Heiðr (also rendered Heid, Hed, Heith, Hetha etc, from the Old Norse adjective meaning "bright" or the noun meaning "honour") is a Norse female personal name. Several individuals by the name appear in Norse mythology and history.
A seeress
editA seeress and witch (völva) named Heiðr is mentioned in one stanza of Völuspá, related to the story of the Æsir-Vanir war:
- Heith they named her
- who sought their home,
- The wide-seeing witch,
- in magic wise;
- Minds she bewitched
- that were moved by her magic,
- To evil women
- a joy she was.
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- —Völuspá (22), Bellows’ translation[1]
The general assumption is that here, "Heiðr" is an alternate name for the witch Gullveig, mentioned in the previous stanza, who, in turn, is often thought to be a hypostasis of Freyja. But it is sometimes argued that the völva who recites the poem refers to herself.
Heiðr is also a seeress in several works such as Landnámabók (S 179 / H 45), Hrólfs saga kraka (3) and Örvar-Odds saga (2), where she predicts Örvar's death.
A jotun
editHeiðr is also the name of a child of the giant Hrímnir according to Völuspá hin skamma (Hyndluljóð, 32).
A shield maiden
editSaxo Grammaticus reported a shield-maiden bearing this name as captain of the contingent from Sle fighting for the Danes at the Battle of Brávellir in the year 750. She was said to be the daughter of King Harald Hildetand.[2] This may draw on the tale from the earlier Chronicon Lethrense, in which a woman named Hethae, who had fought with Harald, became queen of Denmark after Harald's defeat in that battle.[3]
References
edit- ^ Bellows, Henry Adams (trans.). 1923. The poetic Edda. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation.
- ^ Elton, Oliver (2006-02-11). THE DANISH HISTORY, BOOKS I-IX by Saxo Grammaticus. Retrieved 16 June 2015 – via Project Gutenberg.
- ^ Chronicon Lethrense, with translation and commentary by Mischa Hooker of Augustana College
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