Æivor Járnkøt

Impression of Æivor on his flagship c.871 by Willem Rigger (1657)

Aivor Iron-Flesh (Old Norse: *Æivor Járnkøt)* was a Viking leader who participated in the invasion of Anglo-Saxon England between 868 and 878. His name, Iron Flesh, was given by Beda the Chronicler in his only saga which mentioned how Aivor was never injured in battle though other historians of the Middle Ages have argued that the name may have been derived from the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok who have referred to Aivor as "The Iron Flesh of the Danes".

## Chronology

Aivor was born sometime in 846 to Nehalnia in Kaupang, Vestfold though his father is unknown. When he turned 22 in 868, he and his mother embarked on a journey to Francia but were attacked by Sven Bull-Neck where he was knocked unconscious but quickly recovered from his only wound he received in his life time. In the same year, he commands the Frisian town of Doccinga in repelling Sven's invasion force sent by Sigurd Ragnarsson and successfully fends off against the attackers though angering Harald Hemmingsson who exiled Aivor.

Aivor was later seen in Ribe where he pledged his allegiance to the Danes under Horik Gottfredsson who gave him lands on the modern day border of Denmark and Germany and at some point after, the village of Bylderup was constructed with a population of 50 at the time.

#### Great Heathen Army

Although the Great Heathen Army had already established Danelaw in England 3 years prior, Sigurd Ragnarsson, Ubba Ragnarsson and Ivar Ragnarsson had recruited the Great Summer Army in April 868 which numbered 2,000 who set off from Ribe in August. But in the vanguard of the army, Sven betrayed the sons of Ragnar and attacked their ships including Aivor's fleet and the army was forced to scatter. The first to make landfall was Aivor who landed on the River Ouse some 30 km southeast of Jorvik (York).

Having his army been destroyed by Sven, Aivor set off to recruit over 200 men and had settled down in Jorvik over winter where all of Ragnar's sons had regrouped to form the second Great Summer Army against the Anglo-Saxons and Picts who had joined the war. Aivor led his army to as far north into Pict lands as Dun Taruo (Turriff) and won a major battle near the fort against 1,200 Picts led by King Causantin of the Picts winning the overall war and was eventually forced to sign a peace treaty after 20 days. Aivor and his army returned to Jorvik by summer in time for him to join the Great Summer Army. At around 1,000 strong, the Danes including Aivor fought a battle in Thetford in November and won in an overwhelming victory. Aivor led the vanguard and attacked Lundenwic (London) sacking the settlement before moving on to Readingum (Reading) in 871 where they encountered an Anglo-Saxon force led by Aethelred and Aelfred of Wessex which they had beaten easily after the First Battle of Readingum on 4 January.

It was however at this time, Sven Bull-Neck had surfaced and Aivor, who was tempted for revenge marched east to meet his army and on 29 May 871, the two armies clashed near Aescendun (Croydon) with no negotiations. Sven defended his camp tightly with 300 whilst Aivor fought his way in with 260. The fighting continued until the following day when Aivor decided to burn his way through by launching fire arrows into the campsite setting the wooden battlements alight. Sven and 8 others escaped the fire and made it to Readingum but were immediately contacted by Aivor. Aivor killed Sven by breaking his neck then hacking his ax into Sven's shoulder blades. The remains of Sven were found in 1861 whilst Londoners were excavating Croydon near the battle site. It was also there where his mother, Nehalnia was given a ship burial with all of Sven's possessions and riches.

Shortly after the detour, he and Brunhild of Doccinga were married in 872 at Jorvik which was attended by all of Ragnar's sons except for Sigurd. 2 years later, Aivor was given the command of the northern army which ravaged Northumbria in 868-869 and in the winter of 874, he attacked Hagustaldes (Hexham) and Munucceaster (Newcastle upon Tyne) completely razing the towns and villages before returning to the south where he joined the Great Heathen Army until 878 when the Treaty of Wedmore was signed which founded Danelaw in Northumbria and Mercia.

Hardly any more records are found of Aivor's later life and only his death is known in 915 through carbon dating. It was also written in Beda's chronicle, he turned a Roman Catholic as he returned home possibly due to his wife's influence.

## Sons of Aivor

Ragnar Aivorsson was the first child of Aivor to have grown up in England before moving back to Denmark where his family remained until 911 when he joined Rollo on an expedition to Normandy where the Duchy of Normandy was created. He lived in Rouen until 924 and was buried in the local cathedral beside Rollo. Ragnar's descendants would later become Jean Neromanc de Havre and Germain Jean Cyrat de Haguenau.

Harald Aivorsson was far less ambitious than his elder but had also participated in supporting Danelaw in their wars against the Saxons since early childhood. He was killed past his 30th birthday in 905 in a skirmish in Mercia whilst leading a small detachment from Lundenwic to Readingum.

Halfdan Aivorsson was the first son of Aivor to be born in Denmark but after his father's death in 915, he left Bylderup for Kievan Rus arriving in Novgorod almost a year later. He remained there for the rest of his life until 929. Halfdan's descendants were notably Hida Ichitsuki, Miklos Stafenheim and Dmitry VII.

Olof Aivorsson the Brash became King of Denmark in 900 after conquering Denmark though he only ruled southern Denmark making Ribe his capital and ruling until 933 when he was assassinated by poison having outlived all his brothers and parents.

## Family

* [Mother] Nehalnia of Kaupang (823-871)
* [Wife] Brunhild of Doccinga (851-925)
* [Son] Ragnar Aivorsson (872-924)
* [Son] Harald Aivorsson (875-905)
* [Son] Halfdan Aivorsson (879-929)
* [Son] Olof Aivorsson (880-933)