Summary

• Athelstan's character on Vikings was not based on a real historical figure, although his name and elements of his story loosely resembled the Anglo-Saxon King Athelstan.
• Despite not being historically accurate, Athelstan's character created interesting theological and philosophical conflicts as a Christian in a Viking world.
• The actor who played Athelstan, George Blagden, found the portrayal challenging and enjoyed depicting the character's divine vision.

The Athelstan Vikings character arc was among the most intriguing, so much so that many viewers wondered how much of Athelstan's story on the show was accurate to true Norse and Viking history. The characters in Vikings are loosely based on real historical figures, including Athelstan (George Blagden). In the show, Ragnar Lothbrok and the other warriors of Kattegat take captives when raiding a monastery in England. Among them was Athelstan, who Ragnar took home as a slave but later inducted into his family. While characters like Ragnar, and indeed Athelstan, are based on real people, the true story is complex — especially since Athelstan shares a name with an ancient English king.

Whether accurate or not, Athelstan was one of the most interesting Vikings characters. As a man dedicated to his Christian faith despite the insistence of his captors, Athelstan created a surprising number of theological and philosophical quandaries. Athelstan was constantly conflicted, and though he did his best to maintain his oath of celibacy, he ended up having a child with the wife of Prince Aethelwulf of Wessex. This royal connection led to more confusion about the link between Athelstan on Vikings and the real Anglo-Saxon King. However, the real Athelstan shares little in common with George Blagden's Vikings character.

The Real-Life Athelstan's Viking History Explained

The Vikings Character Doesn't Share Much With His Namesake

Definitively stating whether Athelstan was real is somewhat tricky. Many of the Vikings characters, even Ragnar Lothbrok himself, are based on real individuals. The same isn't true for every Vikings character though, including Athelstan. While Athelstan does have a historical namesake from the era, he isn't based on a real slave of Ragnar Lothbrok. The existence of Ragnar is itself questioned, with little in the way of definitive evidence that he existed beyond stories and sagas. The names and identities of his slaves and servants are, therefore, totally unknown.

While Athelstan in Vikings isn't a real historical figure, his name and many elements of his story — especially toward the end of the show — do seem to be loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon ruler King Athelstan. The historical Athelstan was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to 939. Instead of being the father of Alfred the Great as he was in Vikings, the real Athelstan was his grandson and used his grandfather’s legal reforms to build his own. Athelstan had some connection to the Vikings, though not like the one in the show, as he didn’t befriend them and conquered the last remaining Viking kingdom, York.

This is how King Athelstan became the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of England. However, after his death in 939, the Vikings seized back control of York, which was reconquered in 954. The real Athelstan died at the age of 45, and as he didn’t have any sons, he was succeeded by his half-brother Edmund I. Athelstan chose not to be buried at Winchester, where his father and half-brother were, as he didn’t want to honor the city associated with opposition to his rule, so he was buried at Malmesbury Abbey. However, his bones were lost during the Reformation, and the real-life Athelstan the Vikings character is loosely based on is commemorated by an empty tomb.

Why Athelstan Isn't In Vikings: Valhalla

None Of The Vikings Characters Returned For The Spin-Off

The popular spinoff series, Vikings: Valhalla, is set 100 years after the events of Vikings and follows Leif Erikson's journey. Since it's set so far in the future, none of the Vikings characters appear in Valhalla — including Athelstan. That being said, there is debate among viewers whether the character went to the actual Valhalla, and his arc as a character shares a lot of parallels with the plot of Valhalla. Many believe that Athelstan ascended to the real Valhalla because of a vision that Ragnar Lothbrok had in which he saw the monk along with a figure believed to be Odin.

However, the Athelstan Vikings character was a Christian when he died, so he couldn't have ascended to Valhalla. The theme of Christian beliefs and how they are swayed are present in Valhalla, as protagonist Leif Erikson will eventually be spreading his newfound Christianity across the lands (if the series were to follow history). In addition, Valhalla features a lot of in-fighting between the Vikings, as Christian and pagan beliefs clash. Although there’s no real-life historical counterpart to the Athelstan Vikings character, the historical figure from which he took his name did have a link to the Vikings, and his story is interesting though very different from what the series did.

How Actor George Blagden Sees Athelstan's Journey In Vikings

The Athelstan Vikings character was played by actor George Blagden (Les Misérables) and he has a lot to say about what he thought of Athelstan's arc. Blagden gave a Q&A (via Geeks of Doom) after the death of Athelstan, and the actor admitted that he had a difficult time keeping the death under wraps. However, when it came to his favorite or most challenging scene to film, Blagden cited Athelstan's divine vision, with the actor stating, "The whole sequence when Athelstan is visited by God in the form of the light […] quite emotional and quite kind of um […] scary."

While season 2 saw the deaths of Yarl Borg and King Horik, season 3 saw Siggy and Athelstan bite the dust, and Blagden believes these deaths mark character development in Ragnar as they are much more spiritually driven than the previous chapter which saw Ragnar in a darker and more violent state, Blagden said, "It’s very clever how it's all interwoven." Blagden was asked about a possible Athelstan Vikings resurrection, which he would've been very open to if the series decided to go that route. Unfortunately, Athelstan died for good and won't be appearing in Valhalla. Regardless, based on the interview, Blagden really seemed to enjoy portraying Athelstan.