Vikings and The Last Kingdom: TV series reimagine Viking Age from opposing perspectives

The Canadian-Irish TV series Vikings, created by Michael Hirst in 2013 for History Channel, follows the legendary Norse hero Ragnar Lothbrok as he leads his warriors to conquer the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. The show blends historical events with Icelandic and Danish sagas, portraying Ragnar as a progressive figure who embraces settled agriculture over nomadic raiding and respects new faiths. Actor Travis Fimmel stars as Ragnar. The series was initially conceived as a miniseries but was renewed multiple times due to its success and remains in production. A complementary British series, The Last Kingdom, produced by BBC in 2015, covers the same 9th-century conflicts but from the Saxon perspective. Its protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, is a Saxon noble raised by Danes who later returns to reclaim his birthright. The series is based on Bernard Cornwell's novels. Both shows explore cultural clashes and the emergence of a future-oriented mediator between warring societies.