Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr

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Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr (also Torgerd Hølgebrud , in German Thorgerd, Hölgi's bride ) is a local North Germanic goddess with a likely cult center in the historic Norwegian region of Hálogaland around the 10th century of the Viking Age .

The figure of Þorgerðr Hǫlgabrúðr is mentioned several times in the saga literature with a legendary-fantastic, fictional character in the material representation; In addition, the sources are interdependent, so that (according to Simek) the interpretation of the figure / deity from the details is not too important.

The goddess is particularly mentioned in connection with the historical battles of the Norwegian Hákon Jarl Sigurðarson and the sea ​​battle in Hjǫrungavágr (around 986), in which he defeated the " Jómswikinger ". According to the Jómsvíkinga saga (Chapter 34), Hákon Jarl is said to have offered his seven-year-old son as a sacrifice to Þorgerðr (and another goddess her sister Irpa ) in order to achieve victory. The goddesses send a devastating storm in which the Jomswikings perish.

In the Færeyinga saga (Chapter 23) there is a description of the Þorgerðr as the patron goddess of the Ladejarle and her temple. In this saga it appears solitary, i.e. in the description of the temple without the Irpa and without, according to the Njáls saga (Chapter 88), in association with Thor and his chariot. The temple is described as having glass windows, which not only shows the high medieval influence of the saga author.

literature