One of the Aesir, his name means "The Glorious". He was also called the "God of Tears" and the "White As". Baldr, the son of Odin and Frigg , was described as a very handsome and wise god. Some consider him to be a god of light since he was so bright, light shone from him. The poets often used his name to mean "warrior". Baldr's name rarely occurs in place names, therefore, it is thought that not many people worshipped him
Baldr's wife was Nanna and they had a son named Forseti. Baldr and Nanna lived in Breidablik [The Broad-Gleaming], where nothing unclean could be and there were "fewest baneful runes". Breidablik had a silver roof on golden pillars.
Throughout his youth, Baldr had foreboding dreams of dwelling in Nifleheim. Aware that Baldr's death was one of the portents that would signify the coming of Ragnarok, Odin rode to Hel's realm to find out the meaning of Baldr's dreams. She foretold Baldr's death by Hodr, his fraternal twin. Frigg, Baldr's mother, therefore asked all things in creation to swear never to harm Baldr. She neglected to ask the mistletoe because it was so young.Because nothing could harm him, it became a great game for the gods to throw things at Baldr while he sat smiling, unscathed. Loki, jealous of Baldr, disguised himself as an old woman and visited Frigg. He learned that Baldr was invulnerable to everything but mistletoe. Loki made a dart out of mistletoe and tricked the blind god Hodr into throwing it at Baldr, who instantly fell down dead. Because of the gods' misery, Hermod rode to Hel's realm and got her to agree to let Baldr return to the living if all things would weep for him. One giantess named Thokk, Loki in disguise, refused to weep for Baldr. Baldr remained dead and was cremated on his funeral boat, Hringhorni. Odin placed his ring on Baldr's funeral pyre. The gods hunted down Loki, well aware that he was to blame. Baldr is supposed to come back to life after the Ragnarok.
Christian missionaries often used the Baldr story as a teaching tool when trying to convert Norse/Germanic peoples. They drew similarities between Baldr and Christ.
Snorri and Saxo Grammaticus give very different views of Baldr and his death. In Saxo's version of this story, Hodr is alone responsible for Baldr's death. Snorri's account is available online. Saxo gave a very different picture of Baldr: he was a vicious god who fought with Hodr to marry Nanna. .
In Uberheim, Baldur is the Ascended God of Chivalry and a member of the Legion of Thunder. He does not have the designation as "God of Light", as that title belongs to King Siegfried. Baldur's lady is Isolde.