The Æsir Aesir
Family Clan
The Old Ones
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Source: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Aesir https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/blog/the-world-of-the-aesir-gods-in-norse-mythology-
In Old Norse, the Æsir or Aesir are the principal gods of the Norse pantheon. They are one of two major clans of Norse deities (the other being the Vanir). Among the Aesir are many famous figures found in the Scandinavian tales such as Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. These Norse gods are understood to dwell in Asgard, a realm separated from the mortal world (Midgard) by Bifrost (the rainbow bridge).
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Origin of the Aesir
The Asen, one of the two main groups of gods in Norse mythology, originate from early Germanic religion and culture. The term 'Asen' is derived from the Old Norse word 'Æsir', which means 'gods'. The Asen are closely associated with the mythological tales of the Vikings and the Edda poems recorded in medieval Iceland. These gods are considered to be the inhabitants of Asgard, one of the nine worlds connected by the world tree Yggdrasil.
Read More Yggdrasil
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The origins of the Asen are deeply rooted in the Norse creation story. According to the Prose Edda, written by Snorri Sturluson in the 13th century, the first beings emerged from the primordial chaos Ginnungagap. The giant Ymir was created from the meltwater of the glacier Niflheim and the sparks of the fire Muspelheim. Ymir's body later became the first gods, including Odin, Vili and Vé, who then created the world from Ymir's body.
Read More Ymir
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The Aesir-Vanir War
Source: https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-aesir-vanir-war/
In Norse mythology, gods and goddesses usually belong to one of two tribes: the Aesir and the Vanir. Throughout most of the Norse tales, deities from the two tribes get along fairly easily, and it’s hard to pin down firm distinctions between the two groups. But there was a time when that wasn’t the case.
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The War of the Gods
The Vanir goddess Freya was always the foremost practitioner of the art of seidr, the most terribly powerful kind of magic. Like historical seidr practitioners, she wandered from town to town plying her craft for hire.
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Under the name Heiðr (“Bright”), she eventually came to Asgard, the home of the Aesir. The Aesir were quite taken by her powers and zealously sought her services. But soon they realized that their values of honor, kin loyalty, and obedience to the law were being pushed aside by the selfish desires they sought to fulfill with the witch’s magic. Blaming Freya for their own shortcomings, the Aesir called her “Gullveig” (“Gold-greed”) and attempted to murder her. Three times they tried to burn her, and three times she was reborn from the ashes.
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Because of this, the Aesir and Vanir came to hate and fear one another, and these hostilities erupted into war. The Aesir fought by the rules of plain combat, with weapons and brute force, while the Vanir used the subtler means of magic. The war went on for some time, with both sides gaining the upper hand by turns.
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Eventually the two tribes of divinities became weary of fighting and decided to call a truce. As was customary among the ancient Norse and other Germanic peoples, the two sides agreed to pay tribute to each other by sending hostages to live among the other tribe. Freya, Freyr, and Njord of the Vanir went to the Aesir, and Hoenir (pronounced roughly “HIGH-neer”) and Mimir went to the Vanir.
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Njord and his children seem to have lived more or less in peace in Asgard. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of Hoenir and Mimir in Vanaheim. The Vanir immediately saw that Hoenir was seemingly able to deliver incomparably wise advice on any problem, but they failed to notice that this was only when he had Mimir in his company. Hoenir was actually a rather slow-witted simpleton who was at a loss for words when Mimir wasn’t available to counsel him.
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After Hoenir responded to the Vanir’s entreaties with the unhelpful “Let others decide” one too many times, the Vanir thought they had been cheated in the hostage exchange. They beheaded Mimir and sent the severed head back to Asgard, where the distraught Odin chanted magic poems over the head and embalmed it in herbs. Thus preserved, Mimir’s head continued to give indispensable advice to Odin in times of need.
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The two tribes were still weary of fighting a war that was so evenly-matched, however. Rather than renewing their hostilities over this tragic misunderstanding, each of the Aesir and Vanir came together and spat into a cauldron. From their saliva they created Kvasir, the wisest of all beings, as a way of pledging sustained harmony.
This storyline continues in the tale of the Mead of Poetry (click).
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A Paradigm for Social Relations
Whatever other meanings this tale may have had for the Vikings, one seems to be that it set a divine precedent for Norse social relations. The famed Old Norse scholar E.O.G. Turville-Petre offers the following summary of the meaning of the tale, which he places side by side with similar tales from other branches of the Indo-European family: “[T]he Norse, Irish, Roman, and Indian tales seem to serve the same purpose. They explain how gods and men, who have such different interests and ambitions, as the agriculturalist, the merchant, the warrior, and the king, can live together in harmony.”
Herknungr - Æsir
Lyrics
A track about the Æsir gods, using a picture of Odin. As one of the most powerful and knowledgeable gods.
Lyrics
Djörf, öflugur og óbugandi
Heimdallr Hlín
Sjöfn Snotra Syn
Ullr Váli Vidar Vör
Helrunar - Älter als das Kreuz
Lyrics Language is German Translated into English
I know a path older than the cross
The runes smell of bark
I know a stone older than the cross
That knows the earth's womb
I know a grave older than the cross
Between the sun and the moon
I know a clearing older than the cross
There is only shadow for others
The grove became a thicket, abandoned in the cold
No sun rods in the cold crevices of the earth
Finally, Aesir and Ida-velli
Ok um mold biur mattkan döma
ok minnask bar a megin doma
Ok a Fimbul-Tyss fornar runar
I know a stream older than the cross
That pours into the valley
I know signs older than the cross
The earth directs the path
The grove became a thicket, abandoned in the cold
No sun rods in the cold crevices of the earth
Finally, Aesir and Ida-velli
Ok um mold biur mattkan döma
ok minsk bar a megin doma
Ok a Fimbul-Tyss fornar runar
Folkearth - Storm Ravens Come
Lyrics
Hammers of thunder temper a storm
Wailing the wonds descend from the North
Dragons awaken in their sanctums of frost
Three hundred berserkers strong
Sail a' Viking ere the break of dawn!
Plunder in the East
Raze village - burn monasteries
Wicked thralls of this pale Christ
"In our heart we know no fear
In our eyes swells no tear.
Should death we meet today
Let it be so...
Crowned in glory we shall fall!"
Storm Ravens sweep me away
Howl blood to the wintry sway
In Valhalla for me Odin shall await!
Call beyond the nigthly sky
The brave who lost their lives
Howl blood to the wintry sway
In Valhalla for me Odin shall await!
Feel the rage of the Aesir and die!
Storm Ravens come
With swords blessed by the Gods
Raging and furious
In battle they stand victorious
Twin ravens soaring high
Feel the rage of Aesir and die!
Storm Ravens come
Amon Amarth-Arrival of the Fimbul Winter Lyric Video
Lyrics
The bleak fimbul winter arrived
Raging across the world
With a fury that defied the memory of man
Terrible wars where fought,
the like had never been seen
Men slew without a thought
The ties of kinship were no more
Skoll and Hati, the ravenous wolves
Arose and devoured the sun and the moon
Darkness descended upon the earth
And the stars fell from the skies
Loud blows heimdall the horne's in the air
Odin quests the head of Mim
Now shakes the holy ash where it stands
The ancient tree moans, Fenris breaks free
How are the Aesir?
How are the Alves?
Loud sounds Joutunheim
Aesir comprise
By the stonedoors dwarfs are moaning
The mountains wise men
Know you now or not?
With his shield at hand
Hrym travels from the east
The serpant is turning, enormous in rage
The serpant breaks the waves
The eagle screams
Nidhoggs tearing corpses
Free comes Nagelfar
Loke leads the legions of the dead
In holy war
Against the justice made by Aesir
Pictures Videos Music and Additional Reading
Ásgarðr - Heimr ása (Realm of the Æsir) | Níu Heimar | Norse Folk Mythology Music
Step into the shining halls of Norse mythology with this powerful song inspired by Ásgarðr — the celestial stronghold of the Æsir gods.
High above Midgard, in the branches of Yggdrasil, stands Ásgarðr, home of the gods of war, wisdom, and glory. There, Odin sits upon Hlidskjálf, watching all worlds. Thor's thunder shakes the skies, and the Valkyries ride through storm and fire to carry the fallen to Valhalla. This hymn is a tribute to the divine realm of judgment, honor, and eternal battle — where fate is forged in lightning and blood.
A Big Crazy Clan
Source: https://thevikingherald.com/article/norse-mythology-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-aesir/579 The Æsir (Old Norse for the plural form of "god") surely are one of the most dysfunctional divine clans, sometimes portrayed as a heavenly family (it's complicated) found in any religion throughout the world and down through the ages.
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Their home is Asgard, the realm of the gods, just one of the nine realms in Norse cosmology. The Æsir have sometimes been portrayed as an "elder" clan of gods, contrasting with the supposedly "younger" clan of the Vanir.
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The most recent scholarship on this is that there are no age dynamics between the two godly clans of Norse mythology and that they are considered contemporaries. The relationship between the two clans is one of conflict, chaos, and bloodshed. Hostages are taken, gods are slain, and a state of eternal conflict is said to exist between these two divine clans.
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The reason why some scholars speculate that the Æsir are of a senior rank to the Vanir is due to the membership of this divine family. Often the gods that are in the Aesir are associated with wisdom, power, war, and divine sovereignty.
Some of the members include:
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Odin – also known as the All-Father, is the Big Daddy of Norse mythology. The worship of Odin dates back to the very early medieval period and, perhaps, as far back as the Classical Antiquity period. He is the ruler of Asgard and is associated with magic, strategy, poetry, and war.
He has acquired his vast knowledge through trial, tribulations, and personal sacrifice. He wouldn't be seen anywhere without his two ravens and is often depicted with a cloak and a hat (supposedly the inspiration for Gandalf's costume in the Lord of The Rings movies)
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Thor – If you have never heard of the Æsir or even the Vikings, chances are you'll know Thor thanks to the recent movie adaptations of the Marvel comic book character.
No, Thor is not a bronzed Aussie heartthrob but the Norse God of Thunder. He is perhaps the greatest warrior out of the gods, thanks, in part, to his magical hammer, Mjöllnir.
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Loki – perhaps another Norse god that has entered the popular imagination through Marvel movies. Yet this god is far more complex and nuanced than any two-dimensional Hollywood portrayal of a malign trickster.
Loki is both a member of the Æsir and a blood brother to the Jötnar as well as a brother to Thor and a son of Odin. Complex ancestry? He is renowned for his cunning mind and shapeshifting abilities.
His complex nature, sometimes a hindrance, sometimes a help to the gods and humanity, reflects the sense of chaos that people in Viking societies thought was reflective of the universe itself.
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Frigg – Odin was not alone in ruling Asgard as he had Frigg by his side and vice versa. Frigg was seen as an equal of Odin, a co-ruler of the realm of Norse gods.
She was also associated with motherhood, marriage, and domestic bliss... making it evident that Norse society was deeply misogynistic and patriarchal, like most pre-modern (and many modern) societies.
Her knowledge was said to be even greater than Odin's, as she had the ability to see the future but kept her secrets to herself. Later depictions saw her become associated with love and fertility.
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Tyr – We can thank this Norse god for the second day of the week, Tuesday. Aside from being the inspiration for no one's favorite day of the week, Tyr is also associated with law and justice and is another son of Odin. His epic fight with the giant wolf, Fenrir, left more than a bloody scar and is often depicted with one hand.
He is most associated with upholding oaths (a serious business in an honor-based society prevalent throughout the "Viking homeland") and is seen as a sort of neutral arbiter, above the fray of heated arguments, dispensing fair and balanced guidance for all.
Todtgelichter - Asenschlacht
Lyrics Language is German Translated into English
The Wolf, the Midgard Serpent – Set to Fight
Loke Arrives There
Giants from Every World with Him
Thus He Leads Hel's Host
Now All the Aesir and Einherjer Prepare
To Come to the Place of Choice
Wodan Strides to Battle Against Fenrir
Walks with Thunder at His Side
He Cannot Help
Midgard's Worm Blocks the View
What Will Become of Wodan at the End of the World
When Gods Perish
Everything Must Die
The Wolf Devours the World Father There
Widar Will Avenge It, Immediately at the Place of Battle
Heimdall Fights with Loke on the Field
Both Slay Each Other
Each Falls a Hero
Though Donar Wins Victory Over the Serpent
Defies Its Poison, to Which He Succumbs
Ragnarok
Twilight of the Gods
Battle of the Aesir
Battle of the Aesir
Cauldron Born - In Fate's eye a king
Lyrics
Born on the battlefield, heat of the melee during a Vanir raid
Before he had lived to see fifteen snows his name by council fires was praised
Intent to colonize southern Cimmeria, Aquilonia built Venarium
Out of the northern hills swept Cimmerian steel, tasting Aquilonian blood
In true berserker form he fought on and on beside his Cimmerian kin
The Aquilonians driven back across their frontier
He returned for awhile to his tribe
In vague dreams of conquest and kingdom do you wonder what they mean
Distant voices forever calling In Fate's Eye A King
He spent time with a band of Aesir
He raided the Hyperbareans
The Hyperbarean castles were ruled by wizards called by the fearful Witchmen
He lead a foray against the Haloga Castle to free the daughter of the Aesir chief
The mission a success, but as they fled they were taken by an army of the living dead
Toiling away at night he ground his chain until it was weak enough to break
One stormy night, whirling the heavy chain, he slain his way out into the rain
In vague dreams of conquest and kingdom do you wonder what they mean
Distant voices forever calling In Fate's Eye A King
Tyrants and wizards, they fall before you and what your wyrd will bring
It was written in the furthest of stars
In Fate's Eye A King
Swordless and fleeing into the mountains
He was chased by a pack of wolves
He found refuge in a cave
Before him sat the corpse of an ancient chieftan upon a throne
Across his knees was a bronze sword grasped by huge hands of ancient bone
When he sees the sword the corpse came to life
He fought with everything in him
Escaped armed this time
In vague dreams of conquest and kingdom do you wonder just what they mean
Distant voices forever calling In Fate's Eye a King
Tyrants and wizards fall dead before you and what your wyrd will bring
It was written in the furthest of stars
In Fate's Eye A King
Your wyrd neverending it turns the wheel do you know the riddle of steel
Never knowing what the next day will bring
In Fate's Eye A King
Adramelech - As the Gods Succumbed
Lyrics
In the dawn of time
the golden age of peace
in Valhalla
will it ever come to an end?
The blows of destiny
brought down on their heads
tortured Gullveig
the cause of the first wars
Balder
now murdered
the beginning of the ordeal
the Twilight of the Gods
Era of warfare - hatred
valkyries range in battles
evil dreams - psychic torture
trouble the sleep of the Aesir
Before the body of Balder
the Aesir swear an oath
to avenge bitterly
the war broke out all over the Earth
Brother slay brother
eager to destroy each other
the world is going to sink
into the abyss of nothingness
All the great gods died in the field
the Earth sank beneath the sea
as it emerged from the waves
the dawn of a new generation was beginning...
Thy Catafalque - Sirály (Official Visualizer)
Lyrics Language is Hungarian Translated Into English
The sun washes you, the wind embraces you,
I fly like this, my footprints on the ground,
a wave grows, the shore smooths out,
the sea takes you in, it will cover you.
The world flows, it shines,
a salty wind carries you, my voice carries you away,
a wave rises, the shore smooths out,
the sea takes you in, it will cover you.
The sun bathes you, the wind embraces you,
I fly like this, my footprints on the ground,
a wave grows, the shore smooths out,
the sea takes you in, it will cover you.
