VIkings: 10 Worst Things Ragnar Lothbrok Did

In the show, Ragnar and King Ecbert converse on how best to deal with the treacherous Jarl Borg.

During the Vikings travels to and from Wessex, Jarl Borg had overthrown and taken over much of Ragnar's kingdom. After a long and bloody conflict, Borg was eventually captured and defeated by Kattegat's forces.

While the Blood Eagle execution is a historical Viking method it is not necessarily invented by Ragnar. However, in the show we see the king tirelessly dream up ways of torturing and executing his fallen foe, even going as far as to ignore Bjorn entirely.

Eventually, he comes up with the idea of splitting the Jarl's ribcage and spreading out his flesh to resemble wings. The procedure is carried out the next night with Ragnar himself performing the act on a still alive Jarl Borg.

Understandably, the Jarl dies from his wounds prior to the ritual's completion and yet Ragnar seems to enjoy his craft regardless. The Blood Eagle is then performed a number of times in the show, with his sons carrying out the execution on the many men that were involved in their father's death.