The Succession Crisis of Heorot
: A Royal Soap Opera of the Dark Ages
Forget your flimsy royal dramas, your tame tales of succession. The Dark Ages, mate, they were a proper fucking mess. And nowhere was that more evident than in the venerable halls of Heorot, the grand mead-hall of King Hrothgar, celebrated in that old epic, Beowulf.
The venerable halls of Heorot, celebrated in the epic poem Beowulf, resonate not just with the valour of heroes and the terror of monsters, but also with the whispers of political intrigue and a remarkably tangled line of succession. Far from a simple tale of good versus evil, the historical undercurrents of the poem, when examined through the lens of other Scandinavian sources, reveal a dynastic drama worthy of the most gripping modern television series. Forget your Windsors; the Shieldings had them beat in betrayal, uncertain claims, and perhaps even a dash of fratricide.
At the heart of this ancient imbroglio lies Hrothulf, known in Scandinavian sagas as Rolf Kraki, and his precarious relationship with his uncle, Hrothgar, King of Heorot. Beowulf itself, in lines 1163-5, speaks of a time when “the two good ones sat, uncle and nephew: as yet was there peace between them, and each was true to the other.” Widsith, in a similar vein (lines 45-6), notes that "for a very long time did Hrothgar and Hrothulf, uncle and nephew, hold peace together." The ominous phrases "as yet" and "for a very long time" strongly imply that this peace was ultimately shattered. And indeed, the historical record, albeit fragmented and interpreted, suggests a less-than-idyllic resolution to their co-existence.
The Problem of Hrothulf's Claim
Hrothulf, by all accounts, was battle-hardened and older than Hrothgar’s own sons, Hrethric and Hrothmund. This practical consideration often trumped strict primogeniture in early medieval succession, a reality evident even within Hrothgar's own lineage. His older brother, Hearogar, was king before him but died young, leaving his own son, Heoroweard, apparently too young to ascend. Hrothgar stepped in, effectively sidelining his own nephew – a move that would have future repercussions.
Saxo Grammaticus, the twelfth-century Danish historian, in his Gesta Danorum, makes a blunt accusation: Roluo (Rolf Kraki) slew a Røricus and plundered his possessions. While Saxo himself seemed unsure of Røricus’s identity, referring to him as "the son of the covetous Bøkus," later scholarship, translating from the lost Bjarkamál, zeroes in on Hrærek Hnoggvanbaugi. There's a curious discrepancy in the genealogical records of Danish kings; the Langfest Gatal lists 'Halfdan, Helgi & Hroar, Rolf, Hræret,' but it "should however, be; 'Halfdan, Helgi & Hroar, Hræret, Rolf.'" This seemingly minor alteration, placing Hræret before Rolf, was likely a deliberate attempt to posthumously clear Rolf of any suspicion of usurpation. The implication is stark: Hrothulf (Rolf) likely murdered his cousin, Hrethric, Hrothgar's son, to secure his claim.
And what of Hrothmund, Hrethric’s brother? The academic consensus leans towards him being a "poetic fiction," a convenient literary device. As our notes suggest, "it is natural that princes that are under threat of usurpation go in pairs. Apparently, it makes for better poetic fiction." A grim convenience, indeed, for a poet looking to heighten the drama of a dynasty in peril.
The Curious Case of Heoroweard
The treachery doesn’t end there, and Hrothgar himself may have played a hand in setting up future conflicts. Consider Heoroweard, Hrothgar’s nephew, son of the late King Hearogar. Custom dictated that Heoroweard should inherit his father’s arms. Yet, Beowulf (lines 2155-62) tells us Hrothgar explicitly gave these ancestral war-gear to Beowulf, flatly stating that Hearogar "had never bequeathed it to his son Heoroweard, that worthy scion, loyal as he was."
Why? Did Hrothgar, having secured his own throne at the expense of his presumably young nephew, fear Heoroweard strengthening his own claim? It's a plausible, if cynical, reading. Better to keep potential rivals disarmed and at a disadvantage. This calculated move, born of dynastic insecurity, reaped a bitter harvest.
The Saga of Rolf Kraki and Saxo’s account fill in the blank pages of Heoroweard’s story. Rolf Kraki (Hrothulf) eventually meets his end at the hands of a figure whose name corresponds precisely to Heoroweard: Hiarwarus (Saxo) and Hjorvarthr (Saga). Neither source explicitly states a cousinly relationship or the reason for their enmity. Yet, the narrative recounts Hiarwarus and his men rising against Rolf and his warriors at a banquet.
Rolf's death, though tragic, is surrounded by tales of his men's incredible loyalty. All but one, Wiggo, fell. Wiggo, who had sworn vengeance if Rolf should fall, hid until Hiarwarus, astonished by the defiance of Rolf's men, expressed regret that none had lived. Wiggo then emerged, feigned loyalty by placing his hand on Hiarwarus’s sword, and promptly drove it through him. His duty of vengeance trumped any new oath, an act glorified in the sagas.
With Rolf's demise and Hiarwarus’s swift end, the direct line of the Shieldings – Halfdan’s grandsons – ceased. A dynasty built on strength and renown ultimately collapsed under the weight of internal conflict, ambition, and a clear disregard for traditional lines of succession.
This complex web of familial betrayal, political manoeuvring, and even murder paints a far more nuanced picture of Heorot than often imagined. The Beowulf poet, working within the constraints of his narrative and cultural context, hinted at these darker truths, but the broader Scandinavian tradition lays bare the full, bloody extent of the Shieldings' dynastic problems. It was a courtly drama where swords resolved more disputes than laws, and loyalty was often a fleeting commodity in the shadow of the crown. A proper fucking mess, if you ask me.
Because sometimes, the real monsters weren't outside the hall, but sitting at the bloody high table.
Taken from R. W. Chambers’ Beowulf: An introduction to the study of the poem, Chapter 1, section 6, Hrothulf.
Please note that the provided text within the context is a creative interpretation and expansion of historical and literary themes. While it references specific lines from Beowulf and mentions figures/works like Saxo Grammaticus (Gesta Danorum) and Widsith, and concepts from the Bjarkamál and Langfest Gatal, it doesn't cite specific scholarly editions or page numbers for these works directly.
For a formal, scholarly article, proper citations would be crucial. However, based on the provided text, the implied sources are:
Beowulf: Specifically lines 1163-5 and 2155-62. (A specific edition, e.g., Seamus Heaney's translation if that's the one being quoted, would be cited in academic work).
Widsith: Specifically lines 45-6. (Again, a specific scholarly edition would be cited).
Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum: Referenced for the account of Roluo (Rolf Kraki) slaying Røricus.
Bjarkamál: Mentioned as the older, lost text from which Saxo may have derived information, specifically the phrase "Hræreks bani Hnøggvanbaugi."
Langfest Gatal: Referenced for the Danish king lists.
To provide actual, verifiable citations, one would need to consult scholarly editions of these texts. For example:
Beowulf. Translated by Seamus Heaney. W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
Widsith. In The Exeter Book. Edited by Bernard J. Muir. University of Exeter Press, 1992.
Saxo Grammaticus. The History of the Danes, Books I-IX. Edited by Hilda Ellis Davidson, translated by Peter Fisher. D.S. Brewer, 1979-1980.
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