They were the Northmen who changed history. Starting as heathen Viking warriors who plundered and settled in Northern France and forged the new Duchy of Normandy, becoming the most ferocious conquerors that medieval Europe had ever seen, and giving England its most famous date: 1066. In this two part series, Dr Eleanor Janega sets off across Normandy to discover who this band of rugged warriors, settlers and rulers were. | History Hit

In late March 1016 (Palm Sunday), ships packed into the western Oslofjord for the Battle of Nesjar, a naval clash that became a hinge-point in Norway’s power struggle. Olaf Haraldsson—an ambitious Viking leader seeking the kingship—faced Earl Sveinn Hákonarson, who had been ruling with backing tied to Danish authority in the region. The battle is traditionally placed near Brunlanes/Langesund area in Vestfold. What makes Nesjar unusually “sharp” historically is the surviving contemporary-style pr