cover of episode 548. The Road to 1066: Anglo-Saxon Apocalypse (Part 1)

548. The Road to 1066: Anglo-Saxon Apocalypse (Part 1)

2025/3/17
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The Rest Is History

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The Norman Conquest of 1066 is a pivotal event in English history, marking a significant turning point with far-reaching implications. The conquest not only altered the English monarchy but also influenced global history by spreading English culture and language.
  • The Norman Conquest is compared in significance only to the introduction of Christianity in England.
  • Edward Augustus Freeman's six-volume history highlights the importance of the Norman Conquest.
  • The events of 1066, including the Battle of Hastings, are central to English and British history.
  • The conquest led to the establishment of Norman rule in England and influenced the broader British Isles.
  • The fusion of Old English and French post-conquest contributed to English becoming a global language.

Shownotes Transcript

The Norman Conquest of 1066, culminating in the legendary Battle of Hastings, is perhaps the greatest turning point in the history of the English nation. It was a year that changed the fate of England forever, forging empires, and settling continents. And yet, despite its infamy and significance, the true nature of those totemic events are often forgotten. So what happened in the build up to the Battle of Hastings? The dramas of 1066 were set in motion by a succession crisis in 975 AD, following the death of King Edgar. England by that time was the wealthiest and best run government in Northern Europe, a kingdom of united English speaking peoples, established by Alfred the Great and his successors. Following the mysterious death of Edgar’s first son, Edward, his second son, Æthelred - later known as ‘The Unready’ - took the throne. For many years his kingdom flourished, until disaster struck: the Vikings returned to reign terror upon the Anglo-Saxon people, under the leadership of the terrifying Olaf Tryggvason, King of Norway. With his coffers straining, his people enslaved, and his lands shrinking, Æthelred, now wed to the foreign Emma of Normandy, finally decided to take drastic action, and weed the Vikings out once and for all. So it was that with the dawning of the millennium, a terrible, bloody massacre began….

Join Tom and Dominic as they set out upon one of greatest narratives in all English history, with the build up to 1066 and the Battle of Hastings. Would England survive the wrath of the Vikings?

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Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude 

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor

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