The Great Viking Unicorn Hoax
How an outlawed murderer laid the foundations for one of the biggest frauds in history
In the Middle Ages, unicorns were real. In the literal sense. It said so in the bible — nine times in five books through three translations. And to suggest otherwise would have been heresy — which often carried a death sentence.
Besides, the evidence was everywhere. Just ask the right people. Rich folk would have been delighted to show you their unicorn horns (also known as alicorn).
Ivan the Terrible, the Russian czar, had a staff made of alicorn. Likewise for the hilt of a sword carried by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. Ditto for the shaft of a scepter among the Austrian Hapsburgs’ crown jewels. Also, much of the supporting structure of Denmark’s throne. Even bishops and archbishops leaned on crosiers supported by staffs of alicorn.
In 1577, Martin Frobisher presented Queen Elizabeth with a rare gift. The horn of a sea-unicorn [1], discovered on one of his attempts to find the fabled Northwest Passage. She prized it so much she kept it with the crown jewels. And when Sir Humphrey Gilbert offered her another one she snapped it up for a whopping £10,000.
For perspective, she could have bought a castle with that.
