Sveidi Heytirsson (also known as: Sveiði) The Sea King

Sveidi Heytirsson (also known as: Sveiði) The Sea King

Father: Heiti ‘Heytir’ “King in Kvenland” GORRSSON

Issue: Halfdan ‘The Old’ SVEIDASSON

Biography:

It is believed that Sveidi lived in the 5th or 6th century, so right in the middle of Dark Age Europe. he was born in Romsdal, Møre og Romsdal, Norway. Sveidi was the legendary father of Halfdan the Old.

He was a Legendary Viking Sea-king which was the Viking name for a powerful pirate chieftain.

They could be kings of Sweden (such as Yngvi and Jorund), Denmark or a Norwegian kingdom, and sons of kings, such as Refil, but they could also be men “without roof” like Hjörvard the Ylfing.

In the Norse sagas, such men without roof could be so powerful that they could subdue a country and make themselves kings. Two examples are Sölve who killed the Swedish king Östen, and Haki who killed the Swedish king Hugleik. However, in both cases they ultimately lost due to lack of popular support.

The preservation of names belonging to Sea Kings were chiefly due to the Norwegian and Icelandic bards, who used them as kennings, in the same manner as they employed the names of gods, fairies, dwarfs, giants etc. This application increased when time had thrown romantic splendour and mystery on the half-forgotten stories of the vikings.

In prose, the sea-kings are seldom clearly distinguished from the ordinary vikings.

The Meaning of Sveidi

Sveidi. Wounder. Conferatur; the happax legomenon, sveidando spjot, smart spear; sveidandi must be a per procurationem of Sveida, to smart. Sveid, a valkyrja (who wounds). The ox-name sveidurr is difficult to understand. Sveidi is found in a few kennings.

https://thelivesofmyancestors.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/sveidi-sveidi-the-sea-king-heytirsson/