Blot-Sweyn

The Norsta Runestone (U 861) on the drive of Wik Castle outside Uppsala was probably made by Sweyn and his family, as it mentions two people called Sweyn and Mær (mentioned in the accusative form Møy). It is the only existing mention of a woman named Mær ("maiden") besides the mention of Sweyn's sister Mær in Hervarar saga, and it is contemporary with Sweyn.[1]

Blot-Sweyn (Swedish: Blot-Sven) was a Swedish king c. 1080,[2] of disputed historicity, who was said to have replaced his Christian brother-in-law Inge as King of Sweden, when Inge had refused to administer the blóts (pagan sacrifices) at the Temple at Uppsala. There is no mention of Sweyn in the regnal list of the Westrogothic law, which suggests that his rule did not reach Västergötland.[2] According to Swedish historian Adolf Schück he was probably the same person as Håkan the Red and was called the Blót Swain (a swain who was willing to perform the blót) as an epithet rather than a personal name.

  1. ^ Erik Brate (1922). "Sverges runinskrifter". Project Runeberg.
  2. ^ a b "Blot-Sven". Nordisk familjebok, Project Runeberg. 1905.