Svanhildr

Swanhild, also Svanhild Sigurdsdótter ( Svanhildr Sigurðardóttir ), according to the Nordic Sage is the daughter of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer ( Sigurðr Fáfnisbani Sigmundarson ) and Gudrun ( Guðrún Gjúkadóttir ). Svanhild means swan fighter and is a Valkyrie as her half-sister Aslaug ( Kraka ). It is mentioned ( Hamðismál and Guðrúnarhvöt ), the Völsunga saga, the Norwegian Ragnarsdrápa, the Danish Gesta Danorum and the German Nibelungenlied, and in the Quedlinburg Annals in the Edda.

The history of Svanhild

As Svanhilds mother Gudrun the mystical King Jonakur ( Jónakr ) marries after a vain attempt at suicide, they will wind up at the farm along with her ​​brothers Erp ( ERPR ) Hamde ( Hamðir ) and Sörle ( Sǫrli ). You should king Jormunrekr (ie Ermanarich, the Ostrogoth ) marry. Jormunrekr ( Jormunrek ) sends his son to Randver Jonakur and Gudrun, in order for him, the father in order to Svanhild free. Randwers companion, the malicious Bikki, convinces him to the girl for yourself instead of asking for his father. Randver enters it, but Bikki deliver the news to the father, who hanged his son as punishment and Svanhild be trampled by his horses. However, this is only possible when he covered her head with a bag, so that the horses can not recognize and eschew the " snake in the eye" ( intense gaze ). It involves the sign of Völsungen. To avenge her daughter, Gudrun sends her sons Sörli and Hamdir and Erp to Jormunrekr who cut off his hands and feet. While Erp is accidentally killed by his brothers, stony Jormunrekrs people Sörli and Hamdir.

The historical Svanhild Sunilda

A possible historical background of Svanhildsaga reported by Jordanes in his work Getica not reliable. He writes that while King Ermanarik ( Jormunrek ), as was the tradition, reigned alone over all Gotenvölker - from the Black Sea to the Atlantic. From bitterness about the fact that one of his own vassal kings called Rosomonis had fallen in the back, because he did not want to fight with him against the Huns, he let his young wife Sunilda ( Svanhild ) of four wild horses tear. In revenge Ermanarik was himself killed with a spear by Sunildas brothers Ammius and Sarus. After the Quedlinburg Annals of the 10th century the brothers who here Hemidus and serila and Adaccar hot, the king who chopped off the hands, which is consistent with Snorri's version definitely should. Only the name Adaccar ( Odovakar ) is incorrect. King Ermanarik is in medieval texts often confused with Odovakar.

Swell

  • Völsungasaga
  • Saxo Grammaticus Gesta Danorum
  • Hamðismál
  • Guðrúnarhvǫt
  • Codex Regius
  • Brage Boddasons Ragnarsdrápa
  • Nibelungen (master list)
Annals of Quedlinburg
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