Björn Ironside and the Viking Raid on the Mediterranean

While the Great Heathen Army ravaged England, another son of Ragnar Lothbrok took a very different path. Björn Ironside, along with the chieftain Hastein, led a fleet of over 60 ships into the Mediterranean in 859–861, raiding the coasts of Spain, North Africa, and Italy. This episode explores the historical evidence for this remarkable expedition — from Frankish annals like the Annales Xantenses to Arabic chronicles such as Ibn al-Athir's. We follow Björn's fleet as they sack Algeciras, raid the Moroccan coast, and even mistake the Italian city of Luna for Rome. We also examine the saga accounts that turned Björn into a legendary figure, and ask what this journey tells us about Viking navigation, adaptability, and ambition. Part of the Ragnar Lothbrok series on Fexingo History.

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