Just Finished Reading: The Sage of Gunnlaug Serpent-tongue by Anon [52pp] 

Dreams cannot easily (or safely) be ignored. So, when Thorstein Egilsson dreamt of two great eagles fighting to the death on top of his house, he sought advice from the local wiseman. The inference was clear. Thorstein’s wife was about to give birth, and she would produce a daughter of surpassing beauty who men would fight and die over. To avoid such a fate Thorstein instructed his wife to leave a daughter exposed to the elements and the wolves but to keep a son. This she promised to do... but fate is a trickster and a mother's love is not to be trifled with.....  

I’ve come across the Nordic saga’s many times over the years but have never actually read any of them – even extracts such as this. That might change after enjoying this slim booklet. I think the first thing that struck me was how similar to Greek myths they are (and not wholly based on the fact that I’m presently reading a book steeped in Greek mythology. The idea of Fate and the fact that it cannot be avoided – except is VERY exceptional circumstances – is central to both ‘belief systems’. Even the Gods themselves must bend before the Fates, so mere mortals have little chance as this tale shows. As usual the very fact of trying to avoid a fated outcome brings it about. “Fate, it seems, it not without a sense of irony”.  

The other thing I noticed/liked was the scattering of insights into the Nordic/Anglo-Saxon civilisations of the time as various characters (most especially the eponymous Gunnlaug) travelled around the North Sea with visits to Norway and England as well as travels within Iceland where the sage is based. Although the tale itself was only written down around 1270-1300 the action takes place around 990-1010 which I’m moderately familiar with reading around the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Invasion. My background reading made the customs and some of the main characters – Kings mostly – readily understandable. If you’re interested in the period and ever wondered about the Saga’s - and even wondered if you might want to read a complete one – this is definitely an entry port for you. Recommended.  

Translated from the Icelandic/Old Norse by Katrina C Attwood

Just Finished Reading: The Makers of Scotland – Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings by Tim Clarkson (FP: 2011) [230pp] 

I’ll be the first to admit that my knowledge of Scottish history – from any period – is scant at best. Apart from the existence of Hadrian's Wall my knowledge of early Scottish history was effectively zero - until now. For instance, although we studied Hadrian's Wall in school (and the fact I’ve walked along part of it) I had no idea, or maybe I’d forgotten, that there was another Roman ‘wall’ even further north. Although nowhere near as substantial as Hadrian’s effort or as well defended, it did play its part (albeit briefly) in the Roman occupation of Britainnia and the suppression of the unruly Scots (who, obviously at that time neither called themselves Scots nor were called that except in the generic Roman term Scotti for people in the North). Interestingly, the area between the two walls was kept as a buffer zone with (mostly) friendly tribes living there often dependent on Roman aid. Naturally this all fell apart when the Romans left and (mostly) returned to the troubled heart of their crumbling Empire. 

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that there is a gap in our knowledge of events in Scotland after the Romans left and before more modern, early Medieval times. The Romans were notorious record keepers, builders and distributors of coins and other items so loved by archaeologists and treasure hunters whereas the peoples who immediately followed them were anything but. What little we do know often has to be handled with care as myth, self-promotion and history are all too often mixed to a greater of lesser extent. As you can well imagine caveats galore are sprinkled throughout the entire book – which is, in my mind, a good thing! Saying that we don’t know, and in some cases can never know, something is much better than idle speculation which can rest on very narrow or very suspect ‘evidence’ such as the similarity of words or placenames coupled with Latinisation of people's often embellished family history. 

I did, being honest, skim through some parts of a chapter or so on the Church History of the Region which really doesn’t interest me. I understand why it's there – Christianity did have a significant impact on the UK and, indeed, Europe during this time, so passing over such history just isn’t an option. Plus, naturally, the early Church kept reasonable, indeed often the only, records from that time (even if they did sometimes shade into propaganda) and it would be unreasonable not to use them. Because of its remoteness from English and European affairs we are sometimes left with little more than lists of Kings and mention of battles – although surprisingly despite being ‘important’ enough to mention few seemed important enough to locate accurately – and these ‘histories’ being compiled by authors hundreds of miles and sometimes hundreds of years after the events.  

Despite the caveats above I thought this was fairly good read overall. I did find it particularly interesting how populations mixed from Ireland, England, Scandinavia and further afield which gave an extra layer of understanding to my ‘quest’ to uncover where my Scottish DNA comes from. My DNA profile shows 5% Scottish DNA from ‘Parent 1’ (presumably my father) and 16% from Parent 2’ (my mother) which makes sense from what else I know already as well as what I know of the history of the Isles. I’m looking forward to finding out more. Worth a read for anyone interested in the very earliest history of Scotland.  

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Just Finished Reading: The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris (FP: 2012) [353pp]

1066 and the events that followed that most critical and calamitous year for Anglo-Saxon England are certainly a defining date in British history (and arguably the most important date/battle in the whole of that islands long history). It is even arguable that the Battle near Hastings in that year altered the course of European and thence world history. It is no surprise, therefore, that historians keep revisiting that most significant date again and again. It is also unsurprising, as the author quickly alludes to, that historians almost as soon as the last arrow flew have picked sides either lamenting Harold Godwinson’s hasty arrival on the south coast to give battle or trumpeting William’s genius on the battlefield and his clear right to rule. Whilst acknowledging the partisan feelings around the Norman Conquest the author is clearly of the opinion that it’s high time we moved on to look at the events as dispassionately as possible. Despite being an Anglo-Saxon fan from way back I think I’d have to grudgingly agree here. History and historians shouldn’t really be in the business of picking sides – even if one of them is, at least technically, French.

I’m certainly well aware of the broad sweep of the narrative presented here. It’s difficult not to be as Hastings featured prominently in my early education. The author follows the well-known plot of an Anglo-Saxon England where the Godwin family had risen to prominence in southern England through a mixture of military prowess and political manoeuvring. This was an age where, if no clear succession to the throne existed, that the great and the good would ‘elect’ a new leader. As the head of the most powerful family the election of Harold Godwinson didn’t come as much of a surprise – except apparently in Normandy where the young Duke William was expecting to be invited to England to take up the kingship there. It is still unclear exactly who had the right to sit on the English throne. Harold’s lineage was weak but by position and, apparently by deathbed decree, he had a reasonable case. William, meanwhile had a stronger lineage and had, again apparently, been promised the throne by the recently decreased King. There was really only one way to settle it – trial be combat and let God decide.

God, it seemed, was on the side of the Norman’s and gave the closely fought battle near Hastings to William – although not without a few tense moments on both sides. But even after the matter had been settled in heaven there was still a country to subdue. One battle may have settled the succession but there were enough survivors and enough others scattered about to question Norman hegemony. The battle might have been over but the fighting was far from done. Over the next 20 years William and his fellow Norman knights fought pitched battles, skirmishes and put down repeated rebellions. Introducing castles and other strongpoints the Norman’s enforced their rule and slowly squeezed any idea of organised resistance out of the English – or at the very least reduced it to background noise. Apparently the killing of Norman soldiers became so common throughout England that special ordinances had to be created to attempt to stamp it out long after the English should have been pacified. The rebellious northerner’s (bless them) became such a thorn in William’s side that he campaigned there to such a harsh degree that he even disgusted his own officers who asked to be able to return to their estates in Normandy rather than witness another harrowing. Yorkshire in particular took hundreds of years to recover from the devastation wrought by William. Some historians argue that the whole of the North never recovered to this day.

Despite reading a number of books on the invasion or of that era I still managed to glean a fair bit more, especially about the post battle occupation, than I was aware of previously. The author has produced here a tale every part as dramatic as anything seen on Game of Thrones with twists, assassinations, disputes and betrayals enough to keep anyone riveted. Of course what makes it all the more interesting is that this is history and not invented fantasy – although I admit that the arrival of a dragon or two over Hastings might have added even more drama. The circumstances around the pivotal battles (3 or 4 depending on which ones you count) of 1066 still have a significant draw for me. This particular volume is definitely among the best of the narratives I’ve read, so far, and I look forward to reading more from him. Highly recommended.

Just Finished Reading: 1066 – A New History of the Norman Conquest by Peter Rex (FP: 2009)

The Battle of Hastings in October 1066 – a mere 950 years ago – is arguably the most important battle to take place on British soil and (at least in my opinion) can be ranked with the Battle of Britain in 1940 in significance. If either battle had gone the other way the whole world would (again arguably) be a very different place. But, as the author rightly reminds us 1066 was the year of THREE battles rather than just one.

Any change of leadership in a country is potentially troubling especially in an age of powerful monarchs. Smooth transitions, when they happened, were normally through close kin or by agreement long before the event. Less than smooth transitions were the result of a lack of a direct heir or, worse, where a number of possible contenders for the throne exist and who are willing to prove their claim at the point of a sword. This was, it was claimed by the Normans at the time and by later Norman historians, the situation in 1066 after the death of Edward the Confessor. Despite naming Harold Godwinson as his legal heir rival claims from Norway and Normandy had to be dealt with. First came an invasion from Harald Hardrada, victorious when he met English forces at the Battle of Fulford then beaten roundly by Harald Godwinson at Stamford Bridge. Then, just as Harold was catching his breath Duke William of Normandy (who the author amusingly refers to by his earlier nickname of ‘the Bastard’ throughout his narrative) arrived off the south coast and landed his forces unopposed. Racing back from his earlier victory Harold gathered men on route and met William in Battle not far from Hastings. After an epic 9 hour battle, which was apparently a very close run thing, the English shield wall collapsed and Harald lay dead. With a single stroke (of luck?) William had not only defeated the English army but had also eliminated most of the potential leaders of any fightback.

Of course we learnt this well-trodden tale in school history class. We learnt a little of the controversy regarding the succession – who promised what to who - briefly discussed the battle itself (along with the much talked about feinted retreats) and then moved on to consolidation, castle building and the Doomsday Book. What we tended not to do it talk about what happened next which is often the most interesting bit. Now, even after all this time emotions surrounding the battle and 1066 in general can run rather hot. Even today there are those in the history profession who call each other names over which side they ‘support’. This author is most definitely not a Norman apologist. No reading between the lines is required to understand who he feels lost the war and who the illegitimate successor was. The language the author uses is most instructive and very modern. The deposing of Harald and his replacement by William was ‘regime change’, those in the upper echelons of Saxon society who accommodated to the new reality (mostly members of the Clergy) were ‘collaborators’, the Saxons who fought and rebelled for the next ten years were ‘insurgents’ or simply ‘resistance fighters’ not unlike the French Resistance under German occupation. One of the most famous, and most effective, was Hereward (wrongly called ‘the Wake’) who became a very painful thorn in William’s side for a considerable time.

All this, and more, was covered in the final 2/3 of the book dealing with the inevitable aftermath of invasion a defeat at the hands of the Normans who did not take any opposition to their rule lightly. Any resistance, and rebellion or uprising was crushed with terrible consequences for the people or area involved. A northern rising was dealt with so severely – the Harrowing of the North – that it took generations to recover anything like the productivity it once had and became a lawless wasteland for decades. The Normans were determined to hold what they had taken no matter the cost to the local population. I guess that this generally doesn’t get taught to children in school because they certainly don’t want to teach too much about rebellion unsuccessful or not. Nor do they want to delegitimise (even superficially) the idea of Monarchy or royal succession. After all where would such thinking possibly end?

This is a book full of information regarding the lead up to the battle, the battle itself (in quite graphic detail) and, more importantly, what happened next. I found it to be very well told and, despite reading several books on the subject and era before, I learnt new stuff too – which I always enjoy doing. One fact which particularly struck me was that the word ‘Murder’ came from the Norman French for killing by stealthy means and they had to introduce the word into English law because so many Norman’s were being killed in out of the way places or simply ‘disappeared’ as they went about their business. Whole villages were heavily fined in an attempt to stamp out the practice which took years to subside. Whatever else you can say about the Saxon population they certainly didn’t just roll over once the battle was over. Overall an excellent read for anyone interested in the period and I’ll be following this up with more from the author and from others on this most famous battle.

Just Finished Reading: The Viking Art of War by Paddy Griffith (FP: 1995)

The Vikings, who terrorised a whole continent for close to 300 years, have a fearsome reputation as a warrior elite who carved up their enemies as easily as they carved up their empires and simply took whatever they wanted. Likewise they freely navigated across the globe, from England and Ireland to Iceland, Greenland and they even discovered America centuries before Columbus. No wonder they fire the imagination of so many historians and anyone interested in the wild times of a warrior elite. It’s a shame, therefore, that very little of the legend is true – at least according to the author of this interesting work of military history.

He certainly has some worthy credentials to back up his claim being, after all, a Senior Lecturer in War Studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (essentially the UK equivalent of West Point) so he should certainly know a thing or two. He also provides us with the facts, as much as we can ascertain such things, which do tarnish the Viking reputation as some kind of superman or demon sent by God to prey on the wicked. Referencing the saga’s and contemporary accounts from across Europe it becomes clear that against poorly armed or poorly organised opposition the Vikings did prevail and “cause much slaughter”. But where they met determined defences the odds of success fell away rapidly with the sea pirates coming off worse (and sometimes much worse) as often as they prevailed. There greatest asset was their ability to ‘pop up’ almost anywhere sometimes miles from the coast in apparently ‘safe’ areas, take what they wanted or what was available then vanish before armed help could arrive. The fed on chaos and mismanagement but made little headway against well trained and well led troops – as they found to their cost in England during the reign of Alfred the Great and almost every time they tried to nibble off pieces of the Arab/Muslim empires towards the East. Here they were repeatedly repulsed with much more than a bloody nose.

Likewise the author calls into question their much talked about sense of adventure and basic navigation skills. Referring yet again to the saga’s he points out just how many times new lands where stumbled upon by accident, lost, found again and eventually settled by groups arriving in small fleets who often made landfall only after losing a number of their ships in the process. Normally the Viking ships rarely sailed out of sight of land and then only in the best possible weather – yet still significant numbers of their ships were lost in the process.

So where did the reputation of essential toughness and capability come from? A great part of it, it seems, was the unexpected nature of the attacks – seemingly random and almost always decidedly violent. Where countries had not prepared adequate defences the Vikings went where they liked, did what they wanted and took what they could carry. Anyone who objected generally ended up dead – but this was standard practice across Europe at the time. The Vikings, it appears, where not vastly different in the level of violence used from any of their contemporaries. It was their strangeness, the ever present fear of their arrival and the helplessness of the general population to defend themselves (by and large) that gave rise to the legend of the Northmen.

This was a very different book from the others in my Viking Blitz read concentrating as it does purely on the military aspects of this fascinating people. Discussing overall strategy, military organisation, tactics, weapons, ships and fighting techniques it was a valuable addition to my understand of their way of life and death. Definitely recommended for both Viking and Military History buffs.

Coming Next in History: Three Battles that made Britain.

Just Finished Reading: The Hammer and the Cross – A New History of the Vikings by Robert Ferguson (FP: 2009)

It’s odd sometimes when you read two books covering very much the same subject in quick succession. There’s always the real danger that the books will be so similar as to be positively boring. Such was not the case here. In fact things could hardly have been more different.

Despite the fact that the history of those times are probably as well known to both authors (although this author has a significant edge, I suspect, as he’s renowned as being one of the world’s leading experts in Scandinavian studies) the emphasis and analysis are worlds apart. Whilst the first book in the mini-blitz was what I call a ‘list’ book this volume had a definite narrative and a distinct story arc. Rather interestingly the author framed the Viking Age inside an ongoing religious war between militant Christianity – exemplified by Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire – and the Pagan world (the author consistently refers to them as Heathens rather than Pagans which mildly irritated me). Not only does this give context to the opening attack on Lindisfarne in AD793 – not just because monasteries contained known religious relics and other items of great expense – as an attack on Christianity itself but one that was in direct retaliation for Christian attacked on Heathen/Pagan sacred places. To me that makes a LOT more sense that 300 years of random and inexplicable attacks that almost stopped as soon, and as abruptly, as they began. Within a greater religious context just about everything falls into place and makes sense once again.

But it wasn’t just the overall narrative scaffold that made this a superior book – it was the author’s narrative style that made it such an enjoyable read as well as an informative one. Almost immediately I got the impression that here was someone completely at ease with his subject. This allowed him to relax into things and chat to, rather than lecture, the reader. His confidence shone through every page and this gave him the space and the opportunity to have fun with his subject. I doubt if many books on the Vikings have laugh out loud moments but this one certainly did. It helps, as you might imagine, to have a fairly dark sense of humour (something no doubt the Vikings would appreciate) but the humour is definitely there. The author is also determined to reclaim the Vikings from those who wish to see them as misunderstood traders and explorers who ‘occasionally roughed up the locals’. These where particularly violent people living in a violent time and violence was something they were very good at – so much so that they scared the pants off most of Europe for the best part of 3 centuries. In that time they influenced the destinies of nations throughout the Continent including France, Russia, Ireland and England (their significant influence in Scandinavian and Icelandic history is too obvious for comment here), adding genes, words and place names across a huge swathe of land, had colonies as far as field as Greenland and North America and even fought against Islam (where they generally came off much worse than when fighting Christians!).

The author not only has a deep knowledge of his subject but also has a deep love for it too. There’s a LOT of information packed into these 382 pages and there’s lots of names to contend with. What I can’t think of though are many times where he lost my interest or lost the thread of the story he was telling. I know it’s a much used cliché but he did manage to bring the subject alive and I managed to pick up on things that have intrigued or confused me before. So much so that if I had to pick a religion or a God to worship I’d pick Odin with little hesitation. Knowing what he did and why he did it definitely makes him the God for me. Recommended for anyone interesting in a violent time and a fascinating culture.        

Just Finished Reading: The Northmen’s Fury – A History of the Viking World by Philip Parker (FP: 2014)

It was as if they came from nowhere emerging fully formed as the leapt on to the pages of European and then world history – The Vikings! In AD 793 they launched their infamous raid on the off-shore island of Lindisfarne sacking the monastery built there. Having little respect for either the works or men (and women) of God there was little to stop them and much to plunder – just like banks centuries later in the 8th century onwards the Churches’ held the money and other valuables and where often located in isolated areas away from major towns. Along with the emerging trading centres across Europe – again handily located near water or rivers to facilitate transport made difficult inland by forests and banditry – these were like magnets drawing the Northmen from their sparse farmland into the very lucrative endeavour of raiding. For decade after decade they raided along every European coast and even deep inland using the many navigable rivers throughout the continent. Seemingly arriving almost anywhere at almost any time they were almost impossible to defeat or even bring to battle by the time they had been detected, the local militia or nearby army units alerted and brought to action and battle joined (and hopefully won). Bribing the leaders to go elsewhere was less than useless, although it was tried again and again, as it only helped to develop a well-oiled extortion racket. Only organisation, fortified ‘burghs’ or encouraging Viking bands to settle in border areas and, thereby, aid in the protecting of the hinterland by protecting their own (the classic example being Normandy) worked in the long run to stem the time – at least for a time. But 300 long and bloody years after the first raids terrified a continent the Viking menace disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived. This is the story developed in some details between these covers.

I actually found this book a little difficult to get into – despite my long interest in all things Viking. Part of it I think was the authors writing style and part the way the book was constructed. He seemed to start things in what I call a ‘list book’ – this happened, then this happened then this happened… and on and on. It’s historical fact without a connecting narrative, without a story to pin things on or locate things, places and people within. He also seemed to be quoting significant chunks of old texts simply translated into modern English with little interpretation which made everything rather dull. Finally the structure of the book inevitably led to a degree of repetition. The early chapters consisted of an overview of Viking history and culture – followed by sections dedicated to individual geographical areas, Iceland, York, Russia and so on during specific time periods. But as the Viking chieftains tended to move around quite a bit we find the same characters popping up time and again and being consistently cross referenced throughout the book.

OK, so that was the ‘bad’ part. Now the good bit. First there’s the fact of the Vikings themselves. In the world they inhabited they were certainly a larger than life bunch of people. You most certainly knew when the Vikings had arrived in your locality! Then there’s the sheer adventure of what they did and where they went – mot only all around the North Sea but to Iceland, Greenland and even North America. They travelled and settled in Russia, raided into the Mediterranean, attacked Constantinople and ended up as a highly regarded mercenary force personally loyal to the Eastern Emperor. They left artefacts, place names and genes across huge tracts of land and influenced the history of just about every country in Europe. So, the author had LOTS of good stuff to work with and, after a rather rocky start, he definitely managed to get across just how amazing this civilisation was. Not the best book I’ve read on the subject but far, far from the worst too. If you’re new to the Vikings or even if you’re familiar with them you’ll pick up some interesting facts and some unforgettable historical characters to mull over. More than reasonable (if you persevere).

Just Finished Reading: The Battle of Hastings – The Fall of Anglo-Saxon England by Harriet Harvey Wood

The Battle of Hastings on Senlac Hill in late 1066 is arguably one of those turning points in history when everything changed. At the time it was seen as a calamity on a Biblical scale. It was to the Anglo-Saxons the end of their world. After 1066 they were no longer in control of their own country or their own destiny. From that fateful date they were an occupied people in an alien land.

But how and why did such a thing happen? Why did a successful warrior and leader of men like Harold Godwinson end up on the wrong side of history and bring down his whole civilisation with him? That is, it seems from this narrative, the mystery of Hastings – Why we lost. I say we for several reasons, firstly like the author of this work I fully identify with the resident Anglo-Saxons rather than the invading Normans. Second looking back on the invasion and the aftermath with the 20:20 vision of historical hindsight I think it’s more than reasonable to say that, although we lost the Battle, we almost certainly won the cultural war. Not long after their ‘victory’ the Normans both at home on the Continent and here in their new possessions went into terminal decline and practically vanished from history in surprisingly quick order. Their culture – what there was of it – was absorbed into and diluted by the Anglo-Saxon culture that was both more sophisticated and with deeper roots in the community.

In many ways Harold was unlucky. If the dying King had lived just a few more years it is unlikely that William would have been in a position to invade. If the bad weather that held William in France had lasted a few more days (or a few less weeks) there would have been ample time for Harold to defeat Tostig at Stamford Bridge – a major victory only overshadowed by his defeat at Hastings – or to meet William on the coast with a full army and navy not yet released for the harvest. With so little actual hard evidence to go on historians either throws up their hands and says that nothing truly meaningful can be said on the subject or are forced to speculate in order to weave a coherent story from very thin thread. This author certainly weaves a good tale of a masterful warrior and good king forced to fight battles at opposite ends of the country only days apart with an almost predictable outcome during battle number two. She tries to understand what motivated Harold to force battle the way he did when, apparently, all he needed to do was wait out the Normans crushing them at his leisure. Then, of course, there is the famous arrow and the unlucky eye. The author comes down on the side that Harold was indeed hit by an arrow in the face and this caused his battle line to fall apart at exactly the wrong moment. His personal bodyguard – all high ranking aristocrats in their own rights – stood by him and died to a man ensuring that no one was left alive to solidify a useful opposition force hence accelerating the fall of the rest of the country.

Finally the author speculates on what might have happened if Harold had won (or William had lost) and sees England entering into a Golden Age which would have changed the course of European, and hence World, history away from the one we know. Knowing at least a little about the time and the way politics was done back then I somehow doubt that this would have been the case. It is interesting however to speculate about Harold being victorious and either driving the upstart Normans into the sea or even killing William in battle – he was after all unseated from his warhorse at least twice on the day.

Despite being biased (in a good way in my opinion) this was still a very good and often thrilling interpretation of 1066 and the events leading up to it. Obviously sad as to the outcome the author tries her best to understand just what went wrong. On its own this book would probably give an at least mildly distorted picture of Hastings but, in conjunction with the other works already reviewed and the others in the pipeline, potentially rounds out the view of the battle and its antecedents in opposition to the pro-Norman historians who think that we should get over being beaten and move on. Like Harold and his Housecarls I say come over here and make me!

Just Finished Reading: A Brief History of The Vikings – The Last Pagans or the First Modern Europeans? by Jonathan Clements

I have a ‘thing’ about warrior cultures as well as an interest in Vikings dating back to my childhood. Indeed it’s probably quite likely that I have some Viking genes kicking around my DNA (OK probably along with a lot of other Europeans) as they settled in the part of Ireland my Father was from – at least that’s what the romantic side of me thinks anyway.

But to the book itself….. Interestingly he doesn’t start with the usual introduction of the Viking Age with the attack on the monastery on Lindisfarne. He starts much further back in Roman times when there are apparent reports of Viking style raids on the East coast. Rather inevitably after the Romans left the raids increased and, from time to time, sometimes they stayed. As you might expect they never actually called themselves Vikings – indeed no one at the time called them that. Like many things to do with English history it was a term invented by the Victorians. But whatever they called themselves they came from Scandinavia sometimes as traders (AKA spies) and sometimes as raiders – especially when times were hard back home. They both raided and traded throughout Europe – all over England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, France (Normandy being named after them of course) and as far East as Russia. Apparently they tried to raid further East in the Arab lands but got their assess handed to them – although ironically they were sort after as mercenaries by various sultans. From bases in Iceland they sailed West discovering and occupying Greenland (presumably much greener back then) and more famously Vinland AKA Newfoundland where they had issues with the Native Americans – always a fascinating Alternative History jumping off point.  They most certainly got around. But where they most interested me and fed my ever growing interest in English history was how the Viking colonisation impacted on it. Of course this ended in 1066 with Harold Godwinson fighting the successful battle at Stamford Bridge followed by the much less successful one near Hastings. William the Bastard (later William the Conqueror) was of course a descendent of Vikings who had settled in Normandy.

I found this book very enjoyable indeed. Not only was it on a subject that I have long been interested in, the style of the writing was engaging with lots of interesting information that was new to me. Unlike the recent book on the Samurai I was able to keep track of most of the various characters in the book though I admit it helped to have heard of a fair few of them before. If you are interested in early European history in general or the Vikings in particular this is definitely the book for you. Recommended.