The figure of Bjorn Ironside, a legendary Viking king and son of the famed Ragnar Lothbrok, looms large in the annals of Norse history and modern pop culture. His exploits, from raiding the Mediterranean to founding a Swedish dynasty, have cemented his status as one of the most formidable sea kings of his era. Yet, as his legend has been retold, particularly in television, a specific physical attribute has come to define him in the public imagination: his towering height. This article delves into the historical and archaeological evidence to separate the factual man from the fictional giant, exploring what we truly know about Bjorn Ironside's height versus the powerful image crafted for a modern audience.
Who Was the Historical Bjorn Ironside?
To understand the man, one must first navigate the sources that chronicle his life. Bjorn Ironside was a historical figure who lived in the 9th century. He is primarily known from Norse sagas and chronicles, such as The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and The Tale of Ragnar's Sons (Ragnarssona þáttr). These accounts portray him as one of Ragnar's sons, who, alongside his brothers, led the Great Heathen Army to avenge their father's death and carve out kingdoms for themselves across Europe. Historical records outside of the sagas, like the Frankish Annales Bertiniani, corroborate his existence, documenting a Viking leader named "Berno" who led a successful raid up the Seine in 855 and later plundered his way to the Mediterranean.
According to the sagas, Bjorn’s nickname, "Ironside" (Járnsíða), was earned because he was seemingly invulnerable in battle, as if his sides were made of iron. This was attributed either to his mother, Aslaug, using seiðr (Norse magic) to protect him or simply to his exceptional skill and luck as a warrior. It is crucial to note that these sources, written centuries after the events they describe, are a blend of oral tradition, heroic poetry, and historical fact. Their primary purpose was to recount lineage and celebrate heroic deeds, not to provide a detailed physical dossier of their subjects.
Sagas and Chronicles: A Silence on Stature
When searching for a definitive answer to Bjorn Ironside's height within these foundational texts, one encounters a conspicuous silence. Neither the Icelandic sagas nor the Danish chronicles, such as Saxo Grammaticus's Gesta Danorum, make any mention of his physical height. This omission is not unusual. Sagas typically only described a person's physical attributes if they were exceptional or directly relevant to their nickname or story. For example, a character might be called "Olaf the Stout" or "Thorir the Tall," in which case their size is central to their identity. Bjorn's epithet was "Ironside," a name linked to his prowess and perceived invulnerability, not his physical dimensions.
The narrative focus remained squarely on his actions: his cunning strategies, his leadership of Viking fleets, and his role in establishing the Munsö dynasty, which would rule Sweden for generations. The saga writers were more interested in conveying his formidable reputation and legacy than recording whether he stood a few inches taller or shorter than his peers. This lack of textual evidence means that any claims about his historical height must be drawn from broader context rather than direct description.
Archaeological Clues: The Munsö Barrow
With the written record providing no answers, historians and archaeologists have turned to physical evidence. Tradition strongly identifies a large burial mound on the island of Munsö in Lake Mälaren, Sweden, as the final resting place of Bjorn Ironside. Known as Björnshögen (Bjorn's Barrow), this mound is part of a larger grave field dating to the Viking Age and is situated in an area historically associated with the Munsö dynasty he is said to have founded.
Excavations of the barrow have been conducted, most notably in the late 19th and 20th centuries. These digs confirmed the mound is a high-status grave from the correct period. However, they yielded a significant obstacle for those seeking to determine Bjorn's height: the remains were cremated. Inside the barrow, archaeologists found burned human and animal bones, along with grave goods such as fragments of Frankish metalwork, gaming pieces, and a decorative comb. The practice of cremation was common among pagan Norse chieftains, symbolizing a transformative journey to the afterlife.
Unfortunately, this practice obliterates the skeletal evidence needed to estimate a person's stature. While the location and dating of Björnshögen lend credence to the theory that it is indeed the tomb of the legendary king, the cremated remains offer no clues about how tall he was. The archaeological trail, like the textual one, runs cold.
How Tall Were the Vikings, Really?
Lacking direct evidence for Bjorn himself, the next logical step is to establish a baseline by examining the average height of his contemporaries. What was the typical stature of a Scandinavian man during the Viking Age? Fortunately, numerous archaeological sites across Scandinavia, Britain, and Iceland have yielded well-preserved Viking skeletons, allowing osteoarchaeologists to compile extensive data.
A comprehensive study of skeletal remains from the Viking Age reveals the following averages:
- Average Male Height: Approximately 5 feet 7.5 inches (171-172 cm).
- Average Female Height: Approximately 5 feet 2.5 inches (158-159 cm).
While this may seem short by modern standards, it was actually relatively tall for the period. Compared to many other European populations at the time, such as the Anglo-Saxons in England, the Vikings were often physically larger. This advantage can be attributed to several factors, including a protein-rich diet heavy in fish, meat, and dairy, as well as a genetic predisposition. As a high-status individual and a successful chieftain, Bjorn Ironside would have had access to the best nutrition available, suggesting he was likely at least of average height, and possibly slightly taller—perhaps in the 5'9" to 5'11" range. However, it is statistically improbable that he would have been the towering figure of modern fiction.
Alexander Ludwig and the *Vikings* Television Series
The popular perception of a towering Bjorn Ironside is almost entirely a product of his portrayal in the acclaimed television series *Vikings*. In the show, the adult Bjorn is played by Canadian actor Alexander Ludwig, who stands at an imposing 6 feet 3 inches (190.5 cm). This casting choice was deliberate, designed to give the character an immense physical presence befitting a legendary warrior and leader.
This depiction serves a clear narrative purpose. In a visual medium, height is a simple and effective shorthand for power, strength, and authority. By casting a physically large actor, the showrunners immediately establish Bjorn as a formidable force on the battlefield and a natural successor to his father, Ragnar. This creative decision has been immensely successful in shaping public consciousness. For millions of viewers, the image of Alexander Ludwig's powerful, broad-shouldered warrior *is* Bjorn Ironside. The show's creator, Michael Hirst, has often spoken about the need to balance historical accuracy with dramatic storytelling. In an interview, he noted the challenge of interpreting sagas, stating, "The sagas themselves are not totally and utterly reliable. They are stories." This philosophy allows for artistic license in areas where the historical record is silent, such as a character's exact appearance.
Reconciling History and Hollywood
In the final analysis, the quest for Bjorn Ironside's true height reveals a classic divergence between historical reality and dramatic interpretation. The factual evidence suggests a man who was likely of average or slightly above-average height for his time—a capable, well-fed warrior standing somewhere around 5'8" or 5'9". The sagas that immortalized him were unconcerned with his stature, focusing instead on the "iron" in his character and his battlefield invincibility. The archaeological record, while potentially pointing to his tomb, is rendered moot by cremation practices.
The fictional portrayal, on the other hand, presents a man well over six feet tall, a veritable giant among his peers. This version is not born of evidence but of the demands of modern cinematic storytelling, where heroes are often visually coded as larger-than-life. The discrepancy does not invalidate either version but rather highlights their different purposes. The historical Bjorn was a man of his time, whose legendary status was earned through deeds, not inches. The fictional Bjorn is an avatar of that legend, his height a metaphor for the monumental impact he left on the world. While the towering warrior on screen may be a fiction, it effectively communicates the historical truth of his formidable reputation.
