Mythical kings of Sweden
Encyclopedia
In sources such as Heimskringla
and Ynglinga saga
there appear early Swedish kings who belong in the domain of mythology
.
From about the 6th century, these kings are gradually succeeded by Swedish semi-legendary kings with at least partial claim to historicity.
While there is no historiographical tradition that would confirm the historicity of Swedish kings prior to the 6th century, it is safe to assume that the Suiones
, as a tribe mentioned by Tacitus
in the 1st century AD, did have kings (Common Germanic *kuningaz) during the prehistoric period.
A historical basis of some of the mythological kings was one of the last of Thor Heyerdahl
's archeo-anthropological theories, as in The search for Odin. Such suggestions are generally considered speculative, not scientific.
The line of Swedish kings is continued in Semi-legendary kings of Sweden
.
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...
and 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....
there appear early Swedish kings who belong in the domain of mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
.
From about the 6th century, these kings are gradually succeeded by Swedish semi-legendary kings with at least partial claim to historicity.
While there is no historiographical tradition that would confirm the historicity of Swedish kings prior to the 6th century, it is safe to assume that the Suiones
Suiones
The Swedes e, "one's own [tribesmen/kinsmen]"; Old English: Sweonas; , Suehans or Sueones) were an ancient North Germanic tribe in Scandinavia...
, as a tribe mentioned by Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
in the 1st century AD, did have kings (Common Germanic *kuningaz) during the prehistoric period.
A historical basis of some of the mythological kings was one of the last of Thor Heyerdahl
Thor Heyerdahl
Thor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a background in zoology and geography. He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition, in which he sailed by raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands...
's archeo-anthropological theories, as in The search for Odin. Such suggestions are generally considered speculative, not scientific.
Kings
- GylfiGylfiIn Norse mythology, Gylfi, Gylfe, Gylvi, or Gylve was the earliest king in Scandinavia recorded. The traditions on Gylfi deal with how he was tricked by the gods and his relations with the goddess Gefjon.-The creation of Zealand:...
- OdinOdinOdin 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"....
- NjordNjordIn Norse mythology, Njörðr is a god among the Vanir. Njörðr is father of the deities Freyr and Freyja by his unnamed Van sister, was in an ill-fated marriage with the goddess Skaði, lives in Nóatún and is associated with sea, seafaring, wind, fishing, wealth, and crop fertility.Njörðr is attested...
- YngviYngviYngvi, Yngvin, Ingwine, Inguin are names that relate to an older theonym Ing and which appears to have been the older name for the god Freyr ....
-Frey - FjölnirFjölnirIn Norse mythology, Fjölnir, Fjölner, Fjolner or Fjolne was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling, at Gamla Uppsala. Fjölnir appears in a semi-mythological context as the son of Freyr and his consort Gerðr...
(according to Grottisongr a contemporary of Caesar Augustus, viz. end of 1st c. BC) - SveigderSveigderSveigðir, Sveigder or Swegde was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling in Norse mythology. He was the son of Fjölner, whom he succeeded as king, and he married Vana of Vanaheimr, probably one of the Vanir. Lured by a dwarf, Sveigðir disappeared into a stone and never came back...
(1st century AD) - VanladeVanladeVanlandi or Vanlande was a Swedish king at Uppsala of the House of Yngling in Norse mythology. He was the son of Sveigðir whom he succeeded as king. He married a girl from Finnland , but forgot about her. In revenge, the girl arranged so that Vanlandi was hag ridden to death...
- VisburVisburVisbur or Wisbur in Scandinavian mythology was a king of the House of Ynglings and the son of Vanlandi. He was burned to death inside his hall by the arson of two of his own sons in revenge for rejecting their mother and denying them their heritage...
r - DomaldeDomaldeIn Norse mythology, Domalde, Dómaldi or Dómaldr was a Swedish king of the House of Ynglings, cursed by his stepmother, according to Snorri Sturluson, with ósgæssa, "ill-luck". He was the son of Visbur....
(2nd century?) - DomarDomarIn Norse mythology, the Swedish king Domar of the House of Ynglings was the son of Domalde. He was married to Drott, the sister of Dan the Arrogant who gave his names to the Danes...
r - DyggveDyggveIn Norse mythology, Dyggvi or Dyggve was a Swedish king of the House of Ynglings. Dyggvi died and became the husband of Hel, Loki's daughter...
- Dag the WiseDag the WiseDag the Wise or Dagr Spaka was a mythological Swedish king of the House of Ynglings. He was the son of Dyggvi, the former king. According to legend, he could understand the speech of birds and had a sparrow that gathered news for him from many lands...
/Dagr Spaka (3rd century?) - AgneAgneAgne, English: Agni, Hogne or Agni Skjálfarbondi was a mythological king of Sweden, of the House of Yngling.Snorri Sturluson relates that he was the son of Dag the Wise, and he was mighty and famous. He was also skilled in many ways....
(4th century?) - Erik and Alrik
- Yngvi and AlfYngvi and AlfYngvi and Alf were two legendary Swedish kings of the House of Yngling.According to Ynglingatal, Historia Norwegiae and Ynglinga saga, Yngvi and Alf were the sons of Alrik....
- HugleikHugleikHugleik or Ochilaik was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling, according to the Ynglinga saga. He was the son of Alf and Bera.Some commentators assimilate Hugleik with his namesake, the Geatish king Hygelac...
- HakiHakiHake, Haki or Haco, the brother of Hagbard, was a famous Scandinavian sea-king, in Norse mythology. He is mentioned in the 12th century Gesta Danorum, and in 13th-century sources including Ynglinga saga, Nafnaþulur, Völsunga saga...
- Jorund and ErikJorundJorund or Jörundr was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling. He was the son of Yngvi, and he had reclaimed the throne of Sweden for his dynasty from Haki .Snorri Sturluson relates...
(4th century?) - AunAunAne, On, One, Auchun or Aun the Old , English: Edwin, was a mythical Swedish king of the House of Yngling, the ancestors of Norway's first king, Harald Fairhair...
, HalfdanHalfdanHalfdan 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...
and Ale the StrongAle the StrongAle the Strong or Ole , in Scandinavian legend, belonged to the House of Skjöldung , and he was the son of king Fridleif of Denmark and a cousin of Helgi's...
(4th and 5th c.)
The line of Swedish kings is continued in Semi-legendary kings of Sweden
Semi-legendary kings of Sweden
The semi-legendary kings of Sweden are the long line of Swedish kings who preceded Eric the Victorious, according to sources such as the Norse Sagas, Beowulf, Rimbert, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, but who are of disputed historicity because many of them appear in more or less unreliable...
.
See also
- House of Yngling
- Saxo's kings of SwedenSaxo's kings of SwedenSaxo's kings of Sweden appear in the Danish Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus.Some kings are based on the same traditions as the West Norse Ynglingatal, Ynglinga saga and Historia Norwegiae. Moreover, the dynasties are the same, i.e. the descendants of the god Frey Saxo's kings of Sweden appear in...
- Germanic Heroic AgeGermanic Heroic AgeThe Germanic Heroic Age, so called in analogy to the Heroic Age of Greek mythology, is the period of early historic or quasi-historic events reflected in Germanic heroic poetry.- Periodisation :...