Swedish–Geatish wars

The Swedish–Geatish wars refer to semi-legendary 6th-century[1] battles between Swedes and Geats that are described in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf.

[17] Then, Eofor retaliated by cutting through the Swedish king's shield and through his helmet,[18] giving Ongenþeow a death-blow.

[27] Eadgils, however, survived, and, later, Beowulf helped him avenge Eanmund by slaying Onela,[28] an event which also appears in Scandinavian sources, as the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern (although no Geatish involvement is remembered or mentioned).

Ingjald then extended his rule to include the Geatish heartland in Västergötland, whereas the East Geats in Östergötland preserved their independence.

Sögubrot af nokkrum fornkonungum says that after Ivar's death, the kingdom was split between Harald Wartooth and Sigurd Hring.

In the 12th century, Geatish tribal independence was but a memory as the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus noted in his Gesta Danorum (book 13) that the Geats had no say in the election of the king, only the Swedes.