Hadingus (also spelled Haddingus or simplified to Hadding) was a legendary figure set in Denmark’s earliest myths and folk tales. As told in the old stories, he was a Danish king and an early member of the prestigious Skjoldung Dynasty. His era was a time of continuous wars fought between great warlords. One such warlord was Hadingus’ father, King Gram of the Danes, who was said to have conquered the land of King Sigtryg of the Swedes. Gram, in turn, was reportedly defeated by King Swipdag of the Norwegians, but the aforementioned Hadingus reclaimed his father’s empire by slaying Swipdag in a decisive battle near the island of Gotland. Although the battle was won, rival rulers remained in Norway and Sweden, notably the descendants of Swipdag, who kept Hadingus’ armies perpetually attacking or defending in waves of war. Suffice it to say, Hadingus was a warrior-king, often spending great spans of time away from his royal court to lead warriors on the front lines. These long absences, unfortunately, gave corrupt officials and criminals ample opportunity to act out in the capital. In particular, thieves were pleased to discover that the warrior-king’s treasury was woefully guarded.
King Hadingus, during a reprieve from his wars, came home to his royal court and discovered that his hoard of treasures had been plundered while he was away. Understandably, the king was furious at the official who had been responsible for guarding the treasury. This unenviable fellow was a man named Glumer, who was promptly executed by the king. In the aftermath of the execution, King Hadingus released an edict that announced great rewards and promotions for anyone who could bring the stolen treasures back to the king. Hearing this news, the opportunist thieves decided to return to their opportunism once again, and they brought what they had plundered from the treasury back to the king, expecting to be rewarded for their deed. The Danish historian, Saxo Grammaticus (c. 12th-13th centuries), wrote wittily of what happened next, stating, “Their confession was received at first with promotion and favors, and soon visited with punishment, thus bequeathing a signal lesson against being too confiding. I should judge that men, whose foolish blabbing brought them to destruction, when wholesome silence could have ensured their safety, well deserved to atone upon the gallows for their breach of reticence” (Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum, Book I). With the treasure restored and the thieves punished, King Hadingus was able to once again devote himself fully to his life of warfare.
Written by C. Keith Hansely
Picture Attribution: (artwork titled “Titteldekorasjon, Olav Kyrres saga,” made by Gerhard Munthe between 1895-1899, [Public Domain] via Creative Commons and the National Museum of Norway.)
Sources:
- The Danish History by Saxo Grammaticus, translated by Oliver Elton (Norroena Society, 1905) and edited for reprint by Douglas B. Killings (2012).
