The Scandinavian History Podcast Mikael Shainkman
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- History
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A chronological journey through the history of Scandinavia. Geographically, we cover the five modern Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Finland—as well as a few other bits and pieces here and there where it's relevant.
The show is hosted by Mikael Shainkman: a historian, tour guide and coffee drinker.
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001 In the Beginning there Was Ice
Welcome to the first episode of the Scandinavian History Podcast.
This first episode is dedicated to Scandinavia from the time the ice started to recede after the last Ice Age until the beginning of the Viking Age.
Music: The Vikings by Alexander Nakarada serpentsoundstudios.com promoted by free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 Int creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ -
002 Here Come the Vikings
Who were the Vikings, and why did they decide to start plundering and killing? Was it really because of something some random West-Saxon bailiff said? Or because the Northumbrians cut their hair in a way that upset God?
Find out in this episode, when we kick off the Viking Age with the infamous attack on the monastery at Lindisfarne. -
003 Go West
After the initial attack on Lindisfarne, the Vikings shifted their focus away from England--settling the islands off the coast of Scotland and raiding in Ireland. The Shetland and Orkney Islands, as well as the Hebrides and the Isle of Man, were soon dominated by Scandinavian settlers. In Ireland, they established colonies that remain important urban centers to this day.
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004 Kings of Dublin
The Scandinavians who settled in Ireland became an integral part of the social and economic fabric of the island. For a few generations, the Viking Kings of Dublin were a major power not only in Irish politics, but also across the Irish Sea.
Even though they eventually lost their political and military power, the influence of the Scandinavians linger on the Emerald Isle. It can still be seen both in local place names as the Irish gene pool. -
005 Fuzzy Pants and Sons
If you know the name of only one Viking, chances are that name is Ragnar Lodbrok. In this episode, we take a closer look at the legend of Ragnar and his sons. For hundreds of years, this legend shaped the way Scandinavians understood their own past. It was a source of both fascination and pride, and kings—as well as regular Scandinavians with an inflated ego—claimed to be descendants of the Ragnarssons.
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006 The Great Heathen Army
Despite the corona quarantine, I’ve managed to record a new episode!
In the year 865, a large force of Vikings invaded the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Everyone was robbed, and those who didn’t submit to Scandinavian rule were also killed. King Edmund of East Anglia was turned into a pincushion by Ivar the Boneless. Only Wessex continued to defy the onslaught. Its teenage king Alfred fought the Viking forces that are known to history as the Great Heathen Army.
Customer Reviews
Great History Podcast
I read a great deal about Scandinavian history (especially Viking age). Love this podcast. Informative and entertaining.
19 Episodes In and These Get better and Better
I was introduced to The Scandinavian History Podcast by Dirk Hoffman-Becking at the History of the Germans podcast. 19 episodes into this series and these get better and better. This is a great series if one wishes to round out their knowledge of European history from the Scandinavian perspective. Informative and intriguing, sprinkled with humor. Well done and keep up the great work!
Wonderfully cheeky and informative
This is a fantastic podcast on Nordic (not just Scandinavian) history. It does not neglect the Finns, which is refreshing. If you are an American of Nordic descent, this is THE podcast for you. If you are planning a trip to the Nordic countries, do yourself a favor and listen to these thoughtful, well-researched, and funny episodes before you go. I enjoy listening to the podcast in the sauna.