This article will address the topic of Gunhilde, which has generated multiple debates and has aroused the interest of different sectors of society. Gunhilde is a topic of current relevance that has been the subject of study and research in different contexts and disciplines. Over time, Gunhilde has undergone various transformations and has acquired different meanings, which makes it a topic of great complexity and breadth. Therefore, it is essential to analyze in depth the different aspects and dimensions that Gunhilde encompasses, in order to understand its scope and impact in various areas. By exploring its origins, evolution and consequences, it is intended to offer a comprehensive and objective vision of Gunhilde, with the purpose of contributing to the understanding and reflection on this topic.
Gunhilde (or Gunnhild) (died 13 November 1002) is said to have been the sister of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, and the daughter of Harald Bluetooth. She was married to Pallig, a Dane who served the King of England, Æthelred the Unready, as ealdorman of Devonshire.
She is supposed to have been a hostage in England when she was killed in the St. Brice's Day massacre, ordered by Æthelred. Pallig is reported alternatively to have been killed in the massacre or to have provoked the massacre by deserting Æthelred's service.
Historians are divided about the strength of the evidence that she was Sweyn Forkbeard's sister. Ryan Lavelle is sceptical of the reliability of the later medieval sources, such as the Chronicle of John of Wallingford, which mention her. However, Frank Stenton described the claim as a "well recorded tradition", and considered that a desire to avenge her death was probably a principal motive for Sweyn's invasion of England in 1003, leading to the eventual conquest of England by his son Cnut.