Here is the genealogy of the jarls of Normandy.
“King Harald was the son of Halfdan (the Black), king in Uppland; Halfdan the Black’s father was Gudröd Veidikonung (hunting king), son of Halfdan, who was called the liberal and food-stingy, for he gave his men as much pay in gold as other kings theirs in silver, but he kept them short in food. The mother of Halfdan the Black was Asa, daughter of Harald Granraud, King of Agdir.
“The mother of Harald Fairhair was Ragnhild, daughter of Sigurd Hjört (Hart), whose mother was Aslaug, daughter of Sigurd Snake-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok.
“Sigurd Snake-eye’s mother was Áslaug, daughter of Sigurd Fafnisbani. Sigurd Hjört was married to Thyri, daughter of Klakkharald of Jutland and sister of Thyri, Denmark’s improver (Danmarkarbot), who was married to Gorm (the Old) King of Denmark” (Flateyjarbok, vol. i., ch. i.).
The testimony of the Sagas, as we see, is here unmistakable, clear, and to the point. When we compare them with the Frankish annals and their fabulous and strange stories and discordant dates, we cannot but give the preference to the Sagas.
“Alfred the Powerful (riki) ruled over England; he was the first of his kinsmen who was absolute king in the days of Harald Fairhair, King of Norway. After him his son Edward was king; he was the father of Athelstan the Victorious (the foster-father of Hakon the Good), who was king after his father. There were several brothers, sons of Edward. When Athelstan became king those chiefs who had lost their lands through his forefathers rose against him, thinking it would be easier to regain their lands from so young a king. These chiefs were Bretar (Britons) and Skotar (Scots) and Irar (Irish). Athelstan gathered a host, and gave pay to every man, both foreigners and natives, who wanted it. The brothers Thórólf and Egil were going southward past Saxland and Flæmingjaland (Flandre); when they heard that the King of England needed men, and as there was likelihood of getting much property, they decided to go thither with their men. They went in the autumn to the king, who received them well, for he thought that their following would be a great help; he offered them pay for their service to defend his kingdom; they made an agreement and became his men. England had been Christian for a long time when this happened; the king was a good Christian, and was called Æthelstan trufasti (constant in belief). He asked Thórólf and Egil to be prime-signed, as was then very usual, both among traders and those who went into the service of Christians; for those who were prime-signed had full intercourse with both Christians and heathens, but at the same time believed what they liked best. Thórólf and Egil did so at his request. They had three hundred men in the service of the king” (Egil’s Saga, c. 50).
The following shows the jealousy that existed between the two kings, Æthelstan and Harald Fairhair of Norway.
“At this time Æthelstan, who was named the victorious and the faithful, had taken the kingdom in England. He sent to Norway a messenger, who went in before King Harald and handed him a sword with golden guards and hilt, and its scabbard was ornamented with gold and silver, and set with gems. The messenger turned the handle of the sword towards the king, and said: ‘Here is a sword, that King Æthelstan said thou shouldst take.’ The king took hold of the hilt, and the messenger added: ‘Thou didst take hold of this sword, as our king wanted thee to. Thou shalt now be his thegn (subject), because thou didst take it by the hilt.’ Harald then saw that this had been done to deride him, for he did not want to be the thegn of any man. He nevertheless remembered his habit, whenever he got angry, to first keep quiet and let his anger subside, and then look at the matter calmly. He did thus, and brought the matter before his friends; and they all thought it right to do as had been done by. He thereupon allowed King Æthelstan’s men to depart unharmed.
“Hauk Hábrok (high breeches) was with King Harald. He was a good messenger on all difficult errands, and dear to the king. The summer after this King Harald entrusted his son Hakon to the hands of Hauk, and sent him westward to England to King Æthelstan. Hauk found him in London, at a great feast. He went into the hall with thirty men, and said to them: ‘We will so arrange that the one who enters last shall go out first, and we will all stand in a line before the king’s table, and each one shall have his shield on his left side, and hide it under his cloak.’ He took the boy Hakon on his arm, and they entered; he saluted the king, who bid him welcome; then he seated the boy on King Æthelstan’s knee. The king looked at him, and asked why he did this. Hauk replied: ‘King Harald of Norway asks thee to foster for him this child of his bondwoman.’ King Æthelstan at this became very angry, seized a sword near him, and drew it as if he wanted to slay the boy.
“Hauk then said: ‘Thou hast now seated him on thy knee, king; and murder him thou mayest if thou wilt; but by this thou wilt not exterminate all King Harald’s sons.’ Hauk and his men walked out and went to their ships, and when they were ready they set sail and returned to Norway. King Harald was well pleased with the result of their errand, for it is said that the man who fosters the child of another is of lower rank. By these doings of the kings it could be seen that each wanted to be greater than the other; but nevertheless each retained his rank, for each was over-king over his kingdom until his dying day” (Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, pp. 16, 17).