Yngwin
Encyclopedia
Yngwin was, according to Gesta Danorum
, a king in Götaland
, who was a close friend to one of the Danish kings named Halfdan
.
This Danish king had no sons, so he left his treasures and his kingdom to Yngwin. Yngwin then moved to Denmark and ruled the kingdom for a while, until he was slain by a competitor to the throne by the name Ragnald.
Yngwin had a son named Siwald, who became king in Denmark after him. Then Siwald's son Sigar
took the throne after him. He had three sons.
One of his sons was Alf, who was a Viking. On a raiding tour to Finland, he met Alfhild, the daughter of king Siward
in Götaland. Alfhild had her own fleet of Viking ships, some of them manned with maidens. Alf and Alfhild later married, and they had a daughter named Gurid.
In a war fought against a revolting Danish Viking clan, Sigar, Alf and his brothers were killed, while defending their dear Danish subjects. In the end of the war, Alf's comrade Borgar arrived with fresh chivalry from Scania
, and slew all the enemies. But without a king, the country now fell apart, and chieftains took control of the different parts.
Only Alf's daughter Gurid had survived of the royal family. She later married one of Borgar's sons, Halfdan, and they had a son named Harald who became the new king. Harald restored the Danish kingdom to its former glory and unity.
, in the beginning of the next century.
According to Saxo Grammaticus
in Gesta Danorum, the beforementioned Harald was the famous Harald Wartooth
. But that must be a mistake by Saxo, as that Harald lived several hundred years later.
Gesta Danorum
Gesta Danorum is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th century author Saxo Grammaticus . It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essential source for the nation's early history...
, a king in Götaland
Götaland
Götaland , Gothia, Gothland, Gothenland, Gautland or Geatland is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises provinces...
, who was a close friend to one of the Danish kings named Halfdan
Halfdan
Halfdan was a late 5th and early 6th century legendary Danish king of the Scylding lineage, the son of king named Fróði in many accounts, noted mainly as the father to the two kings who succeeded him in the rule of Denmark, kings named Hroðgar and Halga in the Old English poem Beowulf and named...
.
This Danish king had no sons, so he left his treasures and his kingdom to Yngwin. Yngwin then moved to Denmark and ruled the kingdom for a while, until he was slain by a competitor to the throne by the name Ragnald.
Yngwin had a son named Siwald, who became king in Denmark after him. Then Siwald's son Sigar
Sigar
The name Sigar can refer to three people in Scandinavian mythology, surrounding the legends of Sigurd the dragon slayer. One of them only appears as the friend of Helgi Hjörvarðsson in the eddic lay Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar...
took the throne after him. He had three sons.
One of his sons was Alf, who was a Viking. On a raiding tour to Finland, he met Alfhild, the daughter of king Siward
Synardus
In Gesta Danorum, Siward, , was an ancient king in Götaland, who had a daughter named Alfhild, who became a legendary Viking pirate.To protect his daughter from unworthy suitors, Siward had her chamber guarded by a lizard and a snake...
in Götaland. Alfhild had her own fleet of Viking ships, some of them manned with maidens. Alf and Alfhild later married, and they had a daughter named Gurid.
In a war fought against a revolting Danish Viking clan, Sigar, Alf and his brothers were killed, while defending their dear Danish subjects. In the end of the war, Alf's comrade Borgar arrived with fresh chivalry from Scania
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...
, and slew all the enemies. But without a king, the country now fell apart, and chieftains took control of the different parts.
Only Alf's daughter Gurid had survived of the royal family. She later married one of Borgar's sons, Halfdan, and they had a son named Harald who became the new king. Harald restored the Danish kingdom to its former glory and unity.
Supposed timeframe
According to the details in the saga, this would have taken place in the 5th century. If true, this would explain much of the warm friendship between Hrothgar, king of Denmark, and Hrethel, king of Götaland, depicted in BeowulfBeowulf
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...
, in the beginning of the next century.
According to Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
in Gesta Danorum, the beforementioned Harald was the famous Harald Wartooth
Harald Wartooth
Harald Wartooth or Harold Hiltertooth was a legendary king of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and the historical northern German province of Wendland, in the 8th and 9th century...
. But that must be a mistake by Saxo, as that Harald lived several hundred years later.