Although an excellent series in many ways, Vikings brought with it a pretty romanticized portrait of some of the key names found in the Norse Sagas and the lives they might have lived. Although these figures surely existed in some form, the reality was probably far less romantic and more brutal than the fiction. This list tries to look to the true stories behind the now well known characters in Viking history.

Bluetooth: Why Modern Tech is Named After Powerful King of Denmark and Norway

Viking movie screenshot. ( Vimeo)

Harald “Blåtand” Gormsson was a King of Denmark and Norway who lived during the 10th century AD. He was responsible for the unification of Denmark. Although the majority of his subjects were followers of paganism, Harald did what he could to promote Christianity within his kingdom.