According to theGesta Danorum,Alfhild,[a] daughter of theGeatish kingSiward, was ashieldmaiden who had her own fleet oflongships with crews of young female pirates and raided along the coasts of the Baltic Sea.
As a young princess, Alfhild's chamber was guarded by a lizard and a snake, which scared away unworthy suitors. ADanish prince namedAlf, also of Geatish descent, came toGeatland and defeated the animal guards. But Alfhild, advised by her mother, fled from Alf dressed as a man, and she became a shield maiden.
Alf and hisScanian comrade, Borgar, together with their Danish sea-warriors, searched for and eventually found Alfhild and her fleet by the coast of southern Finland. After some deadly fighting aboard the ships, Alfhild's helmet was knocked off, and she was recognised. Alf and Borgar ordered their men to stop fighting, and Alf embraced Alfhild, happy to finally have found her. She then decided to lay off her warrior clothes and follow Alf to Denmark, where they got married.
Some years later, in a war fought against a revolting Danish clan, Alf and his brothers and their father kingSigar were killed. Only Alf's and Alfhild's daughter Gurid had survived of the royal family. After being queen for a while, Gurid married one of Borgar's sons,Halfdan, and they had a son named Harald, who became the new king of Denmark.
According to the details in the saga, this would have taken place in the 5th century.
The account inSaxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum[1] is the original story of Alf and Alfhild, based on one of the old folktales or songs he gathered for his work.
There are some variations to the story in later popular culture. (Other spellings:Alwilda, Alvilda, Alvild, Alvilde, Alfhilda, Avilda, Alvida, Altilda, Ælfhild).
During the 1800s, Alfhild/Alwilda was a popular subject forscrimshaw carved by members of whaling crews.[2]
Here, under the name of Alvida, she's figuring in a modern Dutch musical.[3]
The story about Alf And Alfhild has also been made into Italian operas.
Italian poetTorquato Tasso writes his most famous tragedy on her story, calledIl re Torrismondo, where Alvida is promised in marriage to the king of Sweden, Germondo, but falls in love with Torrismondo, so she decides to commit suicide in order not to choose between love and honor.
In 1686,"L'Amazzone Corsara, ovvero L'Alvilda, regina de Goti", byCarlo Pallavicino.[4]
In 1731,"Alvilda regina de' Goti", byAntonio Vivaldi.
The mangaOne Piece includes as one of the antagonists the female pirateAlvida, named after her.[5]
In the mobile gamePersona 5: The Phantom X she appears as a Motoha Arai's initial persona under the name Awilda, following a trend of adding Scandinavian figures.[6]
