Świętosława facts for kids

Świętosława was a Polish princess from a long time ago. She was the daughter of Mieszko I of Poland, who was a very important duke, and the sister of Bolesław I of Poland. She became queen by marrying two different kings in Scandinavia.

Historians believe this princess, whose exact name wasn't written down at first, married Eric the Victorious, the King of Sweden. With him, she had a son named Olof Skötkonung. Later, she married Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark. With Sweyn, she had two more sons, Harald and Cnut. Cnut became a very famous king!

People think her name might have been Świętosława because one of her daughters was called "Santslaue," which sounds like a Polish name.

Who Was Świętosława?

Historians often use the name Świętosława for this Polish princess. But it's a bit of a mystery! Old stories from Iceland, called sagas, say that the queen who married these two kings was named Sigrid the Haughty. She was said to be the daughter of a person named Skagul Toste.

However, many experts think the older German history books are more accurate than the sagas. They believe the stories about Sigrid might not be true. Another old writer, Snorre Sturlasson, also mentioned a Slavic princess named Gunhild of Wenden. Some people wonder if Gunhild was actually the same Polish princess, but the stories got a little mixed up over time.

What Do Old Books Say?

It's hard to find many details about Świętosława in very old books. Here's what some important historical writings tell us:

Thietmar of Merseburg's Account

A writer named Thietmar of Merseburg lived around the same time as Świętosława. He wrote that the daughter of Mieszko I of Poland (and sister of Bolesław I Chrobry) married King Sweyn Forkbeard. Thietmar said she had two sons with Sweyn: Cnut the Great and Harald II of Denmark. He didn't write down her name, though. Thietmar's writings are considered very reliable because he lived when these things happened and knew a lot about Poland and Denmark.

Adam of Bremen's Account

Almost 100 years later, another writer named Adam of Bremen wrote about her. He said a Polish princess, who was either the sister or daughter of Bolesław I Chrobry, first married Eric the Victorious of Sweden. Adam claimed she had Olof Skötkonung with Eric. Then, she married Sweyn Forkbeard and had Cnut the Great and Harald II of Denmark with him.

Many historians don't fully trust Adam's story about her marrying Eric first. This is because he is the only one who says it, and he wrote much later. Also, Olof was born quite early, before Bolesław Chrobry became king, making it unlikely he was the son of Bolesław's sister.

Gesta Cnutonis Regis

This old book, which tells the story of King Cnut, has a short part that says Cnut and his brother went to the land of the Slavs (which is where Poland is today). They brought their mother back from there. This doesn't prove she was Slavic, but it strongly suggests she was.

The "Liber Vitae" and Her Name

An old book called the "Liber vitae" from Winchester has a list of names. It includes an entry for a sister of King Cnut named "Santslaue." This name sounds Slavic. Because of this, some historians think that this daughter was named after her mother. This is why the Polish princess is now generally called Świętosława.