is the last kingdom real

The novels span roughly between 878-886 (Figure 1). Historians consider her to have been a strong and successful military leader, who was instrumental in capturing Dane-controlled lands. With the question of who should succeed as ruler of Mercia, Eardwulf finds himself the firm favourite, a deal to be legitimised through marriage to Aethelred and Aethelflaed’s daughter, the child Aelfwynn. Content from both the books and the TV series are welcome! Alfred the Great: do we overplay his ‘greatness’. As the son of King Aethelred I of Wessex, who ruled before Alfred, Aethelwold had a legitimate claim to the throne and some felt that he was the rightful ruler. It is the story of the struggle between Saxons and Danes in 9th-century England, when England was not one nation but a series of independent kingdoms variously overrun or ravaged by Danes. Bernard Cornwell on writing historical fiction and his blockbuster series, From the raid on Lindisfarne to Harald Hardrada’s defeat: 8 Viking dates you need to know. Although The Last Kingdom was frequently compared to Game of Thrones when it first aired in 2015, there is one huge difference distinguishing the two shows: one is pure fantasy and one is … Though long-dead in real history, the Aelswith of The Last Kingdom has to deal with her diminishing role at court – leading to a momentous decision to retrieve Edward’s son from his first marriage (which both took place and was annulled off screen in season three) from a convent. Fast forward several years: Uhtred is now a young man, fully immersed in Norse culture and religion. Alfred, who is played by David Dawson, is one of the central characters in the BBC historical epic The Last Kingdom, which follows the fictional hero Uhtred. You have successfully linked your account! The boy is revealed to be Aethelstan, the future first king of the English. “The appearance of Welsh warriors on the battlefield is a historical imagining on this particular occasion, but Welsh military service for Anglo-Saxon armies wasn’t unknown at this time,” says Lavelle in our episode four review. The Last Kingdom Season 4 is about to start on Netflix. He takes Aethelflaed to war against Danish brothers Siegfried and Erik (both fictional antagonists) and their underling Haesten (who did exist), where she is captured and held for ransom, setting up the season’s climactic battle at Benfleet in 893 and Odda the Elder’s suicide in lieu of certain execution for treason. This season also develops the character of Aethelflaed – not yet the ‘Lady of the Mercians’, but a young woman and, as a daughter of a king, one ready to be married off in alliance – “As a wife, Æthelflæd’s story is all too familiar in terms of royal dynastic marriages,” writes Dr Janina Ramirez. Everything you ever wanted to know about... Vikings in Britain are settlers, lords and kings, wouldn’t be achieved until the reign of his grandson, the year that Vikings first seized control of York, Ubba, one of the fabled sons of legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok, The real Edmund “was tied to a tree, beaten and then murdered with a volley of arrows,”, one of the many shores aside from England that the Vikings sailed to, writes early medieval historian Professor Ryan Lavelle, secured [Aethelflaed’s] image as victorious warrior queen. Uhtred, realising that swearing an oath to Edward would mean a life of servitude, flatly refuses, then takes Alfred hostage to effect his escape. The first episode focuses on the Danish characters, while they do act cruel to the These are the men King Hywel Dda (‘the Good’), who ruled Deheubarth (‘the South Part’), and they serve an important role – “a reminder that the story of early medieval Britain was more than an English one.” The real Saxon army at Tettenhall was an alliance of Aethelflaed and Edward, though Aethelred’s presence is uncertain. 2 Shares Watch out! Bag yourself a quality cafetière set for just £19.95! Cornwell told HistoryExtra in 2018 that “ The Last Kingdom series is going to end with a real historical event: the battle of Brunanburh in 937. Later, Aethelwold murders Ragnar in his bed – preventing him from reaching his sword and denying him entry to Valhalla. Last Kingdom fans will be glad to know that Bebbanburg is a real place and you can follow in the footsteps of Uhtred if you wanted to! Guthrum and Ubba don’t believe his innocence, so Uhtred flees to Winchester, capital of Wessex, the titular ‘last kingdom’ to fall prey to the Danes. Alfred the Great is dead, as is his ever-conniving nephew Aethelwold; Alfred’s son Edward the Elder sits on the throne of Wessex; his daughter Aethelflaed is wed to the ruler of Mercia; and the Danes, led by Haesten and Cnut (not Cnut the Great – he won’t be born for another hundred years), sense opportunity. Uhtred publicly affirms his support for Edward as the presumptive king, and they ride to meet Aethelwold and the Danes near Bedford – defeating them with the help of Mercia and Kent. When the Vikings arrive, his father, Lord Uhtred, rides out to give battle and is predictably slain; the boy Uhtred is captured. The real Edmund “was tied to a tree, beaten and then murdered with a volley of arrows,” writes ecclesiastical historian Emma J Wells – which is pretty much what happens here, except it plays out in a church. He also leaves Wessex, stopping first at Mercia, where he sows the seeds of betrayal for Aethelflaed, and the at Bloodhair’s camp, where he argues that the Danes should form a single ‘great army’ to crush Wessex. The Last Kingdom sees Aethelred sustain a fatal head injury at Tettenhall. As Alfred the Great defends his kingdom from Norse invaders, Uhtred - born a Saxon but raised by Vikings - seeks to claim his ancestral birthright. Want to read reviews of season 4 and know even more about the real events from history that inspired the drama? What is this sickness? Uhtred is a child and heir to Bebbanburg (Bamburgh) in Northumbria. Season four of The Last Kingdom is widely expected to cover books seven and eight of Bernard Cornwell’s saga, The Pagan Lord and The Empty Throne. Even though the books and series are fictional, there are many aspects rooted in real milestones of British history. If the Last Kingdom is based on real life and how accurate the Netflix show is The Last Kingdom, which follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg’s quest for … According to a 2015 profile in The Guardian, The Last Kingdom is based on the historical fiction series written by Bernard Cornwell. The Last Kingdom's long haired, sword-wielding warrior has allegiances on both sides, fighting in King Alfred’s Saxon army despite having an adopted Danish brother. At the battle’s climax, Uhtred catches up with Aethelwold (having learned that he was the one responsible for Young Ragnar’s death) and stabs him through the heart. At the end of the season’s climactic month-long siege, Uhtred turns negotiator, helping to forge an agreement in which Sigtryggr relinquishes Winchester in favour of York. Hey, guys! His remains were also lost in the 1700s. “There is good reason to suspect that Alfred too allied himself with Viking mercenaries when circumstances required.”. For clarification, this is … “He was 21, pious and brave, but in poor health, with a crippling hereditary illness, perhaps Crohn’s Disease.”. ‘The Last Kingdom‘ is a British historical drama series that revolves around its protagonist Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Despite its imagery being heavily linked with the middle ages, there is nothing, either in the show or in real history, to suggest that it this Sickness is the Black Death. Who is Uhtred and is he based on a real person? However, author Bernard Cornwell, who wrote The Last Kingdom books that the show is based on, took inspiration from a real-life nobleman as the basis of Uhtred’s personality. Listen on the podcast: Dan Jackson traces the distinctive history and culture of northeast England, from ancient times to the present day. Asser. The fearless yet noble warrior, born a Saxon but raised by Danes, is a work of fiction. Asser is one of the characters on The Last Kingdom that not only existed but is accurately … The history is mixed here, says early medieval historian Ryan Lavelle in our episode one review: “Northern Northumbria was in a frontier zone contested by an emerging Scottish kingdom and raiding was probably frequent enough, though the events portrayed here are as much a nod to the historical lord [Uhtred] of Bamburgh.” That Uhtred, whom Lavelle explains would have been at the limits of his power much like Aelfric is here, fought the Scots in the 11th century, not the 10th. Aethelred I rules, but by the middle of the season he has been mortally wounded, and on his deathbed passes the crown to his brother, Alfred – overlooking Aethelwold, his own son, portrayed as a drunkard who believes the crown should have been his by default. This tale plays out from the perspective of Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a man born a Saxon and raised a Dane, grappling with his persistently split loyalties between his oaths (of which he makes many), his conflicting cultural identities, and his quest for retribution. The news doesn’t reach Aethelred; Eardwulf fails to tell him, fearing his master’s rage. Alfred’s son saw off a challenge from Aethelwold to secure his kingship over the Anglo-Saxons, reigning from 899 to 924. Sadly, his bones and many others were lost in the late 1700s, when a prison was built on the land. He passed away at the age of either 50 or 51 and was buried at Hyde Abbey in Winchester, the city where he had lived for most of his life. The main focus for Season 2 in the first four episodes is It premiered in 2015 on BBC America, BBC Two and later in 2018 on Netflix. Alfred finally succumbs to his illness – but not before he reconciles with Uhtred and sees Edward married. Not many sources survive from his time on the throne and he went largely unstudied by historians for a long time. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful and talented international cast of The Last Kingdom and their private lives. In the show, Aethelflaed doesn’t stand alone: she has the support of the Welsh (making their first appearance in The Last Kingdom), and late in the battle both Aethelred and Edward arrive to turn the tide. They sailed upriver, disembarked near Aethelred’s seat in Aylesbury, and took it as their own. In The Last Kingdom, he is depicted as abusive to Lady Aethelflaed, although this may not have been the case in real life. This story introduces Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born a Saxon but kidnapped by Danes at age 9. Save 50% on your favourite history magazine! Kick off time, live stream and latest team news, What channel is Burnley v Liverpool Premier League match on? Millie Brady as Aethelflaed. Alas, Edward refuses to give him said army, so it’s on to Plan B: kidnap his estranged son (also called Uhtred) from his church, have him sneak into Bebbanburg with some other priests, then open its sea gate under the cover of darkness so that Uhtred and his merry band can sneak in and assassinate Aelfric. Please enter your number below. When Alfred died in 899, Aethelwold staged a revolt in an attempt to seize the crown, similar to that which we see at the end of The Last Kingdom season three. Uhtred rides into the sunset (for now) with Aethelstan as his ward – the boy can’t stay in Winchester, not least because Aethelhelm, grandfather to Edward’s current heir, has just poisoned Aelswith to ensure his family retains power…, If the show continues and follows the thread of Bernard Cornwell’s novels, then we might already know the answer. The Last Kingdom is the first historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2004. A big part of The Last Kingdom 's appeal is the way it mixes history with fiction to tell a story that is brutal, daring, and, above all, compelling. Young Ragnar, son of Ragnar the Fearless, returns from Ireland – one of the many shores aside from England that the Vikings sailed to – to confirm for himself that Uhtred didn’t kill their father. “Æthelwold’s insurrection is little known today, a mere footnote in Anglo-Saxon history,” says Lavelle. Uhtred’s ultimate dream is to return to his birth home and reclaim it rightfully. He continued his bid for Wessex with the vikings as his allies, but was ultimately killed in 902 at the Battle of the Holme. Aelswith married Alfred in 868 and stayed by his side until his death 31 years later. Cornwell told HistoryExtra in 2018 that “The Last Kingdom series is going to end with a real historical event: the battle of Brunanburh in 937. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. In Mercia, Aethelred’s captain of the guard (Eardwulf) brings news that the Danes in East Anglia have left their camp for Ireland.

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