https://www.geni.com/projects/Ragnar-Lodbrog/27426 is a good basic introduction, then read http://www.scangen.se/medieval/ragnar.htm
https://www.geni.com/projects/Ragnar-Lodbrog/27426 is a good basic introduction, then read http://www.scangen.se/medieval/ragnar.htm
Fun article from History Today:
You Say Ragner, I Say Ragnar
The unlikely links between an obscure English saint and a Viking warrior.
https://www.historytoday.com/eleanor-parker/you-say-ragner-i-say-ra...
From the article, "In East Anglian stories Lothbrok sometimes appears not as a fearsome Viking but as Edmund’s friend and protégé, who turns up at his court by accident and is cruelly murdered by one of Edmund’s men." which could easily morph into Ragner being Edmund's nephew.
So if you ascribe to the multiple Ragnars Theory a Norse man showing up in East Anglia, becoming an associate of Edmund and then becoming a saint himself is not so hard to imagine. Consider the fact that Edmund's son-in-law was supposedly Norwegian, Oswald the holy, King of East Anglia.
While I will agree that Ragnar Lodbrok is much more legend than fact - to say that all of the children - said to be his descendents - are ficticious as well - is a step further than I am willing to go.
While little is known of any of these people - there is just enough to make one believe they were real. Not much is known of Edmund of Northumbria either - but he left coins.
Someone led the "Great Heathen Army. Though following the exploits of this army is confusing enough - there is no doubt there was such an army and someone led it. Ubbe, Ivar and Halfdan were real enough to the Saxons to be included in the Saxon Chronicle. If they were not descended from Ragnar Lodbrok - they were real people - and descended from someone.
Ivar is sometimes thought to be identical to Ímar, the founder of the Uí Ímair dynasty.
Ubba and Ivar are said to be the killers of Edmund. Whether they were brothers and sons of Ragnar is a question - but somebody killed Edmund.
Halfdan is said to be the first King of Northumbria and died pressing a claim against Dublin. He may not have been the son of Ragnar, but he was a real person. We know the name of the battle he died in - the Battle of Strangford Lough - and we have the year - 877.
Auslaug, reported to be the daughter of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye - who married Helgi de Scarpi - had a grandfather. Whether or not is was Ragnar - is a question - but she undoubtedly had one.
To say that those mentioned above are sons of Ragnar is a question - but to say they are completely fictitious - is a stretch.
All of you interested in Ragnar Lodbrok should read this: https://www.academia.edu/49511526/The_Raven_Banner_Revisited