Forgotten Vikings - by Alex Harvey (Hardcover)

About the Book

A reappraisal of the Vikings. The ultimate goal of Forgotten Vikings is to add to the corpus of popular history/overview books of the Viking Age.

Book Synopsis

Forgotten Vikings provides a chronological overview of the Viking Age (793-1066) and quite a lot of history either side of these arbitrary dates. Arbitrary? This book aims to explore the phenomenon of 'the Vikings' from new angles, forged out of recent academic breakthroughs largely unexplored in popular history books; the Viking Age viewed as a longer, discrete period from the sixth to the fifteenth centuries.

Focusing on lesser-known aspects of the period, Alex Harvey taps into more obscure regions of the world these people visited, more obscure characters, and more obscure cultural elements. Examples include the evidence for viking activity on the Azores and Madeira, thirteenth-century Baltic raids, and the presence of viking armies in the Netherlands long before they became a threat to England.

Offering unfamiliar perspectives, Forgotten Vikings will change the way you see these often misunderstood people, and unearth a forgotten history.

Review Quotes

'Overall, Forgotten Vikings provides a good synthesis of the latest historical and archaeological research on the subject, woven together with the fundamental aspects of Norse mythology. It will be of greatest interest to readers who already have some familiarity with other regions or periods of medieval history but who would like learn more about the Vikings.'--Medieval World Magazine, Summer 2025

'There was more to them than the wanton bloodletting and the ensuing drinking songs about wanton bloodletting, and books like Forgotten Vikings helps us to remember that.'--Open Letters Review, April 2025

'Forgotten Vikings is an enlightening read that goes down smoothly. The inclusion of illustrations throughout from Harvey himself also gives the book a very personal feel. He gets into the archaeological evidence to draw out the provable facts and debunk the common myths. This book is well worth diving into if you want to expand your Viking knowledge.'--All About History Magazine, December 2024

'A fascinating and thought-provoking book that I'd strongly recommend to anyone with more than a passing interest in the Viking Age.'--Undiscovered Scotland, 14th September 2024

'Well illustrated and engagingly written, this publication offers an accessible and thought-provoking look at the Vikings as we understand them today.'--Current Archaeology Magazine, November 2024

'Alex Harvey's Forgotten Vikings take us on a millennium-long tour from a volcanic eruption in 536 that blotted the sun out with an ash cloud and may have ultimately prompted outward migration from Scandinavia to the discovery of the corpse of what tantalisingly could have been Greenland's last Viking in 1540. He extends outwards our understanding of the Viking World in a lively exploration of some of its less well-known figures, like Harold Klak, a 9th century king of Denmark, or the anonymous Vikings, taken captive during an abortive raid in Spain who ended up as cheesemakers at an Arab emir's court. Always seeking to grasp the Viking's eye perspective of how they perceived the world, he amply fulfils his ambition to season the well-trodden narratives of Viking history with some truly engaging and fascinating byways.'--Philip Parker, author of The Northmen's Fury

'An invaluable addition to the wide corpus of Viking books out there ... gets beyond the stereotypes and helps us look at the Vikings in a different, more nuanced light. I strongly recommend it.'--W. B. Bartlett, author of Vikings

'Forgotten Vikings is an impressive achievement. With imagination, vigour and passion for his subject, Harvey has produced a book that, like the Vikings themselves, is powerful and wide-ranging; sometimes strange, often surprising, it threatens to take you captive on the wildest of journeys.'--Thomas Williams, author of Viking Britain

'Forgotten Vikings weaves together archaeology, history, and mythology to cut through the popular image of bloodthirsty pillagers and unveil them as farmers, settlers, traders, and travellers. This book is a terrific tour de force, a testament to Harvey's meticulous research and engaging storytelling. It is informative and captivating, much like the tales told by the Old Norse storytellers themselves.'--Jim Leary, author of Footmarks

About the Author

Alex Harvey is a postgraduate history student at the University of York with a focus on Scandinavian York. He has written for numerous journals and has presented research for York Archaeological Trust, Lancaster Historical Postgraduate Conference, and Leeds International Medieval Congress.