CHAPTER XI 



HISTORY 



The Civil Wars — Sverri— Hakon Hakonsson. 

 A.D. 1066-1263. 



Henceforward we must look upon the history of 

 Norway as divorced from that of the whole group of 

 Scandinavian states, and one to be studied by itself. 

 The heroic age has passed ; the ages which follow are 

 far less interesting ; they may be dismissed in a much 

 shorter space. It was not for the sake merely of 

 recording events, but of giving a picture of the character 

 of those who made the history of the heroic age, the 

 national character of these Scandinavians during their 

 best days ; and again, for the sake of giving some notion 

 of the literature in which their achievements are pre- 

 served, that we have dwelt rather lengthily on the first 

 two hundred years or so of Norwegian history, A 

 single chapter now may suffice to cover as much ground 

 as is covered by the four previous chapters. 



Harald Hardradi was succeeded by a son, who, in 

 his character, typifies the transition to a new era. Hi? 

 name was Olaf, and he was surnamed during his reign 

 Kyrri, or the Peaceful. Harald did, in fact, leave two 

 sons behind him at his death ; one, Magnus, he had left 

 behind in Norway ; Olaf, the other, had been with his 



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