RAGNAR LODBROCK: TRUE STORY AND SITUATION IN VIKINGS - ARTE - 2025

Ragnar Lodbrock was a Viking warrior from Sweden and Denmark who reigned in the 9th century. He was part of the Ynglings, a very prosperous dynasty in Sweden, also known by the name of House Munsö. Data such as exact dates of birth and death are unknown, and it is believed that certain stories about his life may be equally fictitious or the mixture of stories from other Vikings, as they were the so-called "Icelandic Sagas", stories in literary tone written two hundred years later of the Viking incursion into Europe around 800.

Lodbrock was brave and feared by many, some even branded him bloodthirsty. Son of Sigurd Ring and his first wife, Alfild. He made important expeditions to the British Isles and conquered Denmark in 840.

Ragnar Lodbrock meets Kraka. Source: Louis Moe

Biography

Family

According to the Norse sagas, Ragnar is credited with the paternity of several children of three women. With Aslaug he had six children: Björn, Sigurd, Guthrod, Hvitsärk, Rognbald and Ivar the Boneless. With Þóra Borgarhjörtr he had Erik, Agnar and Olof. As a result of other relationships, children such as Ubbe, Halfdan and Ingvar are attributed to him.

King of Sweden and Denmark

Ragnar Lodbrock was the son of a nobleman named Sigurd Hring, who dominated the territories of Sweden and Denmark but with a certain distance and neglecting the needs of the peoples.

Ragnar was barely 15 years old when he took command in these kingdoms, and defended them from bandits who tried to sit on the throne through tricks. On the death of his father he returned to his land and became a feared Viking sailing the northern seas, looting any population that had gold and jewels.

First raids

One of his first trips was along the Frisian coast and the western coast of Europe. With an army of 6000 Vikings they arrived at the mouth of the Seine in 845 and ravaged every town they encountered.

They continued sailing into the interior of the country until they reached Paris and defeated the king in battle. It was the first time that a Viking asked for ransom for the king, grandson of Carlo Magno. This practice was later widely used by the Vikings in thousands of invasions and conquests.

Siege of Northumbria

In 865 Ragnar decided to venture into Great Britain and set out for the kingdom of Northumbria. The journey was quite difficult and he lost ships and part of the army.

King Aella, fearful of the Viking, preferred to give swords to men who might face the Viking. Although the battle they fought was fierce and Ragnar tried to win, he lost and was captured.

Death

The King of Northumbria, Aella, showed no mercy to Ragnar and threw him into a pit of snakes. According to some Icelandic sagas, the last words that prophesied the revenge that their children would carry out were:

“The piglets (their children) will growl if they knew the misfortune of the wild boar, a terrible evil overtakes me, the snakes pierce me with their jaws and bite cruelly, they have sucked my blood, now I will die next to the beasts, soon I will be a corpse ”.

Everything was fulfilled and Aella was tortured by the sons of Ragnar.

Ragnar Lodbrock in the Vikings series

Season 1

The series begins by featuring the feared Viking warrior and farmer Ragnar Lodbrok. His ambition is great because he wants to explore and attack all the land that is sailing the seas.

His wishes go against the local chief Haraldson, who prefers to head east with his minions, rather than the unexplored west. Ragnar will join Floki, a shipbuilder, to enter the North Seas, so everything can lead to a conflict with Haraldson.

Despite all the bloodshed, the Vikings series shows Ragnar's great love for his wife Lagertha; the story of Rollo, Ragnar's brother; and of diverse characters that will show how Christianity collides with paganism.

Season 2

Season two begins with a betrayal by Rollo, Ragnar's brother. While at Borg's camp, Ragnar sends Arne with the intention of having Rollo reflect on the betrayal and return to his side. But he does not listen to reasons and the fight between both armies is imminent.

It is very even because they fight with the same weapons and similar tactics. Rollo however defeats several of Ragnar's warriors and must Floki intercede. However, he is out of luck and then it will be Arne who faces Rollo. Arne dies and is lifted up by Rollo with a spear, exposing him to all eyes. Then Ragnar and Torstein advance but Rollo knows that against his brother he cannot fight.

In a conversation between Borg, Horik and Ragnar, the latter convinces them to go invade the west. They then sail back to Kattegat where the people make fun of Rollo. There life becomes complicated for Ragnar, as Björn confesses that his father was unfaithful to Lagertha with Aslaug.

A promise from Ragnar not to see Aslaug again is easily broken when they later discover that she is pregnant. There are parties when Aslaug arrives in Kattegat, but Lagertha decides to abandon Ragnar and Björn, after hesitating, leaves with her.

As the years go by, Aslaug gives Ragnar two children and expects a third. Rollo has fallen into darkness for betraying his brother. Siggy tries to get him to get closer to his brother and to accompany him to sail west. Although Ragnar forgives him he is still suspicious.

Ragnar heads west with Horik's forces, but they reach Wessex, not Northumbria, a different kingdom with a powerful king. King Ecbert argues with Ragnar and the latter says that he wishes to establish a colony there because it is fertile land.

Ecbert can donate some of the land if they help him with certain plans. Borg has invaded Kattegat and Ragnar leaves immediately, with bad luck as he loses several ships on the way. He then tries to have sex with Aslaug but she dissuades him; they must wait so that the child is not born with deficiencies. He however forces her to have sex.

Ragnar is reunited with Björn and Lagertha. He discovers that his son has grown up, he is already an adult. Rollo is unable to expel Borg from Kattegat so Ragnar sets fire to the food stores to force him to go. Later Borg fights with Lagertha and Ragnar's men but is defeated.

Thus they arrive in Kattegat, triumphant, and Aslaug worries about the situation that Lagertha has in favor. Ragnar tells the seer that he loves them both, but Lagertha says that she must go back to her new husband. Horik is defeated in Wessex and wants to return for revenge. He asks Ragnar to return but he prefers to send Rollo, who is already on his side and helped him by retaking Kattegat. Ragnar will then burn Borg's men alive and kill him by making him the blood eagle.

Horik is concerned because he believes that Ragnar may usurp his reign, and communicates this to Borg. Horik finally convinces Ragnar not to execute the king because it is not good to make enemies. When Rollo asks for an explanation, Ragnar replies that Horik "is the king."

Then Borg will be executed in a macabre torchlight ceremony in full view of all Kattegat. The prophecies are fulfilled because the son of Ragnar and Aslaug will be born deformed. He asks to kill him so that he does not bear the cruelty of his state but she refuses. Then Ragnar takes him to the forest but is unable to kill him, as he is after all his son. Thus, they will call him "the boneless" because of his weakness in the bones.

Later Ragnar, Lagertha and Horik pretend to argue with Ecbert about certain conditions. But Horik gets angry because he thinks Ragnar doesn't consult him for important decisions.

Horik plans an ambush and sends his son to kill Ecbert's men. This will make things difficult and the conflict begins with Ragnar's anger. There will be a trap on a hill that Ragnar detects, but Horik ignores it and orders the army to attack. It will then be a thunderous defeat and Ragnar recriminates Horik. They then argue with Ecbert but Horik still does not accept any negotiations.

Season 3

It is Ragnar's arrival in Wessex. To receive the land, Ecbert tells him that he must fight and free Princess Kwenthrith. They decide to go to battle and take back the kingdom of Mercia for the princess.

Then Kwenthrith asks for her uncle's head, and when Ragnar recriminates her hatred she confesses that she was abused in her childhood by him and her brother. Ragnar and his troop return to Kattegat and learn that Siggy has died. Ragnar wants to attack Paris. Floki confesses to him: Aslaug has been unfaithful to Harbard.

The Viking troop reinforced with the men of Count Siegfried arrives in France. They attack Paris although the opposing army keeps the Vikings at bay. Björn is wounded and in a second attempt to reach the city they are also repelled.

Ragnar sees his end near and asks to be baptized and buried there. The French offer gold and silver. The warriors are carried to Ragnar in a wooden coffin to the gates of Paris. There Ragnar jumps alive and surprises everyone. Take Princess Gisla hostage and order his troops to enter the city. Then they sail back home.

Season 4

Ragnar attacks Paris again. The idea is to kill Rollo, his brother, who is now on the side of the French. But Rollo defends the city very well and, although Ragnar attacks the city from the side, he does not surrender to the Viking siege.

Then Ragnar returns defeated to Kattegat and disappears for ten years. When he returns, he asks his children to take him out of misery. Then he tells them that he wishes to invade England but none of his sons wish to accompany him; Björn for his part expresses the desire to go to the Mediterranean.

He says goodbye to Floki before leaving for England and tells him that he loves him. He then expresses his regret to Lagertha for the failure of their marriage. Upon returning home, he tries unsuccessfully to hang himself.

He goes to England with Björn and Ivar. The sea betrays them and in a storm they lose people and ships. Then Ragnar tells Ivar that they must get rid of the others and kill them. He takes his son to King Ecbert. When they arrive at the village they arrest Ragnar and Ivar is taken away and presented to Prince Aethelwulf. When asked where the rest of the troop is, they confess that they have been killed, that only the two of them remain.

Then Ecbert and Ragnar share a meal as the king introduces him to his son Magnus. They have an argument and come to the conclusion that they cannot kill themselves. Ragnar tells him that his sons will avenge his death and asks him to let Ivar go home safely.

Ivar will later confess that the only one to blame for his father's death is King Aelle. Ragnar is finally brought to Aelle. This king will torture him and make a cross on his head, although the Viking does not regret it. At the time of death he says he is not afraid and is thrown into a pit of poisonous snakes.

Season 5

It is the civil war in Norway between the sons of Ragnar. Ivar claims the title of King of Kattegat while Ubbe joins Lagertha. Björn for his part explores the Mediterranean and Floki in the Atlantic makes a discovery that can change the course of the Norsemen.

Lagertha's army is soon to lose dominance over Kattegat and Ivar will claim his revenge. The disputes continue in both England and Iceland. The children of the Kjetill family die in a dispute in the latter territory and Floki offers her life so that no more blood is shed.

References

1. FANDOM (sf). Ragnar. Recovered from vikings.fandom.com
2. García Cabrera, A. (2018). The story of the legendary Ragnar Lodbrock. Recovered from archivoshistoria.com
3. Pollard, J. (2017). The Real Ragnar Lothbrock. Recovered from biography.com
4. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (nd). Ragnar Lothbrock. Recovered from britannica.com
5. Villatoro, M. (2018). Ragnar Lodbrock, the true story of the bloodthirsty Viking who massacred Europe. Recovered from abc.es