Björn Ironside, great navigator and captain, lived in the 9th century AD, at arguably the pinnacle of the Viking era. Between 859 and 861, tired of raiding cities and villages in the north, he decided to move towards new shores.
He began plundering the Iberian coast, from which he managed to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. From here, his fleet sailed up the coast to the south of France before landing in Italy and raiding the proud city of Pisa.
Forty-two ships were lost in his expedition, under the blows of the Andalusian and Byzantine catapults, but all in all it was a great success: gold, spices, women and the southern sun swelled the sails of the long ships and their hearts to the point they began thinking big and look towards Rome. A follower of Björn, a man named Hastein, suggested he make himself emperor.
Björn thought it over, and eventually said to himself: why not? What prevents me, Björn Ironside, son of Ragnar Lodbrok, from becoming emperor of the Romans?
The next morning they landed with weapons and supplies and set march towards Luni, a picturesque village in the province of La Spezia, believing - mistakenly - that it was Rome.
To breach the walls of Luni they devised a rather complex plan: Hastein sent a message to the bishop to report that he was on the verge of death and that before dying he wished to be baptized and buried in consecrated ground. They fell for it, and Hastein was escorted inside the city by a small guard of honor. At the right time, Hastein jumped off the stretcher and surprised the disconcerted clerics, immediately opening the city gates to allow his fellow Vikings to enter the city.
The raid went overwhelmingly well and Björn, you can bet on it, lived a long and unforgettable night as emperor of the Romans...
When the hangover dissipated, the Vikings realized their mistake and made for a hasty departure: it was time to sail home, back to the north, where new conquests awaited them.
He began plundering the Iberian coast, from which he managed to cross the Strait of Gibraltar. From here, his fleet sailed up the coast to the south of France before landing in Italy and raiding the proud city of Pisa.
Forty-two ships were lost in his expedition, under the blows of the Andalusian and Byzantine catapults, but all in all it was a great success: gold, spices, women and the southern sun swelled the sails of the long ships and their hearts to the point they began thinking big and look towards Rome. A follower of Björn, a man named Hastein, suggested he make himself emperor.
Björn thought it over, and eventually said to himself: why not? What prevents me, Björn Ironside, son of Ragnar Lodbrok, from becoming emperor of the Romans?
The next morning they landed with weapons and supplies and set march towards Luni, a picturesque village in the province of La Spezia, believing - mistakenly - that it was Rome.
To breach the walls of Luni they devised a rather complex plan: Hastein sent a message to the bishop to report that he was on the verge of death and that before dying he wished to be baptized and buried in consecrated ground. They fell for it, and Hastein was escorted inside the city by a small guard of honor. At the right time, Hastein jumped off the stretcher and surprised the disconcerted clerics, immediately opening the city gates to allow his fellow Vikings to enter the city.
The raid went overwhelmingly well and Björn, you can bet on it, lived a long and unforgettable night as emperor of the Romans...
When the hangover dissipated, the Vikings realized their mistake and made for a hasty departure: it was time to sail home, back to the north, where new conquests awaited them.
 |
| Hastein and Björn seize the Italian city of Luni |
 |
| The Memory of Odin booktour across Scandinavia |
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento