The True Story of Amleth | The Northman

Many people know the story of Hamlet the Prince of Denmark written by Shakespeare, but not many people know the story it's based on. That would be the tale of Amleth that was written by Saxo Grammaticus into a chronicle called The Deeds of the Danes. This legend is one of bloodshed, betrayal and war. The story begins with King Rorik of Denmark appointing two brothers as the rulers of Jutland. The brothers were named Horwendil and Feng and they would rule together for a time. Eventually, Horwendil would slay the King of Norway and gain favour with Rorik, which led to Horwendil marrying Rorik's daughter. Together, the couple would have a son named Amleth. Horwendil's good fortune and reputation would infuriate his brother, and he was overcome with jealousy. His soul would eventually darken and behold, when his chance came, he murdered his own brother, Horwendil in cold blood. After he had butchered his own brother, he then married his dead brother's wife. Amleth would despair, thinking his uncle would kill him next. So he pretended he lost his wits and was a simpleton, in order to not show intelligence and ambition, which may have kept him alive. He remained at his mother's house every day. He wouldn't wash, and he would fling himself on the ground and would roll around in the dirt and filth in some sort of grotesque madness. When he spoke, people either thought his words were the ramblings of a madman or a wise man's riddles. Either way, the common people thought he was no longer a man, and that destiny had turned him into an imbecile. Amleth would live in misery. Amleth often sat over a fire and found a way to fashion javelins. People would grow suspicious, as his skill as a craftsman was far too good for that of a simpleton. They thought that he only pretended to be simple, in order to hide a cunning plan. Amleth's uncle Feng was uncertain about his nephew's mental state, so he would test him. First, he would tempt him with a woman who was sent to seduce him, the logic being that any sane man would not be able to resist the charm of a beautiful woman. So his uncle's men were instructed to draw Amleth into a remote part of the forest. One of those men was Amleth's foster brother, who had not forgotten their past friendship before Amleth fell into madness. He warned Amleth of his uncle's plot, not wanting his old friend to be killed. While Amleth and his uncle's men rode with him into the forest, Amleth would play the fool and would turn his body facing the horse's tail. The horse would then wildly gallop off, appearing to be out of control. Eventually, Amleth's path would cross with the woman who his uncle had hired to seduce him. Amleth would drag her to a secret location, where no prying eyes would be lurking. Amleth would then give in to his desires and have his way with the woman. After they had lain together, they would talk, and Amleth would convince her to promise not to tell anyone what had happened. Feng and his council would come up with another plot to try to get Amleth to falter, and prove he was of sound mind. The plan was to get Amleth alone with his mother, for if Amleth had any wits at all, he wouldn't hesitate to speak plainly in front of the woman who bore him. His uncle Feng would conceal one of his men in a part of a room to hear what was being said. Amleth would then be shut up with his mother in a room, and Amleth would lie down in a pile of straw. Amleth knew that eavesdroppers would be overhearing everything he would be saying, so he resorted to his usual imbecile ways. He would beat his arms together to mimic the flapping of wings. He then began to jump up and down on a pile of straw, but Amleth felt a lump under his feet. The simpleton was gone, and the serious Amleth came out. He drew his sword and drove it into the spot where he felt the lump of straw. He dragged out one of his uncle's men, who was hiding and slew him. He then cut his body up, seethed it in boiling water, and flung it through the mouth of an open sewer for the swine to eat. His fury then turned to his mother. Now that no one was left to hear their conversation, he scolded her and called her a harlot for embracing the slayer of her husband and said, yet the passion to avenge my father still burns in my heart. Feng would soon ask what had happened to his man, as he couldn't be found anywhere. Amleth was asked if he knew what had happened. He said that the man had fallen into the sewer, but had fallen through and had been devoured by the swine that came upon it. Everyone who heard the speech thought it was just the ramblings of a madman, but in reality, it was the truth. Feng now fully suspected his nephew of not being the simpleton he seemed to be. He wanted to kill him, but dared not do it himself, in fear of displeasing Rorik, the king of Denmark. Feng would come up with a plan to deport Amleth to England with two escorts carrying a letter with instructions for the king of the Britons to execute Amleth. While the escorts were busy, Amleth found the letter and changed it, shifting the executions to his companions instead of him. He also added that the king would grant his daughter in marriage to a youth of great judgement. He would forge Feng's signature at the bottom of the letter. Amleth and his escorts would soon reach Britain and they were welcomed with a royal banquet. Amleth however was acting rather strange and refrained from eating and drinking. The king noticed and sent one of his men into Amleth's and his companion's room to secretly listen to the midnight conversation of his guests. Amleth's companions asked why he refrained from the feast and he answered that the bread was tainted, there was a tang of iron in the liquor and the meats reeked of human carcass. This was reported back to the king, who declared that he who could say such things had either more than mortal wisdom or more than mortal foolishness. Nevertheless, the king investigated Amleth's judgement of the feast. The corn for the bread had grown in a field covered with the ancient bones of slaughtered men. The hogs which became the meat had strayed from their stye and had devoured the rotten carcass of a robber, thus tainting it. Lastly there was the liquor, the king found the spring for where the water came from to brew the liquor and found several rusted swords which contaminated the liquor giving it that tang of iron. The king was so impressed by the wisdom of Amleth that he gave him his daughter to wife. He then hanged Amleth's two companions. Amleth would spend a whole year with his new wife in this new kingdom, but he eventually wanted to return to his own lands to fulfil his destiny and avenge his father. His uncle's schemes to kill him hadn't worked and had even favoured Amleth giving him allies and making him grow bolder each time he was tested. Amleth would sail across the sea and would reach Jutland. He exchanged his new clothes for some rags to appear as he did before. Once again he rolled in the mud and made sure he was covered in filth on arrival to the house of his uncle in order not to rouse suspicion. Appearing as mad and as dirty as ever, he entered the banquet room of his uncle. All men present looked as if they had seen a ghost, as they had heard Amleth died abroad. The banquet was to celebrate his death and the last rites, and there Amleth was, in the flesh. Amleth joined the cut-bearers to lift the mood in the room. He displayed his sword and drew it several times for no reason, pricking his fingers till he drew blood. He still appeared as simple and dim-witted as ever. Bystanders didn't want him to hurt himself, so they nailed his sword to its scabbard to stop him from drawing it and hurting himself. He then made sure the lords in the hall had their fill of drink till they were completely drunk and defenceless. After this, he set fire to the hall. The flames would consume everything and everyone. As the lords were burning alive, he went into the chamber of his uncle Feng, who had not been present at the feast. He found Feng sleeping and took his sword that was next to the bed and placed his nailed sword there in its place. He then woke his uncle and told him that his nobles were all perishing in the flames, and that Amleth was here to exact vengeance that was long overdue for his father's murder. Feng quickly went for his sword, but couldn't draw it due to a nail being hammered to the scabbard. Amleth then cut his uncle down, and his blood feud was complete. Once Amleth had slaughtered his uncle, he made a speech to the people who still remembered his father. Do you remember how kindly my father loved you? Do you remember how in his place was put a tyrant? Now this is over. The slayer of his own kin has been punished for his misdoings. I passed every season of my age wretchedly and in extreme misfortune. Often you all sighed over my lack of wits. There was no one to avenge my father, no one to punish the kinslaying. So to hide my purpose of revenge, I had to veil my wit. I have been the agent of this vengeance. Now pay me the homage that you owe me. It is I who have wiped off my country's shame. I who have quenched my mother's dishonour. I who have beaten back oppression. I who have put to death the murderer. In your hands is the reward. You know what I have done for you. Now I ask my wage. Everyone that witnessed the speech was moved by Amleth's words. He affected some to compassion and even to tears. He was then appointed as king by the people. Many marvelled at how he had concealed a subtle plan over such a long time, and at his hopes and wisdom. He would soon depart to Britain to see his wife. He had a beautiful shield made, depicting the slaying of his uncle, and everything he had endured. The king of Britain received Amleth and his warriors graciously. During a feast, he asked what had become of Feng, Amleth's uncle. Amleth said that Feng had perished by the sword. The king of Britain knew that Amleth delivering the news of Feng's death meant that he delivered the killing blow to him. The king and Feng were close friends, and had sworn oaths to each other. So the king now had to avenge Feng, and keep his oath of vengeance and friendship. The king's heart turned to vengeance. His queen had lately died of illness, and he gave Amleth a task of finding him a new bride. He declared there was a queen in Scotland who he desired. So Amleth and his men made their way to Scotland. Once they were close to the abode of the queen, he went into a meadow to rest the horses. The queen's scouts had heard of this, and she sent her warriors to spy on the foreigners. One of the warriors saw Amleth and the group sleeping, and he saw Amleth's magnificent shield gleaming under the moonlight, and he took it back to the queen. Upon gazing on the shield, the queen could see the story behind it, and she had heard the tale of the man who avenged the murder of his father by killing his uncle in a calculated scheme. She then told her warriors to take the shield back. Amleth knew that the shield had been taken from under his head, and pretended to be asleep. While the warrior put it back, Amleth leaped up and seized him and detained him in bonds. He then woke his own warriors, and they made their way to the abode of the queen. The queen, who was named Hermontrude, upon seeing Amleth, spoke highly of his diligence, saying that his uncle Feng deserved punishment, and that he had accomplished what was thought to be impossible. She told him she didn't desire the king of Britain, but desired Amleth. Queen Hermontrude would fall upon him with a close embrace, and Amleth returned the favour and kissed her back. Then a huge banquet was held, and marriage rites were performed. Amleth and his new bride would go back to Britain with a band of Scots. As he was returning, the daughter of the king of Britain, who he was still married to, met him. She told him of their son, and also told him that she still loved him as a husband, and because of that, that he should be wary of her father the king. The king of Britain welcomed him to a banquet, and hid his treachery under a show of generosity. Amleth put on chainmail under his clothes, and prepared two hundred horsemen for combat. Only then did he accept the invitation. As Amleth rode to the hall of the king, the king attacked him, and thrust a javelin at him, but his chainmail threw off the blade, and left him with a slight wound. Amleth then turned and fled, and his horsemen were slaughtered. Amleth now knew he had to do something to increase his numbers, so he put stakes under the dead bodies to prop them up, and set others on horseback like living men, keeping their armour on. Corpses were dragged out to battle, and mustered to fight. The figures of the dead men terrified the Britons, who fled before fighting. Conquered by the dead men, they overcame in life. Amleth's men then chased down the king, and slew him. All of his wealth and spoils were taken. Amleth then went back to his own land with his two wives. Meanwhile, King Rorik of Denmark had died, and Wiglec had taken the throne. Wiglec had harassed Amleth's mother, and had stripped her of her wealth, saying that her son had usurped the kingdom of Jutland. Amleth took this as slander. He presented Wiglec with the riches and spoils from Britain, but afterwards, he seized a chance to take vengeance and attacked him. He had him subdued, but didn't kill him, and now, he was an open enemy. The governor of Skane and Zealand sent envoys to challenge Amleth to war. Amleth knew his options, disgrace or danger. His thirst for glory was far stronger than his fear of death, and he would not tarnish his reputation by running away from his fate. Yet, he loved his new wife, Queen Hermontrude, and was worried more about her becoming a widow than about his own death. Hermontrude promised him that she would not forsake him even in death, and if it came to it, would die alongside him. So Amleth prepared for battle and faced the forces of Wiglec. There, Amleth was slain, and his widow Hermontrude offered herself to be the conqueror's spoil and bride. And so ends the story of Amleth. Had fortune been on his side, he would have equaled the gods in glory. What do you think of Saxo's story on the life of the legendary Amleth? Do you think it's complete make-believe, or based on the life of a historical figure? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section down below. If you enjoyed the video, make sure to like, subscribe and share, and I'll see you all soon for another history profile.