History Headscratchers / Vikings

* Has there ever been any clear indication that Rollo is even meant to be the historical Hrólfr of Normandy? The only reference I found (linked on Wiki/TheOtherWiki) was a short remark in an interview with Clive Standen, which did not strike me as very authoritative in that regard. Yet the assumption that Rollo is supposed to be a loose interpretation of Hrólfr is nigh ubiquitous, on this wiki and everywhere else, even though he is not connected to the legend of Ragnar in any way, their dates don't match up, and so far the only in-universe connection between Rollo and his supposed historical counterpart is his baptism, which Rollo regarded as a joke.

** It might have been a reference to the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', which claims "In this year fierce, foreboding omens came over the land of Northumbria. '''There were excessive whirlwinds, lightning storms,''' and fiery dragons were seen flying in the sky. These signs were followed by great famine, and on 8 January the ravaging of heathen men destroyed God's church at Lindisfarne."

*** '''See above for an answer to the "Gotland/Gotaland/Götaland" debacle.'''

** Wherever ''this'' Ragnar Lodbrok is intended to hail from it is '''not Norway. There is ''NO'' saga wich describes Ragnar as a Norwegian.,''' He was either Danish, Swedish or Danish-Swedish, but not Norwegian. The enviroment is pure ArtisticLicense and should not be taken a evidence for where he hails from.

* Why didn't Bjorn, Ubbe and Lagertha just go to Floki and Iceland instead of throwing themselves on Alfred's mercy on the dubious hope that Heahmund would be able to vouch for them effectively?

* Why didn't Bjorn, Ubbe and Lagertha just go to Floki and Iceland instead of throwing themselves on Alfred's mercy on the dubious hope that Heahmund would be able to vouch for them?

** After Bjorn's short excursion into the Mediterranean, Rollo offers a place in his kingdom for any Viking who wishes to follow him. No one takes up the offer, but maybe it'll be made a second time in the future.

*** Shield walls vs. shield wall wasn't particularly efficient but it was also among the predominant form of mass combat for a very long time. Most fights really were just big shoving matches (at least for infantry). The 300 Spartans for instance actually rotated people in and out of their wall to keep fresh. Also remember that before the advent of field medicine, most fights were won by attrition and infected wounds, not actual attacks themselves.

* How exactly is Rollo going to populate the future Norman population all by himself? Wouldn't it have been better narratively and historically for Rollo to persuade the Norse that stayed behind to join him?

* Has there ever been any clear indication that Rollo is even meant to be the historical Hrólfr of Normandy? The only reference I found (linked on TheOtherWiki) was a short remark in an interview with Clive Standen, which did not strike me as very authoritative in that regard. Yet the assumption that Rollo is supposed to be a loose interpretation of Hrólfr is nigh ubiquitous, on this wiki and everywhere else, even though he is not connected to the legend of Ragnar in any way, their dates don't match up, and so far the only in-universe connection between Rollo and his supposed historical counterpart is his baptism, which Rollo regarded as a joke.

** The trial in season 2 seems to be unorthodox, and Ragnar arranged for it to be done that way to avoid having to sentence his brother himself, as sparing him would make him lose face with a lot of his men, and he clearly didn't want to have him killed. So he gave the judgement to the "gods", ensuring no one would blame him for the decision, and then made sure the "gods" would agree with what he wanted.

*** '''See abvoe for an answer to the "Gotland/Gotaland/Götaland" debacle.'''

** The jewelery goes not their wifes, daughters and themself or is sold to merchants. The crosses are probably melted down and sold to merchants to. They probably buy salt, lifestock and other products for the money.

* Why did Cwenthryth think urinating on Ragnar was a good idea? And why doesn't Ragnar stove her head in afterwards?

** Well, Skaane, the southernmost portion of Sweden, had been considered part of Denmark since at least the mid-10th century, and would remain under Danish rule until the 15th century. This would obviously cause tension between the Danes and the people who lived further north. However, it's unclear how all of this affects the Jarl of Gotland. Maybe the writers meant ''Geatland'', and [[ViewersAreMorons figured the viewers wouldn't be able to tell the difference?]]

* Anyone notice how the method for handling trials in Kattegut changes between seasons one and two? In the first season, the Earl presides over trials at a Thing, and his ruling (at least the death penalty) must be agreed upon by all the men in attendance. Lagetha also gets to make judgments from the Earl's hall while Ragnar is away. In season two, the town's Lawgiver stands on the sacred stone and delivers justice that is unimpeachable. Is there some explanation for this?

* What did Jarl Borg shout out before charging during the battle against Ragnar in the season 2 premiere? Rollo said it again in ''To the Gates!''.

* What did Jarl Borg shout out before charging during the battle against Ragnar in the season 2 premiere?

*** As it turns out, no. Urine does contain ammonia which has some value as a disinfectant, but doctors have also discovered that even urine from healthy people can still harbor bacteria. And once urine leaves the body it becomes a breeding ground for disease.

** ... Really? And is that true?

** ... Really?

** In the old days urine was believed to have anti-septic qualities.

* Why did Cwenthryth think urinating on Ragnar was a good idea? And why doesn't Ragnar stove her head in afterwards?

** Siggy's the only person in Kattegat who seems suspicious of him, so that could also be reason. Though this only works if his intentions are nefarious, which we don't know for sure yet.