Ragnar Lodbrok/Bio & Battles

"How the little piglets would grunt if they knew how the old boar suffered!"

- Ragnar Lodbrok's last words

Ragnar Lodbrok or Lothbrok was a Viking raider who lived in the early 800s AD. Norse sagas state that Lodbrok was briefly declared king of much of Denmark and Sweden, and claimed to be descended from Odin himself. Ragnar made himself well known and feared in civil wars in Denmark, and by raiding France.

Lodbrok first raided France in the 845 with a fleet of 120 ships and an army of 5000 men. Lodbrok took advantage of the shallow draft of the Viking longship, using rivers as transport corridors and avoiding conflict with Frankish heavy cavalry. Ragnar's Vikings attacked a number of cities in northwestern France, including Rouen and Carolivenna. Ragnar then raided the Abbey of St. Denis, driving the soldiers guarding the Abbey to flee their posts by executing prisoners in front of them. Ragnar then sailed up the Seine to Paris, where he held the city for ransom, and received 7000 pounds of silver in exchange for sparing the city. Ragnar died soon after, however, when he was shipwrecked on the coast of England and taken captive by King Aelle of Northumbria. Aelle ordered Ragnar executed, according to legend by being thrown into a pit filled with venomous snakes. Aelle, however, would pay dearly for the execution of Ragnar.

Ragnar's sons, Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson, and Ubbe Ragnarson, led an invasion of England known as the Great Heathen Army. The Great Heathen Army took the city of York, and captured Aelle, executing him a particularly brutal manner known as the "Blood Eagle", which consisted of cutting open the victim's chest and tearing out his lungs, positioning them in a manner that resembled the wings of an eagle. Ragnar's raids in France also left the legacy of a number of Vikings who settled in the area, becoming known as the Normans, whose greatest claim to fame would come 200 years later with the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066.

Battle vs. Arminius (by SPARTAN 119)
Arminius:

Ragnar Lodbrok:

Ragnar Lodbrok and five Vikings through into a dense forest. Suddenly, a whooshing sound was heard, followed by the screams of a dying man. One of Ragnar's men was run through the chest by a thrown framea.

The rest of the Vikings drew their weapons and turned towards the place where the spear had come from. Facing them were five Germanic tribemen, led by Arminius. Ragnar and the other Vikings shouted with rage, hurling axes and spears at the Germans. Most of the weapons bounced off the German's shields, but one of the axes caught a Germanic tribesman in the forehead, killing him instantly.

The Vikings then charged at Arminius and his Germans, swords, spears, and axes in hand. One of he Vikings was cut down in the charge, however, by plumbata thrown by a German soldier, which caught him in the chest.

The two groups of warriors collided in a clash of steel. Ragnar swung his massive Dane Axe, cutting the head off a German tribesman's framea, before decapitating the Germanic warrior as he tried to draw his sword.

Meanwhile, a Germanic warrior knocked the helmet off a Viking with a spiked club, and then brought the club down on Viking's head, smashing his skull in.

A Viking came up behind the German club-wielder, however, and thrust his spear through him, impaling through the chest.

Ragnar and the his last surviving soldier faced off against Arminius and his last surviving man. The Germanic warrior made his first move, throwing his framea at Ragnar, who dodged the spear. The two Germans charged at the Vikings. Arminus' last soldier faced the last surviving Viking, and raised his shield high, but the Viking suddenly changed the direction of his spear thrust and went low.

The Germanic warrior, however, made a powerful slide with his sword, slicing the head off the Viking's spear. The Viking tossed away the useless shaft and drew his sword. The two warriors clashed, blades striking against shields, until the Germanic Warrior found an opening and thrust low, under the Viking's shield, killing him.

Ragnar, meanwhile, charged at Arminius, swinging his Dane Axe wildly, forcing Arminus to retreat backwards, cornering him against a tree. Ragnar took a mighty vertical swing at Arminius and hit.... only the tree, embedding the blade in the wood.

Arminius had jumped to the side and seized his opportunity to thrust his sword right through Ragnar's chest. Blood flowed profusely and the Viking warrior fell the the ground, dead.

Arminius and the the other Germanic warrior raised their swords in victory.

WINNER: Arminius

Expert's Opinion
Arminius took this battle because mainly due to tactics. Arminius used ambush tactics and field fortifications managed to defeat three of Roman legions, the best trained soldiers of his time. Ragnar's slighly superior weapons and even his superior armor could not cancel out this great advantage.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.