Norway, late 10th century Jarl Hakon, who has subjugated his country, dreams of royal dignity: he wants to turn from a jarl, a free and prominent military leader, into a king whose power is sanctified by dynastic tradition and folk habit, that is, is indisputable. But on the way to the jarl - Olaf, great-grandson of the first king and unifier of Norway, Harald the Fair-haired. And although Olaf lives far away - he rules over Ireland conquered by the Vikings, - as long as he lives, the power of Hakon is at stake: old and young, all Norwegians understand this.
Hakon has already ordered a crown. True, during the fitting, it turns out to be great and literally “catches” his eyes - the blacksmith Bergtor made it on the model of the royal crown of Harald the Fair-haired and is not going to change the sizes: let the applicant grow to the crown, otherwise he has the right to wear it no more than a mantle- slave Mushroom, who managed to try on the crown before Hakon and made a very successful throne speech.
The case forces Hakon to act. He learns that Olaf is in Norway, the ruler of Ireland came to his homeland with a small squad. He goes to Gardarik (Russia), where he hurries to the son of the deceased prince Valdemar (Vladimir) to help him establish himself in the principality. Hakon acts subtly and carefully: he sends a small embassy to Olaf - his young cousins and his closest assistant merchant Klake. The latter, capturing the unspoken desire of the master, provokes Olaf - in Norway it is restless, the people of Hakon are dissatisfied and are ready to rebel at any moment. A worthy descendant of his glorious ancestors, Olaf could regain the crown of Norway.
Previously not thinking about the turmoil, Olaf allows himself to incline to speak against Hakon. Finally, he is strengthened in his decision by the call of the priest of Tagenbrand (Olaf everywhere carries with him a team of monks) - to baptize Norway, and beyond it the whole North!
As always, Hakon acts quickly and energetically and very soon landed on the island, where he stands with part of Olaf's squad. Like him, the jarl connects his desire for power with ideological motives - the defense of the pagan faith of his ancestors from Christianity advancing to the North.
An unexpected but logical thing happens - his cousins confess to Olaf, they report: their deception turned out to be true, the country rebelled. From the very beginning, having gained power, Jarl Hakon ruled rationally and fairly, but over time, the tyrant won more and more, and the arbitrariness and unceremonious love of love created by him drove his subjects to despair. The last straw was the abduction of the blacksmith's daughter who liked the jarl (the one who fettered his crown) right from her wedding feast. If people find out that Olaf has arrived in the country, they will no doubt join him. Therefore, it is unlikely that Hakon will openly oppose Olaf, he prepared a trap for him: the merchant Klake promised the Jarl to lure Olaf into the forest, take his life, and then secretly carry a basket with the king's severed head into the forest hut to Hakon. Fortunately, the Klake plan was given to the brothers by a sharp slave of the merchant Mushroom, and they, who had previously served the ruler of Norway faithfully, are outraged by such treachery and do not believe the jarl anymore. And they ask Olaf to punish them for trying to figure out his plans, as well as for lying, they told him the truth!
With true royal generosity, Olaf forgives the brothers. Clacke’s plans were destroyed, and he himself was killed by the slave Grib, for which Olaf rewards him with freedom and the new name Grif. Wrapped in a raincoat and pulling his hat over his eyes, Olaf is in a hut with a basket (the offer of Grif to put the severed head of his former master in it, the noble Christian king refuses), Pretending to be a slave-killer, Olaf asks Hakon if he wants to look at the jarl the head of your enemy? He refuses and orders to bury her in the ground as soon as possible. The slave insists. He extols his head ("she is just as alive") and reproaches the jarl for cowardice ("is he afraid of a powerless, demolished head?"). For convenience, he says further, he brought his head on his shoulders - Olaf opens his cloak and takes off his hat. Hakon’s resistance is useless, the hut is surrounded, but the noble king does not want to use too obvious an advantage. He offers Hakon a choice: either complete submission, or death in the next battle, if they happen to converge again.
Hakon chooses the second. On the day of the decisive battle not far from Trondheim, the messenger informs him of the death of his eldest son - he was slaughtered by Olaf, mistakenly mistaking his son for his father. Hakon is shocked by the news. What does the death of a beloved son mean? The weakness and decline of the gods (in their confrontation with Christ) or the punishment of Hakon for lack of faith? The Jarl asks the gods of war to forgive him, and just at that moment they bring him a golden horn that was beaten off from Olaf's squad with the runes knocked out on it: “If you have sinned, / Happiness has turned away - / Better sacrifice / And yourself almighty.” The best that remained of Hakon was his second young son, Erling. He sacrifices it, having learned about which even the most faithful and valiant of his warriors Einar leaves Hakona.
Overcome with doubts and the victorious Olaf. On the night before the battle, he talks in the forest with the one-eyed old man Ouden, who visited him. The elder defends paganism. Christianity is perhaps good for the pampered and abundant South, which frees us from the struggle for existence and encourages art. But in the harsh North paganism is necessary, it fosters courage, honor and an active principle. Olaf does not accept the teachings of Ouden, but treats his words with respect: according to the riddles in his speech, he recognizes Odin (Ouden - the form of this name) in the old man of the Scandinavian supreme god, although the priest Tagenbrand assures him that Ouden is only sent to them Hakon pagan priest. As for the connection of paganism with the nature of the North, the priest continues, this is not so. Belief in Odin came to these parts from the East.
Jarl Hakon's army is defeated, but he does not die in battle. Killing the horse and leaving blood-soaked clothing on the battlefield, he hides with the former Torah concubine. Hakon is doubly guilty of her: at one time he abandoned her, seduced by the daughter of a blacksmith, and now, in addition, killed her two brothers in a battle (they wanted to avenge his sister's shame). Nevertheless, the Torah forgives Hakon - she pities him: in front of her is the shadow of the former jarl, and if she refuses to help him, he will only have to throw his chest on the sword. The jarl goes after the Torah to the refuge prepared for him, and he himself thinks that it is his ghost that follows the queen of the underground kingdom Hel in her domain.
Jarl sits underground with his servant, slave Karker. From above come the screams of people searching for Hakon. The jarl is exhausted, but is afraid to fall asleep: the slave may well betray his master or slaughter him. The slave tells Hakon his last dream (and dreams in ancient Scandinavia were sometimes even more important than realities): he and the jarl sail in a boat controlled by Karker. Hakon interprets the dream: Karker rules the fate of the jarl. Then, in a dream, “a black husband grows out of a rock”, he informs the rowers that “all bays are closed to them”. Hakon's verdict is to live both for a short time, Jarl is forgotten in a nap, and a slave sneaks to him. Suddenly, remembering his terrible sacrifice, the jarl wakes up, jumps up and, unable to endure the torment for longer, puts a knife in Karker's hand, and he kills him.
The slave goes to the people looking for the jarl: it is necessary to find Hakon - he can cause further unrest in the country. But the killer does not receive the promised reward. Olaf orders to hang him. The body of Hakon is given to the Torah. In the dungeon, she says the last word over his coffin: "A powerful soul / In the pursuit of goodness became a victim of rock / And the errors of time."
