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The history of the relationship between the Geats and Swedes covers a period extending from Beowulf's childhood to the probable continuation of the feud after his death. When Beowulf is seven, King Hrethel (his grandfather) adopts him and rears him as a son (ll. 2425-34). A family tragedy occurs when Hrethel's son Hathcyn accidently kills his brother Herebald. The impact of the tragedy is doubled because Hrethel cannot exact revenge or wergild from his own son. Hrethel dies of sorrow, leaving the throne to Hathcyn (ll. 2435-71). Sweden apparently initiates the feud with the Geats (ll. 2472-78). In a battle near Ravenswood, the Swedish king Ongentheow kills Hathcyn, and the Geatish warrior Eofor kills Ongentheow. Hygelac becomes king of the Geats and gives his daughter in marriage to Eofor (ll. 2472-89, 2922-98).
Hygelac initiates a raid on the Frisians (in northern Germany). The Geats are driven back, and Hygelac is killed. Beowulf heroically escapes back to Weathermark. The four references to this raid are lines 1197-1215, 2354-79, 2490-2509, and 2910-21. Hygelac's queen, Hygd, offers Beowulf the throne, but he rejects the offer. Instead, he counsels Hygelac's young son Heardred until Heardred can assume the kingship (ll. 2354-79).
In the meantime, conflict breaks out in the Swedish royal family. Ongentheow is succeeded by his older son, Ohtere, who dies and is succeeded by his brother Onla. Details in Beowulf are sketchy, but Onla apparently usurps the throne. Ohtere's sons Eanmund and Eadgils flee Sweden and take refuge in the Geatish court. In retaliation, Onla attacks the Geats and kills Heardred. During the same raid, Weohstan (serving with the Swedes) kills Eanmund. Onla withdraws, leaving Beowulf as king of the Geats (ll. 2379-90, 2602-25).
There are three principle accounts of the Geatish-Swedish wars: the narrator's (ll. 2379-96), Beowulf's (ll. 2472-2509), and the messenger's (ll. 2922-3007). A fourth, very brief account is the narrator's story of Wiglaf's father's career (ll. 2602-19).
As king, Beowulf establishes peace through strength in battle. He attacks the Swedes, kills Onla, and places Eadgils on the Swedish throne (ll. 2391-96). He attacks the Frisians and avenges Hygelac's death (ll. 2490-2509). After this, Beowulf seeks no further feuds, and no neighboring tribes dare attack him (ll. 2729-39). Peace reigns for fifty years until the dragon ravages Geatish villages (ll. 2200-11). Wiglaf joins Beowulf to fight the dragon. Wiglaf's father Weohstan fought with the Swedes against the Geats (he killed Eanmund and was rewarded by Onla), but later switched loyalties to the Geats (ll. 2602-25). Weohstan and Wiglaf, it turns out, are members of Beowulf's family, the Wagmundings (ll. 2813-16). After Beowulf's death, the messenger speculates that the Frisians and the Swedes will renew their feuds with the Geats (ll. 2910-3007).
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