Freyr

Vanir deity of fertility, prosperity, fair weather, and abundant harvests. Twin of Freyja; son of the sea-god Njǫrðr. Sometimes called Yngvi or Yngvi-Freyr (the yngvi epithet attaches to the founder-figure of the Yngling dynasty). Wields the self-fighting sword (which he gives up as the bride-price for Gerðr — a sword he will lack at Ragnarǫk, and so fall to Surtr); rides the gold boar Gullinbursti; sails the foldable ship Skíðblaðnir. Wooed Gerðr the jǫtunn-maiden through his servant Skírnir (the full narrative is the eddic poem Skírnismál); the hieros gamos union produced Fjǫlnir, founder of the Yngling dynasty at Gamla Uppsala. The Yngling kings of Sweden, and through them the kings of Norway (per Ynglingatal/Ynglinga saga), traced descent from Freyr. The Uppsala temple per Adam of Bremen 4.26 had the Freyr statue with great phallus prominently displayed; the nine-yearly sacrifice was held there.

Parentage

• parent: NjǫrðrNjǫrðr entry pending. Father (Vanir).Vafþrúðnismál 38; Gylfaginning 23 (primary)

Children

• Fjǫlnir

Domains

• fertility and prosperity Vanir
• kingship and Yngling dynasty

Powers

• grant frith and good seasons, ruling over rain, sun and the fruitfulness of the earth
• Command rain and sunshine
• Grant fruitful seasons and peace

Epithets

• Yngvi / Yngvi-Freyr old-norse · skaldicYngvi; ancestral name of Freyr, eponym of the Ynglingar dynastySnorri Sturluson, Ynglinga saga 10-12 (Heimskringla) (primary); Snorri Sturluson, Gylfaginning 24 (Prose Edda) (primary)
• Veraldar goð old-norse · skaldicGod of the world / of mankind's prosperityFlateyjarbók, Ǫgmundar þáttr dytts (primary); Simek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, s.v. Freyr (secondary)
• Fróði old-norse · skaldicThe fruitful/peaceful one; euhemerized peace-king identified with FreyrSimek, Dictionary of Northern Mythology, s.v. Fróði / Freyr (secondary)
• Ingunar-Freyr old-norse · eddicFreyr of the Ingvaeones / of Ingun; the ancestral Yngling lordLokasenna 43 (Poetic Edda) (primary)

Relations

• parent: NjǫrðrNjǫrðr entry pending. Father (Vanir).Vafþrúðnismál 38; Gylfaginning 23 (primary)
• sibling: FreyjaHis twin sister, the Vanir goddess Freyja.Lokasenna 32; Gylfaginning 24 (primary)
• spouse: GerðrReciprocal of norse_gerdr.spouse (alphabetical family sweep). (auto reciprocal)

Sources

• existence: Poetic Edda (Vǫluspá 53, Skírnismál, Lokasenna 35-37, Grímnismál 5); Prose Edda (Gylfaginning 24, 37, 49; Skáldskaparmál); Ynglinga saga 9-10; Adam of Bremen 4.26-27; multiple sagas (Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða, Víga-Glúms saga); the Lerchenborg figurine and other archaeological phallic male figures (primary)