Anglo-Saxons vs Vikings: The Battle That Gave Birth To England
From Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit
May 21, 2026 · 42 min · Episode 1793
About this episode
Dan explains the Battle of Brunanburh, an epic clash that decided the fate of the British Isles.
Dan explains the Battle of Brunanburh, an epic clash that decided the fate of the British Isles. On one side, the Anglo-Saxon forces of King Æthelstan, fighting for his vision for a unified England; on the other, a massive ‘anti-Wessex’ coalition of Vikings, Scots and Celts, determined to stop the English project from taking hold. Today, we explore the high-stakes diplomacy that led to this point, hear how this savage battle played out, and dig into its consequences for the modern UK. Written and produced by Dan Snow, and edited by Dougal Patmore. We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6 Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe . You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Dan Snow
Topics covered
- Anglo-Saxons
- Vikings
- Battle of Brunanburh
- British Isles history
- diplomacy
- unified England
- consequences for modern UK
Keywords
- Anglo-Saxons
- Vikings
- Battle of Brunanburh
- King Æthelstan
- British Isles
- diplomacy
- unified England
- history
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: History Hit, YouTube, Acast
Places: British Isles, Wessex, England
More episodes of Dan Snow's History Hit
- Mary Beard on Ruling the Roman Empire · June 11, 2026 · 52 min
- Harald Hardrada · June 8, 2026 · 50 min
- The Rise of the Roman Empire · June 4, 2026 · 40 min
- The Great Fire of London · June 1, 2026 · 31 min
- SAS Hijacked A Fascist Train To Liberate A Concentration Camp · May 28, 2026 · 49 min
- The Rise and Fall of the Boleyns · May 25, 2026 · 44 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Dan Snow's History Hit podcast page.