The epic poem Beowulf has had a diverse history of scholarship. Originally, Beowulf was appreciated in terms of its value as a study in Old English, as well as for its literary value. Other scholars perceived it to be a relatively childish tale of the supernatural, with an emphasis on its hero Beowulf, and his encounters with the supernatural. However, these early perceptions changed and it was later recognized for its merits as a historical document. The poem itself did not present a completely reliable history of a people or an event, but its value came from the fact that it gave insight into the world of the Germanic peoples. One aspect of Germanic culture that has been thoroughly described in the poem was its definition of kingship. The objective of this essay is to examine various elements of the Germanic definition of kingship, which includes exploring its basic attributes and the criteria by which it is judged, and citing examples in which it is enacted. .

             One of the most apparent elements of Germanic kingship is a concept known as comitatus. The term refers to the unique relationship between a lord and his warriors or thanes. Thanes, as described by Liuzza on page 57, were retainers surrounding a king in Germanic literature. They were sworn to defend their lord to the death, and dishonored themselves if they left a battle in which their leader was killed. Another aspect of the comitatus was a code of vengeance if their lord was murdered. Later the code of vengeance was modified when the idea of wergild was introduced. Wergild was monetary compensation for the death of a kinsman, in which the amount to be paid to the victim"s family was based on the status of the victim. An example of wergild is Hrothgar compensating the family of the man Ecgtheow killed (pg. 67). Additionally, thanes were known for their selfless acts of courage, bravery, and most notably their loyalty to their leader.