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: A True Viking Warrior and Raider
The name most associated with the Viking attacks and raids on the British Isles is that of Ragnar Lothbrok (sometimes also written as 'Lodbrok'), who has gone down in history as a fearless leader and unstoppable warrior.
Ivar the Boneless
Indeed, Ivar the Boneless was known to be a Berserker, champion Norse warriors who fought in a trance-like fury. He is best known for invading several Anglo-Saxon kingdoms with his two brothers.
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.
In popular lore, few images are as synonymous with Viking brutality as the “blood eagle,” a practice that allegedly found torturers separating the victim's ribs from their spine, pulling their bones and skin outward to form a set of “wings,” and removing their lungs from their chest cavity.
His reputation is probably one of the most bloodthirsty among all of the Vikings. The son of Thorvald, Erik the Red is chiefly remembered for being the Viking who founded the first settlement in Greenland. His father Thorvald left Norway with his young son Erik, around 10 years old, because of 'some killings'.
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.
Lagertha, according to legend, was a Viking ruler and shield-maiden from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok.
Lagertha. Perhaps the most well known of all the Viking warrior women of Norse sagas, Lagertha is most recognisable as the wife of Ragnar Lödbrook [portrayed by Katherine Winnick in Vikings].
This has brought forward the question of whether or not the individual was originally from Birka, or if she had settled there afterwards. Controversially, the conclusion of the study was that "the individual in grave Bj 581 is the first confirmed female high-ranking Viking warrior".
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.
The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.
The title of berserker is thought sometimes to have been inherited from father to son, and there are known examples of entire families of berserkers. One such family known from the sagas is Egil Skallagrimson. Egil's father, Skallagrim ('ugly skull'), and his grandfather Kveldulv ('nightwolf') were also berserkers.
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.
Odin. The supreme deity of Norse mythology and the greatest among the Norse gods was Odin, the Allfather of the Aesir. He was the awe-inspiring ruler of Asgard, and most revered immortal, who was on an unrelenting quest for knowledge with his two ravens, two wolves and the Valkyries.
Among the English court, Earl Godwin is one of the bravest, in large part because he has had to make up for his own father's misdeeds and mistakes in his own pursuit of power and influence at the court of the king.
Harald Hardrada is arguably the most famous Viking king, at least for those interested in British history. A Norwegian King who is often referred to as the last great Viking, he was an influential military leader – after all, Hardrada literally means 'hard ruler.
Frankish accounts of a 9th-century Viking leader
The Siege of Paris and the Sack of Paris of 845 were the culmination of a Viking invasion of the kingdom of the West Franks. The Viking forces were led by a Norse chieftain named "Reginherus", or Ragnar.
Finally, in 870 the Danes attacked the only remaining independent Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Wessex, whose forces were commanded by King Aethelred and his younger brother Alfred. At the battle of Ashdown in 871, Alfred routed the Viking army in a fiercely fought uphill assault.
Hjor was the last of the kings at Avaldsnes who descended from the Augvald dynasty. His wife Ljufvina was a princess of Mongolian descent and despite her dark skin and unusual looks, she reigned as queen over the Norsemen at Karmsundet. Hjor and Ljufvina had two sons: the twins Hamund (Håmund) and Geirmund.
Sagas and runic inscriptions show that families were formed by monogamous marriages. A man may have had relationships, and children, with several women, but when he died, only one wife was acknowledged.
Social and political alliances were also secured by marriage. Written sources tell us that the two most powerful Viking kings, Harald Bluetooth and his son Sweyn Forkbeard, both married Slavic princesses.
Most scholars today believe that Viking attacks on Christian churches had nothing to do with religion, but more to do with the fact that monasteries were typically both wealthy and poorly defended, making them an easy target for plunder.
Warriors who died bravely were believed to go to Valhalla, the Viking heaven. This belief made them fearless opponents. A man had to be ready to follow his chieftain or king into battle or on a raid, and could be called up to fight at any moment.
They were very brave and liked adventures, but they could also be very brutal. Many Europeans feared them. When Vikings invaded a new territory they usually came with a few hundred ships and thousands of warriors . Sometimes they landed with only a few ships, raided villages and quickly disappeared .