Vikings season six, part A saw King Bjorn Ironside (played by Alexander Ludwig) and Ivar the Boneless (Alex Hogh Andersen) go head to head for the crown of Kattegat. In the remaining 10 episodes, attention will be diverted to Wessex, which is currently ruled by King Alfred (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Express.co.uk has everything you need to know about the real King Alfred.
Who is King Alfred? Was Alfred the Great real?
King Alfred, also known as Alfred the Great, was the King of Wessex from 871 to 886.
He was then crowned King of the Anglo-Saxons, reigning from 866 until he died in 889.
Alfred’s father was King Aethelwulf of Wessex (Moe Dunford) and three of his older brothers, Aethelbald, Aethelbert and Athelred (Darren Cahill) reigned before him.
When Alfred ascended the throne in 871, he spent his early years fighting Viking invasions.
READ MORE Vikings season 6: When will Alfred come back to the series?
Alfred agreed to give the Vikings refuge in Wessex and agreed to give them lands in East Anglia, in exchange for protection against invading Vikings and King Harald (Peter Franzén), who were planning to attack Wessex.
Ubbe and Torvi (Georgia Hirst) were baptised by Alfred, and soon, Ubbe became Alfred’s trusted military adviser.
In Vikings season five, Alfred successfully defeated the Vikings and King Harald at the Battle of Marton and remained the ruler of Wessex.
However, he was absent from season six part A of Vikings season six, as much of the drama focused on Kattegat and the invading Rus Vikings.