Northumbria: Britain’s Forgotten Early Medieval Superpower

Explore how the kingdom of Northumbria—born from the union of Bernicia and Deira—rose to power in the early first millennium. We trace its military exploits, Christianisation under Edwin, intellectual flowering at Lindisfarne and Wearmouth‑Jarrow, and its decline under Viking raids and later Norman consolidation. The episode untangles surviving sources from legend and shows how this once‑vibrant kingdom shaped cultural and political developments in Britain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices