Who are the Geats?

The Geats are a tribe located in South Sweden. They are also referred to in the poem as War-, Sea-, and Weather-Geats and decendents of Hrethel. At the time of Beowulf's fight against the monsters, the Geats were ruled by Hygelac. He is succeeded by his son, Heardred. After Heardred's death, Beowulf rules for fifty years and dies of wounds he receives in the dragon fight.

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