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Early Life and Rise of a Legend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ragnar\u2019s life, lineage, and legend are shrouded in uncertainty. Given that during his lifetime – likely sometime during the 9th century – Scandinavia would have been illiterate, therefore; few written records survive to tell his tale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a few facets of his early life and identity that can be distinguished, however. In both Icelandic and Danish sources recorded centuries after his life, Ragnar is identified as the son of the Swedish king Sigurd Ring, who was descended from the legendary Danish king, Randver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ragnar\u2019s mother was also of royal blood. Sigurd is noted in the Icelandic sources as having sired a son with princess Alfhild of \u00c1lfheimr. With both of his parents being identified as Scandinavian Viking royalty, it is no surprise that Ragnar himself would rise to legendary fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond these pieces of recorded facts, little reliable information is available about his early years and life of glory. It\u2019s worth noting that the records of his lineage are similarly uncertain, with little else besides his direct parentage being agreed upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, there is no denying the impact that Ragnar had on Viking history and culture. His name became synonymous with bravery and conquest. Two sources in particular – the Icelandic sagas and the work of Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus – provide us with most of Ragnar\u2019s story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Icelandic Sagas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Although they were certainly written after his life, quite a few Icelandic sagas give accounts and details of the legendary figure of Ragnar Lodbrok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Icelandic sagas are largely a collection of written histories – many of which are steeped in myth – that were likely recorded around the 13th century. The Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok<\/em>, the Tale of Ragnar\u2019s Sons,<\/em> the S\u00f6gubrot<\/em>, and Hervarar Saga<\/em>, among others, all feature Ragnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Icelandic sources, Ragnar is identified as the son of King Sigurd Hring. He had multiple wives, the third of whom was Aslaug, daughter of Sigurd Fafnesbane. Some of the stories, like the Sagas of Scandinavian Prehistory<\/em>, seem to recount his marriages and family life more in detail than his wartime conquest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The sources tell of how he won his first wife, Thora Borgarhjort, by killing a giant snake. They also tell of how later he discovered Kr\u00e1ka, a beautiful peasant woman who was later revealed to be Aslaug. Legend says he had several sons with her, including Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironside<\/a>, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ragnar\u2019s sons would go down in history as even more heroic and legendary. The sagas describe how Ragnar, not wanting to be outdone by his warrior sons, decided to conquer England with only two ships. However, he was ultimately defeated by the superior English forces. The tales of his death in Northumbria are told across many accounts – most notably, the Krakumal<\/em>, an Icelandic poem retelling Ragnar\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to various Viking sagas, like the Krakumal <\/em>and others, Ragnar was captured by the Anglo-Saxon King \u00c6lla of Northumbria after his failed attempt to conquer England. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shipwrecked, quickly defeated, and completely disarmed, Ragnar became \u00c6lla\u2019s prisoner. Unfortunately, he decided to condemn the Viking warrior to death, casting him into a pit of poisonous snakes to suffer a painful, torturous death. Although Ragnar\u2019s history is at times cloudy and uncertain, this fact, however, is recounted in almost all sagas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before his death, Ragnar famously sang his death song, which included the phrase, “How the little piglets would grunt if they knew how the old boar suffers.” This quote has become quite memorable in Viking history, encapsulating Ragnar’s bravery and defiance even in the face of death, as he assures all who are listening that his sons will soon avenge his death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The tale of Ragnar\u2019s capture and death at the hands of King \u00c6lla in Northumbria is told across many sagas – the Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok<\/em> and the Krakumal<\/em>, among others. Although historians and scholars still debate the specifics of Ragnar\u2019s life, the story of his death seems to be the most reliable piece of the puzzle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ragnar\u2019s death is told similarly by the other of the two main records we have of him – the work of Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, the Gesta Danorum<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chronicon Roskildense<\/em> and the chronicle of Sven Aggesen are among the earliest Danish texts to mention the Norse King Ywar and his brothers, but neither source mentions their father, Ragnar Lodbrok, as a Danish ruler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first Danish text to do so is Saxo Grammaticus’ work, the Gesta Danorum<\/em>, which provides an account of Ragnar Lodbrok that shares many similarities with the Icelandic sagas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Saxo’s version, Ragnar’s father Sigurd Ring is a Norwegian prince who married a Danish princess. Ragnar was elevated to Danish kingship after Sigurd Ring and his cousin and rival, Ring, were killed in battle. Saxo describes Ragnar as having fathered many children, marrying several times, and his many sons were installed as sub-kings in conquered territories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, and as opposed to the Icelandic sources, Saxo’s account of Ragnar\u2019s reign is mostly a catalog of successful Viking invasions across a vast array of territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To the reader, Saxo describes invasion after invasion. First, he leads an expedition to England, killing King Hama and conquering Scotland. Next, with his sons, he takes Norway, then Sweden, and installs his sons as kings in both domains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scythians and the Kievan Rus\u2019 are named as victims of Ragnar\u2019s mighty wrath. He also led successful sea expeditions against the Bjarmians and Finns in the Arctic north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saxo’s account of Ragnar portrays him as a fearsome Viking leader who was known for his conquests across Scandinavia and neighboring regions. And, like the Icelandic sagas also, he makes clear the real reason for Ragnar\u2019s place in Viking history – his sons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The legend of Ragnar Lodbrok may be uncertain, but the existence of his sons is supported by quite a great deal of evidence. And their impact, particularly on Britain, is not up for debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Untitled-1-2.jpg\")
Ragnar\u2019s Capture and Death<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ragnar Lodbrok as Told by Saxo Grammaticus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ragnar\u2019s Sons and the Great Heathen Army<\/h2>\n\n\n\n