Norse Gods – Pantheon of the Gods, History of the Aesir-Vanir War

Since the time of the oldest civilizations, people have believed in supernatural beings that may pose a threat or help us. It was no different with the groups living in present-day Scandinavia. They had a long list of gods who guided the fate of people and tried to fight their own destiny. Learn about the secrets hidden in the crevices of Asgard!

Who are the Norse gods?

They are beings with unique abilities, incomparable to humans living in Midgard. The gods, thanks to their knowledge, strength, cunning or magical skills, can shape the reality around them and subjugate weaker beings to their will. .

The most influential of them reside in Asgard – a golden land surrounded by a great wall. Access to it is defended by Heimdall, guarding a rainbow bridge called Bifrost. The safeguards give the gods only apparent freedom from the problems of the nine worlds. Outside the walls, many dangers await them.

The first Scandinavian gods

At the beginning of all things arose Ymir, the forefather of divine beings. Next came Buri, considered the first of the Aesir. He became the father of Borr, who begat Odyn – the most important and powerful of the Norse gods. Odyn initiated the main line of the Aesir, who became the central group in the Norse pantheon.

The origin of the Vanir, the second group of gods, has not been as well documented. It is known, however, that Njord is the father of Freyr and Freya. This goddess had a husband named Odr, who according to some interpretations is Odin himself, which may suggest a deep connection between the Aesir and the Vanir.

An exceptional case is that of Loki, who is not from the lineage of the Aesir or the Vanir. He was born from the union of the giant Farbauti and Laufey, who was probably a goddess. Because of his ancestry and frequent interactions with the Aesir, Loki is sometimes counted among them, although his nature is complex and full of contradictions..

Division into Aesir and Vanir, similarities and differences

Although the two families share many characteristics and live in harmony most of the time, some differences in their characteristics can be pointed out.

The Aesir inhabit Asgard, forming a organized society in which order reigns. Odin, as their leader, rules over the rest of the gods. The hierarchy reflects Viking society, where everyone had specific tasks and responsibilities, and life was governed by interpersonal agreements. Aesir are identified with aspects of life such as warfare, the rule of law, strict justice, and taking care of the home and family.

In contrast, the group inhabiting Vanaheim, while equally powerful, is more closely associated with nature and its cycles. Their domain is powers of nature, fertility, love and magic. Vanir live by the rules of nature, which often differ from the social norms of the Aesir. They practiced magic unknown to others and had a more liberal approach to life, which manifested itself, among other things, in freer love relationships. Sources also do not indicate a firm hierarchy of authority in this family.

The Aesir-Vanir War

Most of the myths that have survived to modern times describe neutral or friendly relations between the two groups of gods. There are even records that mention the cooperation of Aesir and Vanir. The most famous example is their common battle during Ragnarok, the end of the world in Norse mythology. Both the “Elder Edda” and the “Younger Edda” describe, however, a great war that divided Aesir and Vanir.

What caused the conflict?

Long before the walls of Asgard were built, the witch Gullveig arrived in the land. Her name is associated with gold and greed. She is sometimes considered the personification of gold, purified through repeated smelting. There are also theories according to which Gullveig, is in fact Freya, using magical camouflage. For a long time, the witch entertained the Aesir with her abilities, bringing them blessings.

At first, the gods were eager to use her abilities. However, they soon noticed that under the influence of magic they lost values such as honor, loyalty and lawfulness. Instead, selfish desires began to dominate , which they fulfilled thanks to Gullveig’s spells.

The gods became divided, and blamed the mysterious witch. Together they decided to deprive her of life and then burn her three times. However, each time Gullveig was reborn, and her power seemed stronger. Then she was to take the name Heiðr and fully master the magic called Seidr. This art did not survive in its full form until modern times. Ancient records say, however, that Seidr allowed one to look into the future and even shape it according to one’s desires. This vision was especially encouraging to Odin.

His impulsive actions toward Gullveig sowed the seeds of hatred and distrust between Aesir and Vanir. From then on, the families hated each other, resulting in the first war in history.

Progress of the war

The Aesir-Vanir War was a brutal and devastating conflict that shook the foundations of both families. Odin led a powerful army from Asgard to attack the Vanir in their homeland. However, Vanaheim was well prepared for the invasion and resisted strongly.

The fighting was intense, and the destruction affected both Asgard and Vanaheim. The battles resulted in huge losses on both sides, and the lands of both families were ravaged. Despite great efforts and sacrifices, neither side was able to tip the balance of victory in their favor. The battle was a long one.

The war-weary leaders decided to agree on a truce. In keeping with tradition, peace was made by exchanging hostages, which was meant to symbolize mutual trust. Freya, Freyr and Njord, the representatives of the Vanir, were sent to Asgard, Freya immediately began teaching Seidr magic, while Hoenir and Mimir took up residence in Vanaheim. Thus, the feuding families merged, forming a common pantheon of Norse gods. This, however, did not end the disputes.

Effects of the truce and further divisions

The Vanir saw Hoenir as having leadership abilities and had high hopes for him. After the exchange of hostages, however, it became clear that Mimir is responsible for all prudent advice, while Hoenir is of no use to them. The Gods felt cheated by Aesir and immediately proceeded to take revenge.

The Vanir beheaded Mimir, and then sent it back to Asgard. Seeing this, Odin fell into despair at the loss of the wisest of advisors. Through magical rituals, however, he restored Mimir’s head to life, allowing him to once again benefit from his advice.

After these events, Aesir and Vanir met again to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the dispute. The representatives of the families decided to splash together into a magic cauldron. The result was Kvasir – a god who knows answer to every question. His history is equally complex, so we will devote a separate article to him.

Panteon of the Norse gods

Aesir and Vanir formed a complex and ambiguous pantheon of Norse gods. Although both groups had their own kingdoms, marriages and exchanges caused their families to mix.

The Scandinavian people were polytheists, meaning they worshipped many gods and goddesses. The limited number of sources makes it impossible for us to know all the gods the Vikings believed in. It is presumed that some of the supernatural beings were forgotten or the minor deities were merged into one form. Let’s try to identify as many Norse gods as possible.

Aesir

• Buri – the ancestor of all the Aesir, was licked from a lump of ice by a cow named Audhumla.
• Borr – Son of Burri, father of Odin, Vili and Ve.
• Odyn – All-Father, leader of the Aesir, most outstanding of the gods.
• Vili and Ve – Odin’s brothers, the three of them gave the first humans soul, senses and beauty.
• Hoenir – According to theory, he may be the same character as Vili. As one of the few to survive Ragnarok.
• Frigg – Wife of Odin, from her name comes name of the day Friday (Frigg Day).
• Heimdall – Son of Odin born of nine mothers, guardian of Bifrost.
• Baldur – Son of Odin and Frigg. His death will start Ragnarok.
• Nanna -The wife of Baldur. After his murder, she dies of grief. They are reunited in Hel.
• Forseti – Son of Baldur and Nanna, identified with justice and the easing of disputes.
• Tyr – Son of Odin, sacrificed his hand to imprison Fenrir, from his name comes the name of the day Tuesday.
• Hodur – Blind son of Odin, under deception kills Baldur.
• Hermod – Son of Odin, after Baldur’s death went to Hel, but failed to free his brother.
• Bragi – Son of Odin, god of music, poetry and the arts, famous for his wisdom.
• Idunn – Bragi’s wife, keeper of the apples of eternal youth.
• Vidar – Son of Odin, his destiny is to avenge his father’s death and defeat Fenrir.
• Vali – Son of Odin, he will be born and grow up in one day to avenge Baldur’s death.
• Gefjon – Goddess of crops supporting fertility.
• Thor – Son of Odin, the mightiest of warriors, uses a hammer called Mjolnir.
• Sif – Wife of Thor, known for her beautiful golden hair, which became the focus of the myth.
• Ullr – Son of Sif. Few sources survive about him. He was said to replace Odin in the winter. He had a strong cult.
• Magni and Modi – Sons of Thor and Sif. Reflect the character of their father, they will become defenders of the Aesir after Ragnarok.
• Thrud – Daughter of Thor and Sif. According to some sources, she became a Valkyrie.

Vanir

• Njord – Probably the first of the Vanir. There is very little description of his character. God of the sea and wind.
• Skadi – Wife of Njord, goddess of skiing and hunting. She may also have been married to Odin and begat children with him.
• Goddess with no name – Sister and wife of Njord. The deities could also be the same hermaphroditic figure. From their union twins were to be formed.
• Freya – Daughter of Njord. She wields powerful Seidr magic. Her character has been devoted to many myths.
• Odr – Husband of Freya, there are theories according to which it was Odin himself.
• Hnoss and Gersemi – Their parents are Freya and Odr. The daughters may actually be one character. Their names signify treasure or something precious.
• Freyr – Son of Njord. He held power in the land of Alfheim, where he was a respected leader.
• Gerd – Wife of Freyr, for this union the god sacrificed his sword, which he himself fought against the giants.