A description of the leading events in the life of each of the remaining mythical or semi-mythical rulers named in the genealogies is given in the Ynglinga, but we have only thought it necessary to place before the reader these few typical examples, as the scope of the work will not admit of a fuller treatment of the subject; though some extracts have been incorporated in the Chapter on Customs, &c.
The Northern chiefs traced their ancestry from this Odin of the North, whose influence had become so great with King Gylfi that two of his sons, as we have seen, married the latter’s daughters.
When reading the Saga literature we are particularly struck by the frequent references made to pedigrees in which the people of the North took great pride. There are three great genealogical branches through which the Northern chiefs traced their descent from Odin.
“All who are truly wise in events know that the Tyrkjar and Asia-men settled in the northern lands. Then began the tongue which has since spread over all lands. The leader of these people was called Odin, and to him men trace their families”[[105]] (Sturlaug’s Saga (Fornaldarsögur, 111), c. 1).
These genealogical branches are:—1. The Ynglinga; or that of Hálfdán the black, the nephew of Rögnvald Jarl. 2. The Háleygja; or that of Hakon Jarl the great. 3. The Skjöldunga; or that of Harald Hilditönn or the Danish branch.
If we could admit that these genealogies are more or less correct, and if we struck an average by generations (of thirty years) the result would make Odin live about the beginning of the Christian era; if a longer average of life is allotted, he would have lived some centuries before that date. But of course the genealogies must be treated as in the main mythical.
The Ynglingatal,[[106]] a genealogical poem,[[107]] composed for Rögnvald Heidumhœri (the uncle of Harald Fairhair), traces the family of Rögnvald through thirty generations up to Odin, and being probably composed a little after 900, it would make Odin live about 100 before Christ.
Ari in ch. 12 of Islendingabók traces his family through thirty-seven degrees up to Yngvi Tyrkja King.
These are the names of the forefathers of the Ynglingar and Breidfirdingar (Men of Breidifjord):—
1. Yngvi Tyrkjaking. 2. Njörd Sviaking. 3. Frey. 4. Fjölnir, who died at Frid-Fródi’s. 5. Svegdir. 6. Vanlandi. 7. Vísbur. 8. Dómaldi. 9. Dómar. 10. Dyggvi. 11. Dag. 12. Alrek. 13. Agni. 14. Yngvi. 15. Jörund. 16. Aun the old. 17. Egil Vendikráka. 18. Ottar. 19. Adils at Uppsalir. 20. Eystein. 21. Yngvar. 22. Braut-önund. 23. Ingjald the evil. 24. Ólaf, wood-chopper (tretelgja). 25. Hálfdán Whiteleg Upplendingaking. 26. Godrod. 27. Ólaf. 28. Helgi. 29. Ingjald, the son of the daughter of Sigurd, son of Ragnar Lodbrok. 30. Oleif the white (king in Dublin). 31. Thorstein the red. 32. Glei Feilan, the first of them who settled in Iceland. 33. Thórd gellir. 34. Eyjólf, who was baptized in his old age when Christianity came to Iceland. 35. Thorkel. 36. Gellir, the father of Thorkel and Brand and Thorgils, Ari’s father.