Summary

• Vikings: Valhalla begins in 1022, but placing the rest of the show in the timeline is tricky.
• Most of Vikings: Valhalla's characters were real people, but their stories were changed.
• Harald became King of Norway and Leif discovered North America, but the series didn't get to cover these stories (and more).

Vikings, and as such, it covers a variety of events from the Viking Age and follows some notable characters from that time, though that doesn’t mean the series was entirely historically accurate. Vikings: Valhalla is set over 100 years after the events of Vikings season 6, but even though it no longer follows the stories of the main series’ characters, their legacy and influence is still evident. Vikings: Valhalla follows Leif Erikson (Sam Corlett), his sister Freydis (Frida Gustavsson), Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter), King Canute of Denmark (Bradley Freegard), and Emma of Normandy (Laura Berlin).

With the conflict between pagans and Christians as the backdrop, Vikings: Valhalla begins in 1022, with the depiction of the St. Brice’s Day massacre, though the series takes off a year later, as Canute gathers various Viking warriors to avenge those killed in the massacre. From then on, however, it’s hard to place the events of Vikings: Valhalla in the timeline, as the show made many changes to the characters and their real-life stories, and some of them never even met (as is the case for Leif and Harald) – still, it covered some notable events and featured important historical figures throughout its three seasons.

Vikings: Valhalla's Characters Based On Real People (& Those Who Weren't)

Not All Of Vikings: Valhalla's Characters Existed

Most of the characters in Vikings: Valhalla are based on real-life people, though with changes to their stories. Leif and Freydis were the children of Erik the Red (played in season 3 by Goran Višnjić), and Leif was the first European to set foot on continental North America, many, many years before Christopher Columbus. Harald, who would go on to be known as Harald Hardrada, was King of Norway from 1046 to 1066 and unsuccessfully claimed both the Danish throne in 1064 and the English throne in 1066.

Emma of Normandy was the English, Danish, and Norwegian Queen thanks to her marriages to King Aethelred and Cnut the Great.

Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) was the half-brother of Harald and the King of Norway from 1015 to 1028, and he was canonized in 1031 thanks to his popularity, church work, and the legend surrounding his death, as it was supposedly accompanied by miracles (via Britannica). Emma of Normandy was the English, Danish, and Norwegian Queen thanks to her marriages to King Aethelred and Cnut the Great, the latter King of England from 1016, King of Demark from 1018, and King of Norway from 1028 until his death in 1035.

Queen Aelfgifu of Denmark (Pollyanna McIntosh) was Cnut’s first wife and regent of Norway from 1030 to 1035. Prince Edmund Ironside (Louis Davison) was the son of King Aethelred and his first wife, Aelfgifu of York, and was King of England in 1016. Godwin of Wessex (David Oakes) was one of the most powerful earls in England under Cnut’s reign and his successors, and his son, Harold II, was King of England in 1066. Cnut’s sons Svein, Harefoot, and Harthacnut, along with Emma’s sons Alfred and Edward were also real, but only Harefoot, Harthacnut, and Edward became Kings of England.

King Sweyn Forkbeard was the father of Cnut, and was king of Denmark from 986 until his death, King of England for five weeks from December 1013 until his death, and King of Norway from 999/1000 until 1013/1014. Gytha was the wife of Godwin and the sister of the Danish Earl Ulf Thorgilsson, who was married to Cnut’s sister. Lord Hárekr was also real, but he was unrelated to Jomsborg, instead being a Norwegian farmer and local chieftain whose army defeated Olaf Haraldsson in 1030. Mariam was a maker of astrolabes in Aleppo, but her story in Vikings: Valhalla is fictional.

Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kiev and Prince of Novgorod before that, was Harald’s father-in-law, though in Vikings: Valhalla he was portrayed as his uncle.

Magnus Olafsson, Olaf’s son, co-ruled Norway with Harald until his death less than a year later, and he was also King of Denmark. Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kiev and Prince of Novgorod before that, was Harald’s father-in-law, though in Vikings: Valhalla he was portrayed as his uncle. Constantinople’s Emperor Romanos III, Empress Zoe, and George Maniakes were also real, but their stories were completely different from what Vikings: Valhalla showed. Out of the minor characters in Vikings: Valhalla, Stigr and Harald Jr. stand out as fictional characters.

The St. Brice's Day Massacre

The Massacre Was Ordered By King Aethelred

The St. Brice’s Day massacre took place on November 13, 1002, and it was the killing of Danes as ordered by King Aethelred the Unready in response to all the Danish raids they went through. Though there’s no evidence of how many people died during the St. Brice's Day massacre, historians believe there was a significant number of deaths, among those Gunhilde (sister of Sweyn Forkbeard), her husband Pallig Tokesen, and the Danish Ealdorman of Devonshire.

During an excavation at St. John’s College, Oxford, in 2008, the skeletons of 34 to 38 young men (aged 16 to 25) were found, and analysis of the bodies showed the remains are Viking, and the charring on the bones fits the historical records of the burning of St. Frideswide’s Church. The St. Brice's Day massacre is the event that kicks off Vikings: Valhalla, and Harald's brother was killed in it.

The Fall Of London Bridge

The London Bridge Has Been Destroyed Many Times

A skaldic tradition tells the bridge was destroyed in 1014 by Olaf II Haraldsson.

The London Bridge has gone through many destructions and rebuilds throughout its history, and it may have been rebuilt either by Alfred the Great or under the reign of Aethelred the Unready around 990. A skaldic tradition tells the bridge was destroyed in 1014 by Olaf II Haraldsson, who was an ally of Aethelred, to divide the Danish forces who held both the walled City of London and Southwark.

However, the accuracy of this is still debated by historians, with some explaining that, as the Viking attack on the London Bridge isn’t mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it's doubtful it even happened, while others insist it happened thanks to the events described in Snorri’s Heimskringla, which can be corroborated by other sources. In Vikings: Valhalla, the fall of London Bridge was possible thanks to Leif's plan, and thanks to it, Canute became King of England.

The Fall of Kattegat

Kattegat Is Nothing Like In Vikings & Vikings: Valhalla

A key event in Vikings: Valhalla is the fall of Kattegat, which takes place at the end of season 1 and the beginning of season 2. Kattegat was attacked by Olaf, but to his surprise, just as he thought he had won, Forkbeard arrived with his fleet. What followed was Olaf’s imprisonment, but to prevent his execution, he made a deal with Forkbeard: Olaf would advise Canute’s eldest son, Svein, on his ruling as King of Norway with his mother, Queen Aelfgifu, as regent, in exchange for his son’s, Magnus, freedom.

Svein and Aelfgifu reigned Kattegat for seven years, until Magnus, now older, killed them to claim the throne of Norway. In real life, Svein and Magnus’ reigns happened differently and in a different location, as Kattegat is actually a sea area bounded by the Jutlandic peninsula in the west, the Danish straits islands of Denmark, the Baltic Sea, and the Swedish provinces of Bohuslän, Västergötland, Halland and Skåne.

Harald's Journey To Constantinople

Harald Hardrada Fought With His Varangian Army

Harald traveled to Constantinople and quickly rose to become the commander of the Byzantine Varangian Guard.

In Vikings: Valhalla season 2, Harald and Leif traveled to Constantinople so the former could get the funds he needed to form his army and claim the throne of Norway. Vikings: Valhalla season 3 revealed Harald stayed there for seven years, fighting for Emperor Romanos, and after being framed for the Emperor’s murder by Maniakes, imprisoned, and sentenced to death, he escaped and formed his army. In real life, Harald didn’t travel with Leif to Constantinople (because, again, they never met), but he did go there.

Harald traveled to Constantinople after being the captain of the army of Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise, and in Constantinople, he quickly rose to become the commander of the Byzantine Varangian Guard. Harald fought alongside Maniakes and his army in his mission to take back control of Sicily, but there’s no evidence of enmity between them.

Olaf Haraldsson’s Death

Olaf Haraldsson Died In 1030

In Vikings: Valhalla season 2, Olaf arrived in Jomsborg to kill Freydis, but she lured his warriors into a trap, burning them alive. Enraged, Olaf fought Freydis, who impaled him with a spear in front of Svein. Freydis spared Svein and took him back to Kattegat, where she made a peace agreement with Queen Aelfgifu.

The death of the real Olaf Haraldsson was less dramatic, as he died in the Battle of Stiklestad, where he received three severe wounds: the knee, the neck, and a mortal spear thrust up under his mail shirt and into his belly. His beatification began a year later, and he became known as Saint Olaf.

The Destruction Of Jomsborg By Magnus Olafsson

Jomsborg Was A Real Place

Jomsborg survived Olaf’s attack in Vikings: Valhalla season 2, but not in season 3. Freydis became the leader of Jomsborg and the Jomsvikings, who thrived thanks to her empathy and comion, but Magnus hid poisonous mushrooms in the flour they got from Kattegat. Many Jomsvikings were poisoned and killed, prompting Freydis and the surviving Jomsvikings to leave Jomsborg and relocate to Greenland.

Jomsborg was a semi-legendary Viking stronghold located on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Jomsborg is said to have been a fortress with a harbor, overseen by a stone tower mounted with catapults, built on an arch spanning over the harbor entrance which could be closed by an iron gate. According to the Heimskringla, Magnus destroyed Jomsborg in 1043, burning it down and killing many of its inhabitants.

King Canute’s Death & Successor

Canute Didn't Choose Emma As His Successor

It’s unknown how the real Cnut died, but there’s no historical evidence of him getting two funerals.

Vikings: Valhalla season 3 saw Canute’s health slowly deteriorate, leading him to summon his sons, Emma’s son, and their son to Kattegat to decide who would be King of England after his death. Canute decided that Harthacanute would be king of Denmark, Harefoot would be Harthacanute’s regent in Denmark, Edward and Alfred (Emma’s sons with Aethelred) would be sent to Normandy, Svein would continue to rule Norway, and Emma would govern England. Canute died in England with Emma by his side, and he was given the Christian burial of a king of England and a Viking funeral.

It’s unknown how the real Cnut died, but there’s no historical evidence of him getting two funerals. Cnut was succeeded by Harthacnut in Denmark, though Magnus Olafsson took over after a war with Scandinavia. 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.

Hartacnut was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor (Emma’s son) in England.

Harthacnut claimed the throne of England in 1040, bringing together the crowns of Denmark and England until his death in 1042. Hartacnut was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor (Emma’s son) in England. As Edward died without an heir, he was succeeded by Harold Godwinson, Godwin’s second son.

Harald & Magnus Co-Ruling Of Norway

Harald & Magnus Co-Ruled For A Short Period

The real Harald Hardrada and Magnus Olafsson co-ruled Norway, but it was brief as Magnus died less than a year later.

In Vikings: Valhalla, Magnus wasn’t counting on Harald arriving to claim the throne of Norway, so the Jarls decided that both had the right to it and suggested they rule together. Both agreed, but Magnus had a couple of conditions: that Olaf’s shrine was consecrated, that Harald promised Norway would never go back to its old ways, and that he burned “the pagan witch” (Freydis). Leif rescued Freydis during her execution and Magnus confronted Harald about it, but the latter turned the king’s guard against his nephew. Harald imprisoned Magnus and declared himself the only king of Norway.

Magnus died without an heir, but it was decided before his death that Sweyn would inherit Denmark and Harald would get Norway.

The real Harald Hardrada and Magnus Olafsson co-ruled Norway, but it was brief as Magnus died less than a year later. Magnus died without an heir, but it was decided before his death that Sweyn would inherit Denmark and Harald would get Norway. However, Harald not only declared himself King of Norway but also of Denmark, and announced his plans to gather an army and oust Sweyn. Harald and Sweyn eventually reached an unconditional peace agreement in 1064, but Harald’s reign was so brutal that he earned the reputation of “hard ruler” (hence the name “Hardrada”).

Harald was killed during the Battle of Stamford Bridge, considered the event that marked the end of the Viking Age.

Leif Erikson’s Journey To The Golden Land

Leif Erikson Got To The Land He Was Looking For

In the Saga of Erik the Red, Leif was on his way back to Greenland from Norway when he and his crew were blown off course, arriving at an unknown land he called "Vinland".

Vikings: Valhalla took too long to address Leif Erikson’s most important story: his arrival in North America. At the end of Vikings: Valhalla, Leif left Kattegat with Freydis and the ship and crew provided for him by Canute to find the “golden land”, which he had seen many years prior on a trip with his father. Vikings: Valhalla never showed Leif arriving at the “golden land”, but the real Leif Erikson did. In the Saga of Erik the Red, Leif was on his way back to Greenland from Norway when he and his crew were blown off course, arriving at an unknown land he called "Vinland" (coastal North America).

In the Saga of the Greenlanders, he followed the route of an explorer who found Vinland before him 15 years ago and eventually got to it. In both versions, he established the first Norse settlement in Vinland, but he never returned after that first trip. As for Freydis, she also traveled to Vinland at one point, but there are two versions of what happened there: she either betrayed her people and killed them, or she fought the Vinland natives who attacked her and her men.