08/03/2026
Today, on International Women's Day, we honor women – those who have borne, shaped, and guided our world throughout history. But to fully understand and appreciate the strength and role of women, we must look back to the societies of our ancestors. In the Old Norse countries, women were not a shadow in the men’s world – they were a force, creators, and decision-makers. Their voices carried weight, their hands governed the farm and household, and their will shaped the future of the clan.
Our foremothers held a position that, in many respects, was stronger than in many contemporary societies in Europe. They could own land, engage in trade, and even negotiate and participate in legal disputes. Widows or single women could assume full responsibility and manage their own affairs without a guardian. In the legal compilation Grágás, clear provisions exist regarding women's rights to own property and seek divorce.
Women who were housewives ruled the household and were responsible for the finances within the home. They held the keys to the storerooms, a symbol of their authority. But women were not just household managers – they could, for example, be warriors, gyðja, and experienced traders. Stories of women like Freydís Eiríksdóttir, who, according to the Greenland Saga, took up arms and defended her people, or Lagertha, the sharp-witted and feared shield-maiden mentioned by Saxo Grammaticus, show that women were not confined to the home.
Archaeological finds, such as the graves in Birka, testify to female warriors and women in trade. This shows that women not only possibly participated in warfare but likely held high military ranks. Saga literature, such as the saga of Egil Skallagrimsson, mentions strong and decisive women like Egil's grandfather Myrkjartan and his sister Thorgerd, who did not hesitate to make their own decisions and put men in their place.
But then came Christianity. With missionaries and swords, the new faith spread across the Nordic countries, and with it, the position of women changed. The old customs, where women had influence and could exercise power, were deemed heathen and should be replaced by the church's order. The Catholic Church brought laws that restricted women's freedoms, such as making them legally subordinate to their husbands and limiting their rights to own land. Women lost the right to be leaders in spiritual life – the völvas disappeared into the shadows. With Christian legislation, such as the Norwegian Kristinréttir laws from the 1200s, it was established that women must submit to their husbands, and their previous rights were curtailed.
But the strength of women can never be suppressed. Our strong foremothers live on in today’s women – in those who dare, in those who fight, in those who refuse to be silenced. Every woman who raises her voice for justice, every woman who refuses to be chained by norms, is an heir to the pagan women who once ruled, defended, and shaped their own destiny.
So, on this day, International Women's Day, let us honor the women who came before us and the women who today carry forward the legacy of strength, wisdom, and courage.
Let us remember the völvas who whispered the words of fate, the housewives who ruled with a firm hand, the shield-maidens who lifted the sword, and the women who refused to bow to a world that sought to make them small.
Hail our foremothers!
Hail the women of today!
May your strength never fade, may your voices never be silenced!
