Introduction
Hvitserk (Hvitsärk) "White-Shirt" was one of the sons of the legendary 9th-century Norsemen Ragnar Lothbrok and his wife Aslaug. He is attested to by the Tale of Ragnar's Sons (Ragnarssona þáttr). He is not mentioned in any source which mentions Halfdan Ragnarsson, one of the leaders of the Great Heathen Army which invaded the Kingdom of East Anglia in 865, or vice versa which consequently led some scholars to suggest that they are the same individual with Hvitserk being only a nickname.
After having avenged his father together with his brothers, he went to Gardarike (Garðaríki). Hvitserk also pillaged with the Rus. He was, however, opposed by such a large foe that he could not win. When asked about how he wished to die, he decided to be burned alive at a stake of human remains
Note
This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926, now in the public domain.