From long-lost Viking ships to kings buried in unexpected places; from murders and power politics, to myths, religion, the lives of ordinary people: Gone Medieval is History Hit’s podcast dedicated to the middle ages, in Europe and far beyond.
In the ninth century, the Vikings earned a fearsome reputation by wreaking chaos on the coasts of western Europe. But what is perhaps less well known is that they also travelled eastwards. By sailing along the great rivers of north-eastern Europe, they reached Constantinople, the Caspian Sea and even Baghdad, the bustling heart of the mighty Islamic Abbasid Empire.
In this episode of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis welcomes Dr. Cat Jarman back to the podcast to explore why Viking raiders traded the frozen hinterlands of Northern Europe for the heat and hubbub of the Near East.
Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie
Assistant Producer: Peta Stamper
Scriptwriter: Peta Stamper
Editor: Joseph Knight
This was a special collaboration between Ubisoft and History Hit. The content and story was inspired by Assassin’s Creed Mirage. To learn more about 9th century Baghdad and the historical characters in the game, listen to Echoes of History here.
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Matt Lewis continues Gone Medieval’s special series showcasing Medieval Queens with a look at Emma of Normandy, the Norman-born noblewoman who became the English, Danish, and Norwegian Queen through her marriages to Æthelred the Unready and the Danish King Cnut the Great. After Cnut’s death, Emma continued to play an active role in politics during the reigns of her sons by each husband, Edward the Confessor and Harthacnut.
Matt finds out more about Emma from historian Elizabeth Norton, author of England’s Queens: The Biography and She Wolves: The Notorious Queens of Medieval England.
This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.
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