this 

 Alexander, was Harald. We need not repeat the legend, 

 how the taunt of a maiden, Gyda, first inspired Harald 

 with the idea that he should make himself sole king 

 of Norway ; how he swore that his hair should grow 

 unkempt till he had accomplished his vow. The notion 

 is more likely to have been instilled into his mind by 

 his father Halfdan or by his mother Eagnhild, daughter 

 of one of the petty kings, who, through her mother, 

 claimed a famous descent. In any case, Harald did 

 have this ambition ; and soon after he came to the 

 throne he applied himself to the task of subduing, one 

 after another, his petty brother kings in Norway. The 

 number of these is far too great for us to keep count 

 of; though the saga tells us the names of those whom 

 Harald subdued one after another. Some submitted 

 voluntarily and became the king's earls. And Harald 

 had already made himself master of the two most im- 

 portant divisions of the country, Viken, or Westfold, 

 his patrimonial kingship, and the Throndhjem district, 

 including North and South More, when the remaining 



