Björn Ironside was born to Ragnar Lodbrok.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. This same Church flourished with strong vigour under many kings of the Franks, until, when the four sons of Emperor Louis the Pious1 fell into discord, from its great glory the kingdom of the Franks began to be shaken. So greatly, indeed, that when armies had been gathered from every side, in the territory of Auxerre, at the village of Fontenoy, two armies of Christians, stirred up by the devil, fought two against two [25th June 841], and by the most bloody slaughter of Christians upon Christians satisfied their most unhappy hatred. And so, deserting their homeland of nearly all military defense through the constant frequency of their battles, they left it weak and exposed to the invasion of barbarians or any hostile enemy. At that time the pagans, along with the son of King [his father] Lodbrok, named Björn Ironside, and with Hastein, the most wicked of all the pagans, leading their expedition, spewed forth from the Nordic or Danish regions and harassed the inhabitants of the maritime coasts with unceasing devastation, destroying cities and burning abbeys. Who this Lodbrok was, and from what lineage he sprang, we shall say further below. But for now let us first say a few things about the location of Dacia2.
Quæ videlicet ecclesia multis Francorum temporibus sub diversis regibus valida virtute pollens viguit, donec a pace quatuor Ludovici imperatoris filiis dissidentibus ex magna gloria regnum Francorum quati cœpit in tantum ut, collectis undequaque viribus, in territorio Autisiodorensi apud Fontaneticum vicum duo adversus duos diabolo instigante confligentes, cruentissima christianorum inter se cæde infelicissimo satisfacerent odio. Qui patriam pene omni munimine militum frequentia præliorum destituentes, invalidam et barbarorum seu cujuslibet hostis invasioni opportunam eam reliquerunt. Quo tempore pagani, cum Lothroci regis filio, nomine Bier, costa quidem ferreæ, procurante ejus expeditionem Hastingo omnium paganorum nequissimo, a Noricis seu Danicis finibus eructantes, maritima littora incolentes continuis cladibus vexaverunt, civitates diruentes, atque abbatias concremantes. Quis vero iste Lothrocus, vel ex cujus stirpe oriundus exstiterit, infra dicemus. Sed modo prius de situ Daciæ pauca dicamus.
Note 1. King Louis the Pious, 778-840, was a Carolingian King of the Franks, the son of Emperor Charlemagne. By his first wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye he had three sons: Lothair, 795–855, king of Middle Francia, Pepin I, 797–838, king of Aquitaine, Louis, c. 806–876, king of East Francia. By his second wife Judith of Bavaria he had one son Charles, 823-877, king of West Francia. The Battle of Fontenoy was fought between three sons and one grandson of King Louis. On one side, Lothair and Pepin II, and on the other side, Louis and Charles. Pepin II being the son of Pepin I who had died three years before the battle.
Note 2. Dacia is a region north of the Danube River near the Black Sea, in what is now Romania. Dudo of Saint-Quentin also, confusingly, referred to Denmark as Dacia, believing them to be related. We have used Denmark in the translation, where appropriate, sometimes also referring to parts of Sweden and Norway, to make the reading of the text clearer.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. This law, then, remained unbroken for many generations of kings, until Lodbrok, of whom we spoke above, succeeded his father in the kingdom. This king also, compelled by the laws of his forefathers, drove out his son, named Björn Ironside, together with his tutor Hastein, by the lot of exile, along with a great company of young men, so that, seeking foreign realms, he might win for himself new dwelling places by means of arms. He was called Ironside for this reason: that no shield was ever raised before him, but standing unarmed in the battleline he would scorn every assault of weapons unharmed, being made so by the very powerful poisons with which his mother had infused him. But Hastein, exiled and banished from his homeland together with his young charge, sent messengers forth into the neighbouring provinces, inviting to this expedition men of light spirit and eager for war. And he gathered an innumerable army of novice fighting men. Why say more? Ships are built, shields are newly made, breastplates repaired, coats of mail and helmets polished, swords and spears sharpened, and the whole army is carefully equipped with every kind of weapon. Then, on the appointed day, the ships are pushed out to sea. The warriors hasten quickly to them. The standards are raised; the sails are spread to the winds. The swift wolves are borne across the waves, to tear the Lord's sheep in pieces, pouring out human blood to their god Thor.
Quæ denique lex per multorum tempora regum inconvulsa mansit, quoad usque Lothrocus rex, de quo supra prælibavimus, patri in regno successit. Is etiam rex patrum legibus excitus, cum ingenti juvenum agmine sorte cogente filium, nomine Bier Costa Ferreæ, a suo abdicat regno, cum ejus pædagogo Hastingo per omnia fraudulentissimo; ut, peregrina regna petens, exteras sibi armis acquireret sedes. Qui ideo Costa Ferrea vocabatur, quia non ei clypeus objiceretur, sed inermis in acie stans, armorum vim quamcunque sperneret illæsus; vehementissimis matris ejus venenis infectus. Hastingus vero a patria cum suo adolescente exsul proscriptus, missa legatione milites de finitimis provinciis animo leves, bellique cupidos, ad hanc expeditionem invitans, innumerabilem pugnantium tironum congregavit exercitum. Quid plura? fabricantur naves, innovantur scuta, resarciuntur thoraces, poliuntur loricæ et galeæ, acuuntur enses et lanceæ, omnique telorum apparatu accurate munitur exercitus. Inde vero statuto die pelago impelluntur naves, ad eas propere festinant milites, elevantur vexilla, librant ventis carbasa; vehuntur lupi pernices ad lacerandas dominicas oves. deo suo Thur humanum sanguinem libantes.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. Chapter 1.9. That after Francia had been afflicted for nearly thirty years by the oppression of the pagans, Hastein, sailing toward Rome in order to subject it to his lord Björn, was driven by a storm and made landfall at the city of Luni in Italy.
CAPUT IX. Quod postquam Francia paganorum oppresione afflicta est fere xxx annis; Hastingus navigans Romam ut cam subderet Bier domino suo, tempestate compulsus, appulit Lunis urbem Italiæ.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. By these and similar calamities, as we have said above, the Gauls were grievously afflicted for nearly thirty years, not without the guilt of those who had brought such miseries upon themselves. Then Hastein, desiring to raise his lord Björn to still higher estate, even to an imperial diadem, began to deliberate earnestly, together with his band of companions, how this might be accomplished. At last, having taken counsel, they crossed the billowing sea under sail, and resolved to seize Rome by a sudden and secret attack. But as a violent storm arose, they were driven by the wind to the city of Luni1, which was so named on account of the grace of its beauty. The citizens, struck with alarm at the sight of so great a fleet, shut the gates of the city, fortified the ramparts, armed themselves with missiles, and exhorted one another to resist. When Hastein learned of their courage, he believed that this must be Rome. Then, with every effort, he began to consider how the city might be taken by stratagem. At length he sent to the bishop and count the instruments of his treachery, declaring that he had not come there of their own accord, but had wished to return home; that they desired peace, and would hereafter seek peace; and that he himself, being pressed down by a mortal illness, earnestly begged to receive the Christian faith from them. The bishop and the count, hearing this, were filled with joy, and made peace with the most wicked enemy of peace. And a mutual, free entrance into the city was agreed between both peoples.
His atque hujuscemodi calamitatum malis, ut prælibavimus, Galliis non absque piaculo quorumlibet per xxx fere annorum spatium lugubre detritis, Hastingus dominum suum ad altiora cupiens provehere de imperiali diademate cum agmine complicum cœ pit attentius tractare. Postremo, inito consilo velivolum permeantes mare, Romam deliberant clandestina irruptione obtinere. Sed nimia exorta tempestate, ad urbem Lunis dovolvontur, vento impellente, quæ pro sui decore hoc vocabatur nomine. Porro cives tanta attoniti classe, civitatis repagula portis inducunt, propugnacula et jaculis muniunt, atque semetipsos hortantur ad resistendum. Quorum audaciam Hastingus ut comperit, ratur hanc Romam fore, omni conatu cœpit attentare quo pacto possit eam dolo invadere. Denique episcopo et comiti suæ perfidiæ ministros dirigit, mandans non sua sponte illuc appulisse, sed suam repetere patriam voluisse: pacificos se esse, pacem deinceps quærere, et se lethali pressum langore, ab eis Christianum fieritsupplici prece deposcere. His episcopus et comes auditis, gaudio exhilarati, pacem cum nefandissimo pacis inimico firmant fitque communis utrique populo urbis ingressus.
Note 1. Luni is a town in north-west Italy on the Mediterranean Sea some two hundred miles north-north-east of Rome.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. Chapter 1.11. That the pagans discovered that this city was not Rome, they separated and went their different ways. Björn, wishing to return to Denmark, died in Frisia. But Hastein, having made peace with King Charles, received from him the city of Chartres as payment, and dwelt there.
CAPUT XI. Quod pagani, comperientes illam urbem non esse Romam, divisi sunt, et Bier volens redire Danamarcham apud Frisiam obiit: Hastingus vero pacificatus cum Carolo rege, accepit ab eo loco stipendii urbem Cartis, in qua et habitavit.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. After the destruction of that city had thus been accomplished, the pagans, discovering that they had by no means taken Rome, and fearing that they would gain nothing further, since by rumour the report of their wicked deeds had already reached Roman ears, they took counsel together about returning home. For Björn, the standard-bearer of all this ruin and leader of the armies, as he sought to return to his native land, suffered shipwreck, and scarcely made landfall among the English, many of his ships being lost beneath the waves. Thence he went on to Frisia, where he met his death. But Hastein, going to Charles1, king of the Franks, asked for peace; and having obtained it, he received from him the city of Chartres as payment, and dwelt there. And thus Francia, for a time, drew breath again from the crashing storms of tumult; the sentence of vengeance due for such enormity of sins being held suspended, the clemency of the most merciful Christ having been appeased, He who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, rules the world ineffably through all ages.
Hujus itaque peracta urbis subversione, comperientes pagani se Romam nullatenus cepisse, veriti ne ulterius [haud] quidquam proficerent, quippe cum Romanas aures fama volante, eorum profana opera jam ocupassent inito consilio de regressu disponunt. Nam Bier totius excidii singnifer, exercituumque rex dum nativum solum repeteret, naufragium passus, vix apud Anglos portum obtinuit, quampluribus de suis navibus submersis. Indeque Frisiam repetens, ibidem obiit mortem. Hastingus vero Carolum Francorum regem adiens, pacem petiit, quam adipiscensi urbem Carnotensem stipendii munere ab ipso accepit. Et sic Francia a, tumultuum fragoribus aliquandiu respiravit: sententia ultionis ob enormitatem scelerum debitæ suspensa, propitiata piissimi Christi clementia, cum Patre et Spiritu sancto mundum ineffabilliter regentis per sæcula.
Note 1. King Charles II of West Francia, 823-877. Carolingian. Known to history as 'le Chauve' i.e. 'the Bald'. He was a grandson of Charlemagne.