The Choosers of the Slain: Unveiling the Mythic Valkyries of Norse Tradition

Cultures · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In Norse mythology, valkyries are not merely warriors but supernatural choosers of the slain. These enigmatic figures, often depicted as bright, golden-haired maidens, determined the fate of soldiers on the battlefield and guided the worthy to Odin’s hall, Valhalla. Their influence spanned from ancient oral traditions to 13th-century written sagas.

The term valkyrie originates from the Old Norse valkyrja, meaning 'chooser of the slain,' a compound of valr, referring to the battlefield dead, and kjósa, meaning to choose. While often romanticized in modern culture, their mythological roles were multifaceted. They served as attendants to the god Odin, bringing mead to the einherjar—warriors who spent their afterlife preparing for the cataclysmic battle of Ragnarök. Beyond their service in Valhalla, valkyries were frequently associated with fate, often linked to the Norns and the dísir, and were described as riding through the air and sea, sometimes accompanied by ravens, swans, or wolves.

Historical accounts, primarily compiled in the 13th century within the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, and various sagas, reveal a complex taxonomy of these beings. Some sources depict them as purely supernatural, while others portray them as human heroines with divine powers. In the poem Völuspá, a seeress lists several valkyries, including Skuld, Gunnr, and Göndul, who were tasked with deciding the outcome of battles. Their presence was so deeply embedded in the Norse worldview that they became central motifs in skaldic poetry, where their names were used as kennings—poetic metaphors—for battle, shields, and swords.

The influence of the valkyrie extended into the political and social fabric of the era. In the 10th-century poem Hákonarmál, the valkyries Göndul and Skögul are sent by Odin to select kings for Valhalla, underscoring their role in legitimizing royal death. Even after the Christianization of Scandinavia, these figures persisted in folklore and literature. A 14th-century charm from Bergen, Norway, even invoked the valkyrie Göndul, demonstrating the enduring power of these mythological figures long after the decline of pagan practice. Whether weaving the fates of men at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 CE or appearing as lovers to mortal heroes, the valkyrie remains a potent symbol of the intersection between human mortality and divine intervention.

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