Ale the Strong (Heimskringla) or Ole (English: Ola), in Scandinavian legend, belonged to the House of Skjöldung (Scylding), and he was the son of king Fridleif of Denmark and a cousin of Helgi's (and consequently of the Hrothgar of Beowulf). He fought several battles against king Aun of Uppsala, and he ruled in Uppsala for 25 years until he was killed by Starkad the old.
According to Starbäck and Bäckström, Saxo Grammaticus tells a related story in Gesta Danorum.
Starkad was accepted with honour in the warband of the Norwegian hero Ole (Olo). However, when Ole had succeeded in conquering Zealand, Starkad was convinced to join Lennius/Lenus/Lennus scheme to attack and kill Ole. However, Ole was hard to kill as his gaze scared everyone. It was not until Starkad managed to cover Ole's face that he could kill him. Starkad was rewarded with 120 pounds in gold, but regretted his crime, and avenged Ole's death by killing Lennius.
Preceded by Ringo |
Saxo's kings of Denmark | Succeeded by Omundus |
Preceded by Aun |
Mythological king of Sweden | Succeeded by Aun |
Famous quotes containing the words ale and/or strong:
“I consider my selfbeing ... that taste of myself, of I and me above and in all things, which is more distinctive than the taste of ale or alum, more distinctive than the smell of walnutleaf or camphor, and is incommunicable by any means to another man.”
—Gerard Manley Hopkins (18441889)
“In private life he was good-natured, chearful, social; inelegant in his manners, loose in his morals. He had a coarse, strong wit, which he was too free of for a man in his station, as it is always inconsistent with dignity. He was very able as a minister, but without a certain elevation of mind necessary for great good, or great mischief.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (16941773)