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30 A History of Sweden
tarily surrendered themselves as slaves to secure a
living. The master had the right to treat his slaves as
he pleased. They were bought and sold as cattle. But
the sagas also tell of good and capable slaves, who were
well treated, intrusted with the master’s stewardship,
and finally rewarded with freedom.
F. RISE OF THE THREE NORTHERN KINGDOMS
Siveden. In the course of time, the adjacent prov-
inces, or petty kingdoms, were consolidated under the
most powerful of the petty kings. In this way were
formed the three northern kingdoms. In Sweden this
work was accomplished by the Uppsala king. Tradition
relates that Ingjald Illrade by cunning and violence
subdued one petty kingdom after another. The king-
dom of Sweden was then smaller than now. The Island
of Gothland remained for some time practically an
independent kingdom. It was a long time, however,
before the different Swedish provinces coalesced into
a real kingdom.
Denmark. Like Sweden, Denmark was consolidated
into a kingdom during the ninth century. It was com-
posed of the peninsula of Jutland, the Danish islands,
and two provinces in southern Sweden: Skltne and
Halland. Later the province of Blekinge was also in-
cluded in Denmark.
Norway. The last of the Scandinavian kingdoms to
consolidate was Norway. This was accomplished by
one of its petty kings named Harold Fairhair. He had
vowed not to cut or comb his hair until he had secured
the lordship of all Norway. One petty king after an-
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