Ullr "Wulþuz" (the glorious one) is a beautiful god within the Æsir that would best be described as a warrior and ruler among gods. Associated with archery and snowshoes/skiis, Ullr is a major god, however, much of his lore is lost. His ring is an ultimate symbol to swear oaths upon; his place of refuge Ýdalir the holy forest of Yew trees; and the number of places named after him within Norway and Sweden give credence to his place within traditional germanic paganism. The son of Sif and stepson of Thor, Ullr is invoked in times of glory: a duel, a silent place in the forest, a grand hunt.
Frith
Imagine yourself walking out in the cold. It’s the middle of winter, Yule is coming up, and you’ve found yourself in the middle of a snow storm. It’s miserable but you can see a light on the horizon: the long house of your brother. At long last you make your way to the threshold and push open the door. A burst of warm air, the smell of long burnt wood wafting across your face, bursts past you into the cold darkness behind you and a group of grinning faces greets you. You instantly feel the safety and security of being among your kin wash over you as you take your cloak off and settle in for the long winter ahead of you.
Thor is more than your typical ‘judgmental god from above,’ raining down punishment to those he sees fit to punish. He is a hero and a man of the people, beloved by all as a defender of the world tree. A well-meaning god of action, and a model to all well-meaning men of action.
The Völkerwanderung (wandering of peoples) refers to the migration period of Germanic tribes from the fourth century to the sixth century. For the context of this article, I will extend use of this term to the so-called ‘Viking Age’ which was separated from the earlier migrations by a relative inactivity until the late eighth century. The reason for this inclusion is to analyse the Germanic population’s effect on Europe and the world in general before being entirely assimilated into the populations they invaded, as was the case with the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Franks, Vandals, and Lombards.