"Bloody Eagle" - the legendary execution of the Vikings. A cruel sight that makes all enemies of the northern people tremble with fear. Christian chronicles describe her as the most terrible execution of the Middle Ages, and her performers are called minions of the devil. However, how much truth is in these words? Is the "blood eagle" really used in practice? And if so, then who was his victim?
Blood Eagle Torture: Truth or Fiction?
For a long time, scientists believed that such horrors are only a figment of the imagination of Christian monks. After all, they most of all got from the Viking raids, and therefore it is quite obvious that their victims wanted to portray their offenders as bloodthirsty demons. In addition, exploring later records, historians came across inaccuracies in their stories, which only strengthened distrust.
However, everything changed at the moment when the ancient Viking fresco fell into the hands of researchers. It depicted a ritual of sacrifice, which clearly resembled the torture described by Christian chroniclers. After that, scientists no longer doubted the veracity of this bloody action.
The harsh people of the north
In our society, execution is a manifestation of excessive cruelty, since today it is the century of humanism. However, in the old days, such a punishment was in the order of things, especially among the fierce peoples. As for the Vikings, for them violence is a whole art, because for them the main entertainment was war.
Therefore, one should not be surprised that such a cruel execution as the “bloody eagle” appeared precisely in their society. After all, she personified not only pain, but also great courage (we will talk about this a bit later). And it all started with the fact that, exploring the origins of this punishment, scientists came to an amazing conclusion that completely contradicted the original data.
Sacrifice to the ancient gods
Norse mythology was built on the worship of warlike gods. That is, people with genuine courage and courage automatically became the favorites of Odin (the supreme god of the Vikings). Not to mention the fact that the best places in Valhall went to soldiers or those who bravely died in battle.
This led to the fact that all Scandinavian men dreamed of dying with dignity. Consequently, their sacrifices also reflected this desire. Thus, the "bloody eagle" is an execution capable of satisfying the need of the Vikings for a worthy death. After all, only a truly brave man could voluntarily go to her.
It should be noted that it is voluntary, and not under duress. Since initially this excruciating torture was applied only to those who agreed to it. After all, only true courage could attract the attention of the gods and their favor.
How was the execution carried out?
To date, historians do not have a reliable description of the ritual. However, according to the fragments that they collected from the annals, they still made up a certain picture of what was happening. She is very cruel, so it is better for impressionable people to skip this section.
It all started with the fact that all the villagers were notified that a "bloody eagle" would be held. The Vikings had an inviolable rule: everyone had to personally see the sacrifice to the great gods. Therefore, on the day of the execution, almost all the inhabitants of the village gathered on the square, and some even came from its nearby surroundings.
Then, the victim was displayed to the public. Often they gave her the last word in order to honor her act of goodwill. After that, the prisoner was put on his knees, and a stump was installed under his chest, capable of supporting the weight of a person. Hands were shackled, because otherwise they would have hindered the execution process.
The “blood eagle” of the Vikings began with the fact that a person was cut through the skin on his back, along the entire spine. This was necessary so that the executioner could separate the ribs from the vertebrae. This was done with a hammer and a chisel. After this, the ribs turned outward, thereby forming a kind of wing.
The final touch was tearing out the lungs. Then they were put on the ribs of the victim, complementing the image of the "bloody eagle". Fortunately, by this moment a person was already dying and did not feel anything. According to experts, only the first seconds of torture were painful. After all, most died from pain shock much earlier than the chisel managed to reach the middle of the spine.
Christian hatred of the Vikings
If the "bloody eagle" is an execution that was used only of "good" will, then why do the Christian chronicles describe it as sophisticated torture? The reason for this is the fierce hatred of the novices of Christ towards the northern people. In fairness, we note that this attitude is quite fair, and now you will understand why.
The thing is that the Viking land was unsuitable for farming, and therefore they had to raid other kingdoms in order to obtain the resources necessary for survival. At the same time, monasteries became their favorite goals, as they had large reserves of provisions and gold. Naturally, in the course of such barbaric invasions, the warriors of the north killed most of the monks, with the most brutal methods. It is not surprising that after this, Christians began to see the devils as messengers in the Vikings.
In addition, the difference in the culture of the two nations played a large role. What was a sacrifice for the northern tribes became a terrifying torture for the locals. Therefore, it is obvious that Christians misunderstood the true meaning of the “bloody eagle”, seeing in it only terrifying pain and sacrilege.
Historical evidence
Ancient torture is often mentioned in the chronicles and legends of the Middle Ages. As for the "bloody eagle", this execution is described in the big saga about Olaf Trygvason, in the Elder Edda, as well as in the story about Ivar Beskostny.
However, the process of bloody action is best described in the book "The Hammer and the Cross." It tells the story on behalf of a future victim who is dutifully waiting for his fate.
“Tomorrow they will lay me face down on the altar. The executioner chopped off every rib to me, going from top to bottom, carefully separating the bones from the flesh. They say he uses a sword, but only at the beginning, then he will switch to a hammer and a chisel. And when my bones are broken, the executioner will rip them with the base ...
I only pray that by this time I will die. But if not, then everything will end at the moment when he will turn the ribs and they will crush my heart. Ultimately, I will turn into a bloody eagle, dutifully sitting in front of the face of the gods. "
The real victims of the "bloody eagle"
Due to the scarcity of historical data, it is difficult to determine how many people became victims of this bloody madness. However, based on current information, it can be assumed that the following persons were subjected to this execution:
- Ella II is the King of Northumbria. The cause of the brutal murder of the king was the death of one of the Viking leaders, whom he ruined in a pit with snakes.
- Halvdan is the son of Harald Harfagra. If you believe the sources, the basis for the execution was betrayal.
- King Edmund. He was sacrificed to the Scandinavian gods, so that they were favorable to the Vikings in future campaigns.
The conclusions of historians
Naturally, today there are those who doubt the veracity of the stories of the "bloody eagle." However, each new find sheds more and more light on this dark time, thereby revealing the truth to us. And in it, unfortunately, there is a place for such atrocities as bloody torture and sacrifice.
Therefore, it is foolish to believe that such events were absent during the Vikings. Especially considering what gods they worshiped and what kind of life they led.