Sveneld (also called Svenald[1] or Sveinald;[2] Old Norse: Sveinaldr; Church Slavonic: Свѣналдъ, romanized: Svěnaldŭ[3] or Свѣнелдъ, Svěneldŭ),[4] is a semi-legendary 10th-century Varangian warlord in the service of Sviatoslav I and his family.
He is described as a rich man and a voevoda[4] ("troop commander"[2]) of Kievan Rus', but his relation to the reigning Rurikid princes, if it existed, has not been positively established.
Sveneld started his military career under (or perhaps independently of) Igor of Kiev, when he put to the sword the tribe of Ulichs and secured for himself the right to exact tribute from them and from the Drevlians.
Although the Byzantine historians John Skylitzes and Leo the Deacon testify that Sphangel (as he was known to them) met his death at Dorostolon the same year, the Slavonic chronicles mention Sveneld's activities several times thereafter.
[citation needed] Sveneld is a major supporting character in the Soviet historical film The Legend of Princess Olga, played by Ukrainian actor Konstantin Stepankov.