Book 3: 'Arrow Odd'

APPENDIX D: HELGI 'ARROW ODD' WAS PRINCE OLEG OF KIEV

Here we have Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd' attacking the capital city of the east, likely Kiev, and he kills Alf Bjalki, the ruler. King Frodi of Denmark conquered King Olmar of the Slavs, and likely ruled Scythia from Kiev and his son was named Alf and likely took over the rule of Kiev after his father had died. The use of witchcraft in the firing of arrows from the fingers resulting in the death of a man with each arrow is also found in the Saga of the Jomsvikings during the Battle of Hjorungavagr in Norway, with the arrows being loosed by the goddess Irpa. This battle is fought about one hundred years later. In the first case we have this Aesir magic helping a Danish king against a Norwegian prince and in the latter the arrow magic helps a Norwegian prince against a Danish king. Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd' follows up this victory with an second attack upon Kiev and a series of victories conquering cities going north into Rus' Gardar:

"It had come to pass, seven winters before, that the king who ruled in Holmgard had died, but an unknown man called Kvillanus had then seized the realm, and he became king there. He was somewhat strange looking because he had a mask over his face, so that no one ever saw his bare face. Men thought this strange. No one knew his family or ancestry or land, or even where he was from. The people of the north talked about this a great deal and the news eventually spread, and it came to Odd's ears in Greece, and it seemed very strange to him that he should not have heard about this man during his many travels. One night at the Bragarful, Odd got up in public and made a solemn vow to learn who ruled the kingdom of Holmgard in the north, and he soon collected his forces and left home. He sent word to Sirnir, his blood-brother, who came to meet him east of Wendland, and had brought thirty ships to bolster Odd's fifty. The ships were all fully equipped with weapons and men. They sailed eastwards to Holmgard (Novgorod).

Gardar is a vast land that it consists of many kingdoms. Marron was the name of one king and he ruled Moramar in Gardariki. Rodstaff was the name of another king, and Radstofa was the name of where he ruled. Eddval was the name of a king who ruled in Sursdal (Suzdal) and Holmgeir was the name of the king who had ruled Holmgard (Novgorod) before Kvillanus. Paltes was the name of a king who ruled Palteskjuborg (Polotsk?). Kaenmarr was the name of another king. He ruled Kaenugard (Kiev), where the first settler was Magog, son of Noah's son, Japheth. All these kings paid tribute to King Kvillanus.

As Odd took his army north, all the kings before him withdrew to join Kvillanus in Novgorod and there was a great battle there and both armies were destroyed. Kvillanus then agreed to rule over Staraya Russa and Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd' ruled the remainder.

Prince Oleg (Helgi) of Kiev also followed up his conquest of Kiev with an attack upon the north:

"6391 (883). Oleg began military operations against the Derevlians, and after conquering them he imposed upon them the tribute of a black marten-skin apiece.

6392 (884). Oleg attacked the Severians, and conquered them.

6393 (885). Oleg sent messengers to the Radimichians and he directed them to render tribute to himself instead of the Khazars. Thus Oleg established his authority over the Polyanians, the Derevlians, the Severians, and the Radimichians, but he waged war with the Ulichians and the Tivercians."

So Prince Oleg (Helgi), after conquering Kiev, made further conquests north just as Arrow Odd had, and he must have stalled out as Odd had, because he only waged war with the Ulichians and Tivercians, but did not seem to succeed in conquering them. Not only do we have these further parallels between Prince Arrow Odd and Prince Oleg, but many of the tales and magic that is contained within the story of Prince Oleg Helgi is turning out to be both Danish and Norwegian in character. More research has to be done, particularly on areas of their stories that seem to touch and merge together. Who was King Alf of Kiev and why was his surname Bjalki and not Frodison? Is the Aesir arrow finger witchcraft a Norse Danish thing, or does it occur in other sagas and chronicles as well?

By connecting Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd' of Norway concretely with Prince Oleg (Helgi) of Kiev, we are establishing the early founding of Kievan Rus' to the Danes and Norwegians, instead of some non-descript Varangians and Russes from across the Baltic Sea. Now, the name Oleg means holy in Slavic, which explains why I call him Oleg (Helgi), because Helgi is holy in Norse. But where do I get off calling Arrow Odd, Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd'? For that, we must look to the end of the Saga of Arrow Odd:

"Odd's retainers went on their way and traveled back east. They had a favorable wind until they arrived at home. They told Silkisif what had happened on their journey, and they brought her his farewell. She felt that this was terrible news, and so did the people of the land. Afterwards, she took over the kingdom, along with her foster-father Harek (Erik or Rurik). They kept watch over the land and thanes, until Odd's sons were ready to claim the kingdom.

The lineage in Rus' that was descended from Odd grew up there (the Rurikid dynasty). But the girl whom Odd left behind in Ireland, who was named Ragnhild, came from the west after her mother's passing and went north to Hrafnista, and there she was married. Many people are descended from her, and her lineage has grown up there."

There is an old rumour that the Province of Halogaland in Northern Norway was named after Arrow Odd, Halo being Holy or Helgi, so it stands to reason that his prename was Helgi and 'Arrow Odd' was his byname meaning Arrow's Edge. So his full name is Prince Helgi 'Arrow Odd' Erikson. And why would I call him Erikson...

BIBLIOGRAPHY and NOTES

1 Author unknown. The Saga of Arrow-Odd. Iceland, c.1200. As translated by Gavin Chappell. Thor's Stone Press. 2014.

2 Author unknown. The Rus' Primary Chronicle. Kievan Rus', c.1100. As translated by Samuel Hazzard Cross and Olgerd P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor. Crimson Printing. 1953.

NOTE: The recent copyright discovery by the author that Prince Ivar 'the Boneless' Rurikson (Slavic: Prince Igor) of Kiev was also King Harde Knute (Hard Knot) of Denmark, that Prince Svein 'the Old' Ivarson (Slavic: Prince Sviatoslav) of Kiev was later King Sweyn 'Forkbeard' of Denmark and England and that Prince Valdamar 'the Great' (Slavic: Grand Prince Vladimir) of Kiev was also King Canute/Knute 'the Great' of England, Denmark and Norway (the early Knytlings or Knot Kings) is original, speculative and remains to be proven by said author, all rights reserved. To put it in the words of the Bard's Prince Hamlet, "To be, or knot to be, that is the question."