Summary

• Emma of Normandy is a descendant of Vikings' Rollo.
• Emma became queen of England, Denmark, and Norway through her marriages.
• Emma of Normandy ed away in 1052.

conflict between pagans and Christians as the backdrop, Vikings: Valhalla followed Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), Freydis (Frida Gustavsson), Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter), King Canute (Bradley Freegard), and Emma of Normandy.

Emma’s story in Vikings: Valhalla began with the death of her husband, King Aethelred, and her stepson, Edmund, becoming king. After the fall of London Bridge, King Canute crowned himself the first Viking King of England and married Emma. Vikings: Valhalla season 2 saw Emma finding out Godwin’s (David Oakes) real intentions after he planned her assassination attempt so he could become part of the royal family. Vikings: Valhalla season 3 closed Emma’s story by implying she will get together with Canute’s son, Harefoot, to keep her place as Queen of England, but many of these events never happened.

Who Was The Real Life Emma Of Normandy?

Emma of Normandy Was Queen Of England

Through her marriages, she became the English, Danish, and Norwegian queen.

Emma of Normandy was the daughter of the Norman ruler Richard the Fearless and Gunnor, duchess of Normandy. Through her marriages, she became the English, Danish, and Norwegian queen, and was the mother of Gunhilda of Denmark, Harthacnut, Alfred Aetheling, Goda of England, and Edward the Confessor. Emma married King Aethelred of England in 1002 in an attempt to pacify Normandy, and her brother, Richard II, hoped to improve relations with England after a recent conflict and a failed kidnapping attempt against him by Aethelred.

In the late 10th century, Viking raids on England were often based in Normandy, so through this marriage, Aethelred intended to unite against the Viking threat. Emma was given the Anglo-Saxon name of Aelfgifu, and had two sons with Aethelred (Edward and Alfred) and one daughter (Goda, also known as Godgifu).

What Valhalla Gets Right About Emma Of Normandy

Vikings: Valhalla Wasn't Entirely Historically Accurate

Just like in Valhalla, Emma kept her position as queen of England through her marriage to Canute.

In Vikings: Valhalla, Emma of Normandy is introduced as the queen of England through her marriage to King Aethelred, who is agonizing. Following Aethelred’s death, his son from his first marriage, Edmund, takes over the throne, with Emma keeping her role as queen. As mentioned above, in real life Emma was the queen of England thanks to her marriage to Aethelred, and Edmund was crowned King following Aethelred’s death.

Just like in Vikings: Valhalla, Emma kept her position as queen of England through her marriage to Canute, who invaded England. The real Emma and Cnut also had a son, Harthacnut, who succeeded his father in Denmark and later claimed the throne of England after the death of Harefoot, Cnut's second son from his marriage to Aelfgifu of Denmark.

What Valhalla Changes From Emma Of Normandy's True Story

Vikings: Valhalla's Version Of Emma Was Different

Although Vikings: Valhalla is based on historical events and real-life people, the events of the series aren’t entirely historically accurate and many of these were condensed into a short amount of time. King Sweyn Forkbeard, Cnut’s father, invaded and conquered England in 1013, so Emma and her children were sent to Normandy and were ed by Aethelred some time later, but they returned to England after Forkbeard’s death in 1014.

In Vikings: Valhalla, Aethelred was already dead when Forkbeard arrived to take over Canute’s role as king while his son ed a Danish battle. When the real Cnut took over England, he made an agreement with Edmund to divide the kingdom, with Edmund taking Wessex and Cnut the rest, and he would take the throne after Edmund’s death, which conveniently happened shortly after. In the series, there wasn’t an agreement like that, and Edmund was killed by Earl Godwin (David Oakes).

In real life, historians believe that Emma’s marriage saved her son’s lives.

Only two of Emma’s children with Aethelred appear in Vikings: Valhalla (Alfred and Edward), and Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) kidnapped them to manipulate and torture Emma. In real life, historians believe that Emma’s marriage saved her son’s lives, as it was Cnut the one who tried to get rid of rival claimants but spared their lives after marrying Emma. The real Emma also had a daughter with Cnut, named Gunhilda, but she wasn't included in Vikings: Valhalla.

How Emma Of Normandy Is Connected To Vikings' Rollo

Rollo's Legacy Was Felt Throughout Vikings: Valhalla

Rollo was a Viking who went on to become the first ruler of Normandy.

Emma of Normandy is one of the characters in Vikings: Valhalla who is directly connected to one of the main characters in Vikings: Rollo. In Vikings, Rollo was Ragnar’s brother, but in real life, not only is it still debated that Ragnar existed, but there’s no link between him and Rollo, who was a real person. Rollo was a Viking who went on to become the first ruler of Normandy, and through his marriage to Poppa of Bayeux, he had a son, William I Longsword. In the Viking fashion, William married Sprota and had a son, Richard I, who later married Gunnor and had two children: Richard II and Emma.

What Happens To Emma Of Normandy After Vikings: Valhalla

Vikings: Valhalla Left Emma's Story Somewhat Open

Emma fled to Bruges due to pressure from ers of Harefoot.

Following her marriage to Cnut, Emma’s sons were sent to Normandy to live under the tutelage of her brother, and through her marriage, she also became queen of Denmark and Norway. Years later, Alfred and Edward returned from Normandy to visit their mother and were supposed to be protected by Harthacnut. However, Alfred was kidnapped and blinded by holding a hot iron to his eyes and died of his wounds shortly after. Edward escaped and returned to Normandy, only to return to England once his place on the throne had been secured.

Following Cnut's death in 1035, Harthacnut took the throne of Denmark, while in England, Emma fled to Bruges due to pressure from ers of Harefoot, regent in England from 1035 to 1037, who took the throne in 1037 and reigned until his death in 1040. Harthacnut claimed the throne of England in 1040, bringing together the crowns of Denmark and England as his father did until his death in 1042. Following his death, Harthacnut was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor (Emma’s son) in England.

Emma of Normandy died in 1052, but the circumstances around her death are unknown. Vikings: Valhalla added to Emma's story to fit its narrative, though both the real Emma and the version of the show were strong and intelligent women who were key in the history of England.