The missionary Ansgar is a real historical person. In fact, he is described in Danish history described as the person who brought Christianity to Denmark. He lived almost at the same time as Charlemagne. He is here seen carrying "jernbyrd" (Danish for ordeal), but it was in fact not him who did it but Bishop Poppo later in history during King Harald Bluetooth's reign who did that to prove his Christian faith to the Danish king (who was not yet Christian but became so later).
