Halfdan the Old (

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...

: ''Hálfdanr gamli'' and ''Hálfdanr inn gamli'') was an ancient, legendary king from whom descended many of the most notable lineages of legend. A second Halfdan the Old is the purported great-grandfather of

Ragnvald Eysteinsson Rognvald Eysteinsson (''fl.'' 865) was the founding Jarl (or Earl) of Møre in Norway, and a close relative and ally of Harald Fairhair, the earliest known King of Norway. In the Norse language he is known as Rǫgnvaldr Eysteinsson (''Mǿraj ...

Halfdan the Old, ancestor of many lineages

''Hyndluljód''

The eddic poem ''Hyndluljód'' states in verses 14–16:

"Of old the noblest of all was Áli,
Before him Halfdan, foremost of
Skjöldung Old English Scylding (plural Scyldingas) and Old Norse Skjǫldung (plural Skjǫldungar), meaning in both languages "children of Scyld/Skjǫldr" are the members of a legendary royal family of Danes, especially kings. The name is explained in ma ...
s 'Skjǫldungar''
Famed were the battles the hero fought,
To the corners of heaven his deeds were carried.

"Strengthened by Eymund 'Eymundr'' the strongest of men,
Sigtrygg 'Sigtryggr''he slew with the ice-cold sword;
His bride was Álmveig 'Álmveigr'' the best of women,
And eighteen boys did Álmveig bear him.

"Hence come the Skjöldungs, hence the Skilfings,
Hence the Ödlings 'Ǫðlingar'' hence the
Yngling The Ynglings were a dynasty of kings, first in Sweden and later in Norway, primarily attested through the poem '' Ynglingatal''. The dynasty also appears as Scylfings ( Old Norse ''Skilfingar'') in ''Beowulf''. When ''Beowulf'' and ''Ynglingatal' ...
s,
Hence come the free-born, hence the high-born,
The noblest of men that in
Midgard In Germanic cosmology, Midgard (an anglicised form of Old Norse ; Old English , Old Saxon , Old High German , and Gothic ''Midjun-gards''; "middle yard", "middle enclosure") is the name for Earth (equivalent in meaning to the Greek term , "inhab ...
dwell:
And all are thy kinsmen, Óttar, thou fool!"

Though Halfdan is himself called a Skjöldung in verse 14, in verse 16 the Skjöldungs are named instead as one of the families that sprang from Halfdan's marriage with Álmveig.

''Skáldskaparmál''

Snorri Sturluson 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 th ...

explains in the ''

Skáldskaparmál ''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'The Language of Poetry'; c. 50,000 words; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda''. The section consists of a dialogue between Ægir, the divine personification of the sea, and Bragi, the god of poetry, ...

'':

There was a king named Halfdan the Old, who was most famous of all kings. He made a great sacrificial feast at mid-winter, and sacrificed to this end, that he might live three hundred years in his kingdom; but he received these answers: he should not live more than the full life of a man, but for three hundred years there should be in his line no woman and no man who was not of great repute. He was a great warrior, and went on forays far and wide in the Eastern Regions: there he slew in single combat the king who was called Sigtrygg. Then he took in marriage that woman named Alvig the Wise, daughter of King Eymund of Hólmgard 'Hólmgarðr'' they had eighteen sons, nine born at one birth. These were their names:
the first, Thengil 'Thengill'' who was called Thengil of Men;
the second, Ræsir;
the third, Gram 'Gramr''
the fourth,
Gylfi In Norse mythology, Gylfi (Old Norse: ), ''Gylfe'', ''Gylvi'', or ''Gylve'' was the earliest recorded king in Scandinavia. He often uses the name Gangleri when appearing in disguise. The traditions on Gylfi deal with how he was tricked by the god ...
;
the fifth, Hilmir;
the sixth, Jöfur 'Jǫfurr''
the seventh, Tyggi;
the eighth, Skyli or Skúli;
the ninth, Harri or Herra.
These nine brothers became so famous in foraying that, in all records since, their names are used as titles of rank, even as the name of King or that of Jarl. They had no children, and all fell in battle.

Snorri then gives examples from skaldic verse where these names are used as general terms for 'lord' or 'ruler'. The promise of three hundred years of no women among Halfdan's descendants is paralleled in the story of Ríg-Jarl who has sons only but no daughters. See Ríg (Norse god). None of the titles given here duplicate titles such as ''hersir'', ''jarl'', ''konungr'', and ''dróttinn'' which appear in the Ríg account. Snorri continues:

Halfdan and his wife had nine other sons also; these were:
Hildir, from whom the Hildings are come;

Nefir, from whom the Niflungs sprang;

Audi 'Auði'' from whom the Ödlings 'Ǫðlingar''are come;

Yngvi Old Norse Yngvi , Old High German Ing/Ingwi and Old English Ingƿine are names that relate to a theonym which appears to have been the older name for the god Freyr. Proto-Germanic *Ingwaz was the legendary ancestor of the Ingaevones, or more acc ...
, from whom the Ynglings are descended;

Dag 'Dagr'' from whom come the Döglings 'Dǫglingar''

Bragi, from whom the Bragnings are sprung (that is the race of Halfdan the Generous (''Hálfdanr inn mildi'');

Budli 'Buðli'' from whom the Budlungs 'Buðlungar''are come (from the house of the Budlungs Atli and
Brynhild Brunhild, also known as Brunhilda or Brynhild ( non, Brynhildr , gmh, Brünhilt, german: Brünhild , label= Modern German or ), is a female character from Germanic heroic legend. She may have her origins in the Visigothic princess Brunhilda ...
'Brynhildr''descended);

the eighth was Lofdi 'Lofði'' who was a great war-king (that host who were called Lofdar 'Lofðar''followed him; his kindred are called Lofdungs 'Lofðungar'' whence sprang Eylimi,
Sigurd Sigurd ( non, Sigurðr ) or Siegfried (Middle High German: ''Sîvrit'') is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. It is possible he was inspired by one or more figures from the Frankish Merovin ...
Fáfnir's-bane's mother's sire);

the ninth, Sigar 'Sigarr'' whence come the Siklings: that is the house of
Siggeir Siggeir is the king of Gautland (i.e. Götaland/Geatland, but in some translations also rendered as ''Gothland''), in the ''Völsunga saga''. In ''Skáldskaparmál'' he is given as a Sikling and a relative of Sigar who killed the hero Hagbard. '' ...
'Siggeirr'' who was son-in-law of
Völsung In Norse mythology, Völsung ( non, Vǫlsungr ) was the son of Rerir and the eponymous ancestor of the ill-fated Völsung clan (), which includes the well known Norse hero Sigurð. He was murdered by the Geatish king Siggeir and later avenged b ...
'Vǫlsungr''—and the house of Sigar, who hanged Hagbard 'Hagbarðr''
From the race of Hildings sprang Harald Red-beard 'Haraldr granrauði'' mother's father of
Halfdan the Black Halfdan the Black (Old Norse: ''Halfdanr Svarti''; fl. c. 9th century) was a king of Vestfold. He belonged to the House of Yngling and was the father of Harald Fairhair, the first king of a unified Norway. In sagas According to ''Heimskringla'' ...
'Hálfdanr inn svarti''

Of the Niflung's house was
Gjúki Gibica (also ''Gebicca'', ''Gifica'', ''Gjúki'', ''Gebicar'', ''Gibicho'' or ''Gippich'') was the King of the Burgundians in the late 4th century until his death in or around 407. He was the father of Gundomar I, Giselher and Gunther. He is ...
.

Of the house of Ödlings, Kjár 'Kjárr''

Of the house of the Ylfings was Eirík the Eloquent 'Eiríkr inn málspaki''

The Skjöldungs and Skilfings mentioned in the ''Hyndluljód'' are missing here. The Ylfings are suddenly introduced at the end in a reference to Eirík the Eloquent yet are also not found among the nine families. Snorri then immediately mentions what seem to be intended as four famous houses not descended from Halfdan the Old:

These also are illustrious royal houses:
from Yngvi, the Ynglings are descended;
from Skjöld in
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...
, the Skjöldungs are come;
from Völsung in the land of
Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools ...
, those who are called Völsungs.
One war-king was named Skelfir; and his house is called the House of Skilfings: his kindred is in the Eastern Region.

But Yngvi has been previously named as a son of Halfdan the Old and the Skjöldungs and Skilfings are counted among Halfdan's descendants in the ''Hyndluljód''. Snorri continues:

These houses which were named but now have been used in skaldship for titles of rank.

Snorri then quotes many skaldic verses which demonstrate this.

''Ættartolur''

Halfdan and his sons

The ''Ættartolur'', the genealogies appended to the '' Hversu Noregr byggdist'' in the '' Flatey Book'' introduce Halfdan the Old as the ruler of Ringiríki (a territory including modern Ringerike and Valdres in

Oppland Oppland is a former county in Norway which existed from 1781 until its dissolution on 1 January 2020. The old Oppland county bordered the counties of Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The c ...

). Halfdan is here the son of King Hring (eponym of Ringeríki) by the daughter of a sea-king named Vífil (''Vífill''). Hring was son of

Raum the Old Raum the Old (Old Norse: ''Raumr inn gamli'') is a legendary king in Norway in the '' Hversu Noregr byggdist'' and in Thorsteins saga Víkingssonar. He was said to have been ugly, as was his daughter, Bryngerd, who was married to King Álf. Indeed ...

(eponym of Raumaríki) by Hild (''Hildr'') the daughter Gudröd the Old (''Guðrǫðr inn gamli''). Raum the Old was son of Nór (''Nórr'') (the eponym of Norway). See

Nór Nór (Old Norse Nórr) is according to the Orkneyinga Saga the eponymous founder of Norway. Icelandic accounts Source material Nór of Norway appear in “Fundinn Nóregr” (‘Norway Founded’), hereafter called F, which begins the '' Orkne ...

for further details about Nór and his ancestry and descendants. In his sacrifice Halfdan requested a lifetime of 300 years like that of his ancestor Snær. The form ''Tiggi'' appears instead of ''Tyggi'' in the list of the first nine sons. The list of the second nine sons has Skelfir instead of Yngvi and the form Næfil (''Næfill'') instead of Nefir. The order of the names is the same and it is explained that Hildir, Sigar, and Lofdi were war-kings; Audi, Budli, and Næfil were sea-kings, while Dag, Skelfir, and Bragi remained on their lands.

Döglings

Dag married Thóra Heroes-mother (''Thóra drengjamóður'') who bore him nine sons, but only four are named: Óli, Ám (''Ámr''), Jöfur, and Arngrím (''Arngrímr''). Óli was father of Dag, father of Óleif (''Óleifr''), father of Hring, father of Helgi, father of Sigurd Hart (''Sigurðr Hjǫrtr''), father of Ragnhild (''Ragnhildr'') the mother of

Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagre Modern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from 872 to 930 and was the first King of No ...

. Arngrím married Eyfura who bore him Angantýr the Berserk (''Angantýr berserkr''). Angantýr's story is most fully treated in the ''Hervarar saga''. It also appears in part in book five of

Saxo Grammaticus Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1150 – c. 1220), also known as Saxo cognomine Longus, was a Danish historian, theologian and author. He is thought to have been a clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, the main advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark ...

' ''

Gesta Danorum ''Gesta Danorum'' ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark an ...

'' and an account only the deaths of Angantýr and his eleven brothers appears in ''Arrow-Odd's saga''. Stanza 18 of the ''Hyndluljód'' reads:

The mate of Dag was a mother of heroes 'drengja móður''
Thóra, who bore him the bravest of fighters,
Fradmar 'Fraðmarr''and Gyrd 'Gyrðr'' and the Frekis 'Frekar''twain,
Ám and Jöfurmar 'Jǫfurmar'' Álf the Old;
It is much to know,— wilt thou hear yet more?

The name Ám agrees with that of a son of Dag in the ''Ættartolur'' and Jöfurmar is probably identical with Jöfur of the ''Ættartolur''. Fradmar, Gyrd, Álf the Old, and the two Frekis bring the total to seven. Adding the names Óli and Arngrím to this list from the ''Ættartolur'' brings the tally to nine, as the ''Ættartolur'' promised. This may be coincidental. It is odd that the ''Hyndluljód'' here leaves out the only two names for which the ''Hversu'' provides descendants. It is possible that the following stanzas of the ''Hyndluljód'' down to stanza 24 cover otherwise unknown members of the Dögling lineage since stanza 23 at least returns to the Dödlings, providing the names of the twelve sons of Arngrím and the following stanza tells of their birth to Arngrím and Eyfura. Áli mentioned in stanza 14 of the ''Hyndluljód'' (quoted near the beginning of this article) may be identical to Óli son of Dag mentioned in the ''Ættartolur''.

Bragnings

Bragi the Old 'Bragi gamli''was king of Valdres and father of Agnar, father of Álf, father of Eirík (''Eiríkr''), father of Hild (''Hildr'') the mother of Halfdan the Generous, the father of Gudröd (''Guðrǫðr'') the Hunter, father of Halfdan the Black, father of Harald Fairhair.

Skilfings or Skjöldungs

Skilfir was king of Vörs (''Vǫrs'', modern

Voss Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, ...

in northern

Hordaland Hordaland () was a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark, and Rogaland counties. Hordaland was the third largest county, after Akershus and Oslo, by population. The county government was the Hordaland County Municipa ...

in southwestern Norway. Skelfir was father of Skjöld (''Skjǫldr''), father of Eirík, father of Alrek (''Alrekr''), father of Eirík the Eloquent, father of Alrek the Bold (''Alrekr inn frækni''), father of Víkar (''Víkarr''), father of Vatnar (''Vatnarr''), father of two sons: Ímald (''Ímaldr'') and Eirík, this Eirik being father of Gyda (''Gyða'') who was one of the wives of Harald Fairhair. They were called the Skilfing lineage or Skjöldung lineage. For commentary on this lineage and variant traditions on those listed here as belonging to it see

Scylfing The Ynglings were a dynasty of kings, first in Sweden and later in Norway, primarily attested through the poem ''Ynglingatal''. The dynasty also appears as Scylfings (Old Norse ''Skilfingar'') in ''Beowulf''. When ''Beowulf'' and ''Ynglingatal'' ...

and Víkar.

Hildings

Hildir was father of Hildibrand (''Hildibrandr''), father of Vígbrand (''Vígbrandr''), father of Hildir and Herbrand (''Herbrandr''). Herbrand was father of Harald Red-beard, father of Ása who was the mother of Halfdan the Black, the father of Harald Fairhair. (The text actually reads "Harald Grenski" (''Haraldr inn grenski'') instead of Harald Red-beard, but that must be an error. Harald Grenski was the name of a later figure, the father of King

Olaf II of Norway Olaf II Haraldsson ( – 29 July 1030), later known as Saint Olaf (and traditionally as St. Olave), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. Son of Harald Grenske, a petty king in Vestfold, Norway, he was posthumously given the title '' Rex Per ...

, and the ''Ynglinga saga'' and many other sources name Harald Red-beard as Ása's father.

Siklings

Sigar is provided with two sons Siggeir and Sigmund (''Sigmundr'').

Siggeir Siggeir is the king of Gautland (i.e. Götaland/Geatland, but in some translations also rendered as ''Gothland''), in the ''Völsunga saga''. In ''Skáldskaparmál'' he is given as a Sikling and a relative of Sigar who killed the hero Hagbard. '' ...

is prominent in '' Volsunga saga'' as the villainous husband of Signý the daughter of Völsung. Sigmund son of Sigar married Hild, daughter of King Grjótgard (''Grjótgarðr'') of Mœr. (See Gard Agdi for Grjótgard's genealogy.) Their son was Sigar, father of Signý, that Sigar who caused Hagbard (''Hagbarðr'') to be hanged. One of the sources where the story of Hagbard appears is in ''Gesta Danorum'', Book 7, which relates the love between Hagbarthus son of Hamundus and Signe daughter of King Sigarus despite Hagbarthus having slain her brothers. When Sigarus discovered the affair, he had Hagbarthus hanged. Then Hagbarthus' brother Haco/Hako/

Haki Haki, Hake ( Old Norse: ) or Haco, the brother of Hagbard, was a famous Scandinavian sea-king, in Norse mythology. He is mentioned in the 12th century '' Gesta Danorum'', and in 13th-century sources including '' Ynglinga saga'', ''Nafnaþulur' ...

avenged Hagbarthus. In this version Sigar/Sigarus is a king of Denmark, son of Sivaldus, son of King Ungvinus who was originally king of

Götaland Götaland (; also '' Geatland'', '' Gothia'', ''Gothland'', ''Gothenland'' or ''Gautland'') is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises ten provinces. Geographically it is located in the south of Sweden, bounded to the north by Svealand, wit ...

(see

Hagbard and Signy Hagbard and Signe (Signy) (the Viking Age) or Habor and Sign(h)ild (the Middle Ages and later) were a pair of lovers in Scandinavian mythology and folklore whose legend was widely popular. The heroes' connections with other legendary characters pl ...

for more). There are places all over Scandinavia, associated with this legend such as Asige in the former Danish (presently Swedish) province of

Halland Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Brömseb ...

, which borders

, where there are two large menhirs called ''Hagbard's gallows''. Hagbard and his brother

are mentioned as great sea-kings in the

Ynglinga saga ''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his '' Heimskringla''. It was first translated into English and published in 1 ...

where Haki wrests the Swedish throne from king Hugleik (this event also appears in

where Haco kills the Irish king Huglethus) only to be killed later in battle with Hugleik's cousin

Jorund Jorund or Jörundr (5th century) was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling. He was the son of Yngvi, and he had reclaimed the throne of Sweden for his dynasty from Haki (the brother of Hagbard, the hero of the legend of Hagbard and Signy. Snorr ...

. A third reference to Hagbard and his brother Haki appears in the ''Völsunga saga'', chapter 25. It is there said that Hagbard and Haki not yet avenged themselves for Sigar's abduction of one sister and the slaying of another. Either the reference is garbled or it refers to a lost variant with a more extended account of Sigar's feud with Hagbard and his brothers. See Hagbard and

for more.

Lofdungs

Lofdi was a great king who raided

Reidgotaland Reidgotaland, Reidgothland, Reidgotland, Hreidgotaland or Hreiðgotaland was a land mentioned in Germanic heroic legend (mentioned in the Scandinavian sagas as well as the Anglo-Saxon Widsith) usually interpreted as the land of the Goths. Etymol ...

(''Reiðgotaland'') and became king there. Lofdi's sons were Skekkil Sea-king (''Skekkill sækonungr'') and Skyli. Skyli was father of Egdir (''Egðir''), the father of Hjálmthér (''Hjálmþér''), the father of Eylimi, the father of Hjördís (''Hjǫrdís''), the mother of Sigurd Fáfnir's-bane, father of

Áslaug Aslaug ( non, Áslaug ), also called Aslög, Kráka (O.N.: ) or Kraba, is a figure in Norse mythology who appears in Snorri's Edda, the Völsunga saga and in the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok as one of his wives. Aslaug in legend According to the ...

(''Áslaugr'') by Brynhild whose ancestry appears below in the Budling discussion. This Áslaug was a wife of Ragnar Lodbrok and by him the mother of

Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye ( non, Sigurðr ormr í auga) or Sigurd Áslaugsson was a semi-legendary Viking warrior and Danish king active from the mid to late 9th century. According to multiple saga sources and Scandinavian histories from the 12th ...

(''Sigurðr ormr í auga'') who was father of a second Áslaug who was mother of Sigurd Hart. Sigurd Hart was father of Ragnhild (''Ragnhildr''), mother of Harald Fairhair as already stated. But stanza 26 of the '' Hyndluljód'' identifies Eylimi the father of Hjördís as an Ödling.

Ödlings

Audi and his brother Budli were sea-kings who raided together and settled in Valland (

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

) and Saxland (

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a ...

). Audi ruled in Valland. He was father of Fródi (''Fróði''), father of Kjár ('' Kjárr''), father of Ölrún (''Ǫlrún''). Ölrún, daughter of King Kjár of Valland, appears in the prose introduction to the ''Völundarkvida'', as a

Valkyrie In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"Orchard (1997: ...

swan-maiden who became the wife of

Völund In Germanic mythology, Wayland the Smith ( ang, Wēland; , ; Old Frisian: Wela(n)du; german: Wieland der Schmied; goh, Wiolant; ''Galans'' (''Galant'') in Old French; gem-x-proto, Wēlandaz, italic=no from ', lit. "crafting one") is a maste ...

's brother Egil. The name ''Kjárr'' can be etymologically derived from Latin ''Caesar''. But here the connection with France suggests it might be an adaptation of French ''Charles''.

Budlungs

Budli the sea-king settled down in Saxland. He was father of Attil (''Attill''), father of Vífil (''Vífill''), father of Læfi, father of Budli. This second Budli was father of Sörli (''Sǫrli'') or Serli, of Atli, and of Brynhild. Brynhild was mother of Áslaug, ancestress of Harald Fairhair as described in the previous Lofdungs discussion. Atli is a legendary version of

Attila the Hun Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Bulgars, among others, in Central and E ...

and the name Budli comes from

Bleda Bleda () was a Hunnic ruler, the brother of Attila the Hun. As nephews to Rugila, Attila and his elder brother Bleda succeeded him to the throne. Bleda's reign lasted for eleven years until his death. While it has been speculated by Jordanes t ...

who was the historical Attila's elder brother. The name Sörli is given to a brother of Atli only in this text. But in the eddic poem '' Atlamál hin grœnlenzku'' (stanza 50), Atli declares that he was one of four living brothers when his father Budli died and that half of them are now dead, slain by his wife Gudrún. In the German ''

Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition of Germani ...

'' Attila is called Etzel and said to be son of Botelung, obviously ''Budlung'' interpreted as a name. In this account Etzel has a younger brother named Bloedelin who was slain by Dancwart,

Hagen Hagen () is the 41st-largest city in Germany. The municipality is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the south eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne and Volme (me ...

's brother. Blowdelin is probably another memory of the historical Bleda. The eddic poem ''

Oddrúnargrátr ''Oddrúnargrátr'' (''Oddrún's lament'') or ''Oddrúnarkviða'' (''Oddrún's poem'') is an Eddic poem, found in the Codex Regius manuscript where it follows '' Guðrúnarkviða III'' and precedes ''Atlakviða''. The main content of the poem is t ...

'' tells of Atli's sister Oddrún and her forbidden love affair with

Gunnar Gunnar is a male first name of Nordic origin (''Gunnarr'' in Old Norse). The name Gunnar means fighter, soldier, and attacker, but mostly is referred to by the Viking saying which means Brave and Bold warrior (''gunnr'' "war" and ''arr'' "warrior ...

, which was, according to this poem, one of the motivations for Atli's later treachery. Oddrún is also mentioned in ''

Sigurðarkviða hin skamma ''Sigurðarkviða hin skamma'' or the ''Short Lay of Sigurd'' is an Old Norse poem belonging to the heroic poetry of the ''Poetic Edda''. It is one of the longest eddic poems and its name derives from the fact that there was once a longer ''Sigur ...

'' (stanza 57), in the prose introduction to '' Dráp Niflunga'', and in the ''Völsunga saga''.

Niflungs

King Næfil was father of Heimar, father of Eynef (''Eynefr''), father of Rakni, father of

Gjúki Gibica (also ''Gebicca'', ''Gifica'', ''Gjúki'', ''Gebicar'', ''Gibicho'' or ''Gippich'') was the King of the Burgundians in the late 4th century until his death in or around 407. He was the father of Gundomar I, Giselher and Gunther. He is ...

. GJúki was father of two sons named

(''Gunnarr'') and Högni (''Hǫgni'') and of two daughters named Gudrún (''Guðrún'') and Gudný (''Guðný''). For commentary and variant traditions see Nibelung.

Halfdan the Old of Gór's lineage

The '' Orkneying saga'' does not speak at all of Nór's descendants, but introduces instead a figure named Halfdan the Old as the son of Sveidi (''Sveiði'') the Sea-king, who is called Svadi (''Svaði'') in the ''Ættartolur''. Sveidi/Svadi in both texts was son of Heiti, son of Gór who was

's brother. This second Halfdan the Old is father of Jarl Ívar of the Uplands who became father of Eystein the Clatterer (''Eysteinn Glumra''), in turn father of Jarl Rögnvald of Møre. The ''Orkneyinga saga'' derives both the Jarls of Orkney and the

Dukes of Normandy In the Middle Ages, the duke of Normandy was the ruler of the Duchy of Normandy in north-western France. The duchy arose out of a grant of land to the Viking leader Rollo by the French king Charles III in 911. In 924 and again in 933, Norman ...

from Rögnvald.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Halfdan the Old Norwegian petty kings Kings in Norse mythology and legends is:Hálfdán no:Halvdan nn:Halvdan sv:Halvdan