Real nordic warriors skin#
Real nordic warriors series#

He is thought to have been born in either Norway or Denmark and began raids into France in the 9th century. 2 Thirteenth-century historian Snorri Sturluson interpreted the meaning as 'bare-shirt', that is to say. Rollo of Normandy The first Viking king of Normandy in northern France, Rollo was one of the few men who really left his mark on history.

Real nordic warriors skin#

It likely means ' bear -shirt' (compare the Middle English word ' serk, meaning 'shirt'), 'someone who wears a coat made out of a bear's skin '. All of these put together would obviously paint the berserkers as barbaric savages, users of witchcraft and therefore unholy. The Old Norse form of the word was berserkr (plural berserkir ). On top of it, the Norse warriors had been portrayed as immune to swords and fire when they were in a trance.

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In addition, berserkers have been compared to animals based on their attire, with some stories holding that berserkers were shapeshifters, able to assume animal form. Why would anyone try to brush off such an elite military unit from the pages of history as a myth? Rather than passing off the blame to kings who had histories written according to their whims, it is important to think of the common perception regarding berserkers.įor example, many accounts show that berserkers fought with bare bodies and had little concern for public civility. So, why doubt the existence of berserkers in the first place. One of the pieces from the 900-year-old Lewis Chess Set depicts a berserker biting his shield (Rob Roy / CC BY 2.0 ) However, some traces of the history of berserkers exist: it seems they were real at some point. Maybe a few distraught soldiers shared exaggerated accounts of their Viking foes. Most of the depictions of berserkers in popular culture have accordingly shown them as almost supernatural beings, making us think of berserkers almost as fictional boogeymen. While such accounts of berserkers in battle and myths of their battle rituals have deepened the mystery about them, they must also be understood through the lens of terror: if you can frighten an enemy into defeat, you reduce your own losses to zero. The importance of exaggerating the fighting prowess of shock troops has long been understood by battlefield generals. Afterward, the berserkers would lose their aggressiveness and would become weaker and docile, exhausted by their fury.

Real nordic warriors series#

) Egill was a ninth-century Icelandic chieftain whose parents left Norway after a series of killing which involved the death of some of the King's supporters (but the whole thing was really just a vendett. As exciting as the feat of berserkers in battle sounds, it is thought that they were only in such a state for a few moments only. Answer (1 of 6): Egill Skalla-Grmsson of course (Egill was reputedly extremely ugly too. The mere mention of berserkers had the power to make enemy soldiers break their ranks.