- Harald the Old
Harald the Old (
6th century ,7th century ) only appears by name in "Hversu Noregr byggdist ", but his father, sons and their descendants played a central role in the politics of Scandinavian legends."Hversu Noregr byggdist"
"Hversu Noregr byggdist" informs that he was the son of
Valdar , the son of Hróarr (i.e. kingHroðgar of "Beowulf "), and the father ofHalfdan the Valiant and the grandfather ofIvar Vidfamne ."Skjöldunga saga"
The "
Skjöldunga saga " tells that the same Valdar (i.e. Harald's father) disputed thatRörek , the cousin of Hróarr (Hroðgar) succeededHrólfr Kraki (Hroðulf) as the king of theDaner . After the war, Rörek tookZealand , while Valdar tookScania . If based on the same tradition as "Hversu Noregr byggdist", Valdar had the right to claim the throne being the son of the former king Hróarr (Hroðgar)."Ynglinga saga"
In his "
Ynglinga saga ",Snorri Sturluson wrote thatHalfdan the Valiant (i.e. Harald the Old's son) was the father ofIvar Vidfamne . He had a brother who was kingGuðröðr of Scania . Guðröðr married Åsa, the daughter of the Swedish kingIngjald Ill-ruler and she made Guðröðr murder Halfdan. Later, she was the cause behind Guðröðr's death as well, and had to escape back to her father. People afterwards called her Åsa Ill-ruler like her father Ingjald.Halfdan's son Ivar Vidfamne mustered a large army and besieged Ingjald and his daughter at Ræning, whereupon the two committed suicide by burning themselves to death inside the hall.
"Hervarar saga"
Whereas "Hversu" and "Ynglinga saga" don't inform about Halfdan's mother (i.e. who presumably was Harald's wife), "
Hervarar saga " provides the information that she was Hild, the daughter of the Gothic king Heiðrekr Ulfhamr, the son ofAngantyr who defeated the Huns.It then tells that Halfdan had the son Ivar Vidfamne, who attacked Ingjald Ill-ruler, which led to Ingjald's suicide by burning down his own hall at Ræning together with all his retinue. After this, Ivar Vidfamne conquered Sweden.
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