Hero of the Vikings series, Bjorn is a wise and fierce warrior who gets his temper from his father Ragnar and his mother Lagertha. But what is the true story of this Nordic figure?
History Watch out, spoilers. The following paragraphs contain spoilers on Vikings. If you don't want to know anything, don't read the following.
Played by Alexander Ludwig in the Vikings series, Bjorn is the son of the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and the fearsome Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). Very devoted to his parents and his people, Bjorn aspires from a very young age to walk in the footsteps of his father, even if the latter very disappointed him when he became a couple with Aslaug who will give him three other sons: Ubbe , Hvitserk and Ivar. The young man will take the side of Lagertha before returning to adulthood in Kattegat to help his father in his expeditions and his fights.
Nicknamed Côtes-de-Fer, Bjorn sometimes doubts divine protection and his destiny, but his father always reminds him of having faith. After the betrayal of his uncle Rollo (Clive Standen) and the death of Ragnar, Bjorn promises to avenge his father and take back power. Bjorn will have several conquests: Þórunn, Torvi, Astrid, Snaefrid and Gunnhild. In the Vikings' final season, Bjorn has to fight his half-brother Ivar the Boneless, and the last episode of part one casts doubt on his death. We will have to wait for the broadcast of the second part of the sixth and last season of Vikings to find out if he survived this fratricidal fight.
History
The story of King Bjorn
Several Nordic legends refer to Bjorn Côtes-de-Fer, who was a Swedish king reigning in the 9th century at Upsal. According to the manuscript The Saga of Ragnarr with Hairy Braies, he would be the second son of Ragnar Lodbrok and Aslaug but according to The Danes' Gesture, he would be the fourth son of Ragnar and Thora, one of the daughters of Herrauðr, king of Sweden. In the Vikings series, the writers chose to make Bjorn, which means "bear", the son of Ragnar and Lagertha. This Scandinavian explorer and warrior is reputed to be the founder of the Munsö dynasty.
According to Nordic myths, Bjorn was the author of several expeditions in the 9th century to France and England with the help of Hasting, another Viking chief with whom he plundered the Mediterranean coasts. Thus, the south of France is ransacked and plundered by Bjorn who manages to go up the Rhône to the Camargue. The Viking warrior also succeeds in taking control of Oissel near Rouen but swears loyalty to Charles the Bald to keep his fortress. This agreement will allow missionaries to preach Christianity later in Sweden. With Hasting, Bjorn will also go to Italy and will take Luna in 860 thanks to a ruse, recalling the siege of Paris by Ragnar. To besiege the Italian city, Bjorn would have made the bishop believe that he was dead and that he had converted to Christianity before his death so that he agreed to bring his remains back to the city.
Another version evokes a variant of this ploy: Bjorn would have made believe that he was sick and that he wanted to convert to Christianity before dying to attack Luna. The Nordic tales lend Bjorn three sons, according to the writings: Refil, warrior and king of the sea, Eric, who reigned over Sweden and Áslákr, who will face King Ecgberth of Wessex. In the Vikings series, it is Ragnar's sons who will avenge him for King Ecbert. If Bjorn did exist, his related exploits are a mixture of official writings and Nordic legends, like Ragnar or Lagertha, and there is very little information on his death.
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