Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar
Encyclopedia
Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar is a Scandinavian legendary saga
which was put to text in Iceland
in the 13th century. It has a prequel in Gautreks saga
.
Gautrekr
was a Geatish king who descended from Odin
himself. He lost his wife Alfhild and went somewhat out of his mind, ignored all matters of state, and spent all his time on Alfhild's burial mound, flying his hawk.
He had two sons Ketill and Hrólfr Gautreksson
, and Ketill became a great Viking who inherited his father's kingdom.
In Uppsala
ruled Erik
, the king of Sweden, who had only had one daughter, Þornbjörg. She was a shieldmaiden
who would rather spend her days fighting and doing male sports instead of female activities. Due to this behaviour she was called Þórbergr konungr, king Thorberg. Her father gave her the royal estate of Ulleråker, where she kept a retinue of housecarl
s who helped her chase away undesirable suitors.
Ketill suggested that Hrólfr make a try to woo the princess and after much hesitation, Hrólfr agreed. His brother said that "it would be the most noble marriage in the Northlands to have the daughter of the king at Uppsala
for wife" and "many have little courage in a big body and it is a shame that you who are a man durst not speak to womenfolk".
Hrólfr summoned his courage and went to Ulleråker with his fosterbrother Ingjald of Denmark and sixty well-armed warriors, in order to woo the warrior princess of Sweden.
Þornbjörg was sitting on the throne full dressed in armour and proud. When Hrólfr proposed, she rushed up, grabbed her weapons and ordered her men to "fetch and bind the fool who offended king Þórbergr". Hrólfr put on his helmet and asked his housecarls to leave and then he manfully slew no less than twelve of Þórbergr's champions before he had to flee the overwhelming foe. Everybody in his company returned to Geatland
alive.
After a Viking campaign in the West to both Scotland
and Brittany
, Hrólfr steered his fleet of six ships and a selected crew northwards and did not stop until he reached Uppsala
. When the new peace agreement between Hrólfr and king Erik had been established, Hrólf went to Ulleråker to propose once more to the princess.
Þórbergr screamed that he'd become a shepherd in Geatland before he had any power over her. After a hard fight Þórbergr was captured and not long afterwards she married Hrólfr.
After some time Hrólfr succeeded his brother Ketill as the king of the Geats
, but nobody wrote down that story.
According to a Swedish tradition, he is buried in Bälinge near Alingsås
on Rolfsborg on Rolf's hill. http://www.school.alingsas.se/nolby/arkeolog/arkeolog.htm.
Legendary saga
A Legendary saga or Fornaldarsaga is a Norse saga that, unlike the Icelanders' sagas, takes place before the colonization of Iceland. There are some exceptions, such as Yngvars saga víðförla, which takes place in the 11th century...
which was put to text in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in the 13th century. It has a prequel in Gautreks saga
Gautreks saga
Gautreks saga is a Scandinavian legendary saga put to text towards the end of the 13th century which survives only in much later manuscripts...
.
Gautrekr
Gautrekr
Gautrekr was a legendary Geatish king who appears in several sources, such as Gautreks saga, Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar, Bósa saga ok Herrauðs, Ynglinga saga, Nafnaþulur and Af Upplendinga konungum....
was a Geatish king who descended from Odin
Odin
Odin 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"....
himself. He lost his wife Alfhild and went somewhat out of his mind, ignored all matters of state, and spent all his time on Alfhild's burial mound, flying his hawk.
He had two sons Ketill and Hrólfr Gautreksson
Hrólfr Gautreksson
Hrólfr Gautreksson was a legendary Geatish king who appears in Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar and probably in Hyndluljóð.Hrólfs saga Gautrekssonar tells that he was the son of king Gautrek and when his father died, his elder brother Ketill became king. Hrólfr would court and finally win the Swedish king...
, and Ketill became a great Viking who inherited his father's kingdom.
In Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala
Gamla Uppsala is a parish and a village outside Uppsala in Sweden. It had 16,231 inhabitants in 1991.As early as the 3rd century AD and the 4th century AD and onwards, it was an important religious, economic and political centre...
ruled Erik
Alrek and Eirík
Alaric and Eric , were two legendary kings of Sweden. and may have lived in the 5th century- In the Ynglinga saga :...
, the king of Sweden, who had only had one daughter, Þornbjörg. She was a shieldmaiden
Shieldmaiden
A shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore and mythology. They are often mentioned in sagas such as Hervarar saga and in Gesta Danorum. Shieldmaidens also appear in stories of other Germanic nations: Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni. The mythical Valkyries...
who would rather spend her days fighting and doing male sports instead of female activities. Due to this behaviour she was called Þórbergr konungr, king Thorberg. Her father gave her the royal estate of Ulleråker, where she kept a retinue of housecarl
Housecarl
In medieval Scandinavia, housecarls and sometimes spelled huscarle or houscarl) were either non-servile manservants, or household troops in personal service of someone, equivalent to a bodyguard to Scandinavian lords and kings. This institution also existed in Anglo-Saxon England after its...
s who helped her chase away undesirable suitors.
Ketill suggested that Hrólfr make a try to woo the princess and after much hesitation, Hrólfr agreed. His brother said that "it would be the most noble marriage in the Northlands to have the daughter of the king at 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...
for wife" and "many have little courage in a big body and it is a shame that you who are a man durst not speak to womenfolk".
Hrólfr summoned his courage and went to Ulleråker with his fosterbrother Ingjald of Denmark and sixty well-armed warriors, in order to woo the warrior princess of Sweden.
Þornbjörg was sitting on the throne full dressed in armour and proud. When Hrólfr proposed, she rushed up, grabbed her weapons and ordered her men to "fetch and bind the fool who offended king Þórbergr". Hrólfr put on his helmet and asked his housecarls to leave and then he manfully slew no less than twelve of Þórbergr's champions before he had to flee the overwhelming foe. Everybody in his company returned to Geatland
Götaland
Götaland , Gothia, Gothland, Gothenland, Gautland or Geatland is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises provinces...
alive.
After a Viking campaign in the West to both Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, Hrólfr steered his fleet of six ships and a selected crew northwards and did not stop until he reached 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...
. When the new peace agreement between Hrólfr and king Erik had been established, Hrólf went to Ulleråker to propose once more to the princess.
Þórbergr screamed that he'd become a shepherd in Geatland before he had any power over her. After a hard fight Þórbergr was captured and not long afterwards she married Hrólfr.
After some time Hrólfr succeeded his brother Ketill as the king of the Geats
King of the Geats
Geatish kings , ruling over the provinces of Götaland , appears in several sources for early Swedish history...
, but nobody wrote down that story.
According to a Swedish tradition, he is buried in Bälinge near Alingsås
Alingsås
Alingsås is a locality and the seat of Alingsås Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 22,919 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:...
on Rolfsborg on Rolf's hill. http://www.school.alingsas.se/nolby/arkeolog/arkeolog.htm.