The plain names for kings and princes: emperor, king, jarl, as well as allvaldr, gramr, fylkir, vísi, harri/herra, hertogi, sínjór, mildingr, mæringr, landreki — each explained and attested with verse examples.

Hver eru manna heiti ókennd? Maðr er hverr fyrir sér; it fyrsta ok it æðsta heiti manns, er kallaðr er maðr keisari, því næst konungr, þar næst jarl. Þessir þrír menn eigu saman þessi heiti öll. Allvaldr, svá sem hér er kveðit:

What are the un-periphrased names of men? Each man is [a man] in himself; the first and highest name of a man is that a man is called emperor (keisari), next king (konungr), next jarl. These three men share all these names. Allvaldr [sole-ruler], as here composed:

Hér er ok gramr kallaðr. Því heitir hann allvaldr, at hann er einvaldi alls ríkis síns. Fylkir, sem Gizurr kvað:

Here he is also called gramr [prince]. He is called allvaldr because he is the sole ruler of all his realm. Fylkir [marshaller], as Gizurr spoke:

Fyrir því er fylkir kallaðr konungr, at hann skipar í fylkingar herliði sínu. Vísi, sem kvað Óttarr svarti:

A king is called fylkir because he arranges his war-host into battle-arrays (fylkingar). Vísi [leader], as Óttarr svarti spoke:

Harri eða herra, sem kvað Arnórr:

Harri or herra [lord], as Arnórr spoke:

Hertogi heitir jarl, ok er konungr svá kallaðr ok, fyrir því er hann leiðir her til orrostu. Svá kvað Þjóðólfr:

A jarl is called hertogi [war-leader], and a king is so called too, because he leads the host (herr) to battle. Thus spoke Þjóðólfr:

Sinjór eða senjór, sem Sighvatr kvað:

Sinjór or senjór [seigneur], as Sighvatr spoke:

Mildingr, sem Markús kvað:

Mildingr [generous one], as Markús spoke:

Mæringr, sem Hallvarðr kvað:

Mæringr [glorious one], as Hallvarðr spoke:

Landreki, sem Þjóðólfr kvað:

Landreki [land-driver], as Þjóðólfr spoke:

sem fyrr var ritat. Því heitir hann svá, at hann rekr her um land annarra konunga eða rekr her ór sínu landi.

— as written before. He is so called because he drives a host through the land of other kings, or drives a host out of his own land.

Skaldic quotations

Anonym (kung = allvaldr, gramr)

Allvalda kann ek alla austr ok suðr of flausta, Sveins er sonr at reyna, setr, hverjum gram betri.

I know all sole-rulers (allvaldar) east and south of the ships' seats [the lands]; the son of Sveinn is [proved] better than every prince to test.

Gizurr (kung = fylkir, härordnare)

Fylkir gleðr í folki flagðs blakk ok svan Hlakkar, Óláfr of viðr élum Yggs gögl fegin Sköglar.

The marshaller (fylkir) gladdens in the host the giantess's steed [wolf] and Hlökk's swan [raven]; Óláfr, amid the storms of Skögul [battle], makes the goslings of Yggr [ravens] glad.

Óttarr svarti (kung = vísi, ledare)

Vísi tekr, víg-Freys, víst austr munlaust, aldar hefir allvaldr, óskvíf, gótt líf.

The leader (vísi) of the war-Freyr surely takes, east, without care, a wished-for wife; the sole-ruler has a good life among men.

Arnórr jarlaskáld (kung = harri, herre)

Harri fekk í hverri Hjaltlands þrumu branda, greppr vill grams dýrð yppa, gagn, sá er hæstr var bragna.

The lord (harri), who was highest of men, won victory in every thunder of blades [battle] of Shetland; the poet will raise the prince's glory.

Þjóðólfr (kung = hertogi, härledare)

Ok hertoga hneykir herfingnum lét stinga, leyfð ber ek hans, ór höfði haugs skundaði augu.

And [he] made the disgracer of war-leaders (hertogar) be captured and stabbed; I bear his praise; he hastened the eyes out of the head [of the foe].

Sighvatr (kung = sínjór)

Lát auman nú njóta, Nóregs, ok gef stórum, mál halt, svá sem sælan, sínjór, laga þinna.

Let the wretched now enjoy your laws, seigneur (sínjór) of Norway, as well as the blessed; give greatly, keep your word.

Markús Skeggjason (kung = mildingr, den frikostige)

Mildingr fór of óþjóð eldi, auðit varð þá flotnum dauða. Hæstan kynduð, hlenna þrýstir hyrjar ljóma suðr at Jómi.

The generous one (mildingr) went with fire over the wicked people; death was then fated to the seamen. You kindled, oppressor of thieves, the highest gleam of fire south at Jóm.

Hallvarðr (kung = mæringr, den härlige)

Erat und jarðar höslu, orðbrjótr Dönum forðar moldreks, munka valdi mæringr en þú næri.

There is no more glorious one (mæringr) under the hazel of the earth than you, O ruler of monks [king]; the word-breaker of the earth-king saves the Danes.

Þjóðólfr (kung = landreki, landsdrivaren)

Eyss landreki ljósu lastvarr Kraka barri,

The blameless land-driver (landreki) sows the bright barley of Kraki [gold].