![]() ![]() When he returned to his father’s kingdom after Ragnar’s death, he divided his father’s kingdom with his brother and became king of Sweden. To the people he faced, he seemed unstoppable. He raided England, Spain, France, and Italy, getting as far south as Gibraltar. Bjorn was sent to find his own way in the world with a group of Viking warriors and a few ships. He was expelled by his father for being the youngest of his sons, as was the normal Viking custom. Bjorn IronsideĪ famous Viking leader from the 9th century, Bjorn Ironside was the son of Ragnar Lodbrok. But this list is all about blood and gore! 1. But they were also intelligent with a rich and interesting culture. The Vikings were mighty warriors that were feared across Europe. You will find more in-depth and balanced articles about each of them on the blog. Here are the 15 most ferocious and famous Viking warriors from history and the bloody stories that have earned them a place on this list!ĭisclaimer! This list is meant to be a bit of fun and just a taster of the histories of these warriors. But to rise to the top of Viking society, you had to be more fearsome and ferocious than the rest! Just the sight of a Viking warrior could strike fear into the hearts of their enemies. ![]() The surviving evidence suggests that their reputation is well deserved. But once again, archaeology substantiates the Saga’s claims that the Vikings did indeed reach North America, making them the first Europeans to do so.The Vikings have a reputation as fierce and bloody warriors that burned and pillaged their way through Europe in the 9th and 10th centuries. Whatever its ultimate purpose, the site was short-lived as it was only occupied for a few years, suggesting any such attempt was doomed to failure. Perhaps the site at L’Anse aux Meadows was a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of colonization of mainland North America. A forge was discovered with 50 iron objects around it, such as late Norwegian style belt buckles and nails and rivets, all made from the local source of bog iron. It seems that the site may have been a stopping point for the maintenance and repair of boats. Viking finds on the site, which includes everyday objects such as a stone oil lamp and a birch bark case, match the style of those found in 11th century Norway. It consists of eight houses, one forge and four workshops, made out of cutting peat turf buildings exactly like Viking structures in Iceland and Greenland. The site, at L’Anse aux Meadows, was unearthed in the 1960s. Actual evidence exists in Newfoundland to substantiate this, as at the tip of the most northerly peninsula, there are the remains of an 11th century Viking settlement. Legends have always suggested the Vikings made it to America before Columbus. Wikimedia Commons L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland: Vikings in North America Recreation of the settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows. “ Halfdan made these runes” read one, while the other simply read “Arni”. In the late 20th century, runic inscriptions were found randomly carved into the western gallery of the former church. These elite Viking guards left evidence of themselves behind in the former Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. In fact, they left in such numbers and so many stayed that laws were passed in Sweden to prevent them from inheriting in the country of their birth will serving in Constantinople. The Varangian guards soon became a profitable tour of duty for Vikings. They found the basis of the Varangian Guard, the elite bodyguards of the Eastern Roman emperor. In 874 AD, 6,000 Viking men were sent to the court of King Basil II in Byzantium as part of a peace treaty between the Emperor and the Kiev Vikings who converted to Christianity. This reputation for strength and ferocity probably explains how Viking warriors found themselves in Constantinople fighting for the Byzantine Empire rather than against it. They carry axes, swords, daggers and always have them to hand.”īyzantine chroniclers recognized their worth too, noting that they were: “ frightening both in appearance and in equipment, they attacked with reckless rage and neither cared about losing blood nor their wounds”. Every man wears a cloak with which he covers half of his body, so that one arm is uncovered. As tall as palm trees, fair and reddish, they wear neither tunics nor kaftans. The Arab traveler Ahmad Ibn Fadlan marveled at the Viking physique and prowess, commenting how he had “ never seen bodies as nearly perfect as theirs. Viking prowess and strength were a marvel throughout the east. Google Images Constantinople: Bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperor ![]() Viking Runic Inscription in Hagia Sophia. ![]()
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