Ancient kings of Finland
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Almost nothing is known about the Ancient kings of Finland. Prehistoric Finland probably had chieftains called "kings," as the borrowed Finnish word (kuningas) has existed in the same meaning in the Finnish language since early Germanic times, but no record on them has survived.
A few sagas briefly mention some of the legendary kings that were said to have also ruled Finland ( Fornjot, Snaer, Thorri ) [1], other sources mention kings of Finland as such (Gusi or Cuso, Sumble, Sire/Mimir?, Floki, Fidr, Ivalde/Finnur)[2][3][4][5][6][7], whilst some refer to the kings of the Finns indirectly ( 3 son's of the King of the Finns: Slagfith-Egil-Völund, Caelic ruling the Finns, other unnamed referrals).[8][9][10][11].
Viktor Rydberg, a 19th-century Swedish expert on mythology of the North, goes as far as writing "... Svigdir-Ivalde in the mythic saga concerning the race-heroes was the first ruler of the Swedes, just as his sons, Volund and Egil, became those of the Longobardians and Slagfin that of the Burgundians, and, as shall be shown below, also that of the Saxons"[12], although Rydberg considers Ivalde to be of Swedish origin.
Many pseudo-historical views of the Ancient Kings of Finland can be found on the Internet, including:
- "Were Viking kings Finnish?
- "Götic kings"
- Klaus Lindgren, "New illustrious past"
- Sirpa Aalto, "Finns, Kvens and Bjarms in Icelandic king sagas. Difficulties to interpret sagas"
- Fornjot dynasty
- Finnish Royal Family at the "Viking Age" according to Nordic Saga-poetry
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Frá Fornjóti ok hans ættmönnum [1]
- ^ Örvar-Odds Saga [2]
- ^ The Wayland-Dietrich Saga [3]
- ^ Saxo Grammaticus: The History of the Danes [4]
- ^ The Saga of Halfdan Eysteinsson [5]
- ^ The Saga of Halfdan Eysteinsson [6]
- ^ Introduction to Völundarkviða [7]
- ^ Völundarkviða [8]
- ^ Widsith [9]
- ^ Saxo Grammaticus: The History of the Danes [10]
- ^ The Wayland-Dietrich Saga [11]
- ^ Viktor Rydberg: Teutonic Mythology, Gods and Goddesses of the Northland, 1907, pp.995[12]
