1 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,400 - (atmospheric music) 2 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,440 NARRATOR: On the shores of Sandwich... 3 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,480 a man walks in silence. 4 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,200 His name is Knut, 5 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,240 a Viking prince born into a line of kings 6 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,560 who have ruled Denmark for more than half a century. 7 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,920 A few days earlier, he believed he could rely on a pact 8 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,240 his father had forged with the English nobility. 9 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,640 An agreement that he thought would make him King of England. 10 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,800 But the lords turned their backs on him. 11 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,520 And today, it is their sons who will pay the price. 12 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:24,040 - Many of these hostages may have been young men 13 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:25,360 not much older than him. 14 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,360 In many ways, that highlights the ruthlessness 15 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,840 Knut was wishing to demonstrate in this particular action. 16 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,720 NARRATOR: He is only 20 years old, but Knut does not tremble. 17 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,240 With a single gesture, he orders the hostages to be mutilated. 18 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,880 Noses. 19 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,120 Ears. 20 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:58,640 Hands. 21 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,040 Just enough for England to understand. 22 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:07,080 - He's not killing them. 23 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,320 He wants these people to go back and send the message, 24 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:11,960 “Don't underestimate me.” 25 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,520 NARRATOR: In his eyes burns a cold fury. 26 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,280 He swears he will return. 27 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,440 And this time, he will take England. 28 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,040 - (dramatic music) 29 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,640 (courtly music) 30 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,200 NARRATOR: On the shores of the Roskilde Fjord, 31 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,720 Knut watches the longships approaching. 32 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,080 On board stands his brother, Harald. 33 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,880 As always, a single glance is enough to spark a furious race. 34 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:41,800 - (soundless) 35 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,120 NARRATOR: Not for the thrill of the game, but out of defiance. 36 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,280 Between the two brothers, everything already seems written. 37 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,680 - (soundless) 38 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,560 NARRATOR: It is not Knut but Harald who will wear the crown. 39 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:05,840 - Knut is the second son, 40 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,160 and I think that's important in understanding the man 41 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,280 and understanding his ambitions. 42 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,800 He can be Prince Harry to Prince William. 43 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:15,400 As long as Harald stays alive, 44 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,040 Knut is not really going to be in a substantial position of power 45 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,720 in Denmark. 46 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,320 - So there was a lot to play for. 47 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,920 And that probably explains some of the jockeying 48 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,600 and competitiveness we often see amongst heirs in this period. 49 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,880 NARRATOR: Ideally located at the crossroads of the North Sea 50 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,880 and the Baltic Sea, the Kingdom of Denmark 51 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,720 is one of the most powerful and feared realms in Scandinavia. 52 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,040 Its coastline, scattered with islands and carved out by fjords, 53 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,280 shelters natural harbours where hundreds of merchant ships converge. 54 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,600 Like in Roskilde, the capital. 55 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,520 The merchants' stalls overflow with the riches from the East and West... 56 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:17,560 amber, furs, 57 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:21,160 weapons... and slaves. 58 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,320 For Knut, who has never left his homeland, 59 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,680 these treasures are a call to adventure. 60 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,480 TRANSLATOR: The kings of the Danes could be split into two categories - 61 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:37,760 kings of the land and kings of the sea. 62 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:39,920 Those who stay in the country and govern it, 63 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,520 and the younger sons, often chose the sea, 64 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,000 setting out for adventure in England, West Francia or elsewhere. 65 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:53,480 It seems Knut was raised with that very purpose in mind - 66 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,560 to conquer, to wage war, to amass wealth abroad, 67 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,680 and then return home to carve out his own share of power, 68 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:03,040 by force or by strategy. 69 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:10,160 NARRATOR: Knut’s thirst for power comes from an extraordinary lineage. 70 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:15,200 A grandfather, Harald Bluetooth, who, for the first time, 71 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,600 united the kingdom under a single crown. 72 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,760 And a father, Sweyn Forkbeard, 73 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,840 a feared Viking warlord who has ruled Denmark for over 20 years. 74 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,000 A lineage forged in blood and betrayal. 75 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,000 - Harald Bluetooth was a long-ruling 76 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,040 and highly successful king, 77 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,440 and therefore his son Sweyn was chomping at the bit 78 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,960 because it was, of course, in the interest of Sweyn 79 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,320 to gain as much power and authority as possible as quickly as possible. 80 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,600 And it's in Harald's interest to prevent him doing so, 81 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,600 because only one can be king at the same time. 82 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:52,960 - And it ends up in battle. 83 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:54,336 Again, we don't know where the battle was, 84 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,640 but we do know that Harald is injured 85 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,081 and he retreats to his allies in the Baltic where he dies. 86 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,480 Sweyn has seized power through the murder of his father. 87 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,760 This is not a strong beginning. 88 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:08,760 This is a weak and wobbly start. 89 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,240 NARRATOR: It is in a world where loyalty hangs by a thread, 90 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:20,240 and power is won by the sword that Knut comes of age. 91 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,840 A ruthless world that, one morning, comes knocking at his door. 92 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,760 King Sweyn summoned him to his hall. 93 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:41,920 Knut does not yet know it, but his father has made his decision. 94 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,040 Within weeks, they will march on England. 95 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,360 - The 11th century was a major target for the Vikings. 96 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,760 - It's wealthy, it's organised, it's bureaucratic. 97 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,360 The English have produced a money-making machine. 98 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,440 Trade is going well. 99 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,960 There are large amounts of gold and silver lying around, and it's close. 100 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,600 NARRATOR: This time, it is no mere raid. 101 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:19,560 Sweyn is aiming for the entire kingdom... 102 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,240 and above all the crown of England. 103 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:25,520 - And so, one way of solving the problem 104 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,120 of only having one Danish kingdom you can give to your sons and heirs 105 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,400 is to conquer another kingdom and to offer prospects to Knut. 106 00:08:33,560 --> 00:08:37,320 So at the back of his mind, probably, is that he'd like to have 107 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,496 and control England himself, but if he takes England, 108 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,400 England can then be Knut's. 109 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:47,040 NARRATOR: Knut is stunned. 110 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,760 To conquer England? 111 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:53,040 Never before had a Viking dared to imagine it. 112 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,160 For the first time in his life, Knut glimpses a spark of hope, 113 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:06,360 the chance to break free from his place as the younger son 114 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,320 and finally forge his own destiny. 115 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:27,840 - In his palace, King Aethelred hastily gathers his counsellors. 116 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:30,480 They confirm what many feared - 117 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,080 a massive fleet is assembling in Denmark. 118 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,160 There is no longer any doubt. 119 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,200 The Vikings are coming back. 120 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,560 - It's very likely that Aethelred would have known 121 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,480 about Sweyn's invasion project. 122 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:54,360 I think with the amount of traffic across the North Sea 123 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,120 during the late Viking Age, 124 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,760 rumours that something was afoot would be very likely 125 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:03,440 to reach the English court at this time. 126 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,040 NARRATOR: The nobles know it. They cannot now rely on Aethelred. 127 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:16,040 Rarely in the kingdom’s history has a king faced such open doubt. 128 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:23,120 For over 20 years, men from the Northmen have ravaged his lands. 129 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,320 And for over 20 years, Aethelred has failed to stop them. 130 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,520 TRANSLATOR: And of course, paying tribute 131 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:35,720 has almost become the default solution. 132 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:37,240 Whenever a fleet appeared, 133 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,480 Aethelred seemed to offer greater and greater sums. 134 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,400 He is often portrayed as the archetypal weak king, 135 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:48,920 a ruler who preferred to pay off his enemies rather than fight them. 136 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,320 NARRATOR: Ever-heavier tributes have drained the kingdom. 137 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:06,240 His subjects are weary of a king unable to put an end 138 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,920 to this infernal spiral. 139 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:14,400 But this time, Aethelred believes the outcome may be different. 140 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:17,360 He has secured a powerful new ally... 141 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,920 the Dane, Thorkell the Tall, 142 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,600 one of the most feared Viking leaders of his age, 143 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,160 and, above all... 144 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,600 a sworn enemy of Sweyn Forkbeard. 145 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:42,440 - Thorkell the Tall is the greatest worry for the Danish kingship. 146 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,640 He's a member of the elite of eastern Denmark, 147 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:48,680 so the southern tip of Sweden. 148 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:53,160 This is an area that Knut's dynasty has pushed aggressively into. 149 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:54,880 And he has seen his power and his wealth 150 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,000 and his privilege being eroded, and he's not happy. 151 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,200 NARRATOR: Four years earlier, in 1009, 152 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,440 Thorkell had fled Denmark with 45 ships. 153 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,600 For three years, he ravaged England, 154 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,680 leaving death and chaos in his wake. 155 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,480 To stop him, Aethelred once again chose to pay. 156 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,240 But this time there was a condition. 157 00:12:34,560 --> 00:12:35,720 - At this point in 1013, 158 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,720 Thorkell had signed up with Aethelred the Unready. 159 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,280 He was taking Aethelred's money, providing protection. 160 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,840 - He pays them to be his private bodyguard. 161 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,880 If you've got one of the largest and scariest Viking armies 162 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:51,760 and you pay it to work for you, 163 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,880 sitting in England, frightening off other Vikings, 164 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,600 well, this is a brilliant idea! 165 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,960 - So the strategy here really is to set a thief to catch a thief, 166 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,800 to use a Viking to stop future Vikings. 167 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,480 And that's his hope, really, is that Thorkell and his formidable army 168 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,400 will be able to stop people like Sweyn. 169 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,480 NARRATOR: Aethelred and Thorkell struck a pact. 170 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,160 In exchange for a generous tribute, 171 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,280 the Dane would place his men and his 45 ships 172 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:27,960 at the King’s disposal. 173 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:34,120 Sweyn and Knut would now face not only Aethelred’s army, 174 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,720 but a seasoned Viking force hardened by years of raiding. 175 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:53,080 Sweyn learns of the alliance between Aethelred and Thorkell 176 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,160 and immediately understands that time is running out. 177 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:02,000 He knew that his old rival’s loyalty belonged to no-one but himself. 178 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,520 Behind this alliance of convenience, 179 00:14:08,680 --> 00:14:12,040 Thorkell is pursuing only one cause - his own. 180 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,240 - Thorkell clearly poses a threat to Sweyn and Knut, 181 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,680 because he's shown just how weak the English regime now is, 182 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,360 and he's come within a whisker of conquering England himself. 183 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,560 So it may well be that he himself is harbouring ambitions 184 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:33,000 that at some point he might just move from being the leading general 185 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,360 to being the ruler of England. 186 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,640 And so for Sweyn, it's a matter of trying to take England 187 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:41,680 before Thorkell does the same. 188 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,960 NARRATOR: At the start of spring, Sweyn issues a great call to arms 189 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:50,840 across Scandinavia. 190 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:00,200 Each noble is ordered to provide men, weapons, provisions, 191 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,960 and to join the gathering fleet. 192 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:09,120 - This is the first time that a king of Scandinavia 193 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,240 has called for such a campaign, 194 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,000 and he's drawing in people from all across Scandinavia. 195 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,440 It's an invasion, it's not raiding. And that's the key difference. 196 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,760 NARRATOR: On foot and on horseback, 197 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,880 thousands of Danes, Norwegians and Swedes converge on Roskilde. 198 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,680 Soon they are joined by hundreds of fortune-seekers. 199 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,320 Within a few weeks, several thousand men 200 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,320 and more than a hundred ships gather under the King's banner. 201 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,640 - So we are looking at a scale of attack 202 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:58,760 which is certainly very different to those England had traditionally seen 203 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:00,520 in the earlier Viking ages. 204 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:02,400 So this is a very, very large army 205 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,080 that can rival any of the English armies. 206 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,280 NARRATOR: Knut watches the constant movement on the docks 207 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,960 and the forest of masts stretching across the horizon. 208 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:20,520 He could feel it. 209 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,280 Everything in his life had led to this moment. 210 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:28,960 - From a very young age, 211 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,920 Knut would have been trained up to be a warrior. 212 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,680 So, crucial to his upbringing would have been 213 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:38,520 learning those skills of war, honing them through things like hunting, 214 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,960 but also alongside that, learning the tricks of the trade at court, 215 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,000 where also politics was an important consideration, 216 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,160 where making deals where hard-nosed realpolitik 217 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,040 was also something to be learned at a very young age. 218 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,160 NARRATOR: Setting aside their rivalry, 219 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,360 Harald greets his brother one last time. 220 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:02,800 Their father had entrusted him with the regency of Denmark, 221 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:06,040 confirming his status as the rightful heir. 222 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:14,120 Knut has no choice. If he ever wished to rule, 223 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,480 he would have to carve out his own kingdom. 224 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:30,240 At dawn, the armada weighs anchor and turns west. 225 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:33,920 Onboard, father and son share the same dream - 226 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:38,240 to conquer one of the richest kingdoms in the West. 227 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,040 The task is immense, 228 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:46,040 and Sweyn expects Knut to stand by his side. 229 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:50,720 - The role that Sweyn wants for Knut 230 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,400 is as a junior partner. 231 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,760 It's very handy to have a member of your family 232 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,080 who's able to provide some leadership within the Danish army. 233 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,640 NARRATOR: But Sweyn also knows that his son still has much to prove. 234 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,160 His first lesson will be to earn the loyalty of his men. 235 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:16,320 TRANSLATOR: At the heart of any Viking expedition 236 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,880 lies the ability to reward followers. 237 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:26,040 And obviously, if a leader is able to distribute wealth, gold 238 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,560 and precious metals, it tends to secure his men's loyalty. 239 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:35,320 The second essential factor is prestige, 240 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:40,040 delivering victory and leading successful military operations. 241 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,760 NARRATOR: Within days, the fleet will reach the English coast. 242 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,440 There, the young prince is about to shed his former self 243 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,680 and embrace his destiny 244 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,200 as a warrior, a Viking, a war leader. 245 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,880 Once again, Aethelred prepares to face the fury of the Northmen. 246 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:17,920 All his hopes now rest on Thorkell. 247 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:24,240 He orders him to deploy his fleet at Greenwich, along the Thames, 248 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,600 hoping to lure Knut and Sweyn into a trap. 249 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:36,160 But one question torments him. Could he truly be trusted? 250 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,240 Aethelred knew his own fleet would be powerless to stop the Danes. 251 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:46,600 Yet just five years earlier, that same fleet had seemed invincible. 252 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:52,720 - Aethelred had, amongst his attempts 253 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:54,960 to face down the Viking threat, 254 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:58,120 sought to reinforce England's naval capabilities. 255 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,360 And he raises a very, very large navy 256 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,840 with the prospect of preventing future invasion. 257 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,800 NARRATOR: Shipyards across the kingdom had been mobilised. 258 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,560 Within months, an armada of 300 brand-new ships 259 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,440 gathers along the southern coast of England. 260 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,360 Never before had an English king achieved such a feat. 261 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,040 TRANSLATOR: Everything seems to be going well, 262 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,280 since 300 ships are more than the Danes seem capable of assembling 263 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:34,480 at that time. But there's a major problem - 264 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:37,480 the leadership within the Anglo-Saxon forces. 265 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,000 NARRATOR: Aethelred entrusts command of the fleet 266 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,120 to two close nobles of his inner circle - 267 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,760 Wulfnoth and Beorhtric. 268 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,880 But one evening, a quarrel broke out. 269 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,120 The two men accuse each other of treason. 270 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:08,040 In a fit of rage, Wulfnoth seizes twenty ships... 271 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,320 and rebels. 272 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,520 ROACH: And so he takes a portion of the English fleet off with him. 273 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,800 The rest goes to try to chase them, 274 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:20,760 and then a storm dashes them entirely. 275 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,400 TRANSLATOR: Many of the ships sink. 276 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,480 The survivors who manage to reach the beach are slaughtered, 277 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,160 and the ships are set on fire to Wulfnoth's initiative. 278 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:37,880 NARRATOR: A single dispute was enough to set the fleet ablaze... 279 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,080 along with the last hopes of the English people. 280 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,640 TRANSLATOR: The irony is that in 1009, shortly afterwards, 281 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,440 Thorkell the Tall arrived at Sandwich with barely 50 ships, 282 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,440 a relatively small force, and he meets no resistance at all. 283 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,840 - And so what was, in essence, a very good strategic plan 284 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,240 is completely undermined due to divisions within the English camp 285 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,920 rather than any battle being offered with the Vikings. 286 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:18,480 NARRATOR: After ten days at sea, 287 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,560 the fleet finally reaches the English coast. 288 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,840 The island has more than 12,000 kilometres of coastline, 289 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,320 countless possible landing points for the Vikings. 290 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:36,360 TRANSLATOR: The geography of the English coastline 291 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:41,920 contributed enormously to the success of Viking raids, 292 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,200 because Vikings could move very rapidly around the coastline. 293 00:22:46,360 --> 00:22:49,880 BOLTON: And so consequently it's virtually impossible to defend. 294 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:55,080 So it is unfortunately perfect for Scandinavian attack. 295 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:05,120 NARRATOR: An unfamiliar landscape, and yet strangely familiar. 296 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,080 He remembers the evenings of his childhood, 297 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,400 lulled by tales of raids and battles. 298 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,840 And one name keeps coming back... 299 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,560 Sandwich, an English town, 300 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:22,920 invaded many times. 301 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,160 TRANSLATOR: Among the entry points into England, 302 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,720 the port of Sandwich is extremely important, 303 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:35,120 as it allows ships to be sheltered quite easily. 304 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,440 It also offers easy access to the mouth of the Thames. 305 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,560 It is difficult to secure for defenders 306 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,760 and easy to access for attackers. 307 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,280 An ideal place to launch an invasion. 308 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,840 NARRATOR: Knut leaps from the ship 309 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,320 and for the first time sets foot on the soil of the Kingdom of England. 310 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,880 - (roars) 311 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,360 NARRATOR: What does he feel? Excitement? 312 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,920 Rage? - (clamour) 313 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,480 NARRATOR: He probably has no time to wonder. 314 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,760 On the beach, English soldiers are trying to stand in their way. 315 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,680 For the young Dane, it is a baptism of fire 316 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,320 and perhaps his first chance to prove himself. 317 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,320 - All of these great Scandinavian leaders are warriors; 318 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,320 and lead troops into battle, and clearly are battle-hardened 319 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,640 and known for this fact. That is a big part of their reputation. 320 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,040 At the same time, 321 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,280 they are almost certainly not normally 322 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:42,800 in the front line of the fray. 323 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,600 So as a Scandinavian leader, you need the respect of your men, 324 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:48,880 you need to be known as a formidable warrior, 325 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,360 but you also need to not be silly and ridiculous 326 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:54,400 and take unnecessary risks. 327 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:57,040 TRANSLATOR: And Knut is an excellent example. 328 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:00,280 We rarely see him fighting, except when he knows he will win, 329 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:01,960 which is quite wise of him. 330 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,920 NARRATOR: The English troops are quickly defeated. 331 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,800 The Vikings set up camp for the night. 332 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,520 Around the fire, Sweyn and Knut ponder their next move. 333 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,680 England is divided into several Anglo-Saxon kingdoms... 334 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,560 Mercia to the west... 335 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:35,640 Northumbria to the north... 336 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,720 East Anglia to the east... 337 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,440 And Wessex, the centre of power, to the south. 338 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,760 That is where Thorkell deployed his fleet to defend London. 339 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:56,360 Sweyn knows that attacking head-on would be suicidal. 340 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:02,480 BOLTON: Thorkell is very frightening for Sweyn, 341 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,600 presumably because he is slightly scared that he might either not win 342 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,520 or damage an enormous part of the Danish royal forces. 343 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,800 TRANSLATOR: If we add to this the fortifications 344 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,480 of the city of London, 345 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,040 then yes, it clearly becomes very difficult for Sweyn. 346 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,160 He could go straight for it, but that would involve a real risk. 347 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,080 Avoiding Thorkell is therefore the logical choice. 348 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,640 NARRATOR: At first light, Sweyn and Knut weigh anchor. 349 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,600 They sail north, and at the mouth of the Thames they turn away, 350 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,000 leaving London behind. 351 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:40,840 They head toward the Danelaw, 352 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,760 a vast territory stretching from East Anglia to Northumbria, 353 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,360 where Viking influence runs deep. 354 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,560 - Danelaw is a term which is used to refer to 355 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,240 the areas in England 356 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:03,200 which were settled by Scandinavian settlers from the early Viking Age. 357 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:06,400 It does mean to say that there was a significant Scandinavian, 358 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:09,840 particularly Danish, influence. 359 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,960 - These people are both simultaneously 360 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:14,920 Scandinavian and English. 361 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:19,160 They don't see themselves, I think, as allied to either party. 362 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,280 Sometimes they work with the Danes, sometimes with the English, 363 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:25,000 but they see themselves as a unit in themselves. 364 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,360 I think that's what attracts Sweyn Forkbeard. 365 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:32,520 He recognises the Danelaw as somewhere that looks like home, 366 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,320 and he knows how to rule that area. 367 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,160 He knows how to control this. 368 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,840 BOLTON: Sweyn and Knut are taking a gamble. 369 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,360 If there is one place in England ready to welcome them, it's there. 370 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:53,720 Here, resentment toward King Aethelred runs strong, 371 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:01,760 a resentment born of a past neither Sweyn nor Knut has forgotten. 372 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,920 NARRATOR: As England buckles under Danish attacks 373 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,280 and the ever-growing weight of tribute, 374 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,680 the nobility grows restless. 375 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:32,840 - (soundless) 376 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:36,320 NARRATOR: Determined to regain control, 377 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,200 Aethelred makes a drastic decision. 378 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,680 In November of the year 1002, 379 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:47,520 he sends messengers across the kingdom. 380 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,560 On St Brice’s Day, the 13th of November, 381 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:01,160 armed men slip silently through the sleeping streets of towns 382 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:03,560 and villages across the Danelaw. 383 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,800 - (door creaks) 384 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,240 - The Brice's Day massacre becomes one of those very storied events 385 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:16,960 of Aethelred's reign, and it's the first real sign 386 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,040 that panic is starting to grip Aethelred’s court. 387 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,520 The logical, perhaps more sensible, measured responses have failed. 388 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:28,080 And so he starts looking to more extreme measures. 389 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,560 And what he fastens upon is the idea that the Danes 390 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,560 who are resident in his kingdom, the Scandinavians resident his kingdom, 391 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,520 are plotting against him. And so he decides to kill them all. 392 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:41,760 NARRATOR: In York, the Danes are hunted down 393 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,200 and enter into a church where they seek refuge. 394 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:58,440 But outside, torches arc through the air toward the sacred building. 395 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:08,640 - The St Brice's Day Massacre is quite a stain on the reputation 396 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,600 of King Aethelred, 397 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,600 because whatever the scale of the St Bryce's Day massacre, 398 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,600 it had an impact across the world 399 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,800 connected with the Danes. 400 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,720 It must have been in the back of the minds of some of the Vikings 401 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,440 who were present in England in Sweyn's army. 402 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,000 NARRATOR: Aethelred believed he was securing his kingdom. 403 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,120 Instead, he unleashed a terrible storm. 404 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,360 Now, who can say whether the people of the Danelaw 405 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,640 will remain loyal to him? 406 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:51,040 Sweyn and Knut’s ships sail up the estuary of the River Humber. 407 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,960 They then enter the calm waters of the River Trent. 408 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,200 On deck, Knut remains watchful. 409 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,000 He scans the riverbanks, alert to the slightest movement. 410 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,960 He has not forgotten the tales of the elders. 411 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,840 Venturing deep into the English countryside is never without danger. 412 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:18,280 TRANSLATOR: Since the 9th century, 413 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:21,240 the Anglo-Saxons have established a network of fortifications 414 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,640 known as the burhs, which were a kind of fortified strongholds. 415 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,000 Some were old restored Roman fortresses; 416 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,600 others were exceptional natural sites, headlands or cliffs 417 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,960 that were walled off to create a fortified point 418 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:35,440 that was difficult to seize. 419 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,800 Their purpose was to protect merchants, shelter populations, 420 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:44,240 and, above all, to create a defensive mesh across the territory. 421 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,280 When you look at the map of these burhs, it gives the impression 422 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:51,480 of a tight mesh, designed to prevent any Viking army 423 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:53,800 from slipping through the net. 424 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,720 NARRATOR: The fleet reaches Gainsborough, 425 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,160 a small, fortified town south of York. 426 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,400 Sweyn orders the landing. 427 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,160 For Knut, who is experiencing his first military campaign, 428 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,080 everything seems too easy. 429 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,280 Since leaving the North Sea, nothing has stood in their way. 430 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,360 No traps, no ambushes. 431 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,656 - This is an area of England which is often been distant 432 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:32,680 from royal control and power, 433 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:35,960 naturally suspicious of English monarchs at the best of time. 434 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,400 That means that when Knut and Sweyn land at Gainsborough, 435 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,520 they’re rapidly able to gain the support of the local population, 436 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:44,496 and they almost certainly know that in advance. 437 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,680 It's no accident that, instead of attacking the South of England, 438 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:49,360 the heartlands of the English kingdom, 439 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:53,840 they go to precisely where there is the chink in Aethelred's armour. 440 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,680 NARRATOR: A group of horsemen approaches the camp. 441 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:05,560 At their head rides the powerful Uhtred of Northumbria. 442 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,600 He comes to request an audience with Sweyn. 443 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:18,440 Knut watches him in silence. 444 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,240 Here stands the enemy he expected to fight. 445 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:28,320 But Uhtred has not come for battle. 446 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:30,760 Instead, he offers his submission, 447 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,840 that of Lindsey and the Five Boroughs. 448 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,480 To Knut, raised in the Viking code of honour, 449 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:42,200 this surrender without battle or glory 450 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,640 speaks volumes about his adversary. 451 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:49,880 - What we have to realise at this time 452 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:51,600 is that the idea of English unity 453 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:56,520 is only a relatively recent construction 454 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:58,680 of the tenth century. 455 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,800 And for Uhtred it was probably his interests 456 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:06,040 to submit to a Danish lord 457 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:10,320 rather than a distant English king in the south of the island. 458 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:13,920 TRANSLATOR: It seems he was caught off guard, 459 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:18,160 that he is defending his own interests in an unstable situation. 460 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:22,680 Separated from the main Anglo-Saxon army, he knows no help is coming. 461 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,160 For him, it becomes a matter of realpolitik. 462 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:27,240 If he does not submit, he knows he will die. 463 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,920 Thus he becomes Sweyn’s ally, at least in the short term. 464 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:36,800 NARRATOR: As a pledge of good faith, Uhtred does not come alone. 465 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,080 He brings with him the sons of the Great Northern families 466 00:34:40,240 --> 00:34:42,240 sent to serve as hostages... 467 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:48,680 young men barely older than Knut himself. 468 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:54,440 And yet everything separates them. 469 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:59,520 On one side, the young conqueror. 470 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:01,920 On the other, an unarmed youth, 471 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,040 handed over as collateral for an oath. 472 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,840 - If you come to an agreement with anybody in politics 473 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:11,400 in this period, you take a hostage, 474 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:13,536 to make sure the man is going to do what he's going to do. 475 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:17,680 - And those hostages are then a token of their seriousness. 476 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,640 They have to be very high-ranking individuals, 477 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:21,960 and they are your collateral. 478 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,440 ROACH: And this is saying, "We're not going to leave them 479 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,400 tied up to a radiator with handcuffs on. 480 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,000 We will treat them with honour, with dignity. 481 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:34,600 But if anything should happen, then it's the end of your son here." 482 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:37,640 You know, this is a very practical guarantee, 483 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:42,760 but it's also playing on this idea of honour as well. 484 00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:48,520 NARRATOR: Without spilling a drop of blood, 485 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,200 Sweyn and Knut seize control of Northern England. 486 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,840 But for Sweyn, this is only the beginning. 487 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:03,040 What he wants is the crown. 488 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:08,880 The Northern nobility gathers and proclaims Sweyn King of England, 489 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:11,560 rejecting Aethelred. 490 00:36:13,720 --> 00:36:17,000 But the rest of the realm still has to be persuaded to accept 491 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,720 such a dramatic change of allegiance. 492 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:26,040 And what better way to seal that bond than marriage? 493 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,720 A union between Knut and a young noble woman 494 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:34,640 from a powerful Anglo-Danish lineage 495 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:37,840 could ease tension and seal alliance. 496 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:42,920 Her name is Elgifu, from Northampton. 497 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:49,360 - Elgifu of Northampton is the woman that Sweyn Forkbeard 498 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,360 looks at the political landscape of the North and says, 499 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:55,320 "That one! She's the one that's going to marry my son 500 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,600 because she's the one who can help us control this region. 501 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:01,360 She's the heiress to this old political machinery." 502 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,680 WOMAN: She is the daughter of Althelm, who had been an ealdorman, 503 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,800 so the leading man in the southern part of Northumbria. 504 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,600 But he had been murdered in Aethelred's court in 1006 505 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:14,800 in a purge. 506 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,960 But that family nonetheless remains important 507 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:20,400 and very alienated from Aethelred. 508 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,200 - And so, in a sense, she can be a lightning rod 509 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:27,360 for channelling that dissent towards support for Sweyn and Knut. 510 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:29,400 And so for Knut, coming in with Sweyn, 511 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:31,520 perhaps also at the back of his mind, 512 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,920 the prospect maybe of becoming an eventual king of England 513 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:37,200 or an under king of England under his father. 514 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:41,280 She is the perfect match to make in that moment. 515 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:49,400 NARRATOR: Knut knows exactly what Sweyn expects of him. 516 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:53,680 Without hesitation, he leads this perfect stranger to the altar. 517 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:03,840 And under his father's watchful eye, he takes Elgifu as his wife. 518 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:12,840 The young prince understands that his destiny is now lying here. 519 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:16,840 The path is set. Knut will not look back. 520 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:26,600 At the end of summer, Sweyn orders his army to prepare... 521 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:32,240 supplies, reinforcements, horses. 522 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,640 To his seasoned warriors are added the levies raised in the Danelaw. 523 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,440 Before departing, he entrusts his son with the reins 524 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:48,040 of the conquered territory. 525 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,280 Knut might have preferred to march to war. 526 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,680 But instead, another trial awaits him. 527 00:38:55,840 --> 00:39:00,040 In his father's absence, he must guard the fleet, 528 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,480 watch over the hostages... 529 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,880 and raise the funds needed to sustain the war. 530 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:10,840 - Sons are expected to be trained up in kingship 531 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:13,800 and to learn the tricks of the trade as soon as possible. 532 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:16,320 And one of the best ways to do this for someone like Sweyn, 533 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:17,920 to ensure his sons that experience, 534 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:21,440 is to allow them an element of rule while he's still alive. 535 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:26,240 So we're seeing him potentially setting up Knut as his under king, 536 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:27,920 his representative in England. 537 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:30,320 - And the sense of responsibility that this new conquest, 538 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:33,080 this new land, this new world, as it were, 539 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:36,680 that they've struck into, is now his to control. 540 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:40,080 It must be overwhelming. But simultaneously, simultaneously, 541 00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:41,880 steps up to the plate. 542 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:44,880 TRANSLATOR: Is it a mark of trust being placed in him? 543 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:46,560 Partly, perhaps. 544 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:50,680 But what always strikes me is that Knut still does not fight. 545 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:53,920 He's not on the front lines learning how to lead an army. 546 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:56,336 He really gives the impression of being kept safe in reserve 547 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:58,080 by his father. 548 00:39:58,240 --> 00:40:00,800 In a way, he is already being shaped into an administrator 549 00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:04,560 who's learning governance, which is, in fact, rather wise. 550 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:11,880 NARRATOR: For the young Viking, the moment of truth has come. 551 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,280 Knut watches his father disappear in the distance. 552 00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:25,240 Now alone, he must prove himself worthy of the task. 553 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:31,520 More than anything, he must ensure his father will be proud of him. 554 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:40,520 Sweyn’s long column of troops stretches southward, 555 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:43,160 towards the heart of the kingdom. 556 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:48,400 But instead of heading for London where Aethelred awaits, 557 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:53,240 Sweyn leads his men west, towards Oxford. 558 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,760 - Sweyn's decision to attack Oxford rather than London 559 00:40:59,920 --> 00:41:04,720 almost certainly is suggestive of serious strategic calculation. 560 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:09,400 While Aethelred's regime has shown itself to be toothless in many ways, 561 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:11,520 not very successful on the battlefield, 562 00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:16,160 it remains capable of deploying armies of a large scale 563 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:20,120 and it still has the forces of Thorkell the Tall at Greenwich. 564 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:23,840 - If Sweyn had rushed his campaign and gone for that, 565 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:29,160 then potentially this might have been game over for Sweyn too early. 566 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:33,920 And it made sense to essentially take the pieces on the playing board 567 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:38,360 first of all, before going to London. 568 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:45,600 NARRATOR: In early autumn, the invading army 569 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:47,240 crosses Watling Street. 570 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:55,280 This ancient Roman road runs across England from east to west 571 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:58,200 and marks a symbolic frontier between the Danelaw 572 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:01,360 and the Southern lands still loyal to Aethelred. 573 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:10,280 Sweyn’s orders are clear. Beyond this line, there will be no mercy. 574 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:13,560 - (roars) 575 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:17,200 NARRATOR: From farm to farm, village to village... 576 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:19,520 - (woman screams) 577 00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:23,320 NARRATOR: his army unleashes its full destructive force. 578 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:27,440 TRANSLATOR: There's no Geneva Convention, 579 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,280 so the objective is to put pressure on the enemy, to scare them. 580 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:34,360 Men loot, kill and burn as they please. 581 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:39,520 It’s a phrase frequently used to describe Viking armies. 582 00:42:39,680 --> 00:42:42,720 Psychological warfare is nothing new - it exists in every conflict, 583 00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:45,280 in every era. And for civilian populations, 584 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:48,080 it has always meant the same thing throughout history. 585 00:42:48,240 --> 00:42:51,200 Raiding the countryside, seizing resources, living off the land, 586 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:53,680 and killing a few people in a particularly dramatic way 587 00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:56,480 are all part of the usual practices. 588 00:42:59,800 --> 00:43:03,880 NARRATOR: After a few days, Sweyn and his men reach Oxford. 589 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:09,680 The troops take position before the fortified town. 590 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:15,080 The city gates slowly open. 591 00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:20,040 A man steps forward and speaks a few words. 592 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,520 “The city surrenders without a fight." 593 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:30,896 TRANSLATOR: The inhabitants of Oxford had already suffered greatly 594 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:32,840 over the previous decade. 595 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,200 Resisting now would mean a second full-scale plundering 596 00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:38,760 or another round of mass destruction. 597 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:40,736 Clearly, not everyone is eager to turn their city 598 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:42,720 into another Stalingrad. 599 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:45,720 Surrendering is the logical choice if it spares lives 600 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:47,640 and avoids crushing tribute. 601 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,120 NARRATOR: Sweyn and his men enter the city 602 00:43:53,240 --> 00:43:57,880 after a victory won without a single sword stroke. 603 00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:03,200 The strategy of fear worked. 604 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:07,960 The local nobility submits. 605 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:15,240 But for Sweyn, it is not enough. 606 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:22,240 - Sweyn Forkbeard is trying to terrorise the South of England. 607 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:23,960 He has to subdue that part. 608 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,640 And he's got to do this with big public displays. 609 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:31,480 The lords of each region must kneel before him in public. 610 00:44:33,000 --> 00:44:35,720 He needs Wessex to be seen to be beaten 611 00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:39,000 and to be to be under the heel of the Danish oppressor. 612 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:46,320 NARRATOR: In the days that followed, 613 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:50,320 the Southern cities fell one after another. 614 00:44:50,480 --> 00:44:51,480 Exeter. 615 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:54,280 Winchester. 616 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:56,720 All surrendered without resistance. 617 00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:03,560 In London, Aethelred remains barricaded in his palace... 618 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:07,680 more cut off from his people than ever. 619 00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:11,520 He watches helplessly as his kingdom collapses. 620 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:16,320 - Aethelred's passivity has really damned 621 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:18,720 the reputation of Aethelred. 622 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:23,880 The 12th-C William of Malmesbury referred to him as being lazy, 623 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:27,240 essentially, not getting out of bed. 624 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:29,080 But I think we also have to remember 625 00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:32,480 that he had to rely on 626 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:36,400 regional governors to raise forces 627 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:41,920 and his commanders, his aldermen, are unwilling to act on his behalf 628 00:45:42,080 --> 00:45:43,160 while he's in London. 629 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:45,400 So it's something of a difficult situation 630 00:45:46,240 --> 00:45:48,320 for Aethelred at this time. 631 00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:56,200 NARRATOR: As autumn begins, the noose tightens around Aethelred. 632 00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:03,360 From the ramparts, he observes Sweyn's troops across the river. 633 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:10,840 He knows his survival may depend on what happens here and now. 634 00:46:12,240 --> 00:46:16,040 Losing the city, the last stronghold of resistance against the Danes 635 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:18,440 would mean losing the crown. 636 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:26,600 Beyond the walls, Sweyn knows the confrontation will be harsh. 637 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:30,960 For more than a century, London has remained unconquered. 638 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:38,160 TRANSLATOR: London benefits from its Roman walls that survived 639 00:46:38,320 --> 00:46:41,360 throughout the Middle Ages and were extensively restored for defence. 640 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,320 It is the nerve centre of Aethelred's defence. 641 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:49,720 This is where he resides, likely with his household troops. 642 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:52,520 Thorkell is there as well, probably with his fleet. 643 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:55,880 And then there's London - large, wealthy, powerful. 644 00:46:56,040 --> 00:47:00,160 The inhabitants do not seem inclined to surrender to the first newcomer. 645 00:47:01,720 --> 00:47:05,440 NARRATOR: Sweyn knows a frontal assault would be doomed to fail. 646 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:09,120 So, to bypass the English defences, 647 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:11,880 he orders his men to ford the Thames. 648 00:47:19,360 --> 00:47:21,256 - It's possible that they tried to cross the river 649 00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:24,880 to the west of London at low tide, 650 00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:27,880 but you have to know the river in order to do this. 651 00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:33,160 NARRATOR: The manoeuvre turns into a disaster. 652 00:47:33,320 --> 00:47:35,960 Hundreds of men are swept away by the current 653 00:47:36,120 --> 00:47:38,240 and the river's tumultuous waters. 654 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:45,400 - The likelihood that many men drowned 655 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:48,480 while trying to do this would have been likely to cause Sweyn 656 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:54,240 to think about changing the direction of his campaign. 657 00:47:57,640 --> 00:47:59,960 NARRATOR: Sweyn is forced to face the truth. 658 00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:02,800 To persist would cost countless warriors 659 00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:05,440 and endanger the entire campaign. 660 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:12,200 BOLTON: The siege of London ultimately is going to fail. 661 00:48:12,360 --> 00:48:16,320 London is just too tough a nut to crack in Sweyn's time. 662 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:19,640 So Sweyn pulls out and he heads to the West. 663 00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:27,480 NARRATOR: If he cannot force London to yield, 664 00:48:27,640 --> 00:48:30,800 Sweyn may try to isolate it from the rest of the kingdom. 665 00:48:32,480 --> 00:48:34,360 To do that, he must seize 666 00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:38,840 the last key stronghold of Wessex - Bath. 667 00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:43,760 This city, where Aethelred's father was crowned, 668 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:46,160 enjoys near-imperial prestige 669 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:50,200 and is home to one of the kingdom's most influential noble families. 670 00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:53,800 - This, if you're going to crack an easier nut 671 00:48:53,960 --> 00:48:56,560 and you're going to make an enormous political splash, 672 00:48:56,720 --> 00:48:59,480 do it with these people. They're related to the kingship, 673 00:48:59,640 --> 00:49:00,816 they’re long related to the kingship, 674 00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:04,920 and that is a huge money-making area for Anglo-Saxon England. 675 00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:08,480 If you can break the West, maybe you don't have to break London. 676 00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:10,640 Maybe London will fall on its own. 677 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:15,360 NARRATOR: By the end of 1013, 678 00:49:16,240 --> 00:49:19,680 the nobles of Bath, weary of Aethelred's chaotic rule, 679 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:21,720 rally to the Dane. 680 00:49:23,280 --> 00:49:25,840 Soon, the rest of the kingdom follows. 681 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:30,720 - Aethelred will have seen it sitting in London 682 00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:35,240 as the lights going out one after another across the entire country, 683 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:37,640 as they just stopped talking to him. 684 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:40,320 And when you've got nothing left except the city of London, 685 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:41,600 then I think you leave. 686 00:49:43,640 --> 00:49:45,360 NARRATOR: Abandoned by all, 687 00:49:45,520 --> 00:49:49,600 Aethelred, the last king of a five century-old dynasty, 688 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:51,760 flees toward Normandy. 689 00:49:57,440 --> 00:50:00,040 - And there he can remain, king in exile, 690 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:02,080 awaiting his moment to reappear. 691 00:50:02,240 --> 00:50:05,480 So he is kind of a bit like the Free French government in London 692 00:50:05,640 --> 00:50:06,840 in World War Two, if you will. 693 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:11,760 He's potentially there in Normandy as the, to his mind, 694 00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:15,880 genuine English king and the real government, 695 00:50:16,040 --> 00:50:20,320 waiting for an opportunity to step back into those shoes. 696 00:50:27,880 --> 00:50:30,480 NARRATOR: Aboard the ship carrying him into exile, 697 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:35,000 Aethelred watches the English coastline fade into the mist. 698 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:40,320 His defeat tastes of betrayal. 699 00:50:44,520 --> 00:50:48,000 His people did not raise their weapons to defend him. 700 00:50:48,160 --> 00:50:52,040 The nobles abandoned him for a king from the North. 701 00:50:52,200 --> 00:50:54,160 But Aethelred is not broken. 702 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:58,320 He swears he will return, whatever the cost. 703 00:51:07,160 --> 00:51:09,040 - (ominous music) 704 00:51:12,640 --> 00:51:15,920 NARRATOR: In Lincoln, Knut awaits his father. 705 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:21,600 The man he finds is no longer only King of Denmark. 706 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:24,520 He is now King of England. 707 00:51:24,680 --> 00:51:26,480 Before him stands a transformed son, 708 00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:32,640 seasoned and hardened by the demands of power. 709 00:51:34,280 --> 00:51:36,120 BOLTON: It's a new world. 710 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:38,160 It's the conquest of somewhere for him to rule. 711 00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:41,680 Harald would now have Denmark, he will have England, 712 00:51:41,840 --> 00:51:44,960 and he is the second son, and he's got the conquest. 713 00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:46,720 But what a conquest. 714 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:48,800 There is far more money there in England 715 00:51:49,720 --> 00:51:51,600 than there will ever be in Denmark. 716 00:51:51,760 --> 00:51:57,640 And that wealth will be used by his dynasty to push its ambitions 717 00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:00,040 far into Scandinavia, 718 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:04,080 to rule... we have to use the modern word "empire". 719 00:52:04,240 --> 00:52:07,720 If he ever dreamed of being an emperor, 720 00:52:07,880 --> 00:52:11,480 he did so on the day they conquered Southern England. 721 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:18,800 NARRATOR: Together, Sweyn and Knut have achieved the unthinkable - 722 00:52:18,960 --> 00:52:22,080 seizing the richest kingdom in the Western world. 723 00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:26,280 For the young prince, the future now seems set. 724 00:52:26,440 --> 00:52:29,560 But history is far from finished with him. 725 00:52:29,720 --> 00:52:32,440 England will soon slip from their grasp, 726 00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:34,640 and Knut will be forced to face a new enemy, 727 00:52:36,240 --> 00:52:39,920 far more formidable than any before. 728 00:52:56,560 --> 00:52:59,120 Subtitles by Sky Access Services