Valkyrie

This article is about the Valkyries, figures of Norse mythology. There is another article on the North American XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft.

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The Valkyries ("choosers of the slain", alternative spelling: Walkyries, Old Norse valkyrja, pl. valkyrjur, Walachuriá (Old High German), Valakusjó (Gothic), wælcyrge (OE)) are figures of Norse mythology. Lesser goddesses (dís, pl. dísir) who are usually depicted as beautiful shieldmaidens on winged horses, armed with helmets and spears.

However, valkyrie horse was a kenning for wolf (see e.g. Rök Stone), so contrary to the stereotype they did not ride mounts of the pegasus kind. Their horses were rather the packs of wolves that frequented the corpses of dead warriors.

Whereas the wolf was the Valkyrie's horse, the Valkyrie herself was, quite unromantically represented by the raven. Consequently the packs of wolves and ravens that took care of what remained after battle served a higher purpose.

This purpose was chose the most heroic of those who have died in battle (called Einherjar), to carry them off to Valhalla. This was necessary because Odin needed warriors to fight at his side at the preordained battle at the end of the world, Ragnarok.

The origin of the Valkyries is not given in extant texts.

List of the Valkyries:

1. Brunhilde (ON Brynhildr; appears in the Völsunga saga, confused or identified with the Valkyrie Sigardrifa.
2. Geirskögul
3. Göll (ON Gǫll)
4. Göndul (ON Gǫndul)
5. Gunn (ON Guðr or Gunnr, chooser of the slain, mentioned in several sources)
6. Herfjoturr (ON Herfjǫturr; caused the paralysis of defeat)
7. Hildr
8. Hladgunnr (ON Hlaðgunnr)
9. Hlokk (ON Hlǫkk)
10. Hrist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
11. Mist (served the einherjar in Valhalla)
12. Rota (ON Róta; chooser of the slain)
13. Skuld (Norn and chooser of the slain)
14. Sigrdrifa (ON Sigrdrífa)
15. Sigrún (mentioned in Helgakviða Hundingsbana II)
16. Skagull (ON Skǫgul; filled Odin's horn with mead)
17. Skeggjald (ON Skeggjǫld)
18. Svafa (ON Sváfa)
19. Thrud (ON Þrúðr; a daughter of Thor's who served the einherjar in Valhalla).

Richard Wagner incorporated Norse tales in which Brünhilde (Brynhild was a Valkryie in his story of Brünhilde and her punishment and her subsequent love for the warrior Siegfried (Sigurd) as told in his operas Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung. In Wagner's treatment the Valkyries are nine daughters of Wotan (Odin) and Erda (Jörd) 'Earth' and are named: Brünnhilde, Helmwige, Ortlinde, Gerhilde, Waltraute, Siegrune, Rossweisse, Grimgerde, and Schwertleite.

See also:

• Fylgja
• Disa

Norse mythology

The Nine Worlds of Norse Mythology

People, places and things: Deities | Giants | Dwarves | Valkyries

Orthography | Numbers | Runes | Kenning

Elder Edda | Younger Edda | Skald | Sagas | Later influence