Forseti (Old Norse "the presiding one", actually "president" in Modern Icelandic and Faroese) is the Æsir god of justice, peace and truth in Norse mythology. He was the son of Balder and Nanna. His home was Glitnir, its name, meaning shining, referring to the hall's silver ceiling and golden pillars, which radiated light that could be seen from a great distance. Old Norse or Danish tongue is the Germanic language once spoken by the inhabitants of the Nordic countries (for instance during the Viking Age). ... Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States (1861-1865) The majority of this article is about heads of states. ... In Old Norse, the Æsir (singular Áss, feminine Ásynja, feminine plural Ásynjur, Anglo-Saxon Ós, from Proto-Germanic *Ansuz) are the principal gods of the pantheon of Norse mythology. ... J.L. Urban, statue of Lady Justice at court building in Olomouc, Czech Republic (1896-1901) Justice is the ideal, morally correct state of things and persons. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Common dictionary definitions of truth mention some form of accord with fact or reality. ... Norse or Scandinavian mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Balders death is portrayed in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... Nanna is the name of two deities: God of the moon in Sumerian mythology and Nanna, the wife of Balder in Norse mythology There is also a kind of Corsican music called nanna. ... Glitnir (shining) is the home of Forseti, the Norse god of justice, and the seat of justice amongst the Aesir. ...

Forseti was considered the wisest and most eloquent of gods of Asgard. In contrast to his fellow god Tyr, who presided over the bloody affairs of carnal law, Forseti presided over disputes resolved by mediation. He sat in his hall, dispensing justice to those who sought it, and was said to be able to always provide a solution that all parties considered fair. Like his father Balder, he was a gentle god and favored peace so all judged by him could live in safety as long as they upheld his sentence. Forseti was so respected that only the most solemn oaths were uttered in his name. In Norse mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: Ásgarður) is the realm of the gods, the Æsir, thought to be separate from the realm of the mortals, Midgard. ... Týr, depicted here with both hands intact, is identified with Mars in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... Mediation in legal terminology, comprises an act of bringing two states, sides or parties in a dispute closer together toward agreement through alternative dispute resolution, a dialogue in which a (generally) neutral third party, the mediator, using appropriate techniques, assists two or more parties to help them negotiate an agreement...

He is not mentioned as a combatant at Ragnarok, so it is assumed that as a god of peace he abstained from battle. Look up Ragnarok in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

He is thought to have been the chief god or ancestor of the Frisians.

Heligoland

Forseti's place of worship was Heligoland. According to legend, twelve Asegeir or old ones once wandered all over Scandinavia gathering local laws. They wanted to get the best laws from all the tribes and compile them into one set of laws applicable to all of them, thus uniting them in peace. Heligoland (in German, Helgoland and in North Frisian, Lun, Hålilönj) is a small German archipelago in the North Sea. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe. ...

It is said that after gathering laws from all the regions, they embarked on a sea voyage to a remote place where they could safely discuss the process of compilation. However, a vicious storm arose and while at the mercy of sea they invoked the name of Forseti to save them from peril. They noticed that a 13th person appeared in the boat and safely led it to a deserted island. There, the person (presumably Forseti himself) split the earth and a spring was formed. Having consecrated the place he dictated the unified code of laws that merged all the best regulations of various local laws and suddenly vanished. [1] To consecrate an inanimate object is to dedicate it in a ritual to a special purpose, usually religious. ... A legal code is a moral code enforced by the law of a state. ...

The island became a place of worship to Forseti and the spring was its holy place. The island's integrity was respected by all Norsemen and no warrior dared to make a raid there in fear of the punishment that would result in being cast down to the kingdom of Hel rather than upwards to Valhalla. All major legal assemblies gathered at the island. The disputes were undertaken in the light of day only, and never in winter as it was believed that darkness was anathema to truth and just resolve. Indy Norse mythology, Hel is the queen of Helheim, the Norse underworld. ... In this illustration from a 17th century Icelandic manuscript, Heimdall is shown guarding the gate of Valhalla. ... Prism splitting light Light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength that is visible to the eye (visible light) or, in a technical or scientific context, electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength [citation needed]. The elementary particle that defines light is the photon. ... Look up Darkness in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Anathema (Greek Word -Ανάθεμα-: meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods; later, with evolving meanings, it came to mean 1. ...

"Fositesland" is mentioned by Alcuin as in confinio Fresorum et Danorum. Adam von Bremen identifies the "Fosite island" with Heligoland. Fosite has been suggested to be a loan of Greek Poseidon into pre-Proto-Germanic, perhaps via Greeks purchasing amber (Pytheas is known to have visited the area of Heligoland in search of amber). Rabanus Maurus (left), supported by Alcuin (middle), presents his work to Otgar of Mainz Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus or Ealhwine (c. ... Adam of Bremen (also: Adam Bremensis) was one of the most important German medieval chroniclers. ... Neptune reigns in the city centre, Bristol, formerly the largest port in England outside London. ... Map of the Pre-Roman Iron Age culture(s) associated with Proto-Germanic, ca 500 BC-50 BC. The area south of Scandinavia is the Jastorf culture Proto-Germanic, the proto-language believed by scholars to be the common ancestor of the Germanic languages, includes among its descendants Dutch, Yiddish... Amber pendants. ... Pytheas ( 380 – 310 BCE) was a Greek merchant, geographer and explorer from the Greek colony Massilia (today Marseille). ...

Forseti in place names

The first element in the name Forsetlund (Norse Forsetalundr), a farm in the parish of Onsøy ('Odins island'), Norway, seem to be the genitive case of Forseti. Norse is related to Scandinavia, and may mean: Ancient Norse mythology Medieval Norsemen, i. ... Onsøy is a former municipality in Østfold county, Norway. ...

Other Spellings

• German form: Forasizo
• Frisian form: Fosite, Foiste

See also

Poetic Edda The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems from the Icelandic mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. ...

Note that in today's Iceland, the president is called a "Forseti".

References

• Davidson, H. R. Ellis (1990). Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, orig. pub. 1965, England: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-140-13627-4.

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