Is there a consensus among historians on the existence of Ragnar Lodbrok? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

Is there a consensus among historians on the existence of Ragnar Lodbrok?

by mistacheezit

What is the prevailing view on his existence? Were his sons real too? Was he just a legendary creation for kings to claim lineage? If he truly existed what accomplishments can we attribute to him? Who/what resources do we rely on from the time period of his existence?

y_sengaku

This is one of FAQ on the Vikings in this subreddit.

There will always to be said more, I'd especially recommend the first thread:

/u/sagathain had just posted a new well-written answer(s) in this September: How can Ragnar Lodbroks children be considered real historical figures, but Ragnar himself is still considered to be mostly fictitious?
I myself also wrote a brief comment on this topic for a while ago: Vikings and Ragna Lothbrok and his 5 sons, how accurate is the History Channel show?

I'm also willing to answer some more follow-up questions, though not within 12 hours today.