Tyr: the god of war and lord of one hand

Tyr: the god of war and lord of one hand

Tyr, Odin's son, is the god of war and justice in Nordic mythology, belonging to the Aesir saga. He was a god considered the bravest of them, respected and revered by other gods, as well as loved by the Nordics.

The Vikings admired him in such a way that at the time of fighting each warrior carried an engraving on the blade of his sword in reference to Tyr, as it used to think that the god of war would help them achieve victory in combat. They even dedicated one day of the week to honor Odin's son, Tyr's day. It is said that this is where the word Tuesday comes from.

Lord of one hand

And how did Tyr lose his hand? The mighty god of war put his right hand into the mouth of Fenrir, the great wolf of Nordic mythology, as this was the only way for the animal to let itself be chained. But since he was nothing stupid and seeing that the chains that had been placed on him could not break them, he bit off his right hand, leaving Tyr with only one hand to fight.

After this the gods left chained the monstrous wolf, inserting a sword into its mouth, holding it that way until the arrival of the Ragnarok.

After this, Tyr used his right arm to carry a shield, as he could only handle his weapon with his left hand.

Tyr the god of war

Even though he was the god of war, he fought for peace. With courage and honesty, he used his wisdom and power to stop wars instead of starting them. His knowledge is said to be very high and he used to share it with others.

It is said that Tyr also possessed a magnificent sword, forged by the same dwarves who made Odin's spear. This sword, called Tyrfing, was a sacred weapon for the Nordic peoples, whom Tyr trusted to achieve victory in their battles.

They say that the Valkyries, the great warriors in charge of taking the fallen to the halls of Valhalla, needed Tyr's approval, since he and the all-powerful Odin decided which warriors had earned the honor of entering Valhalla.

We already know another of Odin's sons, Tyr, nicknamed the one-handed man or the one-armed god. Thus, we know with which hand one drank the delicious mead of the salons of Asgard. Let's fill our glasses and toast the health of this great Nordic god.

Skal!