Vikings: How Every Main Character's Death Compares To Real Life
- Ragnar Lothbrok. Although Ragnar was the lead of Vikings in its first seasons, he might have not been a real person. ...
- Lagertha. Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) was a shield-maiden, mother of Bjorn Ironside and Gyda, and the first wife of Ragnar.
- Bjorn Ironside. ...
- Ivar the Boneless. ...
- Floki. ...
Is there any proof of Ragnar Lothbrok?
The only legitimate source for information on Ragnar Lothbrok is the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a collection of documents detailing Anglo-Saxon history originally published around the time Ragnar was said to exist. His name does appear, but there is a debate within the historical community if that's the same man.
Who was 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 Vikings based on 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.
Was Kattegat a real place?
Kattegat, where the series Vikings is set, is not a real place. Kattegat is the name given to the large sea area situated between Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Thanks to Vikings, many people assume Kattegat is a village in Norway but this is not the case.
Is Lagertha real?
The History series Vikings depicts a community of Viking warriors, including the famous Norse warrior Ragnar Lothbrok and his first wife, the legendary Viking warrior Lagertha. The character of Lagertha is based on a real Viking shieldmaiden - born sometime around 795 CE - who really was married to Ragnar.
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.
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.
How old was the real Ragnar Lothbrok when he died?
And that he died after being cast into a pit of snakes sometime before 865. This puts his age at 45.
How accurate is Vikings to history?
Remember… this is historical fiction, people. That means some plotlines and characters have been altered to make for a great show, but much of it is based in fact, including the minute details of costumes, sets and weapons. The Vikings didn't have a written language, so much of their world is up for interpretation.
How tall was an average Viking?
"The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.
Is Vikings: Valhalla historically accurate?
“They had many months together before the writing even started, and that was an invaluable period of time.” Valhalla may not be 100 per cent accurate, but diehard Vikings fans can rest assured the producers put as much effort into researching the new series as they did the History phenomenon that started it all.
Was Ivar the Boneless real?
Ivar the Boneless, aka Ivar Ragnarsson, was an actual historical figure. We know this both from his fame in Old Norse legends, where he was revered as a godlike warrior, and from British sources, which considered him a demon straight outta the depths of hell.
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...
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.
Where is Lodbrok carved?
There is one runic inscription mentioning Lodbrok, carved on the prehistorical tumulus of Maeshowe on Orkney in the early 12th century. It reads: "This howe was built a long time before Lodbrok's. Her sons, they were bold; scarcely ever were there such tall men of their hands". The expression "her sons" has given rise to the theory that Lodbrok was originally thought of as a woman, mother of the historically known sons.
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 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 captured Ragnar Lothbrok?
According to the Gesta Danorum of Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, Ragnar Lothbrok was captured by the Anglo-Saxon king Aella of Northumbria and thrown into a snake pit to die.
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 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.
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.
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.
When Did Ragnar Die In Real Life?
There are numerous stories about his demise. Some say he was killed during a botched attack on the isle of Anglesey, others that he died in a civil war between Denmark and Norway off the coast of Ireland.
Who Is The Most Famous Viking?
A significant number of sagas relate to Ragnar 's early life. Yet the vast majority of these are likely to be later additions. This could be explained by the fact that many later warlords claimed descent from Ragnar and needed historical evidence to prove it. They wanted to inflate their egos, just as Ragnar himself claimed to be a direct descendant of Odin.
Is "Vikings" TV Show Based On A True Story?
When talking about the accuracy of any series based on a true story, it is important to know its main historical sources, for only in that way we will be able to separate facts from fiction. The 'Vikings' plot comes from the two main historical sources, as well as from many semi-historical chronicles, poems, and sagas.
What is the epithet of Ivar the Boneless?
Ragnar's saga tells us that Ivar was unable to walk and had to be carried everywhere. But this piece of writing is a later source, and it isn't the only place we find information on Ivar the Boneless.
Who is Bjorn Ironside?
We have all heard the name of Bjorn Ironside from the popular TV show "Vikings ," according to which he was the first son of Ragnar Lothbrok and his first wife, Lagertha.
Is Ragnar Lothbrok's story accurate?
Even centuries later, it seemed to gain a new life by being told and retold again. However, this tale, just like many others, has never been proved to be historically accurate.
Who was the king of Denmark?
Frankish sources at the time mention Horik, the king of Denmark, who was being undermined by the West Frankish king Louis the Pious. But after Charlemagne, standards slipped, and the Frankish army was now only a shadow of its former self. After Horik successfully fought off attacks from his rivals, the full ferocity of the Norse men was about to come crashing down catastrophically.
When did Ragnar 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. Here, in one account, his men were beset with a plague of heaven-sent dysentery and, so the annalists would have it, Ragnar himself succumbed, thus marking the beginning and ending of his career in one event.
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 is Ragnar in Danish history?
In the Danish History Ragnar is described has having been the grandson of the king Sigurd Hring of Norway, having succeeded his grandfathers and ruled over Norway and Sweden later on.
What happened to Ragnar?
Surprisingly, “Ragnar” appears once again in history the following decades. He raids Scotland and the Shetland Isles, settles in Dublin, attacks Anglesey and finally after so much glory and great deeds he dies in a pit filled with snakes at York.
What is the name of the Viking attack in 793?
793 – It’s the Viking attack to Lindisfarne in Northern England. 845 – Is the first attack to Paris in which Reginheri died. 867 – The Danes occupy Jorvik (York). It seems clear that Reginheri isn’t the real Ragnar Lothbrok, because he died between two major events in the history of Viking Raids in which Ragnar has King ...
What is the Viking surname?
So the children of Ragnar would have been named Björn Ragnarson or Ivar Ragnarson, for instance. In the Saga of Ragnar he becomes king of both Norway and Denmark, ...
Why did Ragnar wear furry pants?
To be able to marry Thora, Ragnar had to kill a giant serpent, or a Dragon in other accounts. In this particular event he wore furry pants/shaggy breeches, and that’s where the name Loðbrók comes from, that’s what it actually means. So he used these pants to protect himself from the bite of the animal.
Where is Ragnar mentioned?
Let’s explore the Sagas and historical sources were Ragnar is mentioned. He appears in the Danish History ( Gesta Danorum) by Saxo Grammaticus, he is also mentioned in the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok ( Ragnars saga Loðbrókar ), in the Saga of the Sons of Ragnar ( Ragnarsson þáttr ), in the Frankish chronicles as previously mentioned, and in the poem Krákumál.
How many times did Ragnar die?
In “truth” in these sources it seems Ragnar died at least five times during his career as a Viking.
Who is the real Ragnar Lothbrok?
THE REAL RAGNAR LOTHBROK. Dusted off and brought into the limelight in History Channel’s TV-series Vikings, Ragnar Lothbrok has risen to fame anew more than a millennia after his death.
How did Ragnar die?
How did Ragnar die? What about Ragnar’s death? Several “legendary” sources say that upon reaching old age, Ragnar sets off to England to conquer the nation, but is captured by the English King Aella, who throws him into a snake pit to die. That is where Ragnar utters his famous last words: “Grunt would the pigs if they knew how the old boar suffers” (referring to his sons) In the end it doesn’t matter who Ragnar was and what he did. It doesn’t matter that the TV-series often shows a misrepresented image of Viking and Norse Culture. What matters is that a man’s legend lives on more than a thousand years after his death. That is absolutely amazing.
What is Ragnar's name in the Sagas?
The Sagas and Poems hail from the 9th – 12 th Centuries and Ragnar was according to them the son of a Svea (Swedish) king named Sigurd Ring. The sagas describe Ragnar as a badass fantasy hero who begins his career with killing a Lindworm and freeing a virgin. He did this while wearing “hairy armour” during the fight that protected him from the Lindworm’s poison. The armour was said to consist ouf of wolf-skin pants coated with pitch, which gave him the name “Lodbrok” (hairy pants). Our hero then ventured out on adventures and met Aslög, daughter of the Amazon Brynhilda and King Sigurd Fafnirsbane (also a famous dragon-slayer), who ended up giving birth to four sons; Björn Ironside, Ivar the Boneless, Hvitserk and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.
What did Lodbrok wear?
He did this while wearing “hairy armour” during the fight that protected him from the Lindworm’s poison. The armour was said to consist ouf of wolf-skin pants coated with pitch, which gave him the name “Lodbrok” (hairy pants).
Who plays Ragnar in Vikings?
What matters is that a man’s legend lives on more than a thousand years after his death. That is absolutely amazing. Ragnar Lothbrok portrayed by Travis Fimmel in the TV-series Vikings. Page one of the Gesta Danorum.
Is Ragnar a Viking?
Summary: There is no doubt that there must’ve been a legendary Viking by the name of Ragnar.
Is Ragnar a miniature?
Ragnar has even made it into miniature war-gaming. (Stronghold Terrain)
When did Ragnar Lodbrok die?
Ragnar Lodbrok is believed to have lived and died during the 9 th century.
What did Ragnar Lodbrok say to his offspring?
According to the most famous version of his death (more on this later), Ragnar Lodbrok is quoted as saying with his final breaths, “How the little piglets would grunt if they knew how the old boar suffers.”.
What gods did Ragnar Lodbrok abandon?
[2] In reality, there is no indication whatsoever in surviving texts and writings that even suggest that Ragnar Lodbrok abandoned his allegiance to the Aesir and Vanir gods and goddesses of his people.
How many wives did Ragnar Lodbrok have?
Ragnar Lodbrok had Multiple Wives. By most accounts, Ragnar Lodbrok had three wives during his lifetime, while according to some tallies, he had four. The three that are not in dispute are Lagertha, Thora, and Aslaug. The fourth woman who may or may not have been his wife is Swanloga.
Where did the Vikings take place?
One of the most compelling episodes of the Vikings series took place in Paris against the backdrop of the real-life Viking invasion on that city in the year 845 by a Viking warlord named Reginherus, whom many scholars and historians assert was, in fact, Ragnar Lodbrok by another name.
What is Christian's fascination with Scandinavia?
Christian's fascination with Scandinavia began when he traced his family history to several countries in the region. As a college professor who has taught about the history of Northern Europe, he wishes to respectfully promote, not just the region's history, but its culture and people as well.
Did Ragnar Lodbrok abandon his allegiance to the Aesir?
In reality, there is no indication whatsoever in surviving texts and writings that even suggest that Ragnar Lodbrok abandoned his allegiance to the Aesir and Vanir gods and goddesses of his people.
When did Ragnar Lothbrok die?
Although this story is also recounted in the later Icelandic works (Ragnars saga loðbrókar and Þáttr af Ragnarssonum), other historians believe Ragnar Lothbrok died sometime between 852-856 during a storm on one of his voyages along the Irish Sea whilst pillaging the coasts of Ireland.
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 Lothbrok's life and heroic deeds?
The main source telling of Lothbrok’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). This form of story-telling started orally, before stories were eventually written down to preserve and spread the tales.
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.