Njörðr - God of Norse Mythology
Njörðr (pronounced: "nyor-th") is a god from Norse mythology who was associated with the sea, seafaring, fishing, and trade, as well as fertility and wealth. His name is closely related to the older Germanic goddess Nerthus, and he was believed to have been an important deity in Nordic religion, although the preserved sources do not show this.
The name "Njörðr" in Old Norse runes is written as:
ᚾᛁᚢᚱᚦᛦ
In Icelandic literature, Njörðr is described as one of the gods who live in Asgard, the realm of the gods. His farm is called Noatun, which means "shipyard," reflecting his connection to seafaring. He was associated with human activities on and by the sea, rather than the sea itself, which was the realm of the giant sea gods Ægir and Ran. Njörðr was a member of the Vanir, a clan of gods who lived in Vanaheim, but after the war between the Æsir and Vanir, he and his children were exchanged as hostages and took up residence in Asgard.
Njörðr was married to Skade, a giantess, but they did not live together because they preferred different environments. Skade lived in the cold and wild mountain areas, while Njörðr preferred the rich fishing grounds and fertile agricultural areas close to the sea. Njörðr was the father of the fertility gods Frey and Freya, although their mother's name is not known.
One of the few surviving myths involving Njörðr is found in the Younger Edda. The story tells how Skade was allowed to choose a husband from among the gods as compensation for the Æsir killing her father Tjasse, but she had to choose based only on their feet. She chose the most beautiful pair of feet, believing them to be Balder's, but they turned out to be Njörðr's.
Njörðr's name can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word Nerþuz and the Indo-European *nerthuz, which likely had the meaning "power." It has been suggested that Njörðr changed gender because feminine nouns with u-stems disappeared from Germanic languages, leaving only masculine u-stems in the Viking Age.
Njörðr's role in the religion of the Viking Age is not well-documented, but there is speculation that he may have had a much greater importance in the past than is shown in the preserved sources. Nevertheless, he remains an important figure in Norse mythology, particularly as a god of seafaring and fertility.
Please note that the information provided about Njörðr and Norse mythology is complex and may be subject to interpretation and debate. The myths and stories of Norse mythology have evolved and been passed down through oral tradition and written accounts, and there may be variations in the way they are told and understood. This information should be used as a general reference and not as a definitive source on the subject.
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Other Norse Gods and Goddesses
- Baldur (Æsir) - God of Light, Beauty, and Goodness
- Bragi (Æsir) - God of Poetry and Song
- Beyla (Æsir) - Goddess of Fertility and Prosperity
- Borr (Æsir) - Father of the Norse Gods
- Byggvir (Vanir) - God of Prosperity and Peace
- Dellingr (Æsir) - God of the Dawn and Justice
- Eir (Ásynjur) - Goddess of Healing and Compassion
- Forseti (Æsir) - God of Justice and Reconciliation
- Freyr (Vanir) - God of fertility, prosperity, and peace.
- Frigg (Ásynjur) - Goddess of marriage and fertility, also known as the queen of the gods.
- Fulla (Ásynjur) - Goddess of Fertility and Abundance
- Gefjon (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fertility and plowing.
- Gilling (Æsir) - A man who was drowned by the god Loki.
- Gjöll (Æsir) - A river that separates the land of the living from the land of the dead.
- Glaumvor (Æsir) - A giantess who was the mother of the god Heimdall.
- Gná (Ásynjur) - Goddess of the messenger of the gods.
- Gullinbursti (Æsir) - A magical boar that was a gift to the god Freyr from the dwarves.
- Gullveig (Vanir) - A goddess who was burned to death by the Æsir, but was reborn as the goddess Hecate.
- Heimdall (Æsir) - God of vigilance and guardian of the Bifröst.
- Hel (Æsir) - Goddess of death and ruler of the realm of the dead.
- Hermod (Æsir) - God of speed and messenger of the gods.
- Hildisvini (Æsir) - A magical boar that was a gift to the goddess Freyja from the dwarves.
- Hlin (Ásynjur) - Goddess of consolation and protection.
- Höðr (Æsir) - God of winter and darkness
- Hönir (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Loki.
- Honir (Æsir) - God of communication and diplomacy.
- Idun (Ásynjur) - Goddess of youth and keeper of the golden apples of immortality.
- Jörd (Ásynjur) - Goddess of earth and fertility.
- Kvasir (Vanir) - God of wisdom and knowledge, who was created from the spit of the Æsir and the Vanir.
- Lóðurr (Æsir) - Described as being involved in the creation of the first humans.
- Lofn (Ásynjur) - Goddess of forbidden love and marriage.
- Loki (Æsir) - God of mischief, deception, and fire.
- Magni (Æsir) - God of strength, who will survive Ragnarök and rule the new world.
- Modi (Æsir) - God of anger, who will survive Ragnarök and rule the new world.
- Mimir (Æsir) - God of wisdom and knowledge, who guarded the well of wisdom.
- Nanna (Ásynjur) - Goddess of love and fertility, who was the wife of Balder.
- Njörðr (Vanir) - God of the sea, wind, and fertility.
- Odin (Æsir) - Chief god and ruler of the gods, who was associated with war, wisdom, poetry, and magic.
- Rán (-) - Goddess of the sea and death by drowning.
- Saga (-) - Goddess of history, poetry, and wisdom.
- Sif (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fertility and abundance, who was the wife of Thor.
- Sigyn (Ásynjur) - Goddess of fidelity and loyalty, who was the wife of Loki.
- Sjöfn (Ásynjur) - Goddess associated with love.
- Skaði (Ásynjur) - Goddess of hunting, skiing, and winter.
- Snotra (Ásynjur) - Goddess associated with wisdom.
- Sól (Ásynjur) - Goddess of the sun.
- Thor (Æsir) - God of thunder, lightning, and protection, who was associated with strength and fertility.
- Týr (Æsir) - God of war and justice.
- Ullr (Æsir) - God of skiing, archery, and the hunt.
- Váli (Æsir) - God of revenge and justice, who was born to avenge the death of his brother Balder.
- Vár (Ásynjur) - Goddess of vows and agreements.
- Vé (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Vili.
- Vili (Æsir) - One of the three creators of the world, along with Odin and Vé.