The Real Floki (Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson) | Vikings

Welcome to the video, don't forget to hit that bell icon for weekly videos on historical figures and stories. If you enjoy the content, be sure to subscribe. A lot of you may know the character Floki from the TV show Vikings, here we see him as a genius boat builder who is completely devoted to the Norse gods. He is also portrayed as an incredible warrior who fought countless battles, whether it was in the cold harsh environment of Scandinavia, Paris, Wessex and the Mediterranean. The truth is, we don't really know much about Floki, there is no evidence to suggest that he was best friends with Ragnar Lothbrok, as his tale comes from sources such as the Gesta Dnorum, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Volsunga Saga, whereas the evidence Floki existed is documented in the Landambok Manuscript. Nevertheless, the tale of Floki is legendary, this is his story. We know nothing of the early life of Floki, we know he was born sometime in the 9th century, at the height of the Viking age. However, we do have little information on his father, who was named Vilgerd, who was said to be a great Viking. As we can see, Floki's last name was Vilgerdarsson, which means the son of Vilgerd. We first meet Floki as a man, where he is leading a single shipped crew. Floki would have been a man during the time of the Great Heathen Army, they arrived in England in around 865, so it's possible Floki was a Viking raider during these times. But who really knows, as Floki isn't documented to have been present, as during this time he wasn't the leader of an army. In addition, the only men who are really remembered during the Viking conquest of England were the war chiefs and the sons of the legendary Ragnar Lothbrok. The legend of Floki really begins with a rumour. Floki would hear a tale that a wanderer named Nadad had come across the coasts of Iceland unintentionally. Nadad sailed from Norway to the Faroe Islands attempting to settle there. That didn't really go to plan for him, and on his way back to Norway, he lost his way, and found himself on an unknown land with no sign of human existence, and the land was covered in snow. He then named it Snealand or Snowland. So in the year 868, Floki decided that he would set out to find this mysterious land, which would only be a rumour. He knew there was no wealth waiting for him, no villages to pillage or raid, no men to fight. They didn't even know where this land was exactly, only that it was to the far north and near the Faroe Islands. Floki was betting his life on this mission, and many members of his crew would bring their families, all their animals and worldly possessions. So how did Floki navigate his way to Iceland when he didn't know where it was, and had just heard a sailor's rumour? Floki would use the sun by day to figure out where he was going, and the stars by night. He would use a crystal to see where the sun was when it was cloudy, as he had no compass, sextant or anything else to offer directional clues. The sky would be his guide, but Floki knew he needed more help. So Floki brought three ravens with him. Ravens were important to the Vikings, as they were Odin's birds. Odin the Allfather was the god of wisdom, knowledge and death, amongst many other things, and he was known to wander the earth. So Floki's choice of birds may have been him asking for divine help from Odin. Floki would first set sail to the Faroe Islands, he would then make his way from there to try to find Iceland. After he was at sea for a while, he decided to set the ravens free. The first raven flew back to the Faroe Islands, the second one would fly back to the ship, but the third flew north-west and did not return. Because one raven did not return, Floki thought Odin was guiding him, and that he was close to land. So he headed in the same direction that the raven flew in. Floki and his followers would soon see land, and they would rejoice. The land was one of outstanding beauty. It was not only a land of mountains and rivers, but it also had many glaciers and active volcanoes. After this, Floki was known as Floki of the Ravens. The Vikings believed that the earth originates from two worlds, Muspelheim, the realm of fire, and Niflhelm, the realm of ice. So it's no wonder that Floki and his crew were captivated by the land they saw. They would make a settlement on a that was rich with wildlife. They would spend their summer days fishing and collecting eggs, and they would never grow hungry. However, the group were so busy hunting that they neglected to store hay for the animals they had brought. When winter arrived, it was like nothing they had ever seen before. It was cold, dark, and brutal. Some would say a living hell, just like Niflhelm. Their animals would soon starve, and then they would starve, and the cold would creep into their bones. Floki chose to abandon this barren land, but escaping what had become a living hell wouldn't be so easy. In the summer that came, they failed to repair their longship, and this delayed the preparations for their next voyage. By this time, it was already winter, and they could not leave. They spent another dark season watching the mountains cough out black ash over the glaciers. Finally, when the next summer came, all the survivors departed from a land that they had renamed Iceland. When Floki returned to the mainland where men resided, he had nothing positive to say about the land called Iceland, but one of his crew members, named Herjolf, would say much about the land's potential. With regard to the discovery of Iceland, it turns out it was not completely empty when Floki arrived there. A small number of Irish priests had formed a religious community there. When they saw the Vikings arrive, they no doubt fled for their lives, and ran so fast that they left behind some of their books and religious artifacts. Due to this, Floki is still credited with discovering Iceland, as we do not know the names of the monks who first stumbled upon it. As fate would have it, Floki eventually returned to Iceland along with his wife, son and another daughter. He would settle by a river, and both the river and the town that flourished after he settled there bear his name. Floki and his family would spend the rest of their lives in Iceland. Floki's original voyage to Iceland was in the year 868. In less than a century, in the year 930, the land was said to be fully settled and its population was estimated to be around 25,000. Iceland has become one of the most important Viking countries, not due to its power, but because it became a centre of Norse culture. The Icelanders would document the deeds of many Viking kings, war chiefs and war bands, and many great battles and accomplishments. Much of the history and lore that we know about the Vikings is because of the writings, poems and songs of the Icelanders. Because Floki followed his raven, I am able to present to you his story, and perhaps many other stories I have told you, about other Viking legends. So let me know in the comment sections down below, any theories you may have about Floki's backstory. Was he a warrior in the Great Heathen Army, or was his one shipped crew exclusively sea raiders? Or perhaps both? If you enjoyed the video, be sure to like, comment and subscribe, and I'll see you all soon, for another history profile.