The famous Viking Ivar the Boneless was the son of an even more legendary Ragnar Lodbroka. Avenging the death of his father, this pagan gathered a huge army with which he landed in Britain. The result of his unprecedented campaign was the conquest of part of the island by the Danes (ancestors of the Danes), where the rule of the Scandinavians was established for a century. Ivar himself was known as a frantic warrior, whose exploits were sung in many medieval sagas. His life, full of white spots, is surrounded by numerous legends and conjectures.
King son
The Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok boasted not only his military successes, but also great offspring. Ivar is only one of the many sons of the legendary hero. Due to the fragmentary and inaccurate documents of the then documents, historians today do not know when this Viking was born. Most of the reliable information about Ivara was left behind by the "Saga of Ragnar and his Sons." But even in it there are no facts about the childhood and youth of the future Dan leader.
There is no doubt that from the earliest years Ivar studied military craft. His father raised from him a real Viking, for whom in life there is nothing but hikes and robberies in Christian Europe. It was precisely the 9th century that became the heyday of the bloody and devastating raids of the Scandinavians. Most often they attacked France and Britain. It was to this adventurous business that Ivar Beskostny devoted his whole life. He did not even start a family and did not leave his own children.
Riddle name
Researchers still have not come to a common point of view, which meant the nickname worn by Ivar the Boneless (why the Boneless?). Opinions are opposite. Perhaps Ivar was called Boneless for the unprecedented dexterity that he demonstrated on the battlefield. On the other hand, some historians suggest that the cause of the nickname could be an unknown disease.
Even if Ivar had some kind of ailment, he did not stop him from going on a long trip. In 865, his father Ragnar survived a shipwreck off the coast of Britain. King of Northumbria Ella II, who hated the pagans, executed the legendary Viking. The reprisal was terrible. Ragnar was thrown into a pit full of poisonous snakes. The news of the death of his father overtook Ivar in his homeland. At that moment, the history of Denmark made a sharp turn. The children of Ragnar went to a distant island in order to avenge their father.
Journey overseas
In the fall of 865, the Great Army of the Gentiles mounted their drakkars and went to Britain. The first fleet of Ivar was seen by the peasants who lived on the seashore of Kent. Pagans have plundered Britain more than once, but none of the locals remembered so many sails on the horizon. According to various estimates, Ivar Beskostny assembled a squadron of 300-400 ships, which were 5 thousand people. For the IX century, these were incredible numbers. It seemed that the whole people had budged, as had already happened during the Great Migration, when the ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons themselves left mainland Europe and settled in Britain.
Together with Ivar, two more sons of Ragnar, Halfdan and Ubba, went to avenge their father. After the first robberies in Kent and on the island of Tenet, the Viking flotilla moved on. The pagans chose East England as their next target, ruled by King Edmund. It soon became clear that this was not a one-time raid of Danes. The aliens were going to stay in England for a long time.
A huge fleet of Danes was terrifying. Wooden dragons were mounted on the warships of the dragons. The army of the Gentiles attached great importance to all kinds of symbols. The ships of Ivar and his brothers were no exception. The Vikings believed that wooden idols help drive away evil spirits and bring victory over opponents. The rooks of the danes had a unique construction for their time. Vessels not only crossed the northern seas, but also moved perfectly in shallow water. This last feature was extremely important for the children of Ragnar. Even finding himself in the British hinterland, Ivar was able to lead the ships along the riverbeds, on which reserves and looted loot were stored.
Additional reasons for the invasion
All the chroniclers of that time agreed that Ivar and his brothers went to Britain for revenge for the death of his father, and this thought is beyond doubt. But what made them follow a huge army and a large number of supporters who joined at a later stage of the invasion? What is the historical implication of that long campaign?
For example, the Norwegians left their home country due to a shortage of fertile coastal land and overpopulation. But the children of Ragnar and their warriors were given, which means that they were motivated by other motives. Speaking about the underlying causes of the invasion of the Great Pagan Army (and not just about the beautiful plot of revenge for the death of Ragnar), one cannot but say that it was at that time (in the 9th century) after the long crisis that followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in Europe began a marked increase in trade. A huge stream of silver and various goods poured into this region. New merchant cities appeared, including the British Lundenwick (London). Such settlements were rich, but did not have strong fortifications (due to their location on waterways or the seashore). Thus, the Vikings faced a double temptation - not just rich prey, but also poorly guarded rich prey.
The reasons for the appearance of a huge fleet off the British coast were not only economic, but also political. Throughout the 9th century, a struggle took place in Denmark between centralized royal power and the Vikings' military leaders. The monarchs wanted to control the invasion. The ambitious and accustomed to freedom pirates resisted this desire. In 854, the military dealt with King Chorick I. This monarch made peace with the king of France and interfered with the campaigns of his compatriots. After the death of Horik, Denmark for a long time remained without power, which could keep in check the wishing of the adventurous Viking campaigns. Ragnar also took advantage of this opportunity, and the same freedom played into the hands of his sons, who managed to rally a large number of supporters.
Parking in East Anglia
The following year, 866, the Vikings robbing France learned that Ivar the Boneless had created a strong point in East Anglia. Pagans from all over Scandinavia began to flock there. Just completed raids in other European countries also sought East Anglia. The children of Ragnar spent the whole winter in Britain. The number of Scandinavian camps increased - the cloud over Edmund's head became more and more. The Vikings did not leave even after they were joined by comrades who earned a colossal fortune in France - King Karl Lysy bought them 4,000 pounds of silver. For many warriors, this was the ultimate dream, but Ivar the Boneless nurtured much more far-reaching plans.
Going to a foreign country, the military leader prepared a detailed plan. He decided to abandon the classic Scandinavian foot strategy and make his army a horse. To do this, in East Anglia, strangers took a large number of horses from local residents. Cavalry was necessary for quick movement along an unfamiliar land. Reaching the place of battle, the Vikings dismounted and acted shield to shield in foot formation. Each warrior defended his comrade - the army fought as a single organism.
Trekking to Northumbria
The pagans who invaded Britain benefited from the fact that there was no single authority on the island. England was divided into seven kingdoms. Their relationship was a tangled tangle of contradictions. As a rule, they were at enmity, and with the advent of strangers they tried to combine their efforts against a common enemy. It turned out far from always.
Ivar, the leader of the Danish Vikings, knew about all the political ups and downs. The first he decided to attack Northumbria. This kingdom suffered from internal strife. On the eve of its inhabitants expelled their own monarch Osbert. In its place came Ella II. It was on his orders that Ragnar Lodbrok was killed, who was thrown into a pit with snakes.
Thus, Ivar and his brothers chose Northumbria for their own revenge and for the reason that it was this kingdom that then suffered most from the civil strife. The local nobility was split. One half supported the usurper. Another hoped for the return of Osbert, who belonged to the royal dynasty and had legitimate rights to the throne (unlike the artful Ella II).
Blood feud
Gentiles invaded Northumbria on November 1, 866. An army of about 10 thousand people led the leader of the Danish Vikings Ivar. For Christians, it was All Saints Day - the date when they traditionally forgot about weapons and peacefully attended church. The Vikings took them by surprise. In addition, disputes among the nobility also played a role. Until the last day, the Northumbrian lords did not take any serious measures to protect the fatherland, hoping that a thunderstorm would pass them and fall on neighboring Mercia.
As a result, the Anglo-Saxons could not provide any serious resistance. Both kings fled hastily. Ivar, along with his brothers and army, entered York. The city, once founded by the Romans, turned to the Danes for a century. There the Vikings overwintered, repairing the destroyed fortifications and preparing for a new confrontation with the Christians.
By the next spring (867), the exiles Osbert and Ella finally made peace and decided to work together. They attacked York on March 23, Palm Sunday. The suddenness guaranteed the Anglo-Saxons first success. Opponents seemed to switch roles. Now the Vikings, cramped by enemies, were on the verge of defeat. However, the army of the two kings fell into a trap. Through gaps in the walls, she broke into York and found herself surrounded by an even larger crowd of Vikings.
The terrible warrior Ivar was not only a wonderful warrior. In difficult times, he could take advantage of tactical cunning and defeat the enemy with his own mind. Anglo-Saxons were defeated. Ella and Osbert paid with their own lives. Separately, it is worth noting the death of the murderer of Ragnar. Ella was brought to Ivar, and before the eyes of a thirsty revenge the public was subjected to a sophisticated pagan execution - the "bloody eagle". The victim's chest was ripped open, his lungs were pulled out, and “wings” were cut out on his back. The Bloody Eagle was dedicated to Odin. The pagans thanked their god of war for an important and memorable victory.
War with Mercia
Having become the de facto master of Northumbria, the cunning Ivar Ragnarsson refused to take the throne. He made the king his puppet Egbert. Information about this man is sketchy. Most likely, he belonged to the Anglo-Saxon nobility, while having nothing to do with the former royal dynasty. Egbert obeyed the Vikings in everything and gave passage to their troops during subsequent campaigns.
Now it was Mercia's turn. It was there that Ivar the Boneless moved with the army. King Burgred began hastily seeking help in Wessex. Meanwhile, the Vikings stopped at the walls of Nottingham, where they set up a temporary camp. Finally, the army of King Wessex Ethelred came to the rescue of the army of Burgred. However, the new union, just like the previous one, could not do anything with strangers. The Anglo-Saxons tried to take the Viking camp by attack, but this attempt failed.
The son of Ragnar Ivar the Boneless got his way. Mercia paid the pagans a large indemnity, after which they left. This time, Ivar used his father's favorite tactic - intimidation. He agreed to be peaceful, but in exchange for this he demanded large ransoms. In 869, the Dans returned to York.
Victory over Edmund
After a long rest, Ivar went to the starting point of his journey - East Anglia. This kingdom was famous for its rich British monasteries. During individual raids, the Scandinavians sought to rob the temples, since it was possible to find the richest prey in them (primarily gold). Ubba (whom Ivar placed at the head of the army) chose Poterboro Monastery as his goal. All the ministers of this monastery (including the abbot) were killed. For monks, the Vikings became a living embodiment of the biblical prophecy of Jeremiah. Even in the Old Testament era, he predicted that bloodthirsty aliens who arrived from the northern regions would suffer destruction and rage on Christian land. It is not surprising that the Catholics who lived in Britain treated the Vikings as an absolute exorbitant evil that fell down neither of their heads in the form of God's punishment for past sins.
Demonstrating the power of the Danes, Ivar sent a message to the king of East Anglia, calling on him to become a vassal of the Gentiles in the same way as Egbert did in Northumbria. The monarch refused. It was clear that to oppose Ivar meant a death sentence. However, Edmund was not afraid of the danger looming over him. Perhaps he understood that he would not be able to defeat the Danes, but he hoped to distract them until he himself secured the support of the Allies.
No matter how the king suspected, his plans did not come true. Edmund decided to delay time, agreeing to become a vassal of Ivar, if he converted to Christianity. The pagan did not appreciate the offer. The small army of East Anglia was defeated. Edmund was executed. This king has become one of the most revered English saints. According to legend, the Vikings made him a target for arrows, putting a painful and slow death.
Voyage to Ireland
After the events in East Anglia and the reprisal against Edmund, Ivar's life path again becomes a mystery. On the one hand, according to the chronicle of thelverd, this Viking died soon after that campaign. However, historians have concluded that this evidence is erroneous. A second and more common point of view is that, having celebrated the victory in East Anglia, the Scandinavians split up. One army remained in Britain and soon began a war against Wessex, while the other went to Ireland. This second army was led by Ivar the Boneless.
Viking biography is fragmented. And if quite a lot is known about his British campaign, then much less reliable evidence remains of the next voyage of the son of Ragnar. Leaving the army in England under the leadership of his brother Halfdan, Ivar opposed the Native Irish Picts.
This island has long been a land of easy prey for the Vikings. The Scandinavians easily captured cattle, wealth and slaves here. If in England there were seven kings, then in Ireland ruled dozens of kings, whose possessions were even smaller. Such fragmentation was the key to successful raids. In addition, local natives lived in a primitive system. There was no defensive army in Ireland. However, several decades before, civilians mastered the weapons of strangers and learned basic military techniques. Ivar had to face such an opponent. However, there is no detailed evidence of his stay in Ireland.
Ivar on the battlefield
Contemporaries and descendants ranked Ivar among berserkers. So called the most furious and insensitive to wounds and pain of the Viking warriors. It was hard to find a better comrade in battle. The roar with which he threw himself at the enemy inspired terror in the enemy; his reputation as a merciless opponent inspired him even more. The berserkers' lifestyle was surrounded by a veil of secrecy. They spoke of these warriors that they could uproot trees, swallow hot coals and cut a man with one blow of their sharp ax.
Ivar entered the battlefield under the banner of his father Ragnar. This canvas depicted a symbol common among the Vikings - a black carrion raven. This sign was necessary both to strengthen the spirit of comrades, and to intimidate enemies. The Ivara Viking Army often used the tactics of “shield walls”. A similar technique was common among the Romans with their famous "turtle." Warriors were built in a circle and put together their shields. The result was mobile reinforcement. It was a concentration point and a protective screen.
Death and fate of the grave
According to medieval sources, Ivar died in 873. The circumstances of his passing away remain unknown. Even if the military commander died in Ireland, he definitely bequeathed to bury himself in his new homeland - in Northumbria. The fate of Ivar's body for a long time remained a mystery. And only in the XVII century a farmer from the city of Repton came across an ancient burial site, which scientists later identified as the grave of the famous Viking.
The Scandinavian sagas have preserved a curious legend about the relics of Ivar. The pagan wanted to be buried in Northumbria, believing that his grave would help the Danes defeat all kinds of opponents. When the king Harald invaded England, he really was defeated and could not conquer the country. Knowing the curse that Ivar's mound exudes, William the Conqueror, who sailed to Britain in the middle of the 11th century, first dug up the grave. After this ritual, the Norman managed to conquer all of England. Whether it’s true or myth, it’s impossible to say exactly. Nevertheless, Ivar deservedly became the hero of many medieval legends. The history of Denmark knows few such amazing and vivid military leaders.