Season 01: The Alternative History of Iceland
What if Icelanders had settled in North America during the Viking Age? What if Iceland was wiped out by a volcano and the survivors moved to Denmark? What if Iceland had been occupied by the Nazis instead of the Allies? What if the Nordic Countries had united? And what if the economic collapse had been averted?
Listen to historians Valur Gunnarsson and Jón Trausti Sigurðarson talk about Icelandic history as it happened and what could have been.
Produced by Sindri Freyr Steinsson
Season 02: The Last Viking Mystery
What happened to the Viking colony in Greenland, which strangely disappeared after almost 500 years? Join us in a voyage of discovery that takes us from the home of Eric the Red in Western Iceland to the Viking settlement in North America and the frozen wastes of Greenland as we try to solve the greatest mystery the North has even known.
The Viking History of Greenland: A US-EU Cold War over Greenland? (Bonus Episode)
Send us a textIn this Bonus episode, hosts Valur Gunnarsson and Jón Trausti Sigurðarson discuss the president elect Donald Trump's recent remarks that the USA should acquire Greenland. Greenland and Iceland are not members of the EU but are on the front lines as disputes erupt between NATO states. We dive into the history of the Danish Empire, ponder the connotations of Trump's remarks and what they may mean for Greenland, its next door neighbour Iceland, for Denmark, the EU and NA...
6 Dec 2024
The Last Viking Mystery: Leifur Eriksson: Losing and Finding America
Historians Valur Gunnarsson and Jón Trausti Sigurðarson explore the Viking voyages to America with History Professor Sverrir Jakobsson, shedding light on the mysterious Vinland and Leifur Eriksson's forgotten legacy.
31 Oct 2024
The Last Viking Mystery: Erik the Red; the worst neighbour in history
Send us a textThe Last Viking Mystery: Erik the Red; the worst neighbour in historyThe Vikings sailed across the North Atlantic, from Norway to Iceland to Greenland and all the way to North America. They only stayed for a few years in North America but here in Iceland, their descendants live to this day. In Greenland, however, a Norse colony survived and even thrived for almost five hundred years. Then, at around the same time Europeans were re-discovering North America for themselves, t...
9 Jan 2024
Could the Icelandic Economic Collapse Have Been Averted?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
What happened in the autumn of 2008 that made the country's whole economy seemingly go under?
What had brought a country with very little experience of banking to believe it could be
the financial capital of the world? And how did an erupting volcano eventually save Iceland?
9 Jan 2024
The Alternative History of Iceland: Could the Icelandic Economic Collapse Have Been Averted?
Send us a textWhat happened in the autumn of 2008 that made the country's whole economy seemingly go under? What had brought a country with very little experience of banking to believe it could bethe financial capital of the world? And how did an erupting volcano eventually save Iceland?
13 Dec 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What if the Nazis had invaded Iceland in World War II?
Send us a textIceland had a rather comfortable war, being occupied by the British and later Americans. Yet, it was a time that changed everything, the beginning of modernity and Iceland emerged from the war as one of the richest countries in the world. But what if the Nazis had come instead? Valur and Jón explore what did happen and what could have.
13 Dec 2023
What if the Nazis had invaded Iceland in World War II?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
Iceland had a rather comfortable war, being occupied by the British and later Americans.
Yet, it was a time that changed everything, the beginning of modernity and Iceland emerged from the war as one of the richest countries in the world. But what if the Nazis had come instead?
Valur and Jón explore what did happen and what could have.
25 Jul 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If the Nordic Countries Had United?
Send us a textThe Nordic Countries are prosperous but small countries on Europe's periphery, peaceful now but given to feuding in the past. What if they had united? Would they play a greater part on the world stage as a single power? Could a united Nordics have stayed out of World War II? Or even averted the rise of Germany or Russia? There were several instances in history when they very nearly united, and once they actually did. What if they had stuck together?
25 Jul 2023
What If the Nordic Countries Had United?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
The Nordic Countries are prosperous but small countries on Europe's periphery, peaceful now but given to feuding in the past. What if they had united? Would they play a greater part on the world stage as a single power? Could a united Nordics have stayed out of World War II? Or even averted the rise of Germany or Russia? There were several instances in history when they very nearly united, and once they actually did. What if they had stuck together?
12 Jun 2023
What If the Russian Revolution Had Come to Iceland?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
In the autumn of 1921, Ólafur Friðriksson came back home from Moscow where he had attended the 9th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With him he had a boy whom he intended to adopt. When the 15- year-old was diagnosed with glaucoma, an eye disease which was feared could be contagious the authorities decided to deport him.
This was seen as a political act by Ólafur and other socialists who barricaded themselves in Ólafur’s home at Suðurgata. When the police attempted to apply force, they were beaten back. For the next few days it seemed anything could happen. Both sides began to arm themselves and the stage was set for a bloody showdown. What happened next would determine the fate of Iceland in the 20th Century.
12 Jun 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If the Russian Revolution Had Come to Iceland?
Send us a textIn the autumn of 1921, Ólafur Friðriksson came back home from Moscow where he had attended the 9th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With him he had a boy whom he intended to adopt. When the 15- year-old was diagnosed with glaucoma, an eye disease which was feared could be contagious the authorities decided to deport him. This was seen as a political act by Ólafur and other socialists who barricaded themselves in Ólafur’s home at Suðurgata. When the...
9 Jun 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If Iceland Had Joined the British Empire?
Send us a textIn Tasmania, off the coast of Australia, there is a grave marked "King of Iceland." Even more bizarrely, the title of the person was actually real. Sort of. During the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark and Britain found themselves fighting on opposing sides. An English soap salesman and a Danish POW decided this was an opportune time to conquer the Danish colony of Iceland. This could have led to Iceland being incorporated into the British Empire. Or Sweden. But what ac...
9 Jun 2023
What If Iceland Had Joined the British Empire?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
In Tasmania, off the coast of Australia, there is a grave marked "King of Iceland." Even more bizarrely, the title of the person was actually real. Sort of. During the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark and Britain found themselves fighting on opposing sides. An English soap salesman and a Danish POW decided this was an opportune time to conquer the Danish colony of Iceland. This could have led to Iceland being incorporated into the British Empire. Or Sweden. But what actually happened was stranger still.
21 May 2023
What If Iceland Had Been Wiped Out By a Volcano?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
For almost a thousand years, nature had been torturing the poor residents of Iceland. Then, in 1783, it decided to finish the job. A volcano erupted that was felt around the world, nowhere more so than in Iceland itself. About a third of the population perished and the Danes considered transporting the survivors to Denmark. What if they had? How would they have fared? And what would have become of the unpopulated island?
21 May 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If Iceland Had Been Wiped Out By a Volcano?
Send us a textFor almost a thousand years, nature had been torturing the poor residents of Iceland. Then, in 1783, it decided to finish the job. A volcano erupted that was felt around the world, nowhere more so than in Iceland itself. About a third of the population perished and the Danes considered transporting the survivors to Denmark. What if they had? How would they have fared? And what would have become of the unpopulated island?
16 May 2023
What If Vikings Had Colonized North America?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
There is little arguing with the maxim attributed to Oscar Wilde that Icelanders are the smartest people in the world, they found America but had the good sense to lose it again. Wisely or not, how exactly did Icelanders manage to misplace a whole continent? Did they do it on purpose? Why didn’t Icelanders settle in North America as later Europeans were to do? What if a religious war in Iceland in the year 1000 had induced them to do just that?
16 May 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If Vikings Had Colonized North America?
Send us a textThere is little arguing with the maxim attributed to Oscar Wilde that Icelanders are the smartest people in the world, they found America but had the good sense to lose it again. Wisely or not, how exactly did Icelanders manage to misplace a whole continent? Did they do it on purpose? Why didn’t Icelanders settle in North America as later Europeans were to do? What if a religious war in Iceland in the year 1000 had induced them to do just that?
9 May 2023
The Alternative History of Iceland: What If Vikings Had Conquered the World?
Send us a textThe year 1066 is remembered for the Normans conquering England, which was to be the last successful invasion of that country (so far). Just a few weeks earlier, however, Vikings from Norway also invaded England but were repulsed at Stamford Bridge. What if they had succeeded? Could a Viking Empire have come into being? And would something close to modern-day Icelandic have become the world language?
9 May 2023
What If Vikings Had Conquered the World?
Send us a Text Message. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2184197/open_sms)
The year 1066 is remembered for the Normans conquering England, which was to be the last successful invasion of that country (so far). Just a few weeks earlier, however, Vikings from Norway also invaded England but were repulsed at Stamford Bridge. What if they had succeeded? Could a Viking Empire have come into being? And would something close to modern-day Icelandic have become the world language?
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
16,499,319
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
34
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
51
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