Don Hollway: King Olaf Tryggvason of the Vikings (1000)

On today's episode Don Hollway takes us back to see 'the Viking's Viking', King Olaf I, in the year when his dramatic story reached its mysterious climax.

Olaf is a heavyweight figure in Norse history. Rising out of obscurity, he travelled widely before experiencing a profound Christian rebirth on the Isles of Scilly. From thereon one of his central motives in life was the conversion of the Norse people to the Christian faith.

There were many battles, of course, along the way. In this episode Hollway looks at the fateful one that took place late in the year 1000. It was at the Battle of Svolder that Olaf vanished, presumed dead. 

Find out more about Don Hollway's Hammer of the Gods: King Olaf's Viking Conquest. Read his article about Olaf at Unseen Histories.

Show Notes

Scene One: Early 1000. Olaf marries his third wife.

Scene Two: 1000. The building of Olaf's great dragon ship, the Long Serpent.

Scene Three: 1000. The Battle of Svolder.

Memento: The Long Serpent.

People/Social

Presenter: Peter Moore 

Guest: Don Hollway

Producer: Maria Nolan

Theme music: Firelight by Minka

Partner: ACE Cultural Tours.