The 10 most important Viking Gods | Did you know them?

The Viking gods come from one of the richest and most interesting mythologies in Europe, the well-known Norse mythology., which includes the beliefs, rituals and legends of the Germanic peoples established in Germany, Scandinavia and Iceland, among other countries. It should be said that, although with a similar imagery, Norse mythology differs from the mythology of countries like Finland.

The Norse mythology where the Viking gods come from is known for having a few unusual characteristics. For example, it cannot be considered a revealed religion because the Norse gods did not give the truth to humans (although interactions between them are frequent). Furthermore, Norse mythology does not have a sacred book (such as the Bible or the Koran), but rather it has been transmitted orally, through beautiful and complex poetry. In this article we will meet some of the most famous and curious Viking gods.

The 10 most famous Viking Gods | Did you know them?

1. Odin, god of gods

Odin is the main god among the Viking gods. He is mainly known for being the god of war, death and wisdom., Odin is also attributed other somewhat more human characteristics, such as being the god of poetry. In fact, his name comes from the word odrwhich in Old Norse can either mean ‘furious, crazy or violent’, when it is an adjective, or ‘wisdom, poetry and sensitivity’ when it is a noun.

He is depicted with a gray beard, a wide-brimmed hat, and dark blue clothes, the attire in which he traveled the earth. It is also believed that he is one-eyed because he sacrificed his left eye in exchange for knowing everything.

Odin, like many other Norse gods, has human characteristicswhich is why it is common to consider him someone who is tremendously wise and a good advisor, but also a liar, manipulator and with a bad character.

2. Thor, the fury of thunder

Thor is one of the sons of Odin, and his current fame owes much to the comics and films of the character who bears his name and inspired by Norse mythology. Thor is another of the most important Viking gods thanks to his hammer and his role as protector. Unlike his father, Thor protected humans, rather than leading them to war, as he was not only the god of battle, but also of the weather, the sky, and even justice.

Thor is also related to fertility, since it was believed that the lightning he caused in summer was what allowed for good harvests. Furthermore, like his father, Thor was very wise. Despite preferring to solve things with hammer blows, it is said that this god managed to solve impossible riddles to achieve his purposes.

3. Balder and his weakness for a Christmas plant

Balder is the second son of Odin and was believed to be the god of peace, light and forgiveness. He is known mainly for the way he died. It is said that Balder began to have horrible and disturbing dreams that left him so depressed that he would not talk to anyone. His father, worried, spoke with Friigg, the giantess in charge of supporting the weight of the underworld. After speaking with her, Odin made everything in the world, except mistletoe, swear (why differs depending on the version) that they would not harm Balder.

Loki, of whom we will talk shortly, found out about all this with his usual cunning. Resentful of events that are irrelevant now, he decided that he would kill Balder, so he made an arrow (or a dagger) out of mistletoe to kill Balder, and so he did.

There are different versions of Balder’s story, but, unfortunately for him, he ends up dead in all of them.

4. Loki, the god who is not a god

Technically, Loki is not a god because he is the son of two giants, although through his cunning he managed to make a place for himself among the Viking gods of Asgard.. After the murder of Balder, the gods chained him to three stones and it is said that the day he manages to free himself the world will end.

Loki is a master of deception and is so clever that he has managed to deceive the gods themselves. He is not considered an evil entity, although he is someone who is manipulative, an extremely joking trickster who is also capable of changing shape.

5. Sif, the goddess of fidelity and crops

Sif is a goddess in her own right, although she is primarily known for being Thor’s wife (it should be said that the thunder warrior was not her first love). He is, without a doubt, a very interesting and not very well-known character, who is said to have long blonde hair tied up in braids, a symbol of fidelity and harvests.

It is also said that he was the victim of a prank by Loki, who cut off his famous braids while he slept. There are those who suggest that she could have been unfaithful to Thor with Loki, since he managed to cut her hair without her realizing it.

6. Tyr, the one-handed man

Tyr, another of the most important (although perhaps less well-known) Norse gods, is immediately recognized because he is missing a hand, having sacrificed the giant wolf Fenrir. The really curious thing is that, despite having independent mentions, some archaeologists consider that it is actually an older version of Odin himself, since both share numerous points in common (for example, they are both gods of war). Experts say that Tyr was perhaps more important than Odin hundreds of thousands of years ago, until the latter’s fame began to grow.

7. Frigg, the goddess of the sky

Frigg is the wife of Odin and is therefore considered queen of the heavens, in addition to being the goddess of love, fertility, love and the domestic arts. Perhaps that is why it is usually associated and illustrated with a spinning wheel.

Frigg also has other powers, such as the gift of prophecy. (she is aware, among other things, of the dreams that torture her son Balder), although she never shares them with anyone.

8. Idun, the apple girl

Idun is another of the most important Viking gods, and the guardian of the most important fruit for the gods. Idun, who is associated with youth and beauty, is said to be the eternally young girl who guards the apples of youth. These fruits grant infinite youth to the rest of the gods, who eat them when they feel that they are beginning to age. It is said that Loki, in one of her usual pranks, captured her and that the gods began to age because they could not eat the goddess’s apples.

9. Freya, goddess of goddesses

For some, Freya is even more important than Frigg, for others, it could even be the goddess herself. In any case, Freya is the goddess of love and war and receives half of the warriors who fall in battle (the other half goes to Odin). It is said that Freya travels in a chariot pulled by two cats and is one of the most honored Viking gods, although her figure has undergone numerous alterations due to the Christian historians who documented her.

10. Andhrimnir, the Arguiñano of the gods

Andhrimnir may not have great powers or be the god of great grandiose things like life and death, but his role in the realm of the gods is equally important. This god is the cook of the gods, and is in charge of killing and cooking the cosmic boar in his magical cauldron every night, which revives at the end of the banquet only to suffer the same fate again the next day.

We hope you liked this article about Norse gods and that it has helped you learn a little more about these characters from Norse mythology. Did you know them all? Do you think we have left anyone out? Remember that you can tell us whatever you want in the comments!