Friday, March 03, 2006
To Kow-tow or not to Kow-tow
A Lesson from the Life of Harald Hardrada
Sometimes it’s difficult to control the impulse to kow-tow to wealthy or powerful people when monetary gain is expected. Institutions find it very hard to control the impulse as well. What institutions would have such expectations? Why? Two that come to mind are schools and Churches. Private Schools depend on the generosity of people who are willing to contribute. Even public schools have to go “hat in hand” to the taxpayers while still keeping an eye on contributions, grants, and everything else that might appear on the horizon. Religious institutions, in our nation, depend mostly on people’s charity and goodwill. These institutions produce something of highest value, of course, but it is not a thing that creates a quick, dependable profit like an actual business would expect. A dynamic is therefore created in which institutions are always looking for a “hand out” from a beneficent benefactor. It seems distasteful to write such things, but it is the way things happen, realistically speaking. Courting these handouts can be risky to the institution, as there is the danger of “selling out”. Sometimes their efforts in these regards can backfire big-time as can be demonstrated by a tale from the life of Harald Hardrada
Harald, King of Norway, last of the Berserkers, world traveler, and one tough SOB, was last seen berserking his way into the Saxon line at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in September of 1066. Far from being just a great warrior, Harald possessed the power of intimidation and cunning. “1066 The Year of the Conquest”, by David Howarth, tells the story of Harald and his ability to win through cunning.
Harald and his men had sailed to Sicily, where they were busy pillaging, slaying, grabbing slaves, and taking anything else of value they could find. Of course, he would never have permitted me to cast aspersions on his deeds. He would have seen it as merely receiving what was due to him by virtue of his superiority as a warrior, but back to the story. The Battle Party came to one town where there were numerous Churches and considerable monetary wealth. Temporarily bored with the prospect of another “muscle job”, Harald cooked up a Trojan Horse scheme to fool both the Priests and the local leaders.
He pretended to be dead, while instructing his men to approach the clergy and appeal to them to allow Harald to be given a Christian burial. Rich Viking booty would be theirs in exchange, the men told the leaders. This was an offer they could not refuse.
I guess it was easier, in those days, to straddle both the Christian and pagan faiths and surely Harald must have had been reputed to be a Baptized Christian. Nonetheless, the clergy and town leaders were jumping with joy over the prospect of the rich gifts the Norsemen would bring. They could not resist the impulse to kow-tow to the great man from the North.
The “body” of Harald was brought in a coffin surrounded by a large “honor” guard of humble Christian Vikings and led to the center of town. I’m sure you can guess what happened next. At Harald’s signal, the warriors quickly altered the phony Funeral plans and assaulted these gullible folks. The Vikings were able to easily overwhelm them and sweep away all the wealth of the town without a serious fight. It was true cunning all right, but it also derived it’s power from the people’s own need for greed. Could it be said “what goes ‘round……....”?
