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.
BOOK REVIEW: Grendel’s Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife by Susan Signe Morrison
Grendel’s Mother tells the story of Brimhild, a child found abandoned in a boat on the shores of Denmark. Taken in by a…
Power and Politics at the time of King Harald Bluetooth, Denmark
He was the Harald that won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made pagans Christian, and that is fairly easy to read, but what did he exactly say? What does it meant when he says he won for himself all of Denmark?
1,000 year old silver treasure hoard discovered in Denmark
Over 550 silver items have been discovered on the Danish island of Omø. The hoard is believed to date from around the reign of Sweyn Forkbeard (986–1014) and includes coins and pieces of jewellery.
How to destroy gods
In the year 1168 a Danish bishop destroyed three pagan gods. The story is told in Gesta Danorum, by Saxo Grammaticus, which has recently been entirely translated into English for the first time.
Ragnar Lothbrok and the Semi-Legendary History of Denmark
An investigation into the historical models for the legendary/literary figure Ragnar Lothbrok, including discussion of semi-legendary Danish history from the early sixth to late ninth centuries. Presents an argument for a female model, Lothbroka.
Scandinavian trade ‘triggered’ the Viking Age, researchers find
Archaeologists from the University of York have played a key role in Anglo-Danish research which has suggested the dawn of the Viking Age may have been much earlier – and less violent – than previously believed.
13th-century Rune Stick discovered in Denmark
Archaeologists working in the Danish city of Odense have discovered a rune stick with Latin writing dating to the early 13th century.
The Medieval Saints of Sweden and Denmark
There is a clear link between the celebration of native saints and the ecclesiastical organisation that emerged in Scandinavia in the 12th century. Yet, according to a new doctoral thesis in history from the University of Gothenburg, important differences can be noted between Sweden and Denmark.
The oldest Onion in Denmark
A 1300-year-old onion has been discovered as part of a woman’s grave in Denmark.