Battle of Floi

The forces of Þórð Kakali, the son of Sighvatr Sturluson, and Kolbein the Young met in Iceland's largest naval battle on June 25, 1244, at Hunafloi Bay.  The Sage of Þórð Kakali gives this detailed account of the battle.

When Kolbein was ready to set sail it was reported that men had come to him from the south and told him that Gizur Þorvaldsson had returned to Iceland, at Eyr in the south, and demanded a meeting with Kolbein. But Kolbein said that he had now made his preparations for an expedition which he would not give up at any cost. On the Eve of the Feast of St. John, Kolbein sailed out past Skagi and so west across Floi.  He had twenty ships and almost one hundred and ten men of the fourth hundred of men. Kolbein himself commanded a ship which was almost too big to be seaworthy, was diverted in three parts by cross-beams and also had a shelter up by the mast. Asbjdrn Illugason commanded another ship. Sokku-Guðmund was in charge of a large transport-ship, while Ketil Gnupsson and the men of Grimsey also had a large ship. Hjalti Helgason from Leirhofn commanded a large transport; Hrani Koðransson was also in command of a ship, while Einar dragi commanded a ship of his own. Ottar, the bishop's kinsman, had a transport-ship; Viga-But commanded a large transport; and although we are not counting up all the ships' commanders from the north Kolbein still had many of the most valiant men for each ship. One might also note that all of Kolbein's ships were fully equipped, with shields forward by the mast. No man in our country had seen ships so fully prepared for battle. Kolbein sailed west then across Floi intending not to land until they were west of Horn.

It is now to be reported that Þórð sailed from the west across Floi; when his fleet reached the middle of the bay a man named Þorgeir but known as kornasylgja, on Ketil Guðmundarson's ship, said he had looked out across the water and discovered there were seals lying on the ice floes. When other men looked out, they too said Kolbein's ships were sailing out there. They dropped their sails then and took counsel. Many men said they ought to row out at once against those others, for now there was no wind. But to some this seemed out of the question, for they could all see that they were greatly outnumbered. The advice of wise heads was then that they should make some vow, so Þórð prayed to God Almighty, to Mary the Holy Mother of God, and to St. Olaf the king for assistance; the promise made was that all the men then with Þórð would fast on bread and water every Friday for the next twelve months, would fast every Saturday to the beginning of winter, and would further have twelve months' tithes purchased for the soul of King Harald Sigurðarson. This vow was made fast by shaking hands on it.  Þórð then ordered his men to make ready to row; they decided at once which ships were to set sail and as soon as they were ready began rowing across Floi to meet the enemy. When Kolbein's men saw Þórð’s ships rowing out from the bay they reefed their sails and drew their ships together by means of ropes - this was nearer Skagi than Horn and it was then the hour of morning when the sun had just risen. Kolbein stationed his ship almost in the center of the fleet; Sokku-Guðmund's ship lay on the wing opposite Skagi and nearest to Horn. Kolbein and his men now turned their ships' prows to face the land. When Þórð came within range of Kolbein's ship he bade his men lash their own ships together and then row ahead. This was done in such a way that Ognarbrandrin, which Nikulas Oddsson commanded, was nearest Horn facing Asbjorn Illugason's ship, and next to them Þórð stationed his own ship. Then came Helgi Halldarsson's ship, then Teit Styrmisson's. On the other wing facing Sokku-Guðmund's ship was Sanda-Barð's. And other men placed their ships in between these wherever they felt bold enough to move in.

Þórð now went forward on his ship and when there was quiet he spoke; he offered a truce to the Eyjafirðings and to all the men from north of Oxnadalsheið. But when Kolbein's men heard where the speech was tending they thought it not unlikely that some of their men might lose heart - those whose kinsmen had died at Orlygsstaðir and were still not compensated for. One of Kolbein's men now replied; he bade their foes be still, declaring that they would never be reconciled:

"You will walk the same path your brother Tumi walked last spring at Holar, but yours will be rougher since you show you are marked for death."

Each side now raised its war cry and battle was joined. Kolbein's men opened the fighting by hurling missiles and stones.  The attack was furious until the ships came close together, then each fought stem‑to‑stem.

Hard fighting now began, at first with missiles and stonethrowing.  Þórð's men threw so furiously that Kolbein's men could do nothing for a while but protect themselves. The battle now went against the men from the north, largely for two reasons: Kolbein's men had only a small supply of stones on two ships, while Þórð's men had loaded every ship with stones; secondly, on Kolbein's ships there were only some few men who knew anything about what they were expected to do on a ship, while on Þórð's ships each man was an even more knowledgeable seaman than the next. It is therefore understandable that in such circumstances victory in a battle between chieftains may be determined by fortune. This, however, was not because either side lacked the finest choice of men.

Before the hail of stones was ended almost all of Kolbein's men had fallen back by the mast on each ship. Þórð exhorted his men to board them, and Eyjolf Eyjolfsson, Nikulas Oddsson, and Sigmund Gunnarsson were the first men up on Kolbein's ship; when Kolbein and his men saw this they pressed forward and drove them all overboard at the point of the sword. They were pulled out of the sea and into their own ship. Now the battle began to engage all the forces; men fought savagely, especially those near the mast where the supply of stones was most depleted. The toll of men who died grew longer, particularly in Kolbein's forces. None of Þórð’s men fought as boldly as he himself, as Ingjald Geirmundarson says in his Atloguflokkr, which he composed about this sea fight in Floi. And this is noteworthy because Ingjald was present at the battle and composed his poem in the winter immediately following:

Stones rained against Þórð,
Thundered on men,
Shields sundered in battle
A tumult of fighting.
That warrior split shields
Sword deep in men's bodies,
Spear reddened by blood,
Weapons ravaged by war. 

Shields reddened from stone-blows 
Spears gutting the fallen
Men maimed by stone-casting 
Mistar's strong blasts
Ships ravaged and ruined. 
Bodies fell lifeless 
In the bloody water, 
Dulling the bright shield of Odin. 

And this:

Wherever spears clashed
Þórð was the winner;
Sighvat's bold son
Among thundering shields.
This brave warrior, I know,
Stood fearless in battle
While many men's blood
Ran down in the sea. 

Each ship now moved as near as possible to the next for close fighting. The battle now turned against Kolbein and his men for the large ship on which he himself was fighting could not be moved forward nor could many another of their largest ships; there was therefore some disorder in their rank and that very same moment the battle turned against Kolbein's men. He himself had taken little part in the fighting all day, primarily because he was not very strong and thought he was hardly fit for great labors. But everyone knew that Kolbein was a very brave man and supremely skilled in the use of arms. He stood at the masthead of his "castle" and directed the battle from there. When he saw that it was not certain they could win this way he called to his men, telling some of them to leave his ship for those which lay alongside and thus get away. But Hjalti Helgason from Leirhofn bade him move his ship stern-end to Þórð's ship and ordered the other commanders to move theirs stern-end to the ships of the men from the west, and thus encircle them:

"For it would be a great disgrace," he said, "if they defeated you with so few and such small ships as they have against the enormous fleet we have brought together here."

They loosed the ships from the ropes and moved off as Kolbein had ordered. The battle had now reached the stage where the foremost of Þórð 's men had managed to board, and others were just about to board, ships in Kolbein's fleet. Many things now happened at the same time, and they are all important to relate, but still they must be recounted one at a time.

This attack did great harm to Kolbein's forces before, the keenest of his men attacked Þórð’s men on the flank at a moment when Þórð and his companions had left the sterns of their ships quite unprotected, and when the greater part of their group had all moved forward to the mast. By the time the shout reached Þórð’s ship that they were now being attacked from both sides they had no choice but to face both attacks. Þórð now went aft on his ship, as did many of his men, but he had too small a force to be able to divide his company. He urged them to drive back the enemy by threatening their rear, and just at this very moment to attack most vigorously. Then he at once ordered them to board Hjalti's ship, and here there was little resistance before they succeeded in boarding. The man named Aron, the son of Halldor Ragnheiðarson, was first to board and next was Þórð himself.  Þórð struck Hjalti right through his byrnie and his body so that he nailed him dead to the ship's side. That ship was so completely ravaged that nearly every man was killed or driven overboard. And few were helped up from the water.

While Þórð was engaged in this Kolbein's men had brought grappling-hooks to his ship and dragged it out from among their other craft. An Askelsson, Snorri Loftsson, and Steinolf Þorbjarnarson fell by the mast on Þórð's ship for none of them was minded to flee. A fourth man named Klemet also fell there, wounded by both Kolbein's and Þórð's men. But all the others fled to whichever ship was nearest. There was now a wide gap between the ships. When Kolbein's men boarded Þórð's ship a hard fight faced those who were on the nearest ships. At the same time Kolbein gron, Teit Styrmison, and many others had succeeded in boarding Kolbein's own ship. But when Kolbein's homemen whom he had sent forward against them came up, Teit and Kolbein gron were pushed back and driven overboard; only with difficulty did they get back to their own side. The battle now increased greatly in fury; Kolbein's men got grappling-hooks on Teit's ship and dragged it forward among their ships. In this struggle Teit and Asgrim baulufot were wounded and the majority of the men on board fled the ship. Teit then ran to Kolbein Dufgusson's ship which was then so overladen and crowded that water was pouring in over the prow and the rowlocks. The greater part of them then dashed to Sanda-Barð's ship.

The battle now began to break up and men ran frantically from ship to ship. When Þórð intended to go aft in his ship he found that it was deserted and that he had no men with whom to mount an attack. He moved over to Svarthofði's ship where he stayed for a time, but when he saw that Nikulas Oddson and Eyjolf and all their company were driven back to the mast-head on Ognarbrandrin, and that the enemy was about to board, he sprang up on their ship and vigorously exhorted the men to take heart. He himself ran forward first of all to the prow, holding his shield over his head and a sword in his left hand. The most valiant men now followed him and there followed a furious encounter in which both sides suffered injury. Kolbein's men had earlier fixed an anchor at the prow of their ship. Þórð and his men now pressed forward so vigorously that in the struggle the anchor broke loose.

All the men from the north now recognized Þórð and each urged the others not to let him escape now that he was so nearly in their hands. Þórð said, "You have the right idea - attack us briskly now, for indeed the leader of the West Fjords will show himself undaunted before you this day. Furthermore, my mind tells me that never again will you have so favorable an opportunity to attack me."

The northerners now attacked in full force while at the same time the boldest of Þórð’s men came up from other ships. This struggle came to an end in such a way that none of those who went forward with Þórð escaped injury. Those who were aft in the ship suddenly discovered how the bilge water was rising and Sigmund Gunnarson ordered them to bail it out. The fighting on the ships now gradually abated, and all the ten-oared boats cut themselves loose from the ropes except for Helgi Halldorsson's.  Jon from Alftamyr was first to escape, a little afterwards Bars Hjhrleifsson, and next Sigurð vegglag.  Svarthofði called out to Sigurð and bade him wait; he did so and Svarthofði went on board along with Hrafn snati and some other men. Svarthofði bade his kinsman Hrafn accompany him, and Hrafn asked what he knew about Þórð's situation now. He said he knew nothing about him, and Hrafn then told him to go off wherever he wished, "But here is Ottar snoppulang who killed your brother."

Svarthofði said that was no concern of his and added that this time victory had gone to those who were destined to win. Svarthofði had then received a severe wound but Hrafn did not know this. Svarthofði and his companions now rowed away to land. When Teit had fled from his ship Kolbein's men climbed up on it; on Kolbein Dufgusson's ships men were so overborne by their enemies' weapons that they couldn't hold their positions; everyone then deserted the ship entirely and Kolbein stood alone.

His men seized him and began to drag him backwards toward them from one ship to another; but in the course of this he received four wounds - three in the thigh (two of these right through the thigh), and one in the side of his foot, so that the stroke sheared right down to his big toe, a severe wound.

Ketil Guðmundarson and Almar Þorkelsson pressed forward quite fearlessly, while Bjarni Brandsson and Pal gris also held their ground valiantly; the retreat came to a fortunate end for them. Sanda-Barð had the highest ship and kept it well forward so that most of the men to whom it seemed the best shelter sought it out. Barð and his companions did not meet there until the ship was so laden that it was about to sink beneath them: At this moment the battle consisted mainly of men's hurling short swords and pole-axes from one ship to another while they also hurled spears, seal harpoons and whale harpoons, striking with whatever they could get their hands on, even with sail spars and oar handles. Most men were by then playing a pretty rough game, and most of them were beginning to grow rather tired from the contest; a great many of them tried therefore to keep out of the gravest danger, but in such a way that they didn't lay themselves open to the charge of cowardice. On the ship where Þórð and his men were they were steadily bailing out water but were nearing the point when they could carry on no longer. They now discovered that the ship was damaged below. Sigmund and Nikulas begged them to put out the oars and row away, but when Þórð heard of this he bade them not incur the shame of fleeing from battle. They replied that some ships had already fled, "and this ship is damaged almost beyond use."

All the other ships, they said, were ready to take to flight and sail away. But Þórð did not believe them until he himself went to see the bilge water. Meanwhile they had the ship turned back by using the oars and next turned right around. As soon as Þórð's forces on the other ships saw that he was giving up, each commander ordered his men to pull out of the line of battle, and each ship sailed off as soon as it was able. About this Ingjald composed a verse:

Long since to the sea 
Shield-warrior had fled 
From this harsh storm of spears, 
This tempest of swords
Had his sea-steeds' riders 
But moved with more speed. 
Odin's shield was reddened, 
Was wet with their blood. 

Ingjald now spoke also of how many among Kolbein's ships were destroyed in this sea battle:

Warriors fought savagely
And Þórð, honor-bound,
Hobbled their sea-steed
Men knew this.
I've learned that the victor
Granted life not death,
Though Hjalti of Leirhofn
Paid dear for this gift. 

And Ingjald also reported this about the odds in this battle:

"My fleet split in two, 
Struck by swords' lightning; 
War ravaged our weapons." 
This, I have learned, 
Forced the brave shield-wielder 
Odin's champion in arms
To free his torn forces 
From Gunnar's harsh chains.

When Þórð’s ship had turned about he called to Hrafn Oddsson, asking him to bring him some men. Hrafn said it looked as if each one would be one too many; then he jumped aboard with Þórð and four men followed him. They held in towards land as did every other ship when ready. There was much discussion on board Þórð’s ship about how long the battle had lasted, and they were agreed that the sun was by now about in the middle of the southern part of the land, but that when they had joined battle the sun had just risen.

Þórð was very anxious because it seemed by now certain that Sanda-Barð's ship and also Trekyllir, which Bjarni Brandsson commanded, were missing. Men thought the reason Kolbein had not pursued the ships which fled was that he had those two in his hands. Barð and his crew had lost all but one of the oars from all four ships. Bjarni now went alongside them and took off nearly thirty of their crew, he got for them as many oars as they needed, and they now all rowed away together. Kolbein's men rowed after them in two small ships but dared not attack when they came near; they turned back then to their fleet. Kolbein stayed in the bay awaiting an onshore wind because, the transport-ships were difficult to row.

Þórð and his men rowed as hard as they could and steered in below Reykjanes, thinking that was the shortest course to land. They stood in there and disembarked; they brought water back to the ship, for many of them had grown very thirsty; it was then three in the afternoon. Þórð bade Hrafn Oddsson go to his ship and row ahead into Arnes where he was to have all the horses in the neighborhood of Trekyllisvik seized.

"I want those men who are most seriously wounded," he said, "to be able to escape from their enemies with the aid of horses; but those men who are perfectly able to walk and can escape on foot are not to have horses. The rest we will carry up onto the fells."

Hrafn now carried out this order while Þórð moved on more slowly. When Þórð reached Trekyllisvik he recognized Sanda-Barð's ferry and also Trekyllir which they were then rowing in from sea. There was very great rejoicing when they met each other. They mustered their men and discovered that they had lost only a few men, but that almost every man who had been with Þórð was wounded to some extent; but in general the men were not severely wounded.

Þórð assembled his forces and held a council. He thanked his men for their valiant support and went on to speak of this in many fair terms:

"I expect that now, today, it will seem to you that luck has turned toward us and away from Kolbein, now that we know how very large a force, as I see it, the enemy had on their side in comparison to ours. But now I ask you, my brave warriors, each to suggest what you think best for us to do; for our position is such that as soon as Kolbein gets an onshore wind he will sail west, and it seems to me that we are unlikely to succeed in escaping by ship inasmuch as we have lost all the wooden equipment from most of our ships. Therefore I want you to consider this situation with me."

Men now all gave quite different opinions. Most of those who owned ships urged that they should not leave them, but those who did not own ships cared more for what seemed to them least dangerous to do, and thus the debate went back and forth on these same arguments. When Þórð saw that there was little to be gained from a council of so many men he spoke:

"You have now shown me such loyalty, my good companions and kinsmen, and have today supported me so nobly, that there will scarcely be found in our whole land another example of men's having to face so superior a force and fighting against it so valiantly - may God reward you! But I do not mean to reward you for this by leading you now into new danger for my sake, for one brave man seems to me of greater worth than all those ships. There is no need to be long-winded about this let men clear their ships and take all the fittings and any other belongings into the church. Furthermore, all those men who are wounded and who cannot go on with us are to go into the church. But those men are to go along with us who we think will not be granted the sanctuary of the church."

By the time of the evening meal this was all accomplished and Þórð turned on his way up along the fell from Ames. Teit Styrmisson, Egil Solmundarson, Kolbein gron, Asgrim baulufot parted from him there along with all those who he thought were in no condition to accompany him. He arranged for horses for them and unwounded men to accompany them; they were to go down to Steingrimsfjorð. When they had gone but a short distance on the fell Asgrim became so exhausted from his wounds that he could go no farther; he was left behind there with Gunnar nautatik and some others. But Þórð and the group with him went on up along the valley which is a short way above tunes. When they had gone that far his company called for a rest.

Now it is time to report how Kolbein and his men remained behind in the bay. He now had his ship cleared in order to find out how many had fallen or were so severely wounded that he did not Want them to remain with him. He found that many had fallen and a host of men had been wounded. He now arranged for two ships, fully equipped with able-bodied men, to move the dead and wounded north to Skagi. Then they gave some thought to how many of Þórð’s ships lay behind, and discovered three. Four men had fallen on Þórð’s ship but none of them had yet died. Quarter was granted now to Snorri Loftsson and to An Askelsson, because the latter gave his name as that of Þórð, his brother. Steinolf Þorbjarnarson was killed outright and thrown overboard, while Klemet smið was also killed out of hand in the forward part of the ship. An was then led up into the ship which belonged to Einar Jonsson, called lang.

Kolbein's men rested now and ate while they were waiting for a fair wind; they estimated carefully how many men they had lost in the battle and reckoned that about eighty among them had died, including those who died later of their wounds. These were the most distinguished of the men who died: Sokku-Guðmund, Hjalti Helgason, Illugi's sons Einar dragi and Þorstein, Snorri Þoralfsson and Sigurð Rognvaldsson.

Kolbein now spoke to Einar Jonsson saying that he should take Snorri Loftsson in with him. "You know best," he said, "who everyone is in the West Fjords."

They saw that the battle was now at an end. When Snorri came up on Einar's ship and recognized An Askelsson he at once said, "God be praised that I find you alive, An, my friend!"

When Einar Jonsson heard this he said, "Is this that devil An - the man who has done us the most harm?"

He had An seized at once and killed, and then thrown overboard. Snorri thought this deed so terrible that he profoundly wished he had kept silent, or else had lost everything he owned, for he thought himself greatly to blame in this; still, he could not do anything about it now.

Kolbein then ordered them to raise the mast and hoist sail: "I announce to you all now," he said, "that we are going to sail west across Floi and pursue Þórð until we find him; then let us fight it out between us. If we don't meet him, then we will sail to the West Fjords and there make raids, burn homesteads, kill men, and so lay waste the habitations that Þórð will never again be able to muster a force against us. My mind tells me that I will not be lucky enough to cut short Þórð's life, since the chance has escaped me this time. I have a foreboding that fortune has now shifted to Þórð's side, away from us. Therefore, steer your course from now on so that if you do sight Þórð and his men you can row away."

They sailed away, those first who first were ready, west across Floi.

From Sturlunga Saga, edited by Julia H. McGrew (New York: The American- Scandinavian Foundation, 1970)

This text is copyrighted by The American-Scandinavian Foundation.  We thank them for allowing us to publish this section.