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Gambargin — HWS: Medieval Shieldmaidens of the North by-nc-nd

#anglosaxon #shieldmaiden
Published: 2014-07-23 02:20:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 10286; Favourites: 210; Downloads: 0
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Description A compilation of Shieldmaiden drawings of the as part of the Historically Wrong Sketch Series: Medieval Revisited which aims to portray Women Warriors in a fictitious historical settings based on AD 800s - AD 1400s era of warfare. This compilation serves to give a rather different portrayal of Shield-maidens from the popular media, inspired by the actual History, Armors and Armaments, from the time of the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons to the Post-Viking Christianized Scandinavia (as well as silly ones).


Inspired by the following verse:

Jag hörde En nostalgisk sång, någonstans långt bort

Den rörde djupt i mitt hjärta. En ung styrka, talade om livets sång

Jag är född av dig och jag kom tillbaks I en sång, både vänlig och grym

Mitt liv tog en vändning, Jag är född på nytt

As well as this song - TES Skyrim OST - Sovngarde



The Northern part of Europe, was home to many sagas and epic that immortalizes war, fame, fortune and beauty, from the time of the Old Gods, to arrival of Christianity. Scandinavia, the Nordic land and home to the viking, had been the source of many tales, sagas and fantasy that painted our imagination. The Image of Viking Warriors riding their dragon longboats, a proud warrior race of the Old Gods, rampaging and pillaging across euorpe, were often associated with the Scandinavian people of the Viking Age. Yet, no matter how fascinating their armaments, customs and reputation, the part of History where these people abandoned their faith and embraced Christianity as their religion remains largely unknown. What do we know of the Christianized Scandinavia than the Old Gods Scandinavia? And what about the Anglo-Saxons, a group of Germanic people that migrated from Saxony and settled in England, intermixing with the local populace (and other germanic people), to form into one of the most powerful force to be reckoned in Brittania?

These are all just the small part of what we know of their true history and my aim in this drawing is to introduce what I have learned to you, in a hope to bring out that Shieldmaidens are not just some part of pop-culture made famous by their fantasized attires, but rather, as warriors belonging to the growing independent powers that would drive the course of European History in the middle ages.

Any suggestions or corrections are certainly welcomed

Factions that will be explored in this drawings from left to right:


Frua Aelfwynn Eadgarsdohtor of Saxanana Rice (Anglo-Saxons) - Representing the Anglo-Saxons

Frú Gunnhildr Freysdottir of Vikingrunionen (Norse) - Representing the Norse Vikings

Frue Ragna Erlingsdatter of Kongeriket Norge (Norwegian) - Representing Post-Viking Christianized Norway

Frue Ylva Egilsdotter of Konungariket Swerighe (Swedish) - Representing Post-Viking Christianized Sweden

Frue Ingegerd Andersdatter of Kongeriget Danmark (Danish) - Representing Post-Viking Christianized Denmark

Asa Dagsdottir - Your typical, chainmail bikini wearing, Horny Viking.


A Part of the Historically Wrong Sketch Series: Medieval Revisited - You can find more on the various faction on the map here:



Want to see actual Historical Figure? see Aethelflaed of Mercia, 917 AD - Women War Queens

Related content
Comments: 29

DravkonOfLegacy [2015-06-08 15:49:43 +0000 UTC]

Love it, while I understand and accept that women didn't fight as much as men did, I do believe that there were some soldiers that were women. People like to think that the modern world invented tolerance and equality, but all it did was revive it after a brief respite.

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Aranglinn [2015-04-27 17:07:27 +0000 UTC]

I really like how you go through all the pain of drawing chainmail and actually get a great finish, I know how hard it is to actually get chainmail done right on a drawing x.x

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Gambargin In reply to Aranglinn [2015-04-28 22:06:16 +0000 UTC]

I agree, drawing chainmail is very tedious, but it's worth . For me, it's just ink work and shading to give the metallic effect

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Aranglinn In reply to Gambargin [2015-04-28 22:19:04 +0000 UTC]

do you do all traditional? or shade digitally? if not, have you tried it?

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Gambargin In reply to Aranglinn [2015-04-28 22:23:27 +0000 UTC]

All of my work are done traditionally, a combination of Ink and graphite (pencil) shading which is later digitally enhanced (just with the hue, brightness and contrast) . You can see here in Artwork Commentary 1 - Stages of Drawings

 Unfortunately, I have zero skill in digital media but learning to improve on this!

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Aranglinn In reply to Gambargin [2015-04-29 16:34:27 +0000 UTC]

Hoh, nice!
I'm glad you are trying it, for what I've seen, people who are already good in traditional end up being real masters in digital so you should definitely keep up with that

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deadaccount11 [2014-12-28 01:26:22 +0000 UTC]

I liked the fact that you used Swedish verse of this song. XD

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Zarmarza [2014-12-23 10:40:04 +0000 UTC]

They're all awesome, good job on them

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Gambargin In reply to Zarmarza [2014-12-26 23:43:06 +0000 UTC]

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Shinzhon [2014-12-23 00:51:43 +0000 UTC]

Those are among my favorites I think ! (... Contrarily to a popular belief, I haven't faved all of your DA account... yet.)

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Gambargin In reply to Shinzhon [2014-12-26 23:43:45 +0000 UTC]

Hahaha! That's all good. Actually,  I didn' t know that we can actually fave a gallery folder instead of every single deviations

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VanillaStalin [2014-11-24 16:14:43 +0000 UTC]

What type of a pencil did you use, if I may ask?

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Gambargin In reply to VanillaStalin [2014-11-24 21:36:27 +0000 UTC]

I used 0.5mm mechanical pencil for drawing

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akitku [2014-07-28 12:40:20 +0000 UTC]

Interesting choice of topic! I love the background wooden church behind the lady on the left! I am looking forward to some more Kingdom of Denmark warriors!

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lavenderl [2014-07-23 20:38:02 +0000 UTC]

I don't know much about Christian Scandinavia, (or the Viking one, for that matter,) so this will be very interesting and educational.  
I like the almost curious expression of the lady on the left.

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Gambargin In reply to lavenderl [2014-07-25 22:37:26 +0000 UTC]

Trust me eva, Medieval Scandinavia is as interesting as their viking age once you read about them

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lavenderl In reply to Gambargin [2014-07-25 23:39:25 +0000 UTC]

I'm sure it is! ^^

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ugiel [2014-07-23 14:30:24 +0000 UTC]

Aah, reminds me old good Mount & Blade Good job!

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Gambargin In reply to ugiel [2014-07-25 22:36:46 +0000 UTC]

Ah, now come to think of, I haven't played that for quite some time now

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Lemniskate [2014-07-23 12:04:18 +0000 UTC]

What are the lamellae on the chainmail of the left one made of? Leather? Metal?

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Gambargin In reply to Lemniskate [2014-07-24 08:01:45 +0000 UTC]

It's made from metal. This style of lamellar armor is of eastern influence, possibly imported from the slavic rus, prussia or lithuania (the balts), which could be trade back to the influence in middle eastern and byzantine world.

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DeWolfie [2014-07-23 06:19:25 +0000 UTC]

"I heard a nostalgic song, somewhere afar.

It touched deep in my heart. A young strength, spoke of the song of life.

I am born by you, and I came back in a song, both kind and fierce.

My life took a turn, I am born anew."


For you who don't know Swedish :>

Awesome work!

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Gambargin In reply to DeWolfie [2014-07-25 22:36:20 +0000 UTC]

Great! Nice translation! I'm sure you know where these lines came from ?

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DeWolfie In reply to Gambargin [2014-07-26 00:05:00 +0000 UTC]

If you had the title of the poem, I could certainly google it for you o: 

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StankoTheGreat [2014-07-23 04:05:59 +0000 UTC]

Yes indeed, quite awesome WIPS.

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Gambargin In reply to StankoTheGreat [2014-07-25 22:37:37 +0000 UTC]

Thanks stanko!

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charcoalfeather [2014-07-23 02:38:58 +0000 UTC]

Awesome WIPs! Love that you included the church in the left picture. 

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Gambargin In reply to charcoalfeather [2014-07-25 22:38:12 +0000 UTC]

Ah yes, Thansk Ermek! you noticed the "scandinavian"church

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charcoalfeather In reply to Gambargin [2014-07-25 22:39:23 +0000 UTC]

It's very iconic!

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