Lagertha:
The Legendary Norwegian Viking Shieldmaiden
The Legendary Norwegian Viking Shieldmaiden
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| Lagertha, by Morris Meredith Williams Image Credit: Wikipedia |
Lagertha was a warrior, a ruler, a face to be feared on the battlefield, and the wife of one of the most famous men in Viking history. However, to this day, historians have yet to determine whether or not the legendary Norwegian Viking shieldmaiden truly existed throughout history or is simply fictitious. And that is precisely what makes her story as interesting as it is.
One of the most famous written records about Lagertha comes from the chronicler Saxo Grammaticus the Literate, or "The Grammarian", in the 12th century book titled "The Deed of the Danes". In the book, "The Grammarian" recounts, "Ladgerda, a skilled Amazon, who, though a maiden, had the courage of a man and fought in front among the bravest with her hair loose over her shoulders. All marveled at her matchless deeds, for her locks flying down her back betrayed that she was a woman". In the book, Lagertha is also described as having "a matchless spirit though a delicate frame". Her beauty is often emphasized in ancient texts, such as it is in "The Deeds of the Danes". However, her notable beauty did not take away from her reputation as a fierce warrior-woman. Rather, it was simply another attribute to be admired by both friend and foe.
Lagertha is also widely known for her marriage to famed Norse chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok. They are told to have met during the battle that drove her to being a longtime warrior, of all places. The Swedish king of the time, named Fro, inspired the battle when he had invaded medieval Norway and murdered the Norwegian king of the time, named Siward. After Ragnar Lothbrok heard of the murder, he decided to avenge Siward. During the battle, Lagertha led a group of women who dressed themselves up in men's clothing. Lagertha was said to have played a pivotal part in the ultimate defeat of Fro, gaining the attention of Ragnar in the process. Not long after, they married and had one son and two daughters.
For the past five years, Lagertha has been rightfully depicted as a fierce and respected warrior woman on The History Channel's popular show Vikings. Her character is portrayed by the Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick. Throughout the show's five-year history, audiences have raved over Winnick's portrayal of the legendary Lagertha. Winnick has also been praised on multiple occasions for her impressive battle scenes. Entertainment Weekly has said that Winnick's role as Lagertha "may be the most exciting feminist character on tv". Viewers continue to express their appreciation for Lagertha's ability to never fail to use her voice as a weapon and to never cower in the face of danger or when she is in the presence of a man. Her responsibilities of being a ruler do not keep her from being a fierce protector of her children. In fact, many of her story-lines circulate around doing what is best for her family in order to guarantee both her and their survival. Overall, Lagertha manages to be both a wicked warrior and a monstrous mother.
I, myself, am a dedicated viewer of the show Vikings. Oftentimes, getting the chance to see a ferocious woman like Lagertha kick butt on my television screen will be the highlight of my day, or even of my entire week. Usually, television shows and blockbuster films can be found depriving their audiences of strong-minded female characters. And as is true with most period pieces, there is almost always a strong overtone of patriarchy. However, nowadays, audiences are finally getting to see women of power on their screens. Lagertha is one of those many.
One of the most famous written records about Lagertha comes from the chronicler Saxo Grammaticus the Literate, or "The Grammarian", in the 12th century book titled "The Deed of the Danes". In the book, "The Grammarian" recounts, "Ladgerda, a skilled Amazon, who, though a maiden, had the courage of a man and fought in front among the bravest with her hair loose over her shoulders. All marveled at her matchless deeds, for her locks flying down her back betrayed that she was a woman". In the book, Lagertha is also described as having "a matchless spirit though a delicate frame". Her beauty is often emphasized in ancient texts, such as it is in "The Deeds of the Danes". However, her notable beauty did not take away from her reputation as a fierce warrior-woman. Rather, it was simply another attribute to be admired by both friend and foe.
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| Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha on Vikings |
Lagertha is also widely known for her marriage to famed Norse chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok. They are told to have met during the battle that drove her to being a longtime warrior, of all places. The Swedish king of the time, named Fro, inspired the battle when he had invaded medieval Norway and murdered the Norwegian king of the time, named Siward. After Ragnar Lothbrok heard of the murder, he decided to avenge Siward. During the battle, Lagertha led a group of women who dressed themselves up in men's clothing. Lagertha was said to have played a pivotal part in the ultimate defeat of Fro, gaining the attention of Ragnar in the process. Not long after, they married and had one son and two daughters.
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| Lagertha, Ragnar Lothbrok, and their children as portrayed in The History Channel's popular show Vikings |
 |
| Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha on Vikings |
I, myself, am a dedicated viewer of the show Vikings. Oftentimes, getting the chance to see a ferocious woman like Lagertha kick butt on my television screen will be the highlight of my day, or even of my entire week. Usually, television shows and blockbuster films can be found depriving their audiences of strong-minded female characters. And as is true with most period pieces, there is almost always a strong overtone of patriarchy. However, nowadays, audiences are finally getting to see women of power on their screens. Lagertha is one of those many.
"You couldn't kill me if you tried for a hundred years,"
- Lagertha Lothbrok, Season 1: "Rites of Passage"
Works Cited:
Descendants , Norman. “Lagertha: The Real Shieldmaiden.” InventoryBag, 11 Aug. 2017, inventorybag.com/blogs/normandescendants/lagertha-the-real-shieldmaiden.
Grammaticus, Saxo. “THE DANISH HISTORY.” The Danish History, by Saxo Grammaticus, 6 Feb. 2013, www.gutenberg.org/files/1150/1150-h/1150-h.htm#link2H_4_0020.
HISTORY. “Vikings: Vikings Official Trailer | History.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Jan. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rcozIVtujw.
“The Historical Truth Behind Lagertha.” The Dockyards, 11 Apr. 2017, thedockyards.com/the-historical-truth-behind-lagertha/#comment-2851.
Valby, Karen. “Vikings.” EW.com, 30 Apr. 2014, ew.com/article/2014/04/30/vikings-2/.
I really hope that Lagertha wasn't just a fiction character and really did exist in really life. She seems likes such a cool and kick ass person with so much to offer as a ruler. I have never heard of her before so it was interesting to read a little but about her. I have also never heard of the Vikings TV show either. It's neat how they made a TV series after this amazing Warrior Woman. Not only was she just super pretty, she was a ruler, a fighter and married to a viking! I love how people knew she was beautiful but it still didn't take away from her ability to fight and be a total badass. I'll have to look out for the next episode of the Viking TV series, it seems really cool! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThis warrior woman is a perfect fit to research. I never heard of her until now. I love how multidimensional she is! Not only is she a great warrior, but a mother also. I also never heard of this show, but I think it is really cool they she is depicted in it. I am interested in watching it now because I love shows like that. It is also interesting that no one really knows if she is fictional or not. That makes her even more mysterious, and makes me want to learn more about her.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting how there's nothing to say she's a real person but there's a show where she's shown as such a powerful women. I wish there was more we knew about her. But I do love how it's said that she kept her feminine ways because many of the women warriors show are cross dressed or more masculine.
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