Ragnar Lothbrok

In the Gesta Danorum, Saxo Grammaticus tries to reconstruct the life of Ragnarr, for whom he seems to draw, summarize, try to reconcile and consolidate many confused and incompatible legends and news events (sometimes because the individual events, despite having a historical confirmation , are too far apart in time to have been made by the same person). So many of the deeds attributed to Ragnarr could instead derive from more historical figures[3]. These "Historical Ragnarr" nominees include:

An eponymous Ragnar Lodbrok (also known as Reginherus), jarl at the court of Horik I, who besieged Paris in 845;

A king of part of Denmark who clashed with King Harald Klak in the first half of the 9th century;

A hypothetical Reghnall mentioned in the Irish Annals;

A certain Lothbrocus, father of the leaders of the Great Danish Army which invaded England in 865.

It is also conceivable a fusion of the deeds of these figures, together with further fantastic elements and historical events, but by other leaders attributable to the Great Danish Army.[4]. Ragnarr was initially placed at the head of this last coalition of Norse warriors and the predatory and military campaigns were quite intense in the mid-9th century, ranging from simple raids to the stable occupation of the territory, particularly involving England, but also Scotland, France, Italy and the Mediterranean. Later many other Viking raids were attributed to Ragnarr's sons, creating confusion as to dates, or the number of sons themselves, or the actual degree of relationship. Between the end of the 8th century and the second half of the 9th century far too many Viking raiders and conquerors were identified with "Ragnarr" or the "sons of Ragnarr".[1]