Vikings: Every Character Based On Real Historical Figures

23. Bjorn Ironside

Vikings Poster
History

The show got many things about Bjorn Ironside right. He was the son of Ragnar Lothbrok, though his mother was Aslaug, not Lagertha, and Ivar the Boneless was his older brother. He was a fierce fighter who joined his brothers in leading the Great Heathen Army in 845 AD and raided in France, Sicily, Italy, and northern Africa.

One of his famous tricks was when the Vikings had laid siege to Paris. To get inside the city he pretended to be dying and asked to be buried inside the city in the monastery since he wanted a proper Christian burial. Once inside he leapt up and, with the help of the few other Vikings who had been allowed inside to escort his body, fought his way to the gates to let his army inside. This happens in the show too, but it is Ragnar who fakes his death, not Bjorn.

In real life Bjorn became a famous Swedish King and he started the Munsö dynasty.

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Jessica B. Esser hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.