Tyr is the ancient god of War and the Lawgiver of the gods. The bravest of the gods, it is Tyr who makes the binding of Fenrir (Myth 7) possible by sacrificing his right hand. At one time he was the leader of the Norse Pantheon, but was supplanted by Odin much later.
Tyr also seems to be a god of justice. His name is derived from Tiw or Tiwaz an Tacticus and other Roman writers have equated this character to Mars, the receiver of human sacrifice. His day is Tuesday.
Tyr was the son of Odin though in Myth 17 he is made out to be the son of the giant Hymir. Like Odin, he has many characteristics of the earlier Germanic gods of battle. Parallels in other mythologies along with archaeological discoveries relating to a one-handed god, suggest that this character is very old and was known in Northern Europe somewhere between one and two thousand years before Snorri Sturluson included it in his Prose Edda. Similarities can be found in the one-handed Naudu in Irish mythology and in Mitra, just god of the day, of Indian mythology.
9 Comments
Tyr best of the gods
the norse religon is amazing
I think my last name, Tews, is after the god Tyr. My ancestors came from Pomerenia in East Prussia and they spoke Low German. Do you think I am right about my last name?
Len Tews
Tyr was the head of the Germanic pantone and friend the grate wolf while it was a puppy so tyr was also the most trusted of the gods and he had to not only sacrifice his othing hand but a friend as well.
May thought and memory tell of a grate day
Hey im from New Zealand Maori (Indigenous descent) My name is “Tyrel” which is derivitant of skandanavian the god of battle. Does that mean that i take on its character cause i read up on the origins and it states everthing i am in nature . Is this true??
No it does not mean that – you were given a European name and your are not European.
Actually, he IS European- Maybe not FULLY European, but still a percentage- Besides, the Vikings travelled to New Zealand…. One of his ancestors are bound to be from Europe.
Peace!
Also from NZ but of Euro origin. As one who identifies strongly with Tyr on a very personal level, but not necessarily through my bloodlines, it seems to me that any character you have is solely your own. The gods themselves do not influence it, but call to something that was and is already in you independently of them. Should you feel a link it will not be due to the name, but be from within you to Tyr directly. You could be called Bob or Rangi and that would still be the case.
Cheers.
Me, my wife and two daughters were all born on a Tuesday. Does that make us strong and trustworthy. None of us are from NZ but Tuesday is a good enough reason to me to be associated with him
I THINK TY’R IS THE BEST GOD BECAUSE the sacrificed his right hand to fenrir. he is god of justice, lawgiver,and war.