Ulf Jarl (Thorgilsson) Thrugilsson (abt. 988 - abt. 1026)

Born about 0988 in Roskilde, Danmark

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1026 at about age 38 in Roskilde, Danmark

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Biografi

Ulf var jarl av Skåne och blev senare jarl av Danmark. Ulf Jarl kom från en framstående släkt och historiker tror att han förmodligen var son till Torgils Sprakalägg.

Han var gift med danske kung Knut (den stores) syster, Estrid Svendsdatter och blev far till Sven Estridsson som senare blev kung i Danmark.

Ulf Jarl skall ha blivit mördad, på uppdrag av sin svåger Knut, den 31 december 1026 i Roskilde.

Se även https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulf_jarl

^[1]

Biography

Ulf Jarl was Jarl of Skåne and became Jarl of Denmark about 1024 when the previous holder died. According to Danish Wikipedia, he was also Jarl in England but nothing more is specified. MedLands says he was Jarl in England 1017^[2]

^[3]

In 1009, he took part in a Danish raid on England

In 1016, he was one of the leaders in Cnut's invasion of England. On 18 October 1016, King Cnut of Denmark defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Edmund Ironside in battle at Assandun (Essex); and victorious, was then able to restore Viking rule in England. Ulf, as one of Cnut's most trusted men, was made Jarl of Denmark, ruling Denmark as regent in the absence of King Cnut. Ulf was made guardian of Cnut's son Harthacnut.

In 1023 - 1025, Ulf was Governor of Jomsborg, a stronghold in Wendland on the German/Polish Baltic coast (now Pomerania)

joined the alliance of Olav II King of Norway and Anund King of Sweden to oppose his brother-in-law King Knud^[4]

By 1026, King Cnut's prolonged absence in England encouraged the Swedish King Anund Jakob and Norwegian King Olaf II to launch an attack on the Danish in the Baltic Sea. Ulf supported their rebellion, urging Danish freemen to elect Cnut's son Harthacnut as king, a move which, as Harthacnut's guardian, would make Ulf ruler in Denmark. However, Ulf swapped sides again, and when Cnut returned to Denmark, Ulf supported King Cnut in a great naval engagement, the Battle of the Helgeå. It was a great victory for King Cnut, leaving him the most powerful ruler in Scandinavia.

Name(s)

Ulf Thorgilsson was also known as Ulf Jarl once that title had been given him. MedLands^[2] names him Ulf Thrugilson (Wulfsige Sprakling)

His name has appeared in some genealogies as "Uswulf Ealdorman".(Source Needed)

Birth

Presumably around 988^[5]

It is thought that his birthplace was Roskilde^[6]

Parents and Siblings

Ulf Thorgilsson was the son of Torgil Sprakaleg Styrbjörnsson ^[7].

The Viking chieftain Eilaf who raided England in 1009 is assumed to be his brother and he also had a sister named Gyda/Gytha who married Godwin, Earl of Wessex^[6]. ^[8]

Spouse(s) and children

Ulf was married to Estrid about 1015-1016 ^[9], daughter of Sven Tveskæg and sister of king Knut/Canute. They had at least two children; Svend and Asbjørn.

According to MedLands^[2] Ulf had at least four chilren;'

• Svend Estridsen
• Bjorn Ulfsen
• Asbjørn Ulfsen
• Unnamed daughter who was mother of Asmund "Free-booter". Snorre names "Asmund…said to have been King Svein's sister's son and his foster-son" when recording that he was murdered. However, Morkinskinna records that “Ásmundr” was the son of “Bjorn” .

The children below needs to be researched, no source is given to connect them to Ulf Jarl.

• Niels Estridsen
• Odo Ulfsdatter
• Gytha (L) Ulfsdotter (b: c. 997 - 1005)
• Eadnoth "The Staller" Thane of Gloucester, b: c.1030 in England

Death and burial

It is thought he was murdered in December 1026 in Trefoldighedskirken, Roskilde) ^{[5] [10]}

According to MedLands^[2]

The Chronicon Roskildense records that "duci Ulf" was killed "in ecclesia Roskildensi" where his widow buried him.

Saxo Grammaticus records that he was killed on the orders of King Knud whom he had allegedly insulted.

Sources

1. ↑ "U. var fader till Sven, efter modern called Estridsson, ock stamfader för den dynasty, den, s.k. Estridska ätten, som 1047-1375 regrade I Danmark" Nordisk familjebok  : Ulf Jarl
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/DENMARK.htm#_Toc481342014
3. ↑ Many chieftains went with King Knut to England. First there was his brother-in-law, Earl Ulf Strut-Leg’s-son, who was married at the time to Astrid Svein’s-daughter, King Knut’s sister. The battle of Assandun (Ashington) is mentioned in Knýtlinga saga
4. ↑ Entered by Sheri Sturm.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Danish Wikipedia: Ulf Jarl
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} https://biografiskleksikon.lex.dk/Ulf_-_jarl?utm_source=denstoredanske.dk&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=DSDredirect
7. ↑ English Wikipedia
8. ↑ Searle, 1899
9. ↑
10. ↑ "At Christmas in 1026, Ulf the Earl was murdered by one of Cnut the Great's housecarls." Wikipedia : Roskilde Cathedral

• Wikipedia : Ulf the Earl
• Book: Nordisk familjebok, Uggleupplagan (1920), sid 905-906. (Encyclopedia by several contributors.)
• Medieval Lands Ulf Thurgilson
• Book?: Searle, W.G. (1899). Anglo-Saxon Bishops, Kings, and Nobles: The Succession of the Bishops and the Pedigrees of the Kings and Nobles, (pp.355). London: Cambridge University Press. archive.org

• See also;
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorgil_Sprakling Thorgils Sprakalägg* https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/viking-battle-of-helgea.html