Welcome to Tudors' D'Denys podcast Five Minute History, where we bring you the fascinating and forgotten tales of the past.

I'm your host, Rebecca Larson, and today we're going to take you back in time to the early 1400s in Iceland.

Enjoy.

The Tudor's Dynasty podcast.

Before we begin our story today, I want to set the more global stage for you, because I often

find it interesting to look at who the global rulers were at the time of each of these stories.

Today's episode takes a look at the early days of the 15th century, and in England, King Henry

the 4th had been on his cousin Richard the 2nd's throne for a few years, while in England, King Henry IV had been on his cousin Richard II's throne for a few years,

while in France, the king who believed he was made of glass, Charles VI, ruled. We know him best as

the father of Catherine of Valois, wife of Henry V. And in Scotland was King Robert III. Now he was known for his peaceful and

scholarly nature and he preferred diplomacy over warfare. It's with that more global

stage set that we turn our attention to Iceland. Today we're diving into a lesser-known chapter of Icelandic history, the mysterious

arrival of the plague in the 1400s. So get ready for a tale filled with seafaring traders,

remote island communities, and a disease that changed everything.

Picture this. It's the early 1400s. In Iceland is a land of breathtaking landscapes,

towering glaciers, and, well, a lot of sheep. But life on this isolated island is about to take an unexpected turn.

Trading ships sailed across the North Atlantic, connecting Iceland to the bustling ports of Europe.

These vessels carried not just goods, but also whispers of a deadly disease that was wreaking havoc on the continent.

Enter the plague, also known as the Black Death.

It was a sinister sickness that brought fear and devastation wherever it struck.

But how did this dreaded disease reach the shores of Iceland?

Our tale begins with those very ships, sailing across treacherous seas, carrying both goods

...