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ODIN

HUSBAND:
ODIN. Chief of the Æsir. King of the Saxons. [CHART A1].
Odin stretches across numerous peoples and cultures, and therefore has many names. Even among cultures, he is carries many names. For example, the Norsemen alone gave Odin many nicknames; this was in the Norse bardic tradition of kennings, a poetic method where a person, a place or an object was referred to indirectly, almost like a riddle.

THE NAMES OF ODIN:
Alfadir. (the father of the gods).
Alföðr (Allfather).
Allfather. (the father of the gods).
Allvater. (German).
Atríðr (Rider).
Báleygr (Flaming-eyed).
Biflindi (?).
Bileygr (Shifty-eyed).
Bodo.
Bölverkr (Ill-doer).
Farmatýr (God of Cargoes).
Fjölnir (Many-shaped).
Fjölsviðr (Wide in wisdom).
Þekkr (Much Loved).
Þriði (Third).
Þrór (?).
Þuðr (?).
Þundr (Thunderer).
Gangleri (Wayweary).
Gautr (Father).
Glapsviðr (Swift in deceit).
Godan. (Lombardic). Göndlir (Wand bearer).
Grímnir. (Hooded).
Grímr. (Hooded).
Hanga (the hanged god).
Hangatyr. (the god of the hanged, Lord of the gallows).
Hárbarðr (Greybeard).
Hárr (High).
Helblindi (Hel blinder).
Herjan (Ruler).
Herteitr (Host glad).
Hjálmberi (Helmet bearer).
Hnikarr (Overthrower).
Hnikuðr (Overthrower).
Hroptatýr (Crier of the gods).
Jafnhárr (Even as high).
Jálkr (Gelding).
Kjalarr (Keel).
Mercury. The Roman historian Tacitus refers to Odin as Mercury for the reason that, like Mercury, Odin was regarded as Psychopompos, "the leader of souls".
Oden. (Common Swedish form).
Odin.
Odinn. (Old Norse).
Ómi (Shouter).
Óski (God of wishes).
Oðinn. (Norse).
Othinn.
Sanngetall (Truthful).
Saðr (Truthful).
Skilfingr (Shaker).
Sigföðr (Father of Victory).
Síðhöttr (Broad hat).
Síðskeggr (Long beard).
Sviðrir (Changing(?)).
Sviðurr (Changing(?)).
Svipall (Changing).
Uðr (?).
Váfuðr (Wanderer).
Vak. (An alias he uses to travel icognito among mortals).
Vakr (Wakeful).
Valtam. (An alias he uses to travel icognito among mortals).
Veratýr (Lord of men).
Viðurr (?).
Votan
Voden
Vóden.
Wodan. Dutch, Old Low German.
Woden. Old English. The Old English version, Woden, appears to mean "furious", "wild", "mad".
Wõden. (Old Franconian).
Wotan. German
Woutan. Old High German.
Wuodan. Alemannic
Ygg. Yggdrasil means "Ygg's (Odin's) horse".
Yggr (Terrible).

There were at least two people known as Odin.
1) Odin, King of Denmark from 1040-999 B.C.. Danish history begins with him. He is also known as Danus (Dan) I, and also as Sceaf.
2) The last famous Odin was king of the Saxons from 256-300. He led numerous tribes from Eastern Europe following the Roman attack upon Dacia (modern Romania). (S7).

It is this last one, Odin, King of the Saxons, that is the object of this file. The first Odin is actually his ancestor through the following generations:
Odin (Sceaf). King of Denmark from 1040-999 B.C..
Bedwig
Hwala (Wala)
Hathra
Itermon
Heremod
Sceldwea (Celdwa)
Beaw (Beu)
Geat
Godwulf
Finn
Frithuwulf
Frealaf
Frithuwald
Odin. King of the Saxons from 256-300

ODIN, KING OF THE SAXONS:

Odin was born about 215; son of FRITHUWALD and BELTSA.. Frithuwald is also known as BOR.

He was of the city of Asgaard, in Asaland, or Asaheim, the country east of the Tanaquisl in Asia. See Appendix 1, concerning the possibility of this being modern Asov. It is also said that Asgaard might have been in Byzantium. (S13).

He is said to have married five times:
His primary wife is always (1) Frea (or Frigg), born about 219 AD in Asgaard, Asia; who appears in the myths as a dutiful wife and loving mother.
He married (2) Unknown. She was born about 223 in Asgard, Asia.
He married (3) Skadi in Asia. She was born about 220 in Asgard, Asia.
He married (4) Rind. She was born about 221 in Asgard, Asia, Asi.
He married (5) Unknown in Asgard, Asia. She was born about 225 in Asgard, Asia.
In addition, he is said to have had liasons with:
(6) Jord. By whom he fathered Thor, The god of Thunder.
(7) Grid. The giantess, by whom he fathered Vidar.

He is called, "The Wanderer," and is said to have traveled widely and to have conquered many kingdoms. (S11, S13). He journeyed northward toward Scandanavia, and on his journey he claimed to be a god so that he could win over those he conquered. He is said to have journeyed through many realms, including Russia, Saxony, and Denmark. He made his sons kings of all the lands where he traveled.

He left his son Skjöld to be king in Denmark. Sigge travelled on to Lake Malaren in Sweden, where he built a palace and temple, reigning over all the land. Casere became ancestors of the Angles. Sigrlami became King of Gardariki, in Russia.

His reign as King of the Saxons begins in 256 AD.

His life is surrounded with so much mythology that has been added over the years that it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Some of the stories that are told include:
He possessed Sleipnir, an eight-legged horse.
He possessed the severed head of the dwarf Mimir, which foretold the future.
He possessed the spear Gungnir, which never misses its target.
He possessed the ring Draupnir, from which every ninth night eight new rings appear.
He resides in Valhalla, where the slain warriors are taken.
He is accompanied by the wolves Freki and Geri, to whom he gives his food for he himself consumes nothing but wine.
His hall in Asgard is Valaskjalf ("shelf of the slain") where his throne Hlidskjalf is located.
He is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon, the foremost of the Aesir.


His attributes are just as many and varied: Odin is called the god of war and death, but also the god of poetry and wisdom. Odin can make the dead speak to question the wisest amongst them. From this throne he observes all that happens in the nine worlds. The tidings are brought to him by his two raven Huginn and Muninn. Odin has only one eye, which blazes like the sun. His other eye he traded for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, and gained immense knowledge. On the day of the final battle, Odin will be killed by the wolf Fenrir.

Odin was a compulsive seeker of wisdom, and was so consumed by his passion for knowledge that he sacrificed one eye. He also hung himself from the tree Yggdrasil whilst pierced by his own spear. The purpose of this strange ritual, a god sacrificing himself to himself because there was nothing higher to sacrifice to, was to obtain mystical insight through mortification of the flesh. Norse scholars assert that the Norse believed that insight into the runes could only be truly attained in death. (S4). He hung there for nine days and nights, a number deeply significant in Norse magical practice. There were, for example, 9 realms of existence. He thereby learned the nine magical songs and eighteen magical runes. It is said of this event, "He was near his death when he made himself be marked with the point of a spear, and said he was going to Godheim, and would give a welcome there to all his friends." (S13).

Odin's love for wisdom can also be seen in his work as a farmhand for a summer, for Baugi, in order to obtain the mead of poetry.

He died presumably in 300 AD, when his reign ends. (S?). He was buried in Swithiod (Mannheim), Sweden. Odin was burnt, and at his pile there was great splendour. According to the Old Norse faith, the higher the smoke arose in the air, the higher the person on the pyre would be raised; and the more property that was consumed with him, the richer he would be. (S13).

WIFE (1):
FREA (Friga, Frigg, Friege, Frigida).
Frea was born about 219, of Asgaard; daughter of (Njörð, the Sea God and N. N. of Vanaland-S13).
According to Snorri's Edda, Freya's husband named Odr was away on long journeys, and for this reason Freya cried tears of red gold.

In Norse mythology, Frea, as Frigg or Frigga, was foremost among the goddesses; the queen of the Æsir, the goddess of Love, Fertility, Battle, and Death, and goddess of the sky. Early traditions do not distinguish clearly between Freya and Frigg, though the names have different origins. In the later Scandinavian mythology, Freya and Frigg were obviously not one and the same, being different goddesses with separate functions, personalities and symbols. However, they appeared in the same text together on many occasions.

The Frigg who was the wife of Odin (Woden) is often confused with the Frigg who was the wife of Wettin, and daughter of Cadwalladr. (see for example S10). Wettin and his wife Frigg lived in the mid-fourth century AD, while Odin and his wife Frigg lived in the early to mid first century BC. Some of the lineages attributed to Odin are probably those of Wettin. (S14).

Forms of Frea:
Freja. (common Danish and literary Swedish form).
Freia.
Frey.
Frigg (Eddas)
Frigga (Gesta Danorum)
Friia.
Frija. (variant of Friia).
Fröa. (common Norwegian, and rural Swedish form).
Froya.
Frya. (Frisian goddess in the Oera Linda Book, though her attributes are somewhat different).
Frøya. (common Norwegian, and rural Swedish form.
Gefn. (according to Snorri Gefyon/Gefjun is not the same as Gefn).
Heath.
Hörn (also listed in the thulur as a giantess name)
Reija. (Finnish form).
Vanadís ("Lady of the Vanir")

CHILDREN of ODIN and FREA:
The real children of Odin are just as difficult to sort out as the rest of his life. Most are listed here as children of Frea, though several are probably with other wives, and some may be outright mythical creations. Those that are especially mentioned as children of Frea/Frigg are Baldur, Skjold, Hod, Baeldaeg, Skjold, and Heremod.
  1. BAELDAEG. (Beldeg, Bældæg). Born about 243 AD. His descendants became the Kings of Wessex. He married Nanna of Norway, daughter of Gewar of Norway.
  2. WAEGDAEG. (Wegdeg, Wecta, Wihtlæg). Born in Scandinavia about 255. His line is continued by Witta, Wihtgils, Hengest and Horsa, and the Kings of Kent, by Wermund king of Angel, Offa Wermundson, Angeltheow, Eomer, Icel and the Kings of Mercia.
  3. SKJOLD. (Skjoeld, Skjöld). King of the Danes. Born about 237. Ancestor of the Skjölding dynasty in Denmark. Skjöld. In Snorri's Ynglinga Saga in the Heimskringla, Skjöld's mother is the goddess Gefjön and the same account occurs in most, but not all, manuscripts of the Edda. But Saxo makes Skjöld the son of Lother son of Dan. He is also said to have married Gefion (Gefjön). In English tradition Skjöld (called Scyld or Sceldwa) is son of Sceaf or of Heremod when a father is named. This could be confusion with the original ODIN or Sceaf.
  4. Baldr (Balder, Baldur) is also said to be a son of Odin. This could be the same as Baeldaeg. Nep is the father of Baldur's wife Nanna. This could be the Nep listed below as a son of Odin.
  5. CASERE. Born in Scandinavia about 247. He married (unknown) in Ancient Saxony, Northern Germany. Casere's line is continued by Tytmon, Trygils, Hrothmund, Hryp, Wilhelm, Wehha, Wuffa and the Kings of East Anglia.
  6. SEAXNETE. (Saexneat). Born in Scandinavia about 249. He married (unknown) in Ancient Saxony, Northern Germany.
  7. YNGVI. (Yngvi-Freyr, Ölldner, Ölner). A son of Odin in the prologue to the Edda. Yngvi is ancestor of the legendary Swedish Ynglings. Discussions of Yngvi are mostly identical with Frey in extant texts, even though in almost all sources Frey (often called Yngvi-Frey) is instead the son of Njörd. But a Faroese ballad recorded in 1840 names Odin's son as Veraldur, this Veraldur being understood as another name of Frö, that is of Frey. (S4).
  8. WINTA. Born in Scandinavia about 253. He married (unknown) in Ancient Saxony, Northern Germany.
  9. SIGRLAMI. King of Gardariki, Russia. Sigrlami was born in Scandinavia about 245. He married Heid. She was born about 249 in Gardariki, Russia.
  10. WEOTHELGEAT. Born in Scandinavia about 251. He married (unknown) in Ancient Saxony, Northern Germany.
  11. Heimdall.
  12. Bragi.
  13. Tyr. Tyr, according to the Eddic poem Hymiskvida, was son of the giant Hymir rather than a son of Odin.
  14. Höd. (Saxo calls him Høtherus).
  15. SIGI. He was the ancestor of the Völsung lineage (see Völsunga saga) who were Frankish kings according to Snorri. [see VOLSUNG].
  16. HEREMOD. Hermód appears in Snorri's Gylfaginning as the messenger sent by Odin to Hel to seek to bargain for Balder's release. He is called "son" of Odin in most manuscripts, but in the Codex Regius version—the Codex Regius is normally considered the best manuscript—Hermód is called sveinn Óðins 'Odin's boy', which might mean Odin's son but in the context is as likely to mean Odin's servant. However when Hermód arrives in Hel's hall, Snorri calls Baldur his brother. To confuse matters other texts know of a mortal hero named Hermód or Heremod. (S4).
  17. Meili. Meili appears in the eddic poem Hárbardsljód where Thor calls himself Odin's son, Meili's brother and Magni's father. (S4).
  18. Nep.
  19. Hildolf. The name Hildolf appears in the eddic poem Hárbardsljód applied by the ferryman Harbard to his supposed master, but Harbard is actually Odin in disguise and there is no clear reference here to a son of Odin. Hildolf and Itreksjod may have been legendary founders of families purportedly descended from Odin in traditions that have not survived. (S4).
  20. Itreksjod. Hildolf and Itreksjod may have been legendary founders of families purportedly descended from Odin in traditions that have not survived. (S4).
  21. Some manuscripts add additional names of sons of Odin which are otherwise unknown: "Ennelang, Eindride, Bior, Hlodide, Hardveor, Sönnöng, Vinthior, Rymur."


WIFE (2):
Unknown.
She was born about 223 in Asgard, Asia.

CHILDREN
  1. ?


WIFE (3):
Skadi. (Skaði).
She was born about 220 in Asgard, Asia; daughter of Thiazi, the Giant. Odin married (3) Skadi in Asia.

CHILDREN of ODIN and SKADI:
  1. SAEMING. (Sæming, Saemingr). King of the Norse. Born in Norway about 239. Of Norway. Ancestor of a line of Norwegian kings. Snorri's Ynglinga Saga relates that after the giantess Skaði broke off her marriage with Njörd, she "married afterwards Odin, and had many sons by him, of whom one was called Sæming" from whom Jarl Hákon claimed descent. Snorri then quotes a relevant verse by the poet Eyvindr skáldaspillir. However in his preface to the Heimskringla Snorri says that Eyvindr's Háleygjatal which reckoned up the ancestors of Jarl Hákon brought in Sæming as son of Yngvi-Frey. Snorri may have slipped here, thinking of the Ynglings. As to the many sons, it is possible that some of the otherwise unknown sons in the previous section may be sons purportedly born by Skadi.(S4). About him Eyvind Skaldaspiller sings thus: "To Asa's son Queen Skade bore Saeming, who dyed his shield in gore, -- The giant-queen of rock and snow, Who loves to dwell on earth below, The iron pine-tree's daughter, she Sprung from the rocks that rib the sea, To Odin bore full many a son, Heroes of many a battle won." He was the ancestor of Earl Hakon the Great.


WIFE (4):
RIND. (Rinda)
She was born about 221 in Asgard, Asia; daughter of the King of the Ruthenians.

CHILDREN of ODIN and RIND:
  1. VALI. (Vale, Ali, Wale, Bous, Boe). Born in Scandinavia about 241. In Snorri's Gylfaginning Ali is another name for Vali.


WIFE (5):
Unknown.
Odin married (5) Unknown in Asgard, Asia. She was born about 225 in Asgard, Asia, Asi.

CHILDREN of ODIN and Unknown:


WIFE (6):
JORD. 'Earth'
She is said to be a goddess.

CHILDREN
  1. THOR. Some sources say Thor is the son of Frea.
  2. Jörd. A daughter. (The only daughter anywhere ascribed to Odin is Jörd 'Earth' in a single passage of the Gylfaginning. See Jörd and Annar.)


WIFE (7):
GRID.
The giantess Grid became the mother of Vidar.


CHILDREN
  1. VIDAR.


SOURCES:

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APPENDIX 1:

Jakten på Odin. (The search for Odin).

Jakten på Odin is the project title of Thor Heyerdahl's last series of anthropological excavations, which took place in northern Europe. His intention was to seek the origins of the Asas, following the trade set out by Snorri Sturluson in the Ynglinga saga, from the Black Sea and the river Don (former Tanakvisl) via Saxon homelands in northern Germany, Odense on Fyn, Denmark to Sigtuna, ancient Sweden. When he died, the second season of excavations were just finished.

The excavations performed in Azov, Russia, near the entry of the Don into the Black Sea have shown that Azov actually did have a population at the time of the emigration of the Asas (sometimes around 60 B.C., according to the references to Roman expansion into the Kaukasus). Furthermore, there exists today a people called the Odin-people, living in Azerbadjan, who consider themselves to be descended from the very same ancient people that supposedly emigrated to Scandinavia a long time ago. Last, but not least, the idea in Scandinavia that no people like the Asas and the Van have ever existed—well, according to Heyerdahl's findings, Russian written sources from the Kaukasus area verify not only the existence of the Asas—the Odin people of today—but also of an ancient tribe living around the area of Lake Van in todays Turkey.

The background for the project is described in a book, Jakten på Odin—På sporet av vår fortid, written by Thor Heyerdahl himself and Per Lillieström (ISBN 82-7201-316-9).

Bjornar Storfjell's account: A personal account of an anthropologist who worked with Thor Heyerdahl http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/ai102_folder/102_articles/102_heyerdahl_storfjell.html

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[S4] Sons of Odin From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia According to Herrauds saga: * Gauti. Gauti's son Hring ruled Ostrogothia (East Götaland), so Gauti appears to be the eponym of the Geatas in Beowulf. Some versions of the English royal line of Wessex add names above that of Woden, purportedly giving Woden's ancestry, though the names are now usually thought be in fact another royal lineage that has been at some stage erroneously pasted onto the top of the standard genealogy. Some of these genealogies end in Geat, whom it is reasonable to think might be Gauti. The account in the Historia Britonum calls Geat a son of a god which fits. But Asser in his Life of Alfred writes instead that the pagans worshipped this Geat himself for a long time as a god. In Old Norse texts Gaut is itself a very common byname for Odin. Jordanes in The origin and deeds of the Goths traces the line of the Amelungs up to Hulmul son of Gapt, purportedly the first Gothic hero of record. This Gapt is felt by many commentators to be an error for Gaut or Gauti. According to Hervarar saga ok Heidreks konungs ("The Saga of Hervor and King Heidrek") versions H and U: * Sigrlami. He was son of Odin and king of Gardariki. His son Svafrlami succeeded him. Svafrlami forced the dwarves Dvalin and Durin to forge himself a superb sword, Tyrfing. They did so and cursed it. In version R Sigrlami takes on the role of Svafrlami and his parentage is not given. In the prologue to the Edda Snorri also mentions sons of Odin who ruled among the continental Angles and Saxons and provides information about their descendants that is identical or very close to traditions recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Snorri may here be dependant on English traditions. The sons mentioned by both Snorri and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle are: * Vegdeg/Wægdæg/Wecta. According to Snorri Vegdeg ruled East Saxony. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle does not make it clear that Wægdæg and Wecta are identical (or perhaps it is Snorri or a source who has wrongly conflated Wecta with Wægdæg). In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle the Wecta form of the name heads the lineage of the kings of Kent (of whom Hengest is traditionally the first) and the Wægdæg form of the name heads the lineage of the kings of Bernicia. * Beldeg. According to Snorri's prologue Beldeg was identical to Baldur and ruled in Westphalia. There is no independent evidence of the identification of Beldeg with Baldur. From Beldeg the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle traces the kings of Deira and Wessex. Other Anglo-Saxon genealogies mention: * Weothulgeot or Whitlæg. According to the genealogies in the Angian collection, Weothulgeot was ancestor to the royal house of Mercia and the father of Whitlæg. According to the Historia Brittonum, Weothulgeot was father of Weaga who was father of Whitlæg. But the two Anglo-Saxon Chronicle versions of this genealogy include neither Weothulgeot nor Weaga but make Whitlæg himself the son of Woden. In all versions Whitlæg is father of Wermund father of Offa. According to the Old English poem Widsith Offa ruled over the continental Angels. Saxo, though not mentioning Whitlæg's parentage, introduces Whitlæg as a Danish king named Wiglek who was the slayer of Amleth (Hamlet). * Caser. He was ancestor to the royal house of East Anglia. * Winta. He was ancestor to the royal house of Lindsey/Lindisfarne. This genealogy is found only in the Anglian collection, not in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Froger Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum (Book 4) speaks of Froger, the King of Norway, who was a great champion. Saxo relates: According to some, he was the son of Odin, and when he begged the immortal gods to grant him a boon, received the privilege that no man should conquer him, save he who at the time of the conflict could catch up in his hand the dust lying beneath Froger's feet. King Fródi the Active of Denmark, still a young man, learning of the charm, begged Froger to give him lessons in fighting. When the fighting court had been marked off, Fródi entered with glorious gold-hilted sword and clad in a golden breastplate and helmet. Fródi then begged a boon from Froger, that they might change positions and arms. Froger agreed. After the exchange, Fródi caught up some dust from where Froger had been standing and then quickly defeated Froger in battle and slew him. [edit]