Awilda

Awilda, also known as Alwilda, was a female pirate. The story of Awilda is doubted by some historical scholars and considered to be a legend.

Awilda as depicted in The Pirates Own Book, published in 1837.

Legend

Awilda was the daughter of a 5th-century Scandinavian king;[1][2] referred to in one source as Synardus and a "Gothic king".[3] It is said that the King, her father, had arranged a marriage for her to Alf, the crown prince of Denmark,[2] whose father was King Sygarus of Denmark.[3] However, Awilda refused her father's choice.[2][3] She and some of her female friends dressed like sailors and commandeered a ship.[2][3] While sailing, they came across a pirate ship that had recently lost its captain, and the pirates elected Awilda as their captain.[2][3] The King of Denmark sent his son and a navy ship to battle with the "irksome" pirates.[2][3] Prince Alf and his men were able to board their ship and gain the upper hand in the battle.[2][3] Apparently, Awilda was so impressed with the prince's courage that she revealed her true identity, and agreed to marry Alf.[2][3] They married on board, and lived happily ever after as King and Queen of Denmark.[3]

"On Viking Expeditions of Highborn Maids: Two female warriors, of royal family according to the crowns on their heads, are participating in a sea battle." From Olaus Magnus' A Description of the Northern Peoples from 1555.

Modern versions

Italian poet Torquato Tasso writes his most famous tragedy on her story, called Re Torrismondo, where Alwida is promised in marriage to the king of Sweden, Germondo, but falls in love with Torrismondo, so she decides to commit suicide in order not to choose between love and honor.

In the Japanese anime and manga series One Piece, a female pirate captain is named Alvida in reference to Awilda.[4]

See also

References
  1. Samuel Astley Durham, History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, Volume 3, The cabinet cyclopaedia, p. 317 (Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longmans and John Taylor, 1840). Found at Google books. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  2. Skadi Meic Beorh (2009), Pirate Lingo, Wildside Press LLC, p. 9, ISBN 978-1-4344-0510-4 Found at Google books. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  3. Ellms, Charles. "The Pirates Own Book (c. 1837)". Gutenberg books online. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  4. Oda, Eiichirō; Amemiya, Naoko; Caselman, Lance (2005). One Piece. Vol. 6, The Oath. San Francisco, CA: Viz Media. p. 124. ISBN 1-59116-723-X. OCLC 58047341.
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