Harald Hardrada

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 19 January 2024

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the second of Gone Medieval’s series looking at the road to the Battle of Hastings, Matt Lewis focuses on another claimant to the English throne. Harald Hardrada was a legendary Viking warrior who sought to rebuild the North Sea Empire to which he believed himself heir. Harald invaded the north of England with 10,000 troops and 300 longships in September 1066. But the mission would not be plain sailing.

Matt finds out more about him from Dr Caitlin Ellis, from the University of Oslo.

This episode was edited by Ella Blaxill and produced by Rob Weinberg.

Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code MEDIEVAL sign up now for your 14-day free trial >

You can take part in our listener survey here.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	As his fleet pushed its way west, the crashing of the cold North Sea against the bow of his ship was nothing new to this king.
0:11.0	Having lived for half a century, the Viking knew the cold whip of the wind and the salt
0:16.3	spray of the ocean. Like many of his countrymen, he knew far more besides.
0:21.1	The shiver runs through his body as he remembers the warmth of the far south.
0:27.0	As an exile he'd lived the life of an adventurer, trading his way south through the lands of the ruse he proved himself a valuable
0:34.5	asset as he honed his fighting skills. In Constantinople he'd been fated, given rank
0:40.6	and honor. The warm Mediterranean seas were where he'd plied his trade then.
0:46.4	That trade had been war and business had been good.
0:50.6	When Home called him north again, he'd wrapped himself against the chill and used the skills he'd forged in the heat of the south to make himself king of his native Norway.
1:00.0	That had been 20 years ago. Now he wants more. He claimed the crown of Denmark and now the throne of England beckoned.
1:08.0	During his furs tighter, he fights off the thoughts of warmer days in younger years.
1:14.0	There was cold, cruel work to be done.
1:17.0	Some called him Hardrada, the hard ruler.
1:20.0	Others named him the Thunderbolt of the North. He was King Harold and
1:25.9	England was about to witness the fury of the most legendary warrior of his age.
1:31.2	As his ship's spot land, adrenaline drives out the chill and rolls back the years.
1:38.6	What hope did England have against the return of the Vikings.
1:43.0	This is the story of Harold Hardrada.
1:46.0	Welcome to this episode of Gone Medieval, I'm Matt Lewis. We're continuing our dive into the events of 1066
1:58.0	by trying to find out more about the other claimant, the one who deserves not to be overlooked.
2:03.0	Dr Caitlin Ellis is an associate professor at the University of Oslo who focuses on Vikings,
2:08.0	Normans, Britain and Ireland, and so it's pretty much the perfect guest to help us get to know Harold Hardrada.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.