If you’re a Viking man you can have a mistress
Extramarital affairs were a common occurrence in the Viking Age. Despite their ubiquity, infidelity was generally frowned upon and was eventually considered a crime for both men and women. If a woman was caught having an affair, her husband was believed to be justified in ending both her and her lover. But it seems that many Norse men adored their wives, judging by the last words of one man just before he was hung: “Happy am I to have won the joy of such a consort; ” said the condemned man of his wife. “I shall not go down basely in loneliness to the gods of Tartarus. So let the encircling bonds grip my throat in the midst; the final anguish shall bring with it pleasure only, since the certain hope remains of renewed love, and death shall prove to have its own delights. Each world holds joy, and in the twin regions shall the repose of our united souls win fame, our equal faithfulness in love” (Saxo Grammaticus)
Unfortunately, not all Viking husbands practiced “faithfulness in love”. Marriage was meant to produce children. Family was one of the most important staples in Viking society. However, that did not mean he had to only share a bed with his wife. According to Adam of Breman, a man could keep as many frilles as he could afford. Society regarded any children from these liaisons as legitimate. Other accounts also mention that Norse men would also keep bed slaves. And it’s just as brutal as it sounds; these women did not have a choice in the matter. But, once again, since this was a male-dominated society, women were expected to be held to higher standards. They were not allowed extramarital affairs despite her husband’s indiscretions. There were harsh penalties for women who were unfaithful during marriage.