Dan Mykillati "the Splendid" Danpsson, King of Danes

There is nothing about him in the Ynglingasaga. He is mentioned in chapter 29 about On (Aun) - 7 or so generations later!

"29. OF KING ON, JORUND'S SON.

On or Ane was the name of Jorund's son, who became king of the Swedes after his father. He was a wise man, who made great sacrifices to the gods; but being no warrior, he lived quietly at home. In the time when the kings we have been speaking of were in Upsal, Denmark had been ruled over by Dan Mikellati, who lived to a very great age; then by his son, Frode Mikellati, or the Peace-loving, who was succeeded by his sons Halfdan and Fridleif, who were great warriors. Halfdan was older than his brother, and above him in all things. He went with his army against King On to Sweden, and was always victorious. At last King On fled to Wester Gotland when he had been king in Upsal about twenty-five years, and was in Gotland twenty-five years, while Halfdan remained king in Upsal."

Dan son of Danp, legendary king in Denmark.

He is easily confused with Dan son of Olaf, but that is a different tale.

Other info

Alt Birth year: c. 230

DAN DEN 2., SJÆLLANDS SEKSTENDE OG HELE DANMARKS FØRSTE KONGE

Det er ikke til at vide, hvem der havde kongemagten i Jylland mellem Dan den 1. Og Dan den 2., eller hvor mange og hvem der i mellemtiden regerede på Sjælland. Der har med sikkerhed været i det mindste nogle konger ind imellem Dan den 2. Og den 2., for vore historieskrivere siger på dette sted, at Dan den 2. Må have været af Dan den 1.s slægt og blod, altså som om der har været nogle slægtled imellem. Mens Dan den 2. Havde overherredømmet i Jylland, regerede der på Sjælland en der hed Åleif, en navne til Hær-Leifs sønnesøn Åleif som er nævnt ovenfor i slægtstavlen; der er dog sandsynligvis ikke tale om den samme mand, for der fortælles at Frode, den ældre Åleifs fætter, overtog kongemagten efter ham, mens Dan den 2. Giftede sig med Frodes sønnedatter Olof. Hvem denne 17 Åleif, Sjællands konge, nu end var, så besejrede Dan den 2. Ham i en ærefuld kamp, og bragte sin magt så vidt at han fik eneherredømmet over det land der efter ham i fik navnet Danmark.

Dan den 2. Fik tilnavnet hinn Mikelate, som i nedsættende betydning kan oversættes med overmodig, i positiv betydning storslået.

Dan den 2.s før omtalte hustru Olof fødte ham sønnen Frode den 3., og slægtsfølgen fra de tidligere danskekonger til de følgende skal føres gennem hende for at være ubrudt.

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There were several King Dans, at least 3. They often get mixed up with each other, so the genealogy isn't entirely clear.

The parentage of this one is what is described here:

I henhold til Arngrímur Jónssons latinsk oversettelse fra 1597 av den tapte (unntatt fragmenter) Skjöldunga saga heter det:

   «Rig (Rigus) var en mann som ikke var blant de siste blant de største på hans tid. Han giftet seg med datteren til en Danp, herre av Danpsted, viss navn var Dana, og senere, hadde vunnet den kongelige tittel for sitt område, etterlot som sin arving hans sønn med Dana, kalt Dan eller Danum, alle hans undersåtter ble kalt daner.»

Den tradisjonen er nært hva som blir beskrevet i Rigstula.

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A. Early legendary kings of Denmark.

Dan - ruled Denmark at an uncertain time.

Whether Dan was Skjold's descendant or ancestor depends on whether one reads Saxo or Snorri. Whatever Dan's family ties, he is alleged to be among the earliest of Denmark's legendary kings. We are told that he conquered many neighboring kingdoms and united them under his rule. It is from him that the country supposedly takes its name: Dan-mark, meaning the march or border of the Danes. Saxo Grammaticus states that from Dan "the pedigrees of our kings flowed in glorious series, like channels from some parent spring."

Dan's wife Grythan, according to the legends, bore him two sons: Humble and Lothar. Although Humble was elected king after his father, the cruel Lothar overcame Humble in war and took away his crown. According to Saxo, Lothar was "soon chastised for his wickedness, for he met his end in an insurrection of his country." Whether or not this legend is founded in fact, it certainly illustrates the all too familiar pattern of brother fighting brother for the crown. [Royal Families of Medieval Scandinavia, Flanders, and Kiev]

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• Dan Olafsson born Abt 0412 Denmark

father:

• Olaf Vermundsson born Abt 0391 Denmark

mother:

• Danpi wife of Olaf Vermundsson born Abt 0395 Denmark married Abt 0411 Denmark (end of information)

spouse:

• wife of Dan Olafsson born Abt 0417 Denmark married Abt 0432 Denmark (end of information)

children:

• Frodi Dansson born Abt 0433 Denmark

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Kong Dan

Kong Dan er en af de danske sagnkonger. Han betragtes traditionelt som Danmarks første konge og som den, der gav navn til landet. Kong Dan anses dog for en mytologisk snarere end en historisk skikkelse.

Kong Dan omtales bl.a. i Lejrekrøniken, Ynglingesaga og Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum. Sidstnævnte omtaler desuden to andre konger ved navn Dan; se Dan 2. og Dan 3.

Fordi kong Dan tilhører en periode af Danmarks historie, som det er særdeles vanskeligt at udtale sig om med historisk nøjagtighed, er det ikke muligt helt at adskille de forskellige sagnkongeskikkelser fra hinanden. Kong Dan er muligvis identisk med Halvdan den Gamle.

Saxo fortæller at han var Humble's søn og hans broder var Angel der gav navn til anglerne og derved England. Kong Dan's sønner, skriver Saxo videre, var Humble og Loter, mens hans sønnesøn fra Kong Skjold.

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Records show he married his sister Auda !!

1. Note: A. Early legendary kings of Denmark.
2. Note: Dan - ruled Denmark at an uncertain time.

   Whether Dan was Skjold's descendant or ancestor depends on whether one reads Saxo or Snorri. Whatever Dan's family ties, he is alleged to be among the earliest of Denmark's legendary kings. We are told that he conquered many neighboring kingdoms and united them under his rule. It is from him that the country supposedly takes its name: Dan-mark, meaning the march or border of the Danes. Saxo Grammaticus states that from Dan "the pedigrees of our kings flowed in glorious series, like channels from some parent spring."

Dan's wife Grythan, according to the legends, bore him two sons: Humble and Lothar. Although Humble was elected king after his father, the cruel Lothar overcame Humble in war and took away his crown. According to Saxo, Lothar was "soon chastised for his wickedness, for he met his end in an insurrection of his country." Whether or not this legend is founded in fact, it certainly illustrates the all too familiar pattern of brother fighting brother for the crown. [Royal Families of Medieval Scandinavia, Flanders, and Kiev]

1. Note: Title: Royal Families of Medieval Scandinavia, Flanders, and Kiev, by Rupert Alen & Anna Dahlquist, 1997, King's River Publ.
2. Note: Page: 74-75

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Dan Mikilláta Óláfsson, King of the Danes

Dan Mikilláta Óláfsson, King of the Danes||p279.htm#i13323|Óláfr Vermundarson, King of the Danes||p111.htm#i13324|Dampi (?)||p143.htm#i16315|Vermundr "the Sage" Fródason, King of the Danes||p111.htm#i13325||||Ríg of Denmark||p151.htm#i17056||||

Father Óláfr Vermundarson, King of the Danes

Mother Dampi (?)

    Dan Mikilláta Óláfsson, King of the Danes was the son of Óláfr Vermundarson, King of the Danes and Dampi (?). Dan Mikilláta Óláfsson, King of the Danes died. He lived to a very great age.1 King of the Danes at Denmark.2 Also called King Dan of the Danes. King of the Danes at Denmark.1 He was the successor of Óláfr Vermundarson, King of the Danes; King of the Danes.2

Family

Child

   * Frode III "the Pacific" Dansson, King of the Danes+ b. c 433, d. 3101

Citations

  1. [S449] Circa 1225 A.D. Snorri Sturluson, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway, The Ynglinga Saga.

2. [S261] Regnal Chronologies, online http://www.hostkingdom.net/regindex.html, Scandanavia, Denmark.

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Snorri wrote:

Dygvi's mother was Drótt, a daughter of King Danp, the son of Ríg, who was first called konungr in the Danish tongue. His descendants always afterwards considered the title of konungr the title of highest dignity. Dygvi was the first of his family to be called konungr, for his predecessors had been called dróttinn ['chieftain'], and their wives dróttning, and their court drótt ['war band']. Each of their race was called Yngvi, or Ynguni, and the whole race together Ynglingar. Queen Drótt was a sister of King Dan Mikillati, from whom Denmark took its name.

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Dygvi's mother was Drótt, a daughter of King Danp, the son of Ríg, who was first called konungr ['king'] in the Danish tongue [(Old Norse)]. His descendants always afterwards considered the title of konungr the title of highest dignity. Dygvi was the first of his family to be called konungr, for his predecessors had been called dróttinn ['chieftain'], and their wives dróttning, and their court drótt ['war band']. Each of their race was called Yngvi, or Ynguni, and the whole race together Ynglingar. Queen Drótt was a sister of King Dan Mikilláti, from whom Denmark took its name.

Here Ríg is father of Danp the father of Dan. The title Mikilláti can be translated 'Magnificent' or 'Proud'.

The Chronicle of Lejre (Chronicon Lethrense) written about 1170 introduces a primeval King Ypper of Uppsala whose three sons were Dan, who afterwards ruled Denmark, Nori, who afterwards ruled Norway, and Østen, who afterwards ruled the Swedes. Dan apparently first ruled in Zealand for the Chronicle states that it was when Dan had saved his people from an attack by the Emperor Augustus that the Jutes and the men of Fyn and Scania also accepted him as king, whence the resultant expanded country of Denmark was named after him. Dan's wife was named Dana and his son was named Ro.

According to Arngrímur Jónsson's Latin epitome of the lost Skjöldungasaga made in 1597:

Ríg (Rigus) was a man not the least among the great ones of his time. He married the daughter of a certain Danp [Old Norse Danpr], lord of Danpsted, whose name was Dana; and later, having won the royal title for his province, left as his heir his son by Dana, called Dan or Danum, all of whose subjects were called Danes.

This tradition is close to that of the Rígsthula.

This Dan married Olof the daughter of Wermund and so became brother-in-law to the Offa mentioned in the Old English poem Beowulf. Dan ruled first in Jutland but then conquered Zealand from King Aleif creating the kingdom of Denmark.

Snorri does not relate here whether this Dan is also descended from King Fridfrodi or Peace-Fróði whom Snorri presented as ruling in Zealand as a contemporary of Fjölnir son of Frey six generations before King Dygvi. Snorri writes further:

In the time when the kings we have been speaking of were in Uppsala, Denmark had been ruled over by Dan Mikilláti, who lived to a very great age; then by his son, Fróði Mikilláti, or the Peace-loving, who was succeeded by his sons Halfdan and Fridleif, who were great warriors.

This peaceful Fróði seems a duplicate of the earlier Fróði.

In his preface to the Heimskringla (which includes the Ynglinga saga), Snorri writes:

The Age of Cairns began properly in Denmark after Dan Mikilláti had raised for himself a burial cairn, and ordered that he should be buried in it on his death, with his royal ornaments and armour, his horse and saddle-furniture, and other valuable goods; and many of his descendants followed his example. But the burning of the dead continued, long after that time, to be the custom of the Swedes and Northmen.

The 12th century historian Sven Aagesen mentions Danu Elatus 'the Proud' presumably, Dan Mikilláti, and makes him the successor to Uffi, that is to Offa son of Wermund, so agreeing with the Skjöldungasaga. He said that this Dan was so powerful a king that he had another king as his page and two nobles to hold his horse.

Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum presents three different Danish monarchs named Dan, either splitting up a single monarch into many, or properly keeping separate what others have confused.

Saxo begins his history with two brothers named Dan and Angul, sons of one Humbli, who were made rulers by the consent of the people because of their bravery. They were not however called "kings", as that usage was not then common.

Angul is the eponym of the region of Angul and from his people eventually came the English who gave their name to England. Dan fathered two sons, Humblus and Lotherus, by his wife Grytha.

Neither Humblus is otherwise known, though Humli is a leader of Huns in the Old Norse Battle of the Goths and Huns. Lotherus might have some relation to the Norse god Lóðurr or to the exiled king Heremod mentioned in Beowulf or to both. According to Saxo, Lotherus is father of the famous hero Skioldus.

The second king called Dan appears much later in Book 4, as the son of Uffi son of Vermund, (that is Offa son of Wermund). But Saxo passes over him in a few lines as a warlike king who scorned his subjects and wasted his wealth, much degenerated from his ancestors.

He is followed by King Huglek, then Fróði the Active, who is then followed by the third Dan. Apparently this Dan is the son of Fróði the Active, though Saxo does not specifically give the parentage of any of these kings. Of this Dan, Saxo relates only an anecdote that when Dan was twelve years old, tired of the arrogance of Saxon ambassadors who demanded tribute on pain of war, he bridged the river Elbe with ships, crossed over, and won a great victory.

This Dan is father of Fridlef father of Frothi, in whom one recognizes Fridleif and his son Fróði mentioned often in Norse sources, the latter being, at least by parentage, the Peace-Fróði whom Snorri introduced in the early in the Ynglinga saga.

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Dan is the name of one or more legendary kings of the Danes in medieval Scandinavian texts.

Contents [hide]

1 The Lejre Chronicle

2 The Rígsthula

3 The Skjöldungasaga

4 Ynglinga saga

5 Sven Aagesen

6 The Gesta Danorum

7 The Song of Eric

8 See also

[edit] The Lejre Chronicle

The Chronicle of Lejre (Chronicon Lethrense) written about 1170 introduces a primeval King Ypper of Uppsala whose three sons were Dan, who afterwards ruled Denmark, Nori, who afterwards ruled Norway, and Østen, who afterwards ruled the Swedes. Dan apparently first ruled in Zealand for the Chronicle states that it was when Dan had saved his people from an attack by the Emperor Augustus that the Jutes and the men of Fyn and Scania also accepted him as king, whence the resultant expanded country of Denmark was named after him. Dan's wife was named Dana and his son was named Ro.

[edit] The Rígsthula

The Eddic poem Rígsthula, tells how the god Ríg (said to be Heimdall), fathered a mortal son named Jarl 'noble' later known as Ríg-Jarl. Ríg-Jarl had eleven sons, the youngest of which bore the name Kon the Young (Old Norse Konr Ungr), this name understood to be the origin of the title konungr 'king', though the etymology is in fact untenable. One day, as he was hunting and snaring birds in the forest, a crow spoke to him and suggested he would gain more by going after men, and praised the wealth of "Dan and Danp". The poem breaks off incomplete at that point.

[edit] The Skjöldungasaga

According to Arngrímur Jónsson's Latin epitome of the lost Skjöldungasaga made in 1597:

Ríg (Rigus) was a man not the least among the great ones of his time. He married the daughter of a certain Danp [Old Norse Danpr], lord of Danpsted, whose name was Dana; and later, having won the royal title for his province, left as his heir his son by Dana, called Dan or Danum, all of whose subjects were called Danes.

This tradition is close to that of the Rígsthula.

This Dan married Olof the daughter of Wermund and so became brother-in-law to the Offa of Angel mentioned in the Old English poem Beowulf. Dan ruled first in Jutland but then conquered Zealand from King Aleif creating the kingdom of Denmark.

[edit] Ynglinga saga

Snorri Sturluson's Ynglinga saga relates of King Dygvi of Sweden:

Dygvi's mother was Drótt, a daughter of King Danp, the son of Ríg, who was first called konungr ['king'] in the Danish tongue [(Old Norse)]. His descendants always afterwards considered the title of konungr the title of highest dignity. Dygvi was the first of his family to be called konungr, for his predecessors had been called dróttinn ['chieftain'], and their wives dróttning, and their court drótt ['war band']. Each of their race was called Yngvi, or Ynguni, and the whole race together Ynglingar. Queen Drótt was a sister of King Dan Mikilláti, from whom Denmark took its name.

Here Ríg is father of Danp the father of Dan. The title Mikilláti can be translated 'Magnificent' or 'Proud'.

Snorri does not relate here whether this Dan is also descended from King Fridfrodi or Peace-Fróði whom Snorri presented as ruling in Zealand as a contemporary of Fjölnir son of Frey six generations before King Dygvi. Snorri writes further:

In the time when the kings we have been speaking of were in Uppsala, Denmark had been ruled over by Dan Mikilláti, who lived to a very great age; then by his son, Fróði Mikilláti, or the Peace-loving, who was succeeded by his sons Halfdan and Fridleif, who were great warriors.

This peaceful Fróði seems a duplicate of the earlier Fróði.

In his preface to the Heimskringla (which includes the Ynglinga saga), Snorri writes:

The Age of Cairns began properly in Denmark after Dan Mikilláti had raised for himself a burial cairn, and ordered that he should be buried in it on his death, with his royal ornaments and armour, his horse and saddle-furniture, and other valuable goods; and many of his descendants followed his example. But the burning of the dead continued, long after that time, to be the custom of the Swedes and Northmen.

[edit] Sven Aagesen

The 12th century historian Sven Aagesen mentions Danu Elatus 'the Proud' presumably, Dan Mikilláti, and makes him the successor to Uffi, that is to Offa son of Wermund, so agreeing with the Skjöldungasaga. He said that this Dan was so powerful a king that he had another king as his page and two nobles to hold his horse.

[edit] The Gesta Danorum

Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum presents three different Danish monarchs named Dan, either splitting up a single monarch into many, or properly keeping separate what others have confused.

Saxo begins his history with two brothers named Dan and Angul, sons of one Humbli, who were made rulers by the consent of the people because of their bravery. They were not however called "kings", as that usage was not then common.

Angul is the eponym of the region of Angul and from his people eventually came the English who gave their name to England. Dan fathered two sons, Humblus and Lotherus, by his wife Grytha.

Neither one is otherwise known, though a king named Humli is a leader of Huns in the Old Norse Battle of the Goths and Huns. Lotherus might have some relation to the Norse god Lóðurr or to the exiled king Heremod mentioned in Beowulf or to both. According to Saxo, Lotherus is father of the famous hero Skioldus.

The second king called Dan appears much later in Book 4, as the son of Uffi son of Vermund, (that is Offa of Angel son of Wermund). But Saxo passes over him in a few lines as a warlike king who scorned his subjects and wasted his wealth, much degenerated from his ancestors.

He is followed by King Huglek, then Fróði the Active, who is then followed by the third Dan. Apparently this Dan is the son of Fróði the Active, though Saxo does not specifically give the parentage of any of these kings. Of this Dan, Saxo relates only an anecdote that when Dan was twelve years old, tired of the arrogance of Saxon ambassadors who demanded tribute on pain of war, he bridged the river Elbe with ships, crossed over, and won a great victory.

This Dan is father of Fridlef father of Frothi, in whom one recognizes Fridleif and his son Fróði mentioned often in Norse sources, the latter being, at least by parentage, the Peace-Fróði whom Snorri introduced in the early in the Ynglinga saga.

[edit] The Song of Eric

It was once seen as a valuable source for Migration Period history, but is now regarded as inauthentic fakelore created during the 16th century.

The Song of Eric deals with Eric, the first king of Geatland (fyrsti konunger i Götalandinu vidha). He sent a troop of Geats southward to a country named Vetala, where no one had yet cultivated the land. In their company was a wise man who was to uphold the law. Finally, a king named Humli set his son Dan to rule the settlers, and after Dan, Vetala was named Denmark.

The song was first published in a Latin translation in Johannes Magnus' Historia de omnibus gothorum sueonumque regibus (1554). He states that the original song was widely sung in Sweden at the time.

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Han var konge etter sin far og den første kongen i Danmark som ble hauglagt, Han hadde overherredømme i Jylland beseiret senere Åleif kongen på Sjelland i en ærefull kamp. Dermed fikk han herredømme over det landet som etter han fikk navnet Danmark, Han fikk tilnavnet hinn Mikelate, som i nedsættende betydning kan oversettes med overmodig, i positiv betydning storslået. «Dan den storlåtne, danekongen, lot gjøre en haug for seg og bød at de skulle bære ham dit når han var død, i kongeskrud og rustning og med hesten hans fullt oppsalt og med mye annet gods, så gjorde mange av hans ættmenn slik siden. Da tok haugalderen til i Danmark, men brennalderen holdt seg hos svear og nordmenn lenge etterpå."