Editing Eric Bloodaxe (section)

===''Eiríksmál''===
Towards the end of its portrait of Eric, ''[[Fagrskinna]]'' cites the ''[[Eiríksmál]]'' ("Lay of Eric"), an anonymous panegyric written in commemoration of Eric's death and according to the saga's introduction, commissioned by his widow Gunnhild.<ref name="ftn85" /> Except for a single stanza in the Edda, the skaldic poem is preserved nowhere else and what has survived may represent only the opening stanzas.

Cast as a dialogue between [[Bragi]], [[Odin]], and fallen heroes, it tells of Eric's arrival in [[Valhöll]], accompanied by five other kings, and his splendid welcome there by Odin and his entourage. Odin had eagerly awaited his coming because "many lands [...] / with his sword he has reddened" and on being asked why he had deprived Eric of such earthly glory, answers that "the future is uncertain", since the grey wolf is always lying in wait. Eric is then greeted by the famous hero [[Sigmundr]]: "Hail now, Eiríkr [...] / here you shall be welcome; / brave hero, enter the hall."<ref name="ftn88">''Eiríksmál'', tr. Finlay, ''Fagrskinna'' ch. 8.</ref>

Some have argued that the language of the poem shows influence from [[Old English]].<ref name="ftn86">Edith Marold, "''Eiríksmál''". In ''Medieval Scandinavia. An Encyclopedia'', ed. Phillip Pulsiano and Kirsten Wolf. New York: Garland, 1993. pp. 161–62.</ref> However, on recently examining the poem, John McKinnell could find little trace of this.<ref>"Eddic poetry in Anglo-Scandinavian Northern England". p. 327.</ref> The (original) date of composition remains a matter of some debate: some argue that it was written shortly after Eric's death, while others who regard the poem as an imitation of the ''[[Hákonarmál]]'' in honour of [[Haakon the Good]] prefer a date sometime after Haakon's death, ''c''. 961.<ref>Edith Marold, "''Eiríksmál''".</ref>

In spite of the decidedly pagan contents of the poem, Eric may have died a Christian, as some of the sagas suggest.<ref>For instance, ''Historia Norwegiæ'', tr. Kunin, p. 15; ''Fagrskinna'' ch. 7.</ref> There is no evidence for his religious beliefs, but if ever Eric was to be accepted and consecrated as king, probably with Wulfstan as king-maker, acceptance of the Christian faith would have been set as a condition to royal office. The impression is borne out by Wulfstan's earlier removal of Amlaíb Cuarán and Ragnald on grounds that they had become, in Æthelweard's words, ''deserti'' "deserters" (see above).

In support of this view, it has sometimes been suggested that the name of one ''Eiric rex Danorum'', "Eric king of the Danes", written into the [[Durham Liber Vitae|Durham ''Liber Vitae'']], f. 55v., may represent Eric of York.<ref name="ftn70">"Eiric rex danorum, Botild regina, Tovi, Modera uxor Tovi, Alf, Sunapas, Thor Muntokes sune, Ulf Duft, Torkitell muli, Osbern, Eoltkill, Askill, Turkill, Walecho, Gerbrun". Durham ''Liber Vitae''. p. 78. E.g. Charles Plummer, ''Two of the Saxon Chronicles Parallel''. p. 148; Richard A. Fletcher, ''The Barbarian Conversion''. p. 392.</ref> However, this can now be safely rejected in favour of an identification with Eric Ejegod (r. 1095–1103), whose queen Bodil (''Botild'') occurs by name after him.<ref name="ftn71">John Insley, "The Scandinavian Personal Names". In ''The Durham Liber Vitae and Its Context''. p. 90.</ref>