Jarl Sigvaldi was the son of Strut-Harald

Strut-Harald

Strut-Harald was a semi-legendary jarl or petty king who ruled over the Danish territory of Scania during the late 10th century CE...

 the Jarl of Skåne and the brother of Thorkell the Tall (Torkjell Høge). He succeeded Palnatoke as the chieftain of the Jomsvikings

Jomsvikings

The Jomsvikings were a possibly-legendary company of Viking mercenaries or brigands of the 10th century and 14th century AD, dedicated to the worship of such deities as Odin and Thor. They were staunchly pagan, but they reputedly would fight for any lord able to pay their substantial fees, and...

, but he proved more wise than brave.

In order to win Astrid, the daughter of the Wendish

Wendish

Wendish may refer to:* the Sorbian languages used by the Slavs* the Wends, a Slav people of Northern Europe...

 chieftain Burislav

Burislav

Burislav, Burisleif, Burysław is the name of a mythical Wendish king from Scandinavian sagas who is said to rule over Wendland. He is said to be father of Gunhild, Astrid and Geira...

, he promised to liberate the Wends of the tribute they had to pay to the Danes. He fulfilled his promise by sailing to Zealand where he sent the message to Sweyn Forkbeard that he had important tidings, but had fallen ill and could not come in person to bring them to him. As Sweyn was curious, he went aboard Sigvaldi's ship and was captured by the Jomsvikings. To be liberated the Danish king had to grant independence to both the Jomsvikings and to the Wends, in addition to paying a king's ransom. Svein also had to marry Gunhild of Wenden

Gunhild of Wenden

Princess Gunhilda of Wenden was a semi-legendary Slavic princess and Danish Viking age queen consort, the supposed spouse of 10th-century King Sweyn I of Denmark .- Heimskringla :...

, daughter of Burislav and Burislav married Sweyn's sister Tyri.

At the funeral of his father, Strut-Harald, Sigvaldi was advised by Sweyn to attack Norway and to depose Haakon Jarl. This promise led to the Battle of Hjörungavágr

Battle of Hjörungavágr

The Battle of Hjörungavágr is a semi-legendary naval battle that took place in the late 10th century between the Jarls of Lade and a Danish invasion fleet led by the fabled Jomsvikings...

 in 986, from which Sigvald fled with disgrace.

In 1000, Sigvaldi proved to be treacherous at the Battle of Svolder

Battle of Svolder

The Battle of Svolder was a naval battle fought in September 999 or 1000 in the western Baltic Sea between King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway and an alliance of his enemies...

, by luring Olaf Tryggvason to the battle and by deserting him in the heat of battle. There is no record of him after the Battle of Svolder.

Other sources

• Snorrason, Oddr (translated by Theodore M. Andersson) (2003) The Saga of Olaf Tryggvason (Cornell University Press) ISBN 0801441498
• Sturluson, Snorri (translated by Lee M. Hollander) (1991) Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway (University of Texas Press) ISBN 0292730616
• Hollander, Lee M. (1989) The Saga of the Jomsvikings (University of Texas Press) ISBN 978-0292776234
• Finlay, Alison (2003) Fargrskinna, a Catalogue of the Kings of Norway: A Translation With Introduction and Notes (Brill Academic Publishers) ISBN 978-9004131729