The Last Kingdom
Summary
AlthoughThe Last Kingdomfranchise brings a classic end toUhtred of Bebbanburg ’s storyin the concludingSeven Kings Must Diemovie , what take place to the rest of England is n’t entirely clear . Based on Bernard Cornwell ’s acclaimedThe Saxon Storiesbook series , The Last Kingdomhas always mixed real chronicle with fiction . Although specific characters and personalities are embellished and correct to suit the narrative , most of the stories have literal historical figures , giving both the TV series and books an authentic flavor .
Just as in the rest ofThe Last Kingdomseries , Seven king Must Dietakes liberties with the established chronology of real events . In the movie , the dramatic event begin with King Edward ’s death , leave a power vacuity at the heart of England . In the movie , the timeframe suggests that the critical battle between Aethelstan and other would - be replacement hap soon after Edward ’s passing , whereas in realness , Edward died in 924 and the Battle of Brunanburh happened 13 year later . Despite this change , the role of Brunanburh bespeak that the movie ends in 937 . However , this was not the end of drama in England .
King Alfred is one of the main characters in The Last Kingdom and like many on the show , he is based on a real - life build from English history .
Aethelstan Dies
939
One of the biggest changes inSeven Kings Must Dieis in the characterization of Aethelstan ’s reign . The flick suggests that it began with his victory at Brunanburh . The truth , however , is that the engagement happened near the end of his fourth dimension as king , bookending what most historian concord was one of the most successful administrations in knightly England . While the moving-picture show name the battle as the crucial second when England was established , the truth is that Aethelstan ruled over a co-ordinated realm long before the event of Brunanburhand only reigned for two more eld after its closure .
Unsurprisingly , given Aethelstan ’s position as a centripetal presence and virtuoso administrator , his death in 939 have yet more turbulence in England . He was initially succeeded by his half - brother Edmund ( 939 - 946 ) , who was in turn followed by Eadred . Both kings had to contend with a northern uprising , which threw Wessex ’s control of York into dispute . As such , even though Aethelstan did rule over a unified kingdom ( and is wide consider as the first true King of England ) , the unity collapsed almost immediately after his decease .
The medieval action - drama across England can be challenge to follow without knowing where everything is . Here are all the major locating explicate .
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
Edgar Becomes King
959
Until 959 , and as present inThe Last Kingdom , Viking intrusion was a unvarying terror in England . Although Edgar ’s sovereignty by no means brought an remnant to the problem , his kingship did coincide with a relative period of peacefulness . Edgar rein for 16 years in an earned run average historian Frank Stenton key as " singularly innocent of recorded incident " . Predictably , however , this all change upon his death in 975 .
Immediately , there was a heated difference between supporters of Edgar ’s sons Edward and Aethelred . At age 12 , Edward was narrowly elected to the throne . However , he was assassinated three years by and by after a riotous sovereignty delimit by the collapse of the parliamentary procedure enjoyed under Edgar .
Aethelred “The Unready” Ascends The Throne
978
Although he reigned for 38 years , Aethelred ’s kingship is consider as one of the worst in English history – culminating in the crash of Anglo - Saxon principle . foreground the cyclic nature ofThe Last Kingdom ’s story , Aethelred ’s main problem was dealing with multiple Viking raid into his kingdom . Although he ruled over a incorporated England , the same territories that had been harangued by raiders during his forerunner ' presidential term continued to suffer under Aethelred . Where he differed , however , was in his total unfitness to agitate back .
In 991 , a Viking force sacked the metropolis of Ipswich and need a ransom from Aethelred . Initially , the English commander turn away , before being comprehensively defeated at the Battle of Maldon . Aethelred then decide to try and bribe the Vikings off with " Danegeld " – the term leave to coins minted for the intent of bribing the invaders . Unfortunately , rather than accepting the payment and leaving , the Vikings recognized Aethelred ’s weakness and determine to keep make out back for more .
The Real Uhtred Dies
1016
One of the quirks ofThe Last Kingdomis that , despite featuring material characters , the main protagonist Uhtred was n’t in reality alive when the events of the series took spot . or else , the part is based on the real diachronic figureUhtred the Bold , who ruled Bebbanburg from 1006 to 1016 . Unsurprisingly , however , there were many differences between Uhtred ’s characterization in the show and his substantial life story .
The real Uhtred was not " born a Saxon and raised a Dane , " but was in fact a knock-down Anglo - Saxon ruler in the north of England . Not only did he help fight off a Scottish intrusion in 1006 , but he also became ruler of York when Aethelred had the previous earl Aelfhelm murdered . Thus , Uhtred ruled over an extensive northern district as Earl on behalf of Aethelred . However , this changed in 1013 , when Sweyn Forkbeard , King of Denmark , intrude on England and pull Aethelred to take flight to Normandy . Uhtred swore commitment to Sweyn , before campaigning with Aethelred ’s son against the Vikings and eventually being murdered by Sweyn ’s Word , Cnut .
The Last Kingdom : Seven Kings Must Die adapts the last three of Bernard Cornwell ’s Saxon Stories novels , making nine major changes to the volume .
Cnut Becomes King
Aethelred was deposed by Sweyn in 1013 , before briefly returning to England in 1014 after the Viking ruler ’s sudden death . A power struggle then began between Aethelred and Sweyn ’s Word , Cnut , with Aethelred at last succeeding and reestablishing his normal . However , just two age later , Aethelred was force to grapple with more agitation as his own boy , Edmund , led a revolt against him . This prompted Cnut to return to England and , following Aethelred ’s demise in 1016 , the Viking harmonize to split the kingdom between himself and Edmund .
After Edmund ’s mistrustful end in 1017 , Cnut became king of all England and separate the nation up into separate earldom . Under Cnut , England became part of a vast Viking conglomerate that also embrace Denmark and Norway . Although England was a single cohesive nation , as visualise by Alfred inThe Last Kingdom , Cnut was not an Anglo - Saxon , having been stand in Denmark . This foreground how the bright message seen inSeven big businessman Must Die ’s endingis not a fair reflection of how history actually trash out .
Reign Of Edward The Confessor
1042
Although Cnut rule for a long time ( 1016 - 1035 ) , he could not make a lasting Viking dynasty . Upon his death , chaos erupted in both England and Scandinavia , with crisis in Denmark and Norway prompting his would - be successor to focalize their aid on events on the European mainland . This created a window for Aethelred ’s son , Edward , to repay from deportation in Normandy and take the English crown in 1042 .
Edward represent the last king of the House of Wessex , of which Alfred , Edward , and Aethelstan inThe Last Kingdomare all appendage . Despite his relative length of service , his reign is defined by the dubiousness wall his succession , which lead to a three - fashion battle for world power between Harold Godwinson – a member of a leading Anglo - Saxon family , Harald Hardrada – the King of Norway , and William the Conqueror of Normandy . Although he was not as ineffectual as Aethelred , his nonstarter to bring forth a classic heir undoubtedly plunged England into further chaos .
The Normans Invade
1066
Edward the Confessor go bad on January 5th , 1066 , with Harold Godwinson ascending to the stool the next Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . However , such was the dubiety after Edward ’s death , that he faced two immense obstacles to his rule . The first was Harald Hardrada , who launch an encroachment of England alongside Harold ’s exiled brother , Tostig . After the English forces initially suffer defeat , Harold took the invading army by surprise , crushing them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge – killing both Tostig and Hardrada . However , no sooner had the Vikings been defeated , than Harold had to contend with the Normans .
Claiming the crown through his mother ’s tenuous connection to Edward the Confessor , much of William the Conqueror ’s slip for kingship seemed to hinge on Edward allegedly promising him the treetop when he had been in expatriation . The shoddiness of his claim away , he set canvass for England days after Harold had successfully beaten Hardrada . This forced the English Martin Luther King to march his ground forces to the diametric conclusion of the country , making battle at the competently named Battle , near Hastings . As record in the world - famous Bayeaux Tapestry , William inflicted a decisive triumph and establish himself as the first Norman King of England .
The Last Kingdom ’s endingsuggests that England enjoyed relative peace and prosperity following the events of the serial and concluding motion-picture show . While this was true in periods , genuine history makes it unmortgaged just how troubled mediaeval England was , with invading forces and competing dynasties a constant menace until 1066 and beyond . However , while the idea of a satisfying and goodly closing to the story is bogus , England ’s condition as a kingdom in its own right – despite some changes and disputes – raise that , for all the turmoil , Alfred’sThe Last Kingdomdream really did come to pass .
Sources : Frank Stenton , Anglo - Saxon England(1971 )
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