From a media release:

HISTORY® ORDERS SECOND SEASON OF HIT SCRIPTED SERIES VIKINGS

• #1 ENTERTAINMENT SPECIALTY SERIES OF THE YEAR EARNS TEN EPISODE ORDER
• Four New Episodes Remain This Season, Airing Sundays at 10 p.m.
• Season One Finale Scheduled for Sunday, April 28

HISTORY has picked up Vikings for a 10-episode second season. Created and written by Michael Hirst, the renewal comes just five episodes into the Vikings freshman season. Four new episodes remain in the current season airing Sundays at 10 p.m. with the season finale slated for Sunday, April 28 at 10 p.m.

Vikings is the #1 new Canadian scripted specialty debut of 2013, premiering to over 1.1 million viewers (2+) and nearly 600,000 (A25-54). The hit historical drama averaged 942,000 total viewers (2+), and 475,000 Adults 25-54 in its 10 p.m. timeslot. The series is also the #1 scripted series to-date this broadcast year across key female demos.

Vikings, airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET, tells the extraordinary tales of the lives and epic adventures of these warriors. The drama portrays the world of these Dark Age raiders, traders, explorers – not from an outsider’s view, but, through the eyes of Viking society.

While Vikings is filled with conflict, warfare and bloodshed – for these were extreme times – it is a family saga at heart. It follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel, The Beast, Baytown Outlaws), a curious, compelling man who is always looking to break through barriers and discover new worlds to conquer. Ragnar is deeply frustrated by the unadventurous policies of his local chieftain, Earl Haraldson (Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment, Usual Suspects, Millers Crossing), who continues to send his Vikings raiders east every summer, to the Baltic states and Russia, whose populations are as materially poor as themselves.

Joining Fimmel and Byrne are Canadians Katheryn Winnick (Bones, Love and Other Drugs, The Black Marks) as Lagertha, a fierce shield maiden and Ragnar’s wife; and Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee, Heroes, Nip/Tuck, Friday Night Lights) as Siggy, Earl Haraldson’s beautiful wife. Rounding out the cast are George Blagden (Les Miserables, Wrath of the Titans) as Athelstan, a young, innocent Christian monk captured by Ragnar on his first raid on England, Clive Standen (Camelot, Robin Hood) as Rollo, Ragnar’s impulsive, wild, care-free brother and Gustaf Skarsgard (The Way Back) a ship builder who designs the new generation of Vikings ships.

Created and written by Michael Hirst – one of the premier historical story-tellers in the industry (Academy Award-winning film Elizabeth; and the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series The Tudors), Michael serves as Executive Producer along with Morgan O’Sullivan of World 2000 (The Count of Monte Cristo; The Tudors), John Weber of Take 5 Productions (The Tudors; The Borgias), Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, James Flynn (The Tudors; The Borgias) and Sheila Hockin (The Tudors; The Borgias).

Vikings is an international Irish/Canadian co-production being co-produced by World 2000 and Take 5 Productions. HISTORY broadcasts both domestically in Canada and in the U.S. MGM Television brings Vikings to the global audience, serving as the international distributor outside of Ireland, Canada and the U.S. Vikings is produced in association with Shaw Media.

Source: BBM Canada PPM data; Total Canada, 8/27/12 – 3/24/13

Vikings, History – “Dispossessed”
A monastery in Lindesfarne is about to get a firsthand look at how the Vikings operate. In and out in a flurry of violence and terror, Ragnar and his crew raid the monastery for everything it contains, from treasure to monks who can be sold as slaves. Unable to ignore the riches this unsanctioned journey has returned, Earl Haraldson has no choice but to agree to let these warriors undertake a second trip out. The West has now been opened for the taking by Ragnar Lothbrok, and the world of the Vikings will never be the same.

From Scott Stinson of the National Post:

History wades into scripted drama — and pillaging — with Vikings
The protagonist in a dramatic television series can usually be relied upon to be a sympathetic character. Wise, handsome, noble — and if not noble then at least conflicted about it. Read more.