Eric Ragnarsson

A mythical viking warrior, potentially based on a historical person, Eric is described in the sagas and other earl medieval sources as one of the eldest sons of Ragnar Loðbrók.

Eric and his brother, Agnar, are accomplished warriors famous in their own rite and attack King Eystein of Uppsala that their father has installed in Sweden to rule that land in Ragnar's name. The Swedish chieftains unite against the brothers, remaining loyal to Ragnar, and the brothers are overcome. Agnar is killed out right while Eric is captured and chooses to die rather than accept defeat.

Their defeat and death triggers a revenge attack on King Eystein by their step-mother Aslaug and her son's Ivar, Sigurd, Bjorn and Hvitserk who slay the king for killing their elder brothers.

Further Reading

• Wikipedia
• Saxo
• Ragnarsson Saga

Notes

• Date of birth based on father's birth as discussed here and here.
• Location of birth based on his father, Ragnar, being most commonly referred to as king of Denmark.
• Date of death based on birth dates of his brothers Ivar, Sigurd, Bjorn and Hvitserk who saga tradition recounts all participate in avenging his death.
• Location of death based on King Eystein marching from Uppsala to defeat Eric and Agnar.

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“Don’t care, cur, to hear you, killer if you offer; (Eystein, they say, slew Agnar) I don’t want your daughter. To mourn me I’ve no mother; make haste, hey!, impale me. I’ll die over host hoisted, highest o’er the slaughter.”

And before he was lifted up on the spears, he saw a man riding hard. Then he said:

“Send word to my slender sweet stepmother, greet her: (my forays east are ended) say all my rings are hers. Great will grow their anger when they get to know it, when she brings her bounteous boys news of my demise.”

http://www.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/ThattrRagnarsSonar....

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