Vikings: Valhalla–A spin-off/sequel to the popular History Channel series, Vikings— has so far avoided the Lothbrok family tree to focus on new, interesting characters. Chief among them is Leif Erikson, a navigator eager to step out of his father’s shadow and prove himself a great warrior.
Over the course of the 8-episode first season, fans learn a little bit about the character, some of which is fictional for dramatization purposes.However, there is some additional historical information about Leif available at The legend of the greenlandersand many other old sources.
While many believe that Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot on North American soil, some historians believe it was Leif Erikson. It is said that Leif entered America 500 years before Columbus. He named the land Vinland because of the vineyards, but the name never stuck.However, this would go against the original ending Vikingssome believe that Floki (and then Ubbe) was the first to reach the shores of North America.
So far, there are many similarities between Leif and Ragnar. Both enjoyed sailing and fighting. But it’s only when he actually discovers new lands the way Ragnar discovered Wessex that fans will truly see him as an equal.Even though Leif never colonized the land in real life, some liberties could be taken to get him into more conflicts in North America, adding some of the best Vikings fight.
Leif’s father is the true founder of Greenland
Leif’s father, Eric the Red, Vikings An outlaw, he manipulated his way into becoming King of Kattegat. But in historical accounts, it was he who discovered Greenland, not Ubbe and the Icelandic settlers depicted in the original series.
Since Ubbe is the more important character in the show, he should be credited with making one of the most important discoveries. Vikings The location Greenland makes more sense than Eric, who only appears in later stages. Ubbe also needed to achieve greater things like his brothers Ivar and Bjorn, who both served as rulers of Kattegat.
his two sons
Leif has only two known sons. The first was Thorgils, who was born to the noble women Thorgunna and Thorkell, whose mother is unknown.
In the first season, Leif didn’t have any children yet because he was too busy focusing on his conflict with the Anglo-Saxons, but since the original series heavily emphasized the importance of relationships and family, it’s a real possibility. Leif’s sons could follow a similar path to Ragnar’s sons and go on to become rulers.
he is a missionary
In 999 AD, Leif was sent to Norway by his father as one of King Olaf Tryggvason’s enforcers. Since Tryggvarson was a staunch Christian, Leif also converted to Christianity and became a missionary. Leif later convinced many settlers in Greenland, including his mother.
Northerners disapproved of Christianity, but Leif’s conversion wasn’t a shock since characters like Ubbe and Hvitserk had done just that. Leif remained steadfast in his Norse beliefs in season 1, and currently, that seems unlikely to change since Olaf killed the woman Leif loved, Liv. His desire for revenge is now stronger than his desire to work for Olaf.
He gave up the expedition after becoming Greenland chief
According to reports, Leif retired as a navigator shortly after succeeding his father Eric the Red as chieftain of Greenland. His son Thorkel later ascended the throne.
As was the case in Ragnar’s time, the Vikings were always looking for better settlements further away from Kattegat. Greenland turned out to be a perfect place because there was no backlash compared to Wessex. Given how peaceful it is here, it makes sense that Leif sees no need to continue exploring new lands.
Vinland could be Canada
The exact location of Vinland has long been debated by historians. It wasn’t until 1960 that archaeologists discovered a Viking settlement in Newfoundland. The site is now known as L’Anse aux Meadows.
One of the main reasons why the name Vinland didn’t stick was that the Vikings couldn’t fully control it. Just as the Anglo-Saxons were already present in Wessex, so were the Indians already present in Vinland. Several other explorers also reached the land and attempted to rename it, leaving behind a major geographical mystery.
He was endorsed by former U.S. President
Speaking to an audience of 100,000 people during the 1925 Minnesota State Fair, third president Calvin Coolidge acknowledged that Leif was indeed the first European to set foot on American soil. However, not everyone agrees with him.
Most other U.S. presidents have not touched on the topic of Leif Erickson, so his pioneering status has been debated by Columbus fanatics. Since Columbus is more famous than Leif, he will likely continue to be credited with discovering North America for centuries to come.
His sister is evil
Leif’s sister Freydis is portrayed as a bad guy in the show, but not exactly a villain. In real life, she is seen as a less than heroic figure, manipulating her husband Torvald into killing men she disliked and massacring innocent women in settlements.
The real life Freddys seems to be more similar to the Freddys from the original series and there is no doubt that Freddys is the best Vikings A character introduced after Ragnar’s death. Like the historical Freydis, Ivar’s wife has no qualms about manipulating him, even giving him the false impression that he is a god. She was happy to see innocent people being killed too. Most importantly, she betrayed him.
His exact age is a mystery
Leif was reportedly born between 970 and 980 AD. There is no mention of his death in Viking sagas, but he is reported to have been last alive in 1019.
Leif’s age isn’t the only one shrouded in mystery. Ragnar’s exact age has also never been revealed, and the fact that his appearance remains largely unchanged in the show doesn’t help. Accurate recording of birth dates was not a reality until recent centuries, so the lack of birthday information in the Viking Age is understandable.
He was raised by a slave
Since Erik was busy most of the time, a slave named Tyrker took on most of the work of raising Leif. As a result, Leif admitted that he was his adoptive father.
It is also common in the original novels for great rulers to be bad or absent fathers. Ragnar disappeared unapologetically for ten years while King Ecbert slept with his son’s wife. Bjorn never seemed to know how his children were doing, and showed no remorse after their deaths.