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Friends,
Shield Maidens.
A popular term that has reemerged due to hit Netflix shows such as Vikings and Game of Thrones—women warriors who exceed expectations with their beauty, cunning, and fighting ability. I won’t lie – watching these women in action makes me want to learn how to wield a sword and a battle axe.
But did Shield Maidens ever exist? We know that they are mentioned in myths and legends. We have names such as Lagertha, the first wife of Ragnar Lothbrok, who was immortalized by Saxo Grammaticus, a 12th-century historian, in a book about Danish history. Or Gurdrid Thorbjarnardóttir (b. c. 970/980 CE), one of North America’s earliest explorers, according to The Saga of the Greenlanders and Erik the Red’s Saga.
Myths vs. Reality
I was happily researching the extraordinary lives of these women, noting their various accomplishments and deeds, when I ran across an article by Judith Jesch, a professor of the Viking Age at the University of Nottingham, and my heart was broken. She stated in an article, “I have always thought (and to some extent still do) that the fascination with women warriors, both in popular culture and in academic discourse, is heavily, probably too heavily, influenced by 20th-and 21st 21st-century desires.”
And lo and behold, Jesch is not alone in this thought process. Many other historians and archaeologists believe women were not accepted as Warriors in the Viking age. Suppose, by some miraculous miracle, a grave is found of a woman buried in a traditional warrior manner, meaning with swords, horses, and other items typically reserved for military leaders. In that case, that doesn’t mean they were warriors—it means they were most likely buried with their husbands’ items.
Sad really.
Warring Thoughts
But it got me thinking—did women warriors exist? Or were tales of incredible feats of bravery and cunning only created in overactive imaginations?
Here’s where I humbly disagree with professionals whose academic accomplishments far outweigh my own. Let me explain why. I, too, believe that the hype over women warriors during the Viking era has been popularized by modern pop culture. The need for women to have a place in this world, one that extends beyond the commonly held portrayal of maid, mother, and wife, has been overwhelming. The idea that any woman can fight in a day-long battle and still walk away with their hair perfectly braided and not looking a mess is laughable.
However, that does not mean that shield maidens didn’t exist. They did.
And let me prove to you how I know this to be a fact, regardless of what ‘myth’ was written, or what artifacts were buried with women.
Famous Women Warriors
Milunka Savić was a Serbian heroine who fought in the Balkan Wars and World War I and is considered the most decorated female warrior in the history of warfare. She is not buried with a sword.
Tomoe Gozen– a legendary Japanese samurai warrior who fought heroically during the Gempei War (1180-1185). No one knows where she was buried, but it is thought she went into hiding, became a nun, and died at the age of 90. I am reasonably certain she wasn’t buried with a horse and a sword, but she was the first woman featured on a banknote in Japan.
Boudicca- Queen of Britain– In 60-61 CE, she led the Iceni and other people in a revolt against Roman rule. Unfortunately, no one knows where she was buried- but there are theories that she was buried under King’s Cross Station in London or Stonehenge. However, no one knows for sure.
Artemisia I of Caria– Queen and naval commander who played a pivotal role in the Greco-Persian Wars. She is buried at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (modern-day Turkey) in a grand tomb she built for her husband after his death. The Mausoleum is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She may have been buried with a sword….
Night Witches– WWII: The Night Witches was the German nickname for the all-female military aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Air Force. Their remains are buried in various places, but I am willing to bet they weren’t buried with their planes or the bombs they were so good at dropping on enemy forces.
What defines a warrior?
I could go on and on highlighting the remarkable achievements of women on the battlefield—some of which I saw myself on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, these women were not buried with swords, horses, and battle axes. They are buried under white crosses that only mention their name, rank, and highest military award.
Does that diminish their achievements? Does that mean they were not shield maidens? Women who were willing to cross the line on the battlefield to face their enemy?
No, it just means they were buried as they lived, humbly and without fanfare, to prove their worth.
What about the women who stayed behind and held the fort while their husbands were in battle? The women who had to protect their homes and families while the men were away… were they not shield maidens? What about women who hunted for food and came face to face with dangerous animals to provide for their village? Were they not shield maidens?
Final thoughts
Shield Maidens are not exclusive to the Viking period. Shield Maidens are all women worldwide who faced extraordinary odds and defied the fates. They don’t need gold and silver, swords, or battle axes to be buried with them to prove they were worthy of the title warrior. They were who they were, and for that, they deserve the title.
In a world of princesses, be a shield maiden!
I am including some links to research that was completed on the Birka chamber grave Bj.581:
Viking warrior women? Reassessing Birka chamber grave Bj.581– Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2019
A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics– First published: 08 September Funding information: Swedish Research Council (VR) & Riksbankens jubileumsfond (RJ).
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
For those hungry to explore more, click below to find additional readings:
The Real Valkyrie: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women. In 2017, DNA tests revealed, to the collective shock of many scholars, that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden, was actually a woman. The Real Valkyrie weaves together archaeology, history, and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined.
The Northwomen: Untold Stories From the Other Half of the Viking World. As much as we know about this celebrated culture, there is a large missing piece: its women. All but ignored by contemporary European writers, these shadowy figures were thought to have played little part in the famous feats of the Vikings, instead remaining at home as wives, mothers, and homemakers.
Women Warriors: An Unexpected History. The woman warrior is always cast as an anomaly—Joan of Arc, not GI Jane. But women, it turns out, have always gone to war. In this fascinating and lively world history, Pamela Toler not only introduces us to women who took up arms, she also shows why they did it and what happened when they stepped out of their traditional female roles to take on other identities.
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If you’re looking for your next favorite read, I invite you to check out my series, The Raven Society. This spellbinding historical fantasy series takes us on a heart-pounding journey through forgotten legends and distorted history. Uncover the chilling secrets of mythology and confront the horrifying truths that transformed myths into monstrous realities. How far will you go to learn the truth?
The Writer and The Librarian (Book 1):
Signed copies at:
https://rlgeerrobbins.com/product/the-writer-and-the-librarian-the-raven-society-book-1/