Ivar the Boneless wanted to make an example out of Aella and to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies. [6] who dwelt at York, The word translated "raven" is not hrafn but hugin, one of Odin's ravens. In Þáttr af Ragnars sonum (the "Tale of Ragnar's sons"), Ivar the Boneless has captured king Ælla of Northumbria, who had killed Ivar's father Ragnar Loðbrók. The killing of Ælla, after a battle for control of York, is described thus: They caused the bloody eagle to be carved on the back of Ælla, and they cut away all of the ribs from the spine, and then they ripped out his lungs. A depiction of messengers of King Aella bringing news to the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok. One was known as Hung meat, which was just as nasty as it sounds. The blood eagle is referred to by the 11th-century poet Sigvatr Þórðarson, who, some time between 1020 and 1038, wrote a skaldic verse named Knútsdrápa that recounts and establishes Ivar the Boneless as having killed Ælla and subsequently cutting his back. [16], Ronald Hutton's The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy states that "the hitherto notorious rite of the 'Blood Eagle,' the killing of a defeated warrior by pulling up his ribs and lungs through his back, has been shown to be almost certainly a Christian myth resulting from the misunderstanding of some older verse. David Horspool in his book King Alfred: Burnt Cakes and Other Legends, while not committing to the historical veracity of the rite, also saw parallels to martyrdom tracts. You may unsubscribe at any time. A victim’s abdomen was sliced open and a bit of intestine was pulled out. at had the one who dwelt One of the earliest accounts of the use of the blood eagle is thought to have occurred in 867. A chief of people Of co… What’s worse, the Vikings would then literally rub salt into the gaping wound in the form of a saline stimulant. had Ella’s back It was allegedly performed throughout all of Scandinavia and also in conquered Viking lands that now comprise modern England and Ireland. William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. Learn more about Thought Catalog and our writers on our about page. sá er fold rýðr, The process of the blood eagle is indeed so cruel and grisly that it would be difficult to believe that it could actually be carried out. Afterwards, Earl Einarr went up to Halfdan and cut the “blood eagle” on his back, in this fashion that he thrust his sword into his chest by the backbone and severed all the ribs down to the loins, and then pulled out the lungs; and that was Halfdan’s death. Similarly, Aella was tortured in vengeance. cut with [an] eagle. Then, take a look at eight of the most horrifying Medieval torture devices. Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla contains an account of the same event described in Orkneyinga saga, with Einarr actually performing the deed himself: Þá gékk Einarr jarl til Hálfdanar; hann reist örn á baki honum með þeima hætti, at hann lagði sverði á hol við hrygginn ok reist rifin öll ofan alt á lendar, dró þar út lungun; var þat bani Hálfdanar. Around 1300 AD in the saga Norna-Gests, another reference appears, but it, too, is vague: Now the blood eagle Many historians suggest that even the earliest literary references to the Blood Eagle were in poems rather than in historical accounts, which may mean they were merely intended for entertainment and not to be taken literally. Indeed, even the stories of the blood eagle — true or not — would have emptied out any village just by word of mouth before the Vikings could even make ground there. Aella killed the Viking leader Ragnar Lothbrok by throwing him into a pit of live snakes.In revenge, Lothbrok’s sons invaded England in 865. By subscribing, you agree to the terms of our Privacy Statement. It's important to talk to a dermatologist about any medical concerns you may have. But it's always important to talk to a dermatologist about any medical concerns you may have. But one thing is beyond dispute: Either the Vikings were sick individuals, or their conquerors had a sick imagination.

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