I'm not sure why I love this series brought to us by The History Channel....maybe because of the confidence the Vikings display in their attitudes and actions...but I must admit...I am hooked! And the good news!!...Yes, there is going to be a 2nd season!...Can't wait!!
Even the theme song of the "Vikings Series", a song entitled "If I had a Heart", by Fever Ray is captivating to me. I really admire and appreciate the creativity that went into this whole "Vikings idea", and love the characters that are portrayed.
The theme song written by Fever Ray, a Swedish recording artist, came out in 2009. She was inspired to write this rather dark unconventional and repetitive style of music with the distant vocals...from watching her own children dangle their feet from a window frame....wondering if their feet would ever reach the floor...thus, the words in the song: "Will they ever reach the floor...More, give me more, give me more...".
The hunger for the Vikings to seek conquests to the west of where they lived...seem so right to identify with the chorus of the theme song.
Ok, Ragnar Lothbrok...Who was this guy?...Was he for real?
In an medieval act written in the early Middle Ages, one segment goes like this:
Floki: "Ragnar Lothbrok challenges you to meet him in single combat."
Earl Haroldson replies: " Ragnar Lothbrok has a very high opinion of himself."
Floki" "Well, he is descended from...Odin."
Ragnar Lothbrok...the legendary Viking king who with his sons has been described as one of the most feared men in history. And after seeing the "Vikings Series" on The History Channel, many of us agree this guy was one "bad-ass" Viking.
Ok, who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
Many of the stories written of Ragnar Lothbrok have a theme of courage...of savagery...of power...and of brutality.
The French have written he was a noble king of Denmark and the father of some fearsome Viking kings that ravaged France.
The English have portrayed him as one who "wickedly inflamed" his own sons with envy for the English Crown, held by King Edmund in that period of time. This "fatherly push" caused his Viking sons to invade England and soon after the martyrdom of King Edmund of England.
Ragnar Lothbrok...has poems and tales written of him as early as the 1100's A.D., including the book "Song of the Vikings" which alone carries 32 stories of...Ragnar Lothbrok.
It is said of Ragnar, he was the first of Norwegian kings to have a court poet, has been defined as the author who established definitive boundaries of the Scandinavian kingdoms, and became the very symbol of ancient heroism known to the Icelanders.
Ok, Ragnar Lothbrok...Was he a real person?...or some fictional character made up to boost confidence and hope in the people of the Scandinavian regions?
A University of Cambridge professor who lectures on Scandinavian history of the medieval era, a Dr. Elizabeth Ashman Rowe says: "No, he wasn't a real person." (Say it ain't so...lol).
What Dr. Rowe does point out is there was an "extraordinary and ferocious Danish king during that period of history whose name was "Reginhen".
"Reginhen" is recorded in historical documents to have attacked Paris in 845 A.D., was said to have hanged 111 people who called themselves "Christians", and then "Reginhen" died soon after.
There seems to be no historical evidence whatsoever that has the name "Ragnar" and absolutely no mention of "Lothbrok".
Ok...where did Ragnar Lothbrok come from...when did he originate?
It wasn't until around 1120 A.D. that the stories of a "Ragnar Lothbrok" began to appear. In 1150 A.D., an English writer wrote of him saying the word "Lothbrok" simply meant "loathsome brook", much like the name sounds.
Yet, in old Norse vocabulary...the meaning was much different. "Lothbrok" in ancient Norse language would have been understood to mean "hairy breeches". In the 13th century, an Icelander had written a book entitled "Ragnar's Sagas" and explained the Ragnar got his last name "Lothbrok" because he wore these heavy cowhide pants to protect himself against fighting a poison-breathing serpent ( commonly known as a dragon). He furthered the explanation of the "heavy cowhide breeches" by writing that Ragnar had actually had the pants boiled in pitch and then rolled in the sand...to combat the fierce dragon.
So, what does Dr. Rowe of Cambridge think about this explanation?.....well, she has a quite different one....one that is much closer to ...being real.
As earlier mentioned, "Reginhen", the ferocious Danish king who is the one most likely to emerge into "Ragnar Lothbrok", had attacked Paris in 845 A.D. and shortly after became ill and died.
But, the illness "Reginhen" contracted wasn't just any illness, it was...dysentery...which at that time was a very painful and horrible disease to contract. "Reginhen" suffered terribly and as a result had major issues with...diarrhea.
In fact, one account reads: "Diffusa...sunt omnia viscera ejus in terram". Dr. Rowe translates this as: "all his entrails spilled to the ground".
Dr. Rowe concludes: " Reginhen breeches were feces-stained, and would appear to have a rather dark and rough appearance, and would look like a "dark pitch"...which would give accountability to some of the writings of that period."
The famous fictional "Ragnar Lothbrok"....died of dysentery.
My thoughts: I think if you think you need to go off and hang 111 Christians....you better take some "Charmin tissues" with you....you may be in for a rough ride.
Note: This was not the first time Ragnar Lothbrok has been portrayed on T.V. In 1958, a film also called "The Vikings" was made of which Ernest Borgnine played the part of Ragnar Lothbrok....and Kirk Douglas played one of Ragnar's sons named "Elnar."
Oh well....still can't wait for "Season 2"!
Even the theme song of the "Vikings Series", a song entitled "If I had a Heart", by Fever Ray is captivating to me. I really admire and appreciate the creativity that went into this whole "Vikings idea", and love the characters that are portrayed.
The theme song written by Fever Ray, a Swedish recording artist, came out in 2009. She was inspired to write this rather dark unconventional and repetitive style of music with the distant vocals...from watching her own children dangle their feet from a window frame....wondering if their feet would ever reach the floor...thus, the words in the song: "Will they ever reach the floor...More, give me more, give me more...".
Ok, Ragnar Lothbrok...Who was this guy?...Was he for real?
In an medieval act written in the early Middle Ages, one segment goes like this:
Floki: "Ragnar Lothbrok challenges you to meet him in single combat."
Earl Haroldson replies: " Ragnar Lothbrok has a very high opinion of himself."
Floki" "Well, he is descended from...Odin."
Ragnar Lothbrok...the legendary Viking king who with his sons has been described as one of the most feared men in history. And after seeing the "Vikings Series" on The History Channel, many of us agree this guy was one "bad-ass" Viking.
Ok, who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
Many of the stories written of Ragnar Lothbrok have a theme of courage...of savagery...of power...and of brutality.
The French have written he was a noble king of Denmark and the father of some fearsome Viking kings that ravaged France.
The English have portrayed him as one who "wickedly inflamed" his own sons with envy for the English Crown, held by King Edmund in that period of time. This "fatherly push" caused his Viking sons to invade England and soon after the martyrdom of King Edmund of England.
Ragnar Lothbrok...has poems and tales written of him as early as the 1100's A.D., including the book "Song of the Vikings" which alone carries 32 stories of...Ragnar Lothbrok.
It is said of Ragnar, he was the first of Norwegian kings to have a court poet, has been defined as the author who established definitive boundaries of the Scandinavian kingdoms, and became the very symbol of ancient heroism known to the Icelanders.
Ok, Ragnar Lothbrok...Was he a real person?...or some fictional character made up to boost confidence and hope in the people of the Scandinavian regions?
A University of Cambridge professor who lectures on Scandinavian history of the medieval era, a Dr. Elizabeth Ashman Rowe says: "No, he wasn't a real person." (Say it ain't so...lol).
What Dr. Rowe does point out is there was an "extraordinary and ferocious Danish king during that period of history whose name was "Reginhen".
"Reginhen" is recorded in historical documents to have attacked Paris in 845 A.D., was said to have hanged 111 people who called themselves "Christians", and then "Reginhen" died soon after.
There seems to be no historical evidence whatsoever that has the name "Ragnar" and absolutely no mention of "Lothbrok".
Ok...where did Ragnar Lothbrok come from...when did he originate?
It wasn't until around 1120 A.D. that the stories of a "Ragnar Lothbrok" began to appear. In 1150 A.D., an English writer wrote of him saying the word "Lothbrok" simply meant "loathsome brook", much like the name sounds.
Yet, in old Norse vocabulary...the meaning was much different. "Lothbrok" in ancient Norse language would have been understood to mean "hairy breeches". In the 13th century, an Icelander had written a book entitled "Ragnar's Sagas" and explained the Ragnar got his last name "Lothbrok" because he wore these heavy cowhide pants to protect himself against fighting a poison-breathing serpent ( commonly known as a dragon). He furthered the explanation of the "heavy cowhide breeches" by writing that Ragnar had actually had the pants boiled in pitch and then rolled in the sand...to combat the fierce dragon.
So, what does Dr. Rowe of Cambridge think about this explanation?.....well, she has a quite different one....one that is much closer to ...being real.
As earlier mentioned, "Reginhen", the ferocious Danish king who is the one most likely to emerge into "Ragnar Lothbrok", had attacked Paris in 845 A.D. and shortly after became ill and died.
But, the illness "Reginhen" contracted wasn't just any illness, it was...dysentery...which at that time was a very painful and horrible disease to contract. "Reginhen" suffered terribly and as a result had major issues with...diarrhea.
In fact, one account reads: "Diffusa...sunt omnia viscera ejus in terram". Dr. Rowe translates this as: "all his entrails spilled to the ground".
The famous fictional "Ragnar Lothbrok"....died of dysentery.
My thoughts: I think if you think you need to go off and hang 111 Christians....you better take some "Charmin tissues" with you....you may be in for a rough ride.
Note: This was not the first time Ragnar Lothbrok has been portrayed on T.V. In 1958, a film also called "The Vikings" was made of which Ernest Borgnine played the part of Ragnar Lothbrok....and Kirk Douglas played one of Ragnar's sons named "Elnar."
Oh well....still can't wait for "Season 2"!
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