Rolf Krake

Rolf Krake (Hrolf Kraki) was a mythological king at Lejre on the isle of Zealand, Denmark, described in several old sagas and other documents such as the Leire chronicle and Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus. The content of the saga is also related by Snorre Sturlasson in his Ynglingasaga, as part of the now-lost saga of the Skoldungs (Shieldings).

Table of contents

1 Parentage 2 Kingship 3 Death by burning 4 Origins of the myth 5 A modern version

Parentage

Rolf Krake's father is Helge, grandfather Halfdan, and mother Yrsa. Yrsa is Helge's daughter with a Saxon queen, who is forced or seduced by Helge into marrying him. In revenge, the queen tricks her daughter and her husband into having a liaison. After Yrsa discovers that Helge is her father, she goes home to Saxony with her mother.

Kingship

Later, Yrsa is married to Adils (Eadgils), son of Ottar (Othere). Adils is the king of Svitjod (Sweorice), nowadays normally assumed to be the origin of Sweden, the Svealand region. Helge dies and is succeeded by his brother Roar since Rolf is still a young boy. After Roar's death, Rolf Krake becomes the king of the Danes. At this time, Adils request Rolf's assistance in battle against his uncle, Ale (Onela). As Rolf sends his twelve best men, led by Bodvar Bjarke, Ale is defeated and Adils gains the kingdom.

But when Adils refuses to pay Rolf's men the expected tributes for their help, Rolf Krake sets off to Ubsola (ancient Uppsala, possibly placed in the county of Uppland, Sweden). His mother Yrsa helps him and give him a horn filled with gold and jewels, and a famous ring called Sweagris. Rolf and his men set off over Fyrisvallarna (the Fyris Wolds), and when Adils sends his men after them, Rolf spills out the gold to occupy the greedy pursuers with treasure collecting instead of hunting Rolf and his men, and so he gets away.

Death by burning

Finally, after a long and peaceful reign, Rolf is burnt to death by his brother-in-law Hjorvard, possibly a jarl or subking of Skåne (Scania). In this battle all his men are killed but Vögg (Wig), the young man that gave him the nickname Krake. Vögg pretends to swear loyalty to Hjorvard, but as he accepts the new king's sword, he stabs Hjorvard to death as revenge for the killing of Rolf Krake. With Rolf, the family of the Skoldungs is ended as kings of Denmark.

Origins of the myth

The Rolf Krake saga has several interesting similarities to that of Beowulf. No definite alignments, however, are made on these two characters. See Origins for Beowulf and Rolf Krake.

A modern version

The American writer Poul Anderson used this story in his novel Hrolf Kraki's Saga. Anderson's story begins in earlier generations and differs in some events from the account given here. Although well received by many fantasy fans, the book has been criticized on the grounds that its many explanations, especially of the characters' feelings and motives, are incompatible with the saga traditions.