View source for Swerting

{{Short description|Beowulf character}}
'''Swerting''' ([[Proto-Norse]] *''Swartingaz'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20040612224336/http://www.sofi.se/SOFIU/lup/urnord.pdf]) is briefly mentioned in ''[[Beowulf]]'', where he had a son or son-in-law,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cGBxkfafeHwC&dq=%22nefa+Swertinges%22%7C+nephew+grandson+stepson&pg=PA328 The meaning of "Higelac Geata, nefa Swertinges" (v. 1202-1203) can be either ''Hygelac Geat, 'nephew, grandson or stepson' of Swerting''.]</ref> [[Hrethel]], who was the maternal grandfather of the hero [[Beowulf (character)|Beowulf]].

==The Heaðobard tradition==
A Swerting of the same timeframe also appears in Scandinavian traditions as the killer of a Danish king named Fróði/Frotho, who corresponds to [[Froda]], the [[Heaðobard]], in ''[[Beowulf]]''.<ref name=nordisk>[https://runeberg.org/nfcf/0547.html The article ''Starkad'' in ''Nordisk familjebok'' (1909).]</ref><ref name=Olson>[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14878 ''The Relation of the Hrolfs Saga Kraka and the Bjarkarimur to Beowulf'' by Olson, 1916, at Project Gutenberg]</ref> In the Scandinavian traditions, Froda's son [[Ingeld]] also appears with the name forms ''Ingjald'' or ''Ingellus''.

===''Skjöldunga saga'' and ''Bjarkarímur''===
The ''[[Skjöldunga saga]]''<ref name="Olson"/> and the ''[[Bjarkarímur]]''<ref name="Olson"/> tell that the king of Sweden, [[Jorund]], was defeated by the Danish king [[Fróði]], who made him a tributary and took his daughter. The daughter gave birth to [[Halfdan]], but another woman became Fróði's legitimate wife and gave him an heir named [[Ingeld|Ingjaldr]]. Together with one of his [[earl]]s, Swerting, Jorund conspired against Fróði and killed him during the [[blót]].

===''Gesta Danorum''===
[[Image:Martial Exercises of Starkater - Olaus Magnus 1555.jpg|380px|thumb|right|Starkad meets Ingellus with a mistress (probably Swerting's daughter), from Olaus Magnus' ''Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus'' (1555).]]

There is also a second version in ''[[Gesta Danorum]]'', concerning the adventures of [[Starkad]], and which is based on the old warrior who restarted the conflict between the Heaðobards and the Danes.<ref name="nordisk"/> The Danish king [[Frotho IV|Frotho]] (Froda) was killed through treachery by a Saxon named Swerting (Swertingus) (cf. the Swedish earl, above). Frotho's son Ingellus (Ingeld) lived a wanton life and married one of Swerting's daughters. This angered Starkad so much that he enlisted at the Swedish king [[Halfdan]]'s (Haldanus) court instead. As Ingellus continued his sinful life and did not do his duty to avenge his father, Starkad appeared during a banquet that Ingellus had with the sons of Swerting, his father's slayer. Starkad strongly admonished Ingellus and humiliated his queen who tried to calm Starkad with kindness and her costly ribbon. Starkad succeeded in exciting Ingellus to kill Swerting's sons and to divorce his Saxon bride.
{{Kings of Gesta Danorum family tree}}

=== ''Historia Brittonum'' ===

The pedigree of king [[Aella of Deira]] given in ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'' includes the name "''Sguerthing''" as great-grandfather of the king,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/archaeologiacan08kent Archeologia Cantiana p. 37-38]</ref> and this has been interpreted as a reference to the Swerting of ''Beowulf''.  The name does not appear in other versions of the royal pedigree and may represent an attempt by the author of ''Historia Brittonum'' to interpose this heroic character into the royal pedigree. 

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-reg | leg }}
{{s-bef | before=[[Yngve]] ''or'' [[Yngwin]]?}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[King of the Geats]]}}
{{s-aft | after=[[Hreðel]]}}
{{end}}

{{Hrethling}}

[[Category:English heroic legends]]
[[Category:Legendary kings of the Geats]]
[[Category:Characters in Beowulf]]