1 68 Norway and the Norwegians 



this Gold Harald by himself, with consent of the 

 Danish king. The latter now proclaimed himself King 

 of Norway as well as of Denmark. But he placed 

 Earl Hakon under him, titularly as viceroy, but in 

 reality as an almost independent regent of the country. 

 Hakon was expected to pay ' scat ' (scot — tribute) to 

 Denmark. As a matter of fact he rarely fulfilled the 

 obligation; but still, during his life, Norway could 

 hardly consider itself more than an earldom tributary 

 to the Danish crown. 



