Jarmerik

Also known as: Eormunrec · Family: Danes · Role: Siward's son · First appears: Book Eight · Part 10

In Book Eight · Part 10, Jarmerik (Eormunrec), son of Siward (son of Omund), was captured with his child-sisters and imprisoned with his foster-brother Gunn, in the charge of Ismar. Taken from prison to work as a peasant, he was later enrolled among the king’s retainers and rose to intimacy with Ismar. He then broke into the treasury, took money, and hid himself; in Book Eight · Part 11, he and Gunn set fire to the king’s banquet tent and escaped.

When Budle was forced to give him the Danish kingdom, Jarmerik also gained Sweden after helping Sibb’s kindred avenge their kinsman by overthrowing Gotar (King of the Swedes). He attacked the Sclavs, hanging forty men with wolves tied to them, and later destroyed their fleet as it ravaged Denmark. In Book Eight · Part 12, Bikk came to him after escaping captivity, though Jarmerik had earlier deprived him of his brothers. Jarmerik captured Sclav leaders and had them torn apart by horses, defeated his nephews in Germany, then, at Bikk’s prompting, returned and hanged them.

Jarmerik married Swanhild, then had her trampled by horses. He also ordered his son Broder hanged, but had the bystanders hold him up so he would not be choked. In Book Eight · Part 13, Jarmerik lost both feet and hands, and Broder succeeded him as king.