Is Vikings: Valhalla based on a true story?

When it comes to historical fiction, there are often elements that are based on fact. What about Vikings: Valhalla? Is any of this a true story?

Historical fiction is just that. It’s fictional stories that are set in the past. In some cases, that means including real events and historical people into the story. Look at Outlander, which has included the Battle of Culloden and the Revolutionary War, or Bridgerton, which has included the likes of King George III and Queen Charlotte.

Even Vikings had some elements of real history. Ragnar Lothbrok was a real person, and so were his sons. A man named Floki found Iceland, and that was written into the story. Michael Hirst wrote Vikings, and he has also written the spin-off Vikings: Valhalla. Does that mean this spin-off is also based on fact?

There are true events woven into Vikings: Valhalla

The series itself is still historical fiction. A lot of what happens is fictionalized for drama. It also doesn’t help that the Vikings didn’t write things down. We can turn to The Last Kingdom to see this as well. King Alfred was the one who started taking notes, and yes, the real King Alfred did.

Vikings: Valhalla does involve some real history, but a lot of historical events back then are open to interpretation due to the way nothing was written down. What is known is the basics.

However, there are things like Leif Erikson finding Greenland being twisted a little. Leif’s father was the one to find Greenland. He was known as Erik the Red, and he gave Greenland its name because of the way it looked at the time of finding it. His son did go on to explore the west, and Leif is credited as being the first Viking to find Canada—known as Turtle Island at the time.

Leif found a place called “Vinland,” which is now Newfoundland. It’ll be interesting to see if Vikings: Valhalla adds that in considering the trailer for Season 3 shows that Leif wants to sail west. It certainly suggests that’s where he’ll land at the very end. I would love to see him come across the Indigenous tribes.

Many of the characters are heavily fictionalized versions of people from history. Timing for some of the characters have also been changed compared to when they would have been around in real history. This is for drama sake rather than anything else.

So yes, there are some true events in Vikings: Valhalla, but it shouldn’t be taken as pure fact. This is historical fiction at its heart.