In Scandinavia , women were still without the responsibility of raising a family could take up arms and live as warriors. A
or Shieldmaiden was a virgin
who had chosen to fight like a warrior in Norse mythology
. They are frequently mentioned in sagas
Hervarar
and Danorum Gesta. According to Nordisk familjebok , skjaldmö stories also appear in other Germanic nations, the Goths , and tribes the Cimbri and Marcomanni . They were the inspiration for the Valkyries and also the inspiration for JRR Tolkien for the character Eowyn
. Examples Shieldmaiden names mentioned in Norse sagas include Brynhild in Volsung Saga, the Swedish princess Thornbjörg in Saga Hrólfs Gautrekssonar and Hed, Visna and Veborg Danorum in Gesta. One of the most famous Boil, take part in the cycle of the magic sword Tyrfing
. The Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus relates that when the Swedish king Sigurd Ring and the Danish King Harald Wartooth were found in the Bråvalla battle, 300 shielded maidens fought on the Danish side in command of Visna . Saxo note that young maidens fought with shields and long swords.
Of the cases cited in his works or in the Viking sagas, can be highlighted: Alwinda , who, after refusing to accept the arranged marriage of convenience by his father, he sailed with a group of women, becoming pirates and terrorize the coast of the Baltic Sea. Of course, the end seems to be that the neglected prince got to find and kill it. Hladgerg was a queen in a Swedish region was captured along with other ladies Nobes by a Norwegian. His brother Ragnar left with an army to free them both to get revenge, but when it came to town, they commanded by Hladgerg , had been released alone, nevertheless, wanted to participate actively in the battle to cleanse the shame received. Ragnar declared that the victory was due to Hladgerg , who astonished everyone by his bravery.
Boil , possibly the oldest warrior mentioning the sagas, took up arms to defend the frontier of his kingdom. Legend has it that he used his necromantic arts to get the sword of his dead father.
Heth, who went to the battle of captaining Bravalla hundred, after which she became the queen of Zealand. Tornbjorg
, Swedish princess who got his father cede part of his kingdom. He had several suitors who had to pass the test to deal with it with weapons, killing and wounding several until he reached the king of Gotland Hrolf, this had been promised the father of Tornbjorg to inherit his kingdom if he could overcome it . Does not even crossed their arms, because he's indicted for their behavior and being a woman, and she was expelled from their land. Hrolf returned with an army and, after two weeks of siege and many men killed, managed to overcome it. She agreed to marry and give up their arms, which met until'll find out that her husband had been imprisoned in Ireland and organized a group of men to rescue him, to the surprise of Hrolf own.
