Njǫrd

Norse mythology

Also known as: Njǫror, Njörd, Njöror

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Article History

Old Norse:: Njǫror

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Njǫrd, in Norse mythology, the god of the wind and of the sea and its riches. His aid was invoked in seafaring and in hunting, and he was considered the god of “wealth-bestowal,” or prosperity. He was the father of Freyr and Freyja by his own sister. Traditionally, Njǫrd’s native tribe, the Vanir, gave him as a hostage to the rival tribe of Aesir, the giantess Skadi choosing him to be her husband. The marriage failed because Njǫrd preferred to live in Nóatún, his home by the sea, while Skadi was happier in her father’s mountain dwelling place. Several traditions hold that Njǫrd was a divine ruler of the Swedes, and his name appears in numerous Scandinavian place-names.