Viking Warrior-Women in the History of Ireland
The Norse sagas told of “shield maidens” fighting alongside their menfolk in the Viking Age. The Irish chroniclers also recounted Norse warrior-women leading fleets and armies against Gaelic kings.
DNA evidence from the grave of a warrior noble at Birka in Sweden confirmed women were actively involved in seafaring, raiding, trading and warfare in Northern Europe.
The legends of Viking warrior-women in the Gesta Danorum, Volsunga Saga and Laxdaela Saga were accurate representations according to recent genetic evidence from a grave in Sweden.
Scientists established that the Vikings buried a female warrior noble at Birka in Sweden in the tenth century. They entombed the warrior-woman in a wooden chamber.
The game pieces in the tomb implied the woman was a high ranking Norse leader. Her most prized possessions of a sword, axe, spear, knife and numerous arrowheads accompanied the noblewoman in the afterlife.
The pagan priests sacrificed a stallion and mare during the funerary rites. The souls of the horses joined the Viking warrioress in halls of the Norse gods and goddesses.
The archaeological evidence proved a minority of women in Scandinavia chose the life of a shield-maiden.
The Laxdaela Saga, Greenland Saga and Saxo Grammaticus claimed women became professional fighters when they were no sons to defend the honour of a family. Some women preferred the life of a pirate to avoid an unsuitable marriage.
The Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib, or “The War of the Irish with the Foreigners”, described the exploits of a Viking warrioress called Inghen Ruadh, or “Red Maiden” in 917. Inghen Ruadh was the leader of one of the sixteen fleets that attacked Munster in 917.
The red hair of Inghen Ruadh only added to her fearsome reputation in Ireland. Inghen Ruadh showed no mercy to her enemies. She slaughtered them with no prisoners taken. The Irish regarded Inghen Ruadh as the most savage of the Viking warrior-women.
The chroniclers stated Inghen Ruadh and the Vikings ravaged the Gaelic monasteries, churches and communities in Munster. “And assuredly the evil which Erinn had hitherto suffered was as nothing compared to evil inflicted by these parties”.
The Danish historian, Saxo Grammaticus, narrated Inghen Ruadh was the heroine, Rusla or Rusila.
Rusla was the daughter of Rieg, the king of southern Norway. She became a shield-maiden when a rival king called Omund deprived her brother, Thrond, of his throne.
Omund was a clever man and manipulated Thrond into allying himself with the Danes. Thrond and Omund waged war against their enemy, Rusla.
The “ amazon Rusla, whose prowess in warfare exceeded the spirit of a woman, had many fights in Norway with her brother, Thrond, for the sovereignty. She could not endure that Omund rule over the Norwegians, and she had declared war against all the subjects of the Danes”.
Rusla led a nomadic life as the Viking pirate queen, Inghen Ruadh. She attacked Danish ships and raided the coasts of Denmark for many years. Her raids on the coasts of Britain, Ireland and Iceland were also celebrated in the Norse sagas.
Stikla was the deputy of Rusla and a skilled warrioress. She accompanied Rusla on her voyages and engaged in warfare against her enemies.
Rusla attacked the ship of her brother, Thrond, during her campaign against the Danes. Thrond narrowly escaped with his life and sought revenge against his sister, Rusla.
Omund and Thrond defeated Rusla and her fleet during a great sea battle. Thrond captured his sister Rusla. He held Rusla by the hair and killed her among the rowing oars of his crew.
Saxo Grammaticus narrated that two loyal warriors of Rusla called Thorias and Ber “were roving in Ireland; but...they heard of the death of their mistress”. The account suggested Rusla died shortly after attacking Munster in 917.
The Irish Annals later claimed the warrioress, Rusla, fought with the Vikings against the legendary Irish king, Brian Boru, at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Murchadh, the son of Brian Boru, killed Rusla on the battlefield. Her two sons, also died at the Battle of Clontarf.
Some scholars believe Rusla, or Ingean Ruagh, was the fairy queen, bean ruadh, in an Irish poem.
Rusla died at the hands of Murchadh in the Slieve Aughty mountains of Galway. She transformed into the fairy queen, bean ruadh, and resided at her sidhe, or underground kingdom, in the Slieve Aughty.
The early Viking history of Ireland is discussed in:
Olaf the White and Ivar the Boneless - The Viking Kings of Dublin: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0916GJ3B2
And Vikings in Ireland (870 - 914): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096KVNBZK
References
Wikipedia - Rusla: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusla
Library Ireland - The Northmen (2): https://www.libraryireland.com/HullHistory/Northmen2.php
History UK - Did Viking Shield Maidens Really Exist?: https://www.history.co.uk/.../did-viking-shield-maidens...
Project Gutenberg - The Danish History by Saxo Grammaticus:
Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh: The War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill: Or, The ... edited by James Henthorn Todd: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1150/1150-h/1150-h.htm
Wiley Online Library - A female Viking Warrior: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajpa.23308
Wikipedia - Birka Female Viking Warrior: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birka_female_Viking_warrior
National Geographic - Famous Viking Warrior Women:
Aughty - Definitions Archive 1: http://www.aughty.org/define_arch01.htm
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