Netflix’s sequel series to the show Vikings, Vikings: Valhalla, is here! After the Vikings living in England are slaughtered by King Aethelred II, the various tribes of Vikings gather to get revenge. It turns out, though, that a couple of siblings have an ulterior motive for joining the fray. The show is historical fiction, so various people and events have been changed, moved, or spliced together. However, there are still plenty of characters who are based on real historical figures. Here are a few of the most exciting appearances!
Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett)
Early in episode 1, we see a tiny ship full of bedraggled sailors fighting their way through a ferocious storm. It turns out that they’ve come all the way to Norway from Greenland, spending 5 rough weeks on the open ocean. One of the sailors turns out to be none other than Leif Erikson, son of the notorious Erik the Red.
If you’ve heard of Leif Erikson, it’s probably because he’s thought to be the first European explorer to reach North America, landing in a place called Vinland sometime in the 10th century. Archaeologists have found the remains of a Norse settlement in Newfoundland, Canada, that dates back about a thousand years, and there’s some evidence that it corresponds to Vinland.
You can read more about Leif in The Saga of the Greenlanders, composed in the 12th century!
Freydis Eriksdottir (Frida Gustavsson)
Leif has come to Norway at the behest of his sister, Freydis, who wants to find the Christian Viking who sexually assaulted her and carved a cross into her back. Freydis immediately establishes herself as one of the most kick-ass and likable characters on the show.
The real Leif did actually have a sister named Freydis Eriksdottir, and according to The Saga of the Greenlanders, she was just as ruthless as her counterpart on the show. The most famous account of her describes a feud she had with two Icelandic men, which eventually culminated in her massacring them and the members of their community.
Prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter)
In episode 1, Harald narrowly escapes the St. Brice’s Day massacre and shows up a year later in Kattegat to coordinate the Vikings’ retaliation against King Aethelred. He quickly proves himself a natural leader, resolving some of the tensions between the Christian and pagan Vikings by reminding them that they are all one people.
The real life, Harald ruled as king of Norway from 1046 to 1066. In the sagas, he was given the epithet Hardrada, which translates into “stern ruler” or “tyrant.”
King Canute (Bradley Freegard)
Canute is one of the architects of the Vikings’ siege of London, and after Freydis gets her revenge on the Viking who raped her, she and Leif pledge themselves to the cause. In real life, King Cnut ruled England as one of its first and only Viking kings from 1016 to 1035, and eventually united the kingdoms of England and Denmark.
Here’s a fun anecdote about the real-life Cnut: in the Historia Anglorum, Cnut orders his chair to be placed by the seashore, and then orders the tide not to come in. Of course the sea doesn’t listen to him, and Cnut uses it to show that even kings are bound by natural and divine law.
Jarl Haakon (Caroline Henderson)
We first meet Jarl Haakon in the woods, when she comes across Freydis praying to the Norse gods. Haakon then restores order in her hall after Freydis gets her revenge, demonstrating both leadership skills and a charisma that inspires loyalty from everyone present.
I was thrilled when I saw that Haakon was played by Black actress Caroline Henderson, and I immediately rushed to see if the real Haakon was a Black woman (after all, the myth of an all-white medieval Europe has been long debunked). Alas, it looks like Netflix took some liberties with this character, as the real Jarl Haakon was a man named Haakon the Good, and was Prince Harald’s son.
Olof Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson)
In Vikings: Valhalla, Olof is the half-brother of Harald. In real life, he ruled Norway as King Olof from 1015 to 1028. He was also canonized as a saint, becoming the very St. Olaf whose legacy helped Christianize Scandinavia.
All 8 episodes of Vikings: Valhalla are now streaming on Netflix.
(Image: Netflix)
