12. A Viking Leader Was Killed by a Dead Enemy
Sigurd Eysteinsson, AKA Sigurd the Mighty (died 892) was a Viking Earl who ruled the Orkney and Shetland Islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Allied with other Vikings chieftains, he launched an invasion of the Scottish mainland which conquered northern Scotland, overran Sutherland and Caithness, and asserted Viking control as far south as Moray. His exploits during that conquest earned him the epithet “the Mighty” from fellow Vikings.
While trying to conquer northern Scotland, Sigurd challenged a local chieftain, Mael Brigte the Bucktoothed, head of the Mormaerdom, or kingdom, of Moray, to a 40-man-per-side battle. However, Sigurd cheated, showed up with 80 men, and defeated and massacred the outnumbered Scots. Sigurd personally beheaded Mael Brigte, tied the defeated leader’s head to his saddle as a trophy, then rounded up his men and rode back home to celebrate the victory. On the way back, as the severed head tied to the saddle bounced around, the bucktooth which gave Mael Brigte his nickname cut Sigurd’s leg. The cut became inflamed, and Sigurd died of the infection before he got back home.
