Alfhild (daughter of Siward)

Also known as: Alfhild · First appears: Book Seven · Part 7

In Book Seven · Part 7, Siward (king of the Goths) had two sons, Wemund and Osten (son of Siward), and a daughter, Alfhild. Though she kept her face muffled to guard her modesty, Siward confined her and gave her a viper and a snake to rear, intending the reptiles to protect her chastity.

In Book Seven · Part 8, Alfhild exchanged women’s attire for men’s clothes and became a warlike rover; a band of rovers made her their captain. Alf (son of Sigar), who had sought to win her, fought her fleet at Finland and took hold of her, making her change back into women’s clothing. Afterwards he begot their daughter Gurid.

Relationship record

Life events

• Siward had two sons, Wemund and Osten, and a daughter, Alfhild.(Book Seven · Part 7)
  • With: Siward (king of the Goths) Wemund Osten (son of Siward)
  • “At the same time Siward, the king of the Goths, is said to have had two sons, Wemund and Osten, and a daughter Alfhild”
• Siward banished Alfhild into close keeping and gave her reptiles to rear to guard her chastity.(Book Seven · Part 7)
  • With: Siward (king of the Goths)
  • “Her father banished her into very close keeping, and gave her a viper and a snake to rear, wishing to defend her chastity by the protection of these reptiles when they came to grow up.”
• Alfhild exchanged her maiden’s attire for men’s clothes and became a warlike rover.(Book Seven · Part 8)
  • “Thus Alfhild was led to despise the young Dane; whereupon she exchanged woman's for man's attire, and, no longer the most modest of maidens, began the life of a warlike rover.”
• A band of rovers made Alfhild their captain.(Book Seven · Part 8)
  • “they made her their rover captain for her beauty, and she did deeds beyond the valour of woman.”
• Alf defeated Alfhild’s fleet and took hold of her, making her exchange her man’s apparel for a woman’s.(Book Seven · Part 8 · 📍 Finland)
  • With: Alf (son of Sigar)
  • “So Alf rejoiced that the woman whom he had sought over land and sea in the face of so many dangers was now beyond all expectation in his power; whereupon he took hold of her eagerly, and made her change her man's apparel for a woman's;”
• Alf begot a daughter, Gurid, on Alfhild.(Book Seven · Part 8)
  • With: Alf (son of Sigar) Gurid
  • “and afterwards begot on her a daughter, Gurid.”

Book Seven · Part 7

• parent: Siward (king of the Goths) “At the same time Siward, the king of the Goths, is said to have had two sons, Wemund and Osten, and a daughter Alfhild, who showed almost from her cradle such faithfulness to modesty that she continually kept her face muffled in her robe, lest she should cause her beauty to provoke the passion of another.”

Book Seven · Part 8

• parent: Siward (king of the Goths) “And when he demanded the gage which was attached to victory by the terms of the covenant, Siward answered that he would accept that man only for his daughter's husband of whom she made a free and decided choice.”
• admirer: Alf (son of Sigar) “Alf, the son of Sigar, thinking that peril of the attempt only made it nobler, declared himself a wooer, and went to subdue the beasts that kept watch beside the room of the maiden; inasmuch as, according to the decree, the embraces of the maiden were the prize of their subduer.”
• enemies with Alf (son of Sigar) “So, when they began the sea-fight, the young man Alf leapt on Alfhild's prow, and advanced towards the stern, slaughtering all that withstood him.”
• married with Alf (son of Sigar) “So Alf rejoiced that the woman whom he had sought over land and sea in the face of so many dangers was now beyond all expectation in his power; whereupon he took hold of her eagerly, and made her change her man's apparel for a woman's; and afterwards begot on her a daughter, Gurid.”
• child: Gurid “So Alf rejoiced that the woman whom he had sought over land and sea in the face of so many dangers was now beyond all expectation in his power; whereupon he took hold of her eagerly, and made her change her man's apparel for a woman's; and afterwards begot on her a daughter, Gurid.”
• enemies with Borgar “His comrade Borgar struck off Alfhild's helmet, and, seeing the smoothness of her chin, saw that he must fight with kisses and not with arms; that the cruel spears must be put away, and the enemy handled with gentler dealings.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Danish History, Books I–IX. Made with Rho MD.