G

Gauzbert

Missionary bishop. In 832 he was sent by his uncle, the archbishop of Ebo of Reims, to Sweden. During his bishop installlation he was given the name Simon. Comming to Sweden he brought a relative, the priest Nithard. Gauzbert was driven from Birka (where he practised) in 845 and Nithard was killed. Gauzbert was bishop of Osnabruck between 845 and 859.

Ginnregin

Mysterious beeings which are considered to be of a higher rank than both Asar, Vaner and Alv:s. They are mentioned a few times in the Eddas, but little is known about them otherwise.

Geirröd

1. A dangerous giant from the old norse mythology. He lived on a farm in Jotunheim. Loke once visited him while out flying in the shpe of a falcon (he had been tranformed to falcon by Freja). Loke looked down through the smoke hole in the roof. When the giant spoted him he ordered a nearby slave to catch the bird. Loke was caught carried to G. As he refused to tell who he was, he was locked up in a coffin for three months whereafter he was, understandably, more cooperative. In order to be set free he now was forced to promise to fool Tor and persuade him to come to G. unarmed. Loke managed this and together with Loke and his servant Tjalve he set off for Jotunheim. On the way he visited the tursawoman Grid who lent him an iron staff, Gridarvöl and a pair of iron gloves. In order to come to G. the wanderers had to cross the great river Vimur. While crossing the river rose and the stream grew violent, the giants daughter Gjalp was standing over the river urinating. Upon seeing this he grabbed a stone from the bottom of the river and throw it at her so that she died. By good use of his iron staff he managed to cross the river without being washed away by tha water. Tjalve and Loke followed him hanging in his belt. When aproaching land they where showered with spears thrown by the giants on the shore. Tor grabbed a mountain ash standing at the river side and used it to protect himself and his followers. When they finally arrived to Geirröds farm they where shown to a place to sleep, a stinking cave which acted as stable for the goats. When Tor sat down on the only stool present it started to rise up against the roof of the cave. By using his staff he managed to ease himself down inch by inch. By doing this he broke the back of Geirröds second daughter, Greip. She was the one who had hidden under the chair and lifted it up against the roof. When Tor visited G. in his own hall G. throw hot slag against him (G. was a black smith to his profession). Tor caught the heavy slab of slag with his iron gloves and throw it back so hard that it wen't straight through the body of G., the iron pillar in the hall and then passed the wall of the cave and stopped well in to the earth on the other side.

   This saga is known from Saxo Grammaticus. He is painting it in broad colors and decrates it with a lot of details. G. is, among other things, said to be the lord of the arctic darkness.

   In the icelandish version is written by Snorre Sturlausson after the tradition from Höstlång by Tjodolf Hvinverske and Torsdrapan by Eilif Godrunarson.

   It is not completely out of the question to think that te description of the Vimur river stems from the falls of river Rheine in Schaffhausen and that the hall of G. with the two chambers (the goat stable and the main hall)is a description of Kessleroch, an old melting hous north of the falls.

2. King of Hreidgotland, younger son to king Hraudung. G. was supposed to be Odins special protegee. G. had earned his position by betrayel of his older brother Agnar, the protegee of Frigg. When the ruling pair of Asgård talks about their foster childs Frigg accuses G. of being rude, stingy and cruel towards his guest. Inorder to prove her wrong Odins disguises himself and goes to Hreidgotland. In the meantime Frigg had already warned G. of the mean and dangerous magician that was supposed to come, describing the disguise that Odin used.

   G. of course doesn't receive the stranger politely... As Odin refuses to give his real name, he calles himself Grimmner (which means 'disguise'), he is put in a circle of fires. After eight days the god is close to death but is saved by the kings son Agnar who lowers the kettle from the smoke hole in the roof, thereby giving the god a clear sky. G. who to late realises who his guest is rises from his seat to free Odin from the fires. But when he rises he stumbles on his sword which pierces him. Agnar is then choosen as new king.

   This saga is told in Grimnismal.

Greece, Grekland

In the Viking world the name greece defined the whole Byzantium empire. Greece is mentioned on several rune stones in the north, for example the runestone in the small parish Ed, province of Uppland. The runestone tells us thath: 'Ragnvald was in Greece, he was the chief of the warrior group'. That is Ragnvald was in Byzans, and he was the head of byzatium life guard somewhere during the 11:th century.

Grobin

Located in Kurland, Lithuania. At a Swedish-Lithuanian digging between 1929-30 substantial fins where made. Among other things one discovered an ancient castle, and the remains of a large nordic settlement. The sttlement seems to have lasted between 650-850. Three graveyards where present. Two of them where made with small hills over each grave, and the third was a straight graveyard with grave on flat-land.

In the first type of graveyard 2000 graves could be found. These graves are of typical mainland scandinavian type and indicates a population largely consisting of mainland scandinavians. The flat graveyard has the character of the typical Gute (from Gotland) style. According to Birger Nerman Grobin is indentical with seeburg that is mentioned in Rimberts Vita Ansgarii. New investigations where made during the 80:ts when the landarea was frettened by exploitation. A unique picture stone from Gotland was then discorvered.

Grimnismal

The fourth of the Edda songs to the gods in Codex Regius. It is written in the old verse 'Dialogmeter', ljodahatt. It has 54 verses, 11 of them more less extended in the written version. The main story in the saga is the norwegian tale about Odin (Grimner) that is tortured by the fires in Geirröds hall untill the kings son Agnar lowers a kettle from the smoke hole in the roof. The asa good could then show his face to the gods of victory to get his rescue. When Geirröd finally udnerstands who his guest is and rises from his throne in order to shake his guest hand, he trips over and falls on his on sword. After three beginnining verses there s twelve more verses about the gods twelve halls, and two verses about Valhall. Then a there is a sequence of nine verses describing Valhall. In between the author has managed to sneak in several strings of names. After the description of valhall comes five verses about the Ygdrasil ash., three aobut the sun, two about the creation of the world and two about 'whats best'. The description of the lowering of the kettle is followed by strings of names of Oden, 52 of them, some of them mentioned twice. In other parts the mythical 41 rivers is named, the ten Asa horses, the five world tree deers, seven snakes and thirteen valkyries is mentioned. The original is probably from the 10:th century.

Gårdarike

'The countr with the many cities', the name of western russia. That is, the part of russia that had many scandinavian trading places. Gårdarike is mentioned on (among other) Turinge rune stone.

frazze@ludd.luth.se