Figure
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Names in medieval languages
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Historical origin
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Name meaning
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Relationships
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Early and English Attestations
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Norse Attestations
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German Attestations
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Heaðolaf
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Old Norse: Heaðolāf
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From
PN *Haþulaibaz, where the first element is from *haþō meaning "battle" and the second element from *-laibaz meaning "descendant" or "heir".
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Heaðolaf was a
Wulfing who was killed by
Ecgþeow, who probably belonged to
Scylfings, the Swedish royal dynasty. Ecgþeow had to seek the protection of the Danish king
Hroðgar, who paid the
wergild for him.
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Beowulf
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Healfdene
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Old English: Healfdene,
Old Norse: Halfdan,
Latin: Halfdanus or Haldanus
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PN *Halbadaniz means "half Dane", i.e. with one of the parents Danish.
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In Beowulf, Healfdene is the son of
Beow, and the father of
Heorogar,
Hroðgar,
Halga and a daughter who is married to
Onela, but in Ynglinga saga, he drives away king
Aun and rules as the king of Sweden until he dies. In the Skjöldunga saga, there are two Halfdanus, and one corresponds to Healfdene in Beowulf. His father Fróði subjugated king
Jorund of Sweden and raped his daughter which resulted in Healfdene, who had a claim on the Swedish throne. In Gesta Danorum, there are four Halfdans, of whom the first is the father of Hrothgar/Roe and Halga/Helgo, and number two and three are the same character, and defeat the Swedes, and number two and four become kings of Sweden. Clarke points out that if Healfdene of Beowulf was buried at
Uppsala it would give the Scyldings a claim to Swedish throne and it would explain his son Halga's and grandson Hroðulf/
Hrólfr kraki's expeditions to Sweden and their hostility with its king
Eadgils.
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Beowulf
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Skjöldinga saga, Ynglinga saga, Gesta Danorum, Hyndluljóð (14)
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Heardred
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Old English: Heardrēd
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PN *Hardurādaz, from *hardu- ("hard") and an
agent noun of ON ráða ("to give advice").
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King of the Geats, and the son of king
Hygelac, Heardred offers sanctuary to the renegade Swedish princes
Eadgils (Aðils) and
Eanmund after their uncle
Onela (Áli) becomes the king of Sweden. This incurs the wrath of Onela who attacks the
Geats and both Heardred and Eanmund are killed. Onela leaves Beowulf as the king of the Geats, who however avenges Heardred by supporting Eadgils in the
Battle on the Ice.
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Beowulf
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Hedin (for another Hedin, see Heoden)
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Old Norse: Heðinn
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The name is an abbreviation of Ulfheðinn which means "wolfcoat" or "werewolf",
[128] see also Heoden, above.
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In Helgakvíða Hjörvarðssonar, Hedin is the son of Hjörvard4, a king in Norway, with his wife Alfhild2. Hjörvard4 also had a son named Humlung with his wife Særeith, a son named Hymling with his wife Sinrióth, and a son named Helgi with his wife Sigrlinn. Hedin's half-brother Helgi married the
Valkyrie Sváfa1, and avenged his maternal grandfather Svafnir of
Svavaland by killing Svafnir's murderer king Hrothmar. One
Yule as Hedin was riding home, he met
a troll-woman riding in a wolf with reins of snakes. He rejected her request to accompany him, so she cursed him that he would regret it when he drank the
bragarfull. Later when he put his hand on the sacred boar and made the holy toast, he said that he would have his brother Helgi's wife Sváfa, which he immediately regretted. When he met his brother, Helgi told him that he might soon die killed in a duel by Hrothmar's son Alf7. As Helgi later lay dying he asked Svafa to marry Hedin, but Hedin told Svafa to kiss him and that she would not see him again until he has avenged Helgi.
[129]
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Helgakvíða Hjörvarðssonar
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Heidrek
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Old Norse: Heiðrekr, possibly
Old English: Heaþoric.
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Unknown, possibly a historical figure from modern Ukraine.
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Heiðrekr means "king of the heathlands (
the steppe)".
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He is the son of Höfund, and the grandson of Gudmund of Glæsisvellir. His mother is the shieldmaiden Hervor2. He unintentionally kills his own brother, at a feast, and so he is banished but is given the cursed sword Tyrfing by his mother. He enters the service of Harald, the king of the Goths and marries his daughter Helga. With a ruse he both saves his son with Helga, Angantýr3, and takes over the kingdom. He kidnaps the Hunnish princess
Sifka whom he rapes then sends back pregnant with Hlöd, to be raised by Sifka's father Humli. With the daughter of Hrollaugr, the king
Garðar (
Rus'), he has the daughter Hervor1 He is killed by thralls, in the
Carpathians, but is avenged by his son Angantýr1 who takes back the cursed sword Tyrfing.
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Possibly in Widsith
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Hervarar saga
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Heidrek2
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Old Norse: Heiðrekr
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Appears to be an invention of the poet.
[136]
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For Heiðrekr, see above.
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In the
eddic poem Oddrúnargrátr, the father of Borgny.
[138] He is one of the vassals of Atli (
Attila).
[136]
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Oddrúnargrátr
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Heidrek3 Wolfskin
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Old Norse: Heiðrekr úlfhamr
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For Heiðrekr, see above.
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According to the Hervarar saga, he was the son of the Gothic king Angantýr1, and like him he ruled for a long time. He was the father of Hild3 who married
Halfdan the Valiant, the father of
Ivar Vidfamne. According to the Skjöldunga saga he could "
turn into a wolf", but this could be figurative. In the 14th c. Þórsteins þáttr bæjarmagns he is the son of Gudmund of Glæsisvellir, and the grandson of Gudmund wolf pelt (Úlfhéðinn).
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Hervarar saga, Skjöldunga saga, Sörla þáttr, Þórsteins þáttr bæjarmagns
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Heiðr1
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Old Norse: Heiðr
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Heiðr means "shine" and "beauty".
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Heiðr was a conventional name for a
Völva, a prophetess.
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Hrólfs saga kraka, Orvar-Odds saga, Hauks þáttr hábrókar, Landnamabók
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Heiðr2
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Old Norse: Heiðr,
Latin: Hetha and Hedæ
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See Heiðr, above.
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In Sögubrot, she is a
shield-maiden who appears together with the shield-maiden Visma (or Visina) on the Danish king
Harald Wartooth's side at the massive
Battle of Brávellir against the Swedish king
Sigurd Ring. She holds one of Harald's flanks with her banner and commands 100 champions. She is also sent out with his right-hand man Bruni to reconnoitre the Swedish troops. In Gesta Danorum, she also leads 100 champions, and when the army has been positioned, she leads the right-hand flank, while Haki3 leads the left, and Visna holds the banner. She survives the battle and after the entreaties of the Danes, the Swedish king appoints her as the ruler of Denmark, but gives
Scania to
Ale the Strong. The latter cannot accept seeing a woman in such a powerful position so he conspires with her subjects, and takes over her territory and appoints her as his subordinate ruler of
Jutland. The Danes later regret having helped him and contract
Starkad to kill him. In Chronicon lethrense, Hedæ and Wysna are the two young women who were Harald's standard-bearers. After the battle, the Swedish king appoints Hedæ as the ruler of Denmark and she founds the town of
Hedeby.
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Sögubrot, Chronicon lethrense, Gesta Danorum (VIII)
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Heime/Heimir1
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Old English: Háma,
Old Norse: Heimir,
Middle High German: Heime
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Derived from PGMc *haim- ("home")
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Companion of Witige. The OE poem Widsith mentions Háma and Witege among Ermanaric's as exiles followers, while Beowulf mentions that Háma fled Ermanaric's wrath after stealing the necklace Brosingamen. In some sources he has four elbows. In several epics, he is the leader of Ermarnic's men fighting against Dietrich von Bern, and in Alpharts Tod he kills Alphart with Witiege. In several of the fantastical poems he is one of Dietrich's men. In the Þiðreks saga, he is the son of Brunhild's studmanager, Studas, and joins Dietrich von Bern after the latter defeats him in a fight. Heime lives as an outlaw after Ermanaric forces Dietrich into exile; after Ermanaric's death, he joins a monastery that he latter saves from a giant. When Dietrich finds him at the monastery, Heime kills the monks, but is later killed by another giant.
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Widsith, Beowulf
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See Heimir2
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Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Rabenschlacht, Alpharts Tod, Biterolf und Dietleib
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Heimir2
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Old Norse: Heimir
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See Heime1
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In Völsunga saga, Brynhild's foster-father, married to her sister Bekkhild and the father of Alsvid. He allows Brynhild to marry whom she wants, and he took care of Sigurd's and Brynhild's daughter Aslaug1. He is killed by Áki.2
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See Heime1
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Grípispá, Helreið Brynhildar, Völsunga saga (24, 25, 29), Ragnars saga loðbrókar
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See Heime1
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Helche
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Old Norse: Herkja or Erka,
Latin: Ospirin (in Waltharius),
Middle High German: Helche
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Possibly Attila's wife
Kreka (in some instances spelled Erekan).
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The names Helche/Herkja/Erka is based on the equivalent of OHG hari- ("army").
Otto Maenchen-Helfen argued that the Germanic forms represent an originally Hunnish name Erekan, from Turkic *arī(γ)-qan ("pure princess"). "Ospirin" means "heavenly bear" and has a first component PGmc *ans- (god), matching her father Oserich.
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In the continental tradition, first wife of Attila. Daughter of Oserich. Her death in the Nibelungenlied percipates Attila's marriage to Kriemhild. In Dietrichs Flucht, she persuades Attila to help Dietrich von Bern against Ermanaric and has her niece Herrat married to her. When her sons are killed while on campaign with Dietrich in Rabenschlacht, Rüdiger persuades her to forgive him. She appears as Attila's concubine in Guðrúnarkviða III, where she accuses Gudrun of adultery and is killed when the latter accomplishes an ordeal. In the Þiðreks saga, she is abducted by Attila from her father.
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Guðrúnarkviða III
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Waltharius, Nibelungenlied, Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Rabenschlacht.
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Helferich (Hjálprekr)
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Middle High German: Helferîch, Helpfrîch,
Old Norse: Hjálprekr
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The name appears to derive from the Frankish ruler
Chilperic I, however George Gillespie notes that the Norse character's role seems to be more based on his being "helpful" than on any historical origin.
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First element from PGmc *hilp ("help"), second element PGmc *rīk- ("ruler, powerful").
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One of Dietrich von Bern's vassals, although in the Eckenlied, his opponent. In the Þiðreks saga he is killed by Witige with the sons of Attila with Helche. George Gillespie counts four separate characters with this name, however Arnulf Krause regards them as the same. In the Norse tradition, he is a King of Denmark who helps Sigurd's mother Hjordis and has Sigurd raised by the smith Regin. In Reginsmál, he gives Sigurd a fleet and warriors so he can kill Lyngvi and avenge his father.
[162]
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Reginsmál, Frá dauða Sinfjǫtla, Skáldskaparmál, Völsunga saga, Norna-Gests þáttr
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Nibelungenlied, Þiðreks saga, Eckenlied, Dietrichs Flucht, Rabenschlacht, Alpharts Tod, Biterolf und Dietleib, Virginal
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Helga
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Old Norse: Helga
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A feminine form of Helgi which is derived from the adjective heilagr meaning "holy" and "dedicated to the gods".
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A Gothic princess and the daughter of king Harald, she is given to Heidrek together with half the Gothic kingdom. Together they have the son Angantýr1. When Heidrek agrees to
sacrifice their son Angantýr to
Odin to avert a famine, he does so on condition that he is given temporary command of half (or a fourth of) the Gothic army. Instead, of performing the sacrifice, he attacks king Harald killing him and Helga's brother, claiming that all the slain were Odin's sacrifice. Helga is so furious with the deception and the death of her father and brother that she hangs herself in the temple of the goddess (
Dís), perhaps
Freyja (Vanadís).
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Hervarar saga
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Helgi2
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Old Norse: Helgi
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See Helga.
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A king of the Huns and father, with Hildr2 of Hildebrand1 in Ásmundar saga kappabanna.
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Ásmundar saga kappabanna
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Helgi Haddingjaskati
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Old Norse: Helgi Haddingjaskati, Skati haddingja or Haddingjaskaði
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For etymology, see Helga. Haddingjaskati or Haddingjaskaði means "warrior" or "lord" of the Haddings.
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According to he
Poetic Edda, Helgi and his lover, the
Valkyrie Kára, were
Helgi Hundingsbane and Sigrún reborn, who in turn were Helgi Hjörvarðsson and Sváfa reborn.
[167] Their story was told in the lost poem Káruljóð, which has partly survived by being used as material for the
legendary saga
Hrómundar saga Gripssonar. The saga tells that Helgi lost his brother Hröngvid who was killed by Hrómund in a battle at Elfasker, (the islands outside modern-day
Gothenburg), and that later Helgi was in the service of the Haddings, the kings of Sweden. The two Haddings challenged a Danish king named Olaf to battle on the ice of lake
Vänern, and as Hrómund was in Olaf's service, Helgi could meet him to avenge his brother. During the fight, Helgi was protected by the magic of Kára who was flying in the form of a swan above him. Accidentally, Helgi cut off her leg as he swung his sword into Hrómund, killing her, after which Hrómund killed Helgi. His horse Skæfaðr is mentioned in the Kalvsvísa in the Prose Edda.
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Hrómundar saga Gripssonar, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, Kálfsvísa (Skáldskaparmál, in the Prose Edda)
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Helgi Hildibrandsson
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Old Norse: Helgi Hildibrandsson
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For etymology, see Helga
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Helgi is a Hunnish king, and the son of Hildibrand2. He marries Hildr2, the daughter of Buðli2, the king of Sweden, and they have the son Hildibrand1 (Hildigerus) who is sent to be raised by his grandfather Hildibrandr2. However, when Helgi is away pillaging, the aging king is attacked by Danes and killed by the Danish king Álfr4 and his champion Áki1, and they take Hildr2 away. Áki1 marries Hildr2 and they have the son Ásmundr who will later kill Hildibrand1. Later, it is said that Helgi has fallen while raiding.
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Ásmunds saga kappabana
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Helgi Hjörvarðsson
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Old Norse: Helgi Hjǫrvarðsson
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For etymology, see Helga
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Helgi was the son of the Norwegian king Hjörvard4 and the
Suebian princess Sigrlinn. When he grew up no name would fit him and he was an
ash lad until he met his love, the
Valkyrie Sváfa, daughter of king Eylimi. She gave him his name and as a naming gift she told him where there was a damascened sword. She protected him during his battles, such as when he avenged his maternal grandfather king Svafnir by killing king Hrothmar and when he and his friend Atli2 had a
flyting with a giantess. Later, they married and she stayed at home. However, a troll woman had put a curse on Helgi's brother Hedin so when he had drunk the
bragarfull at
Yule and put his hand on the sacrificial boar, he made the holy toast that he would have Sváfa as wife, which he immediately regretted. When he met his brother, Helgi told him that he might soon die killed in a duel by Hrothmar's son Alf7, who wanted to avenge his father's death at Helgi's hands. As Helgi later lay dying he asked Svafa to marry Hedin, but Hedin told Svafa to kiss him and that she would not see him again until he had avenged his brother. Helgi and Sváfa were reborn as
Helgi Hundingsbane and
Sigrún.
[167]
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Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I
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Helgi Hundingsbane
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Old Norse: Helgi Hundingsbani
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For etymology, see Helga
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Helgi and
Hamund were the sons of
Sigmund and
Borghild1. Helgi was visited by the Norns at his birth, and he earned himself the cognomen Hundingsbane, by killing a king named
Hunding and Helgakviða Hundingsbana I adds that Helgi was only 15 years old. The lay tells that he refused to give Hunding's sons compensation, and so they attacked him but were defeated and killed.
[119] Helgakviða Hundingsbana II adds the backstory that Helgi had been sent to be raised by a man named Hagal. As Hunding was at war with Sigmund, Helgi went to Hunding's hall to spy and escaped dressed as a female servant. Helgi went to a warship and after that he killed Hunding.
[21] Then he met a
Valkyrie named
Sigrún who was the daughter of king
Högni3, but betrothed to
Hothbrodd, the son of king
Granmar. The lays and the saga deal with how he battled against Granmar's sons and married her.
[176] However, the second lay tells that soon Sigrún's brother Dag avenged their father by piercing Helgi with a spear at
Fjoturlund, that after his death Helgi visited her one last time, and that when Helgi met Hunding at Valhalla, he humiliated him by having him do menial chores.
[178] The Poetic Edda says that Helgi and Sigrún were
Helgi Hjörvarðsson and the Valkyrie
Sváfa reborn
[179] and they would come back as
Helgi Haddingjaskati and Kára.
[180]
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Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, Völsunga saga, Norna-Gests þáttr
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Helgi the Sharp1 or Helgi the Keen
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Old Norse: Helgi Hvassi
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For etymology, see Helga
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In
Sögubrot af nokkrum fornkonungum, Helgi the Sharp1 was the brother of
Hrœrekr Ringslinger, the king of
Zealand. Hrœrekr married
Auðr the Deep-Minded, the daughter of king
Ivar Vidfamne, but Auðr and Helgi felt attracted to each other. King Ivar saw an advantage in this and told Hrœrekr that Auðr was unfaithful with Helgi. Hrœrekr then killed Helgi and after this Hrœrekr was himself soon killed by his father-in-law Ivar who had one opponent less and wanted to include Zealand in his dominions.
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Sögubrot af nokkrum fornkonungum
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Helgi the Sharp2 or Helgi the Keen
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Old Norse: Helgi Hvassi
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For etymology, see Helga
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In
Ragnarssona þáttr, Helgi the Sharp2, was the brother of Gudrød Olafsson, and he left the battle where
Arnulf of Carinthia slaughtered 100 000 Danes and Norwegians including his brother Gudrød and
Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (historically the
Battle of Leuven in 891). He informed Sigurd's mother Aslaug1 of her son's death and stayed with her to defend her country, since Sigurd's son Horda-Knut was too young. He married Horda-Knut's twin sister Aslaug2 and they had the son
Sigurd Hart.
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Ragnarssona þáttr
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Helm
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Old English: Helm
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The name means "protector".
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Appears in Widsith, line 29, as a
Wulfing.
Wealhtheow,
Hrothgar's wife is called ides Helminga ("lady of the Helmings") in Beowulf (610), which means that she belonged to Helm's clan and was a Wulfing.
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Widsith
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Helmnot Eleuther
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Latin: Helmnod Eleuther
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His epithet Eleuther may be a Latinized version of OHG Liutheri.
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Gunther's vassal, he is killed by Walter of Aquitaine.
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Waltharius
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Heming1
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Old Norse: Hæmingr
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The name is often said to be identical with ON hemingr which meant "the skin on the backside of an animal's leg" and which was used in legal ceremonies, from PGmc *χam(m)inʒaz ("skin of the hide shanks"). According to Peterson, it was more likely derived from the word hamr ("disguise"). The name was most common in Scandinavia, which suggests that it originated there.
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One of the sons of Hunding in Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. When Helgi had spied in the hall of Hunding, he revealed himself on purpose to Heming by telling a shepherd that he was the man they had thought was Hamal, Hagal's son. Helgi was Hamal's foster-son, so Hunding sent a search party to Hamal led by his evil counsellor Blind.
[21] Norna-Gests þáttr tells that in the first battle against Helgi Hundingsbane, Heming's brothers Eyjolf, Hervard and Hjörvard were slain, but Lyngvi, Alf and Heming escaped to be killed later in battle against Sigurd.
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Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, Norna-Gests þáttr
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Hemming2
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Old English: Hemming
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See Heming1
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He is mentioned in Beowulf (1944, 1961) as a kinsman (mæg) of
Offa, Eomer and Garmund (
Wermund).
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Beowulf
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Hengest
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Old English: Hengest,
Old Norse: Heingestr
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Unclear if identical with
Hengist, brother of Horsa. If so, probably a mythical figure.
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From PGmc *hangistaz ("stallion").
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The Danish ruler Hnæf was invited to his Frisian brother-in-law Finn with 60 other Danes. In the morning, they are attacked in the Frisian hall and they defend themselves for five days without losses, but eventually Hnæf is slain. Finn has so few men left that he is unable to continue the attack, so he has to agree on peace with Hnæf's successor Hengest. The remaining Danes stay in Friesland over the winter, but Hengest longs for revenge, and eventually his warriors Guthlaf and Oslaf exhort him to avenge their fallen kinsmen. Finn is attacked and killed, and Hnæf's sister Hildeburh is taken home together with the Frisian royal treasure.
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Beowulf, Finnsburg Fragment
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Prose Edda (prologue)
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Heoden
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Old English: Heoden, Henden,
Old Norse: Heðinn,
Middle High German: Hetel(e) or Eten(e) (Dukus Horant),
Latin: Hithinus (Gesta Danorum)
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Possibly a historical figure from around the Baltic Sea, 4th century.
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*Hetin or *Hetan, based on the equivalent of OE hedin, ON heðinn, both meaning "cape or hood of skin or fur". Name may indicate an animal skin or mask worm as a disguise. MHG "Hetel(e)" probably altered toward OHG hadu- ("conflict") + the suffix -ilo.
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Abductor of Hildr1. In Kudrun, he sends Horant to woo Hildr for him, who lets herself be abducted. After fighting in which he is wounded, Hildr intervenes and her father Hagen/Högni2 accepts his suit. Later, he accepts Herwig von Seeland's suit for his own daughter Kudrun, although Herwig must initially fight him. When Kudrun is abducted by the Normans, he fights against them and is killed by the Norman king Ludwig. In the Norse sources, he abducts Hildr and is forced to fight an eternal battle against her father, with Hildr resurrecting the dead each night.
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Widsith
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Ragnarsdrápa, Gesta Danorum, Skáldskaparmál
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Kudrun, Dukus Horant
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Heorogar
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Old English: Heorogār
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PN Herugaizaz from *heruz ("sword") and *gaizaz ("spear").
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The son of the
Scylding
Halfdan and the brother of
Hrothgar and
Halga . He had died early, as told by Hrothgar. Hrothgar gives Heorogar's armour to Beowulf, instead of passing it to one of his sons.
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Beowulf
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Heoroweard
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Old English: Hērowēard,
Old Norse: Hjörvarðr,
Latin: Hiartuar
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PN *Heruwarduz from *heruz ("sword") and *warduz ("guard, protector").
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IN Hrólfs saga kraka, Heoroweard kills and usurps the throne from Hrólfr Kraki on the incitement of his wife Skuld, Hrothgar's daughter.
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Beowulf
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Chronicon Lethrense, Gesta danorum, Skjöldunga saga, Hrólfs saga kraka
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Heorrenda
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Old English: Heorrenda,
Middle High German: Hôrant. In Old Norse, an equivalent personal name Hjarrandi is attested.
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Possibly a historical figure from around the Baltic Sea, 4th century.
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Participle from a verb akin to OHG hurren ("to move quickly"), akin to OE heorr and ON hjarri, both meaning "door hinge'. The German form possibly influenced by MHG hôren ("to hear").
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Scop or minstrel of Heoden. He is sent by his lord to woe Hildr, whom he abducts. In Deor, the narrator complains that Heorrenda has replaced him as Heoden's minstrel. In the Prose Edda (Skáldskaparamál), he is instead mentioned as the father of Heoden (Heðinn). He is also refererred to in a line in Bósa saga reflecting an older Norse version where he was a minstrel, and he also appears as the minstrel Hjarne in Gesta Danorum (VI).
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Deor
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Skáldskaparmál (Prose Edda), Bósa saga, Gesta Danorum
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Kudrun, Dukus Horant
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Herborg
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Old Norse: Herborg
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An invention of the poet; however, her story corresponds with the German epic Kudrun.
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The first element is from *harjaz ("host"), and the second element is PGmc *-berʒō or *-burʒō ("helper", "assistant").
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A queen of the Huns and foster-mother of Gudrun's sister Gullrönd. She tells Gudrun her sad story to try to make her grieve.
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Guðrúnarkviða I
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Herbort von Dänenland
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Middle High German: Herbort von Tenelant,
Old Norse: Herburt
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First element PGmc *harja- ("host, army"), second element PGmc *bord- ("board"), probably "shield" in names.
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Possibly the hero of a lost epic; in Biterolf und Dietleib he boasts of how he abducted Hildeburg2, sister of Hartmut von Normandie, and in the Þiðreks saga is shown to abduct the daughter of
King Arthur, Hildr (Hildeburg2). In the Eckenlied, he is mentioned as the son of the hero Ruodlieb and a previous possessor of Ecke's sword (Eckesachs).
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Biterolf und Dietleib, Þiðreks saga
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Herdegen
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Middle High German: Herdegen,
Old Norse: Herðegn
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First element is PGmc *harja- ("host, army"), and the second element thegan ("hero", "warrior", "servant"), from PGmc *þeʒnaz.
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One of the retainers of the Harlungen; in the Þiðreks saga, he is the brother of Herbort and is married to Dietrich von Bern's sister, Isolde of Ireland. When Herdegen dies in swordplay with his brother Tristram, Herbort is held responsible and is forced to leave.
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Biterolf und Dietleib, Þiðreks saga
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Herebeald
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Old English: Herebeald
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In spite of correspondences, there is no consensus on whether Herebeald and his brother Hæþcyn are the origin of the myth of
Hǫðr and
Baldr, or based on them.
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The first element of Herebeald (PN *Hari-baldraʀ) is *Hari- (*harjaz, "host") and the second elemenet is the same as in the Norse theonym
Baldr.
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The Geatish prince Hæþcyn accidentally kills his brother Herebeald with an arrow, and their father king
Hrēðel dies from grief. Hæþcyn succeeds him, but is later killed in battle against the Swedes. The third brother Hygelac succeeds him. They also have an unnamed sister who married Ecgþēow, Beowulf's father.
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Beowulf
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Heregart
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Middle High German: Heregart
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The first element is PGmc *harja- ("host, army"), and the second element gard-, from PGmc *ʒarđaz ("house", "family", "court", "yard").
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Kudrun's most high-born maiden-in-waiting. When she is abducted by Kudrun, she marries the Norman cupbearer and thus avoids the privations of her mistress. When the Normans are defeated, she is beheaded by Wade.
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Kudrun
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Heremod
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Old English: Heremōd
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PN *Harimōdaz from *harjaz ("host") and *mōdaz ("mood", "bravery", "wrath").
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Heremod was a king of the Scyldings who used to be a great warrior. However, he abdicated from his warlike duties, and was therefore banished for neglecting the safety of his people.
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Beowulf
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Hereric1
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Old English: Hererīc
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From
PN *Harirīkiaz or *Harirīkaz, where the first element is *harjaz ("host") and the second element is from the adjective *rīkia- ("powerful, prominent, rich") or from *rīkaz ("ruler, prince").
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Mentioned in line 2206 as the uncle of the Geatish king
Heardred.
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Beowulf
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Hereric2
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Latin: Herericus
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See Hereric1
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The king of Burgundy and father of Hildegund, whom he sends as a hostage to Attila the Hun.
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Waltharius
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Hergrímr
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Old Norse: Hergrímr
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The first element is from *harjaz ("host"), and the second element is grímr which means "mask", but it may have been conflated with grimmr meaning "cruel".
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In the U-version of Hervarar saga, Hergrímr kidnaps Ogn2 álfasprengi from her betrothed, the giant Starkad Ala-Warrior. Hergrímr has the son Grímr with her before Starkad finds him and challenges him to a
holmgang. Starkad fights with four swords at once and kills him, and when Ogn sees Hergrímr die, she kills herself rather than return to Starkad. The latter takes all the riches Hergrímr owned and also his son and raises him as his own. Grímr is the grandfather of Arngrim, the berserker.
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Hervarar saga (U)
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Heribrand
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Old High German: Heribrant,
Middle High German: Herebrant,
Old Norse: Herbrandr and
Old Norse: Reginballdr
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The first element of Heribrand is PGmc *harja ("army, host"), the second element is *branda ("sword"). The name Reginballdr comes from PGmc *ragan ("council," but possibly also "divine powers" as in ON ragnar), the second element is PGmc balda ("bold, brave, strong").
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Hildebrand1's father in the Hildebrandslied. In Wolfdietrich B, he is a son of Berchtung; he is imprisoned by Wolfdietrich's brothers and freed by Wolfdietrich. In Wolfdietrich D, he raises Wolfdietrich's son Hugdietrich, marries Amie, and receives Garte (
Garda) as a fief. In the Þiðreks saga, Herbrandr is the son of Reginbaldr, which is also the name of Hildebrand1's father in the saga, but there is no stated relationship to Hildebrand1.
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Hildebrandslied, Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Virginal, Wolfdietrich
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Heriburg
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Latin: Heriburg}
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See Herborg.
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The daughter of Hartung, Ruodlieb marries her.
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Ruodlieb
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Herleif
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See Hjörleif, Leif
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Herman
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Old Norse: Herman
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The first element is OHG hari, PGmc *harja ("army, host"), and the second element is PGmc *manna ("man").
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A Swabian count in the service of Sigmund; he accuses Queen Sisibe (Sieglinde) of adultery together with Hartvin. When Sigmund orders the pregnant queen's death, he saves her life by killing Hartvin and allowing her to escape into the woods.
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Þiðreks saga
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Hermanafrid
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Middle High German: Irnfrit
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Historical king of the
Thuringii, died c. 531.
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First element PGmc *ermana- ("universal"), second element PGmc *friþu- ("peace").
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King of the Thuringii and lord of Iring. In the Deeds of the Saxons, his vassal Iring murders him. In later epics, he is the exiled Thuringian and lives at Attila's court. He is killed by Volker in the Nibelungenlied.
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'Deeds of the Saxons, Nibelungenlied, Biterolf und Dietleib
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Herrat
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Middle High German: Herrât,
Old Norse: Herrað
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According to Gillespie, the name shares the same first element with Theodoric's mother
Ereleuva. (Gottfried Schramm instead derives the first element of Erelieva's name from a different element, *era-, of unclear meaning).
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First element PGmc *harja- ("host, army"), second element PGmc *rādi- ("council" or "supplies").
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The wife of Dietrich von Bern; her relatives vary, but she is usually related to Helche and Attila.
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Nibelungenlied, Nibelungenklage, Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Die Rabenschlacht, Biterolf und Dietleib, Heldebuch-Prosa
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Herrauðr
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Old Norse: Herrauðr, Herruðr, Herrøðr,
Latin: Herroth
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The first element Herr- is from PGmc *harjaz ("host"). The second element -røðr is from
PN *friþuʀ ("love and peace"), while the second element -uðr is from a root meaning "love". The second element rauðr means "red".
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In Bósa saga, the
Geatish prince Herrauðr is the knightly son of king Hringr of
Östergötland, and the blood-brother of the undaunted Bósi. When king Hring wants to hang them for manslaughter, Bósi's foster-mother, the sorceress Busla makes the king give up with a runic riddle (buslubœn) that he can't solve. In repentance Herrauðr and Bósi have to retrieve a dragon's egg from
Bjarmaland. Herrauðr saves the princess Hleiðr from human sacrifice and they become engaged. When they are back, the
Battle of Brávellir takes place, king Hring dies and Hleiðr is kidnapped by Bjarmians. They save Hleiðr from a forced marriage during great adventures and battles, and even the sexual athlete Bósi settles down with princess Edda. The dragon's egg hatches and Herrauðr gives it to his and Hleið's daughter. The only one who can marry the daughter is the one who kills the serpent,
Ragnar Lodbrok. In Ragnar's saga, Herruðr is the jarl of Gautland (
Götaland) and had given his daughter Thora a heather-snake that grew so it encircled her bower. He swore he would give his daughter to the man who killed it, and this man was Ragnar Lodbrok. In the Tale of Ragnar's sons, this account is summarized but he is called Herrauðr and the jarl of
Västergötland. In Gesta Danorum (IX), he is a Swedish ruler whose friends found some snakes were they were hunting together. He gave them to Thora, but through feeding they became so large that the terrorized the countryside, and so he promised to give his daughter to whoever killed them, which Ragnar did. He is later reported to have died.
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Bósi and Herrauðr's saga, Tale of Ragnar's Sons, Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, Krákumál, Gesta Danorum IX
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Hertnit
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Middle High German: Hertnît,
Old Norse: Hertnið
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The first element Hert- is from hardu ("hard"), from PGmc *χarđuz. The second element nit is from nitha ("envy, spite"), PGmnc *nīþan or *nīþaz.
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In German sources, the king of the Rus' and aids Attila and Dietrich von Bern. In the Þiðreks saga, the son of Oserich (Osantrix), king of the Veleti. He is married to the sorceress Ostacia and attacks king Isung of Britain.
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Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Rosengarten zu Worms, Heldenbuch-Prosa
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Hervard1
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Old Norse: Hervarðr
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The first element herr is from PGmc *harjaz ("host"), and the second element vǫrðr is from PN *varðuʀ ("watchman", "guard").
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One of the twelve berserker sons of
Arngrim. For a summary, see those of Angantýr2, Hjörvard1 Arngrimsson, Hjalmar, and Ingeborg. The name was also used by his niece Hervor2 when she had run away from home and was the leader of a group of pillaging Vikings, see Hervor2.
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Hervarar saga, Orvar-Odd's saga, Gesta Danorum, Hyndluljóð
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Hervard2
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Old Norse: Hervarðr
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See Hervard1
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Hervard was the son of a king named Hunding who was killed by
Sigmund's son
Helgi, who thus earned himself the cognomen Hundingsbane. Hunding's sons attacked Helgi but were defeated and killed. The Völsunga saga lists the sons of Hunding as Alf2 and Eyjolf, Hervard2 and Hagbard2, but Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and II the names Hjorvard3 and Havarth appear instead of Hervard2 and Hagbard2.
[24] Helgakviða Hundingsbana II adds a brother named Heming,
[21] and the Völsunga saga adds yet another brother called king Lyngvi who killed Sigmund in battle. Norna-Gests þáttr tells that in the first battle against Helgi Hundingsbane, Eyjolf, Hervard and Hjörvard were slain, but Lyngvi, Alf and Heming escaped to be killed later in battle against Sigurd.
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Völsunga saga, Norna-Gests þáttr
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Hervor1
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Old Norse: Hervǫr
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Unknown, possibly a historical figure from modern Ukraine.
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ON Hervǫr is composed of her ("host") and the feminine form of varr, from *warjaz ("defender"). These elements agree with her role, as the protector of the eastern frontier.
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Daughter of Heidrek with Hergerðr (only named in the U version) the princess of
Garðar (
Rus'), sister of Angantyr, half-sister of Hlöd. According to the R version she was raised in England at the court of the jarl Fróðmar, but later it agrees with the HU versions in making Ormar her foster-father. She is stationed at a fortress on the Gothic eastern frontier near Mirkwood and falls in the first battle against the Hunnish invasion force. She is a
shield-maiden.
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Hervarar saga
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Hervor2
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Old Norse: Hervǫr
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Based on Hervor1
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See Hervor1
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Daughter of Angantýr2 and Sváfa2, she grows up with her grandfather Bjarmarr, the ruler of the Swedish colony in
Aldeigjuborg on
Lake Ladoga. She is beautiful but violent and unruly, and she spent time as a highwayman until she was taken home by her grandfather. She runs away again and calling herself Hervard, she becomes the captain of a Viking ship, which takes her to
Samsø where she takes her inheritance
Tyrfing from her father Angantýr. She goes to Gudmund of Glæsisvellir but has to leave after killing a courtier. After some time as a Viking again, she returns home to Bjarmarr. She marries Gudmund's son Höfund and they have the sons Heidrek and Angantýr. When Heidrek is banished from the kingdom for killing his brother, she gives him the heirloom Tyrfing.
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Hervarar saga
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Hervör alvitr
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Old Norse: Hervǫr alvitr
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For etymology of first name, see Hervor. The second name, ON alvitr means either "omniscient" or "supernatural being, Valkyrie".
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A
valkyrie and
swan maiden. The wife of Wayland the Smith.
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Völundarkviða
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Herwig von Seeland
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Middle High German: Herwîc von Sêlant
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First element PGmc *harja-, OHG hari ("host, army"), second element PGmc wīga-, related to Gothic weihan ("to fight").
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Suitor for marriage with Kudrun and her eventual husband. His suit for Kudrun is only accepted after he defeats her father Heoden in battle. He aids Hetel when Kudrun is abducted by the Normans Ludwig and Hartmut and Hetel is killed. Eventually, he successfully defeats the Normans.
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Kudrun
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