Sten Stensson

Sten Stensson, also known as Blueshield, (died 871) was a Viking jarl and member of the Great Heathen Army during the Viking expansion into England. He was the father of Björn and Ulf Stensson.

Biography

Circa 846, Sten Stensson was a penniless child when he first met with Ragnar Lothbrok and joined him in his siege of West Francia, as did over five thousand other Vikings. The Seine was filled with their 120 ships and dyed red with their battles. The Franks paid the Vikings so much silver and gold that Sten remarked that if they'd given more, their ships would've sunk.

In 866, his sons returned from a wolf hunt and presented him with a wolf for appraisal, so he could determine what had killed it, Ulf's arrow or Björn's axe. He analysed the wolf and concluded it was felled by the arrow strike. Björn complained that his father always sided with his brother, to the laughter of the other Vikings present.

A skald who had returned with the brothers approached jarl Stensson and presented him with a proposal from Ivarr the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson: to come to Britain and share the spoils found there. As a show of what awaited them, the skald gifted the jarl an ornate Christian cross.

Sten accepted the proposal and a group of Vikings made the journey to England. On the voyage there, he told his sons of his experiences in Francia. He also told all Vikings on the three ships to remember three things: to guard their weaknesses, to recall that the strongest shield they have is the brothers by their side and to know that the elements control all.

Upon arriving in East Anglia, the skald led the Stenssons to the church housing Halfdan and Ivarr. The church was preceeded by a large number of crucified people, nailed there by Ivarr to warn others to not resist and to cause no trouble.

Gallery

• 
  Sten embraces Ivarr and Halfdan
• 
  Sten introduces Ulf and Björn

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers