VanirIn Norse mythology, the Vanir (; Old Norse:, singular Vanr) are a group of gods associated with fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future. The Vanir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Æsir) and are the namesake of the location Vanaheimr (Old Norse "Home of the Vanir"). After the Æsir–Vanir War, the Vanir became a subgroup of the Æsir. Subsequently, at least some members of the Vanir are at times also referred to as being Æsir.
Old NorseNorth Germanic languageOld Norse was a North Germanic language spoken in Scandinavia and in Norse settlements during the Viking Age and the early Middle Ages (approximately the 8th–14th centuries).
Æsir–Vanir WarIn Norse mythology, the Æsir–Vanir War was a conflict between two groups of deities that ultimately resulted in the unification of the Æsir and the Vanir into a single pantheon. The war is an important event in Norse mythology, and the implications for the potential historicity surrounding accounts of the war are a matter of scholarly debate and discourse.
Germanic paganismGermanic paganism or Germanic religion was the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years—in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Germany, the Netherlands, and at times other parts of Europe—the beliefs and practices of Germanic paganism varied.
Old EnglishOld English (Englisc or Ænglisc, pronounced or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest attested form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th century, and the first Old English literature dates from the mid-7th century.
Norse mythologyNorse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period.Germanic nameGermanic given names are traditionally dithematic; that is, they are formed from two elements (stems), by joining a prefix and a suffix. For example, King Æþelred's name was derived from æþele, meaning "noble", and ræd, meaning "counsel". The individual elements in dithematic names do not necessarily have any semantic relationship to each other and the combination does not usually carry a compound meaning.
Wið færsticeWið fǣrstice is an Old English medical text surviving in the collection known now as Lacnunga in the British Library.
ElfAn elf (pl.elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. In medieval Germanic-speaking cultures, elves were thought of as beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty, ambivalent towards everyday people, and capable of either helping or hindering them.
Oswald (given name)Oswald () is a masculine given name, from Old EnglishOsƿeald, from os "god" and ƿeald "rule". The Old High German cognate was Answald, the Old Norse form was Ásvaldr. Oswald of Northumbria (c. 604–641/2) was a king of Northumbria and is venerated as saint.
DeityA deity is a supernatural being considered to have authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life, with many also being considered as sacred and worthy of worship. It is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or to control some part of the universe or life, for which such a deity is often worshipped". The Oxford Dictionary of English explains deity as anything revered as divine.
Old Norse religionHistorical religious traditionMjölnir pendants were the Old Norse Religion's equivalent to the Christian cross during the later Viking Age.Old Norse religion, also known as Norse polytheism or Norse paganism, is a branch of Germanic religion which developed during the Proto-Norse period, when the North Germanic peoples separated into distinct branches. It was replaced by Christianity during the Christianisation of Scandinavia.
NorwayCountry in northern Europe Kingdom of NorwayKongeriket Norge (Bokmål)Kongeriket Noreg (Nynorsk) (in other official languages) Northern Sami:Norgga gonagasriikaLule Sami:Vuona gånågisrijkkaSouthern Sami:Nöörjen gånkarïjhkeKven:Norjan kuninkhaanvaltakunta Flag Coat of arms Anthem: Ja, vi elsker dette landet(English: "Yes, we love this country")Royal anthem: Kongesangen(English: "King's Song") Show globeShow map of EuropeShow overseas territories and dependenciesLocation of the Kingdom of Norway (green)in Europe (green and dark grey)Capitaland largest cityOslo59°56′N 10°41′E / 59.933°N 10.683°E / 59.933; 10.683Official languagesNorwegianSámiRecognised national sign languagesNorwegian Sign LanguageRecognised national minority languagesKvenRomaniScandoromaniEthnic groups (2025) 78.6% Norwegian 21.4% others Religion (2024)68.5% Christianity 61.7% Church of Norway 6.8% other Christian 27.3% no religion3.4% Islam0.8% otherDemonymNorwegianGovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy• Monarch Haakon VIII• Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre• President of the Storting Masud Gharahkhani• Chief Justice Toril Marie Øie LegislatureStortingUnification of the petty kingdoms• State established 872• Peak extent of the Old Kingdom 1263• Kalmar Union (personal union) 1397• Denmark–Norway (real union) 1524• State re-established 25 February 1814• Constitution 17 May 1814• Kingdoms of Sweden–Norway (personal union) 4 November 1814• Union dissolved 7 June 1905 Area • Total385,207 km2 (148,729 sq mi) (61sta)• Water (%)5.32 (2015)Population• 2026 Q2 estimate 5,633,770 (116th)• Density14.6/km2 (37.8/sq mi) (224th)GDP (PPP)2026 estimate• Total $654.160 billion (49th)• Per capita $115,548 (5th)GDP (nominal)2026 estimate• Total $599.406 billion (30th)• Per capita $105,877 (6th)Gini (2020) 25.3low inequalityHDI (2023) 0.970very high (2nd)CurrencyNorwegian krone (NOK)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)• Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Date formatdd.mm.yyyyCalling code+47ISO 3166 codeNOInternet TLD.nob Includes the mainland, Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ansuzRelated word or term.Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂ems-Related word or term.Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ansazRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.