Ragnar Lothbrok was a Danish Viking warlord and a renowned hero of Norse
Norse mythology
Norse mythology is the body of myths of the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Norse paganism and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Scandinavian folklore of the modern period. The northernmost extension of Germanic mythology, Norse mythology consis…
Is Ragnar Lothbrok based on a real person?
In fact, Ragnar Lothbrock (sometimes called Ragnar Lodbrok or Lothbrok) was a legendary Viking figure who almost certainly existed, although the Ragnar in the Viking Sagas may be based on more than one actual person. The real Ragnar was the scourge of England and France; a fearsome Viking warlord and chieftain.
Is there any proof that Ragnar Lothbrok existed?
The evidence to suggest Ragnar ever lived is scarce, but, crucially, it does exist. Two references to a particularly eminent Viking raider in 840 AD appear in the generally reliable Anglo-Saxon Chronicle which speaks of 'Ragnall' and 'Reginherus'.
Is Vikings based on a true story?
Yes and no. Like Vikings creator Michael Hirst, Vikings: Valhalla creator Jeb Stuart has taken a creative license to the true story of some of the most famous Vikings. Many parts of the series take inspiration from real people and historical events, but much of the drama is fictional for dramatic purposes.
Who is the most famous Viking?
Ragnar Lothbrok Arguably the most famous Viking warrior of them all, not least for his role as the leading protagonist in Vikings, the History Channel's popular drama.
Is Kattegat real?
In Vikings, Kattegat is a city located in Norway. In reality, Kattegat is not a city at all, though it's still located in the Scandinavian area. Kattegat is actually a sea area located between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Did Lagertha really exist?
According to Judith Jesch, the rich variety of tales in the first nine books of Saxo's Gesta, which include the tale of Lagertha, are "generally considered to be largely fictional".
Do Vikings still exist?
So do Vikings still exist today? Yes and no. No, to the extent that there are no longer routine groups of people who set sail to explore, trade, pillage, and plunder. However, the people who did those things long ago have descendants today who live all over Scandinavia and Europe.
Do people still believe in Odin?
Thor and Odin are still going strong 1000 years after the Viking Age. Many think that the old Nordic religion - the belief in the Norse gods – disappeared with the introduction of Christianity. However, it did not, but was instead practised secretly or under a Christian cloak.
How close is Vikings to real history?
Vikings creator Michael Hirst takes a number of creative liberties, and the show tends to be more akin to the film 300 when it comes to accuracy rather than the informative portrayal that its History Channel origins would indicate.
Who were the scariest Vikings?
10 Toughest Vikings in HistoryThorkell the Tall. ... Cnut the Great. ... Ivar the Boneless. ... 7 & 6. ... Olaf Trygvasson. ... Egil Skallagrimsson. ... Ragnar Lothbrok. ... Harald Hardrada.More items...•
Was the blood eagle real?
The answer, according to an interdisciplinary team of medical doctors, anatomists and a historian, is a resounding yes. Study co-authors Monte Gates and Heidi Fuller, both medical scientists at Keele University in England, were spurred to investigate the blood eagle by the “Vikings” series.
Are there black Vikings?
A small number of Vikings had black—or brown—skin, according to reliable historical evidence. For centuries, dark-skinned people either willingly traveled to Scandinavia or were forcibly taken there as slaves. Over time, some assimilated with the Vikings through farming, marriage, combat, and other cultural factors.
Who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
According to medieval sources, Ragnar Lothbrok was a Danish king and Viking warrior who flourished in the 9th century. There is much ambiguity in w...
How did Ragnar Lothbrok die?
According to the Gesta Danorum of Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, Ragnar Lothbrok was captured by the Anglo-Saxon king Aella of Northumbria and...
What is Ragnar Lothbrok remembered for?
According to medieval sources, Ragnar Lothbrok was a 9th-century Danish Viking king and warrior known for his exploits, for his death in a snake pi...
Who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
According to medieval sources, Ragnar Lothbrok was a Danish king and Viking warrior who flourished in the 9th century. There is much ambiguity in what is thought to be known about him, and it has its roots in the European literature created after his death.
Who played Ragnar in Vikings?
In the early 21st century he was a central figure in the popular television series Vikings. Vikings: Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lothbrok. Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lothbrok in the TV series Vikings, 2016.
What was Ragnar's motivation?
…brothers’ motivation was to avenge their father, who had died after being captured while raiding the kingdom of Northumbria. Ragnar supposedly had been cast into a pit full of venomous snakes by order of the Northumbrian king Aella. Ivar’s forces landed in the kingdom of East Anglia, where they met…
What is a legend?
Formerly the term legend meant a tale about a saint. Legends resemble folktales in content; they may include supernatural beings, elements of mythology, or explanations of natural phenomena, but they are associated with a particular locality….
Who was the Viking king who was killed by a snake pit?
According to medieval sources, Ragnar Lothbrok was a 9th-century Danish Viking king and warrior known for his exploits, for his death in a snake pit at the hands of Aella of Northumbria, and for being the father of Halfdan, Ivar the Boneless, and Hubba, who led an invasion of East Anglia in 865.
Who captured Ragnar?
According to Saxo’s legendary history, Ragnar was eventually captured by the Anglo-Saxon king Aella of Northumbria and thrown into a snake pit to die. This story is also recounted in the later Icelandic works Ragnars saga loðbrókar and Þáttr af Ragnarssonum.
Where did Ivar's forces land?
Ivar’s forces landed in the kingdom of East Anglia, where they met…. Viking. Viking, member of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 9th to the 11th century and whose disruptive influence profoundly affected European history.
What is Ragnar Lothbrok known for?
According to the traditional literature, Ragnar Lothbrok distinguished himself by conducting many raids against the British Isles and the Holy Roman Empire during the 9th century.
What is the story of Ragnar Lodbrok?
The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, Tale of Ragnar's Sons, and Heimskringla all tell of the Great Heathen Army that invaded England at around 866, led by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok to wreak revenge against King Ælla of Northumbria who is told to have captured and executed Ragnar.
What was Ragnar's nickname?
The unusual protective clothes that Ragnar wore, when attacking the serpent, earned him the nickname Lodbrok ("shaggy breeches"). His sons with Thora were Erik and Agnar. After Thora died, he discovered Kráka, a woman of outstanding beauty and wisdom living with a poor peasant couple in Norway, and married her.
What was the name of the battle that the Vikings fought?
According to the contemporary Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Asser 's Life of Alfred, in 878 the "brother of Hingwar and Healfden", with a naval fleet, a contingent of the Great Heathen Army invaded Devon in England and fought the Battle of Cynwit. There the Vikings lost, their king slain and many dead, with few escaping to their ships. After the battle the Saxons took great plunder, and among other things the banner called "Raven". The early 12th century Annals of St Neots further state that "they say that the three sisters of Hingwar and Hubba, daughters of Lodebroch (Lodbrok), wove that flag and got it ready in one day. They say, moreover, that in every battle, wherever the flag went before them, if they were to gain the victory a live crow would appear flying on the middle of the flag; but if they were doomed to be defeated it would hang down motionless, and this was often proved to be so." This is among the earlier references to the legendary hero Ragnar Lodbrok.
What does the Sagas of Scandinavian Prehistory tell us about Ragnar?
In their accounts of his reign, the Sagas of Scandinavian Prehistory, known as fornaldarsaga tell more about Ragnar's marriages than about feats of warfare. According to the Sögubrot, "he was the biggest and fairest of men that human eyes have seen, and he was like his mother in appearance and took after her kin".
Who was the king of Sweden and Denmark?
Legendary king of Sweden and Denmark. Lothbrocus and sons Ivar and Ubba, 15th-century miniature in Harley MS 2278 folio 39r. Ragnar Lothbrok or Lodbrok ( Old Norse: Ragnarr Loðbrók, "Ragnar shaggy breeches", Modern Icelandic: Ragnar Loðbrók) is a legendary Viking hero, as well as a legendary Danish and Swedish king.
Who is the father of Ywar?
The Chronicon Roskildense (c. 1138) mentions Lodbrok (Lothpardus) as father to the utterly cruel Norse King Ywar (rex crudelissimus Normannorum Ywar) and his brothers, Inguar (a double of Ywar), Ubbi, Byorn and Ulf, who rule the northern peoples. They call on the various Danish petty kings to help them ruin the realm of the Franks. Ywar successfully attacks the kingdoms of Britain, though not as an act of revenge as in the Icelandic sagas. The chronicle of Sven Aggesen (c. 1190) is the first Danish text that mentions the full name, Regnerus Lothbrogh. His son Sigurd invades Denmark and kills its king, whose daughter he marries as he takes over the throne. Their son in turn is Knut, ancestor of the later Danish kings.
When did Ragnall sail?
He first sails out of the realm of Norse mythology and into something like history in 845. At that time a leader of this name, or perhaps the similar sounding ‘Ragnall’, is recorded as leading a fleet of 120 ships up the Seine to besiege Paris.
Did the Vikings leave any records?
Finding historical Vikings in the 9th century to base a whole TV series around is no easy matter. In the first place, none of the Vikings of that early era left any written records whatsoever to tell of their exploits. What we do have are the scant chronicles of the people they attacked and the much later saga legends which embroider their history ...
Was Ragnar a real Viking?
Ragnar is the first real Viking personality to emerge from the hazy accounts of the period but in many ways, he still belongs more in the fable-filled pages of the sagas than amongst the sober entries in the chronicles. That there even was a single Ragnar is still a matter of some debate due not least to the eagerness of contemporary writers to kill him off – something which is dutifully recorded a number of times, at a number of dates and accompanied by a number of different reasons.
Who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
Ragnar Lothbrok was a Danish Viking warlord and a renowned hero of Norse history who lived in the 9 th century. The legendary Viking, who was also the king of Denmark and Sweden, was also known as Ragnar Sigurdsson as he was told to be Danish King Sigurd Ring’s son (or Hring) in some accounts. Both the name Ragnar and the nickname “Lothbrok”, which ...
What is the cause of Ragnar Lothbrok's death?
The description regarding the disease in question and the manner of his death given in several accounts point to dysentery as his cause of death. The second story, as it is told in some historical accounts, particularly the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, tells us that Ragnar Lothbrok meets death in the hands of his enemies.
How many wives did Ragnar Lothbrok have?
Ragnar Lothbrok had three wives; Lagertha the Shieldmaiden, Aslaug the warrior queen and Thora Town-hart (Borgarhjort), a noblewoman who was the daughter of Earl Herrauðr of Götaland. It should also be noted that some accounts mention a fourth wife.
What is Ragnar's nickname?
Sometimes his name could be written as Regnar or Regner whereas his nickname/epithet could be written as Lodbrok or Lodbrog. Ragnar’s epithet Lothbrok could be interpreted as “hairy breeches” in the Old Norse language. It could also mean “dirty breeches” according to some. The epithet is believed to be derived from the breeches he wore ...
Why was Lagertha put in a brothel?
Along with the women in King Siward’s family and others living in his court, Lagertha was taken prisoner and put in a brothel to be humiliated. These women fought bravely when Ragnar Lodbrok came to rescue them and take back his grandfather’s lands. That is where Ragnar met Lagertha.
How many daughters did Ragnar have?
Ragnar had two daughters from Lagertha the Shieldmaiden and several daughters from his other wives but there is no accurate information regarding their names. Only two names, Ragnhild Ragnarsdottir and Åløf Ragnarsdóttir appear in some accounts as the possible names of his daughters.
What was Ragnar's main goal?
Ragnar was known as a witty leader and sometimes used blitzkrieg (sudden charge) tactics to surprise well-organized and disciplined forces of his enemies, especially during his attacks on France. As the main target of his raids, France suffered badly in the hands of Ragnar Lodbrok and his Northmen.
Who is Ragnar Lothbrok based on?
The figure of Ragnar Lothbrok is believed to have been based on three different men: Viking leader Reginherus , King Horik I of Denmark (who appears in the series), and King Reginfrid. With that in mind, the “real” Ragnar died in different ways.
Who threw Ragnar Lothbrok into the pit of snakes?
The legend of Ragnar Lothbrok says that he died just like in the series: thrown into a pit of snakes by King Aelle, but the trick here is that Ragnar’s existence is unclear, and the Viking warrior everyone knows might actually be a combination of different real-life people, with a dose of fiction to add to the legend.
What episode did Ragnar get thrown into a pit of snakes?
Ragnar Lothbrok, for example, is a big mystery, but Vikings took many details from the legends of the great Ragnar. In season 4’s episode “All His Angels”, after torturing him and cutting a cross into his head, King Aelle threw Ragnar into a pit of snakes, from which he couldn’t (nor tried to) escape. The legend of Ragnar Lothbrok says that he died ...
Is Vikings a historical drama?
Although Vikings is a historical drama and Hirst made a lot of research when developing the series, thus taking many elements from history, it also had to make some up so it could tell the desired stories, more so as there are not many records on the characters depicted in the show. Ragnar Lothbrok, for example, is a big mystery, ...
Who was Ragnar Lothbrok?
Ragnar Lothbrok was a fearless Viking hero who ransacked England and France and fathered the Great Heathen Army. However the historicity of the man with “hairy breeches” is subject to debate. Where does Ragnar the man end and the myth begin?
What is Ragnar Lothbrok famous for?
As with the legendary King Arthur , Ragnar Lothbrok appears as an amalgamation of a number of historical personages and minor characters of legend.
What is the most significant literary work to come out of Medieval Denmark?
He is mentioned in several Nordic sagas , the most significant being The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok , and the Gesta Danorum , which is believed to be the most illustrious literary work to come out of Medieval Denmark describing the country’s early history.
Why did Ragnar make breeches?
He is said to have crafted the breeches in preparation to fight a dragon or giant serpent , to stop it from biting him. His name could be written as Regnar or Regner while his nickname could be written as Lodbrok or Lodbrog. The legendary Viking hero, who was also a king of Denmark and Sweden, was also known as Ragnar Sigurdsson, ...
Why did Ragnar's sons invade England?
Ragnar’s sons invaded England to avenge their father’s murder at the hands of King Ælla of Northumbria, who, according to legend, seized Ragnar at some point and decided to sentence him to death by casting him into a pit full of snakes.
What is the name of the Viking raider?
The Anglo Saxon Chronicle also refers to ‘Ragnall’ and ‘Reginherus’ as a powerful and prominent Viking raider from 840 AD, these names are believed to be two variations of Ragnar. Ragnarok: Norse Account of Strange & Wonderful Land Doomed to Destruction – Part I. The story of Ragnarok and the Apocalypse.
Where did Ragnar raid?
Ragnar is believed to have been the scourge of both early Medieval England and France, raiding the Anglian kingdoms of Northumbria and Wessex on many occasions, along with the Kingdom of West Francia , concluding in the siege of Paris in 845.
What is the story of Ragnar Lothbrok?
Eleanor Parker tells the story of the ultimate Norse legend: Ragnar Lothbrok. This competition is now closed. Published: December 6, 2019 at 10:44 am.
How did Ragnar get the nickname "Lothbrok"?
One of Ragnar’s adventures explains how he got the nickname ‘Lothbrok’ while winning Thora, one of his wives. Thora was the daughter of a powerful earl, and one day her father gave her a little snake as a present. She kept the snake as a pet, but it quickly grew into a huge, poisonous serpent that terrorised the neighbourhood.
What is Ragnar's name?
By the end of the medieval period, Ragnar’s name was familiar to people across Scandinavia and the British Isles. But it was in the 16th and 17th centuries – as scholars began to rediscover Old Norse and Old English texts, plus the work of Saxo Grammaticus – that the modern Ragnar was born. In 1636, the Danish scholar Ole Worm translated Krákumál, an Old Norse poem about Ragnar’s death, into Latin, and it quickly became popular with readers in Britain. Krákumál was usually known in English as ‘The Death-Song of Ragnar Lothbrok’, and for 17th-century readers it seemed to offer an exciting glimpse of a Viking culture imbued with savage, pagan glamour. It provided a romantic image of a heroic and fearless Viking: glorying in battle and bloodshed, eager to enter Valhalla and feast with the gods for eternity.
How many sons did Ragnar have?
By these wives, Ragnar had at least eight sons – Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironside, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye and Ubbe among their number. These offspring were just as warlike as Ragnar and – courtesy of their own escapades – ensured that their father’s name lived on long after he met his death.
How long have Ragnar and his sons been around?
Stories about Ragnar and his sons have been told for almost a thousand years, and even today new legends about these archetypal Viking warriors continue to be created.
What did Ragnar do?
The son of a king of Denmark and Sweden, he fought giant snakes, led armies into battle, conquered vast swathes of Scandinavia, and terrorised the unsuspecting people of the British Isles. Many, if not all, of Ragnar’s adventures are mythical – the product of Norse chroniclers’ vivid imaginations.
Why did Ragnar fight the snake?
Hearing this, Ragnar decided to fight the snake. To defend himself against its venom, he coated his legs in woolly breeches that were coated with tar, making them stiff and impenetrable .
Who was the first person to name Ragnar Lothbrok?
The first reference to record the names Ragnar and ‘Lothbrok’ together was Icelandic scholar Ari Þorgilsson, writing between 1120-1133, claiming that ‘Ivar, son of Ragnar Lothbrok’ had been the one to kill Edmund of East Anglia.
Who is Ragnar Lodbrok's wife?
Danish history includes mention of a possible fourth wife, Swanloga. Ragnar Lodbrok meets Aslaug, a secret daughter of the renowned hero Sigurd Fafnesbane.
What is the main source of Lodbrok's life and heroic deeds?
The main source telling of Lodbrok’s life and heroic deeds in the Icelandic sagas is the 13th-century Icelandic ‘The Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok’. (Other sagas mentioning him include Heimskringla, Sögubrot, Tale of Ragnar’s Sons, and Hervarar Saga).
How did Lodbrok die?
Although this story is also recounted in the later Icelandic works (Ragnars saga loðbrókar and Þáttr af Ragnarssonum), other historians believe Lodbrok died sometime between 852-856 during a storm on one of his voyages along the Irish Sea whilst pillaging the coasts of Ireland.
What is the Viking age?
The word Viking means “pirate raid” in Old Norse, and the age of the Vikings (between 700-1100 AD) is indeed famed for its warriors’ bloodthirsty aggression. Arguably the most famous Viking warrior was the semi-legendary sea king, Ragnar Lodbrok ( Ragnarr Loðbrók in Old Norse), who supposedly led raids along England’s coast.
What tactics did Lodbrok use?
Like other Vikings, several sources note how Lodbrok used blitzkrieg-like tactics. These terrorised, demoralised and overwhelmed his opponents before they could gather a strong-enough force to oppose him. He also only fought when the odds were in his favour.
What did Lodbrok do to protect Thora?
This derives from Lodbrok allegedly boiling his cow-hide trousers in tar which he claimed protected him from the snake (or dragon, according to some sources) whilst winning his second wife Thora’s hand in marriage.
Overview
Ragnar Lodbrok was a legendary Viking hero, as well as a legendary Danish and Swedish king. He is known from Old Norse poetry of the Viking Age, Icelandic sagas, and near-contemporary chronicles. According to the traditional literature, Ragnar distinguished himself by conducting many raids against the British Isles and the Holy Roman Empire during the 9th century. He also appears in Norse le…
Accounts
According to the Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, Tale of Ragnar's Sons, Heimskringla, Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, Sögubrot af nokkrum fornkonungum, and many other Icelandic sources, Ragnar was the son of the king of Sweden Sigurd Ring. Nearly all of the sagas agree that the Danish king Randver was Sigurd's father, with the Hervarar saga citing his wife as Åsa, the daughter of King Harald of the Red Mo…
Ragnar's sons
The Great Heathen Army is said to have been led by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, to wreak revenge against King Ælla of Northumbria who had previously executed Ragnar by casting him into a pit full of venomous snakes. Among the organizers were at least some of the brothers: Ivar the Boneless, Ubba, Halfdan, Björn Ironside, Hvitserk, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, all of whom are known as …
Sources and historical accuracy
Whereas Ragnar's sons Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Ragnarsson, Björn Ironside, Ubba and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye are historical figures, opinion regarding their father is divided. Contemporary academia regards most of the stories about him to be fiction. According to Hilda Ellis Davidson, writing in 1979,
Certain scholars in recent years have come to accept at least part of Ragnar's …
In literature and media
Ragnar Lodbrok features prominently in the following works:
• Edwin Atherstone's 1830 novel Sea-Kings in England.
• Edison Marshall's 1951 novel The Viking.
• "Ragnar le Viking", a 1955 comic book feature written by Jean Ollivier with art by Eduardo Teixeira Coelho, that ran in the French Vaillant magazine up to 1969.
See also
• List of legendary kings of Denmark
• List of legendary kings of Sweden
Further reading
• Forte, Angelo, Richard Oram, and Frederik Pedersen (2005). Viking Empires. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-82992-5.
• "Krákumál", Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde, Vol. 17 (2001), p. 299-302.
• McTurk, Rory (1991). Studies in Ragnars saga loðbrókar and Its Major Scandinavian Analogues. Medium Aevum Monographs. Vol. 15. Oxford. ISBN 0-907570-08-9.