Godulf Geoting

Godulf Geoting was a legendary King of Lindsey, a Kingdom in the north east of ancient Britain. Geoting is recorded in various ancient genealogical sources.
Frank Stenton discusses Geoting's place in the Vespasian B Vi royal pedigree as "a set of mythological names through to Godulf Geoting". His five immediate successors in the line were Finn Goduulfing, Friodulf Finning, Frealaf Friodulfing, Uuoden Freealafing and Uinta Wodning (see the god, Woden). There is a further extended legendary list of kings in the Historia Brittonum SS31, in a Genealogy of the monarchs of Kent. An extended legendary genealogy is also found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (ASC) entry for the year 547 CE. It has been deleted from the Parker version of the ASC but is listed in the CCCC 183 manuscript, which names Geoting's predecessor as Godwulf Geating, who in turn preceded Godulf Geating. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in Tiberius A Vi (and B. I) gives a lineage back from Godulf Geating, Geata Taetwaing, Taetwa Beawing, Beaw Sceldweaing (Scealdwaing), Sclydwa (Scealdwa), Heremonding, Heremond Itermoning, Itermon Hadraing, Hadra Hwalaing, Hwala Bedwiging, Bedwig Sceafing to Noah.
William of Malmesbury extended the list past Geoting adding his ancestors; Geat of Teti, Teti of Beowi, Beowi of Sceld, ending with Sceld of Sceaf. Malmesbury suggested that Sceld of Sceaf arrived in Britain from an island in northern Germany. English chronicles recall further names in the list, naming Sceaf's lineage through Heremod of Stermon, Stermon of Hadra, Hadra of Gwala, Gwala of Bedweg, Bedweg of Streph, who was alleged to be the son of Noah.
Thomas Arnold, in a discussion about Beowulf suggested that "A Finn, the son of Godulf, is mentioned in the Canterbury Chronicle, under 547, among the ancestors of the Northumbrian Ida." Marijane Osborn of Stanford University, in another study suggested that the name "Godulf" was a combination of the words God and wolf.

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