Floki

Lore & Background

The historical foundation for Floki is Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarsson, a Norwegian explorer who departed Western Norway around 870. Unlike previous travelers, his journey was intentional, aimed at finding the land glimpsed by Garðar Svavarsson. He traveled with his wife Gró and children Oddleifur and Geirhildur. The voyage was marked by tragedy when his daughter Geirhildur drowned near the Shetland Islands. Later, during a stop in the Faroe Islands, another of his daughters (unnamed in some accounts) wed. It was here that Flóki acquired three ravens to aid his navigation. By releasing them sequentially, he watched their flight paths: the first returned to the Faroes, the second hovered and returned to the ship, but the third flew northwest and never came back. This specific behavior confirmed they were near land, allowing the party to follow the bird westward past Reykjanes. This successful navigational feat earned him the enduring nickname Raven-Flóki.

In Their Own Story

Upon following the third raven, Flóki's crew spotted a large bay where his companion Faxe declared they had found great land; this area became known as Faxaflói. Flóki established a winter camp at Vatnsfjörður in Barðaströnd. Because the preceding summer was unusually good, he and his companions were ill-prepared for the severe cold that followed. In desperation, waiting for spring, Flóki climbed the highest mountain above his camp, believed to be Nónfell in the Westfjords. From this peak, he looked down upon Ísafjörður, which was then full of drift ice. This sight led him to name the entire land Ísland (Iceland). When the group returned to Norway, their reports diverged: Herjolf stated the land had both good and bad qualities, while Thorolf claimed butter was smeared on every straw, earning him the nickname Thorolf Butter. Flóki, however, spoke ill of the land, calling it worthless. Despite this negative assessment, historical records confirm that Flóki later returned to Iceland and settled there until his death.

Reader's Guide

The TV character Floki is a fictionalized version of Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarsson, whose life is recorded in the Landnámabók. The source notes that while the series depicts him as a boat builder, the historical figure was an intentional explorer who utilized three ravens to find Iceland. Key moments from the source include his departure from Western Norway with family members Gró, Oddleifur, and Thjódgerdur in 868, the drowning of one daughter near Shetland, and the marriage of another in the Faroes. The narrative highlights the specific navigational technique where the third raven flew northwest without returning, guiding them to Faxaflói. It also details his winter at Vatnsfjörður, his climb up Nónfell to see the drift ice that gave Iceland its name, and the conflicting reports he brought back to Norway alongside Herjolf and Thorolf. Although he initially called the land worthless, the source emphasizes that he eventually returned to live there permanently.

Did You Know?

• Hrafna-Flóki is the only Norseman mentioned in the source who intentionally sailed to Iceland, whereas Naddoddur and Garðar Svavarsson discovered it accidentally.
• The name 'Iceland' (Ísland) was given by Flóki after he saw drift ice filling Ísafjörður from the top of Nónfell mountain.
• Flóki's companion Herjólfr earned the nickname 'Herjólfr Butter' (Herjólfr smjör) or 'Herjólfr the Fair' in some sources, though the claim about butter on every blade of grass is attributed to a different settler.
• Despite initially calling Iceland worthless and telling others it had no value, Flóki eventually returned to settle there until his death.
• The character Floki in Vikings is played by Swedish actor Gustaf Skarsgård, who first appears in season 1 and later arrives in Iceland in season 5 believing he has found Asgard.

The Intentional Voyage and the Raven Strategy

Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarsson, a Norwegian born in the ninth century, is unique among early discoverers for intentionally sailing to Iceland around 868. Departing from Western Norway with his wife Gró and children Oddleifur and Thjódgerdur, he sought the land found by Garðar Svavarsson. The journey involved significant peril: a daughter drowned near the Shetland Islands, while another wed in the Faroe Islands. It was during this stop that Flóki employed three ravens for navigation. Releasing them one by one, he observed that the first flew back to the Faroes and the second returned to the ship, but the third flew northwest without returning. This signal confirmed land lay ahead, leading the party west past Reykjanes to a large bay. This method of avian guidance is the origin of his name, Hrafna-Flóki (Raven-Flóki).

The Naming of Iceland and Early Settlement

After following the third raven, Flóki's group sighted a vast bay where Faxe remarked they had found great land, leading to the name Faxaflói. Flóki set up a winter camp at Vatnsfjörður in Barðaströnd. An unusually good summer left them unprepared for the harsh winter that followed. To survey their situation before spring, Flóki climbed Nónfell, the highest mountain above his camp. From there, he saw Ísafjörður filled with drift ice and named the entire land Ísland (Iceland). Upon returning to Norway, Flóki described the land as worthless. This contrasted with Herjolf's balanced view and Thorolf's hyperbolic claim that butter was smeared on every straw, which earned Thorolf the nickname 'Thorolf Butter.' Despite his initial negative report, Flóki eventually returned to Iceland and settled there until his death.

Comparative Narratives of Discovery

The historical account in Landnámabók distinguishes Hrafna-Flóki from accidental discoverers like Naddoddur and Garðar Svavarsson. His story highlights the subjective nature of early exploration reports upon returning to Norway. While Thorolf painted an idyllic picture that earned him the nickname 'Thorolf Butter,' and Herjolf offered a moderate assessment, Flóki focused on the harsh winter conditions he endured at Vatnsfjörður. He named the land after the drift ice he saw from Nónfell. Despite his description of the land as worthless, the source explicitly states that Flóki later returned to live there permanently, suggesting his initial assessment was a reaction to immediate hardship rather than a final judgment on the territory's viability.

Historical Record and Modern Cultural Depiction

The life of Hrafna-Flóki Vilgerðarsson is documented in the Landnámabók manuscript, though the precise year of his arrival remains unclear. He was a Norwegian who intentionally sailed to Iceland in the 9th century, accompanied by family members including Gró, Oddleifur, and Thjódgerdur. His legacy is defined by the use of three ravens for navigation, leading to the naming of Faxaflói and Ísland. In modern fiction, specifically the History channel's Vikings series, a character named Floki played by Swedish actor Gustaf Skarsgård is loosely based on this historical figure. The show depicts his arrival in Iceland during season 5, where he believes he has found Asgard. This adaptation blends the factual elements of Flóki's raven-guided voyage with mythological storytelling.