vikings

Ragnar Lothbrok was a Viking legend—But his story is more disturbing than people think.

The Vikings were raiders from Scandinavia who, during the period now called the Viking Age, terrorized coastal Europe for hundreds of years. Most were formidable warriors, but few among them were as terrifying as the King’s elite bodyguard: the huscarls. While most Vikings wielded simple spears, the huscarls had a much more brutal weapon.

Alfred the Great actually snatched the crown from his own nephew’s head. After years of plotting, that very same nephew exacted a bloody revenge.

When it comes to Ragnar Lothbrok, it’s hard to separate man from myth—but either way, his story is both brutal and unforgettable.

The Vikings were raiders from Scandinavia who terrorized Europe for centuries. But how much of what we know about them is myth? Who really were the Vikings?