Ragnar Lodbrok Sigurdsson King at Lethra , 795

Name
Ragnar /Sigurdsson/ King at Lethra
Given names
Ragnar
Nickname
Lodbrok
Surname
Sigurdsson
Name suffix
King at Lethra
Name
Ragnar // King at Lethra
Given names
Ragnar
Nickname
Hairy-Breeks
Name suffix
King at Lethra
Name
Ragnar Lothbrok //
Given names
Ragnar Lothbrok
Name
Ragnar Lodbrok //
Given names
Ragnar Lodbrok
Birth
Text:

A History of The Vikings, Oxford, 1968 , Jones, Gwyn, Reference: biographical details

Note
Text:

A History of The Vikings, Oxford, 1968 , Jones, Gwyn, Reference: biographical details

Source citation
Text:

A History of The Vikings, Oxford, 1968 , Jones, Gwyn, Reference: biographical details

Source citation
Note

BIOGRAPHY
Ragnar Lodbrok ('Hairy-Breeks') was a Norse legendary hero from the Viking Age who was thoroughly reshaped in Old Norse poetry and legendary sagas. Ragnar was said to be the son of Siguard Randversson and Alfhild Gandolfsdottir. He married Aslang Sigurdsdottir of Denmark, daughter of Sigurd 'Fovnesbane', and they had numerous children. The _Ragnarssona báttr_ mentions his sons Bjorn 'Ironside', Hvitserk, Ivar 'the Boneless', and Sigurd 'Snake-in-the-Eye', and the half-brothers Eric and Agnar. Other names of children linked to him include: Halfdan 'White Shirt', Ragnaldir, Alof/Olaf and Ubbe/Ubbi. Of these, Bjorn 'Ironside' is recorded as having progeny, though others probably did also.

Although Ragnar is something of a hero in his native Scandinavia, reliable accounts of his life are very sketchy and heavily based on ancient Viking sagas. Even the dating of his reign is not certain; there are sources that date it from 750 to 794, and others from 860 to 865. Neither really matches with what is known of him, though he may perhaps have held power as a warlord from approximately 835 to his death in 865, perhaps only being recognised as king (of Lethra, in what is now Denmark) in the last five years of his life.

Ragnar apparently spent most of his life as a pirate and raider, invading one country after another. One of his favourite tactics was to attack Christian cities on church feast days, knowing that many soldiers would be in church. He would generally accept a huge payment to leave his victims alone, only to come back later and demand more riches in exchange for leaving.

However he was also a gifted military leader. By 845 he was a powerful man and most likely as contemporary of the first ruler of Russia, the Viking Rurik. It is said he was always seeking new adventures because he was worried that his freebooting sons would do things that would outshine his own achievements.

A historic Ragnar Lodbrok is held to have been a jarl at the court of the Danish king Horik I (814-854), and this Ragnar participated in the Viking plunder of Paris in 845. In that year he is said to have sailed southward, looking for new worlds to conquer. With 120 ships and 5,000 Viking warriors, he landed in what is now France, probably at the Seine estuary, and ravaged West Francia, as the westernmost part of the Frankish Empire was then known.

Paris was captured in that year and held to ransom by a Viking raider who the sagas say was Ragnar Lodbrok. The king of West Francia, Charlemagne's grandson Charles 'the Bald', paid him a sum not to destroy the city. Ragnar Lodbrok, according to Viking sources, was satisfied with no less than 7,000 pounds of silver in exchange for sparing the city. However, that did not stop Ragnar from attacking other parts of France, and it took a long time for the Franks to drive him out.

Later, Ragnar's sons were to return for more booty. Among their feats was destroying the city of Rouen several times. Ultimately some of them settled there permanently, in a land that became known as Normandy (for 'Northmen', as the Franks called the Scandinavians or the Norman as the Norwegians called themselves).

Ragnar turned his attention to England. In 865 he landed in Northumbria on its north-east coast. It is claimed that there he was defeated in battle for the only time, by King Aelle II of Northumbria. There are several versions of the story of his death.

In the most colourful, Aelle's men were said to have captured Ragnar, and the king ordered him thrown into a pit filled with poisonous snakes. As he was slowly being bitten to death, he is alleged to have exclaimed 'How the little pigs would grunt if they knew the situation of the old boar!', referring to the vengeance he hoped his sons would wreak when they heard of his death.

An alternative version says that he landed by accident in East Anglia and there befriended King Edmund before being killed by a jealous courtier. The murderer was said to have escaped to Denmark and to have blamed Edmund for Ragnar's demise.

Text:

A History of The Vikings, Oxford, 1968 , Jones, Gwyn, Reference: biographical details

 

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one father-in-law recorded.

Partnership with Aslang  (1)

Partnership Sigurd Fovnesbane + … …

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one female partner recorded.

Partner of Lodbrok  (1)

1 Aslang

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has one son recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has one grandson recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 5 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one father-in-law recorded.

Partnership with Aslang  (1)

Partnership Sigurd Fovnesbane + … …

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no partners recorded.

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has one son recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has one grandson recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 4 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no parents-in-law recorded.

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one female partner recorded.

Partner of Lodbrok  (1)

1 Aslang

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has no children recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has no grandchildren recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 2 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

No family available

No family available

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one father-in-law recorded.

Partnership with Aslang  (1)

Partnership Sigurd Fovnesbane + … …

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one female partner recorded.

Partner of Lodbrok  (1)

1 Aslang

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has one son recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has one grandson recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 5 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

No family available

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one father-in-law recorded.

Partnership with Aslang  (1)

Partnership Sigurd Fovnesbane + … …

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no partners recorded.

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has one son recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has one grandson recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 4 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

No family available

Great-grandparents

generation +3 relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Biological great-grandparents)

Lodbrok has no great-grandparents recorded.

Grandparents

generation +2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandparents)

Lodbrok has no grandparents recorded.

Uncles and Aunts

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts recorded.

Uncles and Aunts by marriage

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no uncles or aunts by marriage recorded.

Parents

generation +1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological parents)

Lodbrok has no parents recorded.

Parents-in-law

generation +1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no parents-in-law recorded.

Co-parents-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-parents-in-law recorded.

Partners

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has one female partner recorded.

Partner of Lodbrok  (1)

1 Aslang

Partner chains

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no members of a partner chain recorded.

Siblings

same generation relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Full siblings)

Lodbrok has no siblings recorded.

Siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no siblings-in-law recorded.

Co-siblings-in-law

same generation no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no co-siblings-in-law recorded.

Cousins

same generation relationship coefficient: 12.5% (Children of full siblings of biological parents)

Lodbrok has no first cousins recorded.

Nephews and Nieces

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Children of full siblings)

Lodbrok has no nephews or nieces recorded.

Children

generation -1 relationship coefficient: 50.0% (Biological children)

Lodbrok has no children recorded.

Children-in-law

generation -1 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no children-in-law recorded.

Grandchildren

generation -2 relationship coefficient: 25.0% (Biological grandchildren)

Lodbrok has no grandchildren recorded.

Grandchildren-in-law

generation -2 no blood relationship

Lodbrok has no grandchildren-in-law recorded.

Summary for the shown extended family

The extended family of Lodbrok has 2 members (including Lodbrok). (additional members of the partner chains are not counted)

No family available

No family available