The TV show Vikings was first screened in 2013, with its sixth and reportedly final series broadcast during 2019 and 2020. The historical drama, which follows the adventures of Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok, has become one of the History Channel’s most successful series, and a spin-off show, Vikings: Valhalla, is already being developed by Netflix.
Written by Michael Hirst, an award-winning screenwriter who is known for his historical productions, Vikings has earned something of a reputation as a bloodthirsty and violent TV show. While real Vikings were involved in more than their fair share of fights, it does seem that Hirst has taken a few artistic liberties with the accuracy of his show to ensure that it appeals to 21st-century audiences.
20 The Vikings Didn't Call Themselves Vikings
This is a rather glaring inaccuracy, given that the name of the show is Vikings. After all, while the Vikings themselves were very real, neither they or any of the people they conquered called them “Vikings.” The first recorded use of the name wasn’t until the 11th century, long after they had ceased to be a dominant force in Europe.
19 Dates Don't Match The Life Of The Real Ragnar
While there is no evidence that Ragnar Lothbrok was a real person, the character is based upon a very real Norse legend, which tells of his adventures and conquests. While Hirst may have taken inspiration from the legend, there are lots of inaccuracies when it comes to dates, which don’t match events in the sagas which told the story of his life.
18 Rollo Wasn't Ragnar's Brother
In the TV series, Ragnar is played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, alongside British star Clive Standen who portrays Rollo. According to Hirst’s script, Ragnar and Rollo are brothers, but there is no mention of this in Ragnar’s saga. Rollo was a real person, the first ruler of Normandy, so this family connection is completely inaccurate.
17 The Real Ragnar Came From Sweden
According to the show, Ragnar and his clan are from Kattegat, a village in Norway, and the background scenery does look very much like the Norwegian fjords, even though it was filmed in Ireland. While many “Vikings” did come from this part of Scandinavia, Ragnar Lothbrok was from Sweden, according to Norse legend.
16 Real Vikings Wore Helmets In Battle
The bloodthirsty battle scenes in Vikings are one of the main reasons why the program has proven to be so popular with viewers, but even these are littered with inaccuracies. Most significantly, none of the actors seem to be wearing helmets, even though real Scandinavian warriors would have ensured that their heads were protected.
15 Wessex Soldiers Wearing 16th Century Helmets
No helmets is a pretty major historical inaccuracy, but the makers of Vikings managed to go one step further, by having the soldiers of Wessex wearing a style of helmet that wouldn’t be invented until the 16th century, and even then which were mainly used by Italian soldiers. That’s a pretty bad miss by the costume department!
14 Female Warriors Were A Myth
One of the most popular characters on Vikings is Lagertha, a female warrior who is more than a match for the men she fights against and alongside. While women enjoyed relative freedoms during this period, few went as far as becoming warriors, and the idea of female fighters was more a myth than a reality.
13 21st Century Tattoos
There is little evidence that Vikings had tattoos, even though Ragnar and his fellow characters all seem to be liberally inked. Even if they did color their skin, the chances are that such decoration would be temporary, and there certainly wouldn’t be any of the neatly-created, so-called “tribal” tattoos that you see on Vikings.
12 The Use Of The Name "England"
Throughout Vikings, the characters use the name “England” when they are referring to the British Isles. Not only is that geographically incorrect, as Vikings invaded Scotland and even Wales, but at the time that the TV show is set, England itself did not exist, only becoming one country in the 10th century.
11 Alfred The Great Actually Had Four Brothers
Alfred the Great, who was King of Wessex and later King of the Anglo-Saxons, ruled between 871 and 899. In the TV series, Alfred only has one brother, Aethelred, whereas in real life the king had a further three male siblings, including Aethelbald and Aethleberht, who also served as King of Wessex.
10 Alfred Only Came To The Throne After Aethelred Passed
While Vikings has Aethelred very much alive when Alfred is on the throne, the fact is that Alfred only became king once all of his older brothers had died. Aethelred himself served as King of Wessex between 865 and his death in 871, at which time his younger brother Alfred became king.
9 Chieftains Were Not Allowed So Much Power
The jarls or chieftains in Vikings are often depicted as tyrants, who wield power over everyone in their clan. In reality, the ruthless jarls who we see in the TV series would not have been tolerated by the rest of their tribe, and would likely have been deposed – or worse – when they got too big for their boots.
8 Christians Appear To Be More Violent Than The Vikings
While there is plenty of violence in Vikings, from battle scenes to terrible forms of torture, it does seem as though the Christian soldiers give as good as they get, both when fighting off the Viking invaders and when dealing with their people. The truth was that the Vikings found it relatively easy to conquer large parts of the British Isles.
7 Crucifixion Used As A Christian Punishment
Perhaps the most bloodthirsty historical inaccuracy in Vikings is the scene in which Athelstan is crucified by the Christian church for being an apostate or unbeliever. There are no records of Christians ever using crucifixion as punishment, and many would have believed it to be sacred, and reserved only for Christ.
6 Vikings Didn't Fight Pitched Battles
The battle scenes in Vikings are certainly eye-catching, especially when the two armies race across open ground and clash with each other on an open field of battle. Shame that the real Vikings didn’t fight that way, but preferred to abuse ambushes or create a defensive shield wall to protect themselves from attack.
5 Cuthbert Passed Away Of Natural Causes
In Season 1 of Vikings, Rollo attacks the island of Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island because of its monastery, and kills Father Cuthbert, an elderly monk. Cuthbert was a real monk who did live on Lindisfarne for a time, but he died of old age in 687, long before any Vikings mounted an attack on Holy Island.
4 No Fortifications At Viking Villages
The Vikings who invaded the British Isles soon settled down and built villages for their wives and children to live in. However, these villages would have been heavily fortified, as the Norse raiders would have wanted to protect their family from Anglo-Saxon soldiers. The Viking settlements in the TV show have no such fortifications.
3 Ansgar Was Actually A Successful Missionary
Like Cuthbert, Ansgar was also a real religious figure who met an inaccurate demise at the hands of the Vikings writers. In Season 3, Ansgar was sent as a missionary to Kattegat but was killed when he failed to prove the power of his God. Saint Ansgar was a very successful missionary, who spent his life preaching in Scandinavia and northern Europe.
2 Modern Styles Of Clothing
Even the clothes that many of the characters wear are historically inaccurate, with men dressed in modern leather trousers, instead of the woolen items they would have been more likely to wear. The use of modern fabrics in costume design is unsurprising, but the program’s makers should have worked harder on finding a more authentic style.
1 Viking Men With Shaved Heads
Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lothbrok certainly has an eye-catching sense of style, with his shaved head and tattooed scalp. Unfortunately, there is little evidence to suggest that Vikings ever shaved their heads; they would have been far more likely to grow their hair long to keep them warm during the cold Scandinavian winters.