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Birth:          ABT  970 
Death:          ABT 1009 

Notes
follower of Knut, King of England
His parentage of Gytha is questioned
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorgil_Sprakling
Thorgil Sprakling (also called Torkel, Torgils or Sprakalägg) was a Danish chieftain 
(stormand).[1] His grandsons became kings of Denmark and England.[2]

Ancestry and background[edit]

Little is recorded about Thorgil in historical texts. Most of what was recorded is in 
reference to his children, two of whom were parents of royalty. Thorgil's cognomen 
Sprakalägg can be translated into English as "Strut-leg". In the Icelandic Knýtlinga 
saga he is also called "the fast". In the 11th century, English historian John of 
Worcester provided a pedigree for earl Beorn Estrithson that made his grandfather 
'Spraclingus' a son of 'Ursius' (i.e. urso, Latin for bear or Bjørn in Danish, Björn in 
Swedish).[3]

Two 13th-century writers relate folklore that derives Thorgil from the mating of a bear 
with a noblewoman. Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus recorded that the son born to 
such a union was 'named after his father' (i.e. called 'bear' - Ursius/Björn) and in turn 
became father of 'Thrugillus, called Sprageleg'. The Gesta Antecessorum Comitis 
Waldevi copies John of Worcester's pedigree but makes the Ursius, father of 
'Spratlingus', an actual white bear. The 14th-century chronicle sometimes attributed to 
John Brompton tells a very similar tale relating to the birth of Björn, called Boresune 
(bear's-son), father of Siward, Earl of Northumbria, and this may represent the original 
form of the longer, chronologically impossible pedigree of Siward found in the Gesta 
that erroneously identifies Björn Boresune with Thorgil's grandson, Beorn Estrithson. It 
has been suggested that the role of a bear in their immediate ancestry may represent a 
tradition shared by relatives rather than that two independent families at about the 
same time both co-opted the same ancient Norwegian legend for their immediate 
ancestry, that Björn Boresune and Thorgil may have been brothers.[4]

In the 18th century, Danish historian Jakob Langebek suggested this bear story was 
allegorical, and that the brutish 'Wild' Björn, father of Thorgil, was a reference to 
Jomsviking brigand leader Styrbjörn the Strong (Styrbjörn Starke),[5][6] depicted by 
sagas as the son of Olaf Björnsson, king of Sweden.[5][6][7] Styrbjörn's wife in the 
sagas is stated to have been Tyra of Denmark, the daughter of Harold Bluetooth, king 
of Denmark and Norway.[5][6][8] No primary source supports this royal ancestry for 
Thorgil, a connection almost impossible to maintain because of the chronological 
inconsistencies.[citation needed] Thorgil is believed to have died circa 1009.[citation 
needed]

Children[edit]
Ulf (died 1027) - Earl in Denmark and brother-in law of King Cnut the Great. His son 
became King Sweyn II of Denmark.[9]
Eilaf (first mentioned 1009) - Earl of King Canute.
Gytha Thorkelsdóttir - married Godwin, Earl of Wessex. mother of King Harold 
Godwinson of England and Edith of Wessex, Queen of King Edward the Confessor

Parents
OLAFSSON Styrbjorn "the Strong" (ABT  923 -  985)
HARALDSDOTTIR OF DENMARK Thyra (ABT  947 - 18 Sep 1000)

Siblings
STYRJORNSSON Thorgil "Sprakling" (ABT  970 - ABT 1009)

Marriage To ____ Sigrid (ABT  971 - )
    m.  

Notes


Children by ____ Sigrid ABT  971 - 
THORGILSSON Ulf (ABT  996 - 29 Sep 1027)
THORKELSDOTTIR Gytha (Thyra) (ABT  997 - ABT 1069)

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