Augvald
King Augvald ( norrøne language: Ogvaldr ) is a character in the Norwegian saga and other lore. He is said to have been a petty king on Karmøy and lived around 500–650. The place Avaldsnes on Karmøy is said to be named after him. The name is interpreted as "He who inspires awe in the people", or it is derived from the Old Norse root Og = coast or the old word Ogn = Øy = island. Then the name would mean "guardian of the coast" or "guardian of the island". It is also believed that it was not a name at all, but an epithet, just as "Hårfagre" was King Harald's epithet. If Avaldsnes (old: Ogvaldsnes ) means “peninsula of the coastal lord ” (a peninsula on the island of Karmøy), then this could also be a title that several chiefs used one after the other.
Augvald is considered a descendant of the mythical giant Ymir . He had a cow that he claimed was a descendant of the legendary cow Audhumbla . He took it everywhere and thought it would bring him luck. Augvald and the cow were killed in a battle against the petty king Ferking near Ferkingstad (on Karmøy). Ferking is said to have had a golden calf with him as a god. Augvald's daughters are said to have fought as shieldmaids in the battle and drowned themselves after the defeat.
In the saga of Olav Tryggvason , Snorri reports that he learned of the grave of Augvald and his cow in a second grave from Odin while visiting Øgvaldsnes .
historicity
Augvald is mentioned in many traditions, including in Iceland. Tormod Torfaeus referred him to the "mystical saga" early on. The Flateyjarbók mentions him: “ Rugalfr aati Rogaland. Hans son var Ragnoalldr fadir Auguaxlldz konungs. “(Rugalfur had Rogaland. His son was Ragnhald, the father of King Augvald). Snorri's source was the Odd munks saga Olav Tryggvason , which Augvald mentioned. The Hálfs saga ok Hálfsrekka from the 14th century also names him. Then he had the sons Geirmundr and Hávardr Heljarskinn . In the Landnámabók , Geirmundr is named as one of the most distinguished first settlers who are said to have emigrated to Iceland after the battle of Hafrsfjord .
In the 19th century, the Norwegian historian Peter Andreas Munch investigated the saga material, in particular the material relating to the oldest royal line of Rogaland . He was of the opinion that Augvald's son Vikar was the first historical person of this sex. But to what extent the people are historical can no longer be explained. All that can be deduced from the sources is that they tell of a chief on Karmøy who carried a cow god with him.
Footnotes
literature
- The story of Olaf Tryggvisson . In: Felix Niedner: Snorris Königsbuch (Heinskringla) vol. 1. Düsseldorf-Cologne 1965.
- Per Hernæs: Karmøy's history - som det stiger stranger. Fra istid til 1050. Karmøy 1997.
- Aadne Utvik: Augvalds saga and Augvaldsnes. 1995.