Birthday Bash Live Master Class: The Kids Are Alright – Childbirth & Childhood In The Viking Age

SASA Birthday Bash Live Master Class: Live Master Class: The Kids Are Alright – Childbirth & Childhood In The Viking Age

In the Völsunga saga, Frigg and her spouse Odin, aid the royal couple by sending the queen an apple, a fruit known for its association with the gods' youthfulness. However, the queen's pregnancy takes an unusual turn, lasting for six years.

When the time comes for delivery, she is unable to give birth and her health deteriorates rapidly. In desperation, she requests that the baby be surgically removed from her womb. The newborn boy, who would later become the heroic figure Völsung, is said to have kissed his mother as she passed away.

Usually when we study the Viking age we tend to limit ourselves to raids, colonisation, kingdom formation, at any rate political issues and their performers. But what about social categories rather left in the background, like children…