'Vikings' trivia and fun facts

Rollo was based on a real Viking called Hrolf (latinized as Rollo) who went on to conquer parts of France. Those parts are now known as Normandy: "Land of the Norsemen". Hrolf was the ancestor of William the Conqueror. Actually being William's Great-Great-Great Grandfather.

The series was originally meant to be called "Raid"

Rollo's tattoo depicts a scene from Norse Mythology: The wolves Hatí and Sköll (the sons of Fenrir) chase the sun and the moon.

Rollo was originally written to be Ragnar's cousin.

The women in the opening credits are supposed to be the 9 daughters of Rán, the personifications of the waves. The title sequence is supposed to show the separation of a viking from the living, with the ornaments of his life (gold and weapons) floating down around him. During the shot of the rolling thunder there is a single frame showing Hel Lokisdottir: the goddess of death.