The Vikings
Season 1
TV-Y7
They were bloodthirsty Scandinavian warriors and fine craftsmen. They opened trade routes, founded cities and captured ancient hubs. The Saxons of England feared them but mocked their careful grooming habits. In short, they were pirates with style. This series follows the Vikings everywhere they went, revealing new discoveries that turn Viking history on its head. We tell their incredible story from eye-witness accounts and the foremost experts on Viking warfare and way of life.
Where to Watch The Vikings • Season 1
5 Episodes
- Viking DawnE1
Viking DawnThe first episode of the series tells the story of how the Viking epic began. Bloodthirsty and warlike tribes had always inhabited the northern parts of Europe. The Romans had come across them and described them, such as the Cimbri who took prisoners only to sacrifice them to the gods; Nordic Goths and Longobards and Burgundians were among the barbarian hordes that killed the Empire. The recounting of these early barbarians is but a taste of more adventure to come. We tell the legendary origins of the Nordic race, through the myths shared by Danes, Norwegians and Swedes, a mix of tribes and petty kingdoms that stretched from the frigid North Sea to the icy beaches of the Baltic. - Viking WeaponsE2
Viking Weapons"This episode covers the way the Vikings developed the tools of their trade. Pillage was a spare-time occupation but (alongside trade - and at times the two went together) proved to be exceptionally profitable. Plundering the coasts of France or England could of course be quite risky so the Vikings developed weapons and tactics to heighten the effect of surprise. Nothing would have been possible without the Viking ship. We examine the development of the longboat, the typical Viking ship, with its broad beam and shallow keel, able to sail up rivers but at the same time take to the high seas, bending with the waves thanks to the clinker build (outer boards laid partially one on top of the other) and joints made with wooden pegs. - Raiders and ExplorersE3
Raiders and ExplorersThe map of the western hemisphere shows no place untouched by Viking explorers. Following the coastline of Norway into the Arctic sea, traders in Walrus tusks and whale fat explored the arctic wastes bringing rich wares home to trade in the marts of Birke and Hedeby. These were the rich northern routes the Kings of Denmark coveted when they claimed Norway as theirs. On the other hand, Viking sailors pillaged and plundered the rich Irish coastline, taking slaves to Iceland where they would serve on the barren uplands as shepherds. Pushing out further still the Vikings headed west, founding Greenland and west even further, under Leif Eriksson, to discover the Americas. - Viking KingdomsE4
Viking KingdomsThis episode follows the rise and fall of the Scandinavian dynasties as they attempted to establish themselves as sole rulers over their lands and as they learned the qualities of kingship from the lands they attacked. It starts in far off Iceland where the chronicles of Snorri Sturlusen relate the saga of these kings who shaped the Viking world: they have warrior names such as herald Bluetooth, Eirik Bloodaxe, Ivar the Boneless. Their stories stretch from Lake Lagoda, now in Russia, to Greenland, from Trondheim to Palermo where remains of the epic Viking adventure still exist today.