Eirikr raudi Thorvaldsson was an interesting character to say the least, and could easily claim to be the most famous Viking of all time. Born in approximately 950AD in Norway and dying at only 53 years old, Erik lived life in the fast lane. Exiled twice and renowned for his temper, Erik embodies the hot-blooded Viking to the full. We know about his deeds (and misdeeds) from the Saga of Erik the Red and also the Saga of the Greenlanders. Welcome to the Viking vault.

There are many famous mysteries from the Middle Ages that have kept us guessing. Such as the fate of King Edward II and the princes in the Tower, or the meaning of the Voynich Manuscript. Today we thought we would take you on a journey back to the Middle Ages to discover some more puzzles that have stumped the curious for centuries. Welcome to Medieval Madness.

It’s been called the most mysterious manuscript in the world and for centuries researchers, historians and linguists have all failed to decipher the puzzling drawings of plants, astrological symbols and bare-naked ladies. It’s a book that no one can read and has no title. In 1962, American cryptanalyst and author Elizabeth Smith Friedman felt that trying to decipher the manuscript was “doomed to utter frustration”. So just what is the Voynich Manuscript, and would the information contained in it really revolutionise our understanding of Medieval history, if we could just decode it? Welcome to Medieval Madness.