Isøre Assembly

Though Saxo suggests that the election of a king was a regular event at Isøre Ting (Assembly), he only mentions it directly twice: after the murder of Rolf Krake at Lejre in 500 and then, much later, after Svend Estridsen’s death in Roskilde in 1076. On the preserved heath – Skansehage Hede – on Isøre Tingvej there’s a King Stone to commemorate Isøre Tingsted, but it was hardly here Viking chieftains met to elect their king, but probably about 3km south of Rørvig. Until 1300, the area around Nakke village was known as Isøre. At that time both Isøre and Nakke lay on each side of their own little Isser (islands) out in the fjord; but sand drift has drastically altered the landscape over 1000 years. This was a strategic location overlooking the whole kingdom – Jutland to the west, southern Sweden to the east and the channel entrance into Zealand and its two major citadels Lejre and Roskilde. Thus it’s a natural meeting place, with the fleet well protected inside the fjord.