Svend Aagesen

Svend Aggesen (or "Sven"; also known as Aggessøn, Aggesøn or Aagesen, in Latin Sveno Aggonis; born around 1140 to 1150, death unknown) is the author of Brevis historia regum Dacie, one of the first attempts to write a coherent history of Denmark covering the period 300AD-1185AD. Only the Chronicon Roskildense may precede Aggesen's efforts.

Sven Aggesen was born into a magnate family which had several well-known members.

The earliest known family member that we know of with some certainty is Svend's great-grandfather, Thrugot, who was married to Thorgunna, daughter of Vagn Aggesøn, a grandson of the legendary Palne Toke. Thrugot and Thorgunna had two sons, Sven and Vagn.

Sven Thrugotsøn (or Thorgunnasøn) had four sons. One, probably the eldest, Asser, was the first Archbishop of Lund (1104–1137) and also the first Archbishop of Scandinavia. Another, probably the youngest, Sven, was a canon in Lund, later in Viborg and even later (1132), bishop in Viborg. The third, Eskil, we know little about, but the last, Christiern Svensøn, is Svend Aagesen’s grandfather.

Christiern Svensøn and his son Agge, who was Svend Aggesen’s father, fought during the civil war following Knud Lavard’s murder, on King Erik II Emune's side and Svend writes in Historia brevis regum Dacie, about their participating in these battles.

It is likely that Sven was educated at a monastery in Denmark, but given the knowledge of classical antiquity, that he displays through his writings, there is little doubt he received a more comprehensive education elsewhere, probably in one of the big Church-schools in France. Notable in the preface of Historia brevis regum Dacie, he mentions that reading the works of Latin historians was something that took up much of his time. On that note he writes, with sadness, that similar works did not exist for Danish kings, notable persons and events.

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