Bodvar Bjarki

Champion of Hrolf Kraki.

Most of what we know about Bodvar comes from the Hrolfs saga Kraka, a story about the Skiodung dynasty, where he appeared prominently as Champion of Hrolf, the king of Denmark. However, he appeared in other versions.

Bodvar is the closest character to the hero Beowulf, from the Old English poem Beowulf. However, there are numbers of difference. Beowulf was a son of Ecgtheow and an unnamed daughter of King Hrethel of the Geats. Ecgtheow belonged to a family known as the Waegmundings. In Beowulf, Beowulf (Bodvar) was Hrothgar's champion (Hroar's), not Hrothulf (Hrolf), whereas in Hrolfs saga Kraka and most other literature, Bodvar was a champion of Hrolf and Bodvar had nothing to do with Hroar.

According to the Hrolfs saga, Bodvar was a son of Bjorn and Bera; he was also a brother of Elk-Frodi and Thorir Hound's Foot. Bjorn's father Hring was a king of Uppdales. In Beowulf, the hero had no brothers.

Bodvar, along with King Hrolf and Hrolf's other champions, was killed in the battle against Skuld and Hjorvard.