Haki was a murderous fighter and around himself he had his twelve hirdmen of whom one was the legendary old warrior Starkad (who had been in the service of Hugleik's grandfather Erik and great-uncle Alrik).
[citation needed] Hugleik had also mustered a large army and he was aided by two famous warriors named Svipdag and Geigad.
[citation needed] Saxo Grammaticus knows of this story but he renders Huglet(h)us as an Irish king who was killed by the Dane Haco (given as Hakon in the following translation [1]).
[citation needed] Saxo writes that Starkad and Haki brought their fleet to Ireland where lived the rich and greedy king Hugleik.
[citation needed] When the battle began, the jugglers and mimes panicked and fled, and only Geigad and Svipdag remained to defend Hugleik, but they fought like an entire army.