View source for Eadgils

{{other uses}}
{{short description|Semi-legendary Swedish king}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
[[File:Rolf Krake sår guld på Fyrisvall by Hugo Hamilton.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Eadgils pursuing [[Hrólfr Kraki]] on the [[Fyrisvellir]], etching by {{ill|Hugo Hamilton (artist)|sv|Hugo Hamilton (1802–1871)|lt=Hugo Hamilton}} (1830)]]
[[File:Eadgils the Mighty's alleged tumulus 2009 Old Upsala.jpg|thumb|right|250px|West royal tumulus at [[Gamla Uppsala|Old Uppsala]], suggested grave of King 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.<ref>The dating is inferred from the internal chronology of the sources and the dating of [[Hygelac]]'s raid on [[Frisia]] to c. 516. It is also supported by archaeological excavations of the barrows of Eadgils and [[Ohthere]] in [[Sweden]]. For a discussion, see e.g. [[Birger Nerman]]'s ''Det svenska rikets uppkomst'' (1925) (in Swedish). For presentations of the archaeological findings, see e.g. Elisabeth Klingmark's ''Gamla Uppsala, Svenska kulturminnen 59'', Riksantikvarieämbetet (in Swedish), or [http://www.raa.se/cms/extern/se_och_besoka/sevardheter/ottarshogen.html this English language presentation by the Swedish National Heritage Board] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824195155/http://www.raa.se/cms/extern/se_och_besoka/sevardheter/ottarshogen.html |date=24 August 2007 }}</ref>
''[[Beowulf]]'' and [[Old Norse]] sources present him as the son of [[Ohthere]] and as belonging to the ruling [[Yngling]] (Scylfing) [[dynasty]]. These sources also deal with his war against [[Onela]], which he won with foreign assistance: in ''Beowulf'' he gained the throne of Sweden by defeating his uncle [[Onela]] with [[Geat]]ish help, and in two Scandinavian sources (''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'' and ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]''), he is also helped to defeat Onela in the [[Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern]], but with Danish help. However, Scandinavian sources mostly deal with his interaction with the [[legendary Danish king]] [[Hrólfr Kraki]] (Hroðulf), and Eadgils is mostly presented in a negative light as a rich and greedy king. [[Snorri Sturluson]], who documented many of the Scandinavian traditions, reported that the Swedes called him a "great king".
== Name ==
The Norse forms are based on an older ([[Proto-Norse]]) *''Aþagīslaz'' (where *''aþa'' is short for *''[[wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/aþalaz|aþala]]'' meaning "noble, foremost" (German 'adel') and *''[[wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/gīslaz|gīslaz]]'' means "arrow shaft"<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.sofi.se/images/NA/pdf/urnord.pdf
| title       = Lexikon över urnordiska personnamn
| last        = Peterson
| first       = Lena
| year        = 2007
| publisher   = [[Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore]]
| pages       = 23 and 6, respectively
| trans-title = Lexicon of Nordic personal names before the 8th century
| url-status     = dead
| archiveurl  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110518012642/http://www.sofi.se/images/NA/pdf/urnord.pdf
| archivedate = 18 May 2011
}}</ref>). However, the Anglo-Saxon form is not etymologically identical. The A-S form would have been *''Ædgils'', but ''{{linktext|Eadgils}}'' (Proto-Norse *''Auða-gīslaz'', *''auða-'' meaning "wealth") was the only corresponding name used by the Anglo-Saxons.<ref>Nerman (1925:104)</ref> The name Aðils was so exceedingly rare even in Scandinavia that among almost 6000 Scandinavian runic inscriptions, it is only attested in three [[runestone]]s ([[Uppland Rune Inscription 35|U 35]], DR 221 and Br Olsen;215).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm|title=Samnordisk runtextdatabas|date=20 May 2024 |lang=sv}}</ref>
== ''Beowulf'' ==
The [[Anglo-Saxon literature|Anglo-Saxon]] [[epic poem]] ''[[Beowulf]]'', composed sometime between the 8th century and the 11th century, is (beside the Norwegian [[skaldic poem]] ''[[Ynglingatal]]'' from the 9th century) the oldest source that mentions Eadgils.
The text of ''Beowulf'' implies that the Swedish king [[Ohthere]] died and that his younger brother [[Onela]] succeeded him, because Ohthere's two sons, Eadgils and [[Eanmund]] had to seek refuge with [[Heardred]], [[Hygelac]]'s son and successor as [[king of the Geats]].<ref>Lines 2380–2391</ref> This caused Onela to attack the Geats, and Heardred was killed. Onela returned home and [[Beowulf (hero)|Beowulf]] succeeded Heardred as the king of [[Götaland|Geatland]]. In the following lines, Onela is referred to as the ''[[Yngling|Scylfings]]' helmet'' and the ''son of [[Ongenþeow]]'', whereas Eadgils and Eanmund are referred to as the ''sons of Ohtere'':
{|
|
:...Hyne wræc-mæcgas
:ofer sæ sohtan, suna Ohteres:
:hæfdon hy forhealden helm Scylfinga,
:þone selestan sæ-cyninga,
:þara þe in Swio-rice sinc brytnade,
:mærne þeoden.      Him þæt to mearce wearð;
:he þær orfeorme feorh-wunde hleat
:sweordes swengum, sunu Hygelaces;
:and him eft gewat Ongenþiowes bearn
:hames niosan, syððan Heardred læg;
:let þone brego-stol Biowulf healdan,
:Geatum wealdan:      þæt wæs god cyning.<ref>Lines 2379–2390.</ref>
|
:...Wandering exiles
:sought him o'er seas, the sons of Ohtere,
:who had spurned the sway of the [[Yngling|Scylfings]]'-helmet,
:the bravest and best that broke the rings,
:in Swedish land, of the sea-kings' line,
:haughty hero. Hence Heardred's end.
:For shelter he gave them, sword-death came,
:the blade's fell blow, to bairn of Hygelac;
:but the son of Ongentheow sought again
:house and home when Heardred fell,
:leaving Beowulf lord of Geats
:and gift-seat's master.{{spaced ndash}}A good king he!<ref name="Gummere">{{citation|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/981|title=Modern English translation|year=1910|author=[[Francis Barton Gummere]]}}</ref>
|
|}
Later in the poem, it tells that during the battle, Eadgils's brother Eanmund was killed by Onela's champion [[Weohstan]], [[Wiglaf]]'s father. In the following lines, Eanmund also appears as the ''son of Ohtere'' and as ''a brother's child'':
{|
|
:...hond rond gefeng,
:geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteah,
:þæt wæs mid eldum Eanmundes laf,
:suna Ohteres,      þam æt sæcce wearð
:wracu wine-leasum Weohstanes bana
:meces ecgum, and his magum ætbær
:brun-fagne helm, hringde byrnan,
:eald sweord eotonisc,      þæt him Onela forgeaf,
:his gædelinges guð-gewædu,
:fyrd-searo fuslic:      no ymbe þa fæhðe spræc,
:þeah þe he his broðor bearn abredwade.<ref>Lines 2609–2619.</ref>
|
:...The linden yellow,
:his shield, he seized; the old sword he drew:  --
:as heirloom of Eanmund earth-dwellers knew it,
:who was slain by the sword-edge, son of Ohtere,
:friendless exile, erst in fray
:killed by Weohstan, who won for his kin
:brown-bright helmet, breastplate ringed,
:old sword of [[Jötunn|Eotens]], Onela's gift,
:weeds of war of the warrior-thane,
:battle-gear brave:  though a brother's child
:had been felled, the feud was unfelt by Onela.<ref name="Gummere" />
|
|}
Eadgils, however, survived and later, [[Beowulf (hero)|Beowulf]] helped Eadgils with weapons and warriors. Eadgils won the war and killed his uncle Onela. In the following lines, Eadgils is mentioned by name and as the ''son of Ohtere'', whereas Onela is referred to as ''the king'':
{|
|
:Se þæs leod-hryres lean gemunde
:uferan dogrum, Eadgilse wearð
:fea-sceaftum feond.      Folce gestepte
:ofer sæ side sunu Ohteres
:wigum and wæpnum:      he gewræc syððan
:cealdum cear-siðum, cyning ealdre bineat.<ref>Lines 2391–2396.</ref>
|
:The fall of his lord he was fain to requite
:in after days; and to Eadgils he proved
:friend to the friendless, and forces sent
:over the sea to the son of Ohtere,
:weapons and warriors:  well repaid he
:those care-paths cold<ref>''Those care-paths cold'' refers to his time in exile with the Geats.</ref> when the king he slew.<ref name="Gummere" />
|
|}
This event also appears in the Scandinavian sources ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'' and ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]'' – see below.
== Norse sources ==
The allusive manner in which Eadgils and his relatives are referred to in ''Beowulf'' suggests that the [[scop]] expected his audience to have sufficient background knowledge about Eadgils, Ohthere and Eanmund to understand the references. Likewise, in the roughly contemporary Norwegian ''[[Ynglingatal]]'', Eadgils (Aðils) is called ''Onela's enemy'' (Ála<ref>Ála is the genitive case of Áli, the Old Norse form of the name Onela (see [http://www.sofi.se/GetDoc?meta_id=1464 Peterson, Lena: ''Lexikon över urnordiska personnamn'', PDF] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060915030412/http://www.sofi.se/GetDoc?meta_id=1464 |date=15 September 2006 }})</ref> dólgr), which likewise suggests that the conflict was familiar to the [[skald]] and his audience.
The tradition of Eadgils and Onela resurfaces in several Old Norse works in prose and poetry, and another matter also appears: the animosity between Eadgils and [[Hrólfr Kraki]], who corresponds to Hroðulf in ''Beowulf''.
=== ''Ynglingatal'' ===
The [[skaldic poem]] ''[[Ynglingatal]]'' is a poetic recital of the line of the [[Yngling]] [[Norse clans|clan]]. They are also called ''Skilfingar'' in the poem (in stanza 19), a name that appears in its [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] form ''Scylfingas'' in ''[[Beowulf]]'' when referring to Eadgils' clan. It is presented as composed by [[Þjóðólfr of Hvinir]] by [[Snorri Sturluson]] in the ''Ynglinga saga''.
Although its age has been debated, most scholars hold to date from the 9th century.<ref>[https://open.lnu.se/index.php/hn/article/view/207/193 Hägerdal, Hans: Ynglingatal. Nya perspektiv på en kanske gammal text]</ref> It survives in two versions: one is found in the Norwegian historical work ''[[Historia Norvegiæ]]'' in [[Latin]], and the other one in [[Snorri Sturluson]]'s ''[[Ynglinga saga]]'', a part of his ''[[Heimskringla]]''. It presents Aðils (Eadgils) as the successor of Óttarr ([[Ohthere]]) and the predecessor of [[Östen|Eysteinn]]. The stanza on Aðils refers to his accidental death when he fell from his horse:
{{poemquote|
Þat frák enn,
at Aðils fjǫrvi
vitta véttr
of viða skyldi.
Ok dáðgjarn
af drasils bógum
Freys ôttungr
falla skyldi.
Ok við aur
ægir hjarna
bragnings burs
of blandinn varð.
Ok dáðsæll
deyja skyldi
Ála dolgr
at Uppsǫlum.<ref name=skp>{{cite book|author=[[Edith Marold]]|year=2012|chapter=[[Þjóðólfr ór Hvini]], ''[[Ynglingatal]]'' 16|editor=[[Diana Whaley]]|title=Poetry from the Kings' Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035|volume=1 |pages=36 |publisher=[[Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages]] 1. Turnhout: [[Brepols]]|url=https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=verse&i=4380}}</ref>}}
:Translation: "I have learned, further, that the creature of charms [SORCERESS] had to destroy the life of Aðils. And the deed-eager descendant of Freyr [= Swedish king] had to fall off the back of the steed. And the sea [fluid] of the brains of the son of the ruler [RULER] was blended with mud. And the deed-fortunate enemy of Áli had to die at Uppsala."<ref name=skp />
Note that Eadgils' animosity with Onela also appears in ''Ynglingatal'' as Aðils is referred to as ''Ole's deadly foe'' (Ála dólgr). This animosity is treated in more detail in the ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]'' and ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'', which follow.
The ''[[Historia Norwegiæ]]'', which is a terse summary in Latin of ''Ynglingatal'', only states that Eadgils fell from his horse and died during the sacrifices. In this Latin translation, the [[Dísir]] are rendered as the Roman goddess [[Diana (mythology)|Diana]]:
{|
|
Cujus filius Adils vel Athisl ante ædem Dianæ, dum idolorum, sacrificia fugeret, equo lapsus exspiravit. Hic genuit Eustein, [ ... ]<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Storm|editor-first=Gustav|year=1880|title=Monumenta historica Norwegiæ: Latinske kildeskrifter til Norges historie i middelalderen|publisher=Monumenta Historica Norwegiae (Kristiania: Brøgger)|page=101}}</ref>
|
His son Adils gave up the ghost after falling from his horse before the temple of Diana, while he was performing the sacrifices made to idols. He became sire to Øystein, [ ... ]<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Ekrem|editor1-first=Inger|editor2=Lars Boje Mortensen|translator=Peter Fisher|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gH3TUhhlvucC|title=Historia Norwegie|publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press|isbn=87-7289-813-5|pages=77–79}}</ref>
|
|}
The same information is found the ''[[Swedish Chronicle]]'' from the mid-15th century, which calls him ''Adhel''. It is probably based on the Ynglingatal tradition and says that he fell from his horse and died while he worshipped his god.
=== ''Íslendingabók'' ===
In ''[[Íslendingabók]]'' from the early 12th century, Eadgils only appears as a name in the listing of the kings of the [[Yngling]] dynasty as Aðísl at [[Gamla Uppsala|Uppsala]]. The reason what that the author, [[Ari Þorgilsson]], traced his ancestry from Eadgils, and its line of succession is the same as that of ''Ynglingatal''.
:i Yngvi Tyrkjakonungr. ii Njörðr Svíakonungr. iii Freyr. iiii Fjölnir. sá er dó at Friðfróða. v Svegðir. vi Vanlandi. vii Visburr. viii Dómaldr. ix Dómarr. x Dyggvi. xi Dagr. xii Alrekr. xiii Agni. xiiii Yngvi. xv Jörundr. xvi Aun inn gamli. xvii Egill Vendilkráka. xviii Óttarr. xix Aðísl at Uppsölum. xx Eysteinn. xxi Yngvarr. xxii Braut-Önundr. xxiii Ingjaldr inn illráði. xxiiii Óláfr trételgja...<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heimskringla.no/original/islendingesagaene/islendingabok.php|title=Guðni Jónsson's edition of Íslendingabók|access-date=29 March 2017|archive-date=8 May 2007|archive-url=http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20070508145441/http://www.heimskringla.no/original/islendingesagaene/islendingabok.php|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
As can be seen it agrees with the earlier ''Ynglingatal'' and ''Beowulf'' in presenting Eadgils as the successor of Óttarr ([[Ohthere]]).
=== ''Skjöldunga saga'' ===
The ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]'' was a [[Norse saga]] which is believed to have been written in the period 1180–1200. The original version is lost, but it survives in a Latin summary by [[Arngrímur Jónsson]].
Arngrímur's summary relates that Eadgils, called ''Adillus'', married [[Yrsa]] with whom he had the daughter [[Skuld (princess)|Scullda]]. Some years later, the Danish king Helgo ([[Halga]]) attacked Sweden and captured Yrsa, not knowing that she was his own daughter, the result of Helgo raping Olava, the queen of the [[Saxons]]. Helgo raped Yrsa as well and took her back to Denmark, where she bore the son Rolfo ([[Hroðulf]]). After a few years, Yrsa's mother, queen Olava, came to visit her and told her that Helgo was her own father. In horror, Yrsa returned to Adillus, leaving her son behind. Helgo died when Rolfo was eight years old, and Rolfo succeeded him, and ruled together with his uncle Roas ([[Hroðgar]]). Not much later, Roas was killed by his half-brothers Rærecus and Frodo, whereupon Rolfo became the sole king of Denmark.
In Sweden, Yrsa and Adillus married [[Skuld (princess)|Scullda]] to the king of [[Öland]], Hiørvardus/Hiorvardus/Hevardus ([[Heoroweard]]). As her half-brother Rolfo was not consulted about this marriage, he was infuriated and he attacked Öland and made Hiørvardus and his kingdom tributary to Denmark.
After some time, there was animosity between king Adillus of Sweden and the Norwegian king Ale of [[Oppland]]. They decided to fight on the ice of Lake [[Vänern]]. Adillus won and took his helmet, chainmail and horse. Adillus won because he had requested Rolfo's aid against king Ale and Rolfo had sent him his berserkers. However, Adillus refused to pay the expected tribute for the help and so Rolfo came to Uppsala to claim his recompense. After surviving some traps, Rolfo fled with Adillus' gold, helped by his mother Yrsa. Seeing that the Swedish king and his men pursued him, Rolfo "sowed" the gold on the [[Fyrisvellir]], so that the king's men would pick up the gold, instead of continuing the pursuit.
As can be seen, the ''Skjöldunga saga'' retells the story of Eadgils fighting his uncle [[Onela]], but in this version Onela is no longer Eadgils' uncle, but a Norwegian king of [[Oppland]]. This change is generally considered to be a late confusion between the core province of the Swedes, [[Uppland]], and its Norwegian namesake Oppland.<ref>Nerman 1925:103-104</ref> Whereas, ''Beowulf'' leaves the Danish court with the suspicion that Hroðulf (Rolfo Krage, Hrólfr Kraki) might claim the Danish throne for himself at the death of Hroðgar (Roas, Hróarr), it is exactly what he does in Scandinavian tradition. A notable difference is that, in ''Beowulf'', Eadgils receives the help of the [[Geatish king]] Beowulf against Onela, whereas it is the Danish king Hroðulf who provides help in Scandinavian tradition.
=== ''Skáldskaparmál'' ===
''[[Skáldskaparmál]]'' was written by [[Snorri Sturluson]], c. 1220, in order to teach the ancient art of [[kenning]]s to aspiring [[skald]]s. It presents Eadgils, called ''Aðils'', in two sections.
The first section is the ''[[Kálfsvísa]]'' of which Snorri quotes small parts:<ref>Nerman 1925:102</ref>
{|
|
:Ali Hrafni,
:es til íss riðu,
:en annarr austr
:und Aðilsi
:grár hvarfaði,
:geiri undaðr.<ref name="heimskringla.no">{{cite web|url=http://www.heimskringla.no/original/edda/eddubrot.php|work=heimskringla.no|title=Eddukvæði : Eddubrot<!-- Bot generated title -->|archiveurl=http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20070509013858/http://www.heimskringla.no/original/edda/eddubrot.php|archivedate=9 May 2007}}</ref>
|
:Áli rode Hrafn,
:They who rode onto the ice:
:But another, southward,
:Under Adils,
:A gray one, wandered,
:Wounded with the spear.<ref name="Brodeur's translation">{{Cite web |url=http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/209212.php |title=Brodeur's translation |access-date=10 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313111310/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/209212.php |archive-date=13 March 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
|
|}
This is a reference to the [[Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern]], during which Eadgils slew Onela and which also appears in the ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]''. There is also second stanza, where Eadgils is riding his horse Slöngvir, apparently a combination famous enough to be mentioned.
{|
|
:Björn reið Blakki,
:en Bíarr Kerti,
:Atli Glaumi,
:en Aðils Sløngvi,
:Högni Hölkvi,
:en Haraldr Fölkvi,
:Gunnarr Gota,
:en Grana Sigurðr.<ref name="heimskringla.no" />
|
:Björn rode Blakkr,
:And Bjárr rode Kertr;
:Atli rode Glaumr,
:And Adils on Slöngvir;
:Högni on Hölvir,
:And Haraldr on Fölkvir;
:Gunnarr rode Goti,
:And Sigurdr, Grani.<ref name="Brodeur's translation" />
|
|}
Eadgils' horse Slöngvir also appears in Snorri's later work, the ''[[Ynglinga saga]]''.
Snorri also presents the story of Aðils and Hrólfr Kraki ([[Hroðulf]]) in order to explain why gold was known by the [[kenning]] ''Kraki's seed''. Snorri relates that Aðils was in war with a Norwegian king named Áli ([[Onela]]), and they fought in the [[Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern]]. Aðils was married to [[Yrsa]], the mother of Hrólfr and so sent an embassy to Hrólfr asking him for help against Áli. He would receive three valuable gifts in recompense. Hrólfr was involved in a war against the [[Saxons]] and could not come in person but sent his twelve berserkers, including [[Böðvarr Bjarki]]. Áli died in the war, and Aðils took Áli's helmet [[List of named weapons, armour and treasures in Germanic heroic legend|''Battle-boar'']] and his horse Raven. The berserkers demanded three pounds of gold each in pay, and they demanded to choose the gifts that Aðils had promised Hrólfr, that is the two pieces of armour that nothing could pierce: the helmet battle-boar and the mailcoat ''Finn's heritage''. They also wanted the famous ring Svíagris. Aðils considered the pay outrageous and refused.
When Hrólfr heard that Aðils refused to pay, he set off to [[Gamla Uppsala|Uppsala]]. They brought the ships to the river [[Fyris]] and rode directly to the Swedish king's hall at Uppsala with his twelve berserkers. Yrsa welcomed them and led them to their lodgings. Fires were prepared for them and they were given drinks. However, so much wood was heaped on the fires that the clothes started to burn away from their clothes. Hrólfr and his men had enough and threw the courtiers on the fire. Yrsa arrived and gave them a horn full of gold, the ring Svíagris and asked them to flee. As they rode over the [[Fyrisvellir]], they saw Aðils and his men pursuing them. The fleeing men threw the gold on the plain so that the pursuers would stop to collect it. Aðils, however, continued the chase on his horse Slöngvir. Hrólfr then threw Svíagris and saw how Aðils stooped down to pick up the ring with his spear. Hrólfr exclaimed that he had seen the mightiest man in Sweden bend his back.
=== ''Ynglinga saga'' ===
The ''[[Ynglinga saga]]'' was written c. 1225 by [[Snorri Sturluson]] and he used ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]'' as a source when he told the story of Aðils.<ref>Nerman (1925:103)</ref> Snorri relates that Aðils succeeded his father Óttar ([[Ohthere]]) and betook himself to pillage the Saxons, whose king was Geirþjófr and queen Alof the Great. The king and consort were not at home, and so Aðils and his men plundered their residence at ease driving cattle and captives down to the ships. One of the captives was a remarkably beautiful girl named [[Yrsa]], and Snorri writes that everyone was soon impressed with the well-mannered, pretty and intelligent girl. Most impressed was Aðils who made her his queen.
Some years later, Helgi ([[Halga]]), who ruled in [[Lejre]], attacked Sweden and captured Yrsa. As he did not know that Yrsa was his own daughter, he raped her, and took her back to [[Lejre]], where they had a son, [[Hrólfr kraki]]. When the boy was three years of age, Yrsa's mother, queen Alof of Saxony, came to visit her and told her that her husband Helgi was her own father. Horrified, Yrsa returned to Aðils, leaving her son behind, and stayed in Sweden for the rest of her life. When Hrólfr was eight years old, Helgi died during a war expedition and Hrólfr was proclaimed king.
Aðils waged a war against king Áli ([[Onela]] of [[Oppland]]), and they fought in the [[Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern]]. Áli died in this battle. Snorri writes that there was a long account of this battle in the ''Skjöldunga Saga'', which also contained an account of how Hrólf came to Uppsala and sowed gold on the [[Fyrisvellir]].
[[File:Royal mounds.JPG|thumb|350px|The three large royal mounds at Gamla Uppsala.]]
Snorri also relates that Aðils loved good horses and had the best horses in his days (the contemporary [[Goths|Gothic]] scholar [[Jordanes]] noted that the Swedes were famed for their good horses). One horse was named ''Slöngvi'' and another one ''Raven'', which he had taken from Áli. From this horse he had bred a horse also named ''Raven'' which he sent to king Godgest of [[Hålogaland]], but Godgest could not manage it and fell from it and died, in Omd on the island of [[Andøya]]. Aðils himself died in a similar way at the [[Dísablót]]. Aðils was riding around the [[Dísir|Disa]] shrine when Raven stumbled and fell, and the king was thrown forward and hit his skull on a stone. The Swedes called him a great king and buried him at [[Gamla Uppsala|Uppsala]]. He was succeeded by [[Eysteinn]].
=== ''Hrólfr Kraki's saga'' ===
''[[Hrólfr Kraki's saga]]'' is believed to have been written in the period c. 1230 – c. 1450.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=13133|title=Literary Encyclopedia entry}}</ref> Helgi and Yrsa lived happily together as husband and wife, not knowing that Yrsa was Helgi's daughter. Yrsa's mother queen Oluf travelled to Denmark to tell her daughter the truth. Yrsa was shocked and although Helgi wanted their relationship to remain as it was, Yrsa insisted on leaving him to live alone. She was later taken by the Swedish king Aðils as his queen, which made Helgi even more unhappy. Helgi went to [[Uppsala]] to fetch her, but was killed by Aðils in battle. In [[Lejre]], he was succeeded by his son [[Hrólfr Kraki]].
After some time, [[Böðvarr Bjarki]] encouraged Hrólfr to go Uppsala to claim the gold that Aðils had taken from Helgi after the battle. Hrólfr departed with 120 men and his twelve berserkers and during a rest they were tested by a farmer called Hrani ([[Odin]] in disguise) who advised Hrólfr to send back all his troops but his twelve berserkers, as numbers would not help him against Aðils.
They were at first well received, but in his hall, Aðils did his best to stop Hrólfr with pit traps and hidden warriors who attacked the Danes. Finally Aðils entertained them but put them to a test where they had to endure immense heat by a fire. Hrólfr and his berserkers finally had enough and threw the courtiers, who were feeding the fire, into the fire and leapt at Aðils. The Swedish king disappeared through a hollow tree trunk that stood in his hall.
Yrsa admonished Aðils for wanting to kill her son, and went to meet the Danes. She gave them a man named [[Vöggr]] to entertain them. This Vöggr remarked that Hrólfr had the thin face of a pole ladder, a ''Kraki''. Happy with his new cognomen Hrólfr gave Vöggr a golden ring, and Vöggr swore to avenge Hrólfr if anyone should kill him. Hrólfr and his company were then attacked by a [[troll]] in the shape of a boar in the service of Aðils, but Hrólfr's dog Gram killed it.
They then found out that Aðils had set the hall on fire, and so they broke out of the hall, only to find themselves surrounded by heavily armed warriors in the street. After a fight, king Aðils retreated to summon reinforcements.
Yrsa then provided her son with a silver drinking horn filled with gold and jewels and a famous ring, Svíagris. Then she gave Hrólfr and his men twelve of the Swedish king's best horses, and all the armour and provisions they needed.
Hrólfr bid a fond farewell to his mother and departed over the [[Fyrisvellir]]. When they saw Aðils and his warriors in pursuit, they spread the gold behind themselves. Aðils saw his precious Svíagris on the ground and stooped to pick it up with his spear, whereupon Hrólfr cut his back with his sword and screamed in triumph that he had bent the back of the most powerful man in Sweden.
== Danish sources ==
=== ''Chronicon Lethrense'' and ''Annales Lundenses'' ===
The ''[[Chronicon Lethrense]]'' (and the included ''Annales Lundenses'') tell that when the Danish kings Helghe ([[Halga]]) and Ro ([[Hroðgar]]) were dead, the Swedish king Hakon/'''Athisl'''<ref>''Hakon'' according to ''Chronicon Lethrense'' proper, ''Athisl'' according to the included ''Annals of Lund''</ref> forced the [[Daner]] to accept a dog as king. The [[dog king]] was succeeded by Rolf Krage ([[Hrólfr Kraki]]).
=== ''Gesta Danorum'' ===
The ''[[Gesta Danorum]]'' (book 2), by [[Saxo Grammaticus]], tells that Helgo ([[Halga]]) repelled a Swedish invasion, killed the Swedish king [[Hothbrodd]], and made the Swedes pay tribute. However, he committed suicide due to shame for his incestuous relationship with Urse ([[Yrsa]]), and his son Roluo ([[Hrólfr Kraki]]) succeeded him.
The new king of Sweden, Athislus, thought that the tribute to the [[Daner]] might be smaller if he married the Danish king's mother and so took Urse for a queen. However, after some time, Urse was so upset with the Swedish king's greediness that she thought out a ruse to run away from the king and at the same time liberate him of his wealth. She incited Athislus to rebel against Roluo, and arranged so that Roluo would be invited and promised a wealth in gifts.
At the banquet Roluo was at first not recognised by his mother, but when their fondness was commented on by Athisl, the Swedish king and Roluo made a wager where Roluo would prove his endurance. Roluo was placed in front of a fire that exposed him to such heat that finally a maiden could suffer the sight no more and extinguished the fire. Roluo was greatly recompensed by Athisl for his endurance.
When the banquet had lasted for three days, Urse and Roluo escaped from Uppsala, early in the morning in carriages where they had put all the Swedish king's treasure. In order to lessen their burden, and to occupy any pursuing warriors they spread gold in their path (later in the work, this is referred to as "sowing the [[Fyrisvellir]]"), although there was a rumour that she only spread gilded copper. When Athislus, who was pursuing the escapers saw that a precious ring was lying on the ground, he bent down to pick it up. Roluo was pleased to see the king of Sweden bent down, and escaped in the ships with his mother.
Roluo later defeated Athislus and gave Sweden to young man named Hiartuar ([[Heoroweard]]), who also married Roluo's sister [[Skuld (princess)|Skulde]]. When Athislus learnt that Hiartuar and Skulde had killed Roluo, he celebrated the occasion, but he drank so much that he killed himself.
{{Kings of Gesta Danorum family tree}}
== Archaeology ==
[[File:Eadgil's barrow.PNG|400px|right|thumb|The mound to the left has been suggested to be the grave where [[Snorri Sturluson]] reported that Eadgils was buried. Archaeological finds are consistent with this identification.]]
According to [[Snorri Sturluson]], Eadgils was buried at [[Gamla Uppsala]]. [[Birger Nerman]] suggested that he was buried in the Western mound (also known as ''Thor's mound'') at [[Gamla Uppsala]]. An excavation in this mound showed that a man was buried there c. 575 on a bear skin with two dogs and rich grave offerings. There were luxurious weapons and other objects, both domestic and imported, show that the buried man was very powerful. These remains include a [[Franks|Frankish]] sword adorned with gold and garnets and a board game with Roman pawns of [[ivory]]. He was dressed in a costly suit made of Frankish cloth with golden threads, and he wore a belt with a costly buckle. There were four [[cameo (carving)|cameos]] from the [[Middle East]] which were probably part of a casket. The finds show the distant contacts of the [[House of Yngling]] in the 6th century.
Snorri's account that Adils had the best horses of his days, and Jordanes' account that the Swedes of the 6th century were famed for their horses find support in archaeology. This time was the beginning of the [[Vendel Age]], a time characterised by the appearance of [[stirrup]]s and a powerful mounted warrior elite in Sweden, with rich graves in for instance [[Valsgärde]] and [[Vendel]].
== Notes ==
<references />
== Bibliography and external links ==
* '''English translations of the Old Norse ''Hrólfs saga kraka ok kappa hans'' ''':
** ''The Saga of Hrolf Kraki and his Champions''. Trans. Peter Tunstall (2003). Available at [https://web.archive.org/web/20040813101509/http://freespace.virgin.net/o.e/egd/Hrolf.html Norse saga: The Saga of Hrolf Kraki] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20061108015703/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/oldheathen/034.php Northvegr: The Saga of Hrolf Kraki].
** {{cite book|title=The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki|translator=Jesse L. Byock|year=1998|location=London|publisher=Penguin|isbn=0-14-043593-X}} Selection from this translation are available at [http://www.viking.ucla.edu/hrolf/maincontents.html The Viking Site: Excerpts from ''The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki''].
** "King Hrolf and his champions" included in {{cite book|title=Eirik the Red: And Other Icelandic Sagas|translator=Gwyn Jones|year=1961|location=Oxford|publisher=Oxford World's Classics, Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-283530-0}}
* '''Original texts''':
** [http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20070508212122/http%3A//www.heimskringla.no/original/fornaldersagaene/hrolfsagakraka.php Hrólfs saga kraka ok kappa hans in Old Norse from heimskringla.no]
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20060915234051/http://server.fhp.uoregon.edu/IRE/Document.ire/Norse/html/0201i.html University of Oregon: Norse: Fornaldarsögur norðurlanda: Hrólfs saga kraka ok kappa hans]
** [http://saga.library.cornell.edu/saganet/?MIval=/ManuscriptSagasB&language=english&STitle=Hr%F3lfs%20saga%20kraka Sagnanet: Hrólfs saga kraka]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{cite book|last=Anderson|first=Poul|year=1973|title=Hrolf Kraki's Saga|location=New York|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=0-345-23562-2}} New York: Del Rey Books. {{ISBN|0-345-25846-0}}.  Reprinted 1988 by Baen Books, {{ISBN|0-671-65426-8}}.
* {{cite book|author=[[Birger Nerman]]|year=1925|title=Det svenska rikets uppkomst|lang=sv}}
* ''Beowulf'':
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061006174837/http://www.engl.virginia.edu/OE/Beowulf.Readings/Beowulf.Readings.html Beowulf read aloud in Old English]
** ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/981 Modern English translation]'' by [[Francis Barton Gummere]]
** ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16328 Modern English translation]'' by [[John Lesslie Hall]]
** {{citation|url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Literature.RinglBeowulf|last=Ringler|first=Dick|title=Beowulf: A New Translation For Oral Delivery|date=May 2005}} Searchable text with full audio available, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries.
** [http://alliteration.net/beoIndex.htm Several different Modern English translations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720173705/http://alliteration.net/beoIndex.htm |date=20 July 2011 }}
* ''Chronicon Lethrense'' and ''Annales Lundense'':
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310135852/http://www.oe.eclipse.co.uk/nom/lejre.html ''Chronicon Lethrense'' and ''Annales Lundense'' in translation by Peter Tunstall]
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20070107150447/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/oldheathen/048.php The same translation at Northvegr]
* [http://mcllibrary.org/DanishHistory/book2.html Book 2 of ''Gesta Danorum'' at the Online and Medieval & Classical library]
* [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14878 ''The Relation of the Hrolfs Saga Kraka and the Bjarkarimur to Beowulf'' by Olson, 1916, at Project Gutenberg]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312145631/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/heim/001_06.php the ''Ynglinga saga'' in translation by Samuel Laing, 1844, at Northvegr]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071121221718/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/poetic2/042.php The ''Gróttasöngr'' in Thorpe's translation]
* Skáldskaparmál:
** [http://www.heimskringla.no/original/snorre/index.php Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda in the original language] {{Webarchive|url=http://web.archive.bibalex.org/web/20051231043537/http://www.heimskringla.no/original/snorre/index.php |date=31 December 2005 }}
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20061006035037/http://www.cybersamurai.net/Mythology/nordic_gods/LegendsSagas/Edda/ProseEdda/ContentsEnglish.htm#skaldse CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: Prose Edda – Skáldskaparmál (English)]
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20060906005755/http://www.cybersamurai.net/Mythology/nordic_gods/LegendsSagas/Edda/ProseEdda/ContentsIcelandic.htm#skaldse CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: Prose Edda – Skáldskaparmál (Old Norse)]
* {{citation|last=Krag|first=C.|title=Ynglingatal og Ynglingesaga: en studie i historiske kilder|location=Oslo|year=1991}}
* {{citation|last=Sundquist|first=O.|title=Freyr"s offspring. Rulers and religion in ancient Svea society|year=2004}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Yngling|House of Yngling]] || || }}
{{succession box
| title = [[Legendary king of Sweden]]
| years =
| before = [[Ohthere]] or [[Onela]]
| after = [[Eysteinn]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Norse mythology}}
{{Beowulf}}
[[Category:575 deaths]]
[[Category:6th-century monarchs in Europe]]
[[Category:Characters in Beowulf]]
[[Category:Deaths by horse-riding accident]]
[[Category:English heroic legends]]
[[Category:Semi-legendary kings of Sweden]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]