The Journal
Category: The Viking Influence
Explore the stories, identities and ideals associated with the Viking Age. These essays examine warriors, rulers, legendary figures and modern myths alongside the historical and literary evidence.
The Viking Influence6 min read
Silver, Scales, and the Shape of Trade
A chest of silver at Cuerdale reveals two ways to pay. Coins, bullion and merchants’ scales show how Scandinavian settlement reshaped trade in Anglo-Saxon England.
The Viking Influence
When the Sea Brought Slaughter: The Raid on Lindisfarne, AD 793
The raid on Lindisfarne sent a shock across Europe. The Chronicle and Alcuin’s letters reveal what the attack meant to Christian England and its sense of safety.
The Viking Influence
Whirlwinds and Dragons: The Plundering of Lindisfarne
Fiery dragons, famine and a monastery under attack: the Chronicle’s account of Lindisfarne reveals how Anglo-Saxon writers understood catastrophe, faith and the limits of safety.
The Viking Influence8 min read
How the Vikings Influenced Old English Writing
Raiders, settlers, and eventually neighbours — the Norse left their mark on the English language and its poetry.