Tyr— Norse God"God of War"

The One-Handed God

Týr is the Norse god of war, justice, and heroic glory. Unlike Odin, who represents the cunning and magical aspects of battle, Týr embodies martial honor and the courage to face overwhelming odds. He is best known for sacrificing his sword hand to save the gods—a wound that became his defining attribute and the proof of his integrity.

The Elder Sky Father

Linguistic evidence suggests Týr was once the chief god of the Germanic peoples, equivalent to Zeus or Jupiter (his name comes from the same root as Latin "deus" and Greek "Zeus"). Over time, Odin rose to prominence, and Týr became a lesser deity. This may explain why, despite his importance, relatively few myths about him survive.

The Binding of Fenrir

When the gods needed to bind the monstrous wolf Fenrir, they commissioned dwarves to forge Gleipnir, a chain made of impossible things: the sound of a cat's footsteps, a woman's beard, the roots of mountains. Fenrir suspected trickery and agreed to be bound only if a god placed a hand in his mouth as a pledge of good faith. Only Týr was brave enough to volunteer.

The Price of Trust

When Fenrir found he could not break Gleipnir, he bit off Týr's hand in rage. Týr accepted this without complaint—he had known the cost when he agreed. His sacrifice was not merely brave but just: he paid personally for the gods' necessary deception. His missing hand became a symbol of honor kept through suffering.

Tuesday's God

Týr gives his name to Tuesday (Týr's day, "Tiw's day" in Old English). At Ragnarök, he will fight the hellhound Garm, guardian of Hel's gates. Both will fall, slaying each other—the god of righteous war meeting his end against chaos incarnate, faithful to his nature until the last.