Rusla

Rusla, nicknamed the "red maiden", was a Norwegian skjaldmö warrior in the tenth century that is mentioned in Gesta Danorum of Saxo Grammaticus and Irish annals. Rusla was the daughter of a Viking king of Telemark called Rieg, and sister of Tesandus (Thrond), who lost the throne dispossessed by a Danish king named Omund. Rusla ventured to form a Viking fleet to attack all Danish ships as revenge for the affront to her brother. Rusla was always accompanied by another woman (some sources cite her as sister) Stikla, who was her deputy in all raids. Stikla name is the origin of the Norwegian city Stiklestad.^[1][2]

Rusla indiscriminately attacked ships and coastal towns in Iceland, Denmark and the British Isles. However Omund was a trickster king so persuaded Tesandus to side with the Danes, took him as a foster son. Tesandus captured his sister Rusla, grabbing her by the braids while his crew killed her with blows of rowing.^[3]

According to Irish Cogad Gaedel re Gallaib her nickname comes from the Irish Gaelic "Ingean Ruagh",^[4] she had a reputation as bloodthirsty and custom of take no prisoners. The Irish annals also cite their participation in the battle of Clontarf (1014) as part of the body of mercenaries hired by the Vikings who fought against Brian Boru, there she lost her sons in the battlefield. Rusla went down in history as the most cruel of all warrior Norse women.^[5]

References

1. Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum (1931), Olryk y Raeder, Copenhagen, Denmark, p. 222–223
2. Saxo Grammaticus, Gesta Danorum, Forgotten Books, ISBN 978-1-60506-788-9 p. 307–308
3. Ulrike Klausmann & Marion Meinzerin (1997) Women Pirates, Black Rose Books, Montreal, New York, London p. 114
4. Velasco, Manuel (2012) Breve Historia de los Vikingos (versión extendida), Ed. Nowtilus, ISBN 978-84-9967-345-5 p. 351 (Spanish)
5. Barbara Sjoholm, Barbara (2004) The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea, Seal Press, ISBN 978-1-58005-109-5 p. 306–307