Viking warrior women were not common, but they did probably exist. And they went against the gender norms of their day. Such brave swordswomen were, in fact, gender benders. And perhaps some of them may even have been what we would today call transgender. These warriors rocked the longboat of their day’s norms.

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/btnewberg. Research, writing, editing, and production by B. T. Newberg. Logo Design by Rachel Westhoff. Animation by Maxeem Konrardy. Additional credits, references, and more at www.historyofsexpod.com.

 

 

References

Bayerschmidt, C. F., and Hollander, L. M., Trans. Njal’s Saga. New York: New York University Press, 1955.

Byock, Jesse. The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. New York: Penguin, 1990.

DaSent, G. W., Trans. “The Saga of Gisli the Outlaw.” The Icelandic Saga Database. Retrieved Mar 19, 2021, from: https://www.sagadb.org/gisla_saga_surssonar.en

Greenberg, David. The Construction of Homosexuality. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Hardman, George L. “The Saga of Bosi and Herraud.” The Complete Fornaldarsögur Norðurlanda Legendary Sagas of the Northland in English Translation. Retrieved Mar 29, 2021, from: http://www.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/BosaSagaHardman.html

Jesch, Judith. “Viking Women, Warriors, and Valkyries.” The British Museum. 2016, Mar 3. Archived from the original on The Wayback Machine. Retrieved Mar 1, 2021, from: https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194313/http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2014/04/19/viking-women-warriors-and-valkyries/

Harrison, D. & Svensson, K. (2007). Vikingaliv. Fälth & Hässler, Värnamo.

Hollander, Lee M. The Poetic Edda. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1962/2011.

Pálsson, Hermann, and Edwards, Paul, Trans. Göngu-Hrolf’s Saga. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980.

Pálsson, Hermann, and Edwards, Paul, Trans. Hrolf Gautreksson: A Viking Romance.  Edinburgh: Southside, 1972.

Price, Neil. The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia. Oxford: Oxbow, 2019.

Sephton, J. “The Saga of Erik the Red.” Icelandic Saga Database. Retrieved Mar. 29, 2021, from: https://sagadb.org/eiriks_saga_rauda.en

Tolkien, Christopher, Trans. The Saga of King Heidrek the Wise. New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1960.

Saxo Grammaticus. The History of the Danes, Books I-IX. Fisher, P., Trans. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1979.

Audio Credits

Podcast theme music mixed from “Gregorian Chant”, “Mystery Sax”, and “There It Is” by Kevin MacLeod.

“Fro from Aggressive Insurance” Skit mixed from “Relaxing Music – Vindsvept – Sleeper” by Vindsvept, “Blowing the Viking Horn in Northern Sweden” by Vindsvept, and “D&D Ambience Medieval City” by Michael Ghelfi.

Hervar’s Saga audiodrama mixed from: “Viking Music United We Roar” from Solas Composer, “Farm Ambience SFX” from Free Sounds Library, “Running Footsteps” from Nagaty Studio, “Atmospheres Haunted Ship at Sea” from Mindscapes, “Sheep Baa Sound Effect” from Nagaty Studio, “Crackling Fireplace Sound Effect” from Virtual Fireplace, “Horror Ghosts Whispering” from ? (video removed by user), “Free Whoosh Sound Effects for Vlogs” from Pretty Snow 007, and “Double Fireball Sound Effect” from PS Sound Effects FX.

Other music from:

“Sound Effect – Love Moment” (Careless Whisper by George Michael) from Taparan

“Thunder Sounds” from Nick Judy

“10 Different Boing Noises” from Sound Effects & More

“Ripping Tearing Shredding Paper” from Adroon

“Richard Wagner – Ride of the Valkyries” from TheWickedNorth.

All narration and voice acting by B. T. Newberg

Image Credits

Helmet from Vector Stock

Lips from Pixabay