Episodes
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Man Behind the Myth
We’ve spent many episodes tracing the shadow of Ragnar Lothbrok through Paris, Ireland, and England, but we have rarely asked who he actually was. In this episode, Lucas and Luna strip away the layers of saga literature to find the historical core. We examine the primary sources that mention a Viking leader named Regnherus or Hrolfr, contrasting them with the fictionalized accounts of Saxo Grammaticus and Snorri Sturluson. We look at the political reality of ninth-century Scandinavia, where…
Ragnar's Unseen Legacy: The Rise of Dublin
We have spent many episodes tracing the footprints of Ragnar Lothbrok and his sons across England and France, but this episode shifts our gaze to the Atlantic edge. We explore how Ivarr inn beinlausi and his brothers transformed a small Irish river crossing into Regnaburg, the Viking stronghold that would become Dublin. Unlike the sack-and-retreat raids we discussed in previous seasons, this was about permanent settlement, trade networks, and the complex integration of Norse settlers with the…
Ragnar's Lost Brother: The Real History Behind the Myth
We’ve spent months tracing Ragnar Lothbrok’s sons across Europe, from York to Paris and Dublin. But there is a ghost in the saga that never made it to the battlefield: Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the Jarl of Lade in Trøndelag. In this episode, Lucas and Luna untangle the tangled web of Norse kinship to find the man behind the legend. We explore how Snorri Sturluson connected the mythical Ragnar to the real historical rulers of Norway through the Ynglinga saga and the Sverris saga. Did Ragnvald exist?…
The Viking Shieldmaiden: Lagertha's True Story
We’ve spent the last few episodes untangling the sons of Ragnar, the siege of Paris, and the myth of the raven banner. Now we turn to the woman often relegated to his shadow: Lagertha. Is she merely a literary invention from Saxo Grammaticus, or is there a kernel of historical truth in the shield-maiden legend? We explore the Gesta Danorum, the political marriages of the 9th century, and whether women ever truly held military command in early Scandinavia. We also look at the archaeological…
Ragnar's Sons and the Death of St. Edmund
For over a century, the death of King Edmund of East Anglia has been shrouded in legend, most notably the tale of him being tied to a tree and shot with arrows by Vikings. But what does the historical record actually say about the Great Heathen Army's arrival in 865 AD? In this episode, we strip away the hagiography of Abbo of Fleury to look at the political reality of Northumbria’s collapse and East Anglia’s desperate attempts to buy peace. We examine the role of Ivarr inn beinlausi and…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Forgotten Ally in Ireland
We’ve spent months tracing the shadow of Ragnar Lothbrok through Paris, Northumbria, and the sagas, but one piece of his legacy remains stubbornly obscured by time: his son’s role in the founding of Dublin. In this episode, we shift our gaze to Hiberno-Norse politics, focusing on Ivarr inn beinlausi and his brother Amlaíb mac Sitriuc. We examine the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland to separate myth from the gritty reality of Viking settlement in Áth Cliath. How did a warrior known as the Boneless…
Ragnar's Forgotten Wife: Aslaug and the Norse Mythos
We have spent months untangling the historical knots of Ragnar Lothbrok, from his raids on Paris to the Great Heathen Army led by his sons. But there is one figure who bridges the gap between the chaotic chronicles of the Anglo-Saxon era and the polished sagas of medieval Iceland: Aslaug. Often called Kráka, or 'the raven,' she appears in Ragnars saga loðbrókar as a woman of unmatched wisdom and beauty, the daughter of the legendary hero Sigurd Fafnersbani and Brynhildr. In this episode, Lucas…
Ragnar's Unlikely Ally: The Irish Prince Who Fought for him
We often imagine Ragnar Lothbrok as a solitary figure commanding the seas, but his legend is deeply intertwined with the complex politics of 9th-century Ireland. This episode explores the unlikely alliance between the Norse-Gaelic warlord and Amlaíb mac Sitriuc, king of Dublin. We examine how these two leaders navigated the treacherous waters of Viking-Hiberno-Norse relations, forming a coalition that challenged the traditional Gaelic kingship of Uí Néill. By looking at the Fragmentary Annals…
Ragnar's Hidden War: The Siege of Paris and the Monk
We often think of Ragnar Lothbrok as a raider, but his siege of Paris in 845 reveals a different side to Viking leadership. This episode explores how Reginherus, likely a Frankish king or chieftain, negotiated with Charles the Bald not just through force, but through diplomacy. We look at the role of Saint Gervais, the monk who intervened, and the concept of Danegeld. Lucas and Luna discuss how these early payments set a precedent for Viking strategy across Europe. We examine the Annals of St.…
Ragnar's Sons and the Birth of Dublin
While earlier episodes traced Ragnar’s mythic raids on Paris and Northumbria, this episode shifts focus to his most enduring legacy: the Norse settlement of Ireland. We explore how Ragnar’s sons, particularly Ivarr inn beinlausi and Halfdan Ragnaldson, transformed from raiding warlords into city founders. The conversation details the establishment of the longphort at Áth Cliath in 841, a strategic pivot that turned temporary camps into permanent trading hubs like Dublin and Waterford. We…
The Raven Banner's True Origin and Viking Battle Tactics
We trace the origins of the Hrafnagúl, the raven banner that terrified Frankish and Anglo-Saxon armies in the ninth century. While legend credits Ivarr inn beinlausi with its first appearance at the siege of Paris, we examine how this symbol evolved from a simple navigational aid into a potent religious emblem linked to Odin. Lucas explores the archaeological evidence from Gotland and the Jelling stones, contrasting them with the literary accounts in the Gesta Danorum and Ynglinga saga. Luna…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Raven Banner Origins and Battle Tactics
We trace the historical reality behind the Hrafnagúl, exploring how the raven banner evolved from a pagan religious symbol into a military standard used by Ivarr inn beinlausi and his brothers during the Great Heathen Army's campaign in England. Lucas and Luna examine the archaeological evidence from Gotland and the Jelling stones, contrasting the saga accounts of Sigurðr's serpent dream with the practical psychological warfare employed on the battlefield. We also look at the Frankish sources…
Raven Banner: Symbol, Myth, and Viking Warfare
We often hear about the Raven Banner as the terrifying standard of Ragnar’s sons, but what was it really? In this episode, we peel back the layers of the Hrafnagúl to distinguish between poetic legend and historical military practice. Lucas and Luna explore how the raven symbol evolved from a personal emblem in Scandinavia to a unifying banner for the Great Heathen Army. We look at the archaeological evidence from Gotland runestones and analyze why Frankish and English chroniclers fixated on…
Ragnar's Sons and the Viking Age in Ireland
We left off with the Great Heathen Army tearing through England, but there was another frontier burning just across the Irish Sea. This episode explores the Uí Ímair dynasty's conquest of Dublin, Waterford, and Wexford, transforming these settlements into vital hubs for the North Atlantic trade network. We look at how Ivarr inn beinlausi and his brothers established a kingdom that lasted centuries, blending Norse military power with Irish political structures. From the Battle of Confey to the…
Ragnar's Sons: The Siege of Paris and the Raven Banner
We return to the Great Heathen Army, focusing on the pivotal moment when Ivarr inn beinlausi, Halfdan Ragnaldson, and Ubba Ragnarsson turned their attention south to Frankia. After years of ravaging England and establishing the Danelaw, these sons of Lothbrok sought greater wealth and political leverage in the heart of Charlemagne’s fractured empire. This episode examines the 845 CE siege of Paris under King Charles the Bald, a campaign that forced the first major Danegeld payments from a…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Sons: The Raven Banner and Paris
We explore the military psychology behind the Hrafnagúl, the legendary raven banner carried by Ragnar’s sons during their campaigns in France and England. While earlier episodes covered the historical figures like Ivarr inn beinlausi and Halfdan Ragnaldson, this episode focuses on the symbolism of the bird itself—whether it was a literal embroidered cloth or a solar cross representing Odin’s guidance. We look at how the Franks under Charles the Fat and Odo interpreted these omens, and why the…
Ragnar's Sons: The Siege of Paris and the Raven Banner
For decades, historians debated whether Ragnar Lothbrok was a single king or a composite legend. But his sons were very real men who reshaped Europe. This episode moves past the myth to examine the Great Heathen Army’s campaign in Francia, specifically the pivotal siege of Paris in 885–886. We explore how Ivarr inn beinlausi and Halfdan Ragnaldson transitioned from raiders to political players, negotiating with Charles the Fat while laying siege to the city. The narrative focuses on the…
Ragnar's Lost Brother: The Viking Who Never Flew the Raven
We often think of Ragnar Lothbrok as a solitary giant, but recent scholarship and saga analysis suggest he may have been one of several prominent warlords whose legends merged into one figure. In this episode, we explore the historical reality behind Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the powerful Jarl of Lade in Trøndelag, who shares striking biographical parallels with the legendary Ragnar. We examine how Snorri Sturluson and later medieval chroniclers conflated the lives of these Norse leaders, blending…
Ragnar's Sons: The Great Heathen Army's Strategy
We often hear about Ragnar Lothbrok as a singular legend, but his true historical impact lies in the coordinated devastation unleashed by his sons. In this episode, we move beyond the myth of the serpent pit and look at the Great Heathen Army that invaded Northumbria in 865. Lucas and Luna examine how this was not a random raiding party, but a calculated military campaign led by Ivarr inn beinlausi, Halfdan Ragnaldson, and Ubba Ragnarsson. We explore their use of the shield wall, their…
Ragnar's Lost Brother: The Viking Who Never Flew the Raven
We have spent countless episodes untangling the myth of Ragnar Lothbrok, dissecting his sons, his Frankish raids, and his legendary death in the serpent pit. But there is another figure lurking in the shadows of the sagas — a brother who never made it to England or France, yet whose actions reshaped the political landscape of Scandinavia itself. This episode explores the historical reality of Ragnvald Eysteinsson, often cited as Ragnar’s sibling in Norwegian genealogies, and examines how the…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Secret Diplomat: The Monk Who Saved Paris
We explore the unlikely figure of Saint Gervais, the Frankish monk whose diplomatic mission to the Viking leader Reginherus in 845 AD may have inspired the Ragnar Lothbrok legend. While sagas depict a brutal warrior storming Paris, historical records from the Annals of St. Bertin reveal a nuanced negotiation where Gervais traded silver for peace. We examine how this single encounter between a pious cleric and a Norse raider shaped early medieval diplomacy, challenging our modern perception of…
Ragnar's True Identity: The Frankish King Behind the Legend
For years, Viking lore has centered on Ragnar Lothbrok as a singular, semi-mythical chieftain whose sons conquered England and France. But historical evidence points to a different origin story, one rooted in the political upheaval of ninth-century Francia. In this episode, we explore the theory that the legendary figure is actually a composite of Reginherus, a Norse warlord who operated under the banner of Charles the Bald. We examine the Annals of St. Bertin and Gesta Danorum to trace how a…
Ragnar's Sons and the Fall of York
We often think of Ragnar Lothbrok as a singular legend, but his true historical impact lies in the chaos he unleashed through his sons. This episode moves beyond the myths of the serpent pit to examine the Great Heathen Army, which arrived in East Anglia in 865 CE not as raiders, but as conquerors. We trace the leadership of Ivarr inn beinlausi, Halfdan Ragnaldson, and Ubba Ragnarsson as they dismantled the Kingdom of Northumbria. The narrative focuses on the Battle of York in 867, where King…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Sons: The Great Heathen Army
While previous episodes have dissected the myth of Ragnar himself, his raids on Paris, and his enigmatic death in the serpent pit, Episode 240 turns to the immediate, violent aftermath. We explore how the death of a semi-legendary figure triggered the largest Viking invasion force ever seen in England. We trace the formation of the Great Heathen Army, led by Ragnar’s sons Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan, and Ubba, as they marched on Northumbria in 865 AD. This was not a raid; it was a conquest. We…
Ragnar's Siege of Paris: The Frankish King Who Paid Him Off
We shift focus from the sagas to the hard political reality of ninth-century Francia. In 845, a fleet led by a man the Annals call Reginherus arrived at the Seine, threatening Paris. King Charles the Bald faced an impossible choice: fight a force that had already burned Rouen and Caen, or pay them off. This episode explores the first major Danegeld in Western Europe, a payment of seven thousand livres of silver to send the Vikings back south. We look at the political weakness of the Carolingian…
Ragnar's Last Stand: The Serpent Pit and Krákumál
We move past the Great Heathen Army and the Uí Ímair dynasty to examine the most iconic moment in the Ragnar Lothbrok legend: his death by snake pit at the hands of King Ælla of Northumbria. This episode dissects the historical plausibility of this execution method, comparing it to known Viking and Frankish punitive practices, while exploring the literary origins of the Krákumál, the supposed dying song of a raven. We analyze how Saxo Grammaticus and Snorri Sturluson transformed a likely…
Ragnar Lothbrok and the Battle of Sidnacester
While most episodes trace Ragnar’s raids on Paris or his sons’ conquests of England, this episode focuses on a pivotal moment that rarely gets its due: the Battle of Sidnacester in 892. We explore how a fractured Great Heathen Army, retreating from Francia after failing to break King Alfred’s defenses, made a desperate stand against West Saxon forces. By examining the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle alongside later saga traditions, we uncover the tactical reality of Viking encampments at Appledore and…
Ragnar Lothbrok's Ship Burial: Legend vs Archaeology
The image of Ragnar Lothbrok being thrown into a burning ship is one of the most enduring myths in Viking history, immortalized by Snorri Sturluson and later television. But did this dramatic death actually happen? In this episode, we dig into the archaeological record of the Oseberg and Gokstad ships to see what burial practices actually looked like in the ninth century. We explore the discrepancy between the saga accounts and the physical evidence, examining whether Ragnar’s story was shaped…
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Frankish King Who Inspired a Legend
We’ve spent the last several episodes tracing Ragnar’s sons across Ireland and England, but this episode turns our gaze to the continent. We investigate the historical core of Ragnar’s most famous raid: the siege of Paris in 845 AD. While sagas inflate him into a super-king, the Annals of St. Bertin record a Frankish leader named Reginherus who demanded an unprecedented thirty thousand livres of silver from Charles the Bald. We explore how this specific transaction, rather than battlefield…
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Man Behind the Myth
We have spent many episodes untangling the web of legends surrounding Ragnar Lothbrok, from his shaggy breeches to his sons’ conquests. But who was the historical kernel beneath the saga? In this episode, we strip away the fictionalized layers of Ragnars saga loðbrókar and Gesta Danorum to look at the fragmented evidence in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Annals of St. Bertin. We examine the figure known as Regnerus or Reginherus, a Viking leader who besieged Paris in 845 under Charles the Bald.…
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Real Man Behind the Myth
We’ve spent episodes tracing Ragnar’s sons, his raids on Paris, and the saga of the Uí Ímair dynasty. But who was the man at the center of it all? In this episode, we strip away the shaggy breeches and raven banners to look at the historical core of Ragnar Lothbrok. We examine the earliest credible sources, including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Annals of St. Bertin, to separate the ninth-century warlord from the twelfth-century literary invention. Lucas walks us through the fragmented…
Ragnar's Forgotten Son: The Viking Who Sailed East
While most Vikings looked west to England and France, a different branch of the Norse world turned its gaze toward the sun-drenched rivers of the east. This episode explores the legacy of Ingvarr víðförli, the Far-Traveller, whose expedition into the Caspian Sea remains one of the most mysterious chapters in Viking history. We examine the runestones raised by his mother and brothers in Uppland, Sweden, particularly those at Sigtuna and Hvassaleysa, which speak not of glory in battle but of loss…
Ragnar's Father: Sigurd Ring and the Battle of Bråvalla
For centuries, Viking lore has treated Ragnar Lothbrok as a singular phenomenon—a man who rose from nothing to shake the foundations of Europe. But recent scholarship and closer readings of the Icelandic sagas suggest his lineage was far more complex than the legends imply. In this episode, we peel back the layers of the Ynglinga saga to examine Sigurd Ring, the semi-mythical Swedish king who may have been Ragnar’s father. We investigate the Battle of Bråvalla, a clash often cited as the…
Ragnar's Real Father: Sigurd Ring and the Battle of Bråvalla
We often hear Ragnar Lothbrok as a solitary figure, but in the sagas, he is deeply entangled with King Sigurd Ring of Sweden. This episode explores the historical plausibility of their relationship and the legendary Battle of Bråvalla, where these two titans clashed. We examine how Snorri Sturluson wove together Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian sources to create this epic confrontation. By looking at archaeological evidence from Uppsala and Birka, we separate the mythic genealogy from the likely…
Ragnar's Legacy: The Uí Ímair Dynasty and Viking Dublin
We’ve spent the last several episodes untangling the web of Ragnar Lothbrok’s sons, from Ívarr the Boneless to Halfdan and Björn Ironside. But the true power of this legendary family wasn’t in any single raid or battle—it was in the dynasty they built. In this episode, we shift our focus from the mythic warlord to the political reality of the Uí Ímair clan. We explore how these Norse-Gaelic kings transformed Dublin from a seasonal raiding camp into a permanent, thriving port city. You’ll hear…
The Viking Shield Maidens: Archaeology vs Saga
For decades, the image of the Viking warrior was exclusively male, reinforced by sagas like Gesta Danorum and Ragnars saga loðbrókar. But recent archaeological discoveries have shattered that assumption. In this episode, we examine the grave at Birka, Sweden, where a high-status female burial contained weapons and horses, challenging centuries of historical interpretation. We trace the debate from Hilda Ellis Davidson’s early theories to modern DNA analysis that confirmed the individual was…
Ragnar's Shaggy Breeches: The Myth Behind the Nickname
We’ve spent a dozen episodes untangling the historical knot of Ragnar Lothbrok, looking at his sons, their raids on Paris and Dublin, and the Great Heathen Army. But we haven’t really looked at the man himself—specifically, why he’s known as 'Shaggy Breeches.' In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the earliest textual sources to trace how a Viking warlord got such an oddly domestic nickname. We examine Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum, where Ragnar is Reginherus, and the Icelandic Ragnars…
Ragnar's Forgotten Son: The Viking Who Sailed East
While most narratives fixate on Ragnar Lothbrok’s raids in Western Europe, a different strand of his legend stretches thousands of miles eastward into the lands of the Rus’. This episode explores the figure known as Ingvarr víðförli, or Ingvar the Far-Traveled, whose name appears in multiple sagas and runestones as a descendant of Ragnar. We trace the journey of this hypothetical or semi-legendary leader who gathered a massive expedition to the Caspian Sea, seeking wealth in the markets of…
Ragnar's Secret Son: The Viking Who Sailed East
We have spent many episodes dissecting Ragnar Lothbrok’s raids on Francia and England, but the Viking world was vast, stretching far beyond the North Sea. This episode uncovers the legend of Ingvarr víðförli, or Ingvar the Far-Traveled, a figure who may be a fictionalized son of Ragnar or a historical chieftain leading an expedition into the heart of Asia in the eleventh century. We trace his journey from Sweden through the Rus trade routes, across the Caspian Sea, and into the lands of the…
Ragnar's Forgotten Son: The Viking Who Sailed East
We have spent many episodes tracing the blood-soaked path of Ragnar Lothbrok’s sons through England, Ireland, and France, but one son vanished into the mists of the east. This episode explores Ingvarr víðförli, or Ingvar the Far-Travelled, a figure who straddles the line between historical memory and saga myth. We examine the runestones of Uppland that memorialize his expedition to Garðaríki and the Kaspia haf, analyzing what these stones tell us about the eastern trade routes, the Khazar…
Ragnar's Legacy: The Uí Ímair Dynasty and Viking Dublin
While the sagas focus on Ragnar Lothbrok’s dramatic death, his true historical impact lies in the dynasty he allegedly founded: the Uí Ímair. This episode moves away from the myth of the shaggy breeches to examine the political reality of Hiberno-Norse power in tenth-century Ireland. We explore how Ragnar’s sons, particularly Ívarr inn beinlausi and Halfdan, established longphuirt fortresses that reshaped the Irish landscape. Through the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland and the Annals of Ulster…
Ragnar's Forgotten Son: The Viking Who Sailed East
While we have spent many episodes tracing the Great Heathen Army westward into England and Ireland, there is another branch of Ragnar’s legendary family that looked east. This episode explores the historical figure known as Ingvar or Ivar the Wide-Explorer, whose ambitious expedition to the Caspian Sea in the early eleventh century challenges our assumptions about Viking directionality. We examine the Ingvar Saga, a text written centuries after the fact but rooted in genuine Scandinavian…
Ragnar's Raid on Paris: The Siege That Shocked Frankia
While the sagas paint Ragnar Lothbrok as a semi-mythical figure, historical records from the late ninth century point to a specific, terrifying event that changed European history. In this episode, we examine the siege of Paris in 845, where a Viking leader known in the Annals of St. Bertin as Reginherus led a massive fleet up the Seine to threaten Charles the Bald. We explore how this raid was not just about plunder, but a calculated political maneuver that forced the Frankish king to pay one…
Ragnar's Shaggy Breeches: The Nickname That Defined a Legend
In this episode, Lucas and Luna untangle the mystery behind the name that made a Viking warlord immortal: Ragnar loðbrók. Why 'Shaggy Breeches'? Was it a family heirloom, a battle trophy, or a translation error that stuck for a thousand years? We trace the nickname through Saxo Grammaticus's Gesta Danorum, the Icelandic Ragnars saga loðbrókar, and the tantalizingly vague Frankish Annales Bertiniani, weighing the evidence for a historical Ragnar against the mythic hero who killed a serpent and…
Ragnar's Other Sons: The Historical Halfdan and Ubba
We all know Ragnar's saga sons — Björn Ironside, Ívarr the Boneless, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye — but what about Halfdan and Ubba? In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna sift through the Frankish Annals, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland to piece together the lives of two of Ragnar's most elusive sons. Halfdan Ragnarsson, who may have led the Great Heathen Army alongside Ívarr, disappears from the record after dividing Northumbria — possibly to die in…
Ragnar's Great Heathen Army: The Real Invasion
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dig into the historical reality behind the Great Heathen Army that invaded England in 865. They sift through the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Annals of St. Bertin, and later sagas to separate fact from legend. Why did Ívarr the Boneless and his brothers really come? Was it revenge for Ragnar's death, or something more strategic? They explore the army's size, its composition, the critical winter at Repton, and how it reshaped England into the Danelaw. Along the way…
Ragnar's Sons: Viking Kings of Dublin
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the tangled history of Ragnar Lothbrok's sons as Viking kings of Dublin. They trace the Uí Ímair dynasty through the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland and the Annals of Ulster, examining how Ívarr inn beinlausi and his kin carved out a Hiberno-Norse kingdom that rivaled their conquests in England. They discuss the longphuirt — fortified ship camps — that became urban centers, the battles of Sulcoit and Cenn Fuait, and the shifting alliances between Norse and…
Ragnar's Raid on Paris: Siege, Tribute, and Legend
In this episode, Lucas and Luna separate the legendary Ragnar from the historical Viking leaders who besieged Paris in the ninth century. They examine the Annals of St. Bertin and the Gesta Danorum, exploring how the Frankish emperor Charles the Bald paid thousands of pounds of silver to make the Northmen go away. The conversation traces the shifting river fleets, the fortified bridge, and the plague that struck the Viking camp, offering a grounded counterpoint to the saga's larger-than-life…
Ragnar's Sons: Viking Civil War in Dublin
In this episode, Lucas and Luna step back from the famous Great Heathen Army to uncover the brutal civil war between Ragnar's sons in Ireland. They trace how Ívarr inn beinlausi and his brothers carved out a Norse kingdom in Dublin, only to turn on each other after Ívarr's death. The conversation untangles the historical threads from the Irish annals, the Fragmentary Annals of Ireland, and the saga tradition, separating fact from legend. They discuss the Uí Ímair dynasty, the battles of Cell Ua…
Ragnar's Shaggy Breeches: A Viking King's Nickname
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna untangle the strange nickname of Ragnar Lothbrok: his famous shaggy breeches, or loðbrók. How did a pair of trousers become the defining trait of a legendary Viking king? They trace the name through Old Norse poetry, Saxo Grammaticus's Gesta Danorum, and the medieval histories that mention a 'Ragnar' or 'Reginherus'. The hosts explore the practical and symbolic meanings of the garment — from wolf-fur lining to a possible connection with the…
Showing the latest 50 episodes. The full archive of 263 is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and every major podcast app — or via the RSS feed above.