HOME | DD

Description
Ivar the Boneless (mid-late 800's) was a viking leader and commander of the Great Heathen Army which invaded what is now modern England during the 860's. According to the Ragnars saga Loðbrókar (Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok) he was the son of mythical viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok and the equally mythical Aslaug/Kráka. This would theoretically make him the brother of such other more or less legendary historical people such as Björn Ironside, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Hvitserk, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye and Ubba, some of which were present during the invasion of England.

The origins of the nickname "Boneless" are historically unknown but many theories suggest that he was actually handicaped since the sagas describe him as lacking bones. According to the sagas, Aslaug warned Ragnar Lothbrok that he had to wait three nights before consummating their marriage, but he ignored this warning, and the result was that Ivar was born without bones, an explanation that should be taken with a grain of salt due to its mythological aspects. While they described him as a cripple, the sagas also noted Ivar's brilliance as a tactitian, his intelligence and cunning. The nickname "Boneless" could also suggest that he was impotent, which would hilariously enough make him more of "the bonerless" than anything.

Like many other historical accounts of vikings, we do not know too much about Ivar the Boneless, more than that he was active during the 9th century and faught in England. In 865 he arrived presumably on the shores of Anglo-Saxon England together with his brothers, who had sworn to avenge their father's death at the hands of Anglo-Saxon king Ælla of Northumbria (-867 AD) who had, according to the sagas, thrown Ragnar Lothbrok in a pit filled with venomous snakes...again, not very likely. While Anglo-Saxon accounts tell Ælla died in battle, the sagas tell a different story where Ivar and his brothers apparently executed the king by Blood Eagel-ing him (splitting open his rib cage from behind and pulling out his lungs) and invaded the city of York. Later in the year the army moved south and invaded the kingdom of Mercia, capturing the town of Nottingham, where they spent the winter. King Burgred of Mercia (ruled 852-874) responded by allying with the West Saxon king Æthelred of Wessex (c. 847-871), and with a combined force they laid siege to the town. The Anglo-Saxons were unable to recapture the city, but a truce was agreed whereby the Danes would withdraw to York. The Great Heathen Army remained in York for over a year, gathering its strength for further assaults. Ivar and Ubba are identified as the commanders of the Danes when they returned to East Anglia in 869, and as the executioners of the East Anglian king, Edmund the Martyr (by tradition 841-869), for refusing their demand that he renounce Christ. How true the accounts are of Edmund's death is unknown, but it has been suggested that his capture and execution is not an unlikely thing to have happened. Chronologically, Ivar dissapears from historical records after 870 AD. How he died is ultimatily unknown.

While there might never be a true explanation over his death, there have been several historical suggestions. In the Annals of Ulster, the author Æthelweard (-c. 998) mentions the death of a certain Ímar in 873, where the cause is described as a sudden and horrible disease. If this was Ivar the Boneless or not we might never know.

In short, how much that is true or not about such historical people as Ivar the Boneless is unknown and should be looked upon critically. Who was this man, really? We may never know.

Description
Ivar the Boneless (mid-late 800's) was a viking leader and commander of the Great Heathen Army which invaded what is now modern England during the 860's. According to the Ragnars saga Loðbrókar (Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok) he was the son of mythical viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok and the equally mythical Aslaug/Kráka. This would theoretically make him the brother of such other more or less legendary historical people such as Björn Ironside, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Hvitserk, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye and Ubba, some of which were present during the invasion of England.

The origins of the nickname "Boneless" are historically unknown but many theories suggest that he was actually handicaped since the sagas describe him as lacking bones. According to the sagas, Aslaug warned Ragnar Lothbrok that he had to wait three nights before consummating their marriage, but he ignored this warning, and the result was that Ivar was born without bones, an explanation that should be taken with a grain of salt due to its mythological aspects. While they described him as a cripple, the sagas also noted Ivar's brilliance as a tactitian, his intelligence and cunning. The nickname "Boneless" could also suggest that he was impotent, which would hilariously enough make him more of "the bonerless" than anything.

Like many other historical accounts of vikings, we do not know too much about Ivar the Boneless, more than that he was active during the 9th century and faught in England. In 865 he arrived presumably on the shores of Anglo-Saxon England together with his brothers, who had sworn to avenge their father's death at the hands of Anglo-Saxon king Ælla of Northumbria (-867 AD) who had, according to the sagas, thrown Ragnar Lothbrok in a pit filled with venomous snakes...again, not very likely. While Anglo-Saxon accounts tell Ælla died in battle, the sagas tell a different story where Ivar and his brothers apparently executed the king by Blood Eagel-ing him (splitting open his rib cage from behind and pulling out his lungs) and invaded the city of York. Later in the year the army moved south and invaded the kingdom of Mercia, capturing the town of Nottingham, where they spent the winter. King Burgred of Mercia (ruled 852-874) responded by allying with the West Saxon king Æthelred of Wessex (c. 847-871), and with a combined force they laid siege to the town. The Anglo-Saxons were unable to recapture the city, but a truce was agreed whereby the Danes would withdraw to York. The Great Heathen Army remained in York for over a year, gathering its strength for further assaults. Ivar and Ubba are identified as the commanders of the Danes when they returned to East Anglia in 869, and as the executioners of the East Anglian king, Edmund the Martyr (by tradition 841-869), for refusing their demand that he renounce Christ. How true the accounts are of Edmund's death is unknown, but it has been suggested that his capture and execution is not an unlikely thing to have happened. Chronologically, Ivar dissapears from historical records after 870 AD. How he died is ultimatily unknown.

While there might never be a true explanation over his death, there have been several historical suggestions. In the Annals of Ulster, the author Æthelweard (-c. 998) mentions the death of a certain Ímar in 873, where the cause is described as a sudden and horrible disease. If this was Ivar the Boneless or not we might never know.

In short, how much that is true or not about such historical people as Ivar the Boneless is unknown and should be looked upon critically. Who was this man, really? We may never know.