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32 THE SCANDINAVIANS, AND
BOOK i. successor, as worshippers of Thor and enemies of
L
Christianity, these virulent Pagans being designated
as Thorsmen or followers of Thor, in contradistinction
to Christsmen or followers of Christ.
This suggestion is rendered more probable when
we observe that those who are known to be the
descendants and successors of Regnar Lodbrog are
called, by the Irish, " the race of Tomar." The name
is given to the pagan kings of Dublin who succeeded
Ivar, the son of Regnar. Their chieftains are called
"Tomar's chieftains," their subjects "the people
of Tomar"; the king of Dublin himself being called
" Prince Tomar," the badge of his authority " the
ring of Tomar," and a wood near Dublin, " Tomar's
wood," probably from having been devoted to the
religious
services of Thor. Nor do the Irish confine
the name to pagan descendants of Regnar Lodbrog
in Ireland. His descendant, grandson of Gormo
Enske, king of Denmark, who renounced Christianity
and embraced the religion of Thor, is called " Tomar
mac Elchi "
(Tomar, son of Enske) in the Book of
Rights and other Irish manuscripts. 1
But there are Irish legends which even more
directly tend to identify these individuals. They
state that Turgesius had "a lord deputy" named
Gurmundus (the Latinized name of Gormo), and
Scandinavian history records that Gormo was deputed
to rule over Regnar's dominions during the absence
of his sons. 2
1 Gormo Enske was succeeded by
2
Fragm. Islandica, Langebek, vol.
his son Harold, and Harold by his ii., p. 280. "Sigurd Anguioculus
son Gormo. Langebek, vol. i., p. (Regnar's son) Bloejam Elloe regis
16- filiam in matrimonio habuit.