Gyla
Encyclopedia
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
, possibly the spouse of King Eric the Pagan
Eric the Pagan
Eric was a contender for the Swedish kingship in 1066–67. After the death of King Stenkil, he made war on Eric Stenkilsson for the Swedish throne. Both died in the war. The two rivalling Eriks are only known by their first name and from one source...
(reign 1066–67) and of King Håkan the Red (reign 1070–1079).
Tradition says that King Håkan, upon his election to the throne in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, took "The mother of Young Olof", who has been assumed to be queen dowager
Queen Dowager
A queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
of King Erik the Pagan, as his spouse. The runestone Håkanstenen at Hovgården on Adelsö
Adelsö
Adelsö is an island in the middle of Lake Mälaren in Sweden, near southern and northern Björkfjärden. The administrative center of the important Viking settlement Birka was situated at Hovgården on Adelsö.-Geography:...
by 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...
, was raised by order of King Håkan. The female name Gylla and Gyla is mentioned on the stone, and Gyla has been interpreted to be the name of Håkan's spouse, and Queen of Sweden. Queen Gyla is likely the second last Pagan queen in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Issue:
With Eric the Pagan
Eric the Pagan
Eric was a contender for the Swedish kingship in 1066–67. After the death of King Stenkil, he made war on Eric Stenkilsson for the Swedish throne. Both died in the war. The two rivalling Eriks are only known by their first name and from one source...
:
- Olof ("Young Olof")
With Håkan the Red:
- Erik, possibly King Erik Årsäll
- Daughter (?), possibly named Cecilia, who may have been the mother of Erik the Saint
Litterature and references
- Åke Ohlmarks: FornNordiskt Lexikon (Ancient Nordic dictionary) (1994)
- Åke Ohlmarks: Alla Sveriges drottningar (All the queens of Sweden) 1976 (Swedish)