|
|
|
|
|
WulfingThe Wulfings, Wylfings or Ylfings were a prominent family/clan in Beowulf, Widsith and the Norse sagas. According to the sagas, they were the ruling dynasty of East Gtaland (consequently they were Geats like Beowulf, but his less known eastern tribesmen across lake Vttern). In Anglo-Saxon, they are called Wulfings or Wylfings and in Old Norse the name would have been Ylfing. Such a clan (see Norse clans) is mentioned in the Heimskringla and in Sgubrot, where Hjrvard and his son Hjrmund belong to the clan. It is also mentioned in the Lay of Hyndla and in Skldskaparml where Eirkr the Wise was one of its members. However, its most famous member was Helge Hundingsbane who had two poems of his own, in the Edda, and whose story is also retold in the Vlsunga saga. According to one theory, the East Anglian Wuffing dynasty was derived from the Wulfings, and it was at their court that Beowulf was first composed. Norse sagas In the Heimskringla, the Ylfing Hjrvard was the co-ruler of Eastern Gtaland together with his father-in-law Hgne. The legends of the Ylfing Helge Hundingsbane relate that Hgne lost his throne to Helge. On the other hand, Sgubrot relates that Ivar Vidfamne gave the East Geatish throne to the Ylfing Hjrmund, the son of Hjrvard, after Ingjald's death since it had been the kingdom of Hjrmund's father Hjrvard. - Hann setti konunga ok jarla ok lt ser skatta gjalda; han setti Hjrmund konung, on Hervardar Ylfings, yfir Eystra-Gautland, er tt hafi fair hans ok Granmarr konungr.
However, this contradicts both the legend of Helge Hundingsbane and the Heimskringla in which the dynasty never lost East Gtaland, unless Ivar killed either Hogni or Helge before giving the throne to their relative Hjrmund. Beowulf Neither in Widsith nor in Beowulf is the location precisely defined, but scholars identifying them with the Ylfings have pointed out that East Gtaland is the most likely location of the Wulfings. This clan plays an important role in Beowulf as Beowulf's father Ecgtheow of the Wgmunding clan had slain one of its members, and was banished for not paying the wergild. The Danish king Hrothgar graciously paid the wergild, and when Beowulf arrived at the Danish court in order to slay Grendel, Hrothgar interprets this as a son's gratitude. Primary sources Secondary sources Nerman, B. Det svenska rikets uppkomst. Stockholm, 1925.
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|