Thiazi

Thiazi, also rendered as Þjazi or Þiazi in Old Norse, is a frost giant (jötnar) in Norse mythology. In some sources he is described as a king of the giants. He figures prominently in the myth cycle surrounding the goddess Idunn and the apples of youth.

The most well-known episode concerns Idunn, keeper of the golden apples that grant the gods perpetual youth. Thiazi abducts Idunn from Asgard, and without her apples the gods begin to age. The danger to the gods spurs a rescue attempt led by Loki, with assistance from Thor and other gods. Loki and the others recover Idunn from Thiazi’s fortress in Jötunheim, restoring the apples and the gods’ youth.

Details of the episode vary by source, but it is commonly noted that Thiazi is killed during or as a consequence of the confrontation around Idunn’s rescue. The tale underscores the perilous dynamic between the Æsir and the jötnar and their reliance on magical objects for divine vitality.

Family and associations: In some traditions, Skadi, a goddess associated with winter, mountains, and hunting, is described as Thiazi’s daughter, linking him to other mythic lineages. The figure of Thiazi appears primarily in the Prose Edda and Poetic Edda, where he embodies the danger posed by the giants to the gods of Asgard.

Name variants and scholarly notes: The name appears in Old Norse as Þjazi or Þiazi. As with many mythic figures, details and emphasis can differ between sources, but Thiazi is consistently identified with the abduction of Idunn and the ensuing crisis among the gods.