Queen Bera, King Álfr, and King Yngvi

Queen Bera, King Álfr, and King Yngvi

Cite this page

Linked items

Historical Persons, i.e. from Heimskringla, Saxo, sagas etc.

Bera (non.) Aqueen in Ynglinga Saga, the first saga in Heimskringla, who caused her husband and her brother-in-law to kill each other.
Yngvi (non.) A king in Ynglinga Saga, the first saga in Heimskringla. He was in the habit of drinking with Queen Bera, who was the wife of his brother, King Álfr. Late one night, King Álfr attacked and mortally wounded King Yngvi who managed to draw his sword and kill King Álfr. Snorri mentions Yngvi as one of Oðinn's son in his introduction to the Prose Edda. According to Snorri, Yngvi was a King of Sweden and the progenitor of the legendary Yngling dynasty.
Álfr (non.) Alf (en.) A king in Ynglinga Saga, the first saga in Heimskringla. He was jealous that his wife, Queen Bera, preferred to stay up drinking in the evenings with his brother, King Yngvi rather than going to bed with her husband. As he was dying, King Yngvi drew his sword and killed King Álfr.

Source Materials:

Heimskringla (is.) History of the Kings of Norway (en.) This account of the history of the kings of Norway and is generally believed to have been written by Snorri Sturluson in Iceland in 1230. It begins with the legendary Swedish dynasty of the Ynglings, who were the subject matter of the skaldic poem Ynglingtal, and ends with the reign of the Norwegian king, Magnus Erlingson (died 1184).
Kongesagaer (1899 ed.) (no.) The first edition of Gustaf Storm's Norwegian translation of Heimskringla. Of the two hundred and twenty illustrations for the 1899 edition Werenskiold drew fifty-seven, Krohg forty- seven, Wetlesen forty-three, Egedius thirty-seven, Munthe twenty-seven, and Peterssen eight.
Ynglinga saga (is.) Ynglingesoga (no.) Saga of the Ynglings (en.) The first saga in Heimskringla. It was based on the ninth-century skaldic poem Ynglingatal and concerns the legendary Swedish dynasty of the Ynglings.

Source Persons

Munthe, Gerhard (no.) b. 1849
d. 1929
Nationality: Norwegian
Occupation: illustrator
Residence: Oslo
Munthe was one of the main illustrator's for Gustav Storm's editions of Kongesagaer in 1899 and 1900.
Snorri Sturluson (is.) b. 1179
d. 1241
Nationality: Icelandic
Snorri was an Icelandic statesman, scholar, and author who is credited with writing Heimskringla, The Prose Edda, and possibly Egil's Saga.