Hygd, daughter of Hæreth, queen of the Geats as wife of King Hygelac and mother of Heardred. In Beowulf she is the exemplary young queen — wise, gracious and generous with treasure — set against the cautionary tale of the proud queen Modthryth. After Hygelac's death in the Frisian raid she offers the kingdom and hoard to Beowulf, judging her own son Heardred too young to defend the Geats against the Swedes; Beowulf declines and supports Heardred's kingship. Her father Hæreth is named only patronymically ('Hæreþes dohtor') and is not separately entered. She materialises the maternal node of Heardred, who previously recorded only his father Hygelac.