The Saga of Ragnar II Conqueror of the Irish
1. Ragnar II was 33 years of age when his father, Ragnar, died from the curse that was put on his family so that his line could be king of all Vikings. No man of his line would live to see his 57th birthday. The year was 823 of the reckoning of the White Christ.



Ragnar was not good-looking, but what he lacked in looks he had in strength, he was a great warrior. In addition was he also good with numbers, and an honest man.

The lands left to him by his father, was the Viking homelands of Hordaland and Jutland, in addition the warriors of his father had captured the provinces of Lotherne and Beornice in England.

Ragnar II’s treasury held 6833 florins, but the annual loss was about 1000 florins. Ragnar II would soon need to send his men to the British Isles to seek plunder.

Ragnar II’s first action was to move the army stationed in Lotherne to Beornice. Seeing that the men of Lotherne would not support his overlordship for long. He also appointed Knut Sturlasson to Earl of Beornice.

2. Seeing that the invaders had left, bandits and men loyal to the Northumbrian king appeared in Lotherne, and began taking over the province.

That same year Ragnars II first son was born. He was named Sigurd. He would become a natural leader and was named to be Ragnar II’s heir, the next king of the Vikings when the family curse came to claim Ragnar II as its prize.

Ragnar II sent out ships to find lands ripe for plunder. They sailed around the land of the Scots and looked upon the land of the Irish. This land would eventually belong to Ragnar II, but that was in years to come.

3. In the year 825, the struggles between the Northumbrian loyalists and the bandits in Lotherne came to an end. The Northumbrians were the new lords of the province.

To celebrate his accession to the throne, Ragnar II had ordered the construction of a shrine to Odin, Thor and Frey in Beornice. And all was well in Beornice. But in Hordaland, the populace had not sacrificed enough to Frey, and there was a famine.

4. A messenger came to Ragnar II and delivered intelligence from Britain. The Northumbrians were now at war with the Vikings, but their Welsh and Saxon allies did not stand by their side, instead they remained allies to the Vikings. He also delivered a disturbing rumour, the Picts were said to be the strongest faction on the Isles.

A wonderful event took place this year, 826, Ragnar II’s second son, Magnus was born.

Another happy event also took place this year. The King of the Irish had sent his daughter, Lennabhair, to be married to Ragnar II’s brother Cnut.

The treasury was now 505 florins, and plans were made to invade Dere, belonging to the Northumbrians.

5. At the sight of our warriors disembarking on the coast of Dere, the Northumbrian soldiers guarding the province, abandoned it and left its treasures free to take. 6090 florins were taken to the ships and home to Hordaland.

But all was not well in this year. The Northumbrians had not only fled from troops from overseas. The garrison in Beornice had also travelled south into Dere. And seeing a chance to get rid of Viking rule, a small group of spearmen numbering 100 men revolted in
Beornice, claiming to be loyal to the Northumbrian king. The men who had marched from Beornice turned back to stop this threat

6. The battle of Boernice was swift and bloody for the Northumbrians. 65 men lay dead, while 13 Vikings went to Valhalla. 35 men were ransomed back to the Northumbrians.

A messenger also arrived in Hordaland this year, the year of 828. His news from the Isles was the following: Northumbrian loyalist revolt in Dere, Irish maintains alliance, and the Saxons are said to be the richest on the Isles.

7. In the year 829, the sign of Doom for the Irish were seen. King Ragnar II himself embarked on his ship and set sail for the Green Isle. An Isle which suffered under civil war. Ragnar II hoped to make it a source of income and a safe base from which to attack England and Scotland.

8. War with the Irish
Ragnar II landed in Ulster in the early months of 830. The Irish retreated without a fight, and the Vikings were free to obtain money for the war. 8898 florins were added to the coffers. Arnald the Hardy became Ragnar II’s governor of Ulster taking the Irish title of Ruire. His first order as a governor was to order the construction of a goldmine, to gain more wealth to make war.

The war against the Irish continued, and prince Sven was sent to take Brega, early in 831. The Irish retreated to their keep. But their supplies were low and low and it would fall in a year. 2350 florins were pillaged.

The Irish king gained much support in the face of the invasion.

The garrison besieging keep in Brega lost 39 men in the year the siege lasted. In the year of the siege another army under the Command of Prince Cnut set out to capture Laigin.



Prince Cnut arrived near a small village, where he met up with forces sent from Brega. The Irish, who had no way of retreat, had advanced to the village and to do battle with the Vikings. The Irish took up position overlooking the village, where the Vikings were busy looting. Seeing the threat approaching, Prince Cnut organised his men and began marching towards the Irish. The Irish, seeing the mighty host of the Norsemen, withdrew to a hill further away. Cnut sent his cavalry around the Irish, while he himself advanced head on. When he was close enough, every man charged, whilst the cavalry was rapidly approaching the Irish from behind. The peasant kerns were cut to pieces, and soon the enemy general, Ferdia the Fair, turned to flight. And soon the Irish fled the field. 288 men were killed 92 captured and 50 Norsemen went to Valhalla. Early this year the siege in Brega ended.

Prince Cnut seeing the increased unhappiness of the men of Laigin, decided to storm the stronghold of Den Ailinne, where the remnants of the battle of Laigin had retreated. The assault came in 834. 13 men went to Valhalla to rid the warrior hold of the 60 men defending it.

Eirik Gudmundsson became Ruire of Laigin, Gunnbjørn Fair-Hair had become Ruire of Brega the year before.

In 836 King Ragnar II entered battle himself. He invaded Connacht and faced the Irish king, Aedh V. Along with the Irish king was his three sons, Niall, Donal and Dermot. As the host marched towards the Irish, they ran and took cover on a forest clad hill. The huscarles charged the kerns that dared venture out of the forest. A great slaughter followed. Gallowglasses charged out of the forest along with two of the Irish princes. The warriors were caught of guards, and many met Odin. But the Irish were driven back. When the fighting had stopped 896 Irishmen lay dead, 121 were captured and 435 was sent to reside besides Odin. Among the dead Irishmen were their king, prince Niall and prince Donal. That same year a famine ravished Connacht.

In 838 the siege of Connacht ended, 36 Vikings had died during the siege. And Hroald the peaceful became Ruire of Connacht.

In this year was also the Northumbrian province of Cumbri plundered for 3984 florins.

In 839, Prince Sigurd became old enough to lead his own army.



In the year 841, Ragnar II once again took up arms against the Irish. In the battle of Munster was King Dermot I chased to his last stronghold, which was expected to last for one year. Ragnars II other son Magnus became old enough to lead his own army. Also the title of Rond Brodir was given to Turgeis.

In 842 loyalists attempting to rescue the Irish king, revolted in Munster. Ragnar II caught up with them and they, seeing that they outnumbered the Vikings with their 2640 men versus the 1402 Vikings, decided to do battle.



Ragnar II arranged his army on a hilltop, as the rebels, led by an inexperienced general named Triath Muredach, marched up from the valley below. When the enemy, consisting almost exclusively of spearmen and armoured spearmen, was close enough the huscarles charged. Their axes became red with Irish blood, and the spearmen were driven of the field with heavy losses. Mounted reinforcements arrived along with peasants. But when the general was killed fighting from horseback in the woods, the Irish saw that there was no hope and turned one after the other to flight, pursued by the Vikings. With this victory Ragnar became known as a skilled defender. 1289 were killed , 750 captured, 115 know live in Valhalla.

The next year the Stronghold in Munster fell, and with it the Irish royal line and resistance. Ireland was now under Ragnar II’s complete control.

Ragnar II spent the remainder of his life in Ireland, and lived just long enough to see his economic improvements turn the annual loss to an annual profit.

9. Ragnar II was more than just a warrior king. When he died he was also known as a great builder.

He built many shrines to honour the Gods. But the more important buildings were the economical buildings. The yearly losses were almost 1000 florins when his father died, but due to trade in Hordaland, Jutland and Beornice , and goldmines in Ulster and silver mines in Munster, the losses had been turned to profit. 1200 florins were added to the coffers each year instead of subtracted.

10. In the year of 847, Ragnars birthday approached rapidly. He had started sleeping with his sword in his hand after his 56th birthday, so that he would be guaranteed to travel to Valhalla to sojourn beside Odin, the Allfather. And in the night before his 57th birthday he died, after shouting: “Til Valhalla, ok Odinn kominn ek no”. And so he went to Valhalla to once again fight beside his father, his brothers, and the men who helped him subdue the Irish.