Granmar
Encyclopedia
Granmar was a king of Södermanland
, in Snorri Sturluson
's Heimskringla
. The same king also appears in the Volsunga saga
.
Granmar was married to Hilda, the daughter of the Geatish king Högne
of East Götaland, and his son-in-law was the seaking
Hjörvard of the Ylfings. These three kings defended themselves against the Swedish king Ingjald
Ill-ruler.
According to the Heimskringla
, he had no sons, but the legends of Helgi Hundingsbane
relate that he had the sons Hothbrodd
, Gudmund and Starkad who were slain by Helgi. (Possibly the legend of Helgi originally referred to a different King Granmar, as it seems to be set in the fifth century and Ingjald and the rest are clearly seventh-century.)
Snorri relates that when the Swedish king Ingjald
ill-ruler invited seven petty kings in order to burn them all to death inside his hall, Granmar did not arrive and so he escaped being murdered.
The same summer, the Sea-king
Hjörvard of the Ylfings arrived at Myrkva Fjord (Mörköfjärden, an inlet that is still used to pass between Mälaren
and the Baltic Sea
and divides Södermanland in two parts). Hjörvard was invited to a feast with Granmar and he agreed as he had never pillaged in the area before. He was gladly welcomed and the kings sat with one woman each as was the custom, while the others formed a single group. Hjörvard's Vikings did not like that as it was their law that everyone at a feast should drink together. Hjörvard then sat in a high seat opposing Granmar and his men sat on the same bench as him.
Granmar's daughter Hildigunn, who was very beautiful, was told by her father to serve beer to the men. She took a silver goblet, filled it and bowed to Hjörvard, telling him success to all Ylfings, this cup is to the memory of Hrólf Kraki
drank half of it and offered the rest to Hjörvard. He drank it, took her hand and asked her to sit beside him. She answered that it was not Viking custom, but he asked her not to mind. This evening they drank and talked a great deal with each other, and the next day, as he was leaving, Hjörvard asked for her hand. Granmar asked his wife, Queen Hilda and the people he respected, telling them to trust Hjörvard. They all agreed. There was a wedding and as Granmar had no sons, Hjörvard stayed to help Granmar defend his kingdom.
In the autumn, Ingjald
assembled his forces in order to attack Södermanland. However, when Granmar and Hjörvard heard this they did the same thing and allied with Granmar's father-in-law Högne
, the king of East Götaland, and his son Hildur.
Ingjald invaded Södermanland with superior forces, and a battle commenced. After some ferocious fighting, the chiefs of Fjärdhundraland
, West Götaland, Nerike and Attundaland
began to flee from the battle in their ships. Ingjald was severely wounded and Svipdag the Blind and his sons Gautvid and Hylvid fell. Ingjald retreated and returned to Uppsala
and realised that the forces he had gained from the conquered petty kingdom
s were not faithful to him.
After a long standstill, some friends of both sides wanted to bring about a reconciliation. Ingjald had a meeting with Granmar and Hjörvard and they decided to have peace for as long as the three men lived. The following spring, Granmar was travelling to Uppsala to confirm the peace between him and Ingjald, but he realised that Ingjald had not promised him a long life and so he returned.
The next autumn, King Granmar and Hjörvard were at a feast in one of their farms on the island Selaön
. During the night, they were surrounded by Ingjald and his men and the hall was set on fire burning everyone inside to death. Ingjald then installed chiefs to rule Södermanland.
King Högne of East Götaland and his son Hildur often made raids into the Swedish provinces killing many of Ingjald's men. Högne defended his kingdom successfully until he died.
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
, in Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
's Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
. The same king also appears in the Volsunga saga
Volsunga saga
The Völsungasaga is a legendary saga, a late 13th century Icelandic prose rendition of the origin and decline of the Völsung clan . It is largely based on epic poetry...
.
Granmar was married to Hilda, the daughter of the Geatish king Högne
Högne
For other people named Högne, see Haguna.Högne was a king of Östergötland who appears in sources Norse mythology.-Heimskringla:Snorri Sturluson wrote that he was the king of Östergötland and that he had a son named Hildur and daughter Hilda who was married to Granmar, the king of Södermanland...
of East Götaland, and his son-in-law was the seaking
Sea-King
A Sea King was the Viking name for a powerful pirate chieftain.They could be actual kings of Sweden , Denmark or a Norwegian kingdom, and sons of kings, such as Refil, but they could also be men "without roof" like Hjörvard the Ylfing.In the Norse sagas, such men without roof could be so powerful...
Hjörvard of the Ylfings. These three kings defended themselves against 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.
According to the Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
, he had no sons, but the legends of Helgi Hundingsbane
Helgi Hundingsbane
Helgi Hundingsbane is a hero in Norse sagas. Helgi appears in Volsunga saga and in two lays in the Poetic Edda named Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. The Poetic Edda relates that Helgi and his mistress Sigrún were Helgi Hjörvarðsson and Sváva of the Helgakviða...
relate that he had the sons Hothbrodd
Hothbrodd
Hothbrodd was a legendary Norse hero, details of whose life appear in several related variations.In the legends of the Ylfing Helgi Hundingsbane, he was the son of king Granmar of Södermanland, and he was killed by Helgi....
, Gudmund and Starkad who were slain by Helgi. (Possibly the legend of Helgi originally referred to a different King Granmar, as it seems to be set in the fifth century and Ingjald and the rest are clearly seventh-century.)
Snorri relates that when 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 invited seven petty kings in order to burn them all to death inside his hall, Granmar did not arrive and so he escaped being murdered.
The same summer, the Sea-king
Sea-King
A Sea King was the Viking name for a powerful pirate chieftain.They could be actual kings of Sweden , Denmark or a Norwegian kingdom, and sons of kings, such as Refil, but they could also be men "without roof" like Hjörvard the Ylfing.In the Norse sagas, such men without roof could be so powerful...
Hjörvard of the Ylfings arrived at Myrkva Fjord (Mörköfjärden, an inlet that is still used to pass between Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
and the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and divides Södermanland in two parts). Hjörvard was invited to a feast with Granmar and he agreed as he had never pillaged in the area before. He was gladly welcomed and the kings sat with one woman each as was the custom, while the others formed a single group. Hjörvard's Vikings did not like that as it was their law that everyone at a feast should drink together. Hjörvard then sat in a high seat opposing Granmar and his men sat on the same bench as him.
Granmar's daughter Hildigunn, who was very beautiful, was told by her father to serve beer to the men. She took a silver goblet, filled it and bowed to Hjörvard, telling him success to all Ylfings, this cup is to the memory of Hrólf Kraki
Hrólf Kraki
Hrólfr Kraki, Hroðulf, Rolfo, Roluo, Rolf Krage was a legendary Danish king who appears in both Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian tradition. His name would in his own language have been *Hrōþiwulfaz .Both traditions describe him as a Danish Scylding, the nephew of Hroðgar and the grandson of Healfdene...
drank half of it and offered the rest to Hjörvard. He drank it, took her hand and asked her to sit beside him. She answered that it was not Viking custom, but he asked her not to mind. This evening they drank and talked a great deal with each other, and the next day, as he was leaving, Hjörvard asked for her hand. Granmar asked his wife, Queen Hilda and the people he respected, telling them to trust Hjörvard. They all agreed. There was a wedding and as Granmar had no sons, Hjörvard stayed to help Granmar defend his kingdom.
In the autumn, 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....
assembled his forces in order to attack Södermanland. However, when Granmar and Hjörvard heard this they did the same thing and allied with Granmar's father-in-law Högne
Högne
For other people named Högne, see Haguna.Högne was a king of Östergötland who appears in sources Norse mythology.-Heimskringla:Snorri Sturluson wrote that he was the king of Östergötland and that he had a son named Hildur and daughter Hilda who was married to Granmar, the king of Södermanland...
, the king of East Götaland, and his son Hildur.
Ingjald invaded Södermanland with superior forces, and a battle commenced. After some ferocious fighting, the chiefs of Fjärdhundraland
Fjärdhundraland
Fjärdhundraland or the land of the four hundreds is, since 1296, a part of the province of Uppland in Sweden. Its name refers to its role of providing 400 men and 16 ships for the leidang of the Swedish king at Uppsala....
, West Götaland, Nerike and Attundaland
Attundaland
Attundaland was the name given to the southeastern part of the present day province of Uppland, north of Stockholm. Its name refers to its role of providing 800 men and 32 ships for the leidang of the Swedish kings at Uppsala.Snorri Sturluson relates that Tiundaland was the richest and most...
began to flee from the battle in their ships. Ingjald was severely wounded and Svipdag the Blind and his sons Gautvid and Hylvid fell. Ingjald retreated and returned to Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala is a parish and a village outside Uppsala in Sweden. It had 16,231 inhabitants in 1991.As early as the 3rd century AD and the 4th century AD and onwards, it was an important religious, economic and political centre...
and realised that the forces he had gained from the conquered petty kingdom
Petty kingdom
A petty kingdom is one of a number of small kingdoms, described as minor or "petty" by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it...
s were not faithful to him.
The next autumn, King Granmar and Hjörvard were at a feast in one of their farms on the island Selaön
Selaön
Selaön is the largest island in Mälaren, Sweden, and covers 91 km². It is located at Stallarholmen, east of Strängnäs, and it has about 3,000 permanent residents. It is connected by a bridge to the mainland. It is the largest island in any lake in Sweden....
. During the night, they were surrounded by Ingjald and his men and the hall was set on fire burning everyone inside to death. Ingjald then installed chiefs to rule Södermanland.
King Högne of East Götaland and his son Hildur often made raids into the Swedish provinces killing many of Ingjald's men. Högne defended his kingdom successfully until he died.