Vikings is a Canadian-Irish historical drama television series, written and created by Michael Hirst for the television channel History. It premiered on March 3, 2013 in the United States and Canada.

Filmed in Ireland, Vikings is inspired by the tales about the Viking Ragnar Lodbrok, one of the best-known Norse heroes and notorious as the scourge of France and England. It portrays Ragnar as a Viking farmer who pioneers the first daring raids into England with the support of fellow warriors, his brother Rollo, and his wife, the shieldmaiden Lagertha.

On April 5, 2013, History renewed Vikings for a ten-episode second season, set to be aired on February 27, 2014.

Rollo battles Ragnar when Jarl Borg and King Horik's men clash. After a bloody rampage, Rollo surrenders to Ragnar after admitting he cannot kill him. Ragnar negotiates an unsteady truce between Borg and Horik, then returns to Kattegat. Ragnar's attempts to reconnect with his wife are hampered when Lagertha learns about his affair with Aslaug. Ragnar finally mourns for his dead daughter. Ragnar's life becomes more complicated when a ship arrives bearing a visibly pregnant Aslaug. Rollo is placed on trial, but is shocked when he is freed by the town lawkeeper, who unknown to the town was bribed by Ragnar. Despite Lagertha's enmity towards Aslaug, Ragnar decides to take the princess as his second wife. Humiliated, Lagertha leaves Ragnar and Kattegat. Ragnar attempts to stop her and pleads with her to return but she rebuffs him. Ragnar's sorrow is multiplied when Bjorn rejects him and chooses to go with his mother.