Ragnar Lothbrok | Biography, Sons, Death, Vikings, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Ragnar Lothbrok | Biography, Sons, Death, Vikings, & Facts? ›

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

Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye's death is unknown. It is only known that he was overthrown by Olaf the Brash around the year 900. Bjorn Ironside died after holding the throne of Sweden for many years. Finally, Hvitserk was burned alive at the stake after being taken prisoner.

The only son we can pin down to a date of birth is Sigurd, who was born in 853 and died in 891, age 39. As for the others, we can't really pin down a date they were born, but we can piece together when they died. 873 - The first to die was Ivar the Boneless, Ragnar's and Aslaug's oldest son.

According to the Icelandic sagas, Ragnar had two sons with Thora: Erik and Agnar. Erik would later become King Erik Weatherhat of Sweden. According to the Gesta Danorum, however, his sons via Thora were Radbard, Ivar the Boneless, Dunvat, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Björn Ironside, and Agnar.

Answer and Explanation: Fame is not an objective measure, so it is difficult to declare, definitively, who is the most famous of the Ragnarssons. The two most likely candidates are Ivar the Boneless or Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.

As the oldest son of Ragnar and the only surviving child of Ragnar and the famous shield-maiden Lagertha, Bjorn already has the makings of a great warrior. Both of his parents are well-known for their actions during battle, and their leadership outside it.

According to the Distich on the Sons of Lothebrok, a series of notes preserved by the twelfth- to 13th-century Cambridge Pembroke College 82, Ubba was slain at Ubbelaw in Yorkshire.

He fought on the battlefield and was present when Ivar died, but he did not go to Valhalla himself. Instead, King Alfred spared Hvitserk. Ultimately, he ended up disconnecting from his religion and converting to Christianity instead, seemingly living out the rest of his days as a monk fittingly named Athelstan.

Ragnar then married Aslaug, also known as Randalin, the daughter of Sigurd and Brynhildr. They had four sons, Ivar the Boneless, Ubba, Hvitserk and Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (thus called because there was a mark in his eye, as if a snake lay around the pupil).

Lagertha, according to legend, was a Viking ruler and shield-maiden from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Her tale was recorded by the chronicler Saxo in the 12th century.

Who was the smartest son of Ragnar? ›

Ubbe, the smartest of them all, managed to reach the Golden Land, but at what price?

He commanded armies, and his physical strength was unmatched, making Bjorn clearly the most powerful of Ragnar's sons and one of the strongest characters in Vikings.

Bjorn, Ubbe, Ivar, Hvitzerk, and Sigurd are some of the most powerful characters in the series, and each seems to be connected to a particular part of Ragnar's personality.

Ivar becomes king over north-eastern England which his forefathers had owned (i.e. Ivar Vidfamne and Sigurd Ring), and he has two sons, Yngvar and Husto.

The saga finishes with Ragnar swearing a boastful oath that he will invade England with just two ships, which turns out to be foolish. He is captured by King Ælla of Northumbria and thrown into a snake-pit, where he dies, but is avenged by his sons who bring their might to England.

Ragnar is said to have been the father of three sons—Halfdan, Inwaer (Ivar the Boneless), and Hubba (Ubbe)—who, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and other medieval sources, led a Viking invasion of East Anglia in 865.

Rollo was trapped in a constant battle against his brother as his feelings went from admiration to hate and jealousy. This led to Rollo betraying Ragnar a couple of times throughout Vikings, including when he stayed in Paris after their raid, choosing to defend Paris from future attacks by his brother.