The Plague in Denmark: New research on its spread during the Middle Ages
Scientists who study the origins and evolution of the plague have examined hundreds of medieval human teeth from Denmark, seeking to address longstanding questions about its arrival, persistence and spread within Scandinavia.
Harald Hardrada: Prelude to Invasion
With Norway under his control, King Harald looks to seize the throne of another kingdom.
Unique Danish axe was a weapon for war, study finds
In the collections of the National Museum of Denmark sits a 13th-century axe with unusual features. A new study suggests that it was an attempt to create a versatile medieval weapon.
Viking beadmakers’ secrets revealed in new study
The Viking Age bead makers were more advanced than previously believed. New research shows that craftsmen in Denmark around the year 700 used sophisticated and sustainable methods when they gave old Roman glass mosaics new life as glass beads.
Elite Vikings wore beaver furs, study finds
Beaver fur was a symbol of wealth and an important trade item in 10th-century Denmark, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
11th-century Gold earring discovered in Denmark
A metal detector in Denmark has discovered a unique piece of gold jewellery from the 11th century that has never been seen before in Scandinavia. It was possibly donated personally by the emperor of Byzantium to a Viking leader.
Looking for Viking ship burials with a 17th-century illustration
New detailed surveys of Viking age ship settings in Hjarnø, Denmark have been completed by archaeologists examining the origins and makeup of the Kalvestene grave field, a renowned site in Scandinavian folklore.
Medieval Scandinavia: The Downfall of the Kalmar Union
For the ninth and last article in the series, Beñat Elortza Larrea explores the internal tensions and conflicts that caused the dissolution of the Kalmar Union.
The King and his brother in a shrine – a story of textiles
King Canute’s shrine no longer holds the precious silk textiles placed in it at his enshrinement. Instead it is likely that the textiles from his brother’s shrine at some point have been moved to King Canute’s shrine.
Harald Bluetooth and the Ring-Castle at Trelleborg
Trelleborg and the other ring-castles constructed by Harald Bluetooth stand out in history as products of a developing age of state formation, and the rising importance of military power.
Medieval Scandinavia: The Rise and Fall of the Danish Kingdom
The history of Denmark between the late tenth and early fourteenth centuries.
The economy of Norwegian towns c. 1250-1350
The aim of this thesis is to explain why differences arose between Norwegian, Danish and English towns with regard to their economic functions
The Copenhageners from 1,000 years ago
‘Were these the first Copenhageners? Did they come from the east, or were they born in the area? Did they live in a small village or a larger, active urban community? I really want to know who they were’,
Danish Kings and the Foundation of Jómsborg
Jómsborg, the great stronghold and residence of that famous warrior band the Jómsvíkings, is closely related in the Old Norse tradition to numerous Scandinavian rulers and is also associated with several Danish kings.
Anglo-Danish Connections and the Organisation of the Early Danish Church: Contribution to a Debate
The Christianization of Northern Europe is closely linked to concepts of cultural transfer, transmission, and influence. Latin Christianity was essentially foreign to the medieval North, and foreign expertise was needed for the implementation of the Christian faith.
Stressing out in medieval Denmark: An investigation of dental enamel defects and age at death in two medieval Danish cemeteries
Dental enamel, which preserves a record of childhood stress events, represents an important resource for this investigation when paired with the information from adult skeletal remains, such as age at death.
English political refugees at the court of Sveinn Ástríðarson, king of Denmark (1042-76)
After the Norman conquest in 1066 and the failed rebellions in 1069-71, some sections of the aristocracy of Anglo-Saxon England fled as far afield as the Mediterranean, the Crimea, and the Byzantine court. Other crucial members of the Anglo-Saxon elite can be found in exile, somewhat closer to home, in Denmark.
The Original Hamlet: The Story of Prince Amleth
Well, everyone knows the story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Even though you have never finished the book, you are bound to have seen some version of it, be it excerpts, summarising tales, films, plays, or art works. What may be not so well known, however, is the story of Amleth, the prototype of Hamlet.
The death of a medieval Danish warrior: A case of bone trauma interpretation
The study of trauma in skeletal remains is important to bioarchaeology as it can provide insight into the patterns of interpersonal violence and warfare in the past, an important aspect of human society.
Hamlet with the Princes of Denmark: An exploration of the case of Hálfdan, ‘king of the Danes’
This article explores the case of one ‘Prince of Denmark’ called Hálfdan, ‘king of the Danes’. His life, as best we can reconstruct it, reveals much that is of great significance for our understanding of the Viking Age, not only in England but in Denmark and the Frankish realm as well.
World Championships in medieval combat comes to Denmark
Over 500 fighters from 28 different countries will be taking part at Spøttrup Castle.
BOOK EXCERPT: King Cnut and the Viking Conquest of England 1016 by W.B. Bartlett
The Viking Conquest of England in 1016, saw two great warriors, the Danish prince Cnut, and his equally ruthless English opponent, King Edmund Ironside fight an epic campaign.
Medieval Mass Media and Minorities
The portrayal and (mis)use of the figure of the Jew and the Muslim in vernacular sermons and wall paintings from medieval Denmark and Sweden.
BOOK REVIEW: The Northern Queen by Kelly Evans
Kelly Evans’Anglo-Saxon novel centres around the story of Aelfgifu of Northampton (990-1040); from her rise in court and eventual marriage to one of England’s most famous early kings, Cnut the Great (995-1035), to her repudiation, and later life with her sons after Cnut’s passing.