Weohstan
Encyclopedia
Weohstan, Wēohstān or Wīhstān (Proto-Norse *Wīhastainaz, meaning "sacred stone", Old Norse
Vésteinn and Wǣstēn) is a legendary character who appears in the Anglo-Saxon
epic poem Beowulf
and scholars have pointed out that he also appears to be present in the Norse Kálfsvísa
.
In both Beowulf and Kálfsvísa, Weohstan (Vésteinn) fought for his king Onela (Áli) against Eadgils (Aðils).
, and he belongs to a clan
called the Wægmundings. Ecgþeow
, the father of Beowulf, also belonged to this clan, so Weohstan is in some degree related to Beowulf.
Weohstan is referred to as having died of old age before the action of the later part of the poem. Weohstan is first mentioned in Beowulf at line 2602. We learn that he had held an estate and rights in common land
in Geatland
, which Beowulf gave to him.
When the Scylfing
prince Eanmund
rebelled against his uncle, Onela
, the king of Sweden, Weohstan fought in the service of Onela and killed Eanmund in battle; for this Onela gave Weohstan Eanmund's sword and armor. In his old age, Weohstan gave this sword and armor to his son Wiglaf. By that time both Weohstan and Wiglaf "lived among the Geat
s". His name appears in several places where Wiglaf is described as "the son of Weohstan".
The scholar Frederick Klaeber
speculates that though Onela himself did not seek a feud with Weohstan, once Onela was dead and Eanmund's brother Eadgils
became king of the Swedes, Weohstan found it prudent to leave the service of the Scylfings, and this is how he came to be living among the Geats.
's Skáldskaparmál
which is called the Kálfsvísa
, the name Weohstan appears in its Old Norse
form Vésteinn. Moreover, he is mentioned together with his lord Onela
(Áli) and enemy Eadgils
(Aðils), and the section concerns the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern after which the exile suggested by Klaeber would have taken place:
The section apparently mentions Weohstan and his fellow warriors riding together with their king Onela out on the ice, where they meet Eadgils. Unfortunately, the skald
of the Kálfsvísa expected the listener to be familiar with these characters and mentions no more of what happened. However, as is told in passing in Beowulf and more in detail by Snorri, Eadgils won the battle.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Vésteinn and Wǣstēn) is a legendary character who appears in the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
epic poem Beowulf
Beowulf
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...
and scholars have pointed out that he also appears to be present in the Norse Kálfsvísa
Kálfsvísa
The Kálfsvísa , sometimes mistakenly called Alsvinnsmál, is a poem partially preserved in Snorri Sturluson’s Skáldskaparmál....
.
In both Beowulf and Kálfsvísa, Weohstan (Vésteinn) fought for his king Onela (Áli) against Eadgils (Aðils).
Beowulf
According to Beowulf, Weohstan is the father of WiglafWiglaf
Wiglaf is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf. He is the son of Weohstan, a Swede of the Wægmunding clan who had entered the service of Beowulf, king of the Geats. Wiglaf is called Scylfing as a metonym for Swede, as the Scylfings were the ruling Swedish clan...
, and he belongs to a clan
Norse clans
The Scandinavian clan or ætt was a social group based on common descent or on the formal acceptance into the group at a þing.-History:...
called the Wægmundings. Ecgþeow
Ecgþeow
Ecgþeow or Edgetho or Ecgtheow is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf. He is not mentioned outside the Beowulf manuscript, and it is not known whether he was based on a real person. He belonged to a probably Swedish family called the Waegmundings...
, the father of Beowulf, also belonged to this clan, so Weohstan is in some degree related to Beowulf.
Weohstan is referred to as having died of old age before the action of the later part of the poem. Weohstan is first mentioned in Beowulf at line 2602. We learn that he had held an estate and rights in common land
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
in Geatland
Götaland
Götaland , Gothia, Gothland, Gothenland, Gautland or Geatland is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises provinces...
, which Beowulf gave to him.
When the Scylfing
Yngling
The Ynglings were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. It can refer to the clans of the Scylfings , the semi-legendary royal Swedish clan during the Age of Migrations, with kings such as Eadgils, Onela and Ohthere...
prince Eanmund
Eanmund
Eanmund was a Swedish prince of the Scylfing dynasty. Unlike his relatives, Eanmund is only mentioned in Beowulf. Eanmund was the son of Ohthere, and was the brother of Eadgils...
rebelled against his uncle, Onela
Onela
Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king, the son of Ongentheow and the brother of Ohthere. He usurped the Swedish throne, but was killed by his nephew Eadgils, who won by hiring foreign assistance....
, the king of Sweden, Weohstan fought in the service of Onela and killed Eanmund in battle; for this Onela gave Weohstan Eanmund's sword and armor. In his old age, Weohstan gave this sword and armor to his son Wiglaf. By that time both Weohstan and Wiglaf "lived among the Geat
Geat
Geats , and sometimes Goths) were a North Germanic tribe inhabiting what is now Götaland in modern Sweden...
s". His name appears in several places where Wiglaf is described as "the son of Weohstan".
The scholar Frederick Klaeber
Frederick Klaeber
Frederick J. Klaeber was a German philologist who was Professor of Old and Middle English at the University of Minnesota...
speculates that though Onela himself did not seek a feud with Weohstan, once Onela was dead and Eanmund's brother Eadgils
Eadgils
Eadgils, Adils, Aðils, Adillus, Aðísl at Uppsölum, Athisl, Athislus or Adhel was a semi-legendary king of Sweden, who is estimated to have lived during the 6th century....
became king of the Swedes, Weohstan found it prudent to leave the service of the Scylfings, and this is how he came to be living among the Geats.
Kálfsvísa
In the part of Snorri SturlusonSnorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
's Skáldskaparmál
Skáldskaparmál
The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...
which is called the Kálfsvísa
Kálfsvísa
The Kálfsvísa , sometimes mistakenly called Alsvinnsmál, is a poem partially preserved in Snorri Sturluson’s Skáldskaparmál....
, the name Weohstan appears in its Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
form Vésteinn. Moreover, he is mentioned together with his lord Onela
Onela
Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king, the son of Ongentheow and the brother of Ohthere. He usurped the Swedish throne, but was killed by his nephew Eadgils, who won by hiring foreign assistance....
(Áli) and enemy Eadgils
Eadgils
Eadgils, Adils, Aðils, Adillus, Aðísl at Uppsölum, Athisl, Athislus or Adhel was a semi-legendary king of Sweden, who is estimated to have lived during the 6th century....
(Aðils), and the section concerns the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern after which the exile suggested by Klaeber would have taken place:
|
Vifill Vifill is the name of different minor characters who appear in several Old Norse sources:#Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar... rode Stúfr; Onela Onela was according to Beowulf a Swedish king, the son of Ongentheow and the brother of Ohthere. He usurped the Swedish throne, but was killed by his nephew Eadgils, who won by hiring foreign assistance.... rode Hrafn, Eadgils Eadgils, Adils, Aðils, Adillus, Aðísl at Uppsölum, Athisl, Athislus or Adhel was a semi-legendary king of Sweden, who is estimated to have lived during the 6th century.... , |
The section apparently mentions Weohstan and his fellow warriors riding together with their king Onela out on the ice, where they meet Eadgils. Unfortunately, the skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
of the Kálfsvísa expected the listener to be familiar with these characters and mentions no more of what happened. However, as is told in passing in Beowulf and more in detail by Snorri, Eadgils won the battle.