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.

Along the way we talk about marriage in the Viking Age, the definition of a hundred and the importance of moderation and compromise in Icelandic Politics.

The "Recommended Reading" for this week is actually Recommended Listening. I cannot recommend enough the Epic 12-part breakdown of Njal's Saga done by the excellent Saga Thing Podcast. Check out their website or search for Saga Thing Podcast on your podcast player of choice.

For more information and Works Cited for this episode check out our website: http://vikingagepodcast.com/mord-the-fiddle

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. 

The Saga of the People of Eyri is fantastic. My favorite English translation can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RI9XZQ/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o03_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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.

How did they do it? Well, that’s what we are going to talk about today.

This week’s recommended reading is near and dear to my heart. Viking Age Iceland by Jesse Byock is the definitive single volume history of the Icelandic Free State in English. Moving topically, Professor Byock explores all aspects of life in Iceland during the Viking Age. For anyone interested in learning more about Iceland during this period this book is a must read. Plus, you can see first hand just how often I have turned to Viking Age Iceland while researching these episodes.

For more information and to see the works cited for this episode please visit: http://vikingagepodcast.com/icelandic-free-state

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.

Along the way we will talk about beheadings over fish, witness a chieftain get given a bloody nose by a silver-wielding farmer and we will even examine the ever dodgy - if very helpful - writings of Cornelius Tacitus.

This week's recommended reading is Debating the Thing in the North - a collection of papers edited by Alexandra Sanmark, Frode Iversen, Natascha Mehler and Sarah Semple. Covering a wide range of topics, including the origins of the thing, its religious and cultural significance and even its spacial organization, this is a must read for those interested in the legal and political history of Scandinavia. And even better - it’s available for free online.

For all of your Viking Drinking Horn Needs - please consider checking out https://www.thefroggyviking.com/. And you can use the promocode vikingage for 10% off! 

Finally, for works cited and more information checkout our website: http://vikingagepodcast.com/conflict-and-things-in-early-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.

To kick us off we are going to explore this topic by example by exploring the settlement led by Unn the Deepminded - one of the most remarkable figures from the Viking Age.

More details, works cited and recommended reading can be found on our website: http://vikingagepodcast.com/taking-land-in-iceland/

In this episode we conclude the story of Harald Finehair and we take a look at what life looked in Harald's Norway was like. 

Along the way we encounter more berserkar, polygamy and lots and lots of chieftain's fleeing Norway for the greener pastures of Iceland. 

In this episode we trace King Harald Finehair's rise to power as he conquers his way up the Eastern Edge of Norway and then back down the West Coast. Along that way the young, shaggy king will kill, negotiate and bully his way into the history books.

Plus - this being the Viking Age Podcast - we also discuss some myths around the berserkir and Harald's administrative innovations! 

For those who want to learn more about the Berserkar - check out this excellent MA Thesis by Roderick Dale: http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28819/

Welcome to the first episode of our Viking Stories series. Today we will be explore the early life of Harald Finehair the first King of Norway. 

You can download a free PDF with additional information about the events discussed in this episodes here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bz9Rd-bR8nwOSkZxeUpycG9fMlU

For more information about this episode and others, visit us at: http://vikingagepodcast.com

It has been far too long since our last episode! In this short update we'll talk about why it has been so long and what is planned for the future. 

In this episode we begin to explore the gritty details of Norse society in the Viking Age by reading the Eddic Poem Rigsthula. 

Along the way we will talk about cross-dressing, lumpy bread and generally introduce our discussion about Viking Age Society and how factors like gender, class and status could impact one's place within it. 

In this episode we answer listener questions to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the podcast! 

Curious why Lee cares about the Viking Age? Want to know about Viking Age Textiles? Is there any truth to those damned horned helmets? All this and more will be revealed. 

For links to a bunch of useful stuff checkout the show notes here: 

In this episode we get deep into the weeds and examine some intriguing clues as to what Pagan Scandinavians may have though about the soul. 

We talk about decorated helmets, battles with bears and women who are taller than the mountains. Along the way we will hopefully get a little closer to understanding the nature of the Viking worldview.

This episode is a little different, but I hope you enjoy! 

In this episode we talk about the role of fate in the minds of Viking Age Scandinavians. 

We will talk about Ragnarok, Individual Destiny and the dictators of fate themselves, the Norns. Then we'll conclude the episode by talking about the relationship between Fate, honor and reputation. 

In this episode we take a birds-eye view of the natural and human landscape of Denmark at the Dawn of the Viking Age. 

We'll talk about geography, settlement and set the stage for our future discussions about all the gritty details of life in the Viking Age. 

In this episode we explore the importance of Myth within Viking Age Scandinavia. Specifically we talk about Pagan world views and how the stories we classify as Norse Mythology give us an insight into those views. We'll discuss our sources for these myths and then dive headfirst into the Norse creation myth. 

In this episode we conclude our discussion about the reign of Charlemagne and his 30 year-long war against the Saxons. 

This time, we dive into the meat of the Saxon wars, talking about the various campaigns, rebellions and mass executions which marked this brutal conflict. 

Then, we turn our attention to how Charlemagne and the Franks ruled Saxony once it was conquered, with particular attention paid to how central religion was to the Carolingian ideology of rule. In many ways the Kingdom of the Franks resembled a theocracy, and we explore this in depth in this episode. 

In this episode we talk about the reign of Charlemagne and his three decade long war against the Saxons. 

We'll talk about the early years of Charlemagne's rule - and explore just why he decided to go to war against the Saxons. Along the way we talk about the pre-Christian life in Saxony and why conversion was such an important goal for the King of the Franks. 

In this episode we will witness a Carolingian ruler, Pippin the Short, finally take his seat on the throne of the Frankish Kingdom. 

Before we get there, first we will take a look at the early career of Pippin and his brother Carloman, as they secure their grip on the Kingdom their father had left them. We'll see how, thanks perhaps to guilt and piety, Pippin was catapulted onto the top of the political ladder and why he decided to take the crown. 

Then we'll talk about the problems of being a usurper - coups are never easy and we'll see how Pippin was able to use the endorsement of the Pope to secure his position and leave the Kingdom of the Franks to his sons. 

There is a lot to cover, and with it, we move ever closer to returning to the stories the Northern Neighbors of the Franks. 

In this episode we will explore the decline of Merovingian power and the rise of the Carolingian dynasty. 

Specifically, we will see how a lack of strong Merovingian rulers in the 600s led to the unchecked rise of Aristocratic wealth and power - much of which was concentrated in the hands of the Mayor of the Palace. 

We will then see happened when the Carolingian dynasty got their hands on this high office - and specifically the remarkable career of the first Carolingian ruler - Charles Martel. 

For more, you can always see us online at: vikingagepodcast.com.

In this episode we introduce the Carolingian Viking Age and then plot the rise of the Frankish Kingdoms to set the stage for rise of the Carolingian Empire.

Along the way we will witness the Rise of Clovis, discuss the process of Ethnogenesis and take a look at the career of the infamous Merovingian Queen, Brunhild of Austrasia. 

For more information on the Fall of the Western Roman Empire: https://www.amazon.com/Inheritance-Rome-Illuminating-400-1000-Penguin/dp/0143117424/ref=sr_1_1

In this episode we explore the construction, function and purpose of the Viking Longphorts which were established in Eastern Ireland in 841 CE. 

These sites, Linn Duachaill in County Louth and Duhblinn, give us a fascinating view into the lives of early Vikingar in Ireland and allow us to see how their role changed after the establishment of permanent bases. 

Along the way we will see Irish Kings go to war with swords and bishops staffs and witness the importance of Horses to Viking warfare. 

In this episode we talk about the Life and Legend of the infamous Viking Chieftain - Turgeis.

From 838 to 845 CE we are told that Turgeis, a Chieftain from Norway ruled the Vikingar in Ireland. He led a royal fleet to ravage the North of Ireland. He and his forces usurped the Abbacy of Armagh and his Wife Ota is said to have performed Pagan rituals on the altar of Clonmacnoise. Turgeis has been the boogie-man of the Irish Viking Age ever since. 

But how much of this tale is actually the stuff of legend? Well, you'll just have to listen to the episode to find out. 

In this episode we are going to explore the years following the great raid on Armagh in 832. Along the way we will talk about Irish kings burning monasteries, St. Brigid and her Abbey at Kildare and of course the great fleet of 120 ships which arrived in Eastern Ireland in 837 CE.