Join Greg Jenner, Professor Elizabeth Tyler, and comedian Jen Brister as they explore the life of Queen Emma of Normandy, a pivotal figure in early medieval England. Dive into Emma's marriages to English and Danish kings, her political savvy, and the messy family relationships that shaped history. From her childhood in Normandy to her role as mother to the king, Emma's story is filled with intrigue, power struggles, and intricate alliances in eleventh-century England.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Danish prince who became a very effective King of England in 1016. Cnut inherited a kingdom in a sorry state. The north and east coast had been harried by Viking raiders, and his predecessor King Æthelred II had struggled to maintain order amongst the Anglo-Saxon nobility too. Cnut proved to be skilful ruler. Not only did he bring stability and order to the kingdom, he exported the Anglo-Saxon style of centralised government to Denmark. Under Cnut, England became the cosmopolitan centre of a multi-national North Atlantic Empire, and a major player in European politics. With Erin Goeres Associate Professor of Old Norse Language and Literature at University College LondonPragya Vohra Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Yorkand Elizabeth Tyler Professor of Medieval Literature and Co-Director of the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York Producer Luke Mulhall

Professor Elizabeth Tyler and comedian Jen Brister explore the life of Queen Emma of Normandy, her marriages to Aethelred and Cnut, and her political influence in early medieval England. They discuss the complexities of Norman, English, and Scandinavian identities, Emma's cunning political tactics, and the messy family relationships that shaped history.