Ragnar's Sons and the Conquest of Northumbria

In 865, the Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia—but their true target was Northumbria. This episode follows Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan, and Ubba as they topple the kingdom of King Ælla, the man legend says threw Ragnar into a pit of snakes. We examine the historical sources: the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle's terse entries, the later saga embellishments, and the archaeological evidence from York and beyond. How much of the revenge story is true? What do we know about the battle that made the Vikings masters of the north? We also look at the political fragmentation of Northumbria—rival kings Osberht and Ælla—that made the conquest possible. From the seizure of York in 866 to the installation of a puppet king, this is the campaign that set the stage for the Danelaw.

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