According to historical story/myth, Tale of Ragnar's sons (Old Norse: Ragnarssona þáttr), Bjorn's mother was Aslaug. Yet in the 2013 show Vikings, Bjorn's mother was Lagertha. Why was this change made? Have the directors or writers explained the difference?
-
Related to movies.stackexchange.com/questions/17892/… but I am asking about out-of-universe reasonings for the change in Mother, not the in-universe father. – cde Nov 16 '15 at 5:13
Altought they didn't give any reasons why this change was made, there's the Lagertha reason. They needed a strong female character. This is one of VIkings's many caracteristic. You're a Viking; you're strong; you fight.
It was more of a need for a character that the watchers would love and get attached to than anything to do with the tale of Ragnar's sons.