Mother of Kings IV - A Woman of Great Dignity

In this episode, we return to the life and legend of Gunnhild konungamóðir, exploring her time in exile in Denmark and her son's eventual return to power in Norway. We then turn our attention to the broader topic of women, power and magic in the Sagas. Along the way we discuss go ...  Show more

In this episode, we follow Gunnhild konungamóðir as her sons ascend to the Norwegian throne and she finally acquires her famous title. We will then examine the significant authority which Gunnhild enjoyed at this time, as well as how Icelandic authors chose to depict her use of p ...  Show more

How did the Vikings and the Inuit interact in Greenland? When was the last record of Norse settlers in the region? How did climate change affect the decline of Viking settlers in Greenland, and why is their disappearance shrouded in mystery? William and Anita are joined once agai ...  Show more

Last episode I gave you a forest view of where we are going and, roughly, who these Viking raiders were as well as the scale of the impact that they will have upon Europe. And it really is something to behold. The Viking Age isn’t very long, but Europe hadn’t seen this level of r ...  Show more

We know the Vikings best as brutal, seafaring, pagan raiders – and that’s an important part of their lives and histories. But it’s only one aspect: what about their love lives, experiences of travels, and attitudes to religion? Speaking with James Osborne, Eleanor Barraclough unp ...  Show more

Who were the Vikings' ancient ancestors? In this episode Tristan Hughes explores the fascinating maritime culture, sophisticated trade networks and social hierarchies of the Nordic Bronze Age c. 1800–700 BC. Joined by Professor Johan Ling, they shed light on how proto-Viking soci ...  Show more