b. Sveinn II Úlfsson (r. 1047-1074/76)

Sveinn Úlfsson (Sven Estridson) was the son of the Danish jarl Úlfr Þorgilsson and Ástríðr, the sister of Knútr inn ríki (Cnut the Great; see Genealogy II in ÍF 35). Although Sveinn had sworn allegiance to Magnús inn góði of Norway and had become his jarl, he claimed the throne of Denmark upon the death of Hǫrðaknútr Knútsson (according to the agreement between Magnús and Hǫrðaknútr, Magnús was to inherit Denmark). Sveinn became the ruler of Denmark when Magnús died in 1047, and he held on to the throne despite years of attacks from Haraldr harðráði of Norway. In 1064 a peace treaty was forged between Sveinn and Haraldr, but after Haraldr’s death in 1066, Sveinn laid claim to the throne of Norway. Shortly thereafter he renounced that claim, betrothed his daughter, Ingiríðr, to Óláfr, and turned his attention to England (1069), but the Danish attempt (in collaboration with Anglo-Saxon noblemen) to overthrow the English king, William the Conqueror, was unsuccessful. Sveinn died on 28 April 1074 or 1076. See Theodoricus (MHN 48-51, 54-6; McDougall and McDougall 1998, 37-9, 43-5), Ágr (ÍF 29, 34-5, 37-8; Ágr 1995, 48-51, 54-7), Mork (Mork 1928-32, 35-7, 49-52, 88-93, 102-3, 137-45, 148, 155-69, 175-87, 204-26, 262-3, 286-8; Andersson and Gade 2000, 113-14, 123-7, 150-4, 158-9, 179-84, 187, 194-204, 208-15, 225-39, 262, 277-9), Fsk (ÍF 29, 204, 218-25, 238-41, 243, 248-61, 263-71, 273-5, 297-9; Finlay 2004, 164, 175-81, 193, 199-208, 210-19, 237-9), Hkr (ÍF 28, 36-41, 46-65, 91-7, 102-18, 130-5, 139-62, 167, 172-3, 201-2, 207-8; Hollander 1991, 439-40, 557-60, 563-75, 590-607, 615-16, 618, 622-36, 640, 643-4, 662-3, 666), H-Hr (Fms 6, 51-5, 74-91, 113, 172-9, 218-19, 221-32, 251-65, 268, 275-77, 290-333, 341, 397-9, 435-8, 443), Flat (Flat 1860-8, III, 273-5, 283-5, 306-8, 313-14, 326-32, 334-43, 347-8, 351, 359-72, 387, 411-15). See also ÓH (ÍF 27, 275-7; Hollander 1991, 438-40), Knýtl (ÍF 35, 128-38; Hermann Pálsson and Edwards 1986, 44-50), Saxo (2005, I, 10, 21, 1-22, 6, pp. 684-93, II, 11, 1, 1-9, 5, pp. 8-31), HÍ, Saga hins heilaga Eðvarðar (Flat 1860-8, III, 468, 470).

Events documented in poetry: For the poetry commemorating Sveinn’s dealings with Magnús inn góði, Haraldr harðráði and Óláfr kyrri, see their Biographies above. See also Anon (Knýtl).

References

1. Bibliography
2. Fms = Sveinbjörn Egilsson et al., eds. 1825-37. Fornmanna sögur eptir gömlum handritum útgefnar að tilhlutun hins norræna fornfræða fèlags. 12 vols. Copenhagen: Popp.
3. Andersson, Theodore M. and Kari Ellen Gade, trans. 2000. Morkinskinna: The Earliest Icelandic Chronicle of the Norwegian Kings (1030-1157). Islandica 51. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.
4. Edwards, Paul. 1986. ‘Alcohol into Art: Drink and Poetry in Old Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon’. In Simek et al. 1986, 85-97.
5. Flat 1860-8 = Gudbrand Vigfusson [Guðbrandur Vigfússon] and C. R. Unger, eds. 1860-8. Flateyjarbók. En samling af norske konge-sagaer med indskudte mindre fortællinger om begivenheder i og udenfor Norge samt annaler. 3 vols. Christiania (Oslo): Malling.
6. MHN = Storm, Gustav, ed. 1880. Monumenta historica Norvegiæ: Latinske kildeskrifter til Norges historie i middelalderen. Kristiania (Oslo): Brøgger. Rpt. 1973. Oslo: Aas & Wahl.
7. Mork 1928-32 = Finnur Jónsson, ed. 1928-32. Morkinskinna. SUGNL 53. Copenhagen: Jørgensen.
8. Finlay, Alison, trans. 2004. Fagrskinna: A Catalogue of the Kings of Norway. Leiden: Brill.
9. Hollander, Lee M. 1991 = Hollander, Lee M. 1964a.
10. McDougall, David and Ian McDougall, trans. 1998. Theodoricus monachus. Historia de antiquitate regum norwagiensium: An Account of the Ancient History of the Norwegian Kings. Viking Society for Northern Research Text Series 11. University College, London: Viking Society for Northern Research.
11. Theodoricus = Theodrici monachi historia de antiquitate regum Norwagiensium. In MHN 1-68.
12. Internal references
13. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Heimskringla’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=4> (accessed 20 April 2024)
14. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Flateyjarbók’ in Diana Whaley (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 1: From Mythical Times to c. 1035. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 1. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=44> (accessed 20 April 2024)
15. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Fagrskinna’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=56> (accessed 20 April 2024)
16. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Hulda-Hrokkinskinna’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=84> (accessed 20 April 2024)
17. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Morkinskinna’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=87> (accessed 20 April 2024)
18. (forthcoming), ‘ Heimskringla, Haralds saga Sigurðssonar’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=142> (accessed 20 April 2024)
19. (forthcoming), ‘ Unattributed, Magnúss saga góða ok Haralds harðráða’ in Kari Ellen Gade (ed.), Poetry from the Kings’ Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 2. Turnhout: Brepols, p. . <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=147> (accessed 20 April 2024)