When Sweyn succeeded to power following the death of his father, he then went on to destroy Christian churches in England when he invaded there. The actor then revealed that the most tragic part of his character’s death was the fact that Athelstan would never meet his child, Alfred. Vikings: 10 Dead Characters Who Deserved More. Even main characters are not safe, as Ragnar Lothbrok himself dies around halfway through, and he is arguably the main character of the entire series! The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. So, at the end of season three Floki murders Athelstan. Olafur: Norseman of Kattegat with a lustful attraction to Siggy. ... For a series that is only six seasons long, Vikings has an incredibly high kill-count when it comes to its characters. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first wife, Ecgwynn. He also focused on converting nearby Swedish communities, again with generally little success. Vikings has seen a lot of characters come and go, most of them meeting their fates in violent ways, and one of the most heartbreaking deaths was that of Athelstan (George Blagden) – but why was he killed off? This battle is also credited with being an important moment in the creation of the idea of English nationalism, with an English identity emerging among the soldiers and subjects of Athelstan. Athelstan’s death really changed the Viking story. Are you disappointed that he is not a real historic figure named in the sagas? This Athelstan also had an edge as he already spoke the Viking dialect, crediting missionary work in the area for this knowledge. While it was not the very first Viking raid on English soil, it is often considered the start of the Viking age in England as it hit the heart of the Northumbrian nation in a sacred space. READ MORE Vikings season 6 trailer: Did the Rus Vikings invade Scandinavia? Headed up by King Athelstan of Wessex, the Anglo Saxon fiefdoms at this time were merely an alliance and not yet united under a single King. The Viking raid on the Lindisfarne monastery is a real historical event from 793. But that does not mean that his story lacks historic meaning. Wigea: Knight under King Aelle tasked with defeating Ragnar on the shores. Thursday night's episode of Vikings, "Born Again," brought even more shocking death and brutality to an already deadly season.. Athelstan… Judith replies that she wants to be a painter and Ecbert says he will find her … Unlike Ragnar and his sons, this Athelstan does not appear in the sagas, so he is a character that has been invented for the show. Athelstan, in alliance with the King of Dublin, defeated the combined Viking and Scottish forces, earning him great respect as a ruler across Europe. As well as appearing in characters' visions and dreams, he … All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Far from being the father of Alfred, Athelstan was actually his grandson, the son of King Edward the Elder and his wife Ecgwynn. Athelstan then turned his attention to York, which had been occupied by the Vikings since it was conquered by Ivar the Boneless in 866, as we see on the show. He bids a cold farewell to an indifferent Judith. Modern historians regard him as the first King of England and one of the greatest Anglo-Saxon kings. Nevertheless, the people of Wessex did not seem keen on Athelstan, and it took him several months to have himself named king of Wessex as well. It helped save the Vikings … The short answer to that question is no. Is Athelstan dead in Vikings? Over the course of three seasons, the two had become very close friends, something Michael Hirst hadn't anticipated as he elaborated on the relationship in a recent interview with Zap2It. Vikings: 3-10-2013 “Wrath of the Northmen” All manner of other mystical and mythical talk is traded among the Vikings. Sadly, Athelstan was killed by Floki in season 3 – but why did Hirst decide to kill off such a beloved character? The Athelstan that we see on Vikings, played by George Blagden, is an English monk at Lindisfarne in Northumbria. But, while the Athelstan that we see in the Vikings series may not be named for or based on a specific personage similar to himself, his character rings true for the historical period. But while Vikings celebrates and offers a realistic vision of the Viking world, its entertainment not a documentary, so you can only expect so much. Floki receives a sign that "blood must be spilled", and kills Athelstan while he is praying. He was also an extremely pious man, translating the Bible into English and supporting the growth and development of monasteries. Athelwulf sets off the rescue Queen Kwenthrith, who is being held captive with her son in Mercia. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate that wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings. https://www.historyhit.com/death-athelstan-first-king-england The first ten episodes of Vikings season 6 contained some huge shocks.Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) was murdered by her dead ex's mentally unstable son during the … This dislike was only intensified after Ragnar allowed himself to be baptized. Vikings (TV Series 2013–2020) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Ultimately, when Athelstan died, Ragnar delivered one of the most powerful moments on the series as he hauled the body of his dead friend to the top of … Some have … He is considered the first king of all England, something Ecbert aspires to be in the show, and one of its most important. Vikings has seen a lot of characters come and go, most of them meeting their fates in violent ways, and one of the most heartbreaking deaths was that of Athelstan (George Blagden) – but why was he killed off? Many things took place in Vikings Season 2 Episode 4 - but, let's be honest, Athelstan's crucifixion was definitely the biggest surprise of the night.. … Vikings has said goodbye to a lot of characters, and one of the most heartbreaking deaths was that of Athelstan. It was great. This causes conflict among Ragnar’s supporters, in particular with Floki, who is very committed to the Viking gods and sees the threat posed by Christianity. Thralls that lived in the household would quickly have become close to the family, working alongside them, as we see Athelstan do on the show. Athelstan succeeded to the throne of Mercia upon the death of his father in 924, with Wessex going to his brother Elfweard. There are stories of free Vikings dying to protect their thralls. Nevertheless, many of the monks were killed, or taken back to Viking territory as slaves. It was a heartbreaking moment for Vikings fans for many reasons: Athelstan was a favorite and so was Floki, and viewers had grown fond of the friendship between Ragnar and Athelstan. But he was able to create the first Christian chapel in Denmark, in Hebedy, in 860. He is taken as a prison by the Vikings when they raided the monastery in 793. Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings initially followed legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his Viking brothers on their many journeys, from the beginning of the Viking era onward. Missionaries were active in Scandinavia from the 8th century, though conversions were few until the 10th century. It was also quite common for Vikings to emancipate their thralls, as we see Ragnar do with Athelstan on the show, demanding loyalty in return, which had to be maintained for at least two generations. One of Vikings’ earliest antagonists, Jarl Borg … Still, showing up after news had broken that he had died made many of the Rus believe he was a ghost come back from the dead. When King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark converted to Christianity, he was opposed by his son Sweyn Forkbeard, who despite being baptized with his father opposed the spread of Christianity. The road to season 6 was not easy, and many characters perished in the way, among those Athelstan, aka "the priest." A one-stop shop for all things video games. Unfortunately, many of them are no longer on the show. This resulted in the St Brice’s Day massacre on Friday 13 November 1002, when King Athelred ordered the execution of all the Danes living in England. Whether someone like Athelstan would have had such a privileged place among the Vikings is questionable, as is the question of whether he would have been able to gain the trust of an English king like Ecbert having spent so long with the Vikings. The afterlife is getting a little too crowded for Vikings fans. But, aside from the name and general piety, and a connection between Athelstan and King Alfred, it is hard to see much of the Athelstan character that we see on Vikings in this English monarch. Trading thralls was an important part of the Viking economy. But also Caps and Leafs), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Kauko: A viking and part of Ragnars expedition crew to England. Jarl Borg. So, the show is inaccurate when it shows the Vikings pressuring Athelstan to believe in the Norse gods. He is taken as a prison by the Vikings when they raided the monastery in 793. Importantly, there he also forms a romantic connection with Judith, the daughter-in-law of King Ecbert, with whom he fathers the child Alfred, who goes on to succeed Ecbert as king. He also teaches the people around him about Christian ideas, and Ragnar becomes particularly interested in them. Ragnar's friend Floki had long distrusted Athelstan, (correctly) believing that he was lying about having given up his Christianity. Next: What To Expect From The Vikings Sequel Show. The series shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons in later seasons, making them the protagonists of the series. He too was a young Anglo-Saxon, Christian monk, as Othere describes his former self to be. In an interview with EW in 2015, George Blagden opened up about Athelstan’s death, sharing how he was told that his character was going to die. © 2021 Norse and Viking Mythology [Best Blog] – vkngjewelry | Theme: Discovery Offer : 15% Off With “B15” Code. The former monk-turned-Viking warrior was captured by the Anglo-Saxons and, in … It is thought that the more than 30 skeletons found during an excavation in Oxford in 2008 belong to this massacre. Named for an important English king, there were Christian monks that would have experienced many of the things that we see Athelstan encounter on screen. A woman asks to see Athelstan’s crucifixion wounds, then kisses them in apparent piety. Click the button below to start this article in quick view. Athelstan (George Blagden) was killed by Floki in season three of Vikings. Although Athelstan was killed off in Vikings season 3, he never really left the show. But this is not before Athelstan returns to England for a short period of time to work in the service of King Ecbert of Wessex, translating Roman texts that the king has found. When the Vikings raided, they had no problem raiding churches, monasteries, and other religious places that the Christian community considered sacred and untouchable. The Athelstan that we see on Vikings, played by George Blagden, is an English monk at Lindisfarne in Northumbria. The Athelstan of Vikings (Spoiler Alert!) He was succeeded by his half-brother, Edmund. He forces Athelstan to stay and watch proclaiming, “It is only death!” What a great insight, once again, into how the Viking culture views death. On the show, Athelstan claims to have learned the tongue as a missionary, and this is possible. Related: Why Sigurd Was Killed Off In Season 4. Spoilers through Season 3 of 'Vikings' follow. He was taken back to Scandinavia by Ragnar Lothbrok as a slave, and quickly became an indispensable member of Ragnar’s household, not least because of his knowledge of England, the land that Ragnar had his eyes on. He had been the kind of guy Ragnar could talk to about his performance insecurities knowing he wouldn’t be laughed at not to mention he could guide the Vikings through wealthy territories just ripe for some loot and plunder. Athelstan retook the city, bringing all of England under English control, his own. Your email address will not be published. In Vikings on Amazon Prime, Athelstan (played by George Blagden) was killed by Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) in season three of Vikings. Athelstan is dead and in Heaven but still trying to keep Ragnar safe. He is actually known for successfully battling against the Vikings. It is not difficult to see why Athelstan would have been a prized slave for a man like Ragnar, as he had intimate knowledge of the territory that Ragnar planned to raid. However, it was probably not Ragnar that conducted the raid, as it is a little bit early for him. Athelstan then turned his eyes on Scotland, invading their territory and forcing their King Constantine II to pledge allegiance to him. Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. "Vänligheten är ett språk som de döva kan höra och de blinda kan se". Vikings has seen many fascinating characters come and go during its five-season run. Or are you happy that he embodies a person that could have lived in Viking times and reflects the type of experience that person may have had? Vikings is no stranger to violence, but what happened to Athelstan this week was almost too painful to watch. It’s been a rough week for “Vikings” fans to say the least. Vikings is a historical drama television series written and created by Michael Hirst for the television channel History.Filmed in Ireland, it premiered on 3 March 2013 in Canada. On the other hand, Athelstan was born and raised a Christian and in a time when Christianity had already been firmly rooted in England for several hundred years. Required fields are marked *. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films, to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Now, Vikings is in its sixth and final season, which will see Ragnar’s sons Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig) and Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen) pitted against one another for the future of Norway. But Elfweard died just three weeks after his father, leaving the kingship of Wessex vacant. Meanwhile, King Ecbert approaches his daughter-in-law: “I want you to be free”, he tells her. Unfortunately, Athelstan died just two years later in 939 at the age of 45. One of the most popular characters on the History Channel’s Vikings is undoubtedly the monk Athelstan, who finds himself torn between the Viking and Christian worlds, and his loyalty to his own people and his friendship with Ragnar Lothbrok. It doesn't go exactly as expected but Athelstan … We talked to Vikings writer/showrunner Michael Hirst about what led to Athelstan’s death and what it means for Ragnar’s future. Athelstan lives with the Vikings and is introduced to their way of life. Your email address will not be published. Most of the biggest deaths in Vikings have happened under this mentality, which is good as Hirst knows when a character has given its all and, as Blagden says in the interview, doesn’t try to make them “exist past the point where it needs to.” Athelstan’s death was very dramatic, but it did serve a purpose in the story and helped maintain him as a fan favorite by not overextending his stay. They would expect him to attend ceremonies, but that’s it. It was very common for the Vikings to take men and women captured on their raids home to Scandinavia to work as slaves, called thralls. She was also a contributor for FanSided's BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. For this, he asks Jesus Christ himself to help him. Æthelstan or Athelstan was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to 939 when he died. 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