When tensions were high between King Harald I of Norway and King Athelstan of Wessex, the great Norse sailors Helgrim and Osfrid delivered on behalf of Harald the gift of a ship to Athelstan. The vessel is said to have had purple sails and gilded shields along the gunwale. The gesture is seen as the start of a long and productive relationship between the two nations.
Her name means “gold branch.” When she leaves the realm of the Vanir gods and travels to Asgard, home of the Aesir gods, in search of gold, Gullveig talks of nothing else. Worried by her gold-lust, the Aesir cast her into fire three times. Each time she rises from the flame brighter. When she returns, the Vanir vow to avenge her mistreatment, launching the fabled war between worlds.
Gefjon is credited with the creation of the Danish island of Zealand. When the ruler of Sweden offers her all the land she and four oxen can plow in a day and a night, she transforms her four sons into beasts of burden. Together, they uproot a swathe of earth from the mainland and deposit it into the sea, creating Zealand. This act of might earns Gefjon respect among gods.
The Norse god of justice, Forseti, radiates the light of truth. He is eloquent, wise and, most of all, a fair and persuasive mediator. Forseti presides over all disputes of gods and men, giving all a proper hearing.
The goddess Eir is by many accounts “the best of all physicians.” But scholars differ on the capacity in which she used her power. Some depict her as a goddess of healing, tending to the sick and the war-wounded. Others view her as a horse-riding Valkyrie who rides into battles to decide which soldiers die and which live.
A strong warrior, Einar wrested control of the Orkney and Shetland Islands from Danish warlords in the late 9th century after his brother Hallad was unable to hold his ground there. The dynasty that he founded ruled the archipelago until 1470.
Egil is one of the most memorable Vikings to appear in the Old Norse sagas. Combining courage and brawn with high intelligence, Egil embodied ethicality and composed intricately beautiful poetry. Today, Egil personifies the Viking spirit to travel to the unknown world.
His name means “dayspring” or “shining one,” and in Norse mythology, the god Delling is the father of the day. According to legend, Delling is married to Nott, the goddess of the night, and together they have a son, Dagr. Odin placed the three of them in the sky, so that they may ride across it with their horses and chariots every 24 hours.
Buri is the first god in Norse mythology. He was created, not by a mother or father, but by a giant frosty cow named Audumbla. As she licked the salty blocks of ice in Ginnagagap, the shape of a man, Buri, was formed and she nourished him with her milk.
Bragi is the Norse god of poetry, music and eloquence. Plucking his harp and singing sweetly, he can charm all creatures, even the flowers and the trees. His tongue is carved with runes, ancient Norse symbols, and through his poetry, Bragi keeps the stories of the gods alive.