Vikings 10 Things You Didnt Know About Athelstan

Vikings: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Athelstan

Despite being a fan favorite of Vikings, there are a number of interesting details surrounding the monk Athelstan most fans don’t likely know.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

When it comes to Michael Hirst’s gripping historical drama Vikings, there are numerous memorable characters that shine in various ways.

Most fans would agree that the monk Athelstan can count himself among these ranks, despite never quite being a Viking himself. While barely lasting three seasons, the devout Christian has an entertaining and eventful run. After his isolated stint as a monk, he finds himself right in the thick of the action, serving as a friend, advisor, and ambassador to Viking legend Ragnar Lothbrok and King Ecbert.

In terms of his character, spirit, and historical background, he brings a richness and depth that’s seldom matched on the show. As one might expect, then, there’s no shortage of interesting details regarding the Northumbrian monk.

10 His Long Stint In The Monastery May Have Saved Him From Death

Athelstan’s arc kicks off in the show beginning at the Lindisfarne Monastery, where he spends ample time as a monk. At least this is the case before Ragnar and company arrive unexpectedly and uninvited to Northumbria’s shores, raiding the monastery and taking him prisoner.

While it would seem to be a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, there was perhaps a silver lining to this stint at the monastery under Father Cuthbert. Not only did he find his calling as a devout Christian, but his isolation there likely saved him from an untimely death by illness or disease. After all, this is the fate that met the rest of his family in Northumbria.

9 Follower Of Two Religions, But Gets Signs From Just One

A trademark quality of Athelstan’s character is his devotion, practice, and study of two religious teachings; Christianity and Norse Paganism. Of course, it’s his capture of Ragnar and crew which exposes him to the latter — though he does find himself drawn to the practice, observing and even partaking in some readings and rituals.

Ultimately though, he remains a Christian at heart; a point that’s driven home by his visions and hallucinations. While he has vivid visions of prominent figures from that religion, at no point does he have similar encounters with the Norse gods.

8 Mistakenly Referred To As A Saxon

Athelstan is referred to as a Saxon in the show and is even given the tag on his Vikings wiki page. But in the historical context, this figure would almost certainly have been an Angle, as the Northumbrians’ lineage can be traced back to this group.

Like the Saxons, the Germanic Angles have a history in England that dates back centuries, but they’re generally said to have originated in modern Denmark. Meanwhile, the Saxons typically migrated from what’s now Northern Germany, off the coast of the North Sea. Given the geographic closeness of his apparent Danish lineage, it’s possible Athelstan is closer to his Viking friends than realized.

7 The Fitting Origins Of His Name

Those who’ve at least dabbled in Medieval history might be aware of the historical origins of Athelstan’s name. But what of the literal translation?

As it happens, the name means “noble stone” in Old English. It’s rather fitting, as it tends to describe the positive aspects of the kind, loyal, and generally steadfast monk.

6 A Rare Asset — But Not As Rare As The Show Conveys

Like most historical fiction, there are some “creative liberties” in Vikings when it comes to fictionalized characters based on real figures. The same can be said for Athelstan, whose traits and background seem to be plucked from multiple sources. Such creative freedoms can also yield inaccuracies even in a general sense.

One instance of an inaccurate description involving Athelstan comes from King Ecbert, who proclaims what a rare and vital asset he is. This is true on some level — being a wise advisor and rare intermediary between the Vikings and Wessex.

Yet, Ecbert’s claim of the monk’s uncommon knowledge of Latin is not true; at least not during this era. In fact, Latin was quite common amongst the clergy and religious scholars of the late eighth century.

5 Subtle References To A Christian Apostle

Though it’s not at the forefront, there’s at least one subtle allusion to one of the twelve disciples of Jesus that relates to Athelstan. The Apostle in question is St. Peter, who is said to have denied being a follower of Jesus on three occasions.

This is mirrored by Athelstan, who denies being a Christian three times to the Uppsala Temple’s chief priest. It’s a small parallel, but a fitting one, given the Christian roots of this Vikings figure.

4 The Historical Influence Of His Character

Like many characters in Vikings, Athelstan’s background has at least some degree of influence or inspiration drawn from real historical figures. In his case, the bulk of these origins can likely be traced to the well-known teacher and scholar Alcuin of York.

A Northumbrian born around the same time Athelstan would have been, Alcuin exchanged letters with monks at Lindisfarne for years during his time at the court of Charlemagne.

A statement by show creator Michael Hirst reaffirms this — “In historical records that they were peering through, it was recorded that three monks were taken back to Scandinavia from the first Viking raid on Lindisfarne, and the other two died and one survived, and one of them became part of the Viking culture.” This origin story certainly sounds close to that of Athelstan’s.

3 Partially Based On A Wessex King

Athelstan’s arc partly draws from the records of a monk’s capture at Lindisfarne. Yet, there are a least a few traits that likely originate from a very prominent figure of the Middle Ages who shares his name. The man in question is King Athelstan of the Anglo-Saxons, who reigned in the early tenth century. He is, in fact, the grandson of Alfred the Great.

Now in the show, it is known that Alfred was nominally the son of Judith and Aethelwulf. However, the biological father is revealed to be none other than Athelstan himself, giving further credence to this historical link.

2 The Reasoning For His Death On A Narrative Level

Being the interesting and popular character he was, Athelstan’s abrupt death midway through the series’ run bothered quite a few fans.

Still, Michael Hirst ultimately — and not unreasonably — defends the decision, citing that it was necessary for his story to end when it did. Being a prominent figure for several episodes — and supplying much information to the Vikings for their Paris expedition — Athelstan had arguably served his purpose.

But moreover, Hirst was and is an advocate of ending character arcs before they overextend themselves. Athelstan seemingly comes full-circle and thus completes his arc in season three, as he fully embraces Christianity once more. Most would agree that at least this memorable character would never wear out his welcome.

1 Multiple Appearances In The Show Post-Death

Even though Athelstan was killed off a bit soon for some fans’ tastes, there are a handful of episodes in which he’s there in spirit, so to speak.

Quite literally, in fact, actor George Blagden makes a guest appearance in the form of a vision in the season three episode “Breaking Point,” as well as five more times as visions or flashbacks in the following season.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/vikings-athelstan-facts-trivia/

• Tron 3 Updates Why Disneys Taking So Long To Make A Sequel

• To All The Boys 3 Biggest Unanswered Questions After Always & Forever

• Toni Collette 10 Best Movies According To Rotten Tomatoes

• The Munsters Movie Director Shares First Look at New Character

• Why Bugsy Could Replace Hannah As Chief Stew On Below Deck Med

• The Walking Dead Reveals The Origin Of Negans First Savior

• What Is TikTok Creator Next & How Does It Reward Content Creators