For anyone interested in Vikings, here's an interview I did with World History Encyclopedia about why the Danish Conquest of England happened, how Cnut established control, and why the Danish dynasty died out in England after just three decades. #medievalsky #vikings www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP7G...

Join us for a lecture by an expert in medieval relics, Lucas Coia. Learn more about the difference between a martyr and a confessor (like the two King Edwards of early England). What kind of healing powers did the medieval relic hold? #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/the-sacred...

Anyone else see this yesterday? I'm thrilled whenever Aethelred and the Danish Conquest are mentioned, but there's more to the story than can be summarized in a Jeopardy clue. #medievalsky brandonmichaelbender.com/2020/11/13/s...

My book is now available for pre-order! It's called "The Viking Conquest of England" and focuses on the House of Denmark, a dynasty that ruled England from 1013-1042. Learn more about it here. thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/new-book-t... #medievalsky

Want to hear some Middle English? On today’s expert lecture, Rebekah Day-Wood discusses recurring themes in medieval English romances, monstrous bodies, and more. #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/mother-mai...

Free article! Monks Mound in Illinois is a massive earthwork, taller than Mexico’s El Castillo pyramid and wider than the Great Pyramid of Giza. A thousand years ago, it was the center of the great North American city of Cahokia. #history thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/an-ancient...

#OTD in 1016, Æthelred the Unready died. Open access article about the king’s final months, what might have killed him, and what happened to his body. #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/the-death-...

#OTD in 978, Edward the Martyr was killed, allegedly by his stepmother, Queen Ælfthryth. In today's video, Sreeja Chowdhury reveals how Ælfthryth amassed her power. Stay until the end for her thoughts on whether Ælfthryth killed Edward! #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/crowned-by...

#medievalsky Open access video: 200 years before Magna Carta, the English nobility secured a historic agreement with their king, wanting him to rule "more justly." It’s been called “The Anglo-Saxon Magna Carta.” Follow for more history lectures! thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/before-mag...

Following the Danish conquest of England, Cnut became England's king and then succeeded his brother in Denmark two years later.  #history

Cnut the Great: King of England, Denmark & Norway

Cnut (died 1035), sometimes called Cnut the Great, was king of England (reign 1016-1035), Denmark (reign 1018-1035), and Norway (reign 1028-1035). Following the Danish conquest of England, Cnut became...

worldhistory.org

How can a saint be holy but seductive at the same time? Join Dr. Vicki-Marie Petrick in today’s fascinating video lecture about Mary Magdalene in 15th century art! Follow for more history lectures. #ArtHistory thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/the-magdal...

Swein Forkbeard, England’s first conqueror, died on #OTD in 1014. In today’s free video, I outline some of the colorful and legendary stories about his demise, both old and recent, and show some of the artistic depictions of these legends. #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/.../the-many...

Today we have a fascinating lecture from @amymcelroy.bsky.social about education in the Tudor period, its roots in medieval teaching methods, and much more. Follow for more expert guest lectures! #Tudors #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/education-...

Amy McElroy@amymcelroy.bsky.social · 6mo ago

My talk on education during the Tudor period for @thewandererhistory.bsky.social is available now! substack.com/@thewanderer...

#medievalsky Was the horse a mere tool or war machine in the Middle Ages, or did their riders see them as companions? Is it possible to train a modern horse using medieval methods? Find out in today’s lecture by Dr. Anastasija Ropa. thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/of-horses-...

#medievalsky Thank you for 100 Substack subscribers! Not bad for launching ten days ago. Free members are always welcome, but if you'd like to support our guest lectures (as all our experts are paid for their time), please consider becoming a paid member. thewandererhistory.substack.com

In today’s video, I talk about book making in early medieval England with Lottie Wells. Lottie is an alumna of ASNaC at Cambridge University and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Bristol. #medievalsky thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/making-boo...

Here’s a nice run-down from @brandonmbender.bsky.social of what we know about Inuit and Norse contact in Greenland: www.epoch-magazine.com/post/memorie...

Memories of Inuit and Norse Contact in Greenland

The Norse Greenlanders and Inuit may not appear to have much in common at first glance, but they have a fascinating shared history. Each had moved into Greenland from elsewhere and shared it from roug...

epoch-magazine.com

Ivy - "Perfect Pervert"@ivynyx.bsky.social · 7mo ago

People who know that Erik the Red settled Greenland, but didn't read enough history to know that he'd encountered natives.

#medievalsky Watch Annie Whitehead's lecture on Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, who fortified towns and directed armies. Free preview (first 7 minutes) available for all. The entire video is available for those who would like to support us. thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/thelfld-la...

Did you know England was conquered 50 years before the Norman Conquest? One of our first talks tells how the Danish kings Swein and Cnut overthrew the English dynasty, replacing it with their own (the House of Denmark) from 1013-42. thewandererhistory.substack.com/p/when-vikin... #medievalsky

#medievalsky Check out my latest project, The Wanderer, where I invite guest historians to give lectures on their favorite topics, featuring Dr. Thomas Brosset, @samdrowe.bsky.social, and @anniehistory.bsky.social, with upcoming talks by @amymcelroy.bsky.social and Lottie Wells.

The Wanderer@thewandererhistory.bsky.social · 7mo ago

#medievalsky The Wanderer is now live, featuring three guest historians and two talks of my own. thewandererhistory.substack.com What Happened to Civilians in a Siege? Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians Growing Old in the Middle Ages When Vikings Conquered England The Many Papacies of Benedict IX

#medievalsky We're launching our platform in just three days! On January 15, we'll have five inaugural talks available, with topics including Viking conquest, medieval sieges, women of power, growing old in the Middle Ages, and scandalous popes. Check it out here:

Announcing Our First Talks: We’re About to Launch!

Vikings, sieges, scandalous popes, powerful medieval women, and more

thewandererhistory.substack.com

I recorded something fun this week! The Wanderer is launching early 2026 and will be bringing lots of history talks directly to you! Go give him a follow ahead of the launch bsky.app/profile/thew...

🟢 From 985 until sometime in the 1400s, Greenland was the farthest, most isolated outpost of medieval Scandinavian society.  📝 Article by Brandon M. Bender. 📷 Photos by Brandon M. Bender, Number 57, claire rowland and Algkalv.  #Greenland #Vikings #VikingAge #Scandinavia #Norse #Medieval #History

Greetings from Greenland!

👑 Emma of Normandy (died 1052), the wife of King Aethelred the Unready from 1002 to 1016 and then the wife of King Cnut from 1017 to 1035, was a dominant player in English politics for nearly 50 years. 📝 Article by Brandon M. Bender.  🖼️First image by The British Library.  #History #Royalty

I was at the library and walked past a name that looked familiar. Empires of the Normans by @proflroach.bsky.social has made it all the way to Johnson County, KS.

Check out my article on stories of Norse and Inuit interaction in medieval Greenland: www.epoch-magazine.com/post/memorie...

Memories of Inuit and Norse Contact in Greenland

The Norse Greenlanders and Inuit may not appear to have much in common at first glance, but they have a fascinating shared history. Each had moved into Greenland from elsewhere and shared it from roug...

epoch-magazine.com

EPOCH History Magazine@epoch-history.bsky.social · last yr.

🎉Issue 20 is now live!🎉 Join us in exploring a special fifth anniversary edition of EPOCH featuring a range of fantastic articles from emerging historians across the globe. Available now at: epoch-magazine.com

On this day in 1016, King Aethelred "the Unready" died after ruling England for nearly four decades.

The End of Æthelred: On this day in 1016, King Æthelred II Died

“He ended his days on St. George’s Day, and he had held his kingdom with great toil and difficulties as long as his life lasted.”

brandonmichaelbender.com

Æthelred II, king of the English, died #OTD in 1016. He laid waste to ‘Cumberland’ in 1000, and in 1002 ordered the deaths of all Danish men within his realm – an event that became known as the St Brice’s Day massacre. #medievalsky

My home state is famously flat, but I traveled to some of the most surprising badlands, rock formations, mesas, and canyons in Kansas.

The Rock Formations of Kansas

Kansas is likely stuck with its reputation for flatness. That said, the state is full of hidden badlands, rock formations, and other interesting features.

brandonmichaelbender.com