Is 'Vikings: Valhalla' historically accurate? Here's the real story behind Netflix's historical drama
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The third and final season of Netflix's historical drama series 'Vikings: Valhalla,' set a century after the events of the original show 'Vikings,' is set to premiere on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
The drama series, created by Jeb Stuart, follows the journeys of three protagonists: Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydís Eiríksdóttir (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter), as simmering tensions between the native English population and Viking descendants in England reach a breaking point.
Since historical evidence supports conflicts between the Vikings and the English royal family, is the show historically correct, or is it just a fantastic piece of fiction?
Was Leif Erikson a warrior or an explorer?
In the show, Leif is presented as a fierce warrior, which diverges from historical accuracy. In reality, he was primarily known as an explorer and is recognized as the first European to arrive in North America around the year 1000 CE.
Leif's saga is told in two sagas, as per History Extra: the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red.
These sagas describe Viking expeditions west to Vinland, believed to be North America. This made the Vikings the first European explorers to set foot on what is now American territory, arriving 500 years before Christopher Columbus.
The primary distinction in the chronology of the program is that Leif—who has just left Greenland—is believed to have arrived in Vinland two years before the St. Brice's Day Massacre.
Nevertheless, according to Pat Kinsella, the actual Leif 'learns about this mysterious land from Bjarni Herjólfsson, and is so intrigued that he buys Bjarni's Knarr (a Viking ship) and decides to retrace his route.
Is Freydís Eiríksdóttir's depiction in 'Vikings: Valhalla' based on true events?
After the St Brice's Day Massacre in the show, Freydís finds herself in Norway alongside her brother Leif.
However, Freydís stays in Scandinavia and becomes entangled in the bloody religious conflicts between Christian converts and pagan Vikings, while the plot progresses to bring Leif to England.
Similar to her brother Leif's many interpretations, Freydis's historical persona varies significantly across interpretations.
The two Vinland sagas, the Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, are the primary and medieval sources that reference Freydís. Though Freydís is depicted as a strong woman in both sagas, their accounts diverge.
According to 'The Saga of the Greenlanders,' Freydís agreed to split all earnings with her brothers, Helgi and Finnbogi when they traveled to Vinland. The brothers made their settlement after she did not honor this agreement.
Following their reconciliation, Freydis told her husband she had been beaten by the brothers and felt the need for retribution against them.
While the brothers were sleeping, her husband killed them, and Freydis massacred the women in their camp and vowed to kill anyone who revealed her betrayal to Leif.
Even after discovering the truth, Leif foresaw that Freydis' progeny would not flourish and chose not to punish her.
In 'The Saga of Erik the Red,' Freydís is portrayed as a formidable woman. She went on a Þorfinnr Karlsefni-led expedition to Vinland and during a surprise nighttime attack by indigenous people, Freydís bravely faced the invaders while the other warriors fled, picking up a dropped sword.
The tribesmen fled after bravely striking the blade on her breast, which earned her praise from the other survivors for her bravery.
Is Harald Sigurdsson's timeline in 'Vikings: Valhalla' historically correct?
Harald Sigurdsson is a key character in the show, who aspires to be the King of Norway.
However, his portrayal in the series is historically incorrect, as he is portrayed raiding England shortly after the 1002 St. Brice's Day Massacre, despite being born in 1015, as per History Extra.
In truth, Harald's historical significance became apparent 15 years later. Following the Battle of Stiklestad, he fled to the Kievan Rus and later led the Varangian Guard, the elite Byzantine emperor's guard, before ascending to the Norwegian throne.
Harald was eventually killed by Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.
How to stream 'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3?
You need an exclusive subscription to watch the show on Netflix, as the streaming service offers different packages depending on your budget.
The Standard Plan with advertisements, which provides full HD (1080p) streaming, requires a $6.99 monthly subscription.
One account can be used to stream in 1080p/full HD quality on two screens simultaneously with the $15.49/month Standard Plan, which is commercial-free.
Users can simultaneously stream 4K Ultra HD content with Dolby Atmos and HDR to up to four screens when they subscribe to the $22.99/month Premium Plan.
'Vikings: Valhalla' Season 3 trailer