 Abt 0820 - Abt 0873 (53 years)
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| Name |
RAGNARSSON Ivar Benløs |
| Birth |
Abt 0820 |
Scandinavia (Denmark)  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
Abt 0873 |
| Notes |
- Ivar the Boneless, who plays a major role in both Norse and Anglo-Saxon accounts, is sometimes associated with the Viking leader Ímar (Old Norse: Ívarr), a King of Dublin mentioned in the Irish annals. This is unlikely, however, as that Ímar's father is usually said to be Gofraid of Lochlann and his brothers are usually named as Amlaíb Conung and Auisle. [1]
Enligt svenska Wikipedia;
Ivar Benlös (Ívarr hinn Beinlausi), möjligen död 872 i Dublin, smeknamn på Ivar Ragnarsson, var enligt källorna en vikingahövding som 865 invaderade Östangeln (Östra England) med sina bröder Vitsärk (Halfdan Ragnarsson) och Ubbe Ragnarsson. Fred slöts med östanglerna, men följande år intog han York. Detta verkar ha varit genomtänkt då det rådde inbördeskrig mellan de lokala kungarna kung Ella och Osberht, varför landet var splittrat. Kungarna slöt dock fred för att besegra sina gemensamma fiender och försökte återta York, vilket slutade i en katastrof där både Ella och Osberht dödades.
Biography
According to English Wikipedia;
The brothers Ubba, Halfdan and Ivar the Boneless, were the leaders of "the Great Heathen Army" that invaded England in 865.
In the Anglo Saxon Chronicle we read;
A.D. 870. This year the army rode over Mercia into East-Anglia, and there fixed their winter-quarters at Thetford. And in the winter King Edmund fought with them; but the Danes gained the victory, and slew the king; whereupon they overran all that land, and destroyed all the monasteries to which they came. The names of the leaders who slew the king were Hingwar and Hubba. At the same time came they to Medhamsted, burning and breaking, and slaying abbot and monks, and all that they there found. They made such havoc there, that a monastery, which was before full rich, was now reduced to nothing. [2]
According to the saga Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons, translated to Swedish and published 1834;
The three brothers Björn Järnsida, Hvitsärk den Raske and Sigurd Orm i Öga wanted to avenge their brother while Ivar the Boneless did not want any part in the revenge. When they arrived and fought, the victory was to be Ælla of Northumbria's and now Ivar wanted to try to get Ælla to pay "mansbot" for killing their father. The other brothers would not hear of it and went home again. Ivar approached the king and asked for land, as much as the largest oxhide could include, which was granted him. Out of the oxhide he made an extremely long strap with which he enclosed such a wide stretch of land, so that a large castle could have room in it and named it Lundunaborg. He let king Ælla think that he was satisfied but forged other plans. With time, he recruited many of the kings men and together with his brothers accomplished to gather a great army which fought king Ælla and won. They captured king Ælla and he was executed by the performing of the "blood eagle".
Name(s)
His first name Ivar could also be Ingvar or Yngvar in the different sagas and tales.
Danish: Ivar Benløs
English: Hyngwar [3]
Norwegian: Ivar Beinlause
Swedish: Ivar Benlös
Old Norse: Ívarr inn beinlausi
Icelandic: Ívar "beinlausi" Ragnarrsson
The explanations for this byname Benløs (Boneless) has been reason for many speculations. Some suggest that it had to to with impotence or possibly that he was lame from the waist down. Yet again, others suggest a disease, some kind of osteogenesis imperfecta or that he had some kind of hypermobility disorder.
Some stories mention that he had only cartilage where his bones were supposed to be and that he, therefore, was carried (upon a shield).
Birth and Parents
Since he is supposed to invade East Anglia in 865 an estimated birth year of "before 845" is added to this profile. Andersson-4409 16:56, 30 January 2019 (UTC)
A new estimated birth year is set to 820 in order to place the siblings in the most proper order. Andersson-4409 16:23, 12 March 2019 (UTC)
According to the Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons, he was the first son of Ragnar and his wife Kraka (who was Ragnars second wife).
Wife and children
Ivar the boneless is supposed to have died childless, there is no mention of any wife or children in the "Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons".
Death and burial
According to the saga Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons, translated to Swedish and published 1834 Ivar had decided to stay in England and gave his brothers his share to rule as well. He then ruled England until his death, caused by illness. He is said to be buried in a mound where his kingdom was the most exposed to enemies and he hoped that those landing there would not win any victories. However, when William the Conqueror arrived, he broke into the mound and had Ivars body burned. Then he went ashore and won victoriously.
According to Anglo-Saxon chronicler Æthelweard either Ivar the Boneless or Ímair died after 870. Original source quoted: Six Old English Chronicles by J.A. Giles[4]
Sources
↑ Wikipedia : Ælla of Northumbria
↑ Anglo Saxon Chronicle : The Project Gutenberg EBook Trans: James Henry Ingram 1996 : Posted 2008 / EBook#657
↑ Danish Wikipedia explanation
↑ Giles, J. A., ed. (2010-09-10). Six Old English Chronicles: Ethelwerd's Chronicle, Asser's Life Of Alfred, Geoffrey Of Monmouth's British History, Gildas, Nennius And Richard Of Cirencester. Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 9781163125991.
The viking age: the early history, manners, and customs of the ancestors of the English speaking nations. Chapter XXVIII Page 453
Anglo-Saxon chronicler Æthelweard
Annals of Ulster
Ashley, M. (n.d.). Biographical Encyclopedia of the Kings & Queens of Great Britain. N.p.
Fragmentary Annals of Ireland
"Sagas of the Icelanders." Icelandic Saga Database. www.sagadb.org.
Ivar the Boneless
Wikidata: Item Q350321, en:Wikipedia help.gif
See also:
https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesBritain/EnglandIvarr.htm
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| Person ID |
I58754 |
Freeman-Smith |
| Last Modified |
27 Jan 2026 |
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