Valkyries and others

Thousands of pages have been written on the topic of valkyries and shield-maidens and I am sure many more are to come. How could I resist? I have already mentioned some of the following ideas in my dissertation but – as always – it turns out that there is more to be said.

For some (mainly mythological and folklore) reasons, there is a strong belief that Nose Viking-Age women used to be warriors. That they fought alongside male raiders, mirroring the sexy mythical valkyries who lead the fallen into afterlife. Many people are convinced that it was a real and thrilling custom. Popular culture from Éowyn of the Lord of the Rings to the terrible fantasy series the Vikings only encourage this concept.

I do not deny the shield-maidens sex-appeal. Or that it is a nice role-playing idea for modern women.

What I simply cannot grasp is why any woman in an Old Norse society would wish to add more danger into her life... More danger, a brave thing to do I said? Only at first sight. Considering pregnancy-related mortality of mediaeval women, the presumable career of a shield-maiden would be a safer, NOT a more heroic decision. In a battle, you can at least pretend you and your gods of war can have some impact on your odds of survival. You might be lucky AND a skilled fighter. There would, however, be no such opportunity when it comes to delivering a baby. At that case you would be helpless.

You would be a precious asset of your family – for the sole purpose of a successful (hence repeated) childbearing. That was the sole task only women could complete for their family and that could not be delegated. And it was crucial. If we choose to think of the war, then the family/clan desperately needed as many men as possible. In the Old Norse society, women were prohibited from bearing arms (see the laws). The reasons were to rule them out from actively taking part in the blood feuds. Why? Actually, for their protection. Forget any ideas we have concerning gender equality. In the world of the vikings, this was not meant as a repressive tool, it was a way to ensure your bloodline would have any chance of survival. Too many women died delivering a baby, the head of the family could not afford to weaken that chance by allowing teenage fantasies. The Old Norse world was a harsher place than we are willing to admit.

Hence the mythical ideas of female warriors. It was too exotic, unreal, and tempting. Though I am sure some exceptions occasionally happened.

Written by a mother who – had it not been for modern medicine – would be dead and her child as well.