| “ | A Viking never gives up on his revenge. This is who we are. | ” |
– Erlendur to Torvi, Death All 'Round | ||
Erlendur Horiksson is the eldest son and heir of King Horik. He is the ex-husband of Torvi.
Biography
Season 2
Erlendur and his brother Ari accompany their father Horik on raids with Ragnar Lothbrok. He also sleeps with Siggy, as Horik said that he had only been with "girls and slaves." Erlendur has gone to the third raid in England and was the first to spot land. He was always on the side of his father who wanted revenge on King Ecbert. Ignoring Ragnar and Lagertha's desire for land and farming. When Prince Aethelwulf came to the camp to negotiate things were going well. Until Erlendur personally led an attack on Prince Aethelwulf during his return in the forest. Killing all the bodyguards and leaving only Aethewulf alive. The attack was obviously ordered by King Horik and eventually led to the battle were the Norsemen were defeated by King Ecbert and King Aelle.
Erlendur is later alongside his father in the attack on Ragnar, King Horik shows him the royal sword saying that "If the gods allow, one day it shall be yours and you shall be King." Despite Ragnar ordering the deaths of all his siblings and his mother, and personally killing Horik, Erlendur was spared. Probably on behalf of his father's only ask to spare him.
Season 3
Erlendur has married Torvi, who has since given birth to Jarl Borg's son. He joins forces with Kalf in the hope of avenging his family.
Erlendur and Torvi later arrive in Kattegat. He asks Ragnar how the farming in Wessex is going. He does not seem to pay his wife much attention, even during the feast.
During the Paris campaign Erlendur sullenly watches the exchanges between his wife and Björn. After his rival has left Erlendur confiscates the bracelet Björn gifted Torvi, stating that such finery is too grand for a whore.
During the Siege of Paris, Erlendur commands sappers at the gates of Paris, joined the by the forces of Earl Siegfried and Earl Kalf. Erlendur's machines breaks down the bridge gate. However, a frankish boltmachine halts the attack and Erlendur is wounded.
Erlendur is later among those discussing what to do after the failed attack on Paris. When Ragnar stands up, he looks Erlendur dead in the eyes when reminding all present he only became king because of "Other people's actions" meaning King Horik's attempt to kill Ragnar and his family. Erlendur merely responds with a sneer. After Ragnar's appearent conversion to christianity, Erlendur suggests to Kalf that Ragnar must die for this scacrilege.
Season 4
Some time after the very successful Paris raid Erlendur and his family continue to reside in Hedeby. There is still a great deal of dissent regarding Lagartha's status in the Earldom, Kalf thus proposes that both he and Lagartha rule the Earldom jointly. All those against the motion are invited to speak up at which point Kalf turns on them and orders their execution. This includes his old partner in usurpation Einar. Strangely enough Erlendur is amongst the men carrying out said executions. Several days after though Erlendur approaches Kalf angrily and demands to know when they will finally move against Ragnar and his kin so that the house of Sigfred will be avenged. They hire a noted assassin only know as the Berserker to kill Björn who is soul searching in the wilderness. Erlendur even provides the Berserker with his signet ring so that no one will dare hinder him.
When Björn casually strolls into Hedeby's Great Hall Erlendur and Kall are visibly upset. Björn however doesn't let on that he knows anything of their murderous plot. Ragnar's son came for one reason: to take Torvi from Erlendur. After some tense moments Erlendur relents but demands that his stepson Guthrum be left in his care.
Erlendur later converses with Kalf while testing a modified Frankish crossbow. They both realize that Bjorn must have killed their Berserker, but Erlendur comments that it doesn't matter, as they now have a spy in Kattegat: Torvi. Erlendur explains that he ordered her to go and spy on Ragnar and Bjorn, or he would kill her son by Jarl Borg. Unknown to him, however, Torvi has already told Bjorn that Erlendur hired the Berserker, thereby betraying Erlendur. The former Viking prince is among the many guests at Kalf and Lagertha's wedding ceremony. Erlendur is quite shocked when he sees a bloody Lagertha emerge from the wedding tent. Later Erlendur approaches Lagertha tending to Kalf's grave. When he asks why she would kill her betrothed on their wedding day Lagertha says 'Because I swore I would'. Still Erlendur surprises Lagertha when he ask permission to join her next raid of Frankia. Once in Frankia, Erlendur approaches Torvi and warns her that some day soon she must assasinate Björn, or else Guthrum's life will be forfeit. Erlendur is very quick to join Halfdan's raiding party. Enraged that some Frankish soldiers have lit signal fires, the party gleefully burn them alive shouting Odin's name over and over.
At Viking basecamp Erlendur sits among Ragnar, Lagertha and all the other leaders to discuss a new plan of attack, since Rollo has switched sides. Before he can depart, Björn stops Erlendur to give him his ring back, the former prince denies owning the ring and makes himself scarce. Erlendur is part of Lagertha's warriors who's mission it is to distract the Franks' attention from the approaching longships. This stratagem fails as they get stuck in trenches filled with mud, the vikings are systematically cut down, with Lagertha and Erlendur being some of the few to escape with their lives.
Torvi watches Björn execute Ragnar's portage scheme. Suddenly Erlendur walks up behind her and eyes his rival angrily, takes aim with his crossbow and kills Björn. This is soon revealed to be a hallucination on Torvi's part.
As the days bleed into each other, the Vikings haul their ships accross the mountainside. Björn and Torvi are closer then ever much to Erlendur's ire. At night Torvi even spots her former husband spying on them post coitus, murder flashing in his eyes. The very next day Torvi walks in on Erlendur performing a blood sacrifce to Thor in order to insure Björn's death. All Torvi's pleas to let beygones be beygones fall on deaf ears, Erlendur craves to avenge his family. Torvi is ordered to kill Björn with Erlendur's crossbow. When face to face with her paramour though Torvi can't bring herself to do it and shoots Erlendur instead. As his rival lays dying, Björn slips the signet ring over the boltshaft protruding from Erlendur's chest. Ragnar watches all this happen but doesn't object in the slightest. With Erlendur's death, the once mighty house of Sigfred is now rendered extinct.
Personality
After his father's death at the hands of Ragnar Lothbrok, Erlendur becomes quite vengeful. Aligning himself with Earl Kalf, he seeks retribution on everyone involved in his father's death, notably Ragnar and Bjorn. Erlendur is very cruel and abusive toward his wife Torvi, and seems to enjoy causing her distress. His relationship with his stepson, Guthrum, is mostly unseen, but it can be inferred that he is a cruel father as well. Having been present at Harald's brutal torture of the Frankish scouts in Paris, Erlendur likely shared their distaste for Christians.
Trivia
- There is no information about the offspring of the historical Horik. Sources indicate that if Horik had sons, they where killed in a complicated and violent feud for the throne which left Erik the Child the only heir to the throne of Denmark.
- Erlendur obviously hates Ragnar and everyone else close to him and is probably just waiting for a chance to avenge his father and family. And maybe even hope to become a king as he should have been if his father hasn't been killed and succeeded by Ragnar. He is always cynically looking to whatever sign of weakness Ragnar shows.
Quotes
| “ | A Viking never gives up on his revenge. This is who we are. | ” |
– Erlendur to Torvi, Death All 'Round | ||
Gallery
Appearances
| Season two appearances | ||||
| Brother's War | Invasion | Treachery | Eye For an Eye | Answers in Blood |
| Unforgiven | Blood Eagle | Boneless | The Choice | The Lord's Prayer |
| Season three appearances | ||||
| Mercenary | The Wanderer | Warrior's Fate | Scarred | The Usurper |
| Born Again | Paris | To the Gates! | Breaking Point | The Dead |
| Season four appearances | ||||
| A Good Treason | Kill the Queen | Mercy | Yol | Promised |
| What Might Have Been | The Profit and the Loss | Portage | Death All 'Round | The Last Ship |
| The Outsider | The Vision | Two Journeys | In the Uncertain Hour Before the Morning | All His Angels |
| Crossings | The Great Army | Revenge | On the Eve | The Reckoning |