The Norse gods are divided into two major groups, the Aesir and Vanir, in addition to the giants who came first. Some believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans encountered. In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers, overcame and assimilated the Vanir.
Balder
18th century Icelandic manuscript SÁM 66 in the care of the Árni Magnússon Institute in Iceland.
Balder was an
Aesir god and a son of Odin and Frigg. Balder was the husband of Nanna, father of Forseti. He was killed with mistletoe thrown by his blind brother Hod. According to Saxo Grammaticus, Hod (Hother) did it on his own; others blame Loki.
Forseti
Forseti is the Norse god of justice. He is the son of Balder and Nanna.Freya
Freya was a Vanir goddess of sex, fertility, war, and wealth, daughter of Njord. She was taken in by the Aesir, perhaps as hostage.Freyr
Public Domain. 12th-Century Tapestry of the Skog Church, Hälsingland, Sweden
Freyr was a Norse god of weather and fertility; brother of Freya. The dwarves built Freyr a ship, Skidbladnir, that could hold all the gods or fit in his pocket. Freyr went as a hostage to the Aesir, along with Njord and Freya. He courted the giantess Gerd through his servant Skirnir.
Frigg
Frigg was a Norse goddess of love and fertility. In some accounts she was Odin's wife, making her foremost among the Aesir goddesses. She was the mother of Balder. Friday is named for her.Hod
Hod was a son of Odin. Hod was the blind god of winter who killed his brother Balder and was in turn killed by his brother Vali.Loki
18th century Icelandic manuscript SÁM 66 in the care of the Árni Magnússon Institute in Iceland.
Loki is a giant in Norse mythology. He is also a trickster, the god of thieves, possibly responsible for Balder's death. Adopted brother of Odin, Loki was bound to a rock until Ragnarok.
Nanna
Nanna was the wife of Balder and mother of Forseti. Nanna was a moon goddess.Njord
Njord was a Vanir god of wind and sea. He was the father of Freya and Frey. Njord's wife was the giantess Skadi who selected him on the basis of his feet, which she thought belonged to Balder.Odin
Odin was the head of the Aesir gods. Odin was the Norse god of war, poetry, wisdom, and death. He gathered his portion of the slain warriors in Valhalla. Odin had a spear, Grungir, that never missed. He made sacrifices, including his eye, for the sake of knowledge.Thor
18th century Icelandic manuscript SÁM 66 in the care of the Árni Magnússon Institute in Iceland.
Thor was the Norse thunder god, the main enemy of the giants, and the son of Odin. The common man called upon Thor in preference to his father, Odin.
Tyr
18th century Icelandic manuscript "NKS 1867 4to", at the Danish Royal Library.
Tyr was the Norse god of war. He put his hand in the mouth of the Fenris wolf. Thereafter, Tyr was left-handed.
