One of the swords found in the Viking graves on the island of Sollerön in Sweden has a name engraved on it, Ulfberht. It was found in the first grave to be discovered. The temptation is to assume that this was the name of the Viking chieftain whose remains was buried there. Actually, the name […]
“In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”. Yes, he did, but he was not the first European to visit America. In fact, he was 500 years too late to claim that distinction. So, who did cross the Atlantic first? The Icelandic sagas relate that in 985, a merchant, Bjarni Herjolfsson, was the […]
In 985 AD, an Icelandic Viking, Erik Torvaldsson, lured Norse families into attempting the dangerous 750 mile, (1200 km), passage from Iceland to Greenland. The reason they left Iceland is disputed, but it seems to be related to the scarcity of land on the Island. Such good land as there was, had been claimed by […]
In 2012 the Olympic sailing events were held in Portland, Dorset, UK. In preparation for the Olympics, in order to improve transport links to Portland, a relief road was built over a hill in the Dorset Downs, called “The Ridgeway”. It was during the construction of this road that a completely unexpected archaeological discovery was […]
There is one scenic device, used by film directors and story writers alike, which can be guaranteed to heighten tension and drama – darkness. The dark robs us of the means to orientate, to feel sure of our surroundings and who might be in them. Familiar shapes become threatening, and sounds which cannot be identified […]
Historical Novel Society Review of “Children of the Chieftain: Banished”
Read the Historical Novel Society Review of “Children of the Chieftain: Banished” at http://www.michaelwills.eu/children-of-the-chieftain/children-of-the-chieftain-banished/readers-reviews/
Returning to England from Sweden with my notebook full of ideas for my next Viking story and my camera memory almost full with pictures of rune stones, artefacts and historical sites, I had a wait for my BA flight in Terminal 3 at Stockholm airport. The mind of a researcher is always enquiring and I […]
This booklet, intended for readers aged 8 to 13, has been prepared to give readers, teachers and parents the opportunity to use my book in a wider educational context and to exploit learning opportunities which it presents. Click on the image below to download.
The Land of the Rus The Vikings are generally known as ruthless raiders and robbers and there is some truth in this. However, a proportion of those who lived in Scandinavia in the Viking Age were armed traders. Just like the raiders who attacked the coasts of Europe, they were great travellers and extremely daring. […]
CHILDREN OF THE CHIEFTAIN: BANISHED Michael E Wills Chapter 1 The boys climbed up one side of the wooden fence, balanced on the top and then jumped down the other side into the long undergrowth. The spiky bushes clung to their trousers and they had to struggle to free themselves from the dense vegetation. […]