Page "Battle of Clontarf" Paragraph 12

At first the battle went the Vikings ' way, with their heavier weapons prevailing over their opponents as everyone had expected.

This advantage also served Brian, whose Viking mercenaries on his right slowly pushed back the forces facing them.

On the left, Brodir himself led the charge and gained ground, until he met the warrior Wolf the Quarrelsome, brother of King Brian.

Although Wolf was unable to break Brodir's armor, he knocked him to the ground and Brodir fled to hide.

This left the now leaderless Viking force facing Murchad's forces, who considered themselves the " king's own " ( containing many of Brian's more distant relatives ) and by the afternoon Brodir's forces were fleeing to their ships.