Vikings - History Channel Series

[Coito ergo sum]

Ragnar Lothbrok just mercilessly sacked a monastery last night.

I like the series so far, but I think they are inaccurate in their history relative to Ragnar Lothbrok, who is the main character of the series. He's portrayed as being the pioneer of westward travel and discovering Britain, but Ragnar did most of his raiding in France and that occurred in the mid800s. Lindisfarne was raided in 793, and there were Danes/Norwegians making their first appearances in Britain in the 780s. And, of course, they would have known, historically, of the Anglo-Saxon migrations previously -- I don't think the existence of Britain was a mystery to the northmen. It was just hard to get to, be"cause their ships were not great for sailing open seas.

And, they have Ragnar's brother named "Rollo," but Rollo was Gange-Rolv - or Robert I, in the 10th century (grandfather of William the Conqueror). I don't know why they have to name Ragnar's brother Rollo. And, he wouldn't have been called "Rollo" - that's a Latinization -- in Norway he would have been called Rolv or something like that.

Last night, they capture a monk from the monestary they raid - which I take to be Lindisfarne (which was raided in 793 - I think too early for Ragnar, who would either not have been born yet, or would only be a child). The monk's name is Athelstan -- I don't know why they choose that name, which is thename of a late 9th, early 10th century King of England.

I get that they have to take some license in doing a historical drama about events that happened in a largely illiterate age. But, the history is already awesome - what we know if it -- and they could have limited their license to the historical gaps.

[Clinton Huxley]

No aliens yet?

[Coito ergo sum]

[FBM]

Leave the monks alone, goddammit! All they do is chant, copy manuscripts and masturbate all day!

[Svartalf]

Ragnar Lodbrok is a legendary character, whose roots in identified historical figures (like the Ragnall who was a pirate and besieged Paris in 845) may be little more valid than folk etymologies...

So anything being actually historically correct while dealing with him would be pure chance.

[Animavore]

Watched the first couple of episodes. It's alright but it's no Game of Thrones.

[Coito ergo sum]

Ragnar Lodbrok is a legendary character, whose roots in identified historical figures (like the Ragnall who was a pirate and besieged Paris in 845) may be little more valid than folk etymologies...

So anything being actually historically correct while dealing with him would be pure chance.

True but not fully true. There was much in the way folklore that grew up around him, but it's pretty clear that he was an actual person and did not participate in the raid in Lindisfarne and the years in which he was supposed to live would be after the first Viking visits and raids to Britain. So, the whole thing about him acquiring this sun dial thing and being the first to dare to sail west is for sure wrong.

I don't see why they had to use his name. Why not go with a completely fictional character leading the Lindisfarne raid? And, why would the guy who led the Lindisfarne raid have to be the guy who wants to pioneer west while everyone else thinks he's crazy for thinking there is land West.

The Norse already had been to Orkney in the mid-8th century or earlier and the first Viking raids on Britain were in the 780s. It's not possible that whoever led the Lindisfarne raid was some sort of westward pioneer, and it's not possible that Ragnar Lothbrok led the raid. And, add to that the chief monk at the monastery that they raided was named "Cuthbert," which of course was a real person and he was the head of the Bishopric of Lindisfarne, but he died over 100 years before the raid. The Bishop at the time of the famous viking raid on Lindisfarne was Higbald and he survived the raid.

[Animavore]

Needs moar dragons.

[Coito ergo sum]

Needs moar dragons.

I would like to see them portray the Norse gods as real, and do some cool stuff with the stories from the Eddas.

[Animavore]

Needs moar dragons.

I would like to see them portray the Norse gods as real, and do some cool stuff with the stories from the Eddas.

Yup. They should just go all out. History be damned!

[SteveB]

Don't be a troll, dude.

[Animavore]

It would be more fun if it had trolls in it, 'tis true.

[Coito ergo sum]

Don't be a troll, dude.

[Coito ergo sum]

Needs moar dragons.

I would like to see them portray the Norse gods as real, and do some cool stuff with the stories from the Eddas.

Yup. They should just go all out. History be damned!

I agree. If they're just going to not worry about what we have a good idea about, then screw it - make it totally fanciful.

It just bugs me when there is so much interesting history out there, and stories made ready to order, they still have to change it all around.

[Svartalf]

Ragnar Lodbrok is a legendary character, whose roots in identified historical figures (like the Ragnall who was a pirate and besieged Paris in 845) may be little more valid than folk etymologies...

So anything being actually historically correct while dealing with him would be pure chance.

True but not fully true. There was much in the way folklore that grew up around him, but it's pretty clear that he was an actual person and did not participate in the raid in Lindisfarne and the years in which he was supposed to live would be after the first Viking visits and raids to Britain. So, the whole thing about him acquiring this sun dial thing and being the first to dare to sail west is for sure wrong.

I don't see why they had to use his name. Why not go with a completely fictional character leading the Lindisfarne raid? And, why would the guy who led the Lindisfarne raid have to be the guy who wants to pioneer west while everyone else thinks he's crazy for thinking there is land West.

The Norse already had been to Orkney in the mid-8th century or earlier and the first Viking raids on Britain were in the 780s. It's not possible that whoever led the Lindisfarne raid was some sort of westward pioneer, and it's not possible that Ragnar Lothbrok led the raid. And, add to that the chief monk at the monastery that they raided was named "Cuthbert," which of course was a real person and he was the head of the Bishopric of Lindisfarne, but he died over 100 years before the raid. The Bishop at the time of the famous viking raid on Lindisfarne was Higbald and he survived the raid.

Actually, there's pretty good evidence that the folklore combines biographical elements from several persons, not to mention the bits that never were and just grew in the telling. He's the character from a legendary Saga, just like Beowulf or Hervör... I'll believe more in the historicity of king Hrolf Kraki (whose sword appears in actual historical sagas) than in that of Ragnarr Hairybreeks.