Legendary Kings and Queens of Denmark

Updated 28 December 2010.

The main sources are:
Saxo: Gesta Danorum - Danernes Bedrifter;
Rud klosters Årbog, edited by Rikke Agnete Olsen;
Politikens Danmarks Historie, 1969; all in Danish or Danish translations;

The times and dates mentioned are not exact or corresponding with contemporary chronology of modern history; they are all as mentioned in the legends.

Abbreviations used:
b = brother of, d = daughter of, m = married to (year), s = son of,
ss = grandson of, † = died; ‡ = buried.
 
No. Ruled King's name and relations
Queen's name and relations

Legendary Kings of Denmark - Danica

S-001 - Dan
First legendary king of Denmark;
Brother to Angel who went to Britain;

Grida of German origin;
children :
1.   Humble (S-002);
2.   Lothar (S-003);
S-002 - Humble
s(S-001);
 
S-003 - Lothar = Løder
s(S-001);

child :
1.   Skjold (S-004);
S-004 - Skjold
s(S-003);

Alvild;
child :
1.   Gram (S-005);
2.   daughter;
   raped and m Svipdag of Norway (S-006);
S-005 - Gram
s(S-004); † killed in action against Norwegian King Svipdag (S-006);
Defeated Sweden;
Killed King Sigtryg of Sweden;
Co-regent with father;

Gro; m(1); d Sigtryg of Sweden;
child :
1.   Guttorm;
   m Ulvild (S-007-2);
2.   daughter seduced by Svipdag (S-006);

Signe; m(2); d Sumble of Finland;
3.   Hadding (S-007);

S-006 - Svipdag = Svibdag
Danish father, Norwegian mother;
He expelled his father and took his Norwegian throne;
Killed King Gram (S-005);

child :
1.   Asmund;
   m Gunhild; ‡ Uppsala;
     they got:
     a) Uffe;
     b) Hunding;
S-007 - Hadding
s(S-005); † committed suicide, hanged himself in front of the whole people;

Regnhild; d King Haakon of Norway;
children :
1.   Frode (S-008);
2.   Ulvild;
   m(1) Guttorm (S-005-1);
   m(2) Ubbe; he rebelled and Ulvild was forced by family to divorce him;
   m(3) Skotte;
3.   Svanhvide;
   m King Regner of Sweden;
   they got:
     a) Hodbrod who m Yrsa (S-009-2-a);
     b) Høder (S-021);
S-008 - Frode hin Fæmilde
s(S-007);

Daughter of Handvan from a Russian realm;
children :
1.   Halfdan (S-009);
2.   Ro = Roe;
3.   Skate;
4.+   brothers; killed by Halfdan;
S-009 - Halfdan
s(S-008);

children :
1.   Ro (S-010);
2.   Helge (S-012); ruled the sea [after Saxo];
   raped Thora from Thurø;
   they got:
     a) Yrsa; See (S-012);
S-010 - Ro = Roe
s(S-009); killed in battle with King Hodbrod of Sweden (S-007-3-a);
Ruler of the land [after Saxo];
Founded Roskilde;

children :
1.   Halfdan; (S-011);
2.   Helge; (S-012);
S-011 - Halfdan
s(S-010);
Ruler of the land [after Ryd];
So-regent with brother;
S-012 - Helge
s(S-010); [after Saxo:] s(S-009) - rest of legend corresponds with [Ryd];
Ruler of the sea;
Co-regent with brother and later sole king of sea and land;
Killed Swedish King Hodbrod;
When the parental details of his conduct with women became known to him, he committed suicide;

Peasant girl; d Rolfkarl;
child :
1.   Thora; ‡ Thurø;
   they got:
     a) Yrsa;
   Helge had intercourse with his daughter Yrsa when she was fifteen;
   they got:
     3. = a) Rolf Krake (S-015);
     4. = b) Rut;
     m Agner Ingjaldsøn;
     5. = c) Skuld;
     m Hjartvad = Hjørvad, vicegerent in Sweden.
     He killed Rolf Krake (S-015) and was killed by Vigge;
S-013 - Rakke
The Danes were defeated by the Swedish King Adils, who let a dog, Rakke, rule Denmark;
S-014 - Snio
After the dog-ruler the Swedish King let the shepherd Snio rule Denmark;
S-015 - Rolf Krake
s(S-012); killed in his bed in his royal seat in Lejre by his brother-in-law, Chief Hjørvad of Sweden (S-012-5);
[after Saxo:] ruled after father (S-012);
Founded the royal seat at Lejre;
S-016 - Hjørvad = Hjartvad
King from dawn to mass. Killed in bed by Hage who took the crown; [after Saxo:] killed in battle by Vigge
S-016A - Høder = Hjartvad
[after Saxo p.107:] Ruled after Hjørvad. See also below: Hother = Høder (S-021) according to [Ryd];
S-017 - Hage
Killed by Fridlev who took the crown;
S-018 - Fridlev

Daughter of Rolf Krake (S-015);
S-019 - Odin
Ruler of divine origin. Died at Odense;

child :
1.   Balder (S-020);
S-020 - Balder
s(S-019); Ruler of divine origin. Killed by Hother who took the crown;
[after Saxo:] Balder ruled after Høder (S-021);
S-021 - Hother = Høder
[after Saxo:] Took the Danish crown after Hjartvad (S-016) and (S-017-018-019-020) had ruled.
His claim for the Danish crown was as a relative of Hjartvad;
Høder took the Swedish crown after Adils; He fled for Balder and took refuge at Højer, named after him;

[after Ryd:] Killed Balder with his sword Mimming; Killed by Swedish King Boye who took the crown;
The town Højer is named after Hother;
S-022 - Boye = Bo
King of Sweden;
King of Denmark;

children :
1.   Rørik (S-023);
2.   Gerud daughter
   m Ørvendel (S-024);
S-023 - Rørik Slyngebånd
s(S-022);
S-024 - Ørvendel
s Gervendel;
[after Saxo:] Ørvendel was a vassal king under Rørik (S-023);
Killed the Norwegian King Koller and his notorious pirate sister Sæla;
Killed by his brother Fegge who took the crown;

Gerud; d King Boye (S-022); re-married dead husband's brother Fegge (S-025);
child :
1.   Amled (S-026); the protagonist in Shakespeare's Hamlet;
S-025 - Fegge = Fenge
b(S-024);
Fegge was a vassal king under Rørik;

Gerud; (dead brother's widow);
S-026 - Amled = Hamlet
s(S-024); Killed uncle Fegge; became vassal king in Jutland;
[after Saxo:] Ravaged all England and returned with two wives. At that time Vigleik had become king after Rørik;
Killed by stepfather Vigleik who took the crown;

Daughter of English king; m(1);

Hermuthrud, Queen of Scots; m(2); re-married husband's murderer (S-027) after husband's death;
S-027 - Vigleik of Norway = Viglek
King of Norway;
King of Denmark after Rørik (S-023) [after Dk. Hist. vol.1 p.19];

Unknown; m(1); later disowned;
child :
1.   Vermund den Blinde (S-028);

Hermuthrud; widow after (S-026); m(2);
S-028 - Vermund den Blinde
s(S-027); Lost his sight in old age;
Had a royal seat in Jelling;

child :
1.   Uffe Stærke (S-029);
S-029 - Uffe Stærke
s(S-028); In single combat he killed the son of the German king and his best man;
Kept the famous sword Skræp;
Conquered in a duel a part of Saxony;

Daughter of Frøvin, Earl of Schleswig;
child :
1.   Olaf (S-030);
S-030 - Olaf = Dan den Storladne
s(S-029);
S-031 - Hugleik = Huglek
Defeated Swedish Ømod and Øgrim in battle;
S-032 - Frode hin Frekne = Frode den Raske
Killed Norwegian king Froger or Frøger - claimed to be a son of the god Odin;

child :
1.   Dan (S-033);
2.   Fridlev (S-034);
S-033 - Dan
s(S-032); [after Ryd:] called Dan; [after Saxo:] called Hjarne;
S-034 - Fridlev den Rappe
s(S-032); Fridlev defeated Dublin and parts of Britain;

child :
1.   Frode (S-035);
2.   Gunver den Smukke;
S-035 000-010 c Frode hin Fredegod
s(S-034); "At his time Jesus Christ was born"; ‡ Værebro;
Frode was elected king when seven years old;
Frode conquered Norway, Sweden, England, Scotland, Ireland, Saxony and a great deal more;

Hanunde; m(1); d King of the Huns; which is anachronistic as the Huns came around 400 CE;

Alvild;
child :
1.   Fridlev (S-037);
S-036 - Hjarne
Ruled for a short time. Killed by Frode's son Fridlev (S-037);
S-037 - Fridlev
s(S-035);
Killed Hjarne (S-034) and the Norwegian King Åmund;

Jurid; mistress; d Grube in Norway ;
child :
1.   Oluf;

Frøgerd; m(1); d King Åmund from Norway;
child :
2.   Frode (S-038);
S-038 - Frode hin Frekne
s(S-037); Was twelve years when father died and he was elected king; killed by Sverting;
Stærkodder came to Denmark and fought bravely both men and dragons;

children :
1.   Ingild (S-039);
2.   Helga;
S-039 - Ingild = Ingjald
s(S-038);

children :
1.   Olaf (S-040);
2.   Frode; killed in battle;
3.   Fridlev; killed in battle;
4.   Ingjald; killed in battle;
5.   Helga;
6.   Åsa;
S-040 - Olaf
s(S-039); rumours had that Olaf was son of Helga or Åsa (S-039-5/6);

children :
1.   Frode Retbane (S-042);
2.   Harald (S-041);
The sons should rule separately over land and sea and change areas every year.
S-041 - Harald
s(S-040); Killed by brother Frode Retbane (S-042);

Signe; d Earl Karl of Götland who was killed by Frode (S-042);
children :
1.   Halfdan Bjørngram (S-043);
2.   Hugne = Harald (S-045);
S-042 - Frode Retbane
s(S-040); Killed his brother Harald and took the crown;
King and Queen were killed by his nephews Halfdan Bjørngram (S-044) and Hugne (S-045);

Ulvild; d King Sigvard of Sweden;
child :
1   Erik;
S-043 - Halfdan Bjørngram = Halfdan Bjerggram
s(S-041); Nicknamed Bjerg + Gram because he was: "on a mountain + very angry";
Toured Sweden, conquered Øland, killed the Swedish king, met Erik (S-044) in battle, failed and fled to Hälsingland;
King of Denmark;
King of Sweden;

Thorild m after being a bachelor for a considerable time; d Hader a vassal king;
S-044 - Erik of Sweden
Captured by Halfdan Bjørngram (S-043) who had him killed by wild beasts;
King of Sweden;
King of Denmark - not after [Saxo];

Halfdan died childless. The realm was bequeathed King Ungvin of Götland;
S-045 - Hugne = Harald
s(S-041); killed by Erik (S-044);

child :
1.   Sigvald (S-046);
S-045a - Ungvin

child :
1.   Sigvald (S-046);
S-046 - Sigvald
s(S-045) or (S-045a);

children had seven sons all told:
1.   Siger (S-047);
2.   daughter;
   m Borghard (S-049);

Sister to Othar; m(2);
child :
3.   Sigrid
   m Othar, s of Erik the pirate;
S-047 - Siger
s(S-047); Killed in battle by Hake at Sigersted by Ringsted;

children :
1.   Sigvald;
2.   Alf; killed in battle;
   m Alvild; d King Sigvald of Götland;
   they got:
     Gyrid who m Halfdan (S-053);
3.   Alger; killed in battle;
4.   Signe; seduced by Hagbard;
   Hagbard was hanged and Signe hanged herself;
S-048 - Godrik
Godrik was a relative of Hake (see S-047);
 

Denmark was divided into five states


 
S-049 - Borghard
Maybe the same king named Østmar in [Saxo];
King of Skåne; Halfdan hin Stærke (S-053) succedeed him

Daughter of Sigvald (S-046);
children :
1.   Harald Hildetand (S-055);
2.   sister;
   m Ole, s of Sigurd;
   they got:
   a) King Ring of Sweden (S-055);
   b) King Harald of Denmark (S-056);
   c) King Ole of Norway (S-057);
S-050 - Hunding
King of Sjælland;
S-051 - Hani = Hane
King of Fyn;
S-052 - Hother = Hader
King of Sønderjylland;
S-053 - Regnar = Rørik
King of Nørrejylland;
S-054 - Halfdan hin Stærke
King of Skåne;

child :
1.   Harald (S-054);
S-055 - Harald Hildetand
s(S-049);
United Denmark with Norway and Sweden;
In battle, Harald was accompanied by 300 virgins called Skjoldmøer;
The standard-bearer of the Skoldmøer was Hede; after him Hedeby is named;
S-056 - Ring
gs(S-049);
A battle, the Bråvallaslag, occurred between Harald (S-055) and Ring when Harald was old, and he died at Brune's (= Odin's) hand.
King of Sweden;
King of Denmark - or part of Denmark;

children :
1.   Daughter; m Ømund;
2.   Daughter; m Ømod;
S-057 - Harald
gs(S-049);
S-058 - Ole hin Frekne
gs(S-049); killed by Starkad;

child :
1.   Ømund (S-059);
S-059 - Ømund
s(S-058);

Daughter of Ring children :
1.   Sigvard (S-060);
2.   Butel = Budle (S-061);
3.   Daughter;
4.   Daughter;
S-060 - Sigvard
s(S-059); Killed in battle and lost Skåne and Jylland;

children :
1.   Jarmerik (S-062);
2.   Broder;
   he got 2 sons;
3.   Daughter sold as a bride to Norway;
4.   Daughter sold as a bride to Germany;
S-061 - Butel = Budle
s(S-058);
S-062 - Jarmerik
s(S-060);
Conqered Sweden. He hanged his nephews;

Svanild; m(?); sister of the Hellespont brothers children :
1.   Broder (S-063);
2.   Bikke;
S-063 - Broder
s(S-062);
S-064 - Sigvald

child :
1.   Snio (S-65);
S-065 - Snio = Snjo
s(S-064); conquered Skåne and Götland in battles. Robbed the Swedish queen, daughter of the Götland King.
Years of bad crops and devastated land followed. People chosen by drawing lots emigrated and became known as the Langobards.
[after Ryd:] it happened in 687;
S-066 - Bjørn
child :
1.   Harald (S-067);
S-067 - Harald
s(S-066);

child :
1.   Gorm (S-068);
S-068 - Gorm
s(S-067);

child :
1.   Godrik (S-069);
S-069 - Godrik = Gøtrik = Godfred
s(S-068); assassinated;
In Godrik's time the Frankish king Charles, later Emperor Charlemagne, crushed Germany and Christened the people.
It happened when Leo was pope. It happened between 780 and 814;

child :
1.   Olaf (S-070);
2.   Daughter;
   m King Sigvard Ring of Norway;
S-070 - Olaf Godtdranker = Oluf
s(S-069); ‡ Olafs Høj by Lejre;

child :
1.   Hemming (S-071);
S-071 - Hemming
s(S-070); concluded piece negotiations with Emperor Louis;
Hemming ruled for 28 years;
S-072 - Ring
gs(S-069); killed in battle by Sigvard (S-073);
Two kings followed Hemming. Ring ruled Jylland and his cousin ruled Sjælland and eastern provinces (S-073);
S-73 - Sigvard Ring
s Norwegian King Sigvard Ring and Godrik's daughter (S-069-2);
Sigvard died a few days after Ring (S-072);

child :
1.   Regner (S-074);
S-074 820-870 c. Regner Lodbrog
s(S-073); killed in Ireland;
Regner conquered most of Europe and placed his nine sons as Kings in different countries;

Ladgerd = Lathgertha, Norwegian; m(1); divorced;
children :
  1.   Aaluf (daughter);
  2.   Daughter;
  3.   Fridlev;

Thora; m(2); d King Herrød = Heroth of a Swedish province;
children :
  4.   Rådbard;
  5.   Dunvat;
  6.   Sigvard Orm i Øje (S-076);
  7.   Bjørn Jernside; became King of Norway or Sweden;
  8.   Agner; ruled in England; † in England;
  9.   Ivar = Ingvar ? (S-075);

Svanløg = Svanlogha; m(3);
children :
10.   Regnald;
11.   Hvidsærk; defeated and burnt at the stake;
12.   Erik Vejrhat; became Regent of Sweden; † in Sweden;

Mistress;
child :
13.   Ubbe;

Other names of sons mentioned:
Sigfred;
Halfdan, active 871-875;
Sydroe;
Berno;

Another wife, Aslaug, mentioned in Danmarks historie, vol. 1, p.11 (Pol.);
S-075 873 c.- Ingvar Benløs
s(S-074); conquered Northumbria;
S-076 - Sigvard Orm i Øje = Sigurd
s(S-074); Elected king of the realm after Regner;

child :
1.   Erik (S-080);
S-077 - Anulo
Relative to King Godrik (S-069);
S-078 - Sigfred
Relative to King Godrik (S-069);
S-079 - Harald
Harald ruled with Rejnfred in constant battles for nine years and in the end banished Rejnfred;
Then Harald was banished by Rejnfred's sons and fled in 826 to Emperor Louis the Pious and was baptised in Mainz together with wife and broder Erik;
Saint Ansgar came to Denmark in 828 and a church was built in Hedeby;

child :
1.   Guttorm;
   he got:
     a) Daughter who m (S-081);
S-080 - Erik
s(S-079); Closed the church in Hedeby;
War between Erik and his brother's son King Guttorm of Norway; both kings killed;

child :
1.   Erik Barn;
S-081 -902 Erik Barn
s(S-076); † 902;

Daughter of Guttorm (S-079-1-a);
child :
1.   Loddenknud (S-084;
S-082 902-907 Olaf
King of Sweden; took by force the crown of Denmark;
S-083 907-912 Gurd
A relative to Olaf (S-082); killed by the Danes;
S-084 912-923 Loddenknud
s(S-080);

child :
1.   Frode (S-085);
S-085 - Frode
s(S-084);
Conquered England, was Christened; ruled for 20 years both realms;

child :
1.   Gorm (S-086);
S-086 - Gorm hin Enske = Orm Hardesnude = Gorm den Engelske
s(S-085); Ruled England for four years;

child :
1.   Harald (S-087);
S-087 - Harald
s(S-086);
S-088 890-950 c. Gorm den Gamle

 
The details on Gorm and his family are in Danish Historical Kings and Queens;

 


Jørgen Marcussen
Opdateret d. 28.12.2010.
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