Herla

Etymology

Herla is an Old English name of uncertain meaning. Various connections to Germanic words have been proposed, but no consensus exists. The name is most famously associated with the character of King Herla in the legendary Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of hunters common in Germanic folklore.

Legendary Figure

Herla appears prominently in the 12th-century writings of Walter Map, who recounts two versions of his tale in De nugis curialium. According to Map, Herla was a legendary king of the Britons who encountered a dwarf-king from the Otherworld during his wedding. He accompanied the dwarf to his subterranean realm, stayed for what seemed like three days, but returned after three centuries had passed—long after the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. Upon his return, Herla learned that the Saxons had taken over his lands. His men dismounted, but those who touched the ground crumbled to dust. Warned against doing so, Herla and his band were doomed to ride eternally, leading the Wild Hunt.

Map's Herla is often equated with the god Woden (Odin), suggesting a Christianized reinterpretation of a pre-Christian deity as a wandering king. The name Herlequin, which evolved into the commedia dell'arte character Harlequin, is thought by some scholars to derive from Herla.

Cultural Significance

Herla exemplifies the transition from pagan mythology to medieval romance, blending helm (Germanic protection) with folkloric motifs of time distortion and forbidden contact. The Wild Hunt is a ubiquitous Germanic myth, and Herla's story connects it to the post-Roman British landscape.

Notable Bearers

• Odin (Woden) – Underlying Germanic deity equated with Herla.

• Key Facts:
• Meaning: Uncertain (possibly related to Germanic *her- “host, multitude”)
• Origin: Old English / Anglo-Saxon
• Type: Mythological name
• Usage Regions: England (medieval legendary tradition)
• Related: Herla itself; the character likely inspired Herlequin (French), later Arlecchino.