Saxon and Viking Women Warriors
Women Warriors in the Roman and Celtic World << . . . . >> Women Warriors in the 11th Century

DNA studies of corpses in an Anglo-Saxon village at Heslerton, North Yorkshire (AD450-650) found that two bodies buried with spear and knife are women.
(source - The Times newspaper 22/8/00 - see also The West Heslerton Assessment)

The body of an Anglo Saxon woman (circa 500AD) with a dagger and shield was found just outside Lincoln.
(source Lincolnshire Echo, 20 September 2003 . see also Time Team, Channel 4)

Procopius' history of the Gothic War of 535-552AD includes the story of an English princess, referred to as "the Island Girl", who led an invasion of part of Jutland and captured the young king, Radigis, who had jilted her after their betrothal.
(source - "Peace Weavers and Shield Maidens" - Kathleen Herbert - Anglo Saxon Books - 1-898281-11-4)

Kahula, an Arabian army commander in the battle of Yermonks (circa 600 AD) joined her forces with those of another female commander, Wafeira. Together they turned back the Greek army.
(info given by Linda falconfyre@earthlink.net)

'722. Queen Aethelburgh destroyed Taunton'
(source "The Anglo Saxon Chronicles")

Thyra, Queen of Denmark, ruled in her husband's absence. She led her army against the Germans who invaded Sleswick and Jutland. Around 890 AD she built the Danneverke, a great wall which was Denmark's major defence for centuries.

Aethelflaed, eldest daughter of Alfred the Great of England, was known as the Lady of Mercia. She led troops against the Vikings during her father's reign and was responsible for the construction of many fortifications. Her military achievements helped her brother Edward the Elder in his Kingship. She died 918 in AD

Olga, widow of Igor of Russia, raised an army which attacked Drevelian strongholds and ended the revolt in which her husband died, in 945AD.

"There were once women in Denmark who dressed themselves to look like men and spent almost every minute cultivating soldiers' skills."
(source Saxo Grammaticus "History of the Danes" written about 1200AD.)

At the battle of Bravellir between King Harald War-tooth and his nephew Ring, three women, Hethna, Visna and Vebiorg led companies on the Danish side.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Rusilla fought against her brother Thrond for the thrones of both Denmark and Norway.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Sela was "a warring Amazon and accomplished pirate"
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Stikla ran away from home "preferring the sphere of war to that of marriage" (source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3) 11th Century Hauberk
Alvid also ran away from home and became leader of a group of male and female pirates.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Gurith, Alvid's daughter, also took part in a battle to help her son Harald after her husband was killed.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Hervor learns to use bow, shield and sword while living in her maternal grandfather's house. In her youth she dresses as a man and mugs people for their money. She decides to avenge her father's death, then joins a band of Vikings, calling herself 'Hervardr' and has a variety of warlike adventures before finally marrying and having children.
(source "Maiden Warriors and Other Sons" - Carol J. Clover - Journal of English and Germanic Philology (JEGP), 85 (1986):35-49. Information supplied by Gunnora gunnora@bga.com)

In Hrolfs saga Gautrekssonar, the only child of King Eirikr of Sweden is Thornbjorg, who "spends her girlhood pursuing the martial arts". Her father provides her with men and lands; and she adopts male dress and name (Thorbergr) and is known as king.
(source "Maiden Warriors and Other Sons" - Carol J. Clover - Journal of English and Germanic Philology (JEGP), 85 (1986):35-49. Information supplied by Gunnora)

Freydis Eiriksdottir who took part in an expedition to Vinland, defended herself from Skraelings using a sword while heavily pregnant, and personally murdered several "inconvenient" people later in the expedition, is described in Eirik the Red's Saga

Auðr was divorced by her husband, Þórðr, on the grounds that she wore breeches like a man. She attacked him with a sword in revenge.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Þórdis (Thordis) appears in The Laxdaela Saga taking revenge against Eyjólfr for the killing of her brother.

There was a formal mechanism whereby a woman could be treated as a male heir in the earliest Icelandic legal codex, Gragas, with respect to the paying and receiving of wergild ("blood money" paid by a killer's family to the victim's family). It only applied to unmarried women who had no brothers. This may also have extended to a responsibility for taking part in retaliation and blood feuds between families in cases where there was no agreement on the weregild.
(info provided by Gunnora)

In 1867 a Viking Age grave containing a single skeleton with oval brooches (characteristic of a woman's grave) and a "sword like item" was discovered in Santon Downham, Norfolk, England.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

An excavation at Gerdrup in Denmark found a skeleton buried with a needlecase (characteristic of a woman's grave) and a spear. (source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Axes and arrowheads were found in women's graves at Kaupang.
(source "Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3)

Salaym Bint Malham is described by Rosalind Miles as a war leader who, "with an armoury of swords and daggers strapped round her pregnant belly fought in the ranks of Muhammad and his followers".
(info given by Linda falconfyre@earthlink.net)

Queen Gudit (or Judith or Esther) of the Bata Yisrael conquered the Ethiopian kingdom in the 10th Century.
(source Jewish Warriors)

Bibliography
"Women in the Viking Age" - Judith Jesch - Boydell Press - 0 85115 278 3
"Peace Weavers and Shield Maidens" - Kathleen Herbert - Anglo Saxon Books - 1-898281-11-4
"The Anglo Saxon Chronicles"
"History of the Danes" - Saxo Grammaticus (also known as "Gesta Danorum")
"Maiden Warriors and Other Sons" - Carol J. Clover - Journal of English and Germanic Philology (JEGP), 85 (1986):35-49
"Erik the Red's Saga"
"Laxdaela Saga"

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These pages are provided by Nicky Saunders of Lothene Experimental Archaeology