Ecgþeow (Proto-Norse *Agyþewaz [1] (http://www.sofi.se/SOFIU/lup/urnord.pdf).) was a warrior in Beowulf in the service of the Geats. In the epic we only learn that he belonged to a probably Swedish family (an ätt, see Norse clans) called the Waegmundings and that he had slain Heaðolaf, a man from another family called the Wulfings (probably the rulers of the East Geats). One of the Germanic ways of solving such an event was either to pay the wergild or to be banished. Apparently, Ecgþeow could not pay the wergild because he had to leave and go to Hroðgar, the Danish king. Hroðgar payed the wergild and had Ecgþeow swear an oath to him. Ecgþeow later married the daughter of the Geatish king, Hreðel, and had the son Beowulf. Proto-Norse, Proto-Nordic, Ancient Nordic or Proto-North Germanic was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved from Proto-Germanic between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century, and was spoken until ca 800, when it evolved into the Old Norse language. ... The first page of Beowulf This article describes Beowulf, the epic poem. ... Geats (Gautar Old Norse or Götar in Swedish) is the Old English spelling of the name of a Scandinavian people living in Götaland, land of the Geats, currently within the borders of modern Sweden. ... The Scandinavian clan or Ätt was a social group based on common descent or on the formal acceptance into the group at a Ting. ... The Wægmundings were a prominent probably Swedish clan (an ätt, see Norse clans) in Beowulf. ... The Wulfings, Wylfings or Ylfings were a prominent family/clan in Beowulf, Widsith and the Norse sagas. ... Ostrogothia (Östergötland) is a historical Province (landskap) in the south of Sweden. ... Weregild (Alternative spellings: wergild, wergeld, weregeld, etc. ... Hroðgar (Proto-Norse *Hrōþigaizaz [1], Hrothgar, Hróar, Ro), legendary Danish king. ... Geatish kings existed since the provinces of Götaland/Gautland/Geatland are considered to have been more or less independent with their own petty kings. ... Beowulf is the hero of the Anglo-Saxon poem by his name (see Beowulf). ...

When Beowulf arrived at Heorot, Hrothgar interprets this as a son's gratitude for what Hroðgar had done to Beowulf's father, and allows Beowulf to fight against Grendel. Heorot is the stronghold of king Hrothgar in the epic poem Beowulf. ... Grendel is a monster in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, feared by all save Beowulf himself. ...

Wiglaf and his father Weohstan were relatives of Ecgþeow. Weohstan is a Swedish champion in Beowulf, and he is the father of Wiglaf. ...