Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) had many memorable moments inVikings, but his most impressive one is even better thanks to its historical accuracy.Historical TV dramashave found great success on TV, and among the most popular ones isVikings. Created by Michael Hirst,Vikingspremiered on the History Channel in 2013, and it moved to Amazon Prime Video for the second part of its sixth and final season. AlthoughVikingssaw a decline in its quality and reception after a key event in season 4, it still ended on a high note.
Based on various Viking sagas, legends, and historical events,Vikingsfollowed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok and those closest to him, such as his wife and shield-maiden Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), his brother Rollo (Clive Standen), his best friend and trusty boat builder Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård), and more.Ragnar died inVikingsseason 4, leaving the spot of main character to his sons, mostly Björn (Alexander Ludwig) and Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen), but Ragnar’s legacy was felt, and his best moment is even more impressive due to its historical accuracy, but with a twist.
Ragnar’s Attack On Paris Was His Best Moment In Vikings
Ragnar’s Tactics To Infiltrate Paris Established Him As One Of The Best
Vikingscovered many of Ragnar’s sieges and attacks on different places and communities, some of them key to his story and legacy. Some of his most notable attacks were the Lindisfarne raid, where he took Athelstan (George Blagden) as prisoner, who later became his closest friend, and the Paris siege that took place inVikingsseason 3. The siege of Paris saw Ragnar and his people against the army of West Francia, but during the first assault, Ragnar fell from a tower and was severely injured, and so they had to rethink their plan.
Ragnar met with Count Odo to negotiate, but refused the gold and silver offered by Odo and made it clear to him that he was dying.Ragnar demanded to be baptizedunder the explanation of wanting to reunite with Athelstan in the afterlife, and the Franks agreed to do it. When Ragnar died, Björn told the Franks that his father’s final wish was a Christian burial and to be buried within the walls of the city, which they agreed to. Ragnar’s coffin was carried by six unarmed men, butas the bishop began to bless the coffin, Ragnar jumped out of it.
Ragnar’s “death” was his way of entering Paris, and he killed the bishop and took Princess Gisla as a hostage, while the rest took the weapons hidden in the coffin to lead the raid. Ragnar also forced the guards to open the gates of the city, thus allowing the Vikings to sack Paris.This moment proved why Ragnar was a great leader(though not a perfect one, of course) and a Viking to fear, and to make it even better, this moment was historically accurate, but with a huge difference.
Vikings’ Ragnar Tactic In Paris Did Happen, But With A Twist
It Happened, But It Wasn’t Ragnar
Ragnar’s plan of faking his death to infiltrate Paris and begin the siege is historically accurate, though with a couple of changes. First off,it wasn’t Ragnar who did so – it was Hastein, a Viking chieftain who jointly led an expedition with Björn Ironside during 859-862 to raid countries in the Mediterranean. Hastein and Björn made it to the city of Luna, which they believed was Rome, andHastein made his men carry him to the gate and tell the guards he was dyingand wanted to be converted to Christianity before he died (viaThe Penguin Historical Atlas of the Viking).
When Hastein was taken to the church, he jumped from his stretcher after receiving the sacraments and led his men to raid the town.A different version says he faked his death the day after being converted to Christianityand jumped out of his coffin, decapitated the priest, and raided the city, which is more similar to whatVikingsdid with Ragnar. Hastein wasn’t included inVikings, so his story was given to Ragnar, with a change of setting to fit the show’s narrative.
Did Vikings’ Ragnar Lothbrok Actually Exist?
Ragnar Lothbrok Is More A Legend Than A Historical Fact
Vikingshas been endlessly criticized for its historical inaccuraciesand changes to the sagas and more, and one of its biggest inaccuracies is Ragnar Lothbrok. Historians have been divided over whether Ragnar Lodbrok existed or not, andmost agree that the figure of Ragnar Lodbrok is a combination of different historical figures, such as the Danish King Horik I and King Reginfrid. The sagas telling the story and the journeys of Ragnar Lodbrok are considered legends rather than facts, which is whyVikingsgave the stories of others to its version of Ragnar.
