Alwilda is a legendary pirate queen described in Saxo Grammaticus’s 13th-century Gesta Danorum, said to have disguised herself as a man and taken to piracy in the Baltic Sea to avoid an arranged marriage to Prince Alf of Denmark. According to the tale, Alf eventually defeated her fleet in battle, after which she revealed her identity and agreed to marry him. Historians classify the story as legend rather than verified history, with no corroborating historical evidence of her existence.
Quick Facts
| Aliases | Awilda; Alfhild |
|---|---|
| Born | legendary (no verified date) |
| Died | legendary (no verified date) |
| Nationality | Scandinavian (legendary, Gothic/Danish) |
| Years Active | legendary, placed in antiquity by the source text |
| Fate | Legendary account states she abandoned piracy to marry Prince Alf of Denmark after he defeated her in battle; not a historical event |
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