Shield-maidens are women who have chosen to fight as warriors alongside men in Scandinavian folklore and mythology.
Description
Shield-maidens appear in sagas such as Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks and in Gesta Danorum. Shield-maidens also appear in stories of other Germanic peoples, including Goths, Cimbri, and Marcomanni. While, historical existence of shield-maidens is still heavily debated, they do feature prominently in the series. Lagertha, Gunnhild, Astrid, Torvi, Porunn and Brynhildr are among the shield-maidens featured.
Notable Shield-maidens
Image | Name | Status | First Appearance |
---|---|---|---|
Lagertha | Deceased | Rites of Passage | |
Lagertha is the first shield-maiden introduced in the series and is quite famous in her own right. She is the first wife of Ragnar Lothbrok and the mother of Bjorn Ironside. | |||
Torvi | Alive | Treachery | |
Torvi is a shield-maiden trained by Lagertha for at least nine years, Torvi becomes Lagertha's second-in-command, Torvi is the second ex-wife of Bjorn and the second wife of Ubbe. She has four children, Guthrum, Hali, Asa, and Ragnar Ubbesson. | |||
Þórunn | Unknown | Unforgiven | |
Þórunn is a former slave who begins training to be a shield-maiden upon being granted her freedom. She is Bjorn's first ex-wife and they have a daughter named Siggy Bjornsdottir She has only been training with Lagertha for a few months before going into battle. She is badly injured on the battlefield and left with severe facial scarring. Believing she can no longer be Bjorn's wife or a good mother, she leaves Kattegat, Bjorn, and Siggy. | |||
Gunnhild | Deceased | The Lord's Prayer | |
Queen Gunnhild is a shield-maiden in her own right and the wife of King Horik. She is killed by Lagertha. | |||
Astrid | Deceased | The Outsider | |
Astrid is a new shield-maiden who is trained by Lagertha and becomes her third-in-command. Unfortunately, after being kidnapped by King Harald and essentially forced to become his queen, she becomes pregnant after being raped. She forces Lagertha to kill her during the Kattegat Civil War because she is afraid to have her pregnancy discovered. | |||
Brynhildr | Deceased | ||
Brynhildr was an incredibly famous shield-maiden and a princess, Brynhildr was also said to be a Valkyrie. Aslaug claims she is the daughter of Brynhildr. Brynhildr is only mentioned in the series as she is claimed to have already died. |
Named Shield-maidens
Vikings
- Lagertha
- Torvi
- Þorunn
- Queen Gunnhild
- Astrid
- Brynhildr
- Gunnhild
- Gyda
- Runa
- Egil's Wife
- Skadi
- Amma
- Eira
- Hild
Vikings: Valhalla
- Altora
- Freydis Eriksdotter
- Jarl Estrid Haakon
- Liv
- Hertha