Bishop Heahmund, while he has a deep faith and a genuine love for Christianity , is not just a clergyman .
He is also a man of war , skilled with weapons. As well as a man who loves women as much as he loves drink.
He sins like any other man. “And when he sins, he punishes himself,” said Vikings director Michael Hirst.
Who is Heahmund in the Vikings series?
The character of Bishop Heahmund first appears in the last episode of season 4, then continues to be present in the first half of season 5 of the Vikings series.
During the latter, Heahmund and his men arrive at King Ecbert's castle and come across his lifeless body. After having celebrated his funeral with dignity, they begin to rebuild the place , destroyed after the battle against the Vikings. The man of faith joins forces with King Aethelwulf, and both set off to attack York , in vain. They retreat after the Vikings offer them peace, and attack again later.
King Aethelwulf and Heahmund enter the deserted and burning city , but the celebrations are soon cut short when Viking warriors emerge from the sewers to attack them. The Bishop is trapped and captured by Ivar . The Viking has an idea in mind: to make Heahmund one of his combat allies . What the bishop becomes.
He proves his warrior skills in battle against King Harald's troops, but unfortunately dies in battle, arrows in his body, and finished off by Gunnhild .
Heahmund, Lagertha's lover
One evening, after a battle, Heahmund and Lagertha strike up a philosophical conversation . When the bishop joins the warrior during the night, the discussions are cut short. After Lagertha extinguishes the candles, the two lovers succumb to passionate embraces .
Their secret relationship lasts for many days. Until the day when the bishop has a vision of hell , which pushes him to give up the pretty warrior. Which accuses him of never having really loved him. However, when he collapses during his last battle, it is his first name that he shouts before releasing his last breath.
What does the inscription on Heahmund's sword mean?
On the sword of Bishop Heahmund it is possible to read the inscription " Ananyzapata ", which would mean " repels evil and protects its good Christian bearer from evil and destruction ". This inscription has been found on some ancient relics, found in North Yorkshire among other places.
According to other sources, the inscription would mean " Jesus Christ overcame death (the devil) by being baptized by John and dying on the cross ". It is in any case logical that Heahmund uses it to kill all those who oppose his religious beliefs.
Heahmund, a perfect rival for Ivar
From the beginning of season 5, Ivar and Heahmund become close , the first wishing to have the second at his side to win the battles brilliantly. In reality, the two men are much closer than they think. In their character, but also their know-how.
Both are formidable warriors first. Ivar, despite his handicap, always finds the right strategies and swings the ax like no one can. Heahmund, despite his devotion to religion, wields the sword brilliantly .
But the similarities between the two men do not end there. Their relationship to death is the same , or almost. Neither of them is afraid of it . Ivar is ready to die in battle and return to Valhalla. Heahmund is ready to go to heaven.
Their character, then, is quite similar. Both are quite ambitious and sanguine , almost uncontrollable .
Finally, the lack of moral conscience is still what brings the two warriors closer together. While Ivar does not respect any social conventions, Heahmund respects only a few as well. From his very first appearance in the Vikings series, the bishop makes love to a widow he has just consoled.
Is Bishop Heahmund in Vikings inspired by a real character?
Many of the characters present in the Vikings series are inspired by men and women who have indeed existed in the past. At least, according to historical texts and mythological texts. Bishop Heahmund is one of the latter.
Born in the 9th century AD in England , Heahmund received his episcopal consecration around the year 867. Unfortunately, he died a few years later, in the year 871.
A churchman as a man of war , Heahmund was killed in the Battle of Marton , which pitted troops of King Aethelred against the Vikings. On the other hand, the director of the Vikings series allows himself the freedom to bring fictional elements to give more life to his story, and sometimes more intrigue as well. Here, the affair between Heahmund and Lagertha is completely invented and a priori never took place in real life.
Who is the actor who plays Bishop Heahmund?
It is the Irish comedian Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who is chosen to play the role of Heahmund, in the series Vikings .
The one who had a difficult childhood is expelled from school at the age of 16. He then spends his time in billiard halls and, very quickly, he is spotted by various agents and begins to pass some castings . He landed his first film role in 1994 , at the age of 17, then continued.
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers plays in "Match Point", by Woody Allen, for which he won the Chopard Trophy at the Cannes Film Festival. And also appears in "Mission Impossible 3", "The silence of the shadows", or "From Paris with Love".
And it was in 2017 that the actor played Heahmund in the series "Vikings" , before his character was killed after only a few episodes.
