logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
49m 48s

Return of the Viking raiders

IMMEDIATE MEDIA
About this episode
Across the eighth and ninth centuries, Britain and Ireland were targeted by a series of brutal Vikings raids. But that wasn’t the end of the story. In the 11th century, they were in the firing line once again – as further Viking naval expeditions were launched from Scandinavia. Medieval historian Dr Caitlin Ellis speaks to David Musgrove about this second wa ... Show More
Up next
Oct 8
Being disabled in the medieval era
Prosthetic legs, wheelbarrow wheelchairs and guide… children? Those were just some of the assistive technologies and body augmentations available to our medieval and early modern ancestors. In this episode, Rae Gillibrand highlights how bodily difference was understood in this pr ... Show More
45m 39s
Oct 6
Vanilla: a far from ordinary history
It's now often used as an adjective for anything standard, plain, and borderline boring – but the history of vanilla is anything but. Eric T Jennings – whose book Vanilla: The History of an Extraordinary Bean is among the titles shortlisted for the 2026 Cundill History Prize – te ... Show More
37m 11s
Oct 5
Ancient explosives and the philosopher's stone: a history of alchemy
Think of alchemy, and you likely imagine bubbling vials of strange potions and molten metals. But how close is this popular perception to the truth? That’s the question behind historian and adventurer Kit Chapman’s latest book, The Age of Alchemy, which was recently announced as ... Show More
35m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2013
The Vikings Arrive
<p>This shows looks at the arrival of one of the most fearsome and notorious warriors in Irish history – the Vikings. These Scandinavians have been caricatured throughout the centuries as marauding maniacs a somewhat undeserved reputation. However in this episode they don’t exact ... Show More
18m 50s
Sep 2024
Viking Travels
<p>Vikings have long been depicted as that stereotype of the hairy, nameless warrior, leaping ashore from his longboat, ready to terrorise a hapless local population in a northern European country. But there were also seers, artisans, travellers, and writers, too whose stories ca ... Show More
47m 12s
Sep 2022
The Rise of the Vikings
<p>September is Vikings month on&nbsp;<em>Gone Medieval</em>, as Dr. Cat Jarman presents a mini-series about her favourite, specialist subject. Over four episodes, Cat is taking a deep dive into the Viking age, looking at how it all started, how it all ended, and the stories we t ... Show More
32m 34s
Oct 2020
Vikings Conquer The World: The Dawn Of A New Era
<p>Viking attacks continued in England, but Alfred the Great and his troops fought back. Maybe it's time for the conquerors of the North to go and discover the rest of the known world?</p><br><p>An original Ubisoft series.</p><br><p>If you liked this podcast please subscribe, sha ... Show More
15m 55s
Apr 2022
The Vikings
Viking exploration changed the course of history in the northern hemisphere. As raiders and pirates, they dominated the seas of northern Europe for centuries. Their fearless and brutal reputations struck fear into hearts from Constantinople to Canada, while their folklore and myt ... Show More
56m 2s
Apr 2022
Vol 4 Ep 22 - The Vikings
<p>793 - 1035 - Glorious literature tells us that the Vikings were savage raiders who sailed the seas and plundered from others. &nbsp;This episode investigates what we do know about the Vikings and their history and whether those preconceptions are completely fair.</p> 
52m 50s
Nov 2010
The Volga Vikings
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Volga Vikings. Between the 8th and the 10th centuries AD, fierce Scandinavian warriors raided and then settled large swathes of Europe, particularly Britain, Ireland and parts of northern France. These were the Vikings, and their story is w ... Show More
42m 3s
Apr 2024
Viking Royalty: Nicknames, Love Poems & Victorian Myths
We think we know the Vikings, but how well do we really know them?From the insignia we think they wear, to the names they call themselves and the way they spoke to each other, there's a lot to uncover.Joining Kate today is Dr. Caitlin Ellis, historian and Associate Professor at t ... Show More
40m 34s
Nov 2023
Viking Combat: The Violent Society of the Norse w/ Hurstwic
Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyofvikingDuring the Middle Ages, seafaring Scandinavian marauders wrought havoc in lands both near and far—from Iceland to Finland, and Córdoba to Constantinople. These were warriors who belonged to an altogether viol ... Show More
57m 16s
Mar 2025
549. The Road to 1066: Revenge of the Vikings (Part 2)
Following the bloody St Brice’s Day Massacre, of the 13th of November 1002, which saw King Æthelred brutally exterminating the Danes from England, the Vikings were hungry for revenge. None more so than the terrifying Scandinavian King, Sweyn Forkbeard. Having capitalised on his f ... Show More
1h 1m