Olaf the Red was the name of
the king in Scotland.
He was Scotch on his father's side,
but Danish on his mother's side,
and came of the family
of Ragnar Hairy-breeks.
He was a powerful prince.
Scotland, as compared
with England,
was reckoned a third of the realm;
Northumberland was reckoned
a fifth part of England;
it was the northernmost county,
marching with Scotland
on the eastern side of the island.
Formerly the Danish kings
had held it.
Its chief town is York.
It was in Athelstan's dominions;
he had set over it two earls,
the one named Alfgeir,
the other Gudrek.
They were set there as defenders
of the land against the inroads
of Scots, Danes, and Norsemen,
who harried the land much,
and though they had
a strong claim on the land there,
because in Northumberland nearly
all the inhabitants were
Danish by the father's or mother's side,
and many by both.