Perhaps the epitome of the archetypal bloodthirsty Viking, Erik the Red violently murdered his way through life.
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.
– The sagas
The sagas tell that women did go on some of the Viking expeditions. The most notorious and frightening of these long distance travellers were Freydis, the daughter of Erik the Red. She initiated one of the Viking expeditions to Vinland.
Perhaps the epitome of the archetypal bloodthirsty Viking, Erik the Red violently murdered his way through life.
Ragnar Lothbrok
Arguably the most famous Viking warrior of them all, not least for his role as the leading protagonist in Vikings, the History Channel's popular drama.
The exact purpose of these grooves is unknown, but it is believed to have been decorative, a symbol of one's status as a warrior or meant to intimidate and frighten. Other Viking remains with stripes filed into the teeth have also been discovered, with some having three or even four teeth modified.
The Brutal Nature of the Vikings
Vikings murdered slaves and prisoners at will and historians say that they did not even regard non-vikings as humans. Every male was also expected to prove themselves on the battlefield and so entire wars were started just so leaders could demonstrate their worth.
In conclusion, the Vikings were undoubtedly capable of brutal acts of violence, particularly during their raids and pillaging. On the other hand, they were not unique in this regard, and raiding and pillaging were common activities for many different groups during this period.
If slaves did not behave properly then they were beaten. An owner could punish his slaves as much as he wanted. The slaves' bodies were also available for sexual exploitation. This is mentioned in the description from 922 by the Arabic diplomat, Ibn Fadlan, about his encounter with a group of Vikings on the Volga.
While there is evidence to suggest that Vikings may have been more diverse than previously believed, including the possibility of Viking presence in Africa, the evidence for the existence of black Vikings is still extremely limited. We can therefore say that no, it is not likely that there were black Vikings.
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.
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.
Historical accounts
There are historical attestations that Viking Age women took part in warfare. The Byzantine historian John Skylitzes records that women fought in battle when Sviatoslav I of Kiev attacked the Byzantines in Bulgaria in 971.
In retaliation for Borg's recent attack on Kattegat, Ragnar sentenced him to die by blood eagle, a brutal execution that remains the bloodiest death depicted on the show. Though plenty of Vikings' most horrific scenes come from the twisted imagination of Hirst, this was one instance where credit's due elsewhere.
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.
A woman's work duties were, by all accounts, housekeeping and making food. A large part of her time was also taken up working wool, spinning yarn, sewing and weaving for the family's own consumption. Pregnancy and breastfeeding also took up time in a woman's life.
To make matters worse, the Vikings existed at a time well before the discovery of Vitamin C, so if your stores were not well stocked with preserved vegetables and fruit during winter or a long sea voyage, there was a very real possibility of hair loss as result of scurvy.
On the other hand, women were respected in Norse society and had great freedom, especially when compared to other European societies of that era. They managed the finances of the family. They ran the farm in their husband's absence. In widowhood, they could be rich and important landowners.
Fidelity. This belief in fidelity extended far beyond the modern understanding of it, which is to remain monogamous with your life partner. They also applied this belief in fidelity to friends and family as well, which meant that Vikings had to be unequivocally loyal to those that were close to them.
Vikings didn't share their wifes as a historical known custom. It has always been an alluring fantasy of traveling men which almost never is true.
A wife's adultery was a serious matter, and in some areas the husband had the right to kill both her and her lover if they were caught together. There was no penalty for a man if he kept a concubine or had children outside his marriage.
Victims likely lost consciousness early in the process as flesh was removed from their backs; the quantity of blood loss and subsequent lung collapse would have killed them long before the grisly ordeal was finished, and "much of the procedure would have been performed on a corpse," the scientists reported.
Contrary to established wisdom, we therefore argue that the blood eagle could very well have taken place in the Viking Age. It was physically possible, in line with broader social habits regarding execution and the treatment of corpses, and reflected a cultural obsession with demonstrating your honour and prestige.
They were particularly nervous in the western sea lochs then known as the "Scottish fjords". The Vikings were also wary of the Gaels of Ireland and west Scotland and the inhabitants of the Hebrides.
Harald Hardrada, sometimes called the last Viking king, was the half-brother of the Norwegian king, Olav Haraldson, later called St Olav. Harald took part in the battle at Stiklastad 1030, where Olav was killed. After the battle Harald fled to Sweden and from there to Russia.