Hagbard

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This article covers the Hagbard of Norse Mythology. For the novel character Hagbard Celine see Illuminatus! , for the pseudonym Hagbard Celine see Karl Koch (Hacker) .

Hagbard (according to later tradition: "Habor"), son of Haamund, is a hero figure from Norse mythology and is one of the main characters in the saga Hagbard and Signy (newer: Habor and Sign (h) ild ). He is mentioned in the Skáldskaparmál ,  Ynglinga Saga ,  Völsunga Saga  and the Gesta Danorum .

Hagbard in the legend

Hagbard and his brother Haki were mighty sea kings who are mentioned in the Norse Heimskringla , Landnámabók and the Gesta Danorum and are said to have lived in the fourth or fifth century AD.

The saga Hagbard and Signy is a tragic love story in the style of Romeo and Juliet . Signy's father, King Sigar, is against his daughter's association with Hagbard, as it has already been promised to a Germanic nobleman. After a battle, Hagbard's brothers are all killed, and he swears vengeance against Signy's brothers and the Germanic nobleman. In order to ensure Signy's love, he sneaks disguised as a shieldmaiden into her bedchamber, where she swears eternal love to him. He is discovered and his case becomes very controversial before the thing , as he has proven himself a brave man. In the end he is sentenced to death anyway, and when the queen makes fun of him, he even dares to throw a mug of mead at her head.

Meanwhile, Signy decides to be burned to death with her maids in the maid's room as soon as the death sentence has been carried out on her lover. When Hagbard is shown to his hangman's place, which will later be called “Hagbardhügel”, he wants to test Signy's loyalty again and asks the hangman to first hang his empty coat. An unsuspecting observer gives the horn signal that the sentence has been carried out, and Signy sets the maiden's room on fire. Hagbard then sings a tragic song about his union with Signy after death and is executed.

The Hagbard song enjoyed great popularity in the centuries that followed. Several places and places in Sweden are associated with the legend (especially in Halland , Blekinge or Uppland ).