Vikings (2013 — 2020)

Based on the legends of Ragnar Lodbrok, a renowned Viking leader feared for his ruthless raids on Anglo-Saxon England and West Francia, Vikings (2013–2020) portrays his rise from a simple farmer in Kattegat to a Scandinavian king. With the help of his family and fellow warriors, Ragnar’s fame only grows as he continues to pillage England. As the show progresses, it also delves into the stories of his sons and their own daring exploits across Europe, Asia, and North America.

It broadly follows the exploits of the legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his crew, family and descendants as described in the 13th-century sagas Ragnars saga Loðbrókar and Ragnarssona þáttr, as well as Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum from the 12th century. These Norse sagas were partially fictional accounts based on oral tradition, written several centuries after the actual events. In addition to this source material, historical records from the period are also used for inspiration, such as Ahmad ibn Fadlan’s 10th-century chronicle of the Varangians or the Viking raid on Lindisfarne, which is depicted in the second episode. The series is set at the beginning of the Viking Age, with the notorious Lindisfarne raid of 793 serving as a notable starting point.