World at War  /  Conflicts  /  Norse Mythology
Wars of the Nine Worlds

Æsir–Vanir War

2500–2480 BC Yggdrasil Status: ended Casualties: Mimir beheaded; the wall of Asgard breached and rebuilt

First war in the world. The Æsir hurled spears across the Vanir host; the Vanir broke the wall of Asgard. Truce was sealed by an exchange of hostages — Njord, Freyr, and Freyja came to Asgard; Mimir and Hœnir to Vanaheim. The gods spat into a vat; from the spittle was made Kvasir, wisest of beings. Völuspá; Ynglinga saga 4.

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Belligerents

  • Æsir (Odin, Thor)
  • Vanir (Njord, Freyr, Freyja)

Casualties

Mimir beheaded; the wall of Asgard breached and rebuilt

From World at War, an interactive atlas by Jairus Pereira. Figures are approximate, drawn from Wikipedia, UCDP, ACLED and academic sources — a design artefact, not an authoritative register. Contact.