Beyond the podcast: Alfred vs the Vikings

In the late ninth century, Anglo-Saxon England stood on the brink of collapse. A vast coalition of Viking warbands, remembered as the Great Heathen Army, swept across the country, shattering kingdoms that had endured for centuries. As Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia fell, only Wessex remained – ruled by a young and untested king named Alfred. For the Vikings, this was the culmination of decades of expansion and ambition; for the Anglo-Saxons, it was a fight for survival.

In this four-part HistoryExtra podcast series, Viking expert Dr Eleanor Barraclough traces the struggle between Alfred and the Vikings, from the arrival of the Great Heathen Army in 865 to the decisive battle of Edington and its far-reaching aftermath. Across the series, we explore the story from both sides: the world of the Viking army and the realities of life within it, the collapse of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Alfred’s flight into the marshes, and the uneasy peace that reshaped England subsequently.

Below, I’ve selected some essential reading and listening from our archives to deepen your understanding of this pivotal moment in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history – including insights into Viking culture, the everyday experience of Anglo-Saxon communities, Alfred’s use of religion and learning as tools of political renewal, and the long legacy of the Danelaw on English identity and culture.