Eadgils of the Myrgingsis a king of theMyrgingsa clan ofSaxonorigin[citation needed]who is mentioned on lines 93-96 in theAnglo-SaxonpoemWidsith.He would have lived in the 5th century and is mentioned as the lord of thescophimself in the poem.
According to the Old English poemWidsith,before Eadgils became king, the Myrgings had been at war with a tribe called the Mofdings under the previous king Meaca who was probably killed in battle fighting against them resulting in their defeat and forcing the Myrgings to retreat back to theEiderwhere Eadgils probably became king,[citation needed]Following Meaca's death Eadgils became a powerful Myrging king by defeating the Mofdings and plundering theAnglesand their lands as he was determined to rule over them, however the Angles forced the Myrgings to flight.[citation needed]
No other source remembers the Myrgings as they were probably assimilated to the surrounding Angles and only leaving the slightest of traces,[citation needed]This Eadgils has sometimes been confused with the Swedish kingEadgilswho lived almost a century later.
Eadgils was at war with the Angles and plundered their lands, He slewFrowinus,the governor ofSchleswig.Frowinus' sonsKet and Wigavenged their father's death by killing Eadgils, but did so by fighting two against one. Because of thisOffadecided to fight two Myrging princes, probably the sons of Eadgils, and slew them. After this, the Myrgings were successfully conquered by Offa.[citation needed]
The slaying of Eadgils is also mentioned inAnnales Ryensesand by the Danish historianSvend Aagesen.The latter says that the shameful act of letting two warriors fight at the same time against the Angle king Offa unable to speak when he was young.[clarification needed]