Historical Shows and Movies Can Draw People Into Learning More About History

Historical shows and movies frequently come under heavy criticism for their historical accuracy, with the likes of Vikings in particular getting dinged often. However, one series that at least makes some effort to represent the medieval period accurately is Netflix’s The Last Kingdom. But they can also draw people into learning more about history.

Lavelle says that while this Uhtred is fictional, a real man by that name did exist two centuries later, and that “Northumbrians in this period had to have some kind of Danish connection in order to survive, so it’s likely he did.” The Last Kingdom does a good job with King Alfred and his family However, while Uhtred may be primarily fictional, most of the other characters on the show existed in reality. David Dawson won many plaudits for his portrayal of Alfred, who is depicted as far from another warrior king.

It’s not so much turning away from Latin. It’s more thinking about the use of English as something which could unite, initially, his subjects in Wessex. That aspect of a Queen, or king’s wife being there at the court emerges in the historical records at different times in the Anglo-Saxon period.

His slimy self-serving nature made him one of the genuinely unredeemable bad guys of The Last Kingdom. This, however, is where the show truly deviates from history. “Aethelred is a figure who sort of becomes beholden to Alfred,” Lavelle said of the real historical figure.

There is also no evidence that Aethelred was a poor husband, whereas in the show he raped and plotted to kill his wife Aethelflaed. In reality, such behavior would have endangered his position in Mercia. In order for Aethelred to have some sort of quasi-royal authority in Mercia, he’d have to emphasize Aethelflaed, his legitimate wife with royal blood, in his position there.

That looks set to continue as we head into the fifth and final season, where we will see Uhtred “charged with training King Edward’s first-born son Aethelstan as a warrior.” With the fate of England in the balance, Uhtred will “realize his destiny is more than just Bebbanburg.” The fifth and final season of the Last Kingdom is expected to air on Netflix in 2022.

Who Wrote The Last Kingdom?

The Last Kingdom‘s blend of brutal battle scenes, political skulduggery and a wisecracking, volatile protagonist has earned it a devoted following. Your guide to what to watch next – no spoilers, we promise Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem.

The Last Kingdom TV series is based on The Saxon Stories historical novels by Bernard Cornwell, which so far includes 12 books. He said: “They had a family tree, it went all the way back to the 6th century. They were the Lords of Bebbanburg (Bamburgh Castle) in Northumberland, there was an Uhtred.

But most historical novels have a big story, and a little story – you flip them and put the little story in the foreground.” While Uhtred’s character is therefore a work of fiction, the majority of major events in which he plays an often defining role were very real, as were many of the figures that he encounters. Alfred the Great The Last Kingdom is as much a story about Alfred the Great as Uhtred of Bebbanburg, with the king’s turbulent relationship with the show’s protagonist taking centre stage.

Not knowing his identity, she left Alfred to tend to a batch of cakes she was baking, but the preoccupied ruler let them burn, earning a rebuke from his host. The first series culminates with the king winning a glorious victory against the Vikings at the Battle of Ethandun (thought to be Edington in Wiltshire) after rallying his troops at “Egbert’s Stone”. The Last Kingdom’s Alfred Despite his military successes, the Alfred portrayed in The Last Kingdom by David Dawson is far from a fearsome warlord inspiring his followers with feats of battle.

The real-life king was famous for his enthusiasm for the church and learning, broadening construction of schools when generally only churchmen learned to read. Aethelflaed, The Lady of the Mercians Alfred’s eldest daughter Aethelflaed, born just before he ascended the throne of Wessex, became a prominent character in the second season of The Last Kingdom. She said: “She must have had quite a force of personality to overcome the assumptions of her time.

Much of her kingdom was on the front line with the Danelaw – the regions of England under Viking rule – but Aethelflaed struck out on the offensive, often campaigning in tandem with her brother Edward, who succeeded Alfred in Wessex. After several years of successes in raids against the Viking invaders, in 917 she personally led the Mercian armies to reclaim the Danish fortress of Derby.

Who Was A Significant Person In Northumbria In The Early 11Th Century?

With that in mind, Professor Lavelle clues us in on the actual history and separates The Last Kingdom’s fact from fiction… Uhtred is fictional, but inspired by a real historical figure “Uhtred is a significant person in Northumbria in the early 11th century so there certainly was a historical Uhtred, just not in the 9th century. Most of the Northumbrians in this period had to have some kind of Danish connection in order to survive, so it’s likely he did.” King Alfred did suffer from ill health “There’s enough evidence to be able to say that Alfred was affected by bouts of chronic ill health.

Alfred did seek to unite the kingdoms into one England “Towards the end of his reign, Alfred is calling himself the King of the Anglo-Saxons, ‘Rex Angul-Saxonum’ is the term. It’s potentially a term that means him being a king of the Angles in Mercia and the Saxons in Wessex, looking towards a larger kingdom, a larger realm.” There may be historical evidence for Osferth being King Alfred’s illegitimate son “That came from a suggestion by Jinty Nelson back in the 1980s.

It’s possible, but it’s equally possible that he might just be some more distant relation. It does bring in the historical evidence for Alfred as a young man – as indicated in Asser’s biography of Alfred – that he is said to have regretted his earlier wild youth!” An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was written during Alfred’s reign “There’s a lot of evidence for a kind of new form of kingship in Alfred’s reign, a lot of thinking about what it means to be a king, and the king of a Christian people.

It’s not so much turning away from Latin, it’s more thinking about the use of English as something which could unite, initially, his subjects in Wessex.”

Who Wrote The Saxon Stories?

The Last Kingdom is not a true story, but many of the show’s details are drawn from historical fact. The Last Kingdom is based on The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, which so far includes twelve books. Even though the books and series are fictional, there are many aspects rooted in real milestones of British history.

Who Is The Main Character In The Last Kingdom?

The Last Kingdom features some of the most famous and influential figures from the early years of England, incorporating them into the fictional story of its lead character, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. The fearless yet noble warrior, born a Saxon but raised by Danes, is a work of fiction. However, the main character in The Last Kingdom is similar in name and territory only, as the real Uhtred did not have the same remarkable upbringing or adventures.

Under his reign, there were advancements made towards a fairer legal system as well as higher quality of life for ordinary people. Some of the military victories shown in the Netflix series did indeed occur in real life, most notably the conversion of viking warrior Earl Guthrum to Christianity at the end of season one. Sadly, his bones and many others were lost in the late 1700s, when a prison was built on the land.

She was never granted the title of queen, so when Alfred died, she founded a nunnery in Winchester that went on to be known as St Mary’s Abbey. Much of it was demolished in 1539 as part of the Tudor dissolution of the monasteries, with little trace left of it today. Aethelwold in real life Aethelwold is a character people love to hate in The Last Kingdom, known for his scheming and treachery against King Alfred as he eyes the throne for himself.

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. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. King Edward in real life Alfred’s son saw off a challenge from Aethelwold to secure his kingship over the Anglo-Saxons, reigning from 899 to 924.

His remains were also lost in the 1700s. Equally, there is some confusion over the circumstances of his death. However, others believe he was grievously injured at the Battle of Tettenhall, as shown quite hauntingly in season four of The Last Kingdom.

Who Did Uhtred Work Closely With To Secure The Future Of?

In the show, he is a warrior who works closely with King Alfred to secure the future of England, proving to be a crucial warrior in several epic battles. But is he based on a real person? Sign up to get alerts on Netflix and on demand services and receive TV and entertainment email newsletters from our award-winning editorial team.

The Uhtred that we meet in The Last Kingdom, born a Saxon nobleman but raised among Vikings and ultimately torn between the warring cultures, is primarily a work of fiction – but not entirely. While it makes for entertaining viewing in the hit Netflix series, the story of how he was usurped from his ancestral home of Bebbanburg and swore to reclaim it is not based on any historical account. 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.

Netflix But there’s evidence to suggest he was a similarly fierce and cunning warrior to that which we see in the show, having been become Ealdorman of Bamburgh after leading a decisive victory against attackers from Scotland. He would later be named Ealdorman of York and marry Ælfgifu, the daughter of King Ethelred II, further establishing his status as a powerful figure in early England. However, he would meet a grizzly fate along with 40 of his men, when they were ambushed by the forces of Northumbrian magnate Thurbrand the Hold, thought to be carried out in support of Danish king Cnut the Great.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.

What Is The Story Of The Struggle Between Saxons And Danes In 9Th-Century England?

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. 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. THE LAST KINGDOM SEASON 4 REVIEWS: What happened in The Last Kingdom season one?

Uhtred’s uncle Aelfric hopes to ransom the boy back and quietly murder him so that he can claim the lordship of Bebbanburg for himself unimpeded, but that plan is scuppered when Danish jarl Ragnar the Fearless takes a liking to the lad and ultimately takes him back to Denmark along with a Saxon girl, Brida. It’s on returning to Northumbria that Uhtred meets Guthrum and Ubba, one of the fabled sons of legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lothbrok , whom he watches murder King Edmund of the East Angles. And what’s the real history?

And what’s the real history? But Alfred really is dying, through ill health; Edward the Aetheling is a young man not yet ready to rule; Aetholwold is sowing discord as he sees a route to finally becoming king. Relations between Uhtred and Alfred reach crisis point when Uhtred accidentally kills a priest after Aethelwold’s meddling; in response, Alfred tries to make Uhtred swear an oath to serve Edward.

Uhtred makes his way north to Durham and to his brother Ragnar the Younger, where he briefly plots with Bloodhair, Haesten and Ragnar’s cousin Cnut to form a great army to invade the Saxon kingdoms, but abandons them to rescue Aethelflaed – now hiding in a nunnery, because Aethelred is plotting to have her killed. And what’s the real history? Uhtred does get in – not without some mishap – only to find his plan scuppered by the return of the Aelfric’s own estranged son, Whitgar, who terminally alters the power balance in the north by executing Aelfric and claiming Bebbanburg as his own.

But it’s all smoke and mirrors: the Danes, led by Cnut and Brida, did leave East Anglia, but didn’t put out to sea. The boy is revealed to be Aethelstan, the future first king of the English. “There is no historical epidemic known in early medieval Britain from 910/911 or even the first decades of the 10th century, but what is happening is not long after a period of disease recorded in 896, in which a number of the great and good of Wessex perished,” says Lavelle in our episode six review.

This is again the right history at wrong time: Sigtryggr, notes Lavelle in our episode ten review, was the historical ruler of the Anglo-Scandinavians of York – but not until 920.

Which Season Of The Last Kingdom Premieres On April 26?

On April 26, viewers can return to the intricate world of The Last Kingdom when Season 4 premieres on Netflix. As you settle in to watch the continuing clash between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes, you may find yourself asking, is The Last Kingdom based on a true story? While the show is an adaptation of the historical fiction novels The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, there is a grain of truth in Uhtred’s journey to claim his birthright.

Season 4 will continue to mix blend history and fiction even as it moves past Alfred’s death to chronicle the events in The Pagan Lord and The Empty Throne, books seven and eight in Cornwell’s series. In a 2015, Cornwell revealed in an interview with Medievalists that while he enjoys including historical elements in his novels, he considers himself a storyteller first. I never forget that I must be primarily a storyteller, not an historian, he said.

Cornwell is passionate about history himself, and it was delving into his own ancestry and realizing how few people truly understand how England came to be that inspired the story. The show’s hero, Uhtred, is fictional, but he interacts with many important figures from England’s past, including the now deceased Alfred and his son Athelstan. 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.

It can encourage viewers to delve deeper into the birth of England without turning itself into a history book. Like all of the best historical fiction series, The Last Kingdom knows when to draw on the momentous battles and trials of the past, and when to embellish history with well-earned character moments.

Who Is The Protagonist Of The British Historical Drama Series The Last Kingdom?

‘The Last Kingdom‘ is a British historical drama series that revolves around its protagonist Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Under the rule of the King, he has to train the army of the kingdom. The main reason for this is to prevent the attack of the Danes, who are set to invade King Alfred’s territory.

The series is actually based on Bernard Cornwell’s novel series, ‘The Saxon Stories.’ The fictional novels that provide the basis of the series are set in the Anglo-Saxon time period. While based in fiction, the inspiration behind it is very much rooted in the reality of certain events from the past.

Spanning over six centuries, this time period was called the Dark Ages. Now, as ominous as it sounds, it isn’t so. It is called that because there exist no accurately decipherable written texts from that time period.

King Alfred King Alfred, often known as King Alfred, the great, is, in fact, as real as the series projects him. During his reign, he received counsel from Witan. He is known to have made impactful, practical, and functional laws to govern his people.

He was known to be a warlord. While Uhtred the Bold was real, he did not exist in the Anglo-Saxons period. He came way later in history.

The visuals and the fights add dramatic elements and depth.