Edla (10th-century - 11th century), was a Slavic

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...

woman. She was the mother of King Emund of Sweden and Queen

Astrid Astrid is a feminine given name of Scandinavian origin, a modern form of the name Ástríðr. Derived from the Old Norse Ássfriðr, a compound name composed of the elements (a god) and (beautiful, fair). Variants * Assan (diminutive) (Swed ...

of Norway. Tradition says Edla was the daughter of a Lechitic

Tribal chief A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribe The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia. Tribal societies are sometimes categorized a ...

who has ruled part of terrain between Oder and Elbe . She was brought to Sweden as a prisoner of war c. 1000 at the same time or a little before, the arrival of

Estrid of the Obotrites Estrid of the Obotrites (c. 979 – 1035) was Queen of Sweden in the Viking age, a West Slavic princess married to Olof Skötkonung, King of Sweden c. 1000–1022. She was the mother of King Anund Jacob of Sweden and the Kievan Rus' saint a ...

(''Estrid av obotriterna''). King Olof Skötkonung married Estrid but also had Edla as his mistress. She became the mother of Emund, Astrid, and probably Holmfrid.

Snorre Sturlasson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the ...

says that her children were sent to foster parents away from the royal court because Queen Estrid was not kind to them. This could indicate that Edla died when her children were small.

Children

Emund the Old Emund the Old or Edmund ( Swedish: ''Emund den gamle'', Old Swedish: ''Æmunðær gamlæ'', ''Æmunðær gammal'', ''Æmunðær slemæ'') was King of Sweden from c. 1050 to c. 1060. His short reign was characterised by disputes with the Archbishop ...

, King of Sweden *

Astrid Olofsdotter Astrid Olofsdotter (Norwegian: ''Astrid Olavsdatter''; English: ''Aestrith'') (died 1035) was the queen consort of King Olaf II of Norway. Biography Astrid was born to King Olof Skötkonung of Sweden and his Obotritian mistress Edla. She was th ...

, married King Olav II of Norway * Holmfrid, wife of Sven Ladejarl

References

* Ohlmarks, Åke ''Alla Sveriges drottningar'' * Lagerqvist, Lars O. ''Sverige och dess regenter under 1.000 år'' (Albert Bonniers Förlag AB, 1982) {{ISBN, 91-0-075007-7. Mistresses of Swedish royalty 11th-century Swedish women House of Munsö 10th-century Swedish people 11th-century Swedish people 10th-century Swedish women