Beowulf(Hero)

In the epic poem, Beowulf was born to Ecgþeow, a warrior of the Swedish Wægmundings. After Ecgþeow killed Heaðolaf of the Wulfing clan (identified in Scandinavian sources as Östergötland's ruling dynasty), he faced an unaffordable weregild and sought refuge with the Danes. King Hroðgar paid the blood price and received Ecgþeow's oath in return.

Ecgþeow later served the Geatish king Hreðel and married the king's daughter, who bore Beowulf. The young Beowulf grew up among the Geats, befriending Breca the Bronding, who likely came from Brännö island off West Gothland's coast. The two were known for their legendary swimming contest.

When Hroðgar's hall was plagued by the monster Grendel, Beowulf sailed to Zealand with fourteen warriors to repay his father's debt. During the night, Grendel killed one of Beowulf's men before attacking Beowulf himself. Since weapons couldn't harm the creature, Beowulf fought bare-handed and tore off Grendel's arm, sending the monster fleeing to die in the bog. The next day, as Beowulf was celebrated, a scop compared him to the hero Sigmund.

The following night, Grendel's mother came seeking weregild for her son. Finding Beowulf in another building, she attacked the hall instead. Beowulf pursued her to her underwater lair, where he slew her using a magical sword found among the lair's treasures.

Back in Geatland, Beowulf joined King Higlac's raid against the Franks. After Higlac's death in battle, Beowulf swam home in full armor. Queen Hygd offered him the throne, but he supported the young prince Heardred instead. When Heardred granted asylum to the Swedish princes Eadgils and Eanmund, who were fleeing their uncle Onela's usurpation, it prompted a Swedish invasion that claimed Heardred's life. Becoming king, Beowulf helped Eadgils defeat Onela in the historically significant Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern.

After ruling for 50 years, Beowulf faced a fire-breathing dragon that was terrorizing his realm after a thief stole from its hoard. When his thegns proved ineffective against the creature, Beowulf confronted it in its lair at Earnanæs, accompanied only by his young kinsman Wiglaf. Though Beowulf killed the dragon with his dagger after his sword broke, he received a fatal bite. Before dying, he named Wiglaf his heir. His body was cremated on a pyre, and his ashes interred in a seaside barrow.