Ragnars sona þáttr

by Anonymous

Also known as: Ragnars sona thattr, The Tale of Ragnar's Sons, Tale of the Sons of Ragnar

Ragnars sona þáttr cover
Culture:Germanic, Norse
Oral:1100-1200 CE
Written:1200-1300 CE
Length:8 pages, (~0.5 hours)
Ragnars sona þáttr cover
A short legendary saga recounting the deeds of Ragnar Loðbrók’s sons—especially their vengeance on King Ælla for Ragnar’s death—blending heroic genealogy, conquest narratives, and cunning stratagems.

Description

This þáttr (short tale) forms part of the Ragnar tradition, focusing on the exploits of Ragnar Loðbrók’s sons—Ívarr the Boneless, Björn Ironside, Hvitserk, Sigurðr Snake-in-the-Eye, and Ubbi—after their father’s death in Ælla’s snake pit. Guided at times by their mother Aslaug/Kráka, they wage campaigns across the North Atlantic and into England. Central episodes include Ívarr’s diplomatic ingenuity in Northumbria, the famous ox-hide ruse used to claim a fortress site, and the capture and execution of Ælla by the so-called blood-eagle. The narrative closes with the partition of realms among the brothers and etiological notes linking Scandinavian and Insular dynasties to the Ragnarsson line.

Historiography

Preserved within the legendary-saga corpus, the þáttr is an Icelandic prose compilation dependent on earlier oral traditions and cognate narratives (e.g., Ragnars saga loðbrókar, Saxo’s Gesta Danorum). Its historicizing details intersect with English and Irish annals that mention figures resembling Ívarr and Ubba, though episodes like the blood-eagle are debated. Manuscript transmission varies in scope and order, and later redactions harmonize genealogies with broader Scandinavian king-lists.

Date Notes

Legendary-material compilation; prose redaction likely in Iceland drawing on older Danish/English traditions.

Symbols

Major Characters

  • Ivar the Boneless
  • Björn Ironside
  • Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye
  • Hvitserk
  • Ubbe
  • Aslaug
  • King Ælla

Myths

  • Deeds of the Sons of Ragnar
  • Invasion of Northumbria
  • Vengeance on King Ælla

Facts

  • Anonymous Icelandic þáttr focused on Ragnar Loðbrók’s sons and their vengeance.
  • Compiled in the 13th century from older Scandinavian and Insular traditions.
  • Centers on Ívarr the Boneless’s political strategy rather than battlefield prowess.
  • Features the ox-hide ruse to claim fortification land, often linked to York.
  • Narrates the capture and execution of King Ælla, including the blood-eagle motif.
  • Connects Scandinavian royal genealogies to the Ragnarsson lineage.
  • Overlaps with accounts in English and Irish annals regarding Ívarr/Ímar and Ubbi.
  • Distinct from but related to Ragnars saga loðbrókar; some manuscripts pair the texts.
  • Portrays Aslaug as a wise counselor guiding her sons’ decisions.
  • Serves as an etiological legend for Scandinavian supremacy and settlements abroad.