Hubbry Logo
OhthereOhthereMain
Open search
Ohthere
Community hub
Ohthere
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Ohthere
Ohthere
Ohthere
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Ohthere's Mound located at Vendel parish, Uppland, Sweden.

Ohthere, also Ohtere (Old Norse: Óttarr vendilkráka, Vendelcrow; in modern Swedish Ottar Vendelkråka), was a semi-legendary king of Sweden of the house of Scylfings, who is said to have lived during the Germanic Heroic Age, possibly during the early 6th century (fl. c. 515 – c. 530[1]).

His name can be reconstructed as Proto-Norse *Ōhta-harjaz or *Ōhtu-harjaz. The harjaz element is common in Germanic names and has a meaning of "warrior, army" (whence English harry); by contrast, the oht element is less frequent, and has been tentatively interpreted as "fearsome, feared".[2]

A prince of the Swedes, Ohthere and his brother Onela conducted successful raids against the Geats after King Hrethel had died. In 515, their father Ongentheow was killed in battle by the Geats, and Ohthere succeeded his father as the king of Sweden. Ohthere led an army against the Geats, and besieged one of their armies. He nearly killed the Geatish king Hygelac but lost many of his forces in the conflict. Ohthere managed to get back to Sweden. In the 520s, Ohthere led a large raid to Denmark and plundered the Danish coast. A Danish army led by two Jarls, however, was waiting for him. Battle broke out. The Danish were reinforced, and Ohthere was killed in the battle. His corpse was taken back to Sweden and buried in an earthwork mound.

Beowulf

[edit]

In the Old English poem Beowulf, the name of Ohthere appears only in constructions referring to his father Ongenþeow (fæder Ohtheres),[3] mother (Onelan modor and Ohtheres),[4] and his sons Eadgils (suna Ohteres,[5] sunu Ohteres[6]) and Eanmund (suna Ohteres).[7]

When Ohthere and his actions are concerned, he is referred to as Ongenþeow's offspring, together with his brother Onela. The following section deals with Ohthere and Onela pillaging the Geats at the death of their king Hreðel, restarting the Swedish-Geatish wars:

Þa wæs synn and sacu Sweona and Geata,
ofer wid wæter wroht gemæne,
here-nið hearda, syððan Hreðel swealt,
oððe him Ongenþeowes eaferan wæran
frome fyrd-hwate, freode ne woldon
ofer heafo healdan, ac ymb Hreosna-beorh
eatolne inwit-scear oft gefremedon.[8]
There was strife and struggle 'twixt Swede and Geat
o'er the width of waters; war arose,
hard battle-horror, when Hrethel died,
and Ongentheow's offspring grew
strife-keen, bold, nor brooked o'er the seas
pact of peace, but pushed their hosts
to harass in hatred by Hreosnabeorh.[9]

Later, it is implied in the poem that Ohthere has died, because his brother Onela is king. Ohthere's sons Eadgils and Eanmund fled to the Geats and the wars began anew.

Scandinavian sources

[edit]

Ynglingatal, Ynglinga saga, Íslendingabók, and Historia Norvegiae all present Óttarr as the son of Egill (called Ongenþeow in Beowulf) and as the father of Aðísl/Aðils/athils/Adils (Eadgils).

According to the latest source, Ynglinga saga, Óttarr refused to pay tribute to the Danish king Fróði for the help that his father had received. When Fróði sent two men to collect the tribute, Óttarr answered that the Swedes had never paid tribute to the Danes and would not begin with him. Fróði gathered a vast host and looted in Sweden, but the next summer he pillaged in the east. When Óttarr learnt that Fróði was gone, he sailed to Denmark to plunder in return and went into the Limfjord where he pillaged in Vendsyssel. Fróði's jarls Vott and Faste attacked Óttarr in the fjord. The battle was even and many men fell, but the Danes were reinforced by the people in the neighbourhood and so the Swedes lost (a version apparently borrowed from the death of Óttarr's predecessor Jorund). The Danes put Óttarr's corpse on a mound to be devoured by wild beasts, and made a wooden crow that they sent to Sweden, with the message that the wooden crow was all that Óttarr was worth. After this, Óttarr was called Vendelcrow.

It is only Snorri who uses the epithet Vendelcrow, whereas the older sources Historia Norvegiae and Íslendingabók use it for his father Egill. Moreover, only Snorri's work tells the story of Óttarr's death in Vendsyssel, and it is probably his own invention.[1] Ynglingatal mentions only that Óttarr was killed by the Danish jarls Vott and Faste in a place named Vendel (Laing has been influenced by Snorri's version in his translation):

Féll Óttarr
und ara greipar
dugandligr
fyrir Dana vápnum,
þann hergammr
hrægum fœti
viti borinn
á Vendli sparn.
Þau frá ek verk
Vötts ok Fasta
sœnskri þjóð
at sögum verða;
at eylands
jarlar Fróða
vígframað
um veginn höfðu.[10]
By Danish arms the hero bold,
Ottar the Brave, lies stiff and cold.
To Vendel's plain the corpse was borne;
By eagles' claws the corpse is torn,
Spattered by ravens' bloody feet,
The wild bird's prey, the wild wolf's meat.
The Swedes have vowed revenge to take
On Frode's earls, for Ottar's sake;
Like dogs to kill them in their land,
In their own homes, by Swedish hand.[11]

The Historia Norwegiæ presents a Latin summary of Ynglingatal, older than Snorri's quotation (continuing after Egil):

Cui successit in regnum filius suus Ottarus, qui a suo æquivoco Ottaro Danorum comite et fratre ejus Fasta in una provinciarum Daniæ, scilicet Wendli, interemptus est. Cujus filius Adils [...][12]

The successor to the throne was his son Ottar, who was assassinated in Vendel, a law province of Denmark, by his namesake, a Danish jarl, and this man's brother, Fasta. His son Adils [...][13]

Historia Norvegiæ informs only that Ohthere was killed by the Danish brothers Ottar [sic.] and Faste in a Danish province called Vendel.

Ohthere's Barrow

[edit]

Ohthere's barrow (Swedish: Ottarshögen) (60°08′N 17°34′E / 60.133°N 17.567°E / 60.133; 17.567) is located in Vendel parish, Uppland, Sweden. The barrow is 5 metres high and 40 metres wide. In the 17th century, the barrow was known locally as Ottarshögen. The term Hög is derived from the Old Norse word haugr, meaning mound or barrow.[14]

The barrow was excavated in the period 1914–16.[14] It showed the remains of both a man and a woman, and the finds were worthy of a king.[15] The Swedish archaeologist Sune Lindqvist[16] reported that in its centre, there was a wooden vessel with ashes. There were few finds but they were well-preserved. There were some decorative panels similar to those found in the other Vendel era graves nearby. A comb with a case was found, as well as a golden Roman coin, a solidus, dated to be no later than 477. It had been perforated and was probably used as decoration, but it showed signs of wear and tear and had probably been worn for a longer time. Lindqvist stated that the identification of the barrow as that of Ohthere could not receive more archaeological confirmation than those provided by the excavation.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ohthere

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ohthere (Old English: Ohtere, Old Norse: Óttarr; Swedish: Ottar Vendelkråka, "Vendel Crow") was a semi-legendary king of from the Scylfing (Yngling) dynasty, who appears in and sources as a figure of the , dated to around the early . He is portrayed as the son of the Swedish king (Old Norse: Egill) and brother to Onela (Áli), succeeding his father after the latter's death in battle against the . Ohthere fathered (Aðils) and Eanmund, continuing the Scylfing line. In the epic , Ohthere is depicted as a warrior-king who, alongside his brother Onela, engages in conflicts with the following their father's slaying by the Geatish hero Eofor under King . Ohthere briefly rules the before being killed in a subsequent Geatish raid led by , which avenges earlier Swedish attacks on Geatish lands. accounts, such as Ynglingatal and Snorri Sturluson's Ynglinga saga, present a similar narrative but with variations: Óttarr rules after Egill and dies while raiding in , where he is slain by Danish jarls. These sources emphasize his role in the dynastic struggles among the , , and . Ohthere is associated with the archaeological site known as Ohthere's Barrow (Ottarshögen), a large Vendel-period mound in Vendel, Sweden, excavated in the 19th century and containing rich grave goods including weapons, jewelry, and ship remnants, supporting the historical kernel of the legendary accounts.

Identity and Historical Context

Name and Epithets

Ohthere, known in Old English sources as Ohthere or Ohtere, is the anglicized form of the Old Norse name Óttarr, representing a semi-legendary figure from the Germanic Heroic Age associated with the Scylfing dynasty. Note that this Ohthere is distinct from Ohthere of Hålogaland, the 9th-century Norwegian explorer whose travels are recorded in King Alfred's translation of Orosius. The name Óttarr derives from Old Norse elements ótti, meaning "terror" or "fear," and herr, meaning "army" or "warrior," thus connoting a "feared warrior." This etymology aligns with Proto-Norse reconstructions such as *Ōhtaharjaz, reflecting common Germanic naming conventions that emphasized martial prowess. In traditions, particularly within accounts of Swedish kings, Ohthere is rendered as Óttarr vendilkráka, where "vendilkráka" translates to "Vendel-crow" and serves as a derogatory . The nickname originated posthumously from a taunt by his Danish adversaries, who, after his death at Vendill (likely in ), sent a wooden crow to the , declaring that their was worth no more than such a trinket; this led to the mocking title linking him to the site of his demise. Variations of the name, such as the modern Swedish Ottar Vendelkråka, preserve this form while adapting to contemporary . The name Óttarr appears recurrently in Swedish royal naming traditions, as seen in the Ynglinga Saga's enumeration of Scylfing rulers, underscoring its cultural significance in denoting lineage and heroic status among early medieval Scandinavian elites. As a king of in the House of Scylfings, Ohthere's nomenclature thus bridges and literary corpora, highlighting shared Germanic heroic motifs.

Place in the Scylfing Dynasty

Ohthere occupied a pivotal role in the semi-legendary House of Scylfings, also known as the , a Swedish royal dynasty that traces its origins to the (c. 400–550 CE), a time of significant Germanic tribal movements, conflicts, and cultural shifts across . This dynasty, centered in , represents an early blend of mythological origins and potential historical kernels, with its rulers depicted as foundational figures in Swedish kingship amid the era's instability, including expansions from and interactions with neighboring Geatish territories. As the son of —known as Egill in sources—Ohthere succeeded his father directly following Ongentheow's death around 515 CE, which occurred during conflicts with the in the early . This succession marked Ohthere as a transitional figure, bridging the aggressive expansions under his father and the later consolidations by his own son, , within the dynasty's narrative of resilience and power struggles. Ohthere's reign is estimated at c. 515–530 CE, situating him firmly in the , a phase characterized by oral traditions of heroic deeds and royal lineages that later influenced literary accounts, though his rule reflects the opaque historicity of , where archaeological evidence of elite burials hints at real power centers without confirming individual identities.

Mentions in

Account in the Old English Orosius

is known from through his personal account of voyages and life in , inserted into King Alfred the Great's translation of Paulus ' Historiarum adversum Paganos libri septem. Commissioned around 890 CE as part of Alfred's educational reforms, the Old English Orosius adapts the 5th-century Latin world history and includes unique geographical additions, such as Ohthere's report, to provide contemporary knowledge of northern regions. The account, likely recorded from Ohthere's oral testimony during his visit to Alfred's court, details his home in as the northernmost Norwegian settlement, with no Norwegians living farther north. It describes the region's geography—a narrow coastal strip for farming and herding, bordered by mountains used by the Sami (called "Skridfinner" or "Lapps" in the text) for and —and his wealth from (600 tame), livestock (20 each of cattle, sheep, pigs), whale , and tributes from the Sami, including skins, feathers, and seal-hide ropes. Ohthere recounts two main voyages: a for , sailing six days north along the coast, then east and south into the White Sea (over 1,700 km total), encountering only Sami and reaching near the River, where he observed Beormas (possibly ) but avoided contact; and a southern from to Kaupang (Sciringesheal) in a month, then to in in five days, highlighting Norse commerce in furs, ivory, and . This narrative, preserved in the early 11th-century manuscript Cotton Tiberius B.i, offers the earliest eyewitness description of the Scandinavian , Sami interactions, and trade networks. Scholars value the account for its insights into 9th-century and , though debates persist on exact routes (e.g., identification) and Ohthere's social status as chieftain or merchant. It contrasts with the more southern-focused additions by Wulfstan in the same text, emphasizing northern exploration. Ohthere's account in the Orosius is paired with that of Wulfstan, an Anglo-Saxon mariner, whose description of a Baltic voyage from to (near modern , ) complements Ohthere's northern narrative. Both insertions reflect Alfred's interest in expanding English knowledge of trade routes and foreign peoples amid Viking threats, connecting to broader events like the Norse expansion and Alfred's defenses against invasions (e.g., the 878 ). The text mentions indigenous groups like the Sami and Beormas, providing early ethnographic details on their lifestyles—Sami as hunters and herders paying tribute, Beormas as settled agriculturalists speaking a language akin to English or Norse. These portrayals inform studies of pre-modern interactions, though modern scholarship critiques the ' ethnocentric lens and potential translator interpolations. No direct links to other figures exist, but the account parallels themes in Alfredian works like the , underscoring maritime exploration in late 9th-century .

Accounts in Old Norse Sources

Ynglingatal

In the skaldic poem Ynglingatal, composed by the Norwegian skald Þjóðólfr of Hvinir, Ohthere is represented as Óttarr, the son of the Swedish king Egill (corresponding to in sources). The poem, preserved primarily in Snorri Sturluson's , structures its content as a terse eulogistic genealogy tracing the dynasty from the god through twenty-seven semi-legendary and historical rulers, with each focusing on the manner of a king's death to commemorate their lineage and fates. Óttarr occupies a position in the poem's middle section, within the semi-legendary segment that blends mythical elements with events potentially rooted in the Migration Age, emphasizing the continuity of royal bloodlines rather than extended narratives. Stanza 14 of Ynglingatal briefly alludes to Egill's exile and death in after a rebellion led by a thrall named , portraying him as a ruler ousted from his realm and finding refuge abroad, without elaborating on his reign. Óttarr's own entry in stanza 15 provides an equally concise depiction of his demise: "The valiant Óttarr fell beneath the talons of the eagle before the weapons of the ; the battle-vulture, come from afar, trod him with claws," linking his death to conflict in the region (possibly evoking in ) and invoking kennings for to symbolize exposure and defeat, but offering no details on his rule or achievements. This poetic economy underscores the work's genealogical purpose, prioritizing ancestral succession over biographical depth. Scholars generally attribute Ynglingatal to the late 9th century, aligning with Þjóðólfr's floruit under King , though some debate extends the composition to the early based on linguistic and historical references. Regarding reliability for events of the heroic age, the poem is valued as one of the earliest Norse sources on Swedish kingship, but its eulogistic style and integration of mythical motifs render it semi-historical, with potential embellishments that complicate verification against archaeological or contemporary records. This Norse portrayal aligns briefly with the Scylfing dynasty in Beowulf, where Ohthere succeeds as a Geatish adversary.

Ynglinga Saga

In Snorri Sturluson's Ynglinga Saga, part of the Heimskringla compiled around 1225, Óttarr vendilkráka is portrayed as the son of King Egill, succeeding him as ruler of the Swedes (Svíar) after Egill's death. Óttarr's reign is marked by conflict with the Danish king Fróði, stemming from Egill's earlier promise of tribute, which Óttarr refuses, asserting that the Swedes have never paid such taxes to the Danes. This leads to Fróði's invasion of Sweden, where he ravages the land, but Óttarr retaliates by launching raids on Denmark during Fróði's absence, plundering areas including Sealand, the Sound, Jutland, and the Vend district, causing widespread destruction without significant resistance. Óttarr's campaigns escalate into a decisive battle at Limfjord, where he confronts the Danish jarls Vott and Faste, whom Fróði had left to defend the realm. Despite the Swedes' fierce resistance, the Danes receive reinforcements from local forces and nearby ships, overwhelming Óttarr's army; he falls in combat along with most of his men, dated by scholars to approximately the 520s CE based on the saga's chronological framework and comparative legendary timelines. The Danes desecrate Óttarr's body by placing it on a mound to be torn apart by wild beasts and birds, particularly crows and ravens, symbolizing his defeat. To mock the Swedes further, they craft a wooden crow figure and send it as a message that their king is worth no more than this effigy, thereby originating his epithet vendilkráka ("Vendel-crow" or "field-crow"). Snorri integrates a stanza from the 9th-century poem Ynglingatal by Þjóðólfr of Hvinir to underscore this, describing how the "battle-vulture" (raven or eagle) tramples Óttarr's corpse with its foot in Vendel under Danish weapons. Snorri's prose narrative expands significantly on the terse Ynglingatal, which briefly notes Óttarr's death at the hands of Vott and Faste without detailing the raids or . The added elements, such as the specific locations of the raids, the battle dynamics, and the wooden crow as a taunt, are likely Snorri's embellishments to create a more vivid, euhemerized historical account, drawing on oral traditions or poetic motifs for dramatic effect while framing the as a continuous dynasty. Óttarr is said to have fathered Aðils (identified with in Anglo-Saxon sources), who succeeds him, though some scholarly interpretations link him to additional figures like Eanmund in broader legendary genealogies; the saga emphasizes Aðils' inheritance of the throne amid ongoing Swedish-Danish hostilities. Scholars critique Snorri's approach as an attempt to historicize mythic and legendary material, blending skaldic poetry with to legitimize Norwegian and Swedish royal lineages for his 13th-century audience, but question the accuracy of details like the Vendel battle, viewing the crow motif's elaboration as a poetic possibly inspired by common Norse imagery of carrion birds in battle kennings rather than verifiable events. Debates persist over Snorri's sources beyond Ynglingatal, including potential influences from lost sagas like Skjöldunga Saga or Ari Þorgilsson's , with some arguing that the Danish raid narrative conflates distinct traditions to heighten national rivalries. Overall, while the core of Óttarr's demise aligns with the poem's outline, Snorri's additions transform a skeletal into a full tragic tale of vengeance and .

Associated Archaeological Site

Ohthere's Barrow

Ohthere's Barrow, locally known as Ottarshögen, is a prominent burial mound situated in Vendel parish near the village of Vendel in , . The site stands as a key feature in the region's ancient landscape, characterized by its substantial size and visibility amid a cluster of elite burial monuments from the . Measuring approximately 40 meters in diameter and 6 to 8 meters in height, the mound's imposing form underscores its role as a associated with power and commemoration in the area. Traditionally identified as Ohthere's burial site, the mound's name directly derives from "Ottar," linking it to the legendary king Ohthere (Ottar Vendelkråka) whose death in battle at is briefly recounted in the Ynglinga Saga. This attribution is further supported by the barrow's proximity to other royal Vendel graves, reinforcing its connection to the Scylfing dynasty's historical narratives.

Excavation History and Artifacts

The barrow traditionally attributed to Ohthere and known as Ottarshögen in parish, , , underwent between 1913 and 1914, led by Bernhard Salin and Sune Lindqvist, with additional work extending into 1916. These investigations uncovered cremated human remains suggestive of high-status individuals, accompanied by artifacts including weapons and jewelry that reflect elite social standing within early medieval Scandinavian society. Among the key finds was a perforated gold solidus coin minted for Emperor (r. 475–476 AD), likely originating from or and repurposed as pendant jewelry, providing evidence of long-distance trade connections but predating the by over a century. The discoveries are contextualized within the Vendel culture, characterized by lavish cremation burials featuring rich grave goods from the 6th to 7th centuries AD, a period marked by elite displays of wealth and power in central Sweden. Radiocarbon analysis of organic materials from the site dates the mound's construction to the first half of the 6th century, approximately 520–530 AD, aligning broadly with the legendary timeline for Ohthere but raising questions about precise chronology due to the earlier coin's status as a potential heirloom. Despite the mound's traditional association with Ohthere, significant scholarly gaps persist: no inscriptions or directly identify the buried individual(s) as the historical counterpart to the literary figure, and the site's possible reuse in later periods complicates direct linkages to a single early medieval ruler. These uncertainties underscore ongoing debates regarding the of Ohthere, with the artifacts offering material evidence of royal-level burial practices but no conclusive proof tying them to the Scylfing king described in textual sources.

References

  1. https://people.umass.edu/sharris/in/handouts/Beowulf_SwedishWars.pdf
  2. https://csis.pace.edu/grendel/proj1b/names.html
  3. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18947/18947-h/18947-h.htm
  4. https://www.academia.edu/3665108/Beowulf_and_the_Swedish_Dragon
  5. https://www.behindthename.com/name/o10ttarr
  6. https://journals.lub.lu.se/index.php/anf/article/viewFile/11525/10217
  7. https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsEurope/ScandinaviaSweden.htm
  8. https://www.academia.edu/124687822/OF_SCYLDINGS_and_YNGLINGS
  9. https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/view/pdfCoverPage?instCode=01BRAND_INST&filePid=13419017700001921&download=true
  10. https://www.oldenglishaerobics.net/ohthere.php
  11. https://faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/vikings/ottar.htm
  12. https://roep.web.ox.ac.uk/article/the-old-english-ohthere-and-wulfstan-by-helen-appleton
  13. https://www.medievalists.net/2016/04/a-journey-to-the-far-north-in-the-ninth-century/
  14. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=verse&i=4375
  15. https://skaldic.org/m.php?i=1440
  16. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1225764/FULLTEXT01.pdf
  17. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=verse&i=4377
  18. http://www.vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Heimskringla%20I.pdf
  19. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Heimskringla/Ynglinga_Saga#Of_King_Ottar
  20. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Heimskringla/Ynglinga_Saga#Of_King_Adils
  21. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1534958/FULLTEXT01.pdf
  22. https://www1.leiza.de/foreigners/cfm/GrabInfo.cfm?GrabCode=SEGY001GR002&Language=E
  23. https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/1372/ottarshogen/
  24. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281209004_Brief_Events_and_Long-Term_Change_Brief_Events_and_Long-term_Change_The_Slow_Impact_of_Foreign_Influences_in_Valsgarde
  25. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342696036_The_dating_of_Ottarshogen_and_the_emergence_of_monumental_burial_mounds_in_Middle_Sweden
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.