Sons of Ragnar

The iconic Ragnar Lothbrok and his five famous sons Ivar, Bjorn, Ubbe, Halfdan and Sigurd have become immortalised through Norse sagas and the hit TV show Vikings. The real life story of this warrior family from the Viking Age is just as dramatic. Sons of Ragnar led a 'great heathen army' to avenge their father's death according to a legendary Old Norse tale and changed the face of Britain. Drawing on numerous ancient sources, extensive archaeological findings and exciting new research, this investigation will piece together the incredible true story of Ragnar's five famous sons and how much of the iconic saga traditions were based on reality.

The most notorious son was Ivar the Boneless. This book will explore his connection to the mysterious 'Dark Foreigners' in Ireland, his infamous executions of two Anglo Saxon kings and a spectacular raid on an impregnable fortress in modern Scotland. A giant skeleton found in the mass Viking burial at Repton has been linked to Ivar, while another legend says he was buried on the coast to scare away future invaders. Both of these fascinating claims are probed. Bjorn Ironside's notorious raid in the Mediterranean is featured as well as his links to a Swedish dynasty and a huge burial mound in Sweden. One of the most decisive battles in British history - the Battle of Cynuit - where Ubbe fought the Anglo Saxons is subject of a major investigation, while the location of the Battle of Ashdown pitting Halfdan against Alfred the Great is also revealed through new research.

The captivating question of whether shield maidens and a Lagertha type character existed is also explored. The book also draws on the remarkable Norse mythology which inspired the sons of Ragnar as they left a trail of carnage across Britain, Ireland and France. Two massive Viking raids in Paris, including one potentially led by Sigurd Snake in the Eye which was documented in a remarkable poem, begin and end this incredible story.

The first attack was led by the real life Ragnar Lothbrok...