1 94 Norway and the Norwegians 



Olaf's business was rather with Burislaf, the AVend, 

 Thyri's late husband, than with her brother ; for to 

 the former the queen's dowry had been paid. In 

 the summer of tlie year 1000 — a memorable year in 

 Norse history — Olaf Tryggvason set sail for Burislafs 

 dominions, which, as we have said, lay about the mouth 

 of the Oder. The negotiations were conducted in a 

 most friendly manner. Olaf was too great and too 

 fascinating a personality not to excite the admiration 

 of any generous mind, unless warped by some personal 

 enmity or interest. 



But still his greatness was a menace to lesser men, to 

 the rulers, or would-be rulers, of the other Scandinavian 

 communities of the Baltic. Of the men in this posi- 

 tion there were four, and they had by this time entered 

 into a league against the Norse king. At the head of 

 the league stood the King of Denmark, the Svend of 

 whom we have often spoken. "With him went Olaf, 

 king of Sweden, a man of small worth, and Earl Erik, 

 the strenuous son of Hakon, bound not only by his 

 ambition to recover the territory of his forefathers, the 

 Earls of Lade, but by his blood to avenge the death of 

 his father, on whose head Olaf had set a price. 



Joined with these three — ^joined by common interest 

 to resist the over-mastering greatness of the King of 

 Norway — was one whom Olaf had no reason to distrust: 

 Earl Sigvald, the head of the Joms-vikings. The Joms- 

 vikings had preserved the same dauntless valour which 

 they showed when they fought against Earl Hakon, and 

 when Bui and his men jumped overboard to escape 

 capture. Olaf held Sigvald in high respect, and he had 

 no reason to believe but that the other felt as cordial!}' 



