Welcome to Assassin's Creed Wiki! Log in and join the community.
Shieldmaiden
|
Patience, brothers. Soon we will reveal the secrets of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. This article has been identified as being out of date. Please update the article to reflect recent releases and then remove this template once done. |
A shieldmaiden is a female warrior from Norse folklore and mythology, typically women who fought alongside men in battles[1] and were said to be infused with the spirit of Valkyries,[2] psychopomps that brought the souls of dead Viking warriors to the afterlife of Valhalla.
History
During the Viking expansion, a number of shieldmaidens fought within or alongside the Great Heathen Army, such as Soma, Valdis, Halfdan Ragnarsson's mother Lagertha,[3] and Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir.[2] While Eivor Varinsdottir's exploits as a warrior also qualified her as a shieldmaiden,[3] the Hidden One Hytham observed in his journal that she was "not particularly fond of the term" being applied to her.[2]
In the 10th century, Styrbjörn the Strong's wife Thyra Haraldsdottir, the daughter of King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark and Norway, was also noted as a shieldmaiden.[4]
Behind the scenes
From a historical standpoint, many scholars [citation needed] are split on the concept of shieldmaidens. Some believe they only existed in story, while others believe there is a historical basis for the idea.[1]
Appearance
- Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)
References
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||