Ragnar's Heirs: The Viking Conquest of East Anglia

In 865, the Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia, setting in motion a chain of events that would reshape England. This episode focuses on the kingdom's king, Edmund the Martyr—a historical figure whose death became legend. Drawing on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Passio Sancti Eadmundi, and archaeological finds from the Viking winter camp at Hoxne, we separate fact from hagiography. Ivar the Boneless and his brothers exploited local divisions, wintering in East Anglia before striking north into Northumbria. Edmund's defeat and execution, possibly at the hands of Ivar himself, is probed through contemporary accounts and later embellishments. The story of his death—tied to a tree and shot with arrows—mirrors that of Saint Sebastian, raising questions about its veracity. We also examine the Danelaw's establishment in East Anglia, the survival of the see of Elmham, and the cult of St. Edmund that emerged. Join Lucas and Luna as they untangle the knot of politics, piety, and propaganda surrounding one of the era's most iconic martyrdoms. #EastAnglia #EdmundTheMartyr #IvarTheBoneless #GreatHeathenArmy #VikingAge #Hoxne #PassioSanctiEadmundi #AbboOfFleury #AngloSaxonChronicle #Danelaw #SaintEdmund #BuryStEdmunds #Thetford #Elmham #Hedeby #History #FexingoHistory #VikingConquest #RagnarLothbrok #NorseSagas Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo