Life and death in a Viking battle depended not on military prowess, but on the favour of the valkyries. Why were these mythical figures, who decided a warrior’s fate, female?This article was part of our Miscellanies series. Sign up to receive this free weekly long read in your inbox, at https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies.Written by Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir. Read by Greig Johnson.Music: Kai Engel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.