Halfdan Ragnarsson
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Halfdan Ragnarsson (died 877) was a Viking leader who served as one of the commanders of the Great Heathen Army that invaded Anglo-Saxon England during the late 9th century. He was the eldest son of Ragnar Lothbrok and his first wife Lagertha, and the half-brother of Ivarr, Sigurd, Bjorn and Ubba.
Arguably the greatest son of Ragnar's, Halfdan's conquests in northern England gained him fame as the Conqueror of the North. The army he commanded was noted to have sacked Lunden, conquered York, and extorted every petty king from Exeter to Hadrian's Wall.
Halfdan was also the reincarnation of the Isu Thor, who was revered as the Norse warrior god of lightning and thunder.
Biography
Early years
Halfdan was born as the eldest son of Ragnar Lothbroke and his first wife Lagertha.[1] Like his half-brothers, Halfdan followed in his father's footsteps and became seafarers and raiders himself. In 865, Raganar was murdered by ealdorman Ælla in England who threw him into a snake pit.[2] Seeking revenge for their father's death, Halfdan and his brothers led a vast army into England,[3] joining forces with the Great Summer Army led by Guthrum jarl. This coaliton came to be dubbed as the Great Heathen Army.[4]
After landing in East Anglia in the summer of 865, Halfdan and his brothers moved northwards and invaded Northumbria, which was embroiled in a civil war for kingship between Ælla and Osberht.[5] In 866, Ælla was crowned king of Northumbria in York, which was thereafter captured by Ivarr.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Legacy
In 886, Toka Sinricsdottir arrived in Ravensthorpe to convince Eivor to help aid in the siege of Paris. Unaware that Halfdan had died in 877 nearly a decade earlier, Toka claimed that she sought his help, immediately arousing both Eivor and Randvi's suspicions regarding the true purpose for her visit.[6]
Behind the scenes
Halfdan is a character in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. He is voiced by Norwegian actor Jeppe Beck Laursen, who also provided the voice of Thor in the game.
He is described as the oldest son of Ragnar by his first wife Lagertha in the game. However, in most of the sagas his mother is said to be Aslaug, Ragnar's third wife, with Ivarr and Bjorn being his older siblings from the same mother.
Despite historically dying in 877 at the Battle of Strangford Lough in Ireland, fought against Bárid mac Ímair, no mention or reference of this is made in Wrath of the Druids, the DLC expansion of Valhalla set in 879.
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (first appearance)
- The Siege of Paris (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers
References
- ↑ Lagertha's Axe
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Database: Ragnar Lothbrok
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Database: Halfdan
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- ↑
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Siege of Paris – Strangers Bearing Gifts
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