Warning: spoilers for Vikings: Valhalla season 2.
Vikings: Valhalla introduced a new place and group of warriors: Jomsborg and the Jomsvikings, and here’s how the show’s version of these warriors compares to the real-life ones. Although Vikings: Valhalla is the sequel series of Vikings, it follows a new generation of warriors and royals as it’s set over 100 years after the main series. Still, Vikings: Valhalla has referenced the legacy of characters like Ragnar Lothbrok and Rollo, and Kattegat continues to be a main setting, but season 2 introduced a new place that could become even more important than Kattegat.
As Kattegat adapted to a new reign, Olaf Haraldsson (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) put a price on Leif (Sam Corlett), Harald (Leo Suter), and Freydis’ (Frida Gustavsson) heads, so Leif and Harald left to Nóvgorod while Freydis was taken to Jomsborg. While running away from Kattegat, the trio came across Jorundr (Stanislav Callas), a Jomsviking who was looking for Freydis to take her to Jomsborg, which was supposed to be the new Uppsala. There, Freydis got to know the Jomsvikings and their leader, Harekr (Bradley James) quite well, but how do they compare to the real Jomsviking?
The Real Jomsvikings Explained
Jomsborg was a real place, though one considered semi-legendary as it’s still unknown exactly where it was located, and the same happens with the Jomsvikings, who are believed to have been real, though historians still debate the accuracy of the accounts about them. The Jomsvikings were an order of Viking mercenaries who were paid to fight in battles or go to raids. The Jomsvikings were active in the 10th and 11th centuries and were known for their discipline and devotion to the Norse gods, though they allegedly fought for anyone who could pay their fees, even if they were Christians. The legend of the Jomsvikings appears in Icelandic Sagas, passages in Old Norse poetry, and contemporary runestones.
One of the sagas tells that the Jomsvikings were very selective when it came to deciding who would join their group, and in order to be admitted, prospects had to prove themselves with a feat of strength, which often meant a ritual duel. Members of the Jomsvikings had to adhere to a strict code of conduct, and violation of the rules could be punished with expulsion from the order. In addition to that, women and children weren’t allowed within the fortress walls, and it’s unclear if marriage with women outside Jomsborg was also forbidden. The end of Jomsborg and the Jomsvikings came at the hands of King Magnus I, son of Olaf Haraldsson, as part of his consolidation of control of Denmark.
What Will Happen To The Jomsvikings In Vikings: Valhalla Season 3?
Vikings: Valhalla’s Jomsborg and Jomsvikings are very different from those in the sagas. In the series, Jomsborg was supposed to be the new Uppsala, with a temple where pagans could go (though Harekr didn’t let them) and with Freydis as their priestess, while the Jomsvikings were described as pirates/Vikings. Jomsborg’s story is about to change now that Harekr is dead and Freydis is taking over, opening the gates so all the residents can visit the temple and be part of the community rather than exploiting them, and with Freydis also training anyone who wants to become a warrior or shieldmaiden, Jomsborg and the Jomsvikings could be on their way to becoming one of the most powerful communities in the world of Vikings: Valhalla.