Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/27

CHAPTER III. HAKON THE GOOD. Eric Blood-axe, whose practical reign is counted to have begun about a.d. 930, had by this time, or within a year or so of this time, pretty much extinguished all his brother kings, and crushed down recalcitrant spirits, in his violent way ; but had natu- rally become entirely unpopular in Norway, and filled it with silent discontent and even rage against him. Hakon Fairhair's last son, the little foster-child of Athelstan in England, who had been baptised and carefully educated, was come to his fourteenth or fifteenth year at his father's death ; a very shining youth, as Athelstan saw with just pleasure. So soon as the few preliminary preparations had been settled, Hakon, furnished with a ship or two by Athelstan, suddenly appeared in Norway ; got acknowledged by the Peasant Thing in Trondhjem ; * the news of