4 most famous Vikings that changed the old world
–Ivar *the Boneless
Ivar Ragnarsson A.k.A Ivar the boneless is one of the most famous Vikings that lived.Ivar is allegedly one of the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok.
Ivar popularly known as Ivar the boneless because he was born with a rare skeletal disorder at that time.
According to concrete sources, Ivar’s bonelessness was the result of a curse. His mother Aslaug was Ragnar’s third wife.
She said that the gods had warned her that she and her husband must wait three nights before they consummate their marriage.
After his return following a long separation whilst in England on raid. However, Ragnar was overcome with lust and desire for his wife after such a long separation and did not heed her warnings. As a result, Ivar was born with weak bones.(this is as a result of their disobedience).
While tales describe Ivar’s physical disability, they also emphasised on his wisdom, cunningness, and mastery of strategy and tactics in battles.
He was one of the leaders of the Great Heathen Army that invaded Britain in 865 CE and it is believed that the legendary Ivar may have indeed been inspired by this war, as he sails to Britain with his brothers to avenge their father’s death.
He negotiated a deal with the king for land but Ælla said he could only have as much ground as he can cover with a bull’s hide. Ivar cuts the bull’s hide into strips and encircles the area which will become the city of York.
After founding York, Ivar avenges his father’s death by killing King Ælla by a bloody torture techque known as the blood-eagle in 867 CE and then he rules over Northumbria from York. Ivar the Boneless came to epitomize Viking ruthlessness and cunning.
Ivar remains a local king in England for a long time after, ruling from York but having no offsprings to succeed him, ‘because of the way he was: with no lust or love’
Ivar tried but was unsuccessful to take Wessex from King Alfred in the 870s. So he renewed a deal with Olaf the White and entered what is now Scotland. Their army defeated and destroyed Dumbarton, the capital of Strathclude Kingdom in 870. After which, the two returned victoriously to Dublin.
Ivar, by then known as “king of the Norsemen of all Ireland and Britain,” died in 873.
The cause of death—a sudden and horrible disease. There was possibility that the true origin of Ivar’s Old Norse nickname lay in the crippling effects of an unknown disease that struck him down at the end of his life.
— According to tales,, Ivar’s last wish was that he should be buried in a place that was exposed, and prophesied that, if that was done, foes coming to the land would be met with ill-success. This prophecy held true, says the until “when Vilhjalm bastard (william 1 of England).