Palnatoke: Archer, Founder of Jomsvikings, Killed Harald Bluetooth
Jomsvikings was a legendary Viking company of warriors who worshipped Odin and would fight until their last breath. According to Jomsvikings saga, a chieftain named Palnatoke founded the Jomsvikings and was the supporter for Sweyn Forkbeard to kill King Harald Bluetooth
Who was Palnatoke?
Palnatoke or Palnatoki was a legendary Viking hero establishing Jomsvikings in the Viking sagas.
He was allegedly the son of a warrior family who firmly believed in the Old Norse religion. He lived during the 9th century in the Fyn island where he became the chieftain.
He once travelled to another land where he met the native king with whom he established a relationship with. Also there, he married the daughter of the king which earned him the title "Jarl". Yet, he quickly found his life in this new land boring and quiet. Something inside cried him to move out and to make his name more than a jarl. And he brought his wife back to Denmark, his homeland.
Palnatoke was the legendary founder of Jomsvikings a group of Viking warriors worshipping Odin
Palnatoke: Supporter of Old Norse Faith and Foe of Harald Bluetooth.
Palnatoke held a firm belief in Old Norse pagan. During the 9th century, the Vikings started to meet new religion through trading and travelling. It was a natural selective process where the old would have to perish and let the new one in.
The reigning king in Denmark in the time of Palnatoke was Harald Bluetooth. If anyone is yet to know who was Harald Bluetooth, he was the Danish King who united the Danes, bringing Christianity to the Danes, and lending his name to the wireless technology "Bluetooth".
Because Harald Bluetooth was among the first Viking king to get baptism and introduced new religion to Vikings, many of the Vikings must have harboured hatred into him. One of these men included Palnatoke.
Harald Bluetooth was the Danish King that introduced Christianity into the Danes
Palnatoke was supposed to raise up one of King Harald's sons. His name was Sweyn Forkbeard. It was during this time that Palnatoke started to support Sweyn to overthrow his father. And that day finally came. Sweyn Forkbeard waged war against his father with the support of Palnatoke. King Harald later was banished into exile. Some accounts told that it was Palnatoke that killed Harald himself.
Legend had it that Palnatoke founded the Jomsvikings inside the Jomsborg a huge Viking ring fortress. He became a great leader for the warriors. When Palnatoke grew older and died shortly afterward, his company of warriors mourned for his death. The new leader was the grandson of Palanatoke, named Vagn, who was allowed to join Jomsvikings when he turned twelve.
