9 Facts About Danish King Harald Bluetooth
The list of the Viking kings always impresses us for the achievement following. If you have done some research on the Vikings, chances are that you read about the Jelling style or Jelling stones. In fact, the Jelling stones are believed to be the birth certificate of Denmark. They were erected by King Harald Bluetooth and his father King Gorm the Old.
This blog post is to illustrate 9 facts about the Danish King Harald Bluetooth
When was King Harald Bluetooth born?
According to the historian sources, Harald Bluetooth was born in 928 in a small town of Jelling, Denmark.
Who were the parents of King Harald Bluetooth?
King Gorm the Old and Queen Thyra were the parents of Harald Bluetooth. King Gorm the Old was the founder of the Jelling dynasty and the first ruler of the Danish kingdom.
Thyra the first queen of Denmark was famous for building up the Danevirke Fort which is now an UNESCO World Heritage
Why Harald Bluetooth was called that?
His name was Harald Gormsson and Bluetooth was his nickname. However, there were no surviving accounts telling why he was called like that.
Some sources said that Harald had a bad tooth that turned dark or blue. Others said that he loved blueberry. But they were just rumours.
How long was Harald Bluetooth on reign?
He was on reign for approximately 30 years, from 958 to 968 AD.
What is the most famous achievement of Harald Bluetooth?
We cannot say what is the greatest. Rather, the most famous achievement of Harald Bluetooth was his success in unifying Denmark and Norway.
Was Harald Bluetooth was a Christian?
Yes, he was. He converted himself into a Christian after he observed a monk carrying the hot iron glove in his hands without getting burnt.
Jelling stones
The archaeologists found two runic stones near the Jelling church. The smaller one was erected by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife. The large was by Harald Bluetooth in memory of their parents.
On both Jelling stones, they mentioned the name "Denmark" as a nation. More especially, the runic inscriptions on the stone of Harald say that:
King Haraldr ordered this monument made in memory of Gormr, his father, and in memory of Thyrvé, his mother; that Haraldr who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian
So it became the claim of Harald Bluetooth that he managed to convert his people into Christianity.
How did King Harald Bluetooth die?
It is quite a debate today as to the reason for Harald Bluetooth's death. The most famous and widely accepted theory was that Sweyn Forkbeard son of Harald Bluetooth waged the civil war. He led a rebellion resulting in the death of his father.
The Bluetooth symbol
King Harald Bluetooth with his famous achievement in unifying the two kingdoms was so inspiring. It is among the early wireless technology that connects people together. Maybe the ability to connect resembles the technological ability of Bluetooth devices.
The symbol of Bluetooth is the "H" and "B" in the runic symbols.
