Eadgils (Aðils / Adils)

Eadgils is presented in the genealogical Ynglingalatal and later saga compilations as a son of Óttarr/Ohthere and a member of the Yngling (Skilfing/Scylfing) royal line of Sweden. Narrative episodes conserved in Beowulf and Norse sources relate that Eadgils and his brother Eanmund were driven into exile by their uncle Onela/Áli, sought refuge with the Geatish king (reported in Beowulf), and that Eadgils later returned with foreign aid to defeat and kill Onela and claim the Swedish throne. Later Scandinavian traditions link him into the corpus of stories about Hrólfr Kraki/Hroðulf and describe conflicts and character judgments (for example, portrayals of him as wealthy and grasping in saga summaries).

The sources portray Eadgils as a human king and give no consistent physical description. Skaldic verse (Ynglingatal) uses violent poetic imagery when recounting his death—stating that he fell from his horse and that 'the sea [fluid] of the brains of the son of the ruler was blended with mud'—but no canonical details of stature, dress, or distinctive features are recorded in the cited materials.

Eadgils' recorded 'abilities' are political and martial: he functions as an exemplar of dynastic kingship who experiences exile, secures patrons and military aid (Beowulf is said to have provided weapons and warriors), and conducts warfare to regain the throne by killing his rival Onela. No supernatural powers are attributed to him in the provided sources; his actions are those of a historical-legendary monarch.