Gotrik

Also known as: Godefride · Family: Danes · Role: king · First appears: Book Eight · Part 21

After Gorm died in Book Eight · Part 21, Gotrik came to the throne. In Book Eight · Part 22, Ref said Gotrik was more generous than Gaut, and Gotrik gave him two bracelets. He imposed tribute terms on the Saxons, won a victory over them, subdued Friesland with his fleet, and sent Ref to test Sweden’s strength; the Swedes killed Ref as he slept. Gotrik was treacherously attacked by one of his servants and perished by the sword. In Book Nine · Part 1, his son Olaf succeeded him and sought to avenge his father, while Siward Ring’s cousin Ring (master of Jutland) was also Gotrik’s grandson and master of Jutland.

Relationship record

Life events

• Gotrik, Gorm's son, came to the throne.(Book Eight · Part 21)
  • With: Gorm (father of Gotrik)
  • “After the death of Gorm, GOTRIK his son came to the throne.”
• Ref said that Gotrik was more generous than Gaut.(Book Eight · Part 21)
  • With: Ref Gaut
  • “and said that Gotrik was more generous than Gaut.”
• Gotrik gave Ref two bracelets as gifts.(Book Eight · Part 22)
  • With: Ref
  • “Straightway Ref put it upon his arm, which he displayed to them all adorned with gold, but the other arm he kept hidden as lacking ornament; for which shrewdness he received a gift equal to the first from that hand of matchless generosity.”
• Gotrik imposed tribute terms on the Saxons.(Book Eight · Part 22)
  • “Among his memorable deeds were the terms of tribute he imposed upon the Saxons; namely, that whenever a change of kings occurred among the Danes, their princes should devote a hundred snow-white horses to the new king on his accession.”
• Gotrik sent Ref to test Sweden's strength, and the Swedes killed Ref.(Book Eight · Part 22 · 📍 Sweden)
  • With: Ref
  • “Nor was it enough for Gotrik to subjugate Germany: he appointed Ref on a mission to try the strength of Sweden. The Swedes feared to slay him with open violence, but ventured to act like bandits, and killed him, as he slept, with the blow of a stone.”
• Gotrik won a victory over the Saxons.(Book Eight · Part 22)
  • “Meanwhile Gotrik won a glorious victory over the Saxons.”
• Gotrik subdued Friesland with his fleet.(Book Eight · Part 22 · 📍 Friesland)
  • “He began by subduing Friesland with his fleet.”
• Gotrik imposed a strange tribute on the country.(Book Eight · Part 23)
  • “On this country Gotrik imposed a kind of tribute, which was not so much harsh as strange.”
• Gotrik was treacherously attacked by one of his servants and perished by the sword.(Book Eight · Part 23)
  • “Gotrik determined to swoop down upon the further districts of Germany, but was treacherously attacked by one of his own servants, and perished at home by the sword of a traitor.”
• Olaf succeeded Gotrik and reigned.(Book Nine · Part 1)
  • With: Olaf (son of Gotrik)
  • “After Gotrik's death reigned his son OLAF”

Book Eight · Part 21

• parent: Gorm (father of Gotrik) “After the death of Gorm, GOTRIK his son came to the throne.”

Book Eight · Part 22

• recipient: Ref (Gotrik gives Ref a bracelet.) “And thereupon he drew a bracelet from his arm, called the man to him, and put it between his lips.”
• vassal: Ref “Nor was it enough for Gotrik to subjugate Germany: he appointed Ref on a mission to try the strength of Sweden.”
• enemies with Karl (father of Pepin) “When Gotrik heard of this, he attacked the nations bordering on the Elbe, and attempted to regain under his sway as of old the realm of Saxony, which eagerly accepted the yoke of Karl, and preferred the Roman to the Danish arms.”
• enemies with Pepin “Obeying this command, Karl intrusted his son Pepin with the conduct of the war against Gotrik; so that while he himself was working against a distant foe, Pepin might manage the conflict he had undertaken with his neighbour.”

Book Nine · Part 1

• child: Olaf (son of Gotrik) “After Gotrik's death reigned his son OLAF; who, desirous to avenge his father, did not hesitate to involve his country in civil wars, putting patriotism after private inclination.”
• younger kin: Siward Ring “Now Ring, cousin of Siward, and also a grandson of Gotrik, was master of Jutland.”
• younger kin: Ring (master of Jutland) “Now Ring, cousin of Siward, and also a grandson of Gotrik, was master of Jutland”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

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