Anglo-Saxon Apocalypse: The Road to 1066

The next episode in our series on the road to 1066 is available here, covering the Vikings' revenge and their greatest invasion of England:    • Revenge of the Vikings: The Road to 1...  

The Norman Conquest of 1066, culminating in the legendary Battle of Hastings, is perhaps the greatest turning point in the history of the English nation. It was a year that changed the fate of England forever, forging empires, and settling continents. And yet, despite its infamy and significance, the true nature of those totemic events are often forgotten. So what happened in the build up to the Battle of Hastings? The dramas of 1066 were set in motion by a succession crisis in 975 AD, following the death of King Edgar. England by that time was the wealthiest and best run government in Northern Europe, a kingdom of united English speaking peoples, established by Alfred the Great and his successors. Following the mysterious death of Edgar’s first son, Edward, his second son, Æthelred - later known as ‘The Unready’ - took the throne. For many years his kingdom flourished, until disaster struck: the Vikings returned to reign terror upon the Anglo-Saxon people, under the leadership of the terrifying Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway. With his coffers straining, his people enslaved, and his lands shrinking, Æthelred, now wed to the foreign Emma of Normandy, finally decided to take drastic action, and weed the Vikings out once and for all. So it was that with the dawning of the millennium, a terrible, bloody massacre began….


Join Tom and Dominic as they set out upon one of greatest narratives in all English history, with the build up to 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. Would England survive the wrath of the Vikings?

0:00 – Introduction to the story of 1066 and the Norman Conquest
0:34 – Importance of the Norman Conquest in English history
1:07 – How the Norman Conquest stands apart from other historical events
2:08 – The key figures of 1066: Harold Godwinson, Harold Hardrada, and William of Normandy
3:17 – The lasting impact of the Norman Conquest on Britain, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland
4:51 – How 1066 shaped global history, the English language, and later empires
6:20 – Comparison of 1066 to the French Revolution and Game of Thrones
7:58 – The three warlords of 1066 and their civilisations: Anglo-Saxon England, the Viking world, and the Norman revolution
8:19 – Why England was such a valuable prize in medieval Europe
10:09 – The coronation of Edgar in 973 and the creation of a centralised English kingdom
12:02 – The emergence of a unified English identity
13:18 – The strength of Anglo-Saxon governance, trade, and a unified currency
16:37 – The problem of succession after Edgar’s death in 975
17:28 – A comet appears, signaling doom, as Edgar’s sons fight for the throne
19:02 – King Edward is murdered, and Æthelred ("the Unready") takes the throne
20:55 – How Æthelred's government maintains a strong, centralized administration
23:36 – The return of Viking raids in the late 900s
24:21 – The growing threat of Viking invasions under Olaf Tryggvason
26:00 – The Battle of Maldon (991) and the rise of Viking power
27:42 – Æthelred’s decision to pay the Danegeld to Viking invaders
29:45 – The rise of Normandy as a Viking stronghold and its role in English history
30:58 – The origins of Normandy: Rollo, the Viking warlord, and his legacy
34:16 – The transformation of the Normans from Vikings to Christian rulers
36:47 – The Norman rulers maintain Viking traditions while becoming more Frankish
38:37 – Richard the Good, Duke of Normandy, strengthens Norman ties to France
40:27 – Æthelred’s attempts to counter Viking influence in England
41:34 – Olaf Tryggvason is paid to leave England and later converts Norway to Christianity
44:00 – The approaching year 1000 and fears of the apocalypse
46:09 – Æthelred’s aggressive foreign policy, including an attack on Normandy
47:49 – Æthelred marries Emma of Normandy to secure an alliance
49:14 – The St. Brice’s Day Massacre (1002)
51:49 – Archaeological evidence of the massacre in Oxford
53:08 – Reports that Sweyn Forkbeard’s sister was among those killed
54:27 – Sweyn Forkbeard’s plan for revenge

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Producer: Theo Young-Smith
Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett
Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor