Original subtitles

SEAGULL CRIES

This programme contains scenes of violence.

Many long years ago,

a great tumult came to the world of men.

The kings of Middle Earth fell into battle.

Great warriors of the English,

the Vikings and the Normen were cut down.

Not just in the fields beyond Hastings,

but in three almighty battles.

And our land,

England,

would never be the same again.

These terrible events of the year 1066

were woven into a tapestry fit for a king.

But these threads speak only of conquest

through the voice of a conqueror.

If you look more closely,

you will see a different story.

Not of the highborn, but of the ordinary men of our shire.

SHOUTING

Theirs is the story of all Englishmen

who laid witness to the darkest year of our times.

This programme contains scenes of violence.

DISTANT CHEERING

CHEERING GETS LOUDER

HOOTING

IN ANGLO-SAXON:

Childru!

Giev me thinn sho.

Nim minere hand.

Ve sind handfeste. Ve sind vere and veef.

Kiss her hie!

Hie!

Kiss her, then.

CHEERING AND HOOTING

Love to your spirit.

Ordgar, is it you?

It is, Leofric.

Welcome home.

(Ordgar) You know me

and you know why I come.

Lord...

Lord... Today is the day.

I can't help what you've chosen to do with it.

The weaponed-men shall line up here.

The wife-men shall sit.

The wife-men shall sit!

Today, the war-band turns over.

But the weaponed-men I took last time will not be coming back.

These fresh men I must take to join them.

You. You, you.

You. Go to your homes, collect your shield and your spear.

And you, you.

You sit down.

You.

Those who have none, those who are young, will be given new weapons.

Why do you keep the men? Why do you take more?

Where will we get our grain when the hunger comes at Easter time?

If I do not take these men at this time,

you shall none of you have stomachs to feel hunger. Sit down.

You two, go to your home.

There are some moments before we move on.

Where is that Leofric gone?

Leofric!

Weak-heart!

Come here.

Ordgar, I'm just a farmer! >

Well, now you are to be a soldier.

No, no. I'm no soldier. >

I have had you not on my war-band before.

You would have been better off, had I caught you last time.

Really? >

How so? >

There will be work this time.

As we are taught and bidden, friends.

I swear before this company...

(Men join in) ..that I shall fight to the death for my King.

If my King or my Lord shall die,

I shall take his place and fight as he would have fought.

If any men here see me taken with weak-heart and run away,

he shall remind me of this pledge made here before my kin.

It's time.

Oh, my lover! >

Come back safe. >

What matters you, child?

What do you see?

The warrior sea king is coming west to fill England's graveyards.

Black birds of carrion follow.

Death comes.

Move on and march!

It was always custom for a handful of our weaponed-men

to be called for the war-band.

But this late summer was different.

The huscarls of the King took what seemed like every farmer,

every drover, every beekeeper

from all over the forests of our shire.

This new King, whom they called Harold,

must surely have heard the portents of doom as we had done.

They say a long-tailed star blazed across the sky

when first he came to the throne.

They spoke of his enemies

across the whale-road, who meant to invade our lands and unseat him.

DISTANT HUBBUB

HAMMERING

Christ almighty!

You take this solemnly, then?

They're coming. When the wind is right for them,

the Normen will come under cover of dark.

And in the dawn,

there'll be nothing but ash.

Oh, pity us and our blessed isle.

This was a year like no other before it or since.

Invaders indeed were coming to fill England's graveyards.

Our England found herselfa vulnerable kingdom in this year, 1066.

The old King Edward, known as Confessor,

had promised England to many cousins

around the Empire of the North Sea in exchange for a peaceful death.

Harold, of no royal blood, stood closest to the death bed

and took the crown for himself.

We feared that jealous armies forged their weapons

and waited for the wind to blow them across the whale-road.

From Normandy, from Flandres, from Danmark.

But the greatest danger of all

came from the warriors brave men feared the most -

the Vikingr,

from the land of the fjords.

MEN SPEAK IN OLD NORSE

Much was told us about the lands of the Vikingr, where the soil was poor

and the air was cold.

Little wonder that its hardened warriorslooked upon England

as a land of plentyand willingly answered any call to arms.

HE SHOUTS AND MEN RESPOND

SHOUTING

HE GASPS

Was it a dream?

No.

I do not dream.

I was laid on stony earth,

that's all.

I must lead them to the boats.

You make sure he comes back, brother.

I will.

You make sure.

I will!

Make sure!

And use your shield as a weapon.

Smash them in the face with it.

Go under at his legs or cut down on him.

It was not the first time England had readied itself

to face this Northern terror.

And remember, hold fast next to your brother.

Go.

The Vikingr had long ago come in wolf-packs

from every crevice of their coast,

and they had wreaked a whirlwind of destruction

that did not bode well for the unready men of our shires.

In their journey that summer,

the Vikingr rowed 300 miles across open sea.

200 ships cut past Shetland and Orkney,

gathering more ships as they sped.

Past the land of the Scots, whose king had lately killed Macbeth.

For the Vikingr, prize lay further south.

The greatest bounty in all Middle Earth.

I thought I heard a keel on the whale-road.

I thought I saw a lantern on the water.

Oh, God.

The Northmen,

are they not men like ourselves?

They are not men like ourselves.

Poor farmers of Crowhurst,

how could you have known?

As you stood guard in the south expecting a Norman invasion,

the Vikingr made surprise landfall hundreds of miles to the north.

WOMAN SCREAMING

SCREAMING

And do not attack us.

We want merely to trade.

The Vikingr are learning to trade.

SHOUTING

You must listen to us, Engalisch.

You must listen to us, Engalisch.

We are learning to trade.

But some of us are rather slow.

While the Vikingr brutalised the unguarded settlements

of the Northern shores,

the south coast basked in the safe knowledge

that the Normans had dared not come.

Perhaps they were afraid of our brave weaponed-men.

Perhaps they were simply not favouredby the sailing winds.

In any case,

fighting season was almost over

and the harvest was due.

The time had come to stand the farmers down.

SIGHING

I will not be on the war-band again for another year.

You will be home before nightfall.

Indeed. He to a lufsom bride, and I to a honeymoon in the hand.

Is there still the great circle of oak trees in the forest by Crowhurst

where the children climb?

There is.

I should like to climb those trees again.

Huscarls!

Don't worry about it, just little boys charging around.

Tell you what, I'd like to see him try and climb a tree, yeah,

with an head big as that.

Halt!

Your wives and your harvest will have to wait.

Take up your weapons again.

And so our new King faced a terrible choice.

Should he leave the southern shores unprotected from an enemy

that might yet arrive with a change of wind?

With fighting season over, the King chose the invader

already on our shores over the one that may never come.

It was a choice that would seal the fate of Crowhurst

and of all the villages of England.

After ravaging the settlements of the northern coast,

the Vikingr took to their boats again.

If only they were setting a northerly path home.

But no, they turned inland,

heading upriver into the dark interior,where the great vale of Jorvik lay.

The sagas record

that Hardraada's Vikingrmet their first resistance atFulford,

on the Wednesday before the feast of St Matthew.

The brave seafarers have sent me,

gifted with foreign language as I am to tell you

that they will let you give silver and animals

in exchange for peace.

I believe it is better for you to buy off our raid in tribute

than we should cut you down.

We do not wish to fight.

We just want to make a bargain.

A bargain?

We will give you tribute.

Our swords and spears.

And a thin smile of the war axe.

I have two great earls with me with their men.

Tribute!

They will defend this land

to the last ditch.

Now pick up your dead animal and go.

I'm so sad to hear that.

Cattle die,

kindred die,

every man is mortal.

But I know one thing that never dies,

and that is the glory of the dead!

With God's help, what is it that we want?

(All shouting) To fight!

To what? To fight!

SHOUTING IN ANGLO-SAXON

The soldiers and farmers gathered

by the Northern Earls did not lack for courage.

They could have shivered behind the walls of York,

but they chose to take arms and face the strong invader across a ditch.

To defend the honour of their wife-men, and the freedom of their children,

they risked life and limb.

An Englishman does not yield to bounty hunters.

Thus insults and spears were slung,

the men of York probing for weakness in the Viking shield wall.

Once the name-calling could be borne no longer,

the real battle would surely follow.

The Battle of Fulford was the first of three battles in that fateful year.

The English strategy was simple and brave -

to pierce, if they could, the Vikingr line in the centre,

and thus cause panic and a fracturing of their ranks.

But the Vikingr were the best-trained warriors in the known world.

Fighting in small deadly bands,

driving the poor farmers like sheep to their slaughter.

Again and again, the fearless English

hurled themselves at the foreign giants,

until they broke the Vikingr line.

Sadly, this only favoured the Vikingr.

They were merciless killers,

whose strength grew in the madness of the battle.

They knew too well how to go "berserk".

BIRD SCREECHES

Aaaargh!

(HE SHOUTS)

Many of those who dreamt of their death were to fall that day.

But not the Vikingr.

Death belonged to the men of York...

..because they had been lured into a trap,

conceived by the Norse king Hardraada.

He had drawn the poor, unwitting English into his middle...

..so he could cut them down, from behind their backs.

The Vikingr have come, greybeard.

You should have paid with something less dear.

News of the agony of Fulford had spread throughout England.

Now the men of Crowhurst knew what awaited them.

Covering 200 miles in only four days,

King Harold's trained huscarls,

and untrained farmers,

closed the ground on the invaders in the north.

Harold was a famed warrior.

As an Earl, he had wreaked destruction on the Welsh

three years before.

But as King,

this was his first great test,

and so much would depend on this army of the south,

now strung across the forests of middle England

as they headed up country.

Seriously, my legs are going to fall off in a minute.

You have the choice.

Either shut up and save your breath...or drop dead.

You were ever a bully, Ordgar.

And you were ever a whining little shite.

It's wondering to me we share the same grandfather.

Aaaah.....ahhhh!

Ahh, ahh!

What have you done?

I'm sorry.

Ah...

I wasn't meant for marching.

Just leave me here.

I am bound to provide every man and boy of fighting body.

Can you stand?

Ah.

Ah! Ah!

Here, you collect his shield.

I hope you heal swiftly.

You shall all need your feet when we reach the north.

Yeah, if we ever reach the north, that is.

If we don't die on the way there.

We'll not die on the way! >

Why am I carrying all his stuff?

The Vikingr conquered the north with such ease

that Hardraada, their king, chose to split his army into parts.

One third would guard the ships at Rica-halh,

while the remainder would camp for the winter near York,

by Stamford Bridge.

All enjoying the spoils of war.

Hardraada instructs we divide our army.

Two out of every three stay here to await the hostages.

I will take some men and weapons back to guard the fleet.

That's no fate for a brave captain. I will go.

Snorri the Skald gave me good herbs, but they must work their work.

You will...you will take the Hardraada's commands from now.

The Vikingr have won.

The North is falling.

This is the greatest campaign the Vikingr have ever fought.

We will flourish with England's riches!

THEY CHEER

Often and again,

through God's grace,

man and woman...

(MEN) Ah!

..usher children into the world.

..usher children into the world. (MEN) Ah, yeah!

They cherish them,

and teach them

as the seasons turn,

until their young bones strengthen...

..their young limbs slowly lengthen.

Now only God...

..only God knows

how the coming years will use the growing children.

One will...

die young,

bringing grief to his family.

Hunger...

hunger devour one.

Storm...

Aaaargh!

..storm shall dismast another.

One will be spear-slain...

You, if you don't watch it!

LAUGHTER

DISTANT HOOTING

Elves.

Don't say that. >

Always in the woods there are elves.

What did I just say? >

They will steal your shadow

and pour madness into your ears as you sleep.

your heart as well.

Reveal yourself, elf.

Reveal yourself!

You... You are not elves neither.

Who are you?

We are weapon-men of the west.

We heard the war-call. >

We come to fight for the King against the invaders in the North.

How many are you?

Wife-men who are not our wives.

"Wife-men who are not our wives."

You hear?

CHEERING

Join us and rest. Welcome.

We march hard.

Welcome. >

Make room for our brothers. >

Bring mead. >

Welcome. Welcome. >

Here, let's have more of your poem and less talk of death. >

I am Ealfrith.

Look you not fearsome.

Do you have some bread?

Don't...know...yes!

Yes, er...

No...no, but I have a wife-man.

One child, >

by God's grace, >

will overcome all the hardship... >

CHEERING

..the Devil with you... and achieve happiness.

In old age,

he will receive riches...

..treasures,

and the mead-cup...

CHEERING

..from his people as much as any man may own in his lifetime.

CHEERING

I have something for you.

JEERING

Tis bread!

LAUGHTER

Here's one. So... >

I am a strange creature, for I satisfy women.

Yeah? I grow tall and erect in a bed.

And I'm all hairy underneath.

From time to time,

a beautiful girl may dare to grip me by my reddish skin,

pop me in her pantry and rob me of my head.

And all at once, I make her eyes water. What could I be?

An onion.

An onion. Thank you, Ordgar.

Anybody here know these hills?

I do. These are my lands. I know the lay of them.

You?

The Vikingr are beyond Jorvik.

Well, then, the Derwent lies between us and them.

A fish-road? And what bridges are there?

Stamford Bridge. Small, wooden.

Over those hills.

After five days on the road, our small band of weapon-men

came finally to the Derwent,

a little downstream from the bridge at Stamford.

This was the crossing point where tribute in silver and slaves

was to be brought to the greedy Vikingr

by the ransomed people of York.

More fighting men came with every hour...

..and the word went round that King Harold planned to make

a sudden dawn attack on the invaders.

The year 1066

was about to witness its second almighty battle.

ANIMAL CALLS OUT

Hey...

Hey, maybe we should go back.

No, no. We swore an oath that if we were taken by weak-heart,

we would remind each other of that oath.

And are you reminding me of it?

I suppose so.

Do you wish me to remind you of it?

Yes.

Fine, I remind you of your oath.

Shhh.

(Leofric) Christ Almighty, they're so close.

HE ROARS

(Leofric) They look like dragons. They're enormous.

But we are fleet.

Indeed.

Which is very helpful in running away.

Have to kill him.

Got to kill him or he'll bring the whole camp on us.

- You do it. - You do it!

Let us both do it.

I've just seen twoEnglisch in the forest.

Did you kill them?

No.

Did they look like soldiers?

Mostly they looked like farmers.

Then that's what they were. You should have traded with them!

HE CHUCKLES

The sagas tell of a peaceful morning in the two Viking camps.

One in three basked on the shores of the Humber,

guarding the fleet.

15 miles away, encamped around Stamford Bridge,

two in three awaited further offers of tribute.

I want that horse.

To appease the Vikingr,

the unhappy people of Yorkshire

brought their harvest, their livestock,

even their children.

MEN ROARING

Grab your armour! Assemble the rest of the army from the ships.

Retreat! Defend the bridge!

Defend the bridge!

Fall back off the bridge!

Form a shield wall! Run back! Both sides of the bridge!

Shield wall.

HE ROARS

MEN SHOUTING AND BEATING SHIELDS

What do we do now?

Now?

Now we stay very small.

I've killed deer.

I'm good at it.

But I've never done this before.

Have you?

HORSES APPROACH

INAUDIBLE

We should not have divided the troops.

Shoulder your armours. Shoulder your armours!

Now! Now!

Run!

Run!

Outnumbered by the English at Stamford Bridge,

the Vikingr were desperate for reinforcements.

But their brothers would have to run 15 miles in full armour

to play their part.

And yet all that effort might be in vain...

..if the two sides could agree to divide the kingdom.

What's he saying?

I hope he's offering 'em land.

I hope he's leaving 'em the North entirely.

Many good Englishmen who cannot be reborn or regrown will die here today.

We need those men in the south.

You said fighting season was over.

That is what you said.

Does it look to you like it is over now?

Yaaah!

MEN SHOUT OUT

Words between kings came to naught.

So Hardraada's army chose a champion to hold their foe at bay.

I will do it.

God be with you, friend.

We do not need God on a day like today.

We need Odin.

Gyrdir Skallagrimmson will harness the berserker in him!

Cattle die.

Kindred die.

Every man is mortal.

But I know one thing that never dies,

and that is the glory of the dead!

With God's help, what is it that we want?

(All) To fight!

-What? - (All) To fight!

(Ordgar) What's the matter?

You afraid of him?

- Where's my spearman? - Here.

CHEERING

MEN CHANT

HE CHEERS

He is but a man.

Go!

Stop pushing at the back!

Stop pushing!

For God's sake, stop...

Come on!

CHEERING

Over the side! Over the side with you!

GROANING

Where my blood cousin?

Here, you won't need that. Down the river.

Health be with you. I thought I'd have to go to the bridge.

You will have to go to the bridge.

You're crafty, I hear, and a good climber.

You do want me to go to the bridge?

Aaaah!

CHEERING

I am bidden to offer terms to your Lords.

We will accept your surrender.

Skald!

Do you understand?

We wish no more death here.

I respect you, brave warrior.

I do not wish to kill you.

LAUGHTER

Then, Engalisch...

..there is to be no end.

I am to keep this bridge!

STAMPS FEET

HE GASPS

I respect you, brave Viking.

I am sorry for my stealth.

It does me no credit.

Go to your great gods.

Leofric!

(All chant) Leofric! Leofric!

Leofric!

Leofric! Leofric! Leofric!

Leofric! Leofric! Leofric!

Oh, cunning men of England.

Now you had your prey in full sight.

But you would need to make your kill swiftly,

because other Northmen came at speed towards you

and towards the clash that would decide the fate of Middle Earth.

WEAPONS CLATTER

The Battle of Stamford Bridge went far beyond the bridge itself.

All over the forest, skirmishes raged throughout the day.

Men of Crowhurst,

now you would all need to taste the blood of your prey.

Halt!

Now was not the time to be seized with weak-heart

before the mighty Hardraada and his raven of doom.

Where's that small man who was married in Crowhurst?

Here he is. His name is Tofi.

Forward boar snout!

Boar snout.

Boar snout advance!

Shield wall.

I can't do this.

Do you wish your wife-man to meet her end like me?

Put out onto the roadways to give comfort for bread?

No.

Then run. Run with all your heart.

Hold.

Hold.

Run!

Archer!

Loose arrow!

Is that all there is?

Yes, that's it. Where are your men?

Yes, that's it. Where are your men? They're dead.

Dead, too.

Yaah!

We'll just die fighting, then!

MEN SHOUTING OUT

(HE GASPS IN PAIN)

No more slaughter!

We are done.

He who dreamt of the spectre of death will die.

Go to your rest

with your Lord.

I never thought to die in the flatlands of the west.

You have to go back to the fjords now.

I know. I will, lead-man.

I will take you home.

I wish you to kiss my son for me.

He is born.

I can see him.

You must tell our saga to him.

And he will tell it to his sons.

They will...they will be Vikingr.

Of the 300 Viking ships that landed in England,

only 24 returned.

We did not know it then,

but the age of the Vikingr was over.

But at what cost?

So many thousand brave men of England had fallen

within a single week...

..to be remembered in our battle poems.

And he who has seen these noble ruins

at the end of his dark life asks himself,

where is horse?

Where is man?

Where the feast?

Where the joy?

Alas bright cup, alas proud prince,

how time has passed

as if it had not been.

And thus we mourned the brave men who could not be regrown or reborn

for the greater war that might lie ahead.

A war that would threaten more than just the crown.

Sire!

We march again.

Leofric, I promote you huscarl.

You may take your oath on the road.

What's the hurry? >

The Normans have come.

They have come out of fighting season.

They've landed in Sussex.

Sussex? >

Up with you. We march now!

Was it said where they've come?

Which part of Sussex?

WOMEN SCREAM

These men of Crowhurst,

my Crowhurst,

would have to run back the way they had come,

to defend their homes from new, orc-ish invaders,

to fight the third and greatest battle of them all,

in memory of which, to this day, is hard to bear.

Hastings.