Vikings
Summary
History Channel’sVikingsdrew the care of the audience for its depiction of Viking warrior , their society , and their merciless battles and raid — and a fundamental inquiry viewers always desire to make out is how much ofVikingswas real . Although it is not a documentary or educational serial , it ’s inevitable for viewers to ask how much ofVikingsis historically accurate and how much was made up just for the series . Truth is , the series demand from both historical records and fiction to keep the report proceed .
Vikingswas produce by Michael Hirst ( who also createdThe Tudors ) and premiered in 2013 . The series initially followed the escapade and raids of the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok ( Travis Fimmel ) and his Viking brothers , from the start of the Viking old age ( stigmatize by the Lindisfarne raid , as see in season 1 ) onwards . The subsequent seasons focused more on his Logos and their own travel , more so afterRagnar ’s death in time of year 4.WhileVikingswas praise for its accuracy , there were also several elements that were changed .
The cast of Viking brought some of the most far-famed case from Viking history to life sentence , and many of them have become more popular since then .
The Real Mythology Behind Vikings
Vikings Got The Foundations Of Norse Culture Right
Vikingstakes inspiration from the Norse saga , taradiddle about ocean trip and fight written in the 13th century . Ragnar Lothbrok is a prominent figure in these , with his own sagas and tale recounting his life and traveling . harmonize to these , he was a fearsome warrior and raider , mostly know as the leader of the Viking Siege of Paris in 845 . Although Ragnar was the character that pretty much kickstarted the serial , Vikingsis not exclusively about Ragnar – it also explore other sides of the lives of Vikings , as well as other characters from sagas and caption .
Viking were more than just savages who killed all of those who dared stand up in their way during battles and maraud . Although they were a non - literate culture , they had the “ runor ” alphabet and described their world ( and themselves ) on runestones , women were more free than in other culture , and their engineering science acquisition were undischarged .
Of naturally , the brutality of their engagement is a much more appealing side to many , so the series could n’t leave that behind , but it did its unspoiled to depict much more of the civilisation of Vikings than just bloodfests . As seen in the series , Vikings had advanced sailing and navigational skills , their own social body structure ( divided in three : Thralls , who were slaves ; Karls , barren peasants ; and Jarls , the aristocracy ) , and trust in Norse organized religion .
Vikings believed that after engagement , Odin walked around the battlefield and choose those who would return with him to Valhalla , the place where warriors went to after they conk . In Old Norse texts , Odin is describe as being often accompanied by his animal companion and familiars : two wolf ( Geri and Freki ) and two ravens ( Huginn and Muninn ) . Viking also believe the Gods had form - shifting ability , and could appear as a raven , hooter , or wolf , hence why the series sometimes had a raven that appeared to Ragnar , as he was allege to be a descendent of Odin .
Viking has featured many legendary flesh from Norse mythology and the Viking Age , and some of them are actually base on real people .
Was Ragnar Lothbrok A Real Person?
The Main Character In Vikings May Not Have Existed
Because the Vikings themselves did n’t allow for any written records of their travels , and the ones that survive came year afterward from other cultures that were in middleman with them , Ragnar Lothbrok ’s beingness is unclear . Hirst has shared that , after the inquiry he did for the show , he concluded that Ragnar did subsist , as his name appears in several accounts(viaHistory Extra ) .
However , source are unreliable ( theSaga of Ragnar Lothbrokhas him slaying a Draco ) , andwhile it ’s potential that there was a man under the name Ragnar Lothbrok , the Viking warrior as he ’s known is most potential a combination of different figures with a dash of fiction to add to the drama of the fable .
Rollo , represent in the series as his blood brother , had no telling to Ragnar Lothbrok
Vikings is a historical drama series created for the History Channel by Michael Hirst. Based on stories passed down in Norse lore, the series focuses on the Lodbrok family and their lives during medieval Scandinavia. The family is formally established by the rise of Ragnar Lodbrok, a farmer turned Viking who rises to power as a Scandinavian King.
Ragnar is believe to have been based on Viking leader Reginherus , known for the Siege of Paris in 845 ; King Horik I of Denmark , who in reality appears in the series ; and King Reginfrid , who ruled part of Denmark and came into conflict with Harald Klak , predecessor of Horik . Some faculty member conceive the Ragnall of the Irish Annals could also be connected tothe figure of Ragnar Lothbrok .
As such , the veracity of many facet of his life depict in the sagas and other sources is unclear , although one thing is for sure : Rollo , presented in the serial as his brother , had no relation to Ragnar Lothbrok , but there are proposition that he participated in ( and possibly led ) the Siege of Paris , though the one in 885 .
Vikings has its portion of fiction , but there are some actual point and exact component disperse within .
What The Vikings TV Show Changes & Adds
The Closer Vikings Is Inspected, The More Obvious The Deviations Become
The history of the Vikings is very rich , but it might not have enough spectacular , antic , and exciting ingredient and events to adapt it as it is into a boob tube serial publication . Naturally , Hirst and companionship took many liberty when it come to the reference and effect shown inVikings . Real or not , the series is based on what the sagas and other sources have to say about the shape of Ragnar Lothbrok , but some change had to be made in parliamentary law to draw out his arc to more than one time of year .
The raids , especially those on Paris , run through some major changes
According to the saga , Ragnar was first married to peeress Thóra Borgarhjǫrtr , but according to Saxo Grammaticus’Gesta Danorum , his first wife wasshieldmaiden Lagertha , as in the serial . Lagertha is mentioned in theSaga of Ragnar Lothbrok , but she was never an earl and was n’t the mother of Bjorn Ironside . However , she was a shieldmaiden , as depicted in the series . Ragnar subsequently wed Norse queen Aslaug , female parent of his sons ( including Bjorn).Many of Ragnar ’s relationships , travel , and actions were taken from other figures , such as his bastard death in time of year 3 , which was an often used move by Viking chief Hastein .
The raids , especially those on Paris , went through some major alteration too , with the series combining the raid in 845 with the one in 885 - 886 . Speaking of raids , Athelstan is a fictional character as there ’s no track record of a Christian monastic kidnapped by the Vikings ( rent alone one that became Ragnar Lothbrok ’s best ally ) . However , there was an Athelstan around that fourth dimension , and it was the grandson of Alfred the Great . One of the most beloved characters from the serial publication , Floki ( played by Gustaf Skarsgård ) , is based on the diachronic figure Floki Vilgerson , who founded Iceland , butVikings ’ Floki is mostly fictional .
The serial publication has deal to set off the peculiarity of viewers and get them concerned in the culture of Vikings and other historical figures , just likeThe Tudorsdid during its time , and that might be the most valuable part of its legacy .
The village of Kattegat is also fictional , as the real Kattegat is a sea between Denmark and Sweden , and there ’s no disc of a Scandinavian village with that name . Many other characters , although actual historical figures , relied more on fabrication than facts , such as Aethelwulf of Wessex , Alfred the Great , Charles the Simple , Aslaug , Bjorn Ironside , King Horik , Rollo , and more . Ivar the Boneless , however , is present accurately for the most part , although his actions in Britain are a combination of different struggle — and he did n’t kill his comrade , Sigurd .
BecauseVikingsis a serial made for entertainment purposes and not to educate , the originative team can take as many liberties as necessary to better separate the account they want , with characters that might have existed or not . The serial has managed to spark the curiosity of viewers and get them interested in the culture of Vikings and other historical figures , just likeThe Tudorsdid during its metre , and that might be the most valuable part of its legacy .
Vikings has a confusing timeline due to time saltation , historical inaccuracies , and more , but actual - life events are primal to work up the storyline .
The Vikings Spinoff Series Also Makes Major Changes
Vikings: Valhalla Takes A Similarly Liberal Approach To History To Tell A Good Story
Viking : Valhallawas set a one C after the events ofVikings , encompass the end of the Viking eld rather than their gradual dominance of Europe . Valhallatakes a similar approach toVikingswhen it comes to the balance between historical truth and a compelling tale . For case , there ’s a healthy mix of material and fictional character inVikings : Valhalla . Central character reference like Leif Erikson ( Sam Corlett ) , Freydis Eiriksdottir ( Frida Gustavsson ) , King Canute ( Bradley Freegard ) and Emma or Normandy ( Laura Berlin ) were real . However , others — likeCaroline Henderson ’s Jarl Estrid Haakon — were fictional , or matched their historic vis-a-vis in name only .
As with all the changes from history inVikings , they are all made in good faith , with the only intent being to come upon a balance between literal events and a fascinating TV drama .
Much like Ragnar and many of the type inVikings , there ’s a heavy degree of uncertainty when it comes to the real figures portrayed inVikings : Valhalla . This gave the spinoff a lot of creative familiarity with figures like Leif and Freydis . The liberal variety really came from placing characters at historical case that they definitely were n’t involved with — such as the fall of the London Bridge being successful due to a architectural plan by Leif Erikson , when the literal - life Leif was n’t present . It also was n’t carry out in retaliation for the St Brice ’s Day massacre , which was the catalyst for many of the event inVikings : Valhalla .
AsVikings : Valhallais still ongoing , it ’s likely there will be more glaring differences and deviations from the lawful storey in the hereafter , especially when it comes to Leif Erikson and his eventual journey to North America ( whichVikingsattributed to Ubbe , though this never happened in real life ) . However , as with all the changes from chronicle inVikings , they are all made in secure faith , with the only intent being to hit a balance between real events and a gripping TV play .
Vikings is a historical drama series created for the History Channel by Michael Hirst . Based on level passed down in Norse lore , the series focuses on the Lodbrok menage and their life during medieval Scandinavia . The family unit is officially established by the rise of Ragnar Lodbrok , a farmer turn Viking who rises to major power as a Scandinavian King .
