According to the Old English poem Widsith, before Eadgils became king, the Myrgings had been at war with a tribe called the Mofdings under the previous king Meaca who was probably killed in battle fighting against them resulting in their defeat and forcing the Myrgings to retreat back to the Eider where Eadgils probably became king,[citation needed] Following Meaca's death Eadgils became a powerful Myrging king by defeating the Mofdings and plundering the Angles and their lands as he was determined to rule over them, however the Angles forced the Myrgings to flight.
Eadgils was at war with the Angles and plundered their lands, He slew Frowinus, the governor of Schleswig.
Frowinus' sons Ket and Wig avenged their father's death by killing Eadgils, but did so by fighting two against one.
[citation needed] The slaying of Eadgils is also mentioned in Annales Ryenses and by the Danish historian Svend Aagesen.
The latter says that the shameful act of letting two warriors fight at the same time against the Angle king Offa unable to speak when he was young.