Battle of the Brávellir

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Battle of the Brávellir

Date ca. 770
Location Near Bråviken (Brávik), East Götaland
Result Swedish victory
Combatants
Sweden Denmark
Commanders
Sigurd Ring Harald Wartooth†

The Battle of the Brávellir or the Battle of Bråvalla was a legendary battle that took place on the Brávellir between Sigurd Ring, king of Sweden and the Geats of West Götaland, and Harald Wartooth, king of Denmark and the Geats of East Götaland.

Contents

[edit] Sources

This battle is said to have taken place in the mid 8th century and it is retold in several sources, such as the Norse sagas Hervarar saga, Bósa saga ok Herrauds and Sögubrot af Nokkrum, but it is most extensively described in the Danish Gesta Danorum. According to the Swedish journalist and best selling historian Herman Lindquist, the Rök Stone tells of this battle.

[edit] Cause

Harald had inherited Sweden from his maternal grandfather Ivar Vidfamne, but ruled Denmark and East Götaland, whereas his subordinate king Sigurd Ring was the ruler of Sweden and West Götaland. According to legend Harald Wartooth realised that he was growing old (150) and may die of old age and so never go to Valhalla. He consequently asked Sigurd if he would let him leave this life gloriously in a great battle.

[edit] Preparation

According to Saxo Grammaticus, both hosts prepared for seven years, and mustered armies of 200 000 men. Harald was joined by the legendary heroes Ubbe of Friesland, Uvle Brede, Are the One-eyed, Dag the Fat, Hroi Whitebeard and Hothbrodd the Indomitable as well was 300 shieldmaidens led by Hed, Visna and Hedborg. Sigurd recruited the legendary heroes Starkad, Egil the Bald, Grette the Evil (a Norwegian), Blig Bignose, Einar the Fatbellied and Erling Snake. They were joined by scores of Norwegians, Saxons, Angles, Frisians, Irish, Rus', Finns, etc. Whole forests were chopped down in order to build 3000 longships to transport the Swedes. Harald's Danes had built so many ships that they could walk across The Sound.

The numbers are obviously exaggerated, certainly tenfold or more. For comparison with the 3000 Swedish ships, the leidang fleets of the Scandinavian kingdoms numbered around 300 ships each during the Viking Age.

[edit] Location

A image of the graves of Harald Wartooth and Ubbi by lake Åsnen in Småland from Suecia antiqua et hodierna
Enlarge
A image of the graves of Harald Wartooth and Ubbi by lake Åsnen in Småland from Suecia antiqua et hodierna

The location of the Brávellir was formerly disputed. According to a local tradition it took place at lake Åsnen in Småland, but the Hervarar saga speaks about Brávelli í eystra Gautlandi (i.e. Bråvalla in East Götaland), while in Sögubrot af Nokkrum the battle is said to have taken place south of Kolmården which separated Sweden (i.e. Svealand) from East Götaland and where Bråviken is located: ... Kolmerkr, er skilr Svíþjóð ok Eystra-Gautland ... sem heitir Brávík.

[edit] Battle

Saxo Grammaticus reports that the 200 000 warriors met at Bråvalla, and when the kings had sacrificed to Odin the battle commenced. Ubbe slew three princes among whom were the legendary warriors Agnar and Ragvald the Wise Counselor. Ubbe broke through all the Swedish lines, but fell at last riddled with 144 arrows during a duel with Starkad. Then Starkad fought savagely against the shieldsmaidens whereupon his jaw was cut off. However, biting his own beard he managed to keep it in place. He then cut the arm off Visna who held the Danish flag. Vedbjorg fell fighting Thorkel the Stubborn, who won after "a lot of wounds and talking". The 157-year-old Harald, led his Danish and Geatish allies on the line of battle in a chariot, cutting wildly with swords in both hands. Finally, Odin himself came down to take Harald home to Valhalla.

[edit] Outcome

Sigurd won the battle and became the sovereign ruler of all of Sweden and Denmark. 40 000 warriors had died.

[edit] External links

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