Vikings has featured many legendary figures from Norse mythology and the Viking Age, and some of them are actually based on real people.

Vikings has done its best to introduce viewers around the world to Viking culture and Norse mythology, and while it has been as historically accurate as possible, it has obviously changed, added, or omitted many characters and events from the Viking age. However, there are many well-known characters that are based on real people – surely, some more accurately than others. Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings made its debut on History Channel in 2013. The series was originally planned to be a miniseries, but it was quickly renewed for a second season, allowing Hirst to expand on the stories of the main characters.

Vikings initially followed the journeys of legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his Viking brothers, from the start of the Viking Age – marked by the Lindisfarne raid, included in season 1 – onwards. The series gradually shifted its focus to Ragnar’s sons and their own travels, making them the protagonists, more so after Ragnar’s death in season 4. Vikings is now on its sixth and final season, and while fans (patiently) wait for the second part of the season to arrive, why not taking a look at what’s behind the characters and history of Vikings?

The series takes inspiration from the Norse sagas, which are stories about voyages and battles written in the 13th century. The Vikings themselves didn’t leave any written records of their travels, and the ones that exist came years later from other cultures that were in contact with them, which is why the existence of some characters (most notably Ragnar) and the veracity of some events are unclear. Still, there are many that are based on historical figures, though Vikings took some liberties when bringing them to the small screen.

Rollo

Rollo (Clive Standen) is Ragnar’s older brother and later Duke of Normandy. He was known for being impulsive and aggressive, and for betraying his brother many times. Rollo is based on the historical figure of the same name who was a real Viking and who became the first ruler of Normandy. His place of birth is unknown, though a biography written by Dudo of Saint-Quentin in the late 10th century claims he was from Denmark. He led many raids before settling in Normandy, where he married Princess Gisla (who might have been as young as five years old at the time). Among his descendants are William Longsword, Richard the Fearless, and Gerloc (also known as Adele), who married William III, Duke of Aquitaine. Rollo’s grave can be found at the Cathedral of Rouen in France.

Floki

The trickster of the group and exceptional boat builder, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) was Ragnar’s best friend and a very eccentric man. He was very loyal to the Gods, so much that he would avoid doing things that could make them mad, which is in big part why he never liked Athelstan, as he was a Christian who influenced Ragnar’s beliefs. In season 5, Floki arrived to Iceland, but his settlement slowly fell apart, so he left and ended up in a cave which he believed to be a gate to Helheim, but instead found a Christian cross there. The cave turned out to be inside an erupting volcano, trapping him there. Floki is loosely based on Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson, who was the first Norseman to intentionally sail to Iceland. Contrary to Vikings’ Floki, the real one was accompanied by his family. He went back to Norway and later returned to Iceland, where he stayed until his death.

Bjorn Ironside

Bjorn Ironside is Ragnar and Lagertha’s son (though Rollo might be his real father), who overthrew his half-brother, Ivar, and became King of Kattegat. The real Bjorn is very different to the one in Vikings; for starters, he wasn’t Lagertha’s son, but Aslaug’s, and Ivar was his older brother. He was a legendary Swedish king and the first ruler of the Munsö dynasty. Something the series got right from Bjorn’s history was how he pretended to be on his deathbed so he would be let in in one of the towns they were looking to attack, only to spring from the stretcher once inside and let the Viking force in.

Ivar the Boneless

Ivar is Ragnar and Aslaug’s fourth son, born with a defect that rendered his legs useless. Ivar is pretty unstable, sadistic, and incredibly narcissistic. The real Ivar the Boneless, also known as Ivar Ragnarsson, was one of the greatest Viking leaders ever, and the commander of the Great Heathen Army, a coalition of Norse warriors who came together to invade four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The origin of his nickname is uncertain, as it could have been due to brittle bone disease, male impotence, or a translation mistake, as he might have actually been known as “the Hated”.

Lagertha

Lagertha was Ragnar’s first wife and mother of Bjorn and Gyda. She was a skilled shieldmaiden, who after her separation from Ragnar, became Earl of Hedeby and later Queen of Kattegat. Lagertha is said to have been a Viking shieldmaiden and ruler of what’s now Norway. Lagertha appears in the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok and Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum, which has made modern historians believe that she wasn’t a real person, but more of a reflection of tales about Viking warrior women or the Norse deity Thorgerd.

Aslaug

Aslaug was a princess, Ragnar’s second wife, and mother of Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, and Ivar. She died in season 4 after Lagertha conquered Kattegat, which prompted Aslaug to accept her defeat under the condition that she be given safe passage to leave. Lagertha agreed, but as Aslaug left, she killed her with an arrow. The real Aslaug is said to have been the daughter of legendary hero Sigurd and shieldmaiden Brynhildr, Ragnar’s third wife, and mother of Bjorn, Sigurd, and Ivar.

Sigurd

Sigurd Ragnarsson was Ragnar and Aslaug’s son, who was killed by Ivar after the former mocked the latter in public. Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye was a Viking warrior and Danish King, and got that nickname as he was born with a mark in his eye, described as the image of the Ouroboros (a snake biting its own tail), something that was prophesied by Aslaug. He joined Ivar in the Great Heathen Army.

Aethelwulf

Aethelwulf was King of Wessex and Mercia, and died from an allergic reaction to a bee sting (yes, really). The real Aethelwulf was King of Wessex, but the Vikings weren’t a threat to it during his reign – he was defeated by them once, but achieved a major victory in a later one. He is regarded as one of the most successful West Saxon kings, laying the foundations for the success of his son, Alfred the Great (who, in Vikings, is portrayed as the illegitimate son of Aethelwulf’s wife, Judith, and Athelstan).

Next: Vikings True Story: How Much Was Real (& What The TV Show Changed)