“Grim was father of Audulf the strong, who was tax-king in Jutland under Ragnar Lodbrok; Audulf’s son was Gorm, who was also tax-king in Jutland, and was named Gorm the childless. “King Gorm had many thralls, and some of these had been sent to Holtsetaland (Holstein) to buy wine, which they carried on many horses” (Fornmanna Sögur, vol. i.). Among the most renowned and powerful chiefs and Vikings of the North in the Sagas, who sailed far and wide, are Ragnar Lodbrok[371] and his sons, whose deeds are closely connected with the earlier history of England. The Saga which follows shows that the Northmen went to England long before the time mentioned by the English Chronicles. It is, as we have shown, vain to try to reconcile the English or Frankish Chronicles with the Sagas. It is therefore obvious that the men of the chronicles, whose names were similar to the names of Ragnar and Lodbrok, are not Ragnar Lodbrok, while on the other hand the so-called sons of Lodbrok, who plundered England, could not be sons of the above-named Ragnar. We must therefore suppose either that the name Lodbrok’s sons was used as a family name, both by Ragnar’s grandsons and following descendants, or that in a family nearly related to his own there appeared a _Lodbrok_ named after him, who did not rule any realm in the North, but whose sons were the mightiest and most valiant Vikings England had ever seen. That several Ragnars existed at different periods is as certain as that there were several Halfdans, Sigurds, Haralds, Ivars, Knuts, Olafs, &c. The custom of calling children after their father and grandfather still prevails to this day in Scandinavia. Sigurd Hring, the victor of Bravöll, who succeeded Harald Hilditönn, was a mighty chief; his realm included the whole of the present Denmark, Sweden, the countries bordering the Baltic, and others westward, among them England. As was the custom of those times, the vast possessions of great and powerful chiefs were ruled by under or tax-kings. Sigurd Hring had a son, Ragnar. When old enough he obtained ships and men, and became the greatest of warriors.[372]