50+ Facts That Will Change the Way You Watch Netflix’s “Vikings”
Viking Slaves Were Often Sacrificed
Viking slaves, known as “thralls,” lived a precarious existence. While the possibility of buying or earning freedom did exist, such a hopeful outcome was overshadowed by a darker fate.
In a ritual believed to accompany their masters into the afterlife, thralls were sacrificed upon the death of a prominent Viking. These acts relate to the Viking belief that one must show loyalty beyond death. It’s strange how the lines between devotion, fear, and tradition were so blurred that loyalty would often cost one’s life.
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