The Late Origin Hypothesis
The authenticity of this poem has been questioned by Krag (1991), who believed it to be a 12th century propaganda work fabricated to enhance the legitimacy of the Norwegian kings.
Krag claimed that it was based on the teaching of the four elements by Empedocles, in that the first four kings' deaths (Fjölnir, Sveigðir, Vanlandi and Vísburr) are associated to such elements. According to Krag this suggests that Ynglingatal is not from the 9th century, but a much later work. He also pointed out that there is an euhemeristic approach in the early parts.
Krag's thesis had a certain success among Scandinavian scholars, during the 1990s, and it became the point of view presented in Nationalencyklopedin when the articles were written in the early 90s. However, since then, many critics and other studies have shown serious problems and deficiencies with Krag's thesis.
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