Kattegat is the capital city of Ragnar's kingdom, located on the shores of a fjord in southern Norway.
Geography[]
The Kattegat (Danish: ˈkʰad̥əɡ̊ad̥) or Kattegatt (Swedish: ˈkatːəˈɡatː) is a 30,000 km2 sea area bounded by the Jutlandic peninsula in the west, the Danish Straits islands of Denmark to the south, and the provinces of Västergötland, Scania, Halland, and Bohuslän in Sweden in the east. The Baltic Sea drains into the Kattegat through the Danish Straits. The sea area is a continuation of the Skagerrak and may be seen as a bay of the Baltic Sea or the North Sea or, as in traditional Scandinavian usage, neither of these.
In Vikings[]
Kattegat was the seat of Earl Haraldson, and the center of his powers. Events such as The Thing and other meetings among the Vikings are held in Kattegat. It's also the center of commerce for the area, especially considering its location in a fjord and its access to sea travel. Farmers, such as Ragnar, and producers of various goods, rely on Kattegat as the primary market where they can sell their goods. Later, after Haraldson is slain in single combat by Ragnar, the Lothbrok family abandons its farm, which had been put to the torch by the Earl's men, and relocates to Kattegat, where Ragnar rules as the new Earl.
As Ragnar rises in status, Kattegat becomes the seat of his power and the center of his lands. His numerous raids bring much wealth to the town, although it also suffers through several battles. Over time, it is shown to expand several times over. In the first episode of Season Four, A Good Treason, Kattegat has expanded to fill the valley of the fjord and is now able to host the many ships coming back from the Siege of Paris. The wealth of the city pours into Kattegat and feeds the flourishing trade. After the defeat of Ragnar in Paris, Aslaug becomes the sole ruler of Kattegat and transforms it into a city. She's killed by Lagertha when she comes back to reclaim Kattegat. Lagertha subsequently builds extensive fortifications around the city. Kattegat is attacked by Egil and his men, but they are defeated and Egil is captured. The army of Ivar and King Harald attack Lagertha's army for control of Kattegat, but they were defeated and forced to retreat. A second battle ensues, and with the help of Frankish soldiers, Ivar takes Kattegat. Ivar begins his rule, becoming a tyrannical and cruel king. Ivar's rule lasts for around a year before his brother Bjorn joins forces with King Harald. Bjorn and Harald sail to Kattegat and join forces with Hvitserk and King Olaf. Ivar greatly improves the fortifications of Kattegat and the quality of the defenses are proven during the Siege of Kattegat. Ivar is deposed as King of Kattegat and Bjorn is hailed as its new king.
Notable Inhabitants[]
- King Bjorn
- Queen Gunnhild
- Queen Mother Lagertha
- Ubbe
- Hvitserk
- Torvi
- Hali
- Asa
- King Harald
- Floki
- King Ragnar
- Queen Aslaug
- Gyda
- Sigurd
- Earl Haraldson
- Siggy
- Thyri
- Þorunn
- Siggy Bjornsdottir
- Athelstan
- Torstein
- Helga
- Tanaruz
- Arne
- Leif
- Erik
- Elisef
- Kauko
- Angrboda
- Olafur
- Knut
- Svein
- Hakon
- Astrid
- Guthrum
- Margrethe
- The Seer
- Freydis
- King Ivar
- Duke Rollo
- Baldur Ivarsson
- Queen Ingrid
In Vikings: Valhalla[]
A hundred years later, Kattegat once again is seen as a gathering by King Canute to built an army to avenge the death of Vikings who were slain in the Danelaw,England during the St. Brice's Day Massacre. Kattegat continues to be a center of commerce and a gathering place to plan and launch invading forces from Scandinavia. Because of its strategic location and economic importance, being the ruler of Kattegat grants a lot of power. Jarl Estrid Haakon is the current ruler of Kattegat. She has been able to make the city one of the few place in Scandinavia that is safe for pagans and Christians alike. Olaf Haraldsson wants to cement his rule as King of Norway. In order to accomplish this, he knows that he will have take control of Kattegat from Jarl Haakon.
Notable Locations:[]
- The Great Hall
Notable Inhabitants:[]
- Jarl Estrid Haakon
- Freydis Eriksdotter
- Leif Eriksson
- Johan
- Tomas
- Altöra
- Hertha
- Former King Sweyn Forkbeard
- Queen Ælfgifu
- Prince Harald Harefoot
Trivia[]
- A possible name for the sea region in contemporary times, as suggested in the Knytlinga Saga, may have been Jotlandshaf (Jutland Sea).
- The tie-in book The World of Vikings confirms that Kattegat is located in Norway.
- The Kattegat set was built in a studio in Wicklow, Ireland and then footage from Hellesylt, Norway was digitally inserted into the backgrounds to five the impression of a Norwegian setting.
- There are some geographical inaccuracies with regards to Kattegat's location. Kattegat is in Norway, but apparently you can travel there by horseback from Hedeby, which is in southern Denmark, and is separated from major Scandinavia by the sea. In real life, Kattegat is the name of the sound that separates Jylland from what is today the west coast of Sweden, and not related to any historic settlement.
- The name "Kattegat" was given by Dutch sailors. It's Dutch for "cat hole," presumably because it was such a narrow passage that you would need to be a cat to be able to navigate and maneuver safely through it.
Gallery[]
