A Brief History of the Vikings
Brief Histories
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Narrated by:
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Mark Meadows
About this listen
"From the Fury of the Northmen deliver us, O Lord."
Between the eighth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings surged from their Scandinavian homeland to trade, raid and invade along the coasts of Europe. Their influence and expeditions extended from Newfoundland to Baghdad, their battles were as far-flung as Africa and the Arctic. But were they great seafarers or desperate outcasts, noble heathens or oafish pirates, the last pagans or the first of the modern Europeans? This concise study puts medieval chronicles, Norse sagas and Muslim accounts alongside more recent research into ritual magic, genetic profiling and climatology. It includes biographical sketches of some of the most famous Vikings, from Erik Bloodaxe to Saint Olaf, and King Canute to Leif the Lucky. It explains why the Danish king Harald Bluetooth lent his name to a 21st century wireless technology; which future saint laughed as she buried foreign ambassadors alive; why so many Icelandic settlers had Irish names; and how the last Viking colony was destroyed by English raiders.
Extending beyond the traditional 'Viking age' of most books, A Brief History of the Vikings places sudden Scandinavian population movement in a wider historical context. It presents a balanced appraisal of these infamous sea kings, explaining both their swift expansion and its supposed halt. Supposed because, ultimately, the Vikings didn't disappear: they turned into us.
Jonathan Clements is the author of Pirate King, Moon in the Pines and Confucius: A Biography. He lives in London and Jyvaskyla.
©2013 Jonathan Clements (P)2013 Audible LtdListeners also enjoyed...
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In his retelling of a Chinese history stretching back 5,000 years, author and China-expert Jonathan Clements focuses on the human stories which led to the powerful transformations in Chinese society - from the unification of China under its first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, to the Mongol invasion under Genghis Khan and the consolidation of Communist rule under Mao Zedong. Clements even brings listeners through to the present day, outlining China's economic renaissance under Deng Xiaoping and Xi Jinping.
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Succinct and detailed overview of a huge topic
- By Stephen Sheafer on 08-19-20
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Wessex
- A Captivating Guide to an Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of England and Its Rulers such as Alfred the Great, Edward the Elder, and Athelstan
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 3 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex was created through conquest by the Germanic tribe known as the Gewisse. For the following 500 years, this kingdom went through various transformations. Some even argue that those transformations were nothing more than the natural development of a society. However, while the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms prospered and rose to be a significant power in the region, just to fall from grace and be consumed in the events of the period, Wessex pressed on.
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Academic and emotional appreciation for this book
- By Gretchen on 10-10-23
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A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons
- Brief Histories
- By: Geoffrey Hindley
- Narrated by: Eleanor David
- Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Starting AD 400 (around the time of their invasion of England) and running through to the 1100s (the 'Aftermath'), historian Geoffrey Hindley shows the Anglo-Saxons as formative in the history not only of England but also of Europe. The society inspired by the warrior world of the Old English poem Beowulf saw England become the world's first nation state and Europe's first country to conduct affairs in its own language, and Bede and Boniface of Wessex establish the dating convention we still use today.
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A very dry history of the Ethels
- By Neil Chisholm on 07-23-13
By: Geoffrey Hindley
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Ragnar Lothbrok and a History of the Vikings
- Viking Warriors Including Rollo, Norsemen, Norse Mythology, Quests in America, England, France, Scotland, Ireland and Russia
- By: Noah Brown
- Narrated by: Dalan E. Decker
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Ragnar Lothbrok was a legendary warrior who left a legacy among the Vikings like none other. Today's popular TV show may have popularized Ragnar's story, but the real facts are not very well known. Discover the truth behind this Viking warrior and the rich history of the Vikings.
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Happy with this purchase!
- By Michelle Watson on 09-08-19
By: Noah Brown
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Mythology: Norse Mythology, Gods, Goddesses, and Creatures
- By: Kelly Mass
- Narrated by: Miriam Webster
- Length: 4 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Learn more about Vikings' historic background, their misconceptions, and their gods. This audiobook is an extensive take a look at the Viking Age, and the deeds and lives of these ancient, in some cases strange individuals. The Vikings of Scandinavia were brave, adventurous, and frequently barbaric, but there can be no dispute that they were also a people with huge goals. Viking culture is still a topic of interest today, and this uses an insight into simply how withstanding their legacy is.
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Nice
- By Joseph on 11-21-19
By: Kelly Mass
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Mythology: Norse and Viking Mythology Myths and Stories
- By: Ron Carver
- Narrated by: John Griffith
- Length: 3 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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This book is an in-depth look at the Viking Age and the deeds and every day lives of these ancient, often mystical individuals. The Vikings of Scandinavia were brave, adventurous, and typically barbaric, but there can be no debate that they were also a people with huge goals. Viking culture is still a subject of interest today, and this offers an insight into simply how sustaining their tradition is. This book will discuss:
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The Vikings
- By Bettie on 11-21-19
By: Ron Carver
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The Sea Wolves
- A History of the Vikings
- By: Lars Brownworth
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In AD 793 Norse warriors struck the English isle of Lindisfarne and laid waste to it. Wave after wave of Norse "sea wolves" followed in search of plunder, land, or a glorious death in battle. Much of the British Isles fell before their swords, and the continental capitals of Paris and Aachen were sacked in turn. Turning east, they swept down the uncharted rivers of central Europe, captured Kiev, and clashed with mighty Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
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A little dry but very interesting
- By Angela on 08-30-15
By: Lars Brownworth
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A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- By: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
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A Brief Review of the Book
- By Than on 12-07-19
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Conquistadores
- A New History of Spanish Discovery and Conquest
- By: Fernando Cervantes
- Narrated by: Luis Soto
- Length: 15 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Over the few short decades that followed Christopher Columbus' first landing in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain conquered the two most powerful civilizations of the Americas: the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and the other explorers and soldiers who took part in these expeditions dedicated their lives to seeking political and religious glory, helping to build an empire unlike any the world had ever seen. But centuries later, these conquistadors have become the stuff of nightmares.
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A fresh mature perspective on the Spanish conquest
- By Chencheno111 on 03-19-22
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Mythology: Viking Myths and Gods from the North
- By: Coby Evans
- Narrated by: K.M. Logan
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Become familiar with the gods and goddesses of ancient Viking mythology, the conquerors who set off on trips across the seas and oceans from the north. In this guide, the main legends, the heroes, the rituals, and their struggles are highlighted as the best-known myths from Scandinavian beliefs.
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I loved it
- By Anonymous User on 02-06-20
By: Coby Evans
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Never Greater Slaughter
- Brunanburh and the Birth of England
- By: Michael Livingston
- Narrated by: Rupert Farley
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Late in AD 937, four armies met in a place called Brunanburh. On one side stood the shield-wall of the expanding kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons. On the other side stood a remarkable alliance of rival kings - at least two from across the sea – who’d come together to destroy them once and for all. The stakes were no less than the survival of the dream that would become England. The armies were massive. The violence, when it began, was enough to shock a violent age.
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not what i thought it would be
- By Dudley on 02-26-23
What listeners say about A Brief History of the Vikings
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jean
- 05-09-13
Excellent
Jonathan Clements book on the Vikings is well research and covers not only the history but gives us an introduction to the mythology of the Vikings. This is not a dry history book as he writes in a conversational tone and includes the stories of people almost like a historical novel. Mark Meadows does a fantastic job narrating the book with all the names and places. I would never have come close to the pronunciation of these words if I was reading the book to myself. Makes the audio format the best method for me to read this book. The title says a brief history but Clements sure did a good job of covering the earliest recorded dates to the current modern information including DNA to prove the data. I enjoyed the information on the British Isles as it tied into the information provided by Bernard Cornwell in his Saxon Series. Cornwell had also included some of the mythology in his book about the Vikings as well as the history of conquest and raids. Over all a great way to learn a bit about the history of the Vikings. I heard there is going to be a show about Vikings on T.V. also.
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11 people found this helpful
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- Caney Fork
- 06-30-23
Narrator was hard to listen to.
I listened for 30 minutes and gave up. I can't comment on the quality of the book, but the narration was not up to par.
I recommend "Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings" by Neil Price. Samuel Roukin, the narrator, is extraordinary with his extraordinary. The book is a quite up to date and looks at the history of the Vikings from every possible angle.
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