Halfdan Hvitbeinn
Encyclopedia
Halfdan Whiteshanks was a mythical petty king in Norway
, described in the Ynglinga saga
. The following description is based on the account in Ynglinga saga, written in the 1220s by Snorri Sturluson
. The historicity of the kings described in that saga is generally not accepted by modern historians.
He was the son of Olof Trätälja
of the House of Yngling. His father was sacrificed to Odin
by the Swedish
settlers in Värmland
because of a famine. Some Swedes, however, realised that the famine was brought by overpopulation and not by the fact that the king had been neglecting his religious duties.
Consequently, they resolved to cross the Ed Forest
and settle in Norway
and happened to end up in Soleyar where they killed king Sölve and took Halfdan prisoner. The Swedish expatriates elected Halfdan king as he was the son of their old king, Olof. Halfdan subjugated all of Soleyar and took his army into Romerike
and subjugated that province as well.
Halfdan was to become a great king, who married Åsa, the daughter of king Eystein, the ruler of Oppland
and Hedmark
. They had three sons, Öystein Halfdansson, Eystein Halfdansson
, and Gudröd.
Halfdan conquered a large part of Hedemark, Toten
, Hadeland
and a part of Vestfold
. When his brother Ingjald Olofsson
died, he inherited Värmland
. Halfdan died of old age in Toten
and was transported to Vestfold where he was buried under a mound in Skiringssal
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, described in 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....
. The following description is based on the account in Ynglinga saga, written in the 1220s by Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
. The historicity of the kings described in that saga is generally not accepted by modern historians.
He was the son of Olof Trätälja
Olof Trätälja
Olaf Tree Feller was the son of the Swedish king Ingjald Ill-ruler of the House of Yngling according to Ynglingatal.-Heimskringla:...
of the House of Yngling. His father was sacrificed to Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
settlers in Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
because of a famine. Some Swedes, however, realised that the famine was brought by overpopulation and not by the fact that the king had been neglecting his religious duties.
Consequently, they resolved to cross the Ed Forest
Ed Forest
The Ed Forest is a forest separating the Norwegian county of Hedmark from the Swedish province of Värmland. Today, this area exists as two communes: the Norwegian Eidskog and the Swedish Eda. Snorre Sturlasson called this area Eidskogen. It is best known for its road of pilgrimage, Eskoleia,...
and settle in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and happened to end up in Soleyar where they killed king Sölve and took Halfdan prisoner. The Swedish expatriates elected Halfdan king as he was the son of their old king, Olof. Halfdan subjugated all of Soleyar and took his army into Romerike
Romerike
Romerike is a traditional district located north-east of Oslo, in what is today south-eastern Norway. It consists of the Akershus municipalities Fet, Lørenskog, Nittedal, Rælingen, Skedsmo, Sørum and Aurskog-Høland in the southern end , and Ullensaker, Gjerdrum, Nannestad, Nes, Eidsvoll and Hurdal...
and subjugated that province as well.
Halfdan was to become a great king, who married Åsa, the daughter of king Eystein, the ruler of Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
and Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
. They had three sons, Öystein Halfdansson, Eystein Halfdansson
Eystein Halfdansson
Eystein Halfdansson was the son of Halfdan Hvitbeinn of the House of Yngling according to Heimskringla. He inherited the throne of Romerike. He was known by his nickname Eysteinn Fart, an Old Norse name, possibly meaning "the swift".His wife was Hild, the daughter of the king of Vestfold, Erik...
, and Gudröd.
Halfdan conquered a large part of Hedemark, Toten
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Oppland county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten, Vestre Toten, and Gjøvik.Toten was a petty kingdom in the early Viking Ages, with Halfdan Hvitbeinn as the most notable king....
, Hadeland
Hadeland
Hadeland is a traditional district in the south-eastern part of Norway. It is located around the southern part of lake Randsfjorden in Oppland county, and consists of the municipalities of Gran, Jevnaker and Lunner. Hadeland occupies the area north of the hills of Nordmarka close to the Norwegian...
and a part of Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. When his brother Ingjald Olofsson
Ingjald Olofsson
Ingjald Olofsson was the son of Olof Trätälja and became the king of Värmland after his father death, according to legend. When Ingjald died, his brother Halfdan Hvitbeinn made Värmland part of his kingdom....
died, he inherited Värmland
Värmland
' is a historical province or landskap in the west of middle Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland and Närke. It is also bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are Vermelandia and Wermelandia. Although the province's land originally was Götaland, the...
. Halfdan died of old age in Toten
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Oppland county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten, Vestre Toten, and Gjøvik.Toten was a petty kingdom in the early Viking Ages, with Halfdan Hvitbeinn as the most notable king....
and was transported to Vestfold where he was buried under a mound in Skiringssal
Skiringssal
Skiringssal is the name of an area situated in the Norwegian municipalities of Larvik and Sandefjord, in the southern region of the county of Vestfold...
.