In the ninth century, the Vikings earned a fearsome reputation along the coasts of western Europe. But they also travelled eastwards and reached Constantinople, the Caspian Sea and even Baghdad, the bustling heart of the mighty Islamic Abbasid Empire. Matt Lewis is joined by Dr. Cat Jarman to explore why Viking raiders traded the frozen hinterlands of Northern Europe for the heat and hubbub of the Near East. Echoes of History is a Ubisoft podcast, brought to you by History Hit. Hosted by: Matt Lewis Edited by: Joseph Knight, Robin McConnell Produced by: Matt Lewis, Robin McConnell, Peta Stamper Senior Producer: Anne-Marie Luff Production Coordinator: Beth Donaldson Executive Producers: Etienne Bouvier, Julien Fabre, Steve Lanham, Jen Bennett Music: Mirage Theme (Menu Version) by Brendan Angelides Daughter Of No One by Brendan Angelides If you liked this podcast please subscribe, share, rate & review. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK Tell us your favourite episode or Assassin's Creed game at echoes-of-history@historyhit.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.