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Vikings are most often remembered as warriors. Source: Nejron Photo /Adobe Stock

History of the Vikings: All You Need to Know

Vikings are more popular than ever. With dramas such as Vikings and The Last Kingdom the ancient Norsemen have reached new generations. Of course, there is dramatic license taken to particular...
Viking in action. Credit: Nomad_Soul / Adobe Stock

The Life and Death of Sweyn Forkbeard and His Viking Empire

Sweyn I, known also as Sweyn Tiugeskaeg (which means ‘Forkbeard’), was a Viking chief who became the ruler of Denmark, Norway, and England. His byname, ‘Forkbeard’, is a reference to his long, cleft...
Representation of a female Viking magic practitioner

Vestiges of the Vikings: Magic Buried in a Viking Woman's Grave

Murky, elusive and undefined, the religion of the pre-Christian Vikings has long been subject to debate. Contemporary texts of their spiritual worship do not survive, and the later records that do...
Medieval tower, Dublin Castle, Ireland          Source: Tupungato/ Adobe Stock

Dublin Castle, Encapsulating the Beauty and History of Ireland

As with many other European counties, Ireland has multitude of historic castles and fortresses. Perhaps the best-known on the island is Dublin Castle. This stronghold has played an important part in...
Written in stone by Vikings – the Rok runestone from the 9th century features the longest known runic inscription and is considered the first piece of Swedish literature. Credit: rolf_52 / Adobe Stock

Decoded Viking Runestone Reveals Fears of Climate Change Apocalypse

Scholars have long been baffled by the coded runic message of the ‘Rök Runestone’ but a new interpretation claims it spells out a chilling Armageddon prophecy. One of the world's most famous Norse...
Prince Alexander Nevsky receiving papal legates. Source: Shakko / Public Domain.

Between the Hammer and Anvil: The Life of Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky

Today, the Slavic peoples are the largest ethno-linguistic group of Europe, and number over 360 million persons worldwide. Their long and rich history is a crucial part of the very foundation of...
Close up of the Viking runestone (‘the Rök Stone’) from the 9th century, features the longest known runic inscription and is considered the first piece of Swedish literature.        Source: rolf_52 / Adobe stock

Viking Runestone Uncovers Climate Fears That Fed Ragnarök Myth

Much of the modern world is very worried about climate change and it appears that Vikings were also very concerned about changes to the climate. Researchers now argue that one of the world’s most...
Viking holding Christian cross. Credit: Warpedgalerie / Adobe Stock

Vikings Didn’t Just Murder Monks and Pillage Monasteries – They Helped Spread Christianity Too

Vikings are often seen as heathen marauders mercilessly targeting Christian churches and killing defenceless monks. But this is only part of their story. The Vikings played a key role in spreading...
Representational image of a Viking warrior woman (DPVUE Images / Adobe Stock)

Was This Wounded Female Viking Really A Warrior?

The wounded face of a female Viking warrior found buried with weaponry has been reconstructed. The warrior’s skeleton was excavated in a Viking graveyard in Solør, Norway, and was found to have been...
Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland

Eilean Donan Castle: From Jacobite Risings to the Silver Screen

Eilean Donan is a small tidal island in the western Highlands of Scotland, on which a world-famous castle can be found. This castle, known as the Eilean Donan Castle, is one of Scotland’s most easily...
Some of the hundreds of sword parts found in Estonia.          Source: Estonia Dept for the Protection of Antiquities / ERR

Huge Hoard of Viking Sword Parts Found in Estonia

Archaeologists have uncovered the fragments of about a hundred swords that once belonged to Viking warriors . They were unearthed in the Baltic country of Estonia. The experts believe that the...
Experts have studied the skeletal remains of five bodies excavated in Ireland and tested the remains for strains of leprosy. Source: Suthiporn / Adobe Stock.

Did Scandinavian Vikings Carry Leprosy To Ireland?

The skeletal remains of five bodies excavated in Ireland suggest Vikings brought leprosy to the Emerald Isle. Leprosy , also known as Hansen's disease , is a chronic infectious disease that is caused...
Viking explorers  Source: Vlastimil Šesták / Adobe Stock

Pre-Columbian Explorers in the Americas: The Hard Evidence

These days, few people still believe Christopher Columbus was the first explorer to travel to the “New World.” But there is still a debate over whether adventurers and explorers from Europe, Asia,...
One of the skeletons found beneath Coleg Menai in Llangefni, Wales. Credit: Archaeology Wales.

Mysterious Mass Grave Found in Wales May Contain Bodies of Vikings’ Slaves

Archaeologists have uncovered a mysterious mass grave dating back 1,600 years in Wales containing the remains of 86 individuals. Researchers are now attempting to explain strange characteristics...
Grave of Slavic woman warrior buried with axe discovered in Denmark. Source: Danrentea / Adobe Stock.

Ancient Slavic Woman Warrior Buried In Viking Graveyard With Her Brutal Weapon Of Warcraft

Archaeologists excavating a Viking graveyard in Denmark have discovered the remains of a female buried with a large axe - but she was Slavic - which leads to the question; why on earth was she buried...
Modern Representation of a Varangian Guard.

Varangian Guard: Bodyguards and Berserkers of the Byzantine Empire

Read Part 1 The tale of the Varangians continues in its prime in the form of the Varangian Guard, a prominent and selective Byzantine army arising in the 10th century. Composed of the Scandinavian...
Trove of ancient Viking coins recovered. Source: bukhta79 / Adobe.

Illegal Viking Coin Hoard Worth £500,000 Threatens To Rewrite English History

A hoard of Viking coins worth at least half a million British pounds has been recovered by police investigating the illegal trade of historic treasures and they tell a completely different story of...
Viking berserker

Viking Berserkers – Fierce Warriors or Drug-Fuelled Madmen?

Today, the word ‘berserk’ is used to describe anyone in an irrational, agitated state of mind who cannot or does not control his or her actions. The meaning of the word originates with the Viking...
Discovery of Viking shipwreck studied by experts.

Secrets of 829-Year-Old Post-Viking-Era Shipwreck Revealed

During the extension of the seaport of Wismar in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, archaeologists discovered a number of shipwrecks . One of them, the last to be discovered, was resting in only...
Ragnar Lothbrok

Ragnar Lothbrok: A Real Viking Hero Whose Life Became Lost to Legend

Ragnar Lothbrok was a fearless Viking hero who ransacked England and France and fathered the Great Heathen Army. However the historicity of the man with “hairy breeches” is subject to debate. Where...
Vikings Heading for Land’ 1873 by Frank Dicksee (1853–1928).

Viking Blots, Beserkers and Barbaric Blood Eagles

Famed for their ruthless fighting skills and brave exploring little is written about Viking religion and their day to day ritual practices which were arguably a more central component in Norse...
Ivar the Boneless

Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider

One would expect "boneless" to describe a man without a lick of bravery. Or perhaps a man without a shred of compassion in a heart of ice. Yet in the case of the infamous Ivar the Boneless, son of...
Left - Alfred the Great, painting in the Bodleian Gallery. Right - Alfred the Great at the Battle of Ashdown.

Why was Alfred the Great One of Only Two Kings Named ‘Great’ in English History?

Alfred the Great was the first king of the Anglo-Saxons and one of only two English rulers to have been given the epithet ‘the Great’. He may have earned this title in part by defending his kingdom...
Some of the Viking raids ended in death – for the Vikings.

Vikings in Ireland: Recent Discoveries Shedding New Light on the Fearsome Warriors that Invaded Irish Shores

As science progresses and archaeologists are forging new positive relationships with developers around Irish heritage, more secrets from Ireland’s Viking past are coming to light, and they are not...

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