The Two wives of Ragnar Lodbrok episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 25, 2022 · 18 MIN

The Two wives of Ragnar Lodbrok

from The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, Folklore and religion · host Frank Docherty

Ragnar Lodbrok(Old Norse Ragnarr Loðbrók, also anglicized as Ragnar Lodbrok), whose epithet means 'Hairy-breeches' or 'Shaggy-breeches', was a legendary Viking king, with Old Norse sagas, poetry, and medieval Latin sources telling of his accomplishments in Scandinavia, Francia, and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century CE. Commonly occurring elements in these stories are his marriages to Thora and Aslaug, as well as his fathering of many famous sons including Ivar the boneless, Bjorn Ironside Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Hvitserk, and Ubba. A possible third wife, Lagether, only appears in the 13th-century CE Gesta Danorum, a work on Danish history, as does a fourth, Swanloga. Perhaps the most iconic titbits of his legend are Ragnar's successful fight with a dragon – for which he fashioned his defining shaggy breeches as protection – and his slightly overconfident invasion of England with just two ships, which ended with him being captured by King Ælla of Northumbria (r. c. 866 CE), who had him killed by throwing him into a snake-pit. Whereas Ragnar's own historicity is highly disputed, some of his alleged sons are often thought to have some basis in actual historical figures.

Ragnar Lodbrok(Old Norse Ragnarr Loðbrók, also anglicized as Ragnar Lodbrok), whose epithet means 'Hairy-breeches' or 'Shaggy-breeches', was a legendary Viking king, with Old Norse sagas, poetry, and medieval Latin sources telling of his accomplishments in Scandinavia, Francia, and Anglo-Saxon England during the 9th century CE. Commonly occurring elements in these stories are his marriages to Thora and Aslaug, as well as his fathering of many famous sons including Ivar the boneless, Bjorn Ironside Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, Hvitserk, and Ubba. A possible third wife, Lagether, only appears in the 13th-century CE Gesta Danorum, a work on Danish history, as does a fourth, Swanloga. Perhaps the most iconic titbits of his legend are Ragnar's successful fight with a dragon – for which he fashioned his defining shaggy breeches as protection – and his slightly overconfident invasion of England with just two ships, which ended with him being captured by King Ælla of Northumbria (r. c. 866 CE), who had him killed by throwing him into a snake-pit. Whereas Ragnar's own historicity is highly disputed, some of his alleged sons are often thought to have some basis in actual historical figures.

NOW PLAYING

The Two wives of Ragnar Lodbrok

0:00 18:03

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, Folklore and religion?

This episode is 18 minutes long.

When was this The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, Folklore and religion episode published?

This episode was published on September 25, 2022.

What is this episode about?

Ragnar Lodbrok(Old Norse Ragnarr Loðbrók, also anglicized as Ragnar Lodbrok), whose epithet means 'Hairy-breeches' or 'Shaggy-breeches', was a legendary Viking king, with Old Norse sagas, poetry, and medieval Latin sources telling of his...

Can I download this The Wanderer Anglo Saxon History, mythology, Folklore and religion episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!