Tag Archives: Cnut
From my blog...
Vikings Valhalla 1.8: Trust No One
The Norway scenes in this episode are mostly invention, based loosely on saga material. For your edification, here is a very simplified account of historical events in Norway from 1000 to 1030 pulled from The Oxford Illustrated History of the … Read More
Vikings Valhalla 1.6: Too Many Queens
The episode begins in Norway as Freydis arrives at the healer’s cabin, alarmed and in search of her friend Yrsa. Unfortunately, she finds her. She also finds the Christian zealot who we learn is named Jarl Kåre. Later we will … Read More
Vikings Valhalla 1.5: Just Your Typical Viking Feast
This episode begins with Freydis at the temple in Uppsala, praying before Thor and Odin. This is all part of the Norse gods vs. Christian God theme that runs through the series. And yes, this was a time of change … Read More
Vikings Valhalla 1.4 The Battle at London Bridge
Question One: Did Olaf Haraldsson pull down London Bridge? Yes. But he did it in 1014. In that year the armies of Swein Forkbeard had taken control of England and London. Æthelred, Emma and their sons had fled to Normandy. … Read More
Vikings Valhalla 1.3: The Viking War on England Begins
Remember, we’ve telescoped time in this series. Events that happen in the course of a year are actually pulled from an entire decade between 1002 and 1015. Episode 3 starts with gruesome scenes of battle and plundering in Kent. We … Read More
Vikings Valhalla 1.2: Enter the Queen
There is a lot to unpack in this second episode of Vikings Valhalla, most of it having to do with what’s happening in England. The thing is, we know a lot about what was happening in England because we have … Read More
On the Passing of a Queen
Entry from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1052: Ymma Ælfgifu, King Edward’s and Harthacnut’s mother, passed away. The very mention of Emma of Normandy’s passing in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is an indication of the significance of her career as queen, queen mother, … Read More
Queen Emma & Vikings:Valhalla
In writing my trilogy about Emma of Normandy I hoped to spotlight the 11th century, twice-crowned queen of England whose name had long been relegated to footnotes in history books. I think I’ve succeeded to some extent because a good … Read More
Cnut’s Mum
In The Steel Beneath the Silk, the novel that concludes my Emma of Normandy Trilogy, several characters appear who are new to the story. One of them is Cnut’s mum. Who was she? Of course, her son Cnut is … Read More
The Steel Beneath the Silk
The third novel in my EMMA OF NORMANDY TRILOGY will be published on 2 March 2021. THE STEEL BENEATH THE SILK continues the story of 11th century queen of England Emma of Normandy during the final, desperate years of her … Read More