episode description
Through new discoveries in science and archaeology, this episode explores the origins of the Vikings and how a great Viking dynasty changed history. It investigates who the Vikings were and why they left Scandinavia to plunder far-off lands. New scientific research suggests they were driven by an unstoppable force: climate change. In Norway, experts build replica Viking ships and explain the sailing technology that enabled long distance voyages. The Vikings continued raiding for decades. But eventually they began to establish more permanent settlements in Britain and Ireland, and in 2020 archaeologists discovered Dublin’s massive Viking harbour. A mighty king named Ivarr controlled this port, and he and his descendants built an empire in Britain and Ireland.
