Infopanel 32

Harald Bluetooth

Bluetooth, King Harald Bluetooth's nickname, achieved something extraordinary in 10th-century Denmark: by uniting the core Danish territories of Jutland, the two islands of Funen and Zealand, and Skåne (now part of Sweden), Denmark developed into an influential empire in Scandinavia. King Harald Bluetooth's reign is also considered the beginning of the Christianization of Denmark, which led to a political and cultural transformation of the country – and all without the use of force. A miracle was enough: around 965, a German missionary named Poppo carried a red-hot iron without burning himself to prove the power of his Christian God. Harald realized that Christ must be more powerful than the pagan gods, and so he continued the conversion of the country begun by his mother. 

Despite his achievements, King Harald Bluetooth became increasingly unpopular towards the end of his life and was finally deposed by his son Sven Forkbeard in 986. The new Danish king, Forkbeard, continued to expand his sphere of influence over Norway and also became king of England in 1013.

Nevertheless, one of the most impressive runestones ever, also known as Denmark's baptismal certificate, commemorates Blåtand's achievements to this day with the inscription:
"King Harald commanded these monuments to be erected in memory of Gormr, his father, and Thyra, his mother; Harald, who conquered all of Denmark / and all of Norway / and also converted the Danes to Christianity."

The other sides of the stone show a mythical creature and Christ crucified in the Viking style of the 10th century.