England's Great Viking Battle

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 August 2021

⏱️ 25 minutes

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Summary

On 11 August 991 one of the most important anglo-Viking battles took place near Maldon in Essex. This clash was immortalised in one of the finest examples of early English poetry that tells the story of a heroic defeat in the face of the ferocious Viking invaders. To remember both the battle itself and the poem Dan is joined by Professor Levi Roach from the University of Exeter. They discuss what led to the battle, the tactics used by both sides, why the Vikings won, the consequences of the English defeat and why we should probably take the heroic tales told in the poem with a pinch of salt!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi everyone, welcome to Dan Snow's History Year.
0:05.3	This week is the anniversary of one of the most important Anglo Viking battles.
0:10.0	It's got a few Anglo Viking battles over the last couple of months.
0:13.8	I don't know why, it just tickles me.
0:15.5	It's my podcast, thanks for listening.
0:16.8	I get to do what I like and hopefully you guys come with me.
0:19.0	It's awesome.
0:20.0	But this one is the Battle of Maldon, fought on the coast of Essex.
0:23.0	It gave us the extraordinary poem, one of the finest early medieval poems in English history.
0:29.9	My favourite is his follows.
0:31.9	Slotter wolves waited then.
0:34.0	He did not water.
0:35.8	The Viking band over bright water bore their shields.
0:40.0	There against anger.
0:42.1	Ritnoth stood ready.
0:44.2	Surrounded by warriors, he bade them with shields, build the battle hedge.
0:48.2	Hold that troop fast against foes.
0:50.9	Then was the fight near.
0:52.4	Glory in battle.
0:53.5	A time had come.
0:54.9	When fame and must fall there.
0:57.6	The clamor was raised there, ravens circled.
	...

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