Viking Tales - Tunø

Rising from the southern waves of the Bay of Aarhus, the little island of Tunø dominates the entrance to the bay.

Its name derives from the ancient name “Tund”, which means a steep rise of land, and for thousands of years, Tunø had been the home of the bronze-age gods.

Each year the tribes of Jutland, would come to the island in processions, and perform rituals and offerings, but during the Viking age, Tunø transformed into a military naval base of great importance. The sea almost separated the island in two, which created a secret lagoon, perfect for harboring a small fleet of dragon-ships, which could guard the southern entrance into the bay of Aarhus.

Tunø therefore became a part of the elaborate defense system that surrounded the largest Viking naval base in Scandinavia, the royal fortress of Aros (Aarhus). A powerful chieftain lived on Tunø, and defended the island for the kings of Jelling, and we can easy imagine ourselves, how a proven warrior have returned home, from the raids abroad, and been granted Tunø as a gift, in return for his service as guardian of the royal fleet hidden in Aros.

The chieftain on Tunø, have no doubt been forced to show his loyalty in battle. In the year 1046, a great Danish Viking fleet sailed out to meet their Norwegian enemies in the waters north of Tunø.

A bloody seabattle commenced and the Norwegian king Magnus the Good, slaughtered the Danes, until the waves was colored red and the Danish king Svein Ulfson, had to flee for his life.