Ragnhild Sigurdsdotter

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ragnhild Sigurdsdotter was the daughter of Sigurd Hart of the Dagling clan and Aslaug, the daughter of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, one of the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, or so Halfdan the Black's saga and Ragnarssona þáttr tell us.

Ragnhild's father Sigurd Hart had taken Ringerike after the death of his uncle Fróði. One day Sigurd was hunting in the hills and he met Haki the berserker of Hadeland with 30 armed warriors. After having slain twelve men Sigurd met his death, and so Haki proceeded to Stein in Ringerike, where Sigurd had his residence. Haki took a great deal of loot including Ragnhild and Gudthorm. According to Ragnarssona þáttr, she was fifteen years old, but according to Halfdan the Black's saga, she was twenty.

Back in Hadeland, Haki intended to marry Ragnhild, but he had to postpone the wedding as his wounds would not heal.

Halfdan the Black was in Hedmark, where he had a residence. He sent Harek Gand and 120 warriors to attack Haki. They crossed lake Mjøsa during the night and arrived in Hadeland in the morning. They secured all the entrances and went in to take Ragnhild and Gudthorm and all the riches. Then they burnt down the hall and everyone who was inside. When Haki woke up and saw what had happened, he went down to the shore and stuck the hilt of his sword into the ground so that he could throw himself on it and kill himself. He was buried there.

When Halfdan the Black saw a covered wagon crossing the ice, he understood that Harek Gand and his men had succeeded. He sent messages to all the settlements to invite them to a great feast. He wedded Ragnhild and they had the son Harald Fairhair.