By Emily Chan
In 892 C.E., Viking chieftain Sigurd Eysteinsson killed his enemy in battle by decapitating his head. But the severed head ended up taking his life, so really, his foe had the last word.
Sigurd the Mighty was born in the late ninth century in Norway. He had an impressive lineage, as he was the son of a powerful Norwegian nobleman named Eystein Glumra, and Ragnhild, the daughter of Viking warrior, Hrolf Nefia. He started fighting alongside his father in battles at a young age.
Together, they led a raid on the Shetland Islands in the late ninth century. At the time, the territory was under the control of the Picts. The raid was successful, and the islands were brought under Norwegian control.
Sigurd went on to conquer the Orkney Islands and parts of Scotland, earning a reputation as a ruthless fighter and capable ruler. He became an ally of the Norwegian king, Harold Fairhair.
The king granted him the title of Earl of Orkney. He remained loyal to the king and was rewarded with more titles and land. Sigurd helped the region prosper by transforming it into a center for trade and commerce with other parts of Europe.
He also promoted the use of the Old Norse Language. Long after the Viking Age, people continued to embrace Norse customs and traditions.
Sigurd’s rise also created dangerous enemies. He was in charge of a group of Viking warriors who conducted various raids across Scotland.
He became enemies with a Pictish chieftain named Maelbrigte Tusk, also known as Máel Brigte the Bucktoothed due to his prominent teeth.
The two chieftains made an agreement to settle their conflict with 40 men on each side. But on the day of the battle, Sigurd showed up with 80 men instead. Clearly, he had no intention of fighting fairly.
Maelbrigte and his men fought bravely, but they were outnumbered and overpowered. In the end, Sigurd cut off Maelbrigte’s head. He tied the severed head to his saddle as a gruesome trophy and rode home in victory.
However, the victory celebration would actually be his downfall. During the journey back to Orkney, Maelbrigte’s buck teeth scraped against Sigurd’s exposed leg, causing a seemingly insignificant scratch.
But in an era without antibiotics or proper medical care, the injury turned fatal. The scratch eventually became infected, leading to Sigurd’s untimely death.
The story of Sigurd the Mighty has persisted for centuries because of its almost poetic ending. A legendary Viking leader who survived countless battles was ultimately defeated not by an army, but by the corpse of the man he betrayed.
Whether or not the tale may be slightly embellished through oral storytelling, it perfectly captures the dark irony often found in Viking sagas.
This article was originally published in Chip Chick.
