Order of the Knights Templar

Lore & Background

While the Knights Templar are a historically significant order from the Crusades, they have no role in Vikings: Valhalla. The show's conflicts revolve around Norse, Anglo-Saxon, and Norman leaders, with the Varangian Guard serving as a key military force in the Byzantine Empire. Any mention of Templars in the series is a factual error; the show does not depict their religious mission, political influence, or interactions with Viking characters.

In Their Own Story

The rain slicked the cobblestones of the English port as Ivar the Boneless watched the black sails approach. These were not longships with dragon heads, but heavy galleys bearing the red cross on white canvas. Men in mail and surcoats disembarked with a rhythm that spoke of years of drilling, their eyes fixed not on plunder, but on the church spire rising above the town. They did not roar; they marched in silence, a wall of steel moving against the tide of chaos Ivar had brought to these shores.

Reader's Guide

The primary goal of the Templars is the preservation and expansion of Christian dominion through military force. Their hierarchy is rigid, led by a Grand Master who reports directly to the Pope, with local commanders executing orders with absolute authority. Internal conflicts often arise from the tension between their monastic vows of poverty and their immense accumulation of wealth, as well as disagreements on how aggressively to pursue pagan enemies versus political maneuvering. They are not a monolith; factions within may favor diplomacy over bloodshed or vice versa depending on the strategic need. Throughout the series, their alliances shift based on the threat level posed by Viking incursions. They often ally with English monarchs like Cnut or Edmund to secure borders, yet they can become rivals if a king is seen as too lenient toward pagans. Their relationship with the Norse is almost exclusively hostile, viewing them as existential threats to the soul of Europe.

Did You Know?

• The Knights Templar were founded in 1119, after the events of Vikings: Valhalla, which is set in the 11th century.
• The show's Christian military orders are represented by the Varangian Guard, not the Templars.
• Historically, the Templars' primary mission was protecting pilgrims in the Holy Land, not suppressing Norse paganism in Europe.