Wihtlæg
Wihtlæg, Whitlæg, Wighlek, Wiglecus, Wiglek, Witlac[1] or Viglek[2] is a legendary king of either Denmark or Angeln in Germanic legends. He is known in Saxo's kings of Denmark by the name of Vigletus.[3]
In Anglo-Saxon genealogies, Whitlæg is one of the Sons of Woden. According to the genealogies in the Anglian collection, Weothulgeot was ancestor to the royal house of Mercia and the father of Whitlæg. According to the Historia Britonum, Weothulgeot was father of Weaga who was father of Whitlæg. But the two Anglo-Saxon Chronicle versions of this genealogy include neither Weothulgeot nor Weaga but make Whitlæg himself the son of Woden. In all versions Whitlæg is father of Wermund, father of Offa of Angel. According to the Old English poem Widsith Offa ruled over the continental Angles.
Wiglek
The Danish Chronicon Lethrense (and the included Annales Lundenses) tell that the Danish king Rorik Slengeborre was succeeded by his son Wiglek or Viglek. This Wiglek married Nanna, and he ruled in peace. He died in his bed and was succeeded by his son Wermund, the father of Offe (Offa).
The somewhat later Danish chronicle Gesta Danorum tells that when the Danish king Rorik Slyngebond had died Wiglek succeeded him. He took all the wealth from the mother of Amleth (Hamlet) and complained about Amleth's actions as the ruler of Jutland. Amleth, on the other hand offered Wiglek riches, in reconciliation. Wiglek disposed of Fiallar, the ruler of Scania who retired to Undensakre, and then he mustered the leidang of Zealand and Scania, and sent a message to Amleth challenging him to war. In the battle Amleth fell, and his wife Hermutrude gave up herself as Wiglek's spoil of war. Wiglek died of illness and was succeeded by his son Wermund, the father of Uffo (Offa). Kemp Malone suggested that Saxo's Wiglek "probably represents a fusion of the Geatish Wiglaf and the Anglian Wihtlaeg."[4]
External links
- Peter Tunstall's translation of the Chronicon lethrense at The Chronicle of the Kings of Lejre and Northvegr: The Saga of Hrolf Kraki: The Chronicle of the Kings of Lejre.
- Book four of Gesta Danorum at the Online Medieval and Classical Library
| Legendary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Woden |
King of the Angles | Succeeded by Wermund |
| Preceded by Rorik Slyngebond |
King of Denmark | Succeeded by Wermund |
References
- ↑ Henry (of Huntingdon) (1853). The Chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon: Comprising the History of England, from the Invasion of Julius Cæsar to the Accession of Henry II. Also, The Acts of Stephen, King of England and Duke of Normandy. H. G. Bohn. pp. 57–. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
- ↑ Tom A Shippey; Andreas Haarder (1998). Beowulf: The Critical Heritage. Routledge. pp. 301–. ISBN 978-0-415-02970-4. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
- ↑ Raymond Wilson Chambers (31 October 2010). Widsith: A Study in Old English Heroic Legend. Cambridge University Press. pp. 94–. ISBN 978-1-108-01527-1. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ↑ Kemp Malone (1923). The Literary History of Hamlet: The Early Tradition. Ardent Media. pp. 245–. GGKEY:05LP22FA23F. Retrieved 6 December 2012.