Who would you be in Viking history?

Were women of the past just like you?

History books tend to highlight our differences. We read about women in impossible situations and wonder what we’d do. But just like us, they were mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. They were also merchants, weavers, fighters, and farmers and so much more. Really, we have a lot in common. Sure, times were harder. And amenities varied…like indoor plumbing! Thank you, we’ll keep that.

For this post, why not put yourself in their shoes? A Viking woman, for instance.

Try this fun quiz—If you went back in time, which Viking woman would you be? 

Read each description in this first section and see which woman is most like you. Discover the name of the real Viking woman, and her story, in the second section.

1. You’re a quiet, deep thinker. There’s a quality of stillness about you that draws people in. Because of these characteristics, you fall into a leadership role whether it’s something you want or not. You’re generous and fair…as long as people abide by your rules. If they don’t, watch out!

2. You’re a tad headstrong but smart. When the odds are against you, you regroup and try a different approach. Some might say you’re wily as a fox. Using feminine wiles and your brain is fair game in your opinion. And menial labor? Not on your list of things to do.

3. You’re gentle, stubborn, and curious. The world is your oyster, and you want to explore it. You get your hands dirty and work hard right alongside men. You’re not concerned about equality because you live as you please; men better respect you (and they do!).

4. You’re fierce – physically and mentally. You’re not afraid to defend what’s yours. Family and friends mean the world to you and anyone bringing trouble to your door better watch out. Though it may exhaust you, you work as hard outside the home as inside.

Who were these Viking women?

1. Audr the Deep-Minded of Iceland (also written as Aud and Udr). The daughter of a Norwegian chieftain, Audr’s story begins on a Viking settlement in northern Scotland. A prosperous woman, she was wed to an ambitious Viking chieftain who later lost his life defying the King of Norway. As soon as her husband took that fateful trip to see the king, Audr secretly commissioned a ship built for the journey to Iceland. Was it wisdom? Intuition? A mother with adult children, she anticipated the worst and was prepared. Fearing the king’s wrath, she fled. Twenty men (thralls, aka slaves) followed her to Iceland. Once there, the current leaders divided the island into 4 sections. They asked Audr to lead one. She did, granting freedom to every thrall who lived in her region. Why did she do this? One of the Icelandic leaders coveted her land and wealth. She knew just how to handle this. Audr gave land to the men who followed her. She encouraged them to start farms and businesses with one requirement – follow her rules and honor her leadership. They did. Loved by friends and family, Audr the Deep-Minded lived a long, fruitful, and well-respected life.

2.  Melkorka, a highborn daughter of Eyre, taken in a raid. Beautiful, young, headstrong. Nothing could save Melkorka from the fate of a stolen woman. She was sold to a Viking trader who paid a very high price to have her. But, Melkorka had a few tricks up her sleeve. She feigned muteness as a form of defiance. History says she said not a word while her Viking master had his way with her. Everyone assumed she was mute. They lived on his ship for a year while he finished his trading journey before heading back to Iceland—to his farmstead where his wife and children lived. His wife tolerated Melkorka…as long as Melkorka chipped in with the chores. The highborn woman wasn’t having it. She disdained menial labor and made life difficult for her Viking mistress. Tension in the home escalated. Melkorka often wandered off and spent the day as she pleased. As you might imagine, nature took its course, and Melkorka had a son. When her son was two-years-old, she’d gone off on her own again and was discovered teaching her son Gaelic! The jig was up. To keep the peace, her Viking master freed Melkorka and gave her a farmstead of her own in another meadow (she ended up having many suitors). She remained in Iceland, but stories say she sent her son back to the land of Eyre. Today, there’s a place in Iceland named after the crafty Melkorka who refused to be conquered.

3. Gudrid of Iceland. Brave and beautiful, her story is in the Sagas. For years, historians claimed she was fictional. Why? Because, they said, Gudrid’s life story was too amazing to be true. Historians (male historians, mind you) said she was as fictional as dragons. Then, in the late 1990s, archaeologists found Gudrid’s home in Iceland and were shocked to find artifacts that supported her exciting life. Gudrid’s first adventure began with Leif Erikson to “Vinland” (a site in North America). She made a home there for 2-3 years. It was rough. On the voyage from Iceland to Vinland, her husband died. Young, attractive, and with a pleasant manner, she soon wed another man on the ship. Gudrid was a hard worker. When their settlement was attacked by a local tribe, she fought back. Her second husband died during an attack. Soon after that loss, she returned to Iceland. But she was restless. Visitors to Iceland shared stories of a fantastical, sunny place called Rome. Young and full of life, Gudrid traveled south to see Rome for herself. She spent a little over a year there before returning to her farmstead in Iceland. Unlike other Vikings, Gudrid was never concerned about making a name for herself. For the most part, she was about farm and family (she wed a third time). On ocean journeys, she’d take a turn at the oars, just like the men. But she was hungry to learn. Her gentle curiosity took her on amazing but true travels.

4.  Freydis (half-sister to Leif). History says Leif Erikson was the brave one, but Freydis was just as fierce and strong. History tends to overlook her. She was known as a wife and mom with a hearty helping of courage. Adventurous at heart, Freydis went with her half-brother to the wilds of Vinland. Isolation and wilderness didn’t phase her. Neither did the local tribes who fought the Vikings often. Amidst the chaos, Freydis was all about making a home. She protected it with undeniable ardor. There’s a story of one attack, where the Viking men ran away afraid. Not Freydis! She picked up a fallen sword, tore her tunic, and fought the invaders with one breast bared. Though pregnant, she wielded the sword and beat her chest, screaming at the attackers. The story says they ran away in shock because of her. Freydis gave birth in Vinland, but it would not be her permanent home. The other Vikings longed for Iceland and the settlement was abandoned. Some say Vinland failed due to a lack of women. (They needed more Freydis’s and Gudrid’s!). One thing is certain, wherever home is Freydis—and any woman like her—is sure to bravely protect it.