Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ... of the chieftains--a power which had existed for many years in Norway, but which under the last kings of Sverre's powerful race had been in a measure broken down, and made subject to the royal authority. King Eric's weakness made it easy for Audun and his friends, to take the King's functions to themselves one after another. Everything seemed to yield to them. But there was one man who was strongly opposed to their plans, and this man held the future in his hands. He was no other than the King's younger brother, Duke Haakon, heir to the throne--a man as determined, prudent, and strong in purpose as Eric was weak and easily led; as resolved upon the extension of the royal power as Audun was upon its limitation. During his brother's life, he kept aloof from the Court--or, to speak more correctly, he held his own Court at Oslo, the capital of his duchy. There he quietly ruled, preparing himself resolutely to oppose the power of the chieftain, when the time should come. It naturally followed that Audun and the Duke could not be friends, although there must have been at least an appearance of good understanding between them; as in 1295, when Audun was sent on an important embassy to Paris to conclude, on behalf of King Eric, the alliance between King Philip le Bel of France and Edward I. of England, we find that he also appeared as Duke Haakon's representative, and was betrothed in his place to Isabella de Joigny, a relative of the French king. His conduct on this occasion seems to have brought him into deep disgrace with the Duke; the marriage with Isabella never took place, and their open enmity dates from this time. Two years afterwards, the Duke married the beautiful and accomplished Euphemia, the granddaughter of Prince Vitslaf of...
