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Dan (or Halfdan) is the name of one or more legendary earliest kings of the
Danes Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard t ...
and
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...
, mentioned in medieval Scandinavian texts.


The ''Lejre Chronicle''

The ''Chronicle of Lejre'' (''
Chronicon Lethrense ''Chronicon Lethrense'' ( Danish: ''Lejrekrøniken'' English: ''Chronicle of Lejre/Leire'') is a small Danish medieval work from the 12th century, written in Latin. Themes Unlike ''Chronicon Roskildense'', which deals primarily with informatio ...
'') written about 1170 introduces a primeval King Ypper of
Uppsala Uppsala (, or all ending in , ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the county seat of Uppsala County and the fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Located north of the ca ...
whose three sons were Dan, who afterwards ruled Denmark,
Nori Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from species of the red algae genus '' Pyropia'', including ''P. yezonesis'' and '' P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or ...
, who afterwards ruled
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
, and Østen, who afterwards ruled the
Swedes Swedes ( sv, svenskar) are a North Germanic ethnic group native to the Nordic region, primarily their nation state of Sweden, who share a common ancestry, culture, history and language. They mostly inhabit Sweden and the other Nordic countr ...
. Dan apparently first ruled in
Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is the 1 ...
for the Chronicle states that it was when Dan had saved his people from an attack by the Emperor
Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
that the
Jutes The Jutes (), Iuti, or Iutæ ( da, Jyder, non, Jótar, ang, Ēotas) were one of the Germanic tribes who settled in Great Britain after the departure of the Romans. According to Bede, they were one of the three most powerful Germanic nation ...
and the men of Fyn and
Scania Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous with Skån ...
also accepted him as king, whence the resultant expanded country of Denmark was named after him. Dan's wife was named Dana and his son was named Ro.


The ''Rígsthula''

The Eddic poem ''Rígsthula'', tells how the god Ríg (said to be Heimdall), fathered a mortal son named Jarl. Jarl had twelve sons with Erna Herse's daughter, the youngest of which bore the name Kon the Young (Old Norse ''Konr Ungr''), this name understood to be the origin of the title ''konungr'' 'king', though the etymology is in fact untenable. One day, as he was hunting and snaring birds in the forest, a crow spoke to him and suggested he would gain more by going after men, and praised the wealth of "Dan and Danp". The poem breaks off incomplete at that point.


The ''Skjöldungasaga''

According to
Arngrímur Jónsson Arngrímur Jónsson the Learned ( is, Arngrímur Jónsson hinn lærði; 1568 – 27 June 1648) was an Icelandic scholar and a Christian apologist. His father was Jón Jónsson, who died in 1591. Arngrímur studied in Copenhagen, completing his ...
's
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
epitome of the lost '' Skjöldungasaga'' made in 1597:
Ríg (Rigus) was a man not the least among the great ones of his time. He married the daughter of a certain Danp ld Norse ''Danpr'' lord of Danpsted, whose name was Dana; and later, having won the royal title for his province, left as his heir his son by Dana, called Dan or Danum, all of whose subjects were called Danes.
This tradition is close to that of the ''Rígsthula''. This Dan married Olof the daughter of Wermund and so became brother-in-law to the
Offa of Angel Offa (nickname for Wulf) is a semi-legendary king of the Angles in the genealogy of the kings of Mercia presented in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle''. He is the son of Wermund and the father of Angeltheow. His name is also mentioned in the Old ...
mentioned in the Old English poem ''
Beowulf ''Beowulf'' (; ang, Bēowulf ) is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. ...
''. Dan ruled first in
Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
but then conquered Zealand from King Aleif creating the kingdom of Denmark.


Ynglinga saga

Snorri Sturluson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of th ...
's ''
Ynglinga saga ''Ynglinga saga'' ( ) is a Kings' saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It is the first section of his '' Heimskringla''. It was first translated into English and published in 1 ...
'' relates of King Dygvi of Sweden:
Dygvi's mother was Drótt, a daughter of King Danp, the son of Ríg, who was first called ''konungr'' king'in the Danish tongue Old_Norse).html" ;"title="Old_Norse.html" ;"title="Old Norse">Old Norse)">Old_Norse.html" ;"title="Old Norse">Old Norse) His descendants always afterwards considered the title of ''konungr'' the title of highest dignity. Dygvi was the first of his family to be called ''konungr'', for his predecessors had been called ''dróttinn'' ['chieftain'], and their wives ''dróttning'', and their court ''drótt'' ['war band']. Each of their race was called Yngvi, or Ynguni, and the whole race together Ynglingar. Queen Drótt was a sister of King Dan Mikilláti, from whom Denmark took its name.
Here Ríg is the father of Danp, the father of Dan. The title ''Mikilláti'' can be translated 'Magnificent' or 'Proud'. Snorri does not relate here whether this Dan is also descended from King Fridfrodi or Peace- Fróði whom Snorri presented as ruling in Zealand as a contemporary of
Fjölnir Fjölnir ( non, Fjǫlnir ) is a legendary king in Norse mythology said to have been the son of Freyr (Frey) and his consort Gerðr (Gertha). The name appears in a variety of forms, including Fiolnir, Fjölner, Fjolner, and Fjolne. He was claim ...
son of Frey six generations before King Dygvi. Snorri writes further:
In the time when the kings we have been speaking of were in Uppsala, Denmark had been ruled over by Dan Mikilláti, who lived to a very great age; then by his son, Fróði Mikilláti, or the Peace-loving, who was succeeded by his sons Halfdan and Fridleif, who were great warriors.
This peaceful Fróði seems a duplicate of the earlier Fróði. In his preface to the ''
Heimskringla ''Heimskringla'' () is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorre Sturlason (1178/79–1241) 1230. The name ''Heimskringla'' was first used in the 17th century, derive ...
'' (which includes the ''Ynglinga saga''), Snorri writes:
The Age of Cairns began properly in Denmark after Dan Mikilláti had raised for himself a burial cairn, and ordered that he should be buried in it on his death, with his royal ornaments and armour, his horse and saddle-furniture, and other valuable goods; and many of his descendants followed his example. But the burning of the dead continued, long after that time, to be the custom of the Swedes and Northmen.


Sven Aagesen

The 12th century
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
Sven Aagesen mentions Danu ''Elatus'' 'the Proud' presumably, Dan Mikilláti, and makes him the successor to Uffi, that is to
Offa Offa (died 29 July 796 AD) was King of Mercia, a kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, from 757 until his death. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æth ...
son of Wermund, so agreeing with the ''Skjöldungasaga''. He said that this Dan was so powerful a king that he had another king as his page and two nobles to hold his horse.


The ''Gesta Danorum''

Saxo Grammaticus in his ''
Gesta Danorum ''Gesta Danorum'' ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark an ...
'' presents three different Danish monarchs named Dan, either splitting up a single monarch into many or properly keeping separate what others have confused. Saxo begins his history with two brothers named Dan and Angul, sons of one Humbli, who were made rulers by the consent of the people because of their bravery. They were not however called "kings", as that usage was not then common. Angul is the eponym of the region of
Angul Angul (also known as Anugul) is a town and a municipality and the headquarters of Angul district in the state of Odisha, India. Angul has an average elevation of above sea level. The total geographical area of the district is 6232 km2. ...
and from his people eventually came the English who gave their name to England. Dan fathered two sons, Humblus and Lotherus, by his wife Grytha. Neither one is otherwise known, though a king named Humli is a leader of Huns in the Old Norse '' Battle of the Goths and Huns''. Lotherus might have some relation to the Norse god Lóðurr or to the exiled king Heremod mentioned in ''Beowulf'' or to both. According to Saxo, Lotherus is the father of the famous hero Skioldus. The second king called Dan appears much later in Book 4, as the son of Uffi son of Vermund, (that is
Offa of Angel Offa (nickname for Wulf) is a semi-legendary king of the Angles in the genealogy of the kings of Mercia presented in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle''. He is the son of Wermund and the father of Angeltheow. His name is also mentioned in the Old ...
son of Wermund). But Saxo passes over him in a few lines as a warlike king who scorned his subjects and wasted his wealth, much degenerated from his ancestors. He is followed by King Huglek, then Fróði the Active, who is then followed by the third Dan. Saxo does not specifically give the parentage of any of these kings. Of this Dan, Saxo relates only an anecdote that when Dan was twelve years old, tired of the arrogance of Saxon ambassadors who demanded tribute on pain of war, he bridged the river
Elbe The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Re ...
with ships, crossed over, and won a great victory. This Dan is the father of Fridlef father of Frothi, in whom one recognizes Fridleif and his son Fróði mentioned often in Norse sources, the latter being, at least by parentage, the Peace-Fróði whom Snorri introduced in the early in the ''Ynglinga saga''.


The Song of Eric

The " Song of Eric" was once seen as a valuable source for Migration Period history, but is now regarded as inauthentic fakelore created during the 16th century. The ballad deals with Eric, the first king of Geatland (''fyrsti konunger i Götalandinu vidha''). He sent a troop of Geats southward to a country named ''Vetala'', where no one had yet cultivated the land. In their company was a wise man who was to uphold the law. Finally, a king named Humli set his son Dan to rule the settlers, and after Dan, Vetala was named ''
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...
''. The song was first published in a Latin translation in
Johannes Magnus Johannes Magnus (a modified form of Ioannes Magnus, a Latin translation of his birth name Johan Månsson; 19 March 1488 – 22 March 1544) was the last functioning Catholic Archbishop in Sweden, and also a theologian, genealogist, and histori ...
' '' Historia de omnibus gothorum sueonumque regibus'' (1554). He states that the original song was widely sung in Sweden at the time.


See also

* Dan I of Denmark *
Angul Angul (also known as Anugul) is a town and a municipality and the headquarters of Angul district in the state of Odisha, India. Angul has an average elevation of above sea level. The total geographical area of the district is 6232 km2. ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dan (King) Mythological kings of Denmark