Norse Paganism

In Norse paganism the Æsir and the Vanir, after a war, found they were equally powerful. Missionary pressure mounted from the ninth century, and Haakon Sigurdsson's rule in Norway (975–995) made paganism almost a state ideology until Olaf Tryggvason forced the nobility to convert. In about 1000 Iceland accepted Christian law at the Althing, with concessions to the old faith. Sweden was officially Christian by the twelfth century.

By 1337 the religion survived only in folklore. Its myths had been written down by Christians in Old Norse works of the thirteenth century.