Medieval Information

Odin, the mythological figure of Scandinavian and old Germany, was the most important god of them all. Scandinavians feared him because he was said to wander around the mortals with a staff.

Odin was the god of war, wisdom and victory. Most legends say that he only had one eye because he traded it for "infinite wisdom" which he later acquired and thus; he could easily see everything as he wished.

Odin's main attribute was a spear which never failed - he could kill any target with only one shot and he could never fail. Obviously, most Vikings attempted to imitate this being and most of them praised him widely and prayed to him in the eve of a battle.

Odin married Frigg (goddess of marriages) and had many sons. He was the father of the well-known god Thor who was extremely feared as well.

It was the belief in Odin which kept pushing the Vikings into conquering more parts of medieval Europe. He eventually failed because of the expansion of Christianity which reached Scandinavia in the XII century.

Even though Christianity was strong in Scandinavia, Odin was not forgotten for many more centuries and even today some Scandinavians (mainly from Iceland) believe in him.