B FigureNames in medieval languagesHistorical originName meaningRelationshipsEarly and English AttestationsNorse AttestationsGerman Attestations Baldung From PGmc *balda ("brave, strong"). A dwarf: Dietrich von Bern saves him from a wild man and in return Baldung gives him a magical jewel that protects against hunger, thirst, and snakes. Sigenot Baltram1 , From PGmc *balda ("brave, strong"), and OHG hraban ("raven"), from PGmc *χrabnaz ("raven"). One of Attila's vassals, in the German legends he aids Dietrich in his fight against Ermanarich and fights Volker at Raben (Ravenna). In the Þiðreks saga, he is lord of Fenedi (Venice), brother of Reginbaldr and Hildebrand1's uncle. Hildebrand1 uses his name in his first encounter with Vithga (Widege). Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Rabenschlacht Baltram2 von Bulgarien See Baltram1 In Wolfdietrich A and k, the brother-in-law of Berchtung. He defends Berchtung against the accusation that he has murdered the infant Wolfdietrich. Wolfdietrich Bauge The name comes from PGmc *bauga ("bracelet, armlet, ring"). Wolfdietrich's brother; together with Wolfdietrich's other brother Wachsmut, he attempts to deprive Wolfdietrich of his father's inheritance. Wolfdietrich Bauggerd Baug- means "armlet, ring", while gerðr is derived from garðr, a fenced-in area. See Grímr, Eygrímr Beadohild , First element PGmc *badu- ("battle"), second element, PGmc *hildjō- ("strife, conflict"). Daughter of King Nithhad. She is raped by Wayland the Smith while he is held in captivity by the king. She is the mother of Witige. Deor Völundarkviða Þiðreks saga (unnamed). BeadecaPerhaps based on the Ostrogothic king Totila (Baduila).As in Baduila, the first element is the Germanic badu- ("battle"). The second element -ca is a diminutive suffix synonymous with -ila. Mentioned in line 112 in Widsith, where he is a Gothic hero.Widsith Beanstan The first element bēan may mean "shark", cf. Icelandic bauni, or it may mean "legume". The second element means "stone", from PGmc *stainaz .The father of Breca of the Brondings, mentioned in Beowulf, line 524. Beowulf Becca1 Ermanaric's counselor, see Sibeche (Bikki) Becca2 See Berchtung below. Beigaðr , Beigr means "fear" and Beiguðr means "an athlete, one who inspires fear(?)", while Beigaðr means "terrifier". In Skáldskaparmál, Beiguðr is one of the twelve berserkers sent by Hrólfr kraki to help the Swedish king Aðils (Eadgils) in the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern. Hvítserkr1 and Svipdag are also mentioned among the champions but only Svipdag as his brother. In Hrólfs saga kraka, Beigaðr is the brother of Svipdag and Hvítserkr1 and when Hrólfr Kraki and his champions escape the Swedish king with the stolen gold over the Fýrisvellir, it is Beigaðr who is carrying the horn full of gold before Hrólfr takes it and spreads the gold after them. In the saga, he and his brothers also take part in Hrólf's last battle. A warrior named Beigaðr also appears among the participants of the Battle of Brávellir in Sögubrot and Gesta Danorum. Hrólfs saga kraka, Skáldskaparmál, Sögubrot, Gesta Danorum, Tóka þáttr Tókasonar (mentioned) Beiti The name appears as the name of a sea-king in the sense "who steers against the wind", but in this case it may be based on the meaning "pasturage". In the eddic poem Atlamál, the steward of Atli (Attila) who suggests that instead of cutting out the heart of the brave hero Högni2, they cut out the heart of the useless thrall Hjalli. Atlamál Bekkhild Bekk means "bench" (as in a Viking lord's hall) and hildr meant "battle" in poetry and was used in female names. In Völsunga saga, Bekkhild is Brynhild's sister and married to Brynhild's foster-father Heimir2, with whom she has the son Alsvid. While Brynhild had taken up weapons, Bekkhild had learnt feminine skills. Völsunga saga (24) Beow(ulf), Beowa or , or The name means "grain", "barley" or "harvest". In the epic poem Beowulf, Beo(wulf) is the son of Scyld, the founder of the Scylding dynasty, and the father of Healfdene (and thus the grandfather of Hrothgar). In the manuscript he appears as Beowulf, but scholars generally agree that it is a misspelling of Beow. However, publishers of scholarly editions tend not to correct it. He is also mentioned as Beaw/Beo together with Scef/Sceafa and Scyld/Sceldwa, as a Danish ancestor for the West Saxon royal dynasty in three chronicles. A Beaf appears in ON Langfeðatal and in the prologue to the Prose Edda, but this is a borrowing from Anglo-Saxon sources. The name corresponds to ON Byggvir, who was one of the Norse god Freyr's servants in Lokasenna.Beowulf (lines 18 and 53), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (A.D. 855), Asser's Life of King Alfred (892) and Æthelweard's Chronicon (855.3)Langfeðatal, Prose Edda, LokasennaBeowulf Probably not a historical person. Various proposed etymologies, Wilhelm Grimm proposed a compound "bee-wolf" meaning "bear".Beowulf's father was Ecgþeow who probably belonged to the ruling Swedish Scylfing dynasty, and his mother was the only daughter of the Geatish king Hreðel. The Geatish king was his foster-father from the age of seven. He has a warm relationship with his maternal uncle Hygelac. During Hygelac's historic raid into Frisia, Hygelac is killed and Beowulf avenges him by crushing Dæghrefn to death with his bare hands. As the Danish king Hrothgar and his warriors cower in fear every night for Grendel, Beowulf arrives at the Danish court and liberates them from both Grendel and Grendel's mother. Hygelac's successor Heardred offers sanctuary to the renegade Swedish princes Eadgils (Aðils) and Eanmund after their uncle Onela (Áli) becomes the king of Sweden. This incurs the wrath of Onela who attacks the Geats and both Heardred and Eanmund are killed. Onela leaves Beowulf as the king of the Geats, who however avenges Heardred by supporting Eadgils in the Battle on the Ice. He has to kill a dragon as an old man and dies in the process. Beowulf Possibly the same figure as Böðvarr Bjarki. Bera1, ON for "she-bear".Bera was a queen of Sweden, whose husband Alfr1 ruled together with his brother Yngvi1, who often was away pillaging. She was beautiful, impressive and cheerful and Alfr was timid and sullen. Bera preferred the manly and outgoing Yngve and she did not hide it. One evening when Alfr saw Yngvi1 converse with Bera, he unexpectedly pulled his sword and killed his brother with it, but before dying, Yngvi1 did the same with Alfr. Ynglingatal, Ynglinga saga, Historia Norwegiæ Bera2 See Bera1 A freeholder's daughter and the lover of Björn1. Björn's father king Hring had captured a Saami princess who wanted to seduce him, but Björn spurned her advances and she turned him into a bear. Bera is forced by Hvit to eat some of Björn's flesh, and after that she bears three children for him who are born after he has been killed, Bödvar Bjarki, Elk-Frodi and Thorir. Later, she tells her Bödvar and Hring of what had happened, and shows them Björn's ring as proof. She marries the jarl Valsleyt. In Bjarkarímur, her name has been changed to Hildr. Hrólfs saga kraka, Bjarkarímur Berchtung von Meran , Possibly has a historical analogue in the dynastic politics of Merovingians; his role is reminiscent of the office of the mayor of the palace.From PGmc *berhta ("bright, shining"), a form almost exclusive to West Germanic and typically Frankish. Becca is a hypocoristic form of Berht. Hugdietrich's majordomo. He raises, protects, and supports the young Wolfdietrich.Widsith Wolfdietrich BerigThe Gothic legend of a migration of a smaller group of settlers from Scandinavia under king Berig finds support in archaeological remains from the 1st c. in Eastern Pomerania and in comparative studies of similar elite conquests. From PGmc *bera ("bear").According to a Gothic legend told by Jordanes, he brought his people on three ships from Scandinavia and settled in Gothiscandza, in what is today northern Poland. Getica Berta , The name is shared by the mother, sister, and daughter of Charlemagne, as well as the sister-in-law of Rother in the minstrel epic König Rother, a similar story of abduction to that in the Þiðreks saga. In Rother Berte is the wife of Pippin and mother of Charlemagne. From PGmc *berhta ("bright"). The daughter of king Oserich (Osantrix) and sister of Helche (Erka). She is abducted with her sister by Duke Rotholf, who marries her. Þiðreks saga Bikki Ermanaric's counselor, see Sibeche (Bikki)BillingProbably historical.The name may be derived from bill, a type of sword. Mentioned in line 25 in Widsith, where he is the king of the Werns. In Norse mythology, the name is attested both for a dwarf and a giant.Widsith Billung Based on Gmc *bil ("miraculous power"), but as a common noun MHG billunc means "spite, spiteful person," probably based on the character of dwarfs. A dwarf who abducts Wolfdietrich's wife Liebgart and is killed by Wolfdietrich. Wolfdietrich Biterolf von Steier , Possibly an alteration of an earlier *Patirolf, first element *badu- ("battle"), second element *-wolf ("wolf"). Originally a nickname meaning "tyrant, choleric person." The father of Dietleib von Steier. According to Biterolf und Dietleib, he is originally from Toledo, Spain. He goes to serve Attila at his court, at one point going incognito under the name Fruote (see Fróði) and fighting against his son Dietleib. As a reward for his services, Attila grants him Styria as a fief. In Þiðreks saga, he is instead the king of Scania. Biterolf und Dietleib, Þiðreks saga, Dietrichs Flucht, Virginal Bjalki Bjálki means "balk" or "beam". A warrior at Hrólfr kraki's court. When the Swedish champion Svipdag arrives at the court, he is told to sit beside him, and Bjalki informs him of the space reserved on the benches for Hrólf's champions. Hrólfs saga kraka Bjarmar , Bjarm- means "radiance of light", while the second element -arr can have three different origins: *-harjaʀ ("war chief, warrior"), *-warjaʀ ("defender") or *-ʒaiʀaʀ ("spear"). Bjart- means "bright", while -marr means "excellent", "commendable". According to the U version of Hervarar saga, the Swedish colonial ruler of Aldeigjuborg, on Lake Ladoga. After Hjörvard1 had challenged Hjalmar to a duel on Samsø for the hand of the Swedish princess Ingeborg, at Uppsala, the twelve brothers go to Bjarmarr, for a feast, and Angantýr marries Bjarmar's daughter Sváfa there. Hervarar saga Björn From PN *bernuz meaning "bear". The father of Bodvar Bjarki and the son of the Norwegian king Hringr. He is cursed to become a bear at night when he refuses the sexual advances of Hringr's wife Hvit. He fathers three children with the woman Bera and then is killed by the king's hunters. Hrólfs saga kraka Björn Eriksson See Björn. Björn was the son of king Eric Anundsson/Emundarsson and the father of Eric the Victorious and Olof Björnsson, who ruled together. According to Hervarar saga he ruled for a long time and Snorri Sturluson, in Haralds saga Hárfagra ch. 29, says that he ruled for 50 years. Hervarar saga, Haralds saga Hárfagra, Óláfs saga ins helga Björn at Haugi As has been generally assumed, he may be the historic king Björn (Bernus) who invited Ansgar in 829 to spread Christianity in Sweden.See Björn. The Hervarar saga tells that Björn and his brother Anund of Uppsala were the sons of Refil, who was the son of Björn Ironside, the son of Ragnar Lodbrok. They divided the Swedish kingdom between themselves when their uncle Eric died. He settled near a Barrow and was called Björn at the Barrow. Björn and Anund were succeeded by Anund's son Eric. The Prose Edda, Hervarar saga and Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar tell that he was a patron of the skald Bragi Boddason. He is also mentioned in Landnámabók, where Thord Knapp, an early Swedish settler on Iceland was the son of Björn at Haugi's sister. Thormod the Strong, another Swedish settler, had been exiled by king Björn for manslaughter. In Sweden, there appears to have been an independent living tradition of a king Björn who had lived at "the Barro