286 Norway and the Norwegians 



reiguing. And up to now, that I am twenty-eight, I have 

 had but little pleasure of my royal state.' These last 

 words of the young king give a certain pathetic indi- 

 viduality to his character ; just as those words of his 

 namesake and great-grandfather Magnus Barfod, ' Kings 

 were meant for honour but not for long life,' give an 

 individuality to his. This Magnus Erlingsson was to 

 prove the truth of the latter saying. He had upheld 

 liis cause with distinguished courage, and proved him- 

 self worthy to be the son of the great Earl Erling, or to 

 be the descendant through his mother of Sigurd the 

 Crusader, of Magnus Bare-foot and of Harald Hardradi. 

 Yet his rival, a mere adventurer, probably of ignoble 

 descent, was no less distinguished. If Magnus was only 

 twenty-seven, Sverri, though he had already lived 

 through many years of constant battle, was only thirty- 

 three. The fight raged from early in the afternoon till 

 past midnight. Magnus carried out his plan of bring- 

 ing four ships to attack Sverri's huge vessel. But the 

 latter kept the space clear between herself and the land, 

 and Sverri could land when he pleased. Sverri left his 

 ship to go among his fleet, and to encourage his men ; 

 when he sought to rejoin his own vessel it was under 

 so fierce a fire of darts and stones that he could not 

 do so. At last, however, one after another the ships 

 of Magnus' fleet were taken or sunk. So many crowded 

 on board those that remained that they began to sink 

 under the weight of their own crews. Magnus' ship 

 was one of these. The king jumped overboard, and 

 was drowned. Thus ended the lofty ambitions of the 

 house of Erlincf Skakki. 



Sverri did not win peace by thus putting an end to 



