Becoming an Anglo-Saxon King

Matt Lewis and guest Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they dive into the turbulent world of late 10th-century Scandinavia and the extraordinary life of Olaf Tryggvason. Exiled, enslaved, raider, and eventually king of Norway, Olaf was a force of nature in an age of shifting loyalties, p ...  Show more

How was folklore woven into the everyday life of medieval Icelanders? How did they make sense of the darkness of their world?During Iceland's endless nights, tales of trolls, ghosts, elves, hidden people and restless spirits were far more than entertainment: they explained an unp ...  Show more

Who was the first King of England? Who invented a place called 'England' anyway? And what on earth are the 'bracelets of sincerity'?With coronations in the air Dallas is going back in search of the origins of all things regal with his guest Matt Lewis, host of the History Hit pod ...  Show more

📝 Get FREE Episode Worksheet 🧐 Take English Level Test 👄 Improve Your Pronunciation Travel back to medieval England with Charlie and Ben as they explore the legacies of King Athelstan and William the Conqueror. Experience the fascinating events that shaped English history, all ...  Show more

Please take my listener survey to help improve the podcast: www.surveymonkey.com/r/airwave  Since ancient times, placing a crown upon a monarch’s head was a powerful symbol. It was believed to bestow a heavenly mandate to rule, or even transform a monarch into a living god. Most ...  Show more

The roots of the coronation ritual are fabulously ancient: certain elements of the ceremony are vestiges from the later Roman Empire, others have their origins in the Old Testament and ancient Egypt. The liturgy used can be traced back to the 10th century, and the very idea of ki ...  Show more