Ragnar Lothbrok may be the most famous, but in the contest for the most feared Viking, it's hard to find a better choice than
Harald, one of the most famous Vikings (his real name was Harald Sigurdsson), started the wars at 15 years old like any real Viking child. He spent 15 years traveling to Europe, reaching as far as Constantinople, where he became the leader of the Emperor's Varangian guard.
Perhaps the epitome of the archetypal bloodthirsty Viking, Erik the Red violently murdered his way through life. Born in Norway, Erik gained his nickname most likely due to the colour of his hair and beard but it could also reflect upon his violent nature.
Ragnar Lothbrok
Probably the most important Viking leader and the most famous Viking warrior, Ragnar Lothbrok led many raids on France and England in the 9th century.
The Viking reputation as bloodthirsty conquerors has endured for more than a millennium but new research shows that some Norsemen approached the British islands with more than a little trepidation.
- King of Norway 1046-1066
Harald Hardrada (Harald III Sigurdsson) is often known as "the last real Viking," and maybe he was what many understood by a real Viking king.
At the battle of Ashdown in 871, Alfred routed the Viking army in a fiercely fought uphill assault.
The events of 1066 in England effectively marked the end of the Viking Age. By that time, all of the Scandinavian kingdoms were Christian, and what remained of Viking “culture” was being absorbed into the culture of Christian Europe.
Ragnar Lothbrok is the hero of the epic The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and is considered an amalgam of a number of Viking chieftains.
Ragnar is undoubtedly the most intelligent character who manages to outwit many enemies before finally accepting his death at the hands of (you guessed it) one of his enemies.
Lagertha. Thanks to Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum, we know of a legendary female Viking known as either Lagertha or Ladgerda. This incredible woman was part of a larger group of female warriors who volunteered to help renowned hero Ragnar Lothbrok avenge his grandfather's death.
Early research said the exodus was due to many problems, including climate change, a lack of management, economic collapse and social stratification. Temperature change has often been cited as an explanation for the end of the Vikings, so let's take a closer look.
Vikings worked long hours, carrying, and using heavy equipment which contributed to the formation of muscles, even from an early age. Another reason for the significant strength of the Vikings was their diet. Vikings were mostly hunters, not gatherers, due to their cold, harsh environment.
Then, they vanished. Their mysterious disappearance in the 14th century has been linked to everything from plummeting temperatures and poor land management to plague and pirate raids. Now, researchers have discovered an additional factor that might have helped seal the settlers' fate: drought.
According to Saxo's legendary history, Ragnar was eventually captured by the Anglo-Saxon king Aella of Northumbria and thrown into a snake pit to die.
Although Viking rule returned to the north of England later in the tenth century, the violent death of King Erik Bloodaxe in 954 marked the end of independent Viking power in the north.
The purpose of the Vikings' violence was to acquire wealth, which fed into the political economy of northern Europe, notably in the form of gift-giving. Viking warriors were motivated by a warrior ideology of violence that praised bravery, toughness, and loyalty.
On November 13, A.D. 1002, Æthelred Unræd, ruler of the English kingdom of Wessex, “ordered slain all the Danish men who were in England,” according to a royal charter. This drastic step was not taken on a whim, but was the product of 200 years of Anglo-Saxon frustration and fear.
Björn (whose nickname “Ironside” originated from killing several enemies in battle without hurting himself) died in Vikings season 6 after being stabbed by Ivar with a sword.
Eventually in 1263 the Viking King Haakon IV decided that a show of strength was required to overcome the persistent aggression from the Scots. On the 1st of October 1263 they met in the Battle of Largs, which was a victory for the Scots and a defeat for the Vikings, who set fire to their stranded ships and retreated.
Odin. The supreme deity of Norse mythology and the greatest among the Norse gods was Odin, the All-Father of the Aesir.
Led by King Alfred, the armies of Wessex defeated half of the Viking forces in the Battle of Edington in 878, forever crushing their hopes of dominating all of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms.
Evidence suggests that the Vikings didn't conquer Germany because too much of it is located inland. As seafaring warriors, the Vikings often struggled to conquer lands located too far from the sea, especially as their ships were generally the bases from which raids were launched.