The Wulfings, Wylfings or Ylfings[Note 1] (the name means the "wolf clan") was a powerful clan in Beowulf, Widsith and in the Norse sagas. While the poet of Beowulf does not locate the Wulfings geographically, Scandinavian sources define the Ylfings (the Old Norse form of the name) as the ruling clan of the Eastern Geats.[1]
The Wulfing navy on the move, an illustration from the poems on the Wulfing Helgi Hundingsbane
The Wulfings play an important role in Beowulf as Beowulf's father Ecgþeow of the Wægmunding clan had slain one of its members, and was banished for not paying the weregild. The Danish king Hroðgar, who was married to Wealhþeow, a Wulfing woman, graciously paid the weregild, and when Beowulf arrived at the Danish court in order to slay Grendel, Hroðgar interpreted this as a son's gratitude.
In Old Norse sources, the clan figure prominently in the Heimskringla and in Sögubrot, where Hjörvard and his son Hjörmund belong to it. It is also mentioned in the Lay of Hyndla and in Skáldskaparmál where Eiríkr the Wise was one of its members. However, its most famous member was Helgi Hundingsbane who had two poems of his own (Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and Helgakviða Hundingsbana II), in the Poetic Edda, and whose story is also retold in the Völsunga saga.
Sam Newton and others (including Rupert Bruce-Mitford), have proposed that the East AnglianWuffing dynasty was derived from the Wulfings, and it was at their court that Beowulf was first composed.[2]
Helgi Hundingsbane resides at Hringstaðir (probably modern Ringstad, an old royal estate on the same plain).
In the Heimskringla, Högni was the ruler of Östergötland. The legends of Helge Hundingsbane relate that Högni lost his throne to Helgi Hundingsbane. On the other hand, Sögubrot relates that Ivar Vidfamne gave the East Geatish throne to Hjörmund, the son of Hjörvard, after Ingjald's death since it had been the kingdom of Hjörmund's father Hjörvard.
Hann setti konunga ok jarla ok lét ser skatta gjalda; han setti Hjörmund konung, on Hervardar Ylfings, yfir Eystra-Gautland, er átt hafði faðir hans ok Granmarr konungr.
However, this contradicts both the legend of Helge Hundingsbane and the Heimskringla in which the dynasty never lost Östergötland, unless Ivar killed either Högne or Helgi Hundingsbane before giving the throne to their relative Hjörmund.
Known Wulfings
Ylfur or Úlfur (Possible ancestor of the clan), based on clans being named after an ancestor.
Helm Wulfingum ("Helm of the Wulfings"), mentioned in Widsith.
^Word initial w was lost before rounded vowels in Proto-Norse, e.g. wulf corresponds to ulf, and Wulfing/Wylfing corresponds to Ylfing, because the i in the second syllable causes an umlaut in the first syllable u->y.
References
^Nerman, Birger (1925). Det svenska rikets uppkomst. Stockholm: Generalstabens litografiska anstalt.
wulfings, wylfings, ylfings, note, name, means, wolf, clan, powerful, clan, beowulf, widsith, norse, sagas, while, poet, beowulf, does, locate, geographically, scandinavian, sources, define, ylfings, norse, form, name, ruling, clan, eastern, geats, wulfing, na. The Wulfings Wylfings or Ylfings Note 1 the name means the wolf clan was a powerful clan in Beowulf Widsith and in the Norse sagas While the poet of Beowulf does not locate the Wulfings geographically Scandinavian sources define the Ylfings the Old Norse form of the name as the ruling clan of the Eastern Geats 1 The Wulfing navy on the move an illustration from the poems on the Wulfing Helgi HundingsbaneThe Wulfings play an important role in Beowulf as Beowulf s father Ecgtheow of the Waegmunding clan had slain one of its members and was banished for not paying the weregild The Danish king Hrodgar who was married to Wealhtheow a Wulfing woman graciously paid the weregild and when Beowulf arrived at the Danish court in order to slay Grendel Hrodgar interpreted this as a son s gratitude In Old Norse sources the clan figure prominently in the Heimskringla and in Sogubrot where Hjorvard and his son Hjormund belong to it It is also mentioned in the Lay of Hyndla and in Skaldskaparmal where Eirikr the Wise was one of its members However its most famous member was Helgi Hundingsbane who had two poems of his own Helgakvida Hundingsbana I and Helgakvida Hundingsbana II in the Poetic Edda and whose story is also retold in the Volsunga saga Sam Newton and others including Rupert Bruce Mitford have proposed that the East Anglian Wuffing dynasty was derived from the Wulfings and it was at their court that Beowulf was first composed 2 Contents 1 Location 2 Known Wulfings 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 ReferencesLocation EditAccording to the Norse sagas the Wulfings ruled the Geatish petty kingdom of Ostergotland In the first poem Helgakvida Hundingsbana I Sinfjotli has his residence on the Bravellir see Battle of the Bravellir Stanza 42 Sinfiotli qvath THv vart brvthr Grana a Bravelli gvllbitlvth vart gor til rasar hafda ec ther mothri mart sceith rithit svangri vnd sa thli simvl forbergis Sinfjotli quoth You were the bride of Grani the horse you were at Bravellir harnessed with a golden bridle and you were ready to run I have ridden you tired downhill quite often slim as you were under the saddle you fool Helgi Hundingsbane resides at Hringstadir probably modern Ringstad an old royal estate on the same plain In the Heimskringla Hogni was the ruler of Ostergotland The legends of Helge Hundingsbane relate that Hogni lost his throne to Helgi Hundingsbane On the other hand Sogubrot relates that Ivar Vidfamne gave the East Geatish throne to Hjormund the son of Hjorvard after Ingjald s death since it had been the kingdom of Hjormund s father Hjorvard Hann setti konunga ok jarla ok let ser skatta gjalda han setti Hjormund konung on Hervardar Ylfings yfir Eystra Gautland er att hafdi fadir hans ok Granmarr konungr However this contradicts both the legend of Helge Hundingsbane and the Heimskringla in which the dynasty never lost Ostergotland unless Ivar killed either Hogne or Helgi Hundingsbane before giving the throne to their relative Hjormund Known Wulfings EditYlfur or Ulfur Possible ancestor of the clan based on clans being named after an ancestor Helm Wulfingum Helm of the Wulfings mentioned in Widsith Headolaf Beowulf Helgi Hundingsbane Edda Volsunga saga and Norna Gests thattr Hjorvard Ylfing e g Heimskringla and Sogubrot Hjormund e g Heimskringla and Sogubrot Hogne e g Heimskringla citation needed Hildur the son of Hogne e g Heimskringla citation needed Eric the Wise Skaldskaparmal and the Lay of Hyndla Rikiwulf The rich and powerful wolf settled in Flanders in 876 near present Tielt where he built Rikiwulfinga haim Wealhtheow the queen of the Danish king Hrodgar in Beowulf In popular culture EditWulfing raiders appear as antagonists in Beowulf Return to the Shieldlands See also EditSogubrot Beowulf Skaldskaparmal Heimskringla Lay of Hyndla Edda Widsith HundingsFootnotes Edit Word initial w was lost before rounded vowels in Proto Norse e g wulf corresponds to ulf and Wulfing Wylfing corresponds to Ylfing because the i in the second syllable causes an umlaut in the first syllable u gt y References Edit Nerman Birger 1925 Det svenska rikets uppkomst Stockholm Generalstabens litografiska anstalt Newton Sam 2004 The Origins of Beowulf And the Pre Viking Kingdom of East Anglia Boydell amp Brewer ISBN 978 0 85991 472 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wulfings amp oldid 1059171587, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
