Hjordis

Role: daughter of Eylimi · First appears: Chapter XI · Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his Sword again

In Chapter XI, Hjordis’s father, Eylimi, let her choose between King Lyngi and Sigmund, who had heard she would make a fitting wife for him. She chose Sigmund, was betrothed to him, and then married him.

In Chapter XII, after Sigmund died from his wounds, Hjordis changed clothes and names with her handmaid to conceal who she was. She left with King Alf and his men, carrying treasure from the battlefield. King Alf offered to make her his wife and give her jointure after she bore a child; Hjordis revealed her identity and was held in great honour. In Chapter XIII, she gave birth to Sigurd, and through him she was betrothed to King Alf and given jointure.

Relationship record

Life events

• Hjordis chooses Sigmund and becomes betrothed to him.(Chapter XI · Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his Sword again)
  • With: Sigmund
  • “So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone.”
• Sigmund and Hjordis are wedded.(Chapter XI · Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his Sword again)
  • With: Sigmund
  • “Then was Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and more glorious than on the day before it.”
• King Sigmund refuses healing and dies from his wounds.(Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf)
  • With: Sigmund
  • “So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning;”
• Hjordis and her handmaid exchange clothes and names to conceal Hjordis's identity.(Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf)
  • “Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that thou art the king's daughter.”
• Hjordis leaves with King Alf and his men, carrying the treasure found on the battlefield.(Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf)
  • With: King Alf
  • “All this they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and the bondmaid went with them.”
• King Alf proposes to make Hjordis his wife and promises her jointure after she bears a child.(Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf)
  • With: King Alf
  • “but better than thy deeds will I deal with thee, for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee whenas thou hast borne me a child.”
• Hjordis reveals her true identity and is thereafter held in great honour.(Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf)
  • “She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women.”
• Hjordis gave birth to Sigurd.(Chapter XIII · Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane)
  • With: Sigurd
  • “The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was straightly borne before King Hjalprek”
• Hjordis was betrothed to King Alf and given a jointure.(Chapter XIII · Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane)
  • With: King Alf
  • “through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure meted to her.”

Chapter XI · Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his Sword again

• parent: Eylimi “So he spake to his daughter, and said-- ‘Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt choose a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, and my rede shall be even as thine.’”
• admirer: Lyngi “thither also was come King Lyngi, son of King Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter of King Eylimi.”
• admirer: Sigmund “and Sigmund hears it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if none else were.”
• engaged with Sigmund “So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone.”
• married with Sigmund “Then was Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and more glorious than on the day before it.”

Chapter XII · Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf

• admirer: King Alf “But come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst told me all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we had both been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal with thee, for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee whenas thou hast borne me a child.”
• married with Sigmund “The king said, “That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art great with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin:”

Chapter XIII · Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane

• child: Sigurd “The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was straightly borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad thereof, when he saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that few men would be equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was sprinkled with water, and had to name Sigurd”
• engaged with King Alf “So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure meted to her.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Story of the Volsungs. Made with Rho MD.