Valkyrie

Q: Who were the Valkyries?

The Valkyries are figures from Norse Mythology who decided the fate of warriors in battle and carried the souls of the slain back to Odin's hall of Valhalla.

Q: Where are stories of the Valkyries found in Norse Mythology?

Stories of the Valkyries appear in the 13th century CE works, The Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda.

Q: Who is the most famous Valkyrie?

The most famous Valkyrie is Brunhilde who defies Odin and so is made mortal and placed in a deep sleep until a hero braves danger to rescue her. She is featured in Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle and is thought to be the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty character.

Q: What happens to the Valkyries at Ragnarok?

At Ragnarok, the end of the world, the Valkyries are thought to die in battle with Odin against the forces of chaos, though this is never explicitly stated.

Joshua J. Mark

Valkyrie

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Definition

A Valkyrie is a figure in Norse mythology depicted as a warrior woman on horseback, a wolf or boar, and armed with a spear, who decides the fate of warriors in battle and carries the dead to Odin’s Valhalla. Valkyrie means "chooser of the slain", and those chosen will fight beside Odin at Ragnarök.

More about: Valkyrie

Timeline

c. 1220
The figure of the Valkyrie appears in the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson, developed from an earlier concept of a death demon.

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