Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Reginald Godfreyson
REGINALD, called Godfreyson (d. 944?), king of the Danes, was great-grandson of Ivar Beinlaus and son of the Godfrey who invaded England in 918; his mother was an Englishwoman. He had four brothers—Olaf [see Olaf Godfreyson], Lachtin (d. 947), Albdan or Halfdene (d. 926), and Blacar (d. 948) (War of the Gaedhil, p. 279, Rolls Ser.). He is possibly the Reginald Godfreyson mentioned by Gaimar (L'Estorie des Engles, ii. 112, Rolls Ser.), who took York in 923, and next year entered into a treaty with Edward the elder, and made personal submission to him (A.-S. Chron. ii. 84, Rolls Ser., but cf. Sym. Dunelm. vol. ii. p. xxix, Rolls Ser.). In 943, probably in succession to his brother, Olaf Godfreyson, he was ruling in Northumbria as joint king with Olaf Sitricson [q. v.], with whom he accepted Christianity, and allied himself closely with King Edmund (A.-S. Chron. p. 90). When, however, King Edmund had returned to Wessex next year, the two Danish kings made a raid into the midlands to win back their lost territory. King Edmund drove them from the country and annexed Northumbria (ib.) The date of Reginald's death is not known. Several of the Irish annals mention a son who was slain in 942 (Annals of the Four Masters, ii. 646–7, ed. O'Donovan).
[In addition to the authorities cited in the text, see Langebek's Script. Rer. Dan. i. 3, ii. 149, 415; Flor. Wig. i. 129, 133–4 (Engl. Hist. Soc.); Brompton ap. Twysden, Decem Scriptt. p. 835, Ethelwerd ap. Petrie, Mon. Brit. i. 520, Hen. Hunt. Hist. Angl. pp. 159, 162; Barth. de Cotton, Hist. Angl. pp. 22–3, Richard of Cirencester, Spec. Hist. ii. 57, 80, Chronicon Scotorum, p. 205 (all Rolls Ser.); Chron. de Mailros, pp. 27–9 (Bannatyne Club); Robertson's Scotland under her Early Kings, i. 67, 70; Skene's Celtic Scotland, i. 361.]