He is said to be the king of Sweden, who was the first one from the House of Munsö, although some accounts mention his father to be a king before him. Bjorn Ironside ījorn Ironside is the son of the infamous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. This is what later set the precedent of paying large sums of money to Viking chiefs for protection from plundering and invasion. 843-877 CE) paid Ragnar 7000 pounds of silver to never attack Paris (France). He was so feared by the king that Charles the Bald (r. But there is doubt about the authenticity of these stories.Īnother version of history states that the historical Reginherus had nothing to do with England and only attacked France during 845 CE. They were able to capture King Ælla and also performed the blood-eagle on him. The story goes on to explain how Ragnar’s sons invaded England, to take revenge for their father’s killing. ![]() What is ironic though is that he was thrown in a pit of poisonous snakes and died there. Legend has it that Ragnar was warned by his physic wife Aslaug to not attack England simply with two ships, but he did not pay any heed to her and was thus killed by King Ælla of Northumbria (d. There are different accounts of the same man.Įven though he ransacked England, he was never able to conquer it. As per the accounts of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle ‘Ragnall’ and ‘Reginherus’ was a brutal Viking raider from 840 AD. This has earned him his very own sagas, such as The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and the Gesta Danorum. It is believed that Ragnar Lothbrok or Lodbrok, the warlord and king of Denmark and Sweden, was the first Scandinavian to plunder England and France combined and was also the one to father the Great Heathen Army. This did not only earn him the bride, but also the title of ‘hairy breeches’ or ‘shaggy breeches’. According to historical accounts, Ragnar at the young age of 15 killed a poisonous snake infestation to win the hand of his beloved, wearing a snake-proof suit. But this was not the only reason for the nickname. He has been one of the most well known vikings of his time because of all the tales that are present in the Vikings sagas.Īs per the sagas, Ragnar’s 9th century raids on Francia (modern day France) and Anglo-Saxon England earned him his legendary nickname, “Shaggy Breeches”, but that doesn’t really convey his personality or conquests. TV series portrayal of Ragnar Lodbrok isn’t his only name to fame. Since he was never caught, he died free at the ripe age of 80, after murdering the slave who had helped him in burying his treasure. His capabilities of looting were such that he earned a huge fortune for himself. Becoming an outlaw only allowed Egil to further plunder and pillage without any kind of hindrance. His madness was such that he was forced to become a fugitive in his own country as the King of Norway placed a prize on his head. He was an expert swordsman, ax wielder and could rip out throats with his fingers too. Others may grow calm and peaceful after becoming in-tuned with their inner poet, but Egil terrorized Norway with his blood lust. This was the start of young Egil’s notorious life of words and massive killings. From what we know of his life, it is said that he started early, first poem at 3 and first kill at the mere age of 7. In fact, he was so good that his poetry is said to be among the finest in ancient Scandinavia. ![]() Like most Norse people, poetry was also his favorite pastime. This unit can hide in forests until enemy units get too close.Egil Skallagrimsson isn’t simply known for his killing skills, he is also known for being an epic poet of his time. ![]() This unit’s melee attack and damage are increased against charging enemies. The unit moves into close wall formation. The amount of detail on a sword was a sign of wealth, and many examples decorated with precious metals and intricate patterns have been discovered at Norse burial sites. ![]() As early as the 4th century AD, Norse skill in battle, and their mastery of the waves, was well known - along with an insatiable lust for blood and plunder! Of course, this approach made them very rich not just tools for battle, their weapons carried just as much meaning as status symbols. So successful were they, that their race emerged from the Dark Ages to dominate not just their homelands, but many other places - as far afield as Greenland and Russia. Like all successful tribal groups, the Nordic peoples were extremely warlike and developed strong naval skills alongside raiding tactics based on the traditional barbarian headlong charge. The term ‘Norsemen’, meaning ‘people of the North’, refers to the Germanic peoples who still inhabit the central part of Scandinavia today. "A strong arm and a ferocious lust for blood set these warriors apart."
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