Shieldmaiden

The word shieldmaiden, also spelled shield-maiden, is used in Nordic folklore to describe a female warrior. The Old Norse word for shieldmaiden is “skjaldmær.”

Historically speaking, there is no hard evidence proving the existence of formally trained female warriors in ancient Scandinavian culture, but there are archeological sites in Europe which contain the remains of females that were originally assumed to be males because they were buried with a warrior’s traditional armor and weaponry.

 

The word skjaldmær and the concept of the shieldmaiden originate primarily in the Norse sagas. Several shieldmaidens were mentioned by name, including:

  • Brynhildr, or Brunhilda, a female warrior of the Vǫlsunga saga, whose story showcased a strong female concerned with honor, duty, and straightforward dealing - all traits traditionally associated with male warriors at the time

  • Hervör, a female Viking of the Hervarar saga, whose story involved a cursed sword and the complexities of gender and family roles in Old Norse society

  • Hlathgerth, or Lagertha, a female warrior and cultural leader in Norway, whose story is recorded not in a traditional saga but a history written in the 12th century by Saxo Grammaticus

 

 

A shieldmaiden could be young or old, married or single, muscular or willowy. It was not unheard of for a shieldmaiden to leave her home to fight for a cause or go raiding, only to return and reengage with domesticity, get married, and/or have children. Some shieldmaidens were warriors for life, while others died young or sought more quiet lives after adventure. Shieldmaidens would have used all the weaponry available to male warriors at the time, and there are accounts of women going viking and fighting in shield walls with their male warrior compatriots.

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