On Vikings: Valhalla, King Edmund was the English king who led the Saxons in their resistance against King Canute's attacks on England. But they got one thing incorrect about him on Vikings: Valhalla. In actual life, King Edmund led a revolution against his father and was not a childlike lad, but a courageous monarch who fought the Danish. Also, know about the actor Louis Davison who plays the role of King Edmund in the Netflix series. In addition, discover facts about King Edmund's death. Fans want to learn more about Edmund II Ironside King of England, 1016, Prince Edmund, the Coward, King Edmund 2, and The Last Kingdom.
Vikings: Valhalla is a Netflix streaming historical drama series created by Jeb Stuart. It's a follow-up to History's Vikings, and it was shot in County Wicklow, Ireland. Set a hundred years after the events of Vikings, the series follows the start of the Viking Age, which is marked by the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. On February 25, 2022, Netflix released the series.
Vikings: Valhalla, like the original Vikings series, is based on actual events that occurred long ago in real life. That is to say, the characters in this series are based on real-life persons from the time period.
King Edmund is one such figure who appears early in the series and plays a significant role. But who is King Edmund from Vikings?
Previously, we touched on Leo Suter, his gay rumors, speculated girlfriend, Leif Erikson's wife, Freydis, and Harald Sigurdsson.
Who is King Edmund from Vikings: Valhalla?
The search for revenge is one of the key themes of Vikings: Valhalla. In an attempt to avenge his people for what King Aethelred did to the Danes in England at the St. Brice's Day Massacre, the Danish king, Canute, invaded England with a massive army of Norsemen.
However, King Aethelred died of old age during the series, with his son Prince Edmund by his side as he died. In the midst of an oncoming Viking invasion by King Canute of Denmark, Edmund was finally elected king by the Englishmen.
Edmund was presented in the series as a young king who wasn't ready to rule England but had no option because he was the heir to the throne.
King Edmund was portrayed as a childish boy who felt he was invincible while preparing to succeed to the throne and preparing himself and the army for the Danes' attack, a trait that is rather typical among younger individuals who have yet to encounter the severity of reality.
However, no matter how well-prepared King Edmund and his army were, they couldn't hold off the force of Norsemen brought to the island by King Canute. The Saxons were compelled to accept the Danish king as their new ruler, and the English capital of London fell to King Canute's army.
Edmund was murdered by his most trusted adviser at the end of the series as a result of Godwin's betrayal of his king.
After meeting with other English lords to plan against the Danes' control, notably King Sweyn Forkbeard, who governed England while Canute was gone, Godwin put up a trap that caused Edmund's horse to stumble. Godwin assassinated Edmund on the spot as he was laying on the ground.
Here is What Vikings: Valhalla Gets Wrong About King Edmund!
Even while a lot of what Vikings: Valhalla showed us about King Edmund was right, such as his being the king who opposed Canute's attacks on England, there were a lot of facts about him that the show got wrong.
Prince Edmund was presented as a faithful son to King Aethelred in the series since he was seen by his father's bedside when the old king died. His history books, on the other hand, show that he wasn't the most obedient son.
During Aethelred's reign, King Sweyn Forkbeard was able to conquer England through his invasions, according to history. Following departing England, Aethelred returned after Sweyn's death in 1014 to reclaim the throne. Aethelred ordered the execution of a traitor's wife.
The Danes did not, however, slay King Edmund right then and there. Instead, Canute believed it was the best political decision to spare the young king and utilize him as a puppet ruler by his side, allowing him to dominate the English nobility who ruled the rest of England.
And all the while, he seemed to be conspiring with Godwin and the other nobles to overthrow the Danish rulers so that England could be returned to the Englishmen.
Edmund died only seven months after coming to the throne. He is thought to have died as a result of several knife wounds acquired while relieving himself in the privy. However, there are reports claiming he died as a result of a crossbow wound he received in combat. Whatever the reason may have been, he died before his rule had barely lasted a year.
As a result, it's clear that the series got a number of things about King Edmund wrong. He was not the obedient son shown in the play, but he really rebelled against his father and led a revolution against him.
Furthermore, Edmund was not a childish boy, but a courageous combatant who stood strong against King Canute's assault. He held off the Danish attacks effectively enough that a peace agreement had to be negotiated. And because of his resistance against Canute, he was named Edmund Ironside.
Which Actor Plays King Edmund in Vikings: Valhalla?
Louis Davison portrays King Edmund in Vikings: Valhalla. Despite being in his early twenties, he appears to be much younger than his actual age.
Those who believe he looks familiar should know that he made his screen debut as Victor in Tim Burton's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children in 2016. Although he didn't have much screen time in the movie, it did assist Davison to get more roles.
Davison continues to perform in a variety of roles, most recently in the BBC historical drama Poldark. He appeared as an older version of Geoffrey Charles in the fourth season of the show. Davison is definitely a future star as the role he has been playing is truly remarkable at his age.
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