Shield-Maidens
and the Legends of Freydis
Shield-maidens are exciting characters in Nordic myth and legend. Skjoldsmøyer, or shield-maidens, were female warriors who voyaged across the sea, led crews on missions, and braved the most terrifying battles. But how many of these types of tales are true?
In medieval times, Viking women held power and possessed more freedom than many women in other societies. Archaeological evidence suggests Viking women had knowledge of weaponry and used these weapons. Still, some scholars continue to debate if women warriors with this skill set actually existed; and if they did, they were rarities. Even today, most of our knowledge about shield-maidens comes from legends.
Legendary Women
Legends can be stories passed down through history that may give information about real people and events but cannot be verified as truth.
These stories are filled with symbols, and parts of them may be exaggerated to pass on an important lesson. Stories about the shield-maidens are very similar to the stories about the Norse mythological warriors known as the Valkyries. These legendary women helped the god Odin pick which fallen warriors were worthy of a place in Valhalla.
According to legend, the shield-maidens left their homes to join men in battle. One account from the 12th century claims 300 shield-maidens fought alongside men at the legendary Battle of Brávellir, and historians have found several stories about women warriors in the Norse sagas. These sagas, or stories, were shared orally and later written down. Thankfully, we still have them today.
Freydis the Hero
The Norse sagas give us the legend of Freydis. She is believed to be based on a historical woman who lived around 1000 CE. According to the sagas, she was the half-sister of the famous explorer Leif Erikson, or Leif the Lucky.
There are two legends about Freydis, but they are very different. In one, she is portrayed as a clever protector, but in the other, she is a villain. Although she is said to be the sister of Leif Erikson, she is only mentioned in two Icelandic sagas: Erik the Red’s Saga and The Greenlander’s Saga. Both tales are set in a place the Vikings call “Vinland,” the land Leif Erikson found across the sea. Today, historians suspect Vinland is in North America.
In Erik the Red’s Saga, the Indigenous people of Vinland believe the people of Greenland have tried to poison them with milk. The people set out to defend themselves, and Freydis’s community runs away in fear. Freydis, who was pregnant at the time, decides not to run. She grabs a nearby sword and frightens the people by holding the sword and yelling loudly. The legend tells us that Freydis was successful. Her quick thinking stopped what could have been a terrible war.
Freydis the Villain
The second legend, The Greenlander’s Saga, is where we get our villain story. This time, Freydis and her two brothers are heading back to Vinland from Greenland in two longships. The plan is to plunder Vinland’s riches. In the end, Freydis deceives her two brothers and their men and helps destroy them all. Freydis and her family are punished by leading a life of seclusion, meaning they live alone, apart from the community.
These are two very different stories about the same person, both warriors but with opposing motives and ambitions. Whether Freydis was real, or whether she was a hero or villain to her people, we may never know.
The legends of women warriors form a major part of Viking culture. These women left their homes and families to fight alongside men in battle. These stories may or may not be true, but either way, they show historians that Viking women played a central role in society. They were main characters in stories, responsible for life at home, shared many of the same rights as men, and were highly honored.