Editing Eric Bloodaxe (section)

==Early career (sagas)==
According to ''Heimskringla'' and ''Egils saga'', Eric spent much of his childhood in fosterage with the ''[[hersir]]'' [[Thórir son of Hróald]].<ref name="ftn21">''Heimskringla (Haraldar saga)'' ch. 24, 32 (which adds that Eric was entrusted to Thórir after his mother's death); ''Egils saga'' ch. 36; ''Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta'' ch. 2.</ref> Of his adolescent years, a remarkable picture is painted in ''Heimskringla,'' which recounts that Eric, aged twelve and seemingly possessed of prodigious valour and strength, embarked on a career of international piracy: four years were spent harrying the Baltic coasts and those of Denmark, Frisia and Germany ('Saxland'); another four years those of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; and lastly, Lappland and [[Bjarmaland]] (in what is now northern Russia).<ref name="ftn22">This episode is not supported by the Kiev history known as the [[Primary Chronicle]], which is silent about any such Eric active in or near Russia.</ref> Describing the last trip, ''Egils saga'' notes that Eric sailed up the [[Daugava|Dvina River]] into the Russian hinterland of [[Permia]], where he sacked the small trading port of [[Permina]].<ref name="ftn23">''Egils saga'' ch. 37. The expedition is dated to the time when Eric ruled [[Hordaland]] and Fjord Province.</ref>