Henry (Saxon king) - Misplaced Pages

Legendary king of the Saxons

Henry

Kings of the Saxons

Consort	Signe
Religion	Pagan

Characters of Gesta Danorum
Danish kings (family tree)
Dan I Humble Lother Skiold Gram Guthorm Hading
Foreign rulers
Skat Sigtrygg Asmund Uffe Gusonis Svipdagr Sumble Henry Handwan Loker
Other men
Bess Lysir Roar
Women
Grytha Alfhild Gróa Signe
v t e

Henry or Henricus was a Saxon king mentioned in Gesta Danorum. Having just married Finnish princess, Signe in Finland he was slain by king of the Danes, Gram who crashed the wedding. His murder compelled his retainers to join forces with Gram's enemy, Swipdag, who eventually killed him in battle. Later, Swipdag's grandson was named Henry probably after Henry, poetically this Henry was killed by a son of Gram and Signe, Hading.

Text

Gesta Danorum, Book One
But, while much busied with a war against Norway, which he had taken up against King Swipdag for debauching his sister and his daughter, he heard from a messenger that Signe had, by Sumble's treachery, been promised in marriage to Henry, King of Saxony.
And as he spoke he leapt up from where he lay, and there he cut Henry down while at the sacred board and the embraces of his friends, carried off his bride from amongst the bridesmaids, felled most of the guests, and bore her off with him in his ship. Thus the bridal was turned into a funeral; and the Finns might learn the lesson, that hands should not be laid upon the loves of other men.
After this SWIPDAG, King of Norway, destroyed Gram, who was attempting to avenge the outrage on his sister and the attempt on his daughter's chastity. This battle was notable for the presence of the Saxon forces, who were incited to help Swipdag, not so much by love of him, as by desire to avenge Henry.

The family tree of legendary Kings of the Danes, according to the Gesta Danorum (Books I to VII)

Kings of the Danes are in bold and marked with an asterisk (*). Kings of the Swedes are marked with a dagger (†). Superscript numbers before a name indicate in which books of Gesta Danorum the individual is mentioned.

Humble