Another amusing reminder of the dangers of strong drink, and the pure psycosis of a certian kind of norwegian Kingsman...
Also a demonstration of unorthodox boarding technique.


Trouble caused by drink [1186]
103. In the following spring King Sverri sailed south from Throndham with a very great host, and arrived at Bergen about the Vigil-time. There was a great number of merchant-ships in the town, come from well nigh all lands. The Southmen had imported a large quantity of wine, so that wine in Bergen was then no dearer than ale.
It happened on a time as men sat drinking wine, that they wished to be served with more, but the Southmen's boy would not fetch it, and they strove with him for not more than a single pot. They wrangled until the Northmen would go and break into the booth, but the Southmen defended themselves from the inside, and several men were wounded by sword-thrusts. This was told in the town. The townsmen and the Germans seized their weapons, and a fight took place; many fell, especially of the townsmen. The Southmen ran to their cogs, which they placed all together in the bay, and the townsmen prepared to set on them. But at last a truce was made.
Many other disturbances arose that summer through drink. There was a man of the Birkibeins so witless through drink that he threw himself out between the hall and the king's sitting-room thinking he was leaping into the water to swim, and he was killed.
Another leapt from the quay in the kings-court and was drowned.
King Sverri was not then in the town; but one day soon after he arrived, two drunken men happened to quarrel, the one a Gjest of the King, the other a House-carle. They were about to use to weapons to each other, when Throlof Rympil, the leader of the Gjests, came out of the drinking-room.
He had no weapon, but he took the steel cap from his head and struck the House-carle, who with his hand=axe returned the blow.
Then the fight became general, every man using the weapon he had to hand, all being mad with ale. Thorolf Rympil tore himself loose from the fray, went to his force and blew the Gests' horn, and when the Gjests were all come together, Thorolf bade them take their weapons.
The House-carles also gathered, armed themselves, and went on board their ship, under their leader Asgeir Hamarskalli.
When the Gests came down to the quays, Thorolf Rympil flung his sword on the House-carles' ship and himself leapt after it; having regained it he began immediately to fight. The Gests sprang on board after him. There was a great battle, and Thorolf and his men did not cease until they had cleared the ship. Many House-carles were slain, but most of them leapt overboard. When the King heard of the fray, he went to them and brought about a truce, and a meeting afterwards, at which peace was made"


Torolf Rympil (A refference to the rearmost part of the human anatomy... :wtf: ) was a noted badass; He spearheaded the kings shieldwall at the battle at Iljevollen, and lead raids and "pasification" expeditons.
However, it seems that he somehow falls from favour after this incident. :mad:
His jolly colleague and fellow "kill em All, we get to keep their stuff!" enthusiast Ulv ("wolf") From Lauknes continues his career of service to king and country for another decade.

The rest of this saga, in a old and somewhat shortened version, can be found here, along with a plentifora of other texts.
http://www.northvegr.org/lore/sverri/index.php

Great stuff. Allways nice to read about those less-then glamerous battles. The old northmen sure knew how to have a party..

There is something so appealingly non PC about all of this. Do Norwegians make good football supporters?

You seem to know your Sagas Elling, i salute that. These great and sometimes quirky stories are such a splendid view into our history. And they will, luckely, always be very non-PC..

An interesting tale *g*
So the cliches about vikings are true after all ;) (though this happened way after their time, of course)

I guess the term southmen refers to all people living south of Denmark or does it have a particular connotation?