BJÖRN RAGNARSSON: REAL BIOGRAPHY AND CHARACTER IN VIKINGS - ARTE - 2024

Björn Ragnarsson (777-859) or Björn Brazo de Hierro was a fierce and feared Viking known because it was very difficult to defeat him in battles. As a young man he accompanied his father Ragnar Lodbrok sailing the seas and venturing into various adventures. He was also king of Sweden and sailed the Mediterranean, even reaching Rome. He was the father of Refil Björnsson and Erik Björnsson.

He made several expeditions in France in the company of his brother Hastein. He participated in looting in Algeciras, Santiago de Compostela and the Portuguese coasts. He was considered the first member of the Münso Dynasty. He made great conquests and was highly respected and admired in Scandinavia. He came to be considered better than his father in battle.

Björn Ragnarsson in the Vikings series. Source: mythologian.net

Biography of the historical figure

Family

Björn Ragnarsson married and had two sons: Refil and Erik Björnsson, who also ascended to the Swedish throne after their father died.

His parents were Ragnar Lodbrok (on whom the Vikings television series would be based) and Aslaug Sigurdsdatter. His father Ragnar was a very prominent figure in Norse sagas and poetry in Viking times. He also made several incursions into France and England and his son took him as an example, but Björn not only wanted to match his feats but to surpass him.

Her father had been married twice before, so Björn grew up with both her siblings and other half-siblings. One of his first outings was in order to conquer Zealand, Öland and the smaller islands that made up the province of Gotland (Fårö, Karlsöärna and Gotska Sandön).

He then spent several years in Lejre, Zealand, until, with his brothers, he wanted to avenge the death of his half-brothers in Sweden, according to various legends.

The Mediterranean

One of Ragnarsson's best-known looting and pillaging adventures was his trip to the Mediterranean, which he made with his brother Hastein. The company was large, as they assembled a cruise ship with 62 ships that would start the journey in Spain, then Africa and possibly reach Rome.

It was in the middle of the year 850 AD when the adventure that had Navarra as its first point began. There they kidnapped the governor and asked for money for his ransom, a question that they obtained as planned and continued the trip to Santiago de Compostela and La Coruña, cities that they also looted to continue towards Portugal.

In the Algarve, south of Portugal and near Huelva, two of the brothers' ships were taken by Muslims and both slaves and all the wealth they carried on board were stolen.

Then they looted and took Algeciras. On the Moroccan coasts they once again used kidnappings to obtain large sums of money. On this occasion they captured the Emir of Nekor and other citizens, who were sold as slaves; The governor was released but not without first collecting a hefty sum of money.

From there they came back to Spain. In Almería they rested and tried to have provisions to continue the journey. They also made a presence in Mallorca. They then went on to attack Navarra, where they crossed the Ebro river to capture King García Iñiguez in Pamplona. Then they sacked Nimes and Arles.

Making a summary of the looting Björn was not satisfied, for him they were insufficient despite all the money they carried with them.

Rome

The arrival in Italy occurred about 300 years before they built "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" in 1173 AD. After Björn and his brother captured Pisa, they were informed that a nearby city inland contained great Christian treasures.

This caught their attention and they set out on a journey to Rome. But the information apparently was wrong and they ended up in the city of Luni, a fortress that, unlike Pisa, put up great resistance to the Vikings.

The Roman adventure can be seen as a fairly simple war strategy, and for this reason it could at first be thought that it would fail. As Ragnarsson had to confront the bishop of the town, he decided to send emissaries saying that he had died and that on his deathbed he had consecrated himself to Christianity and wished to be buried in blessed ground, next to the church.

The bishop gave the order to receive the coffin and enter the city, believing that Ragnarsson had indeed died. Everything is reminiscent of the old strategy of the Trojan horse, especially in the way of surprisingly leaving and attacking the interior of an army.

So Björn came out of the coffin and attacked the bishop, ordering his men to enter Rome and loot all the treasures. Later he was equally victorious in Sicily and North Africa.

Back in Scandinavia, he had serious problems in the Strait of Gibraltar, as he encountered the Saracen navy of Al-Andalus and suffered a significant loss: he lost 40 ships.

The methods of launching catapult fire were the undoing of Ragnarsson's troops. The remaining fleet, which made up 22 ships, reached Scandinavia and the loot saved was enough to ensure tranquility for several years.

England

Upon his return, life smiled at him as he lived with all the power acquired in the years of looting and being seen as a tireless warrior. One of his most important adventures was made after the death of his father Ragnar Lodbrok.

Aelle of Northumbria had killed her father and Björn wanted to avenge him, with his brother Ivar the Boneless. They set out for England with the Great Danish Army. They attacked Aelle but were defeated.

On a second occasion, Ivar attacked again and they managed to capture Aelle, practicing the Blood Eagle, a form of torture and sacrifice in which the person was cut in half by opening the spine to be able to extend the ribs in an eagle shape. and then take out his lungs.

Character in Vikings

The Canadian-Irish co-production "Vikings" is based on the legendary life of Ragnar Lodbrok, father of Björn Ragnarsson, who was King of Sweden in the 8th century.

The series tells the life of one of the best known heroes of Nordic culture, who was famous for his ambition and rebellion. It is narrated how, disobeying Chief Jarl Haraldson, he decides to explore western Scandinavia on a ship in the company of Floki, one of his best friends.

The creator of the series is Michael Hirst, who is already known in the middle for having also created The Tudors.

Season 1 (2013)

It began airing on March 3, 2013. In Viking society the age of majority begins at 12 years of age, the age at which Björn Ragnarsson receives the ring from the arm of the former king, Earl Haraldson.

Björn wants to be a brave warrior like his father Ragnar, but inexperience prevents him from doing so. He is very loyal and obedient to his father, but did not welcome being under the supervision of the young monk Athelstan.

Ragnar takes him to Gotaland and he will witness his and Aslaug's relationship. Björn gets angry with her father and makes him promise not to be unfaithful to her mother again, but Aslaug has already become pregnant.

Season 2 (2014)

Björn returns to Kattegat and decides to tell Aslaug and Lagertha about Ragnar's infidelity. He doesn't say everything because he still feels loyal to his father. Lagertha decides to leave Ragnar and Björn is devastated but prefers to go after his mother. Ragnar abandons them and tells Björn to take care of Lagertha.

Years later Ragnar still thinks about them and that is why he consults the seer. He confesses that his son Björn will be very famous and will marry the daughter of a king. He confesses that he will cross a sea without tides.

Ragnar, concerned, asks if he will see his son again. Björn for his part is humiliated by Lagertha's new husband, Earl Sigvard, and also finds out that he beats his mother.

Björn warns him that if he continues the abuse he will kill him. Up ahead are Ragnar, Björn and Lagertha, and the father marvels at the growth of his son.

Later, Björn will receive the epithet "Ironside" from his father. He returns to Kattegat and has a relationship with Þórunn, a girl who had been a slave but was freed by Aslaug.

Season 3 (2015)

The third season aired for the first time on February 19, 2015 and ran through April 23 of that year. Björn finds out that Þórunn is pregnant, so she asks him to get married.

They then have a daughter named Siggy. Björn becomes mistress of Torvi, Erlendur's wife, when Þórunn refuses to have sex. Þórunn is embarrassed by her scar. Björn's love for his wife is great and he confesses it to Torvi; however, over time he seems to fall in love with her.

After the failed attempt to conquer Paris, Ragnar finds Björn badly wounded. He tells his father that he is not sure of receiving the protection of the gods; but his father scolds him and tells him that the important thing is to be alive, to which Björn is silent.

At the end of this season Björn is still a bit hurt; then arrests his father and defends himself to his family arguing that he only did what Ragnar had asked him to do.

Season 4 (2016-2017)

Unlike the previous seasons that had 10 episodes, the fourth season has 20. Björn publicly denounces Floki as a murderer, but Ragnar disagrees, says that his son acts compulsively.

Then he leaves for the desert to show his father that he can survive alone. He manages to go to the mountain and inhabits an abandoned house. He fights with a bear and then, victorious, tattoos his arms.

Björn then returns to his mother and also decides to take Torvi with him. Later he has an argument with his family and the abandonment he was subjected to when his father left them comes to light.

Björn will have four daughters 10 years later and is an exemplary figure as a father. Ragnar returns from England and invites his son to go with him, but he prefers to go to the Mediterranean and explore it with the help of Rollo.

Season 5 (2017-2019)

Björn no longer loves his wife Torvi, so he decides to go on a journey to the desert together with Halfdan. After experiencing a new world together with an acquaintance of Ragnar, he returns to Kattegat. There a new war awaits him, led by his brothers Ivar and Hvisterk, and King Harald. They win a first battle. The other side is very weakened and has to turn to Rollo.

In the second battle things do not go well and he must flee together with Torvi, Lagertha and Ubbe towards Wessex to the dominions of King Alfred, although Björn refuses to help him and to be baptized under the Christian faith. This last trip to Wessex they can make it because Bishop Heahmund has helped them.

Season 6 (2019)

It is still pending issuance.

End in 2020

The Vikings series broadcast by History Channel and created by Michael Hirst will come to an end in 2020, after the sixth season. After the latter is broadcast, the series will reach a total of 89 episodes.

Taking into account that the story is based on real events, the creative team considered ending it next year, especially considering that the channel has already signed with Hirst to make another series that will probably have a universe very similar to Vikings.

References

1. Eledelis (2015). Vikings series characters (VI): the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok. Recover from thevalkyriesvigil.com
2. Genealogie Online (nd). Bjorn Ironside Ragnarsson. Recovered from genealogieonline.nl
3. Montoya, L. (2018). Björn Ragnarsson. Recovered from historia-biografia.com
4. Private User (2019). Björn "Ironside" Regnarsson. Recovered from geni.com
5. Drafting Barcelona (2019). "Vikings" has its days numbered and the sixth season will be the last. Recovered fromvanaguardia.com
6. Editor (2017). Björn Ragnarsson. Recovered from mythologia.info