Nordics

Lagertha was a Viking shield-maiden from Norway. According to some legends, Lagertha was a figure, who may have been inspired by the Norse Goddess Thorgerd. She became a warrior when the king of Sweden, invaded Norway and killed their King, Siward. After the notorious Ragnar Lothbrok avenged Siward’s death, he was impressed by Lagertha’s beauty, battle skills, and bravery, and fell in love with her. They eventually got married and had a son and two daughters, but their marriage did not last for long. After a few years and due to unrest in his Danish kingdom, Ragnar had to return to Denmark. Upon his return, he met and got married to Thora, the daughter of King Herraud of Sweden.

Leif Erikson, also known as Leif the Lucky, was a famous Norse Explorer and the son of Erik the Red. He was often described as a very wise, handsome and considerate man who was widely respected. According to the legends, he was the first European to reach the North American continent, four centuries before Christopher Columbus did. During one of his trips from Norway to Greenland, he was blown off course and arrived in North America. He explored the unknown area, giving it the name “Vinland”, due to the large amount of grapes that grew there. After spending the winter in Vinland, he went back to Greenland and never returned.

A Valkyrie was a female warrior spirit, in the service of Odin, the Father of the Gods. She was often depicted as an elegant and noble maiden, riding a horse, a boar or wolf and was heavily armed. The Valkyries are often translated as ‘choosers of the slain’, as they decided the fate of dead warriors and accompanied the chosen ones to Valhalla, in order to fight beside Odin, at Ragnarok. According to the myths, admission to Valhalla was only given to Viking warriors, who bravely died in battle with their sword in their hand. Brynhildr, which means “armor warrior” was the most famous Valkyrie in Norse mythology.

Erik Thorvaldsson was a Norse explorer that lived during the 10th century. He was born in Norway, but at a very young age, he sailed with his family to Iceland as his father was banished due to manslaughter. According to the legends, he was the founder of the first settlement in Greenland. He was also known as Erik the Red, and he most likely earned this name because of the red color of his hair and beard, but perhaps also because of his fiery temper. His son, Leif Erikson, was also a famous Icelandic explorer, and among the first Europeans to have set foot in North America.

Björn Ironside was a legendary King of Sweden, a Norse Viking Leader who lived sometime in the 9th century. He had many siblings and was son of the notorious Viking King, Ragnar Lothbrok. Björn led as a commander in many raids and expeditions in Britain, North Africa and the Mediterranean, reaching out to the coasts of Spain, France and Italy. According to some legends, he eventually returned home to Scandinavia, where he lived as a very rich man and respectful King. He is considered to be one of the greatest Vikings that ever lived and it’s believed that he was the first ruler of the Munsö dynasty.

Ragnar Lodbrok was a legendary King of Denmark and Sweden. A true Viking Hero (which in Old Norse means “pirate raid”), who lived sometime in the 9th century and is well remembered for his mythical raids against the British, French and Romans. Ragnar was amongst the most famous Viking warriors of all time and had several wives and children. According to some legends, Ragnar was captured by the Anglo-Saxon King Aella of Northumbria and was sentenced to death into a pit full of venomous snakes. It was said that he died in a courageous way, foretelling the revenge of his sons, and happy to enter the mythical Valhalla.

Balder was the God of light and the son of Odin and Frigg. He was the most peace-loving and purest of the Norse Gods. Unlike his morally ambiguous father, Balder was not only loved by humans and Gods, but by the whole of creation. Animals, plants, and even the usually hostile giants had only good things to say about him. He was so bright that light shined through him and so beautiful that the prettiest flowers bowed before him. According to the myths, the “trickster” God Loki deceived the blind God Höd, who accidentally killed Balder by throwing mistletoe, which was the only thing that could hurt him.

Frejya (which in Old Norse means “Lady”) was probably the most passionate and sensual Goddess in Norse Mythology. Her father was Njörd, the Norse God of the sea. She was associated with beauty, fertility, love, war, death, gold and magic. She was a member of the Vanir, a group of Gods associated with fertility, wisdom and the ability to see in the future. Freyja used to ride a chariot pulled by two cats, accompanied by the gold boar Hildisvíni, and possessed a cloak of falcon feathers. According to the myths, she ruled over the heavenly field of Fólkvangr, and received half of those who died, as the other half went to Odin’s hall, Valhalla.

Thor was Odin’s son and the lord of thunder, the most powerful of the Aesir Gods and Asgard’s main protector. He was well known for his bravery, strength, healing powers and righteousness. According to the myths, when lightning flashed in the sky and thunder roared, it was Thor riding in his chariot drawn by two goats, on the hunt for giants and trolls, with his legendary hammer, named Mjöllnir. He was a very trustful God, worshipped by all Vikings. Thor’s arch enemy and greatest opponent was the Midgard Serpent, doomed to destroy each other on the day of Ragnarok. The weekday Thursday is named after him.

Loki constituted one of the four ruling deities of Norse mythology along with Odin, Thor, and Freya. He counted as an Aesir but he was actually a giant, a strange, contradictory figure; fickle, disrespectful and totally unreliable. He was the Gods’ prankster and their entertainer, which is what always helped him to escape bad situations. According to the myths, he could change his shape and sex to achieve his schemes and deceptions. He is responsible for the death of Balder, Odin’s son, as he tricked the blind God, Hod, who accidentally killed him by hurling mistletoe, the only thing that could hurt Balder.

Frigg is the highest-ranking Aesir Goddess, as well as Odin’s wife and Queen of the Gods. She was a paragon of beauty, love, fertility and fate. She was able to see in the future and she would sometimes sit at Fensalir, her hall, with her spinning wheel, making new clouds. She was a very protective mother, but her trust was betrayed by Loki, a mischievous God, resulting to the death of her beloved son, Balder. According to the myths, Frigg and Freya are often presented as separate deities in Norse mythology, but most likely evolved from the same Goddess. The weekday Friday is named after her.

Odin was the oldest and highest of all the Norse Gods and married to Frigg. He was the father of many sons, including Thor and Balder. Odin was the ruler of Asgard, the leader of the Gods, and also God of battle, poetry, death and heavens. He was the protector of heroes and all fallen warriors joined him in Valhalla. With his magical 8-legged horse, Sleipnir, he could travel through the air and over the sea. According to the myths, he sacrificed one of his eyes in order to gain divine wisdom and see the cosmos more clearly. The weekday Wednesday is named after him.