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What happened when the Vikings raided Morocco?
The Vikings raided as far south as North Africa, deep in to Morocco at Nekor. Now buried underwater, this long-lost outpost was where they stayed for eight days, taking locals back to Ireland as slaves.1 week ago -
The Viking history of Iceland: A primer
Much of the recent Viking movie, The Northmen, takes place in the uber-cool (literally and metaphorically) Nordic country of Iceland. Yet there is a dark history to the Norse settlement of Iceland.1 week ago -
Why did Erik the Red call an icy land "Greenland"?
In what was perhaps history's first case of "false advertising," Eirik the Red is credited with not only founding a Norse settlement on Greenland but describing this chilly part of the world as being luscious and green.2 weeks ago -
Who was Harald Hardrada? Part 1: The formative years (c. 1015 – 1034 CE)
His death traditionally signals the end of the Viking Age in more than one European country. He was, perhaps, one of the greatest warrior kings of the medieval period.2 weeks ago -
The Viking history of Germany: A primer
The final decades of the 9th century CE saw a devastating number of Viking raids down the famous Rhine River. Numerous cities, such as Cologne, Bonn, and Aachen, fell under the Viking sword and were plundered and devastated.3 weeks ago -
Who was Ellisiv, Norway's last Viking Queen?
The Viking Age (c.793 - 1066 CE) in Norway is said to have ended with the felling of Harald Hardrada on the battlefield at Stamford Bridge. Yet his wife, Ellisiv, was said to be as much a force of nature as her more famous husband.3 weeks ago -
The Viking history of Scotland: The beginnings
During the seemingly ongoing Scottish independence debate, many Scottish national politicians looked across the North Sea, to Norway, as their example of a small, oil-rich social democracy that they would like to emulate post-independence.3 weeks ago -
Who was Gunnbjörn Ulfsson, the first Norse explorer to allegedly spot Greenland?
The Norse exploration of North America is one of the early medieval period’s most brilliant nautical tales.4 weeks ago
