The Wolf Age

August 22, 2022
Medieval historian Skeie makes his English-language debut with a gripping, detailed account of the 11th-century struggle for dominion over a North Sea empire stretching from England in the west to Denmark and Norway in the east. Drawing on Scandinavian histories, Icelandic sagas, skaldic poetry, and archaeological discoveries, Skeie breathes new life into the epic conflict between Anglo-Saxon king Æthelred, Danish ruler Cnut the Great, and Norwegian king Olaf Haraldsson for supremacy in Northern Europe. Beginning in the late 10th century, Skeie details how sporadic Viking raids on England shifted to invasion and conquest as Æthelred’s power and influence collapsed under the combined might of Cnut’s Danes and his Norwegian allies. In 1016, Cnut became king of England, and soon thereafter inherited the throne of Denmark. Through military and political manipulation, he eventually established his authority in Norway as well, completing his conquest of the North Sea empire. Meticulously researched, Skeie’s account of ruthless conflict, political intrigue, and diplomatic machinations reads like a real-life Game of Thrones—without the dragons. Medieval history buffs will be riveted. Illus.