Frotho I is one of the legendary Danish kings in

Saxo Grammaticus Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1150 – c. 1220), also known as Saxo cognomine Longus, was a Danish historian, theologian and author. He is thought to have been a clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, the main advisor to Valdemar I of Denma ...

' ''

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 and ...

'', where he has a substantial biography. He succeeds his father

Hadingus Hadingus was one of the earliest legendary Danish kings according to Saxo Grammaticus' '' Gesta Danorum'', where he has a detailed biography. Georges Dumézil and others have argued that Hadingus was partially modelled on the god Njörðr. ' ...

to the throne and replenishes the war-drained treasury by slaying a dragon and winning its treasure. He uses the money to finance expeditions into the

Baltic Baltic may refer to: Peoples and languages *Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian *Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...

, where he wins victories with clever strategems (including one where he crossdresses as one of his own

shieldmaiden A shield-maiden ( non, skjaldmær ) was a female warrior from Scandinavian folklore and mythology. Shield-maidens are often mentioned in sagas such as ''Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks'' and in ''Gesta Danorum''. They also appear in stories of other ...

s). After some trouble at home he campaigns successfully in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and captures

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He finally dies in a war against the king of Sweden.

References

* Davidson, Hilda Ellis (ed.) and Peter Fisher (tr.) (1999). ''Saxo Grammaticus : The History of the Danes : Books I-IX''. Bury St Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Press. . First published 1979-1980. * Elton, Oliver (tr.) (1905). ''The Nine Books of the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus''. New York: Norroena Society
Available online
* Olrik, J. and H. Ræder (1931). ''Saxo Grammaticus : Gesta Danorum''

{{s-end Mythological kings of Denmark

See also

References