Editing Freyr (section)

{{redirect|Frey|Freÿr|Castle of Freÿr|other uses of "Frey" and "Freyr"|Frey (disambiguation)}}
{{short description|Norse deity}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
[[File:Frej Rällinge.jpg|thumb|The [[Rällinge statuette]] from [[Södermanland]], [[Sweden]], believed to depict Freyr, [[Viking Age]]{{Sfn|Lindow|2001|p=121}}]]
'''Freyr''' ([[Old Norse]]: 'Lord'), sometimes anglicized as '''Frey''', is a widely attested [[Æsir|god]] in [[Norse mythology]], associated with kingship, fertility, peace, prosperity, fair weather, and good harvest. Freyr, sometimes referred to as [[Yngvi]]-Freyr, was especially associated with [[Sweden]] and seen as an ancestor of the [[Yngling|Swedish royal house]].{{reference needed|date=June 2024}} According to [[Adam of Bremen]], Freyr was associated with peace and pleasure, and was represented with a [[phallus|phallic]] statue in the [[Temple at Uppsala]]. According to [[Snorri Sturluson]], Freyr was "the most renowned of the [[æsir]]", and was venerated for good harvest and peace.

In the mythological stories in the Icelandic books the ''[[Poetic Edda]]'' and the ''[[Prose Edda]]'', Freyr is presented as one of the [[Vanir]], the son of the god [[Njörðr]] and [[Sister-wife of Njörðr|his sister-wife]], as well as the twin brother of the goddess [[Freyja]]. The gods gave him [[Álfheimr]], the realm of the [[Álfar|Elves]], as a teething present. He rides the shining [[Norse dwarves|dwarf]]-made boar [[Gullinbursti]], and possesses the ship [[Skíðblaðnir]], which always has a favorable breeze and can be folded together and carried in a pouch when it is not being used. Freyr is also known to have been associated with the [[Horses in Germanic paganism|horse cult]]. He also kept sacred horses in his sanctuary at [[Trondheim]] in Norway.{{sfn|Davidson|1964|pp=96–97}} He has the servants [[Skírnir]], [[Byggvir]] and [[Beyla]].

The most extensive surviving Freyr [[mythology|myth]] relates Freyr's falling in love with the female [[jötunn]] [[Gerðr]]. Eventually, she becomes his wife but first Freyr has to give away [[Sword of Freyr|his sword]], which fights on its own "if wise be he who wields it." Although deprived of this weapon, Freyr defeats the jötunn [[Beli (Norse giant)|Beli]] with an [[antler]]. However, lacking his sword, Freyr will be killed by the fire jötunn [[Surtr]] during the events of [[Ragnarök]].

Like other Germanic deities, veneration of Freyr was revived during the modern period through the [[Heathenry (new religious movement)|Heathenry]] movement.