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Gram of Denmark

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For the town, see Gram, Denmark. King of the Danes
Gram of Denmark
King of the Danes
PredecessorSkiold
SuccessorSvipdagr
ConsortGroa
Signe
Issuedaughter
Guthorm
Hading
HouseScylding
FatherSkiold
MotherAlfhild
ReligionPagan
Characters of Gesta Danorum
Danish kings
Foreign rulers
Other men
Women

Gram was one of the earliest legendary Danish kings according to Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum. His history is given in more detail than those of his predecessors. Georges Dumézil argued that Gram was partially modelled on the god Thor, in particular his defeat of Hrungnir and subsequent encounter with Gróa.

The Old Norse word gramr means "king" and is probably the source of Gram's name, possibly through a misunderstanding of Saxo's. No other ancient source mentions a king named Gram.

The family tree of legendary Kings of the Danes, according to the Gesta Danorum (Books I to VII)

Kings of the Danes are in bold and marked with an asterisk (*). Kings of the Swedes are marked with a dagger (†).

Humble
KEY
AngulDan*GrythaMarriage or coupling
Parent and child
The AnglesHumble*Lother*King of the SaxonsInheritance by other or unclear means
Sigtryg, King of the Swedes†Skiold*AlfhildSumble, King
of the Finns
GróaGram*†SigneHenry, King
of the Saxons		Hakon, King
of the Nitherians
Swipdag*†Guthorm*
Hadding*Ragnhild
Asmund†Gunhild
Guthorm
HenryUffe†Hunding†ThorhildUlfhildUbbe
Scot
Ragnar†SwanhwidHandwan
Thorwald
Frode*
Hothbrodd†Halfdan*RoSkat
Thora
Helge*Ro*
Athisl†Urse
King GewarRolf*† KrageRuteBjarkeSkuldeHiartuar†*
Hother†*NannaHerlekGerit
Rorik*Gerwendil
King of BritainGeruthaHorwendilFeng
AmlethHermutrude, Queen of ScotlandWiglek*
Wermund*Frowin, governor of Sleswik
Uffe*, aka Olaf the GentleKetWig
Dan*
Hugleik*
Frode* the Vigorous
Dan*
KrakaRagnarBrakFridleif* the Swift
Gotar, King of NorwayHun, King of the HunsWestmarKollGotwar
RollerErik†Gunwar the FairAlfhildFrode*HanundGrep11 other brothers (two named Grep)
Hythin, King of TellemarkAlfEyfuraArngrimGrubbHiarn*Amund, King of Norway
Halfdan†12 sons, including AngantyAneJurithaFridleif*FrogerthaFrok
Hanef, King of SaxonySwerting, King of SaxonyOlafFrode*
Siward†Unnamed sonsIngeld*HelgaHelgeAsa
FrodeFridleifIngeldOlaf*Karl, governor of Gothland
UlfhildFrode*Hather, a chiefHarald*Signe
ErikThorhildHalfdan*† BiargrammHarald
Asmund
Kings of Norway

Name spellings are derived from Oliver Elton's 1905 translation, The First Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus, via Wikisource.

References

  • Dumézil, Georges (1973). From Myth to Fiction : The Saga of Hadingus. Trans. Derek Coltman. Chicago: U. of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-16972-3.
  • Davidson, Hilda Ellis (ed.) and Peter Fisher (tr.) (1999). Saxo Grammaticus : The History of the Danes : Books I-IX. Bury St Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Press. ISBN 0-85991-502-6. First published 1979-1980.
  • Elton, Oliver (tr.) (1905). The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus. New York: Norroena Society. Available online
  • Olrik, J. and H. Ræder (1931). Saxo Grammaticus : Gesta Danorum. Available online
Legendary titles
Preceded bySigtryg King of the Swedes Succeeded bySvipdagr (king)
Preceded bySkiold King of the Danes Succeeded bySvipdagr (king)
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