THE SCENE: Although uncommon, it was not unheard of for women to rise to positions of power in Viking society.
THE TEXT: At that time a queen named Olof ruled over Saxland. Like a warrior king, she dressed in a coat of mail, carried sword and shield, and wore a helmet. This was her nature: beautiful in looks, yet cruel and arrogant in temperament. Those who knew about such matters said that Olof was the best match in all the northern countries, but she had no intention of marrying any man. King Helgi heard about this proud queen. It seemed to him that marrying the woman, whether she was willing or not, would increase his fame and importance.
So one day he set off with a large company of armed men and, without warning, he landed in the country ruled by the powerful Queen Olof. Making the best of the situation, she invited King Helgi to a feast along with all of his following. The two drank together throughout the evening. Nothing was lacking and Queen Olof showed no sign of displeasure. The drinking continued throughout the evening and long into the night. The king drank so much that fell down asleep. Taking advantage of his state, the queen stuck him with a sleep thorn.
When the last of the men had left, the queen got up. She shaved off all his hair and smeared him with tar. Next, she took a leather sack made for sleeping and placed some clothes in it. After that she grabbed hold of the king and stuffed him into the sack. Then she called her men and had them carry to king to his ships.The queen next awakened Helgi’s men, telling them that their king had gone back to the ships and, because of a favorable wind, was planning to set sail. They jumped, each one moving as fast as he could, but, drunk and confused, they scarcely knew what to do. When the men arrived at the ships, the king was nowhere to be found. They did, however, see that a large sack was there. Curious about its contents, they decided to look while waiting for the king. They assumed that he would be coming a little later. When they untied the sack, they found their king, shamefully tricked. The sleep thorn fell away, and the king awoke, though his dreams had not been pleasant.
– The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, 14th Century AD
