Blood of the Vikings

Season 1

The Vikings were an ambitious, daring and frightening people who left an indelible mark on the British psyche. Yet archaeology has revealed very little about their time in Britain and even less about what happened to them afterwards. Archaeologist Julian Richards finds new evidence about what really happened during the dramatic period when Vikings roamed the seas around Britain. And in a ground-breaking genetics research project designed specially for the BBC series, internationally renowned geneticist, Professor David Goldstein, sets out to answer some of the most intriguing questions about the Vikings. Samples taken from around 2,000 people in Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia and Northern Europe have been processed and the results are revealed during the series.

Where to Watch Season 1

5 Episodes

  • First Blood
    E1
    First BloodLoot found secreted in pagan graves in Norway provides some major clues that point to Viking perpetrators following the discovery of murder victims in Wales and a monastery razed to the ground in Scotland.
  • Invasion
    E2
    InvasionIn AD 856, a massive fleet of Viking ships appeared off the coast of East Anglia, heralding a change in Viking tactics - from raiding to invasion. Richards charts the years of attempted conquest that followed.
  • The Sea Road
    E3
    The Sea RoadJulian Richards investigates the impact of the Vikings in Britain. This edition focuses on the archaeological trail left by the Vikings as they travelled from Norway along the sea road to Dublin. Settlements, a boat burial and evidence of trading have been discovered on the Scottish isles, and silver hoards found in Ireland suggest that Dublin was not only wealthy and important, but also a centre for trade in slaves.
  • Rulers
    E4
    RulersJulian Richards recalls how, after years of raiding, England's resistance was so weakened that, in the early 11th century, the Vikings were finally able to seize the throne. In other parts of the British Isles however, they gained and maintained power by integration.
  • Last Of The Vikings
    E5
    Last Of The VikingsIn the last of the series, Julian Richards uncovers new information from the battle in 1066 between Viking warlord Harald Hardrada and King Harold of England that marked the end of the Viking age in Britain. Results from a nationwide genetic survey show where in Britain the Vikings left a measurable contribution.

Cast of Season 1

  • Caroline van den BrulProducer
  • Liz TuckerProducer

 

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