Adils pursuing Hrolf Kraki on the Fýrisvellir Eadgils (Beowulf), Adils the Great, or Athisl (Saxo Grammaticus) (all forms are based an older Aðgils, the Anglo-Saxon form is not etymologically identical but it was the only corresponding name used by the Anglo-Saxons) was a Swedish king of the house of Scylfings. He was the son of Ohthere. Eadgils figures in several sources which suggests that they are based on real events in which a civil war erupted in Sweden between Eadgils and his uncle Onela, which Eadgils won by hiring outside assistance.
Beowulf
According to the oldest source, Beowulf, Eadgils uncle Onela killed Ohthere. Eadgils rebelled together with his brother Eanmund and fled to the Geats. Then Onela attacked the Geats and the Geatish king Heardred was killed, as was Eanmund by Onela's champion Weohstan. Then Beowulf became king of the Geats and helped Eadgils in defeating Onela, who was killed by Eadgils.
In the Hrólf Kraki traditions and Heimskringla In the Hrólf Kraki tradition, Eadgils (Adils) captured and married Yrsa (Yrs), the mother of Hrólf Kraki (Hrothulf). Not long after Hrólf became king, Eadgils requested his assistance in battle against his uncle, Onela (Áli). Hrólf sent his twelve companions, led by Bödvar Bjarki (the counterpart of Beowulf in Scandinavian sources), Onela was defeated and Eadgils gained the kingdom. But when Eadgils refused to pay Hrólf's men the expected tributes for their help, Hrólf Kraki set off to Gamla Uppsala. As Eadgils was away, gathering reinforcements, Hrólf's mother and sister Yrsa then gave him a horn filled with gold and jewels and a famous ring called Sviagris 'Pig of the Swedes'. With the treasure given them by Yrsa, Hrólf and his men try to escape over the Fy´risvellir (Fyris Wolds). When Eadgils and his men pursued them, Hrólf desperately spilled out the gold to occupy the pursuers with treasure collecting instead. Eadgils, however, overtook Hrólf who desperately threw away Sviagris. When Eadgils stooped to pick it up with his spear Hrólf ungloriously cut him in the back screaming that he had bent the back of the most powerful man in Sweden, stole the ring once again and fled.
Snorri Sturluson relates that Eadgils (Adils) loved good horses and had the best horses in his days (interestingly, the contempary Gothic scholar Jordanes noted that the Swedes were famed for their good horses). One horse was named Slöngve and another one Raven, which he had taken from Onela (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. Eadgils himself died in a similar way at the Disablót. Eadgils was riding around the Disa shrine when Raven stumbled and fell, and the king was thrown forward and hit his skull on a stone. He was buried at Uppsala, and was succeeded by Östen.
- Witch_demons, I have heard men say,
- Have taken Adils' life away.
- The son of kings of Frey's great race,
- First in the fray, the fight, the chase,
- Fell from his steed __ his clotted brains
- Lie mixed with mire on Upsal's plains.
- Such death (grim Fate has willed it so)
- Has struck down Ole's [Onela's] deadly foe.[1] (http://www.sacred_texts.com/neu/heim/02ynglga.htm)
He is said to be buried in Adils' Mound (also known as the Western mound or Thor's mound) one of the largest mounds at 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 (pawns of ivory and gems from the Middle East).
Preceded by:
Onela | Semi_legendary king of Sweden
| Succeeded by:
Östen |
Gesta Danorum According to Saxo Grammaticus, Eadgils (Athisl) was defeated by Roulf (Hrólf Kraki, Hrothulf) and replaced. For a discussion about this peculiarity, see Heoroweard.
Sources
See also
|
Feeds |
Contact