Gunnhild

Gunnhild is a figure from Norse mythology, most prominently appearing in the sagas, particularly the Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson. She is often depicted as the wife of King Eric Bloodaxe of Norway, a powerful and formidable queen. Accounts describe her as a sorceress and a strong-willed woman who wielded considerable influence over her husband and his political affairs.

According to the sagas, Gunnhild was the daughter of Gorm the Old, king of Denmark, though other sources offer different genealogies. Her marriage to Eric Bloodaxe was a significant political alliance. She is frequently portrayed as a harsh and ambitious ruler, instrumental in many of Eric's actions and conflicts. Her alleged magical abilities, often referred to as seiðr, are a recurring theme, suggesting she was a völva or possessed other supernatural powers.

Gunnhild is associated with the death of many of Eric's rivals and the consolidation of his power. After Eric's death in battle around 954, Gunnhild is said to have fled Norway, eventually settling in Orkney. Her later life and death are recounted with varying details, but her image remains one of a powerful matriarch and a skilled practitioner of magic, leaving a lasting impression in the Norse sagas as a character of significant, albeit often ruthless, influence.