When the Vikings sailed to Vinland present-day Newfoundland over 1,000 years ago, they had multiple women in their midst. One of them, Freyds Eirksdttir, carved her name into Norse legend during the expedition. But not all sagas portray Freyds in the same light.The sister of Leif Erikson, Freyds appears in two sagas, Eirik the Reds Saga and The Saga of the Greenlanders. Though the bones of both Icelandic sagas are more or less the same, the first saga describes Freyds in glowing terms while the other cast her as bloodthirsty, cunning, and cruel.NetflixFreydis Eiriksdottir is described in two Norse sagas, though its unclear if she actually existed.This is the murky legend of Freyds Eirksdttir, the Viking shield maiden portrayed on Netflixs Vikings: Valhalla.Freyds Eirksdttir In Norse LegendsAll that is known about Freyds Eirksdttir is based on Norse legends,which means that its not 100 percent clear if she truly existed. But Icelandic sagas do seem to establish some facts about her life.Legend states that Freyds took part on the Viking expedition to Vinland. Since that expedition happened around 1000 C.E., Freyds was likely born around 970 C.E.She was the daughter of Viking Erik the Red, and the half-sister of the famous Leif Erikson. However, Erikson was the son of Eirik and his wife, whereas Freyds was the daughter of Eirik and an unknown woman. As Eiriks illegitimate daughter, she lacked Eriksons prestige.Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty ImagesLeif Erikson depicted discovering North America circa 1000 C.E.Despite her lower status, Freyds allegedly accompanied the Viking expedition to Vinland, where she settled with the others. The group may have established a community at LAnse aux Meadows in Newfoundland some 500 years before Columbus reached North America, as archaeologists have found traces of traditionally female tools like spindles there.But what exactly happened in Vinland is unclear. Two Viking legends The Saga of the Greenlanders and Eirik the Reds Saga portray Freyds Eirksdttirs actions at the settlement in completely different ways.The Saga of the GreenlandersLikely written in the 13th or 14th centuries, The Saga of the Greenlanders describes the Vikings expedition to Vinland circa 1000 C.E. and depicts Freyds Eirksdttir as a mercurial murderess. In the saga, Freyds is presented as a very haughty woman who married her husband chiefly on account of his money. As the Viking Herald explains, her desire for riches led her to join her brothers, Helgi and Finnbogi, on the expedition to Vinland. But Freyds had a trick up her sleeve.Freyds, Helgi, and Finnbogi agreed to each take 30 fighting men to Vinland. But Freyds, determined to profit more from the journey than her brothers, secretly added five extra warriors to her ship. Public DomainA depiction of a Viking voyage taking place circa 1000 C.E., when the Vikings reached Vinland.Once they arrived in Vinland, Freydss greed quickly caused problems between her and her brothers, who believed they would share profits equally. Helgi told her: In malice are we brothers easily excelled by thee.But Freyds Eirksdttir didnt stop there. As the The Saga of the Greenlanders recounts, she pretended to make peace with Finnbogi by asking him for his large ship so that she could go from hence. Then, she went home and told her husband that her brothers had beaten her. [T]hey beat me, and used me shamefully, Freyds claimed according to the saga. Then, she asked her husband to avenge her, threatening: I will separate from thee if thou avengest not this.In response, Freydss husband slaughtered her brothers and their men. But he hesitated before killing any women. So, Freyds demanded an ax. So was done, the saga recounts, upon which she killed the five women that were there, and did not stop until they were all dead.Though Freyds Eirksdttir allegedly tried to conceal what she had done once she and her people returned home, word soon reached her brother, Leif Erikson. The revelation ruined Freydss reputation and that she spent the rest of her life as an outcast. According to the Viking Herald, some historians believe this portrayal of Freyds may be Christian propaganda painting her as a ruthless, conniving killer who wouldnt conform to Christian values.But thats not the same story told in Eirik the Reds Saga.Freyds Eirksdttir In Eirik the Reds SagaTwitterA statue of Freydis Eiriksdottir in Reykjavik, Iceland.Eirik the Reds Saga is thought to have been written in the 13th century, though Viking Herald reports that it was written after The Saga of the Greenlanders. In this Norse legend, Freyds Eirksdttir is portrayed in a more sympathetic light. Like in The Saga of the Greenlanders, Freyds is described as part of the Viking expedition to Vinland. There, she and the others made contact with skrlings (Indigenous people) and that their early peace overtures soon devolved into outright violence. When Freyds was eight months pregnant, skrlings attacked their camp, causing many of the men to run away in fear.Why run you away from such worthless creatures, stout men that ye are, when, as seems to me likely, you might slaughter them like so many cattle? Freyds cried. Let me but have a weapon, I think I could fight better than any of you.Freyds tried to flee with the others but soon lagged behind. When she came across a dead man from their company, she grabbed his sword and turned to face the oncoming skrlings. As they approached, Freyds beat her naked breast with the sword frightening the skrlings, who fled.In this version, Freyds is presented completely differently. Instead of using her femininity to provoke her husband into slaughtering her brothers, Freyds is the epitome of feminine bravery. But in recent years, a third saga of Freyds Eirksdttir has emerged. In Netflixs Vikings: Valhalla, she is yet again depicted in a different way.Freyds Eirksdttir In Vikings: ValhallaNetflixSwedish model and actress Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eiriksdottir in Netflixs Vikings: Valhalla.The Freyds Eirksdttir character depicted in Netflixs Vikings: Valhalla (played by actress Frida Gustavsson) bears little resemblance to the woman from Viking lore. In the show, Freyds doesnt go to Vinland at all.Instead, hers is a story of vengeance. The Freyds of the show takes revenge on a Christian Viking who raped her. Because of this her brother, Leif, is sent to fight for the King of the Danes.Freyds soon becomes a Viking shield maiden who defends the city of Kattegat, even beheading an enemy in the season finale.Though Netflixs narrative is quite from Freyds Eirksdttirs depiction in Norse legend, there are some similarities. In all three sagas, Freyds is Leif Eriksons sister, and a fierce and determined warrior in her own right.At the end of the day, its unknown if she existed at all. But something about the Freyds Eirksdttir legend has remained alluring for over 1,000 years, from the Norse sagas to Netflix.After reading about Freyds Eirksdttir, discover something new with these 32 fascinating facts about the Vikings. Or, go inside the surprising truth about Viking helmets, which likely didnt have horns despite their ubiquitous portrayal in popular culture.The post The Complicated Story Of Freyds Eirksdttir, The Legendary Viking Sister Of Leif Erikson appeared first on All That's Interesting.