Millions love the hit television show Vikings—but how many fans know that its main character, Ragnar, is based on an actual Viking king whose ambitious and terrifying exploits have been legend since the ninth century AD? As fierce, cunning, and determined as the character he inspired, King Ragnar Lodbrok is perhaps most famous for his sacking of Paris in 845 AD. He is also widely regarded to be among the first Viking leaders to target the riches of the British Isles not simply for plunder, but also for Danish settlement. The Legend of Ragnar Lodbrok presents fascinating translations of ninth, twelfth, and thirteenth-century writings—including sagas, poems, and historical accounts—that describe, in vivid detail, the adventures of Ragnar, his sons, and his formidable wives, Lagertha the Shieldmaiden and Princess Aslaug. These absorbing convergences of fact and Norse mythology include a new translation of The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok; a new translation of The Tale of Ragnar’s Sons; The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the single most important source for English history during the early Middle ages; Krákumál, a famous twelfth-century poem thought to be Ragnar’s death song; and the Gesta Danorum, a patriotic work that describes the origin of Lagertha and her relationship with Ragnar. Whether Ragnar was a single man of a thousand deeds or an amalgam of heroes may never be proven, but The Legend of Ragnar Lodbrok offers thrilling insight into his brutal, unforgettable world.

Although based on historical persons from the 9th century, Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons are the subjects of compelling legends dating from the Viking era. Warriors, raiders, and rulers, Ragnar and his sons inspired unknown writers to set down their stories over seven centuries ago. This volume presents new and original translations of the three major Old Norse texts that tell Ragnar's story: the Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok, the Tale of Ragnar's Sons, and the Sogubrot. Ragnar's death song, the Krakumal, and a Latin fragment called the List of Swedish Kings, complete the story. Extensive notes and commentary are provided, helping the reader to enter the world of these timeless stories of Viking adventure.

Ragnar Lothbrok was a legendary Viking warrior and King, who's tales have survived over 1000 years. Though his true existence is still debated to this day, Ragnar has been the inspiration for many books, movies, and even a TV series; Vikings. Inside this book, you will discover who Ragnar Lothbrok was, and what impact he had on the Viking culture. You will learn about his ruthless war tactics, his fearsome brutality, his lineage, and his legacy. Also discussed in this book is the fascinating Norse Mythology that shaped the bulk of Ragnar's beliefs and motivations for living the way he did! Here Is What You'll Learn About...Who Was Ragnar LothbrokThe Viking's Views & BeliefsRagnar's FamilyRagnar At WarThe Death Of Ragnar LothbrokDid Ragnar Actually ExistMuch, Much More!

Ragnar Lothbrok was a legendary Danish and Swedish Viking hero and ruler. Ragnar distinguished himself by many raids against Francia and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century. According to the Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, Ragnar was the son of the Swedish king Sigurd Hring. Inside you'll read about Ragnar's paternal roots Ragnar's life and loves Ragnar amid the Viking Age And much more! 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 supposedly executed Ragnar by casting him into a pit full of snakes.that assessment. They believe that it was another Viking, Turgesius, who may have led raids on Ireland in 837, and not Ragnar Lothbrok.

From the translator of the bestselling Poetic Edda (Hackett, 2015) comes a gripping new rendering of two of the greatest sagas of Old Norse literature. Together the two sagas recount the story of seven generations of a single legendary heroic family and comprise our best source of traditional lore about its members—including, among others, the dragon-slayer Sigurd, Brynhild the Valkyrie, and the Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok.

"The popular TV show may have popularized Ragnar's story but the real facts are not very well known. Discover the truth behind this Viking Warrior and the rich history of the Vikings."--Publisher's description.

University Press returns with another short and captivating portrait of one of history's most compelling figures, Ragnar Lothbrok. Ragnar Lothbrok was a legendary Viking. A warrior king whose exploits in battle won him the fierce loyalty of his people (and the name "Shaggy-Breeches"), he and his armies sowed terror as they invaded their way across 9th-century Europe. The story of Ragnar Lothbrok's life emerges from the misty depths of the early Middle Ages in the form of a rich oral tradition of Norse legend. He may be remembered for plundering cities, but upon his death he left behind new trade routes throughout Europe and many sons who would carry on their father's traditions. This short book tells the intensely human story of a man who changed the world in a way that no one else could.