Hervǫr Angantýsdóttir is one of the two main heroines in the Tyrfingr Cycle, presented in Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks with parts found in the Poetic Edda. The Viking challenged her father Angantýr's ghost in his gravemound for his cursed sword Tyrfingr. She had a son named Heiðrekr.
Childhood[]
Hervǫr was born after her father Angantýr died during a duel against the Swedish hero Hjálmarr. Her mother was Svafa, who was daughter of a Jarl Bjarmar. Rather than take on sewing or be raised as a bond-maid like other girls, Hervǫr proved to be as strong as the boys and learned archery, swordsmanship, and horse riding.
She dressed like a man, fought, killed and pillaged under her male surname Hjǫrvarðr. When she learned of her father's identity, she decided to live as her father and to find Tyrfingr, the magic sword.
Summoning the dead[]
One day, Hervǫr arrived with her fleet to Munarvágr on Sámsey (Samsø), but she was the only one who dared go ashore upon the haunted island. The remainder of her crew feared the nightly activities around the barrows on the island. As she approached the barrows, she saw a fire shining above them, and she approached the largest one. She then spoke with a loud voice summoning her father Angantýr to reveal himself. She said that as his daughter she was entitled to her rightful inheritance, the cursed sword Tyrfingr. She went on to summon her eleven uncles and did so with such a loud voice and such harsh words that finally, her father's voice was heard and he asked not to pursue her quest. She did not give in but continued to ask for her rightful inheritance.
Finally, the grave opened, and in its center, a fire was shining. There she saw her father, and he warned her not to ask for the sword as it would bring death to their whole clan if she used it. Still, she persisted. Finally the sword was cast out of the grave, and she eagerly gripped it, bid farewell to her dead kinsmen and walked to the shore.
However, when she arrived at the shore, the ships were gone. Her crew had been scared away by the fires and the thunder from the barrows.
After retrieving Tyrfingr[]
Eventually, she managed to leave the island and arrived at the court of Guðmunðr of Glæsisvellir. She still dressed herself as a man and called herself Hervarðr. Cunningly, she helped the king to win playing tafl. However, she also slew a courtier who tried to unsheathe Tyrfingr after she had left it on a chair. Then, she resumed her Viking activities, and traveled far and wide.
Settling down[]
After a while she grew tired of the adventures and returned to her foster-father Bjartmarr. At Bjartmarr's residence, she began sewing and embroidering like other girls, and was considered to be a beautiful and good-mannered girl.
King Guðmundr's son Hǫfundr, then arrived to ask for her hand, and she agreed. The old king Guðmundr arranged a grand wedding, and entrusted the kingdom in the hands of the young couple. They lived happily and had two sons who were given the names Angantýr and Heiðrekr.
The sword Tyrfingr would continue its ill work, and Heiðrekr slew his brother Angantýr with the sword.
Gallery[]
.png "Hervǫr Angantýsdóttir (Moeru! Senjō no Otome Jiten).png (2.2 MB)")
Videos[]
| Heroes in Norse mythology | |
|---|---|
| Angantýr Arngrímsson · Arngrímr · Áslaug · Bjǫrn Járnsíða · Bǫðvarr Bjarki · Egill · Guðmundr · Hagbarðr · Haki · Hamðir · Heiðrekr · Helgi Haddingjaskati · Helgi Hundingsbane · Hervǫr Angantýsdóttir · Hervǫr Heiðreksdóttir · Hildólfr · Hjálmarr and Ingibjǫrg · Hlǫðr · Hrólfr Kraki · Hringr II · Hǫðbroddr · Jónakr's sons (Erpr · Hamðir · Sǫrli) · Karl Hundason · Níðuðr · Palnatóki · Ragnarr Loðbrók · Rerir · Sigi · Sigmundr · Signý Vǫlsungsdóttir · Sigurðr · Sigurðr Hjort · Sinfjǫtli · Starkaðr · Svafrlami · Svanhildr · Svipdagr · Sæmingr · Vésteinn · Víkarr · Vikingr · Vǫlsungr · Yrsa · Ǫrvar-Oddr | |