Floki o Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarson was a Scandinavian navigator, the first to travel to Iceland in the 9th century. He was the son of Vilgerd Karadatter (born 904) and Glamur. Born according to some sources in 830 and is assumed to have died in the 9th century.
He was a powerful Viking who did not adapt to the temperatures of Norway and therefore sought warmer territories. He decided to take a trip with his family and his cattle and left for the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland.
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Apparently the territory had already been visited in earlier times by Christian monks from northern Britain; However, there are no archaeological traces that can show the passage of these mojes there and the first colony of which we have news was probably around the end of the 9th century.
From earlier colonies it is known that that of Gardar Svavarsson existed, after a Viking discovered the Faroe Islands in 860. The Viking Naddodd would have arrived by chance on the islands. The Book of Settlements details that Naddodd was going back to Norway and lost his way, this led him to reach Iceland.
The Viking and his troop returned to the Faroes and, seeing snow fall from their boats, they named them Snowland. Later Garðar sailed the island and discovered its shape and named it Gardar Island.
The history of those uninhabited islands to the northwest of the Faroe Islands disturbed many Vikings later, one of them Floki, who prepared a trip with his family and cattle and left for there.
The Vikings did not have many tools to orient themselves on their travels. They were guided mainly by the moon, the stars and the birds. It was common for them to go sailing, especially in the bird migration seasons, in spring and autumn. According to legend, Loki not only followed the birds, but also carried some.
The Landnámabók document says that Floki had a daughter, Thjodgerd Flókisdóttur, and three sons: Trond Gata, Oddlief Staff and Torlak Ravna-Flokeson.
Some claim that he had a daughter named Agborda, a name based on Norse mythology, but this is false because his only daughter was named Thjodgerd. For its part, there is a record with the name of Floki's wife: Groa Gro Bjornsdottir.
In 898 he reached the Faroe Islands, where he lost one of his daughters; the other was lost in the Shetland Islands, both drowned in nearby waters. He is remembered with the nickname of Cuervo Flóki, because to guide him on the way to Iceland he got three crows. On this trip it was learned that he was in the company of Þórólfur Þorsteinsson, Herjolf and Faxi.
The Book of Settlements, one of the few sources that narrate the Viking settlements in the 9th and 10th centuries, it tells that Floki released the first raven and returned to the Faroe Islands.
Then, when he launched the second one, all he did was fly over the boat in which they were sailing. Finally, with the third he obtained the answer he needed, because the bird flew northwest and did not return, with which Floki was certain that they should go in that direction, towards the mainland..
The group found a bay, and Faxe affirmed that it was a very conducive land to stay; since then the place was called Faxi Bay, in his honor.
It was in Vatnsfjörður that Flóki decided to found a first settlement. They had a pleasant first summer, so Flóki hoped that the winter might get hard.
Spring took a long time to appear, so he decided one day to climb a nearby mountain, which some believe could be a 473-meter hill located in the Eastern Fjords..
He saw the landscape, including the Ísafjörður fjord, which had the typical morphology of a glacier at that time, was full of moving ice, so he decided to name it ísland (Iceland), that is, literally, land of ice.
When they returned to Norway, everyone asked them what the new lands were like. But they were skeptical; Herjolf didn't make up his mind, he said he had both good and bad things. Floki thought it was useless. However, despite his bad comments, he returned and until his death lived on his farm..
The director of Vikings, Michael Hirst, has assured several times that his purpose was not to stick to real life in the series, in addition to having very little information in some cases, one of them that of Floki.
It is conjectured for example that the shipbuilder did not build a carriage for Ivar the Boneless, as in the series. It is also probable that in real life Floki did not coincide with Ragnar Lodbrock, since Floki died around 840, while Lodbrok was born in 830.
It is not certain that in real life Floki fought alongside Lathgertha or sailed the Mediterranean in the company of Björn and Rollo. Likewise, it cannot be said that Floki killed Athelstan, as happens in the series.
Floki in the series is an eccentric man, quite loyal to his friend Ragnar Lodbrok. He is known for entertaining his friends and deep down he can be a vulnerable man with emotional problems..
Ragnar trusts him, so much so that he chooses him for peace talks with King Horik. He is committed to Ragnar in such a way that he designs and builds a new generation of boats with which the Viking can sail west. He is also the husband of the late Helga, father of Angrboda and adoptive father of Tanaruz.
He is an individual of particular importance within all the warriors of Kattegat. Floki is a man who is devoted to his gods. He can be seen in a good mood even when he is looting or killing enemies.
His character typifies a person with a certain neurosis, albeit with a great deal of intellect and reasonable fear. He is constantly learning from the world around him, he likes to learn about various subjects.
His nerves and anger dull his fighting prowess a bit; in fact, this ends up generating a certain distrust in his friend Ragnar, who does not finish trusting him as a guide.
In Viking society, being old brings little fortune, it is not enough to have knowledge about something but you are fierce and brave in battles and Vikings who combine courage and wisdom were sometimes silenced by others more arrogant.
His way of fighting is very particular, because instead of the typical Viking weapons -spear and long ax-, Floki uses a small ax and a long knife. Although his build is that of a skinny person, he is not afraid to defy the usual by inventing new forms of lethal fighting..
Instead of putting himself in front of an army as a shield, he knows that because he is so thin he would not have effective forms of attack, so what the Viking does is go after his brothers and from there he can be more lethal and catch any enemy that you find unprepared.
The warriors of an army will be stunned after they go through the shields, it will be there that Floki, with his agility and speed and with his two lethal and easy-to-use weapons, can destroy any opponent, even strong and large..
Floki is also quite a skillful carpenter, as he is the one who builds a great ship for Ragnar to sail west to Great Britain, a question for which he will be nicknamed "Floki the shipbuilder".
In the episode "Rites of Passage" Floki is introduced as a shy man. Björn is taken by his father to Floki's house, and Floki jokes a bit with Ragnar's son by wearing a mask. Lodbrok tells him that he is preparing a trip to the West.
Floki shows you a type of ship for your great voyage, allowing you to navigate both the open sea and across rivers. He's nervous because he doesn't know if his new design will do..
In the episode "The Wrath of the Northmen", Ragnar's crew gathers at the Floki shipyard before setting out on their journey. In the North Sea a storm catches them. For Floki, it is a test of Thor testing the effectiveness of his ship. Floki then sets fire to the deeds of the Lindisfarne monastery. The flames spread and set the monastery on fire completely.
In the episode "Raid" Ragnar's family seeks refuge in the Floki shipyard, where they meet their lover Helga. Floki saves Ragnar's life thanks to his healing abilities. In the episode "Sacrifice" the need for a sacrifice is announced for the gods to take Athelstan's place, so Floki offers himself, but Helga dissuades him..
In the episode "Everything Changes", Floki accompanies Ragnar on his trip to Götaland, to negotiate with Jarl Borg. Then Ragnar will send him to speak to King Horik to further what he negotiated with Borg. Horik and Floki find that they have a common interest in Norse mythology. By rejecting Horik's terms, Floki knows that war is imminent..
Floki continues to build ships for his trips to England. He is not totally convinced of the conversion of the Christian Athlestan. This however says that he abandoned his Christian customs.
Then Floki walks away from Ragnar and marries Helga in the presence of King Horik and his son as witnesses. On the journey to Wessex, King Horik assures Floki that he is supremely valuable..
When the Knights of the North are about to be annihilated, Floki advises Horik to retreat along with Lathgertha and Ragnar, leaving Rollo wounded..
When they arrive at Ecbert's villa, Floki disagrees with negotiating with the King of Wessex. Helga arrives with her newborn daughter in Kattegat. Floki wants to call his daughter Angrborda but Helga gets upset. Then she wants to know if Floki will join them, even if he says no, that they should go alone.
King Horik does not trust Floki and asks him to kill someone close to Ragnar to gain trust. Then he is seen collecting some mushrooms and Athesltain will appear dead. Floki comforts Björn who mourns Athesltain's death.
Floki assures him that they will search for the murderer and avenge him. Then King Horik pleases Floki and tells him that he must kill all of Ragnar's family; that the only obstacle will be Björn, since he seems to be protected by the gods. Floki is discovered to have been faithful to Ragnar the entire time. Men loyal to him gather to assassinate the king.
In this season you can see all the hatred that Floki has for Christians and how he has been able to go to Athelstan's house to assassinate him. He also sees how Ragnar is baptized and wants to set foot in heaven, where Athesltan is; he can only feel disappointed and desperate.
In the episode “Two Trips”, Helga and Floki will travel to Normandy.
It is the discovery of the island of Iceland, which Floki initially believes to be Asgard. In the settlement created by him hatred spreads and they kill each other; there is a climate of tremendous distrust.
Floki flees into a cave that he believes is the door to Helheim. Inside the cave he discovers a Christian cross, laughs and cries, because finally what happens is that he is buried inside a volcano.
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