Lagertha

Lore & Background

Lagertha's story begins when King Frø of Sweden invaded Norway, killed King Siward, and humiliated the royal women by placing them in a brothel. When Ragnar Lodbrok arrived to avenge his grandfather—though Saxo does not explicitly identify Siward as Ragnar's grandfather—many of these women dressed as men to fight alongside him, with Lagertha leading the charge. Saxo recounts that she fought at the front lines, her long hair betraying her gender even as she performed matchless deeds. Later, when Ragnar faced a civil war in Denmark and sent for aid, Lagertha returned with 120 ships. During the battle, when a warrior named Siward was wounded—though Saxo does not explicitly identify this Siward as Ragnar's son—she executed a daring counter-attack, flying around to the rear of the enemy and turning panic into victory. After this, she quarreled with Ragnar and returned to Norway, where she later killed her own husband (not Ragnar) with a concealed spearhead to rule alone. Ragnar's death in a snake pit is a later legendary embellishment not present in Saxo's account.

In Their Own Story

In the ninth book of *Gesta Danorum*, Saxo Grammaticus details Lagertha's journey from warrior to ruler. When Ragnar first sought her hand, she set a bear and a great hound against him in the Gaular valley; he killed both with spear and strength, winning her marriage. Together they had a son named Fridleif and two unnamed daughters. Yet tensions grew: Ragnar, still annoyed by her earlier tests, divorced her to marry Þóra borgarhjǫrtr. Despite this, Lagertha remained loyal, returning with 120 ships to save him in battle. But their reunion ended in blood; upon returning to Norway, she killed Ragnar with a spearhead hidden in her gown and took full control of his lands and name.

Reader's Guide

Lagertha's legend is preserved almost entirely through Saxo Grammaticus's *Gesta Danorum*, written in the 12th century. She is depicted as a shield-maiden who fought alongside Ragnar Lodbrok, notably during the invasion of Norway by King Frø and later in Danish civil wars. Key events include her defense against beasts to test Ragnar, her leadership with 120 ships, and her eventual slaying of Ragnar. Scholars debate her historicity: Judith Jesch calls such tales largely fictional, possibly inspired by Amazon myths or the goddess Thorgerd. Her name varies as Lathgertha, Ladgertha, or Hlaðgerðr. While Saxo frames her as a symbol of pre-Christian disorder, modern portrayals—such as in the 2013 series *Vikings*—celebrate her as an icon of female strength and autonomy.

Did You Know?

• Saxo Grammaticus described Lagertha as fighting with her hair loose over her shoulders, which 'betrayed that she was a woman.'
• Lagertha returned to aid Ragnar in battle with exactly 120 ships.
• Some historians believe Lagertha may be based on the Norse goddess Thorgerd or influenced by Amazon legends.
• After killing her own husband, she chose to rule alone rather than share the throne.
• Ragnar's death in a snake pit is a later legendary embellishment, not recorded by Saxo Grammaticus.

Legendary Origins and Historical Skepticism

Lagertha appears in the ninth book of Saxo Grammaticus's *Gesta Danorum*, a 12th-century Danish history. She is described as a Norwegian shield-maiden and wife of Ragnar Lodbrok, noted for fighting with her hair loose over her shoulders. However, historian Judith Jesch argues that Saxo's tales of warrior women are largely fictional, possibly derived from classical Amazon legends or Norse mythology. Some scholars suggest she may be conflated with the goddess Þorgerðr Hǫlgabúðr (Thorgerd), worshipped in the Gaular valley near Lade. Her name appears in variations like Lathgertha, Ladgertha, and Hlaðgerðr, hinting at mythological roots.

The Warrior's Deeds and Military Strategy

According to Saxo, Lagertha led women warriors who dressed as men after King Frø of Sweden humiliated them. She fought at the front during Ragnar's vengeance campaign against Frø. Later, when Ragnar faced a civil war in Denmark, she returned with 120 ships. During the battle, when his son Siward was wounded, she launched a surprise attack from the rear, turning panic into victory. Saxo describes her as having a 'matchless spirit though a delicate frame,' and notes that she 'flew round to the rear of the enemy.' This imagery has led some scholars to link her to valkyries or the goddess Thorgerd.

Romantic Trials and Political Ambition

Ragnar won Lagertha's hand by killing a bear and choking a hound she had set against him in the Gaular valley. They had one son, Fridleif, and two unnamed daughters. Annoyed by her earlier tests, Ragnar divorced her to marry Þóra borgarhjǫrtr. Despite this, Lagertha supported him in battle with 120 ships. However, upon returning to Norway, they quarreled again; she killed him with a concealed spearhead and seized full sovereignty. Saxo writes that she 'thought it pleasanter to rule without her husband than to share the throne with him.'

Cultural Legacy and Modern Interpretations

Lagertha's legend inspired Christen Pram's 1789 historical drama *Lagertha*, which influenced Vincenzo Galeotti's 1801 ballet—the first Nordic-themed ballet, conceived as a *Gesamtkunstwerk*. In modern media, she is best known from the 2013 TV series *Vikings*, where Katheryn Winnick portrays her as Ragnar's first wife, later becoming an independent jarl and queen. While historically debated, these adaptations cement her as a symbol of Norse female strength and autonomy.