In 865 AD, England was invaded by the Great Heathen Army. The Great Viking Army, as it was also known, was made up of a coalition of Scandinavian warriors mainly from Denmark and, legend has it, four of the five sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, including Halfdan Ragnarsson, Ivar the Boneless, Bjorn Ironeside and Ubba.
This was an army that would change Britain forever. It would lay siege to towns, attack monasteries and kill kings - the most famous of course being St Edmund, who was brutally beheaded by the Norse warriors in 869 AD.
Dan Snow was recently joined by bioarchaeologist and Viking specialist Cat Jarman on a road trip across England to retrace the path of this conquering Viking Army.
Up Next in Viking Age
-
The Vikings in the Vicarage
The Viking dig in the grounds of St Wystan Church in Repton is one of the most important Viking sites of modern times. Recently new research has brought to light new information which further elevates the significance of the site and redefines our knowledge of the Great Heathen Army. The Great He...
-
Finding the Lost Battlefield of Bruna...
The Battle of Brunanburh was one of the bloodiest and biggest battles of early medieval history. Fought 1100 years ago, Athelstan - the king of the English - opposed a coalition of Irish, Scots, Northumbrians and Vikings and won a decisive victory. The enemy shield wall was penetrated. Their troo...
-
Vikings, Shipwrecks and Dinosaurs: Se...
Striking a line west along this dramatic stretch of ever-changing cliffs, Sam and his four legged companion Geronimo, begin their coastal journey at the red cliffs of Exmouth, a location that my have served as a reference point for the Vikings as they made the journey across from mainland Europe ...
