Guðröðr of Scania
Encyclopedia
Guðröðr was a legendary 7th century Scania
n king who according to the Ynglinga saga
was the brother of Halfdan the Valiant
, Ivar Vidfamne
's father.
The Ynglinga saga tells that Guðröðr married Åsa, the daughter of the Swedish king Ingjald
Ill-ruler. She backtalked Halfdan so that Guðröðr killed him, and having done so, she arranged the death of Guðröðr himself. Then she fled back to her father in Sweden.
Guðröðr was succeeded by his nephew Ivar Vidfamne who avenged his father and uncle, and conquered Sweden and other countries.
and Hversu Noregr byggdist
give more information about his brother Halfdan the Valiant and his son Ivar Vidfamne, and by implication about Guðröðr himself.
Hversu Noregr byggdist gives Halfdan the Valiant's father as Harald the Old
, his grandfather as Valdar
and his great-grandfather as Hróarr (i.e. the Hroðgar
of Beowulf
).
Hervarar saga provides the information that Halfdan's mother was Hild, the daughter of the Gothic king Heiðrekr Ulfhamr, the son of Angantyr
who defeated the Huns.
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
n king who according to the Ynglinga saga
Ynglinga saga
Ynglinga saga is a legendary saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It was first translated into English and published in 1844....
was the brother of Halfdan the Valiant
Halfdan the Valiant
Halfdan the Valiant was the legendary father of Ivar Vidfamne according to Hervarar saga, the Ynglinga saga, Njal's Saga and Hversu Noregr byggdist. The genealogical work Hversu Noregr byggdist gives his father as Harald the Old, his grandfather as Valdar and his great-grandfather as Hróarr...
, Ivar Vidfamne
Ivar Vidfamne
Ivar Vidfamne was a Danish and Swedish king hailing from Scania. He may have died c. 700. According to the Heimskringla and the Hervarar saga, Ivar was also the king of Norway, Denmark, Saxony and parts of England.- Ivar in the Sagas :He began as king of Scania and conquered Sweden by defeating...
's father.
The Ynglinga saga tells that Guðröðr married Åsa, the daughter of the Swedish king Ingjald
Ingjald
Ingjald illråde or Ingjaldr hinn illráði was a legendary Swedish king of the House of Ynglings. Ingjald may have ruled in the 7th century, and he was the son of the former king Anund....
Ill-ruler. She backtalked Halfdan so that Guðröðr killed him, and having done so, she arranged the death of Guðröðr himself. Then she fled back to her father in Sweden.
Guðröðr was succeeded by his nephew Ivar Vidfamne who avenged his father and uncle, and conquered Sweden and other countries.
Guðröðr's family
Hervarar sagaHervarar saga
Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas. It is a valuable saga for several different reasons beside its literary qualities. It contains traditions of wars between Goths and Huns, from the 4th century, and the last part is used as...
and Hversu Noregr byggdist
Hversu Noregr byggdist
Hversu Noregr byggðist is an account of the origin of various legendary Norwegian lineages, which survives only in the Flatey Book. It traces the descendants of the primeval Finnish ruler Fornjót down to Nór, who is here the eponym and first great king of Norway, and then gives details of the...
give more information about his brother Halfdan the Valiant and his son Ivar Vidfamne, and by implication about Guðröðr himself.
Hversu Noregr byggdist gives Halfdan the Valiant's father as Harald the Old
Harald the Old
Harald the Old only appears by name in Hversu Noregr byggdist, but his father, sons and their descendants played a central role in the politics of Scandinavian legends.-Hversu Noregr byggdist:...
, his grandfather as Valdar
Valdar
Valdar was the name of one or several legendary Danish kings.-Hervarar saga:The Hervarar saga tells that Ivar Vidfamne made Valdar the viceroy of Denmark and gave him his daughter Alfhild. When Valdar died, his son Randver became the king of Denmark, while his son Harald Wartooth became the king of...
and his great-grandfather as Hróarr (i.e. the Hroðgar
Hroðgar
Hroðgar, King Hroþgar, "Hrothgar", Hróarr, Hroar, Roar, Roas or Ro was a legendary Danish king, living in the early 6th century....
of Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
).
Hervarar saga provides the information that Halfdan's mother was Hild, the daughter of the Gothic king Heiðrekr Ulfhamr, the son of Angantyr
Angantyr
Angantyr was the name of three characters from the same line in Norse mythology, and who appear in Hervarar saga, in Gesta Danorum and Faroese ballads....
who defeated the Huns.