Hother

Family: Swedes · Role: son of Hothbrodd · First appears: Book Two · Part 8

Hother was born to Hothbrodd alongside his brother Athisl (son of Hothbrodd), and spent his boyhood under the tutelage of Gewar. In Book Three · Part 1, Nanna fell in love with him, while Balder resolved to kill him because he stood in the way of Balder’s suit. Hother asked Gewar for Nanna, then wounded and bound Miming and demanded his sword and bracelet as ransom. After returning enriched, he defeated Gelder and received his surrender kindly.

In Book Three · Part 3, Hother went with an armed fleet to Norway to help Helgi (King of Halogaland) obtain Thora (daughter of Kuse). He and Helgi fought Balder and the gods; Hother hewed Thor’s club at the haft, and the gods fled. Balder escaped, and Hother married Nanna, treating Helgi and Thora generously before bringing his queen to Sweden. Balder later defeated Hother and drove him to Gewar, but Hother took Isefjord with a great fleet, was appointed king by the Danes, and joined the Swedish empire to Denmark after Athisl’s death. Their struggle for sovereignty continued: Hother fled to Jutland, fought Balder again, and stabbed him in the side, leaving him half dead.

In Book Three · Part 8, Hother avenged Gewar by burning Gunne on a pyre, made his sons Herlek and Gerit rulers of Norway, and secured the elders’ agreement that Rorik Slyngebond should become king. Hother was killed in battle by Boe.