Vikings Valhalla family tree: How is Harald Sigurdsson connected to the original Vikings?

Vikings: Valhalla trailer released by Netflix

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Vikings: Valhalla makes its Netflix debut on February 25 and the series is set 100 years after Vikings on Amazon Prime Video. Following the St Brice’s Day massacre, tensions are high between the Christians and Pagans. Harald Sigurdsson (played by Leo Suter) has a strong connection to the original show.

How is Harald Sigurdsson connected to Vikings?

The new Netflix series takes place a century after the original and it tells the story of some of the most notorious Norsemen in history.

The Vikings are ready to attack the Saxons under the reign of the young King Edmund (Louis Davison).

But the Vikings have their own battles to face as religious conflicts start to take precedent.

One of the protagonists in the series is Nordic prince Harald Hardrada, otherwise known as Harald Sigurdsson.

Born into Viking nobility, Harald is one of the last Viking berserkers and dreams of becoming King of Norway.

Charismatic and ambitious, he is able to unite both Christian and Pagan Vikings.

Harald Sigurdsson is the great-grandson of Harald Finehair, played by Peter Franzén in the original Vikings saga.

In fact, the wristband that Harald wears in Vikings Valhalla is the same one King Harald Finehair wore in the original series.

Both characters are based on real-life historical figures, with Harald Sigurdsson living from circa 1015 to 1066.

He was the King of Norway from 1046 until his death.

Like in the Vikings Valhalla series, Harald fought alongside his half-brother Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson).

The Viking warrior was born to Åsta Gudbrandsdatter and her second husband Sigurd Syr.

One of his most notorious battles was the Battle of Stamford Bridge, in which he was killed.

He was struck in the throat by an arrow early in the battle, and his death marked the end of the Viking Age.

Executive producer Jeb Stuart explained some of the real historical figures in the new series.

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He said: “We meet Leif Eriksson, the famous Viking explorer who eventually becomes one of the first Europeans to set foot in North America.

“And his sister, the fierce pagan warrior Freydis Eriksdotter.

“We also follow Harald Sigurdsson, who becomes Harald Hardrada, one of the last great Viking kings.

“The three of them become triumvirs through which we weave the story.

“For me, they each embody different elements of the Viking spirit.

“Bringing Leif and Freydís — who are both Greenlanders — to Norway, to Kattegat, and embedding them in the Viking story just seemed a very natural place to go.

“That’s where their journey starts, and where they both meet Harald.”

Harald’s great grandfather, Harald Finehair, suffered a tragic fate in the original Vikings series.

In the final season, he was killed by Bishop Aldulf (Russell Balogh), one of Alfred’s (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) men.

In an emotional scene, he saw his dead brother Halfdan (Jasper Pääkkönen) welcoming him to Valhalla.

Vikings Valhalla airs on Netflix on February 25.

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