The Iron Kingdom

The Definitive Biography of Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway

Produkt bewerten

Winston Maddox

Verlag:

Watersgreen House

Unsere-Artikel-Nr.: P36898704

EAN: 9798235135536

Erhältlich:

Nicht auf Lager

Zustellung: Mo, 07.09.2026

Versand: Kostenlos

CHF 36.50

Beschreibung

Have you ever wondered what it truly felt like to stand on the rain-swept ramparts of a 10th-century ring fortress, watching the old world burn as a new empire rose from its ashes. History is too often reduced to sterile dates and sanitized summaries, stripped of the grit, blood, and calculated genius that actually forged nations. The Iron Kingdom: The Definitive Biography of Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway. discards modern romanticized Viking myths to immerse you directly into the cold, calculated reality of 10th-century Scandinavia. This is not merely a record of a king's life; it is a dark, thrilling journey through the high-stakes political chess match that ended the age of scattered pagan raiders and birthed unified Scandinavia. You will step into the boots of Harald Gormsson as he navigates the razor-thin margin between total annihilation by the Holy Roman Empire and catastrophic civil war at home. Unpack the true masterclass of early medieval statecraft. Discover how Harald engineered the revolutionary Trelleborg ring fortresses-geometric wonders of timber and earth built with millimetric precision that disciplined a culture of individualistic warriors into a unified military force. Stand alongside him at Jelling as he carves his legacy into granite, raising the iconic rune stones that served as the world's most aggressive political propaganda. Experience the tense, volatile moment of his baptism: was it a genuine spiritual awakening, or the most brilliant, cold-blooded geopolitical move in Nordic history designed to keep the armies of Emperor Otto at bay. From the bloody feuds of the Norwegian fjords to the tragic, heartbreaking betrayal by his own son, Sweyn Forkbeard, this narrative paints an unsparing, deeply researched portrait of a monarch who bound Denmark and Norway together with iron, timber, and the Cross. Written specifically for the discerning history enthusiast who demands rigorous accuracy without sacrificing dramatic momentum, this definitive biography recreates the sounds, smells, and brutal politics of the Viking Age in vivid detail. Every chapter exposes the structural realities of medieval power-how food supplies were moved, how standing garrisons were maintained, and how deeply entrenched pagan traditions were systematically reshaped by royal decree. You will walk the torchlit halls of Jelling, hear the clash of iron shields at sea, and feel the crushing weight of a crown held together purely by relentless central authority and political nerve. Will you remain content with surface-level Viking legends, or are you ready to step into the mud, blood, and brilliant strategy of the monarch who truly created the North.

Spezifikationen

Sprache

Englisch

Autor

Winston Maddox

Erscheinungsjahr

2026

Format

Buch (Softcover)

Anzahl Seiten