Blood Eagle: Unzip The Ribs

What happens when revenge becomes one of the most infamous executions in Viking history?

Season 2 of Torture: A Dark History kicks off in 9th century England, where King Aella of Northumbria finds himself facing the Great Heathen Army and the sons of the man he supposedly killed: Ragnar Lothbrok.

We’ll explore the legendary story of Ragnar’s death, the Viking invasion of Northumbria, and the horrifying execution that Aella was said to suffer after his defeat: the infamous blood eagle. But was the blood eagle actually a real Viking execution, or did later writers turn a brutal legend into something far more horrifying?

We’ll dig into the medieval sources, the different versions of the blood eagle, the alleged victims, and the rather unpleasant question of whether a human body could actually survive long enough for the ritual to be completed.

And because this is the Season 2 premiere of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan are back with their particular brand of Viking flavored dark humor.

If you love Viking history, Ragnar Lothbrok, the Great Heathen Army, medieval torture, Norse mythology, historical executions, dark history, and the mysteries surrounding the blood eagle, Season 2 is starting with one hell of a way to die.

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/717332

Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.

The Sassholes Insta!!

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):