Viking Age Podcast

Sharing the History of The Viking Age, one podcast at a time. We are covering the History of Scandinavia during the Viking Age. We're exploring Raiding, Trading and Settlement of Scandinavians abroad as well as the culture and society of the Norse homelands. Join us to learn more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the people, for better or worse, history knows as the Vikings.

MOKVII - I Honor with Words of Truth that Lady 08/23/2019

MOKVII - I Honor with Words of Truth that Lady In this episode we conclude the Mother of Kings series by exploring several stories of royal mothers in Old Norse literature. We then bring things to close, tracing Gunnhild's fall from power and her mysterious fate. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/10950131

Mother of Kings Supplement - Maiden Kings 06/11/2019

Mother of Kings Supplement - Maiden Kings In this supplemental episode, we explore a complex and fascinating set of characters found in several Sagas - the Maiden Kings. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/10079117

Mother of Kings VI - The Mother of Kings 06/10/2019

Mother of Kings VI - The Mother of Kings 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 power. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/10078976

Mother of Kings V - I Lay This Curse on You 04/10/2019

Mother of Kings V - I Lay This Curse on You 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. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/9318455

Mother of Kings IV - A Woman of Great Dignity 02/28/2019

Mother of Kings IV - A Woman of Great Dignity In this episode, we continue to discuss the life and legend of Gunnhild konungamóðir, tracing her path from Norway to Northern England and finally Denmark as her status was rapidly transformed from Royal to Refugee and back again. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/8790539

Mother of Kings III - Cold are the Counsels of Women 02/12/2019

Mother of Kings III - Cold are the Counsels of Women In this episode, we continue our exploration Gunnhild konungamóðir's life and legend, discussing the power of her words and the speech of powerful women throughout Old Norse Literature. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/8563271

Mother of Kings II - A Woman Small of Stature yet Great of Counsel 01/29/2019

Mother of Kings II - A Woman Small of Stature yet Great of Counsel In this episode, we dive into the life and legend of Gunnhild konungamóðir - Mother of Kings - exploring the various stories regarding her origins and early years. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/8394635

Mother of Kings I - The Threshold 01/15/2019

Mother of Kings I - The Threshold In this episode, we set off on a new mini-series exploring the life and legend of Gunnhild konungamóðir - Mother of Kings - and other powerful women in Old Norse Literature. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/8240177

Eastern Way IV - Gamla Uppsala 11/09/2018

Eastern Way IV - Gamla Uppsala In this episode we are going to explore the rise of a major center of political, economic and religious life in the land of the Svear - the magnate's residence at Gamla Uppsala. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/7493120

Eastern Way III - Catastrophe and Opportunity 09/25/2018

Eastern Way III - Catastrophe and Opportunity The 6th Century was a period of unrest and reorganization throughout Scandinavia. In this episode we are going to explore the evidence we have for these dynamic years and what may have caused this unrest. Ultimately, we want to discover how this era may have led to the establishment of powerful ruling dynasties like those who constructed Gamla Uppsala. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/7081545

Eastern Way II - Gods and Kings 09/11/2018

Eastern Way II - Gods and Kings In this episode we explore the mythical history of the Svear, as it is related to us by the ever-entertaining Snorri Sturluson. Along the way we discuss Divine Kings, Deadly Vats of Meads and even a Half-Giant-Magical-Oxen-Son plough-team. Believe it or not, these fantastical, fictional tales lead us to some rather more concrete evidence about life and politics in the land of the Svear in the years leading up to the Viking Age. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/7022479

The Eastern Way I 08/28/2018

The Eastern Way I In this episode we begin our exploration of the Baltic Sea region by examining two very different sources of evidence which point to early Viking activities in the Eastern Baltic. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6962881

COA16 - Snorri Sturluson, Big Farmers & the End of the Icelandic Free State 06/05/2018

COA16 - Snorri Sturluson, Big Farmers & the End of the Icelandic Free State In this episode we conclude our series on Iceland by discussing the rapid changes which shook the Icelandic political system in the 1200s. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6653728

COA15 - Poetry and Remembrance 05/15/2018

COA15 - Poetry and Remembrance In this episode, we explore poets and poetry in the Norse world, focusing particularly on the role they played in preserving history, myth and legend. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6583197

COA14b - Creating the Icelanders 05/01/2018

COA14b - Creating the Icelanders In this episode - the second of two parts - we explore the continued Christianization of Iceland in the 1100s with a particular focus on the development of literate culture and the implications of this new culture on Icelandic Society. Today, we explore how the written laws, language and history of this period worked to create the idea of the Icelanders as a distinct and unique people. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6530137

COA14a - Tithes they are a Changin' 04/24/2018

COA14a - Tithes they are a Changin' In this episode - the first of two parts - we explore the continued Christianization of Iceland in the 1100s with a particular focus on the development of literate culture and the implications of this new culture on Icelandic Society. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6499585

COA13 - The Christianization of Iceland 04/03/2018

COA13 - The Christianization of Iceland In this episode we are going to discuss the first hundred years or so of the Christianization process in Iceland. We will discuss Chieftains, Priests, Churches and the aspirations of one particularly ambitious Icelandic family. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6423288

COA12 - The Conversion of the Icelanders 03/20/2018

COA12 - The Conversion of the Icelanders In this episode we dive headfirst into an event still which profoundly colors and shapes our understanding of the Norse world today. That's right - it's time to discuss the Conversion of the Icelanders which took place at the Althing of 999 or 1000CE. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6361090

COA11 - Christ Comes to Iceland 03/06/2018

COA11 - Christ Comes to Iceland In this episode we explore the early history of Christianity in Iceland. Along the way we talk about kings, prophets, prominent Christian settlers, and missionary methods employed in the Early Middle Ages. Finally we will introduce Thangbrand - the mildly-homicidal missionary sent to Iceland by the Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6325029

COA10 - Law and Belief in Pagan Iceland 02/13/2018

COA10 - Law and Belief in Pagan Iceland In this episode we conclude our discussion on Pagan practice in Iceland by exploring the close connections between the law and pagan beliefs. Along the way we talk about oath rings, the assemblies of the gods and a rather nasty conflict revolving around excrement. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6237192

Looking Forward - We need your input! 02/05/2018

Looking Forward - We need your input! I've been working away at future episodes for our Iceland series and I'm realizing that I need to start thinking about what we cover next on the podcast. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6227938

COA09 - Ritual and Sacrifice in Pagan Iceland 01/30/2018

COA09 - Ritual and Sacrifice in Pagan Iceland In this episode we explore what our sources have to tell us about sacrifice and ritual in Pagan Iceland. Along the way we discuss the method and purpose of sacrifice and the how this may have impacted Icelandic society. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6189570

COA08 - Bringing Thor to Iceland 01/16/2018

COA08 - Bringing Thor to Iceland In this episode we continue our exploration of Pagan Practice in Iceland by taking a look at religious roles and responsibilities held by some of the first Icelandic settlers and how these roles translated to their new home. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6140705

COA07 - Chieftains and Temples 01/02/2018

COA07 - Chieftains and Temples In this episode we begin to explore Pagan practice in Iceland, focusing on the religious roles of the goðar. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/6094401

COA06 - Icelandic Law and Culture II: The People of Eyri 11/29/2017

COA06 - Icelandic Law and Culture II: The People of Eyri In this episode we continue to explore the dynamics of power, violence and law in Viking Age Iceland. We will do so by discussing many of the conflicts found in Saga of the People of Eyri. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5978616

COA05 - Icelandic Law and Culture I: Mord the Fiddle 11/03/2017

COA05 - Icelandic Law and Culture I: Mord the Fiddle In this episode we dive into the gritty details of Icelandic law, culture and politics by looking at the tale of Mord the Fiddle from Njal's Saga. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5908305

VS04 - The Ghost of Thorolf Twist-Foot 10/25/2017

VS04 - The Ghost of Thorolf Twist-Foot In this Halloween special we tell one of the spookiest ghost stories we find in the Icelandic Sagas - the story of Thorolf Twist-Foot as told in the Saga of the People of Eyri. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5860385

COA04 - The Icelandic Free State 10/18/2017

COA04 - The Icelandic Free State In this episode we explore the offices and institutions which made up the Icelandic Free State. Through comprehensive legal codes, accepted traditions and customs and regular, predictable assembly the Icelanders were able to govern themselves for over three centuries without a king, head chieftain or any other executive authority to speak of. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5840397

COA03 - Conflict and Things in Early Iceland 10/04/2017

COA03 - Conflict and Things in Early Iceland In this week's episode we explore the growing number of challenges faced by the Icelanders as the landnám period drew to a close in the 930s. We will then take a long look at the key components of the institution the Icelanders turned to in order to solve that problem - the thing. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5793554

COA02 - Taking Land in Iceland 09/20/2017

COA02 - Taking Land in Iceland In this week’s episode we explore the initial settlement of Iceland. We’ll talk about who settled the island, when they settled down and begin our discussion of the society they created. /episode/index/show/vikingagepod/id/5743278

Viking Age Podcast

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