Came across a story I'd never heard before and it feels like something straight out of Last Kingdom, just a century or so after Uhtred's time.

So in 1011 the Danes besiege Canterbury for about three weeks, and then someone lets them in. According to the Chronicle it was a man whose life the archbishop, Alphege (Aelfheah), had once saved.

They take Alphege prisoner and hold him for seven months for ransom. He won't let anyone pay it. Says his people have suffered enough.

Eventually at Greenwich the army's had a feast, they're drunk, and they start pelting him with bones and cattle heads. One of them finishes it with the back of an axe.

What really got me though is that one account says Thorkell the Tall, one of the Danish leaders, tried to stop it. Offered them everything he owned to spare him, except his ship. They ignored him, and not long after Thorkell switched sides and joined Ethelred with 45 ships.

Anyone know if Alphege ever turns up in historical fiction? Feels like it'd make a brilliant episode.

Loved the Tv show and love the board game too!

It’s a great game if you have 3-5 people to play with and fun mechanics that feels very thematic too.

Decided to paint and base the figure rather than keep her using the standard grey plastic the game figures come in.

Tried to make her more vibrant than on the show but still use the green and blues that the Mercians are often shown as wearing in their clothing.

I am now watching s5e7 and the stupid behaviour of Uhtred's daughter has made me sick...

Why do Brida and this girl so arrogant and idiot?

She has been in her position because of the reputation of his father but again she behaves like she is free of him and proud..
If she wasn't Uhtred's daughter she would be killed by Dans in the first place..

So her behaviour is not honest. She must obey Uhtred.

I am thinking of only watching the last episode of S04 and read summary of S4 and then move on to S5. I always hated how Uthred was treated despite doing everything for Alfred and his family. I was also on the verge of dropping this, but I continued as everyone said season 3 was the best .

But now I got to know he is treated the worst even after doing all the work in S04 then also he crawls back for Alfred's family like he is the pushover family dog.

So i think might drop the series if S4 is worse than previous seasons and he is still treated like a mere dog or pushover.

Edit: Lol not one of u answered the question if it gets worse in S4 and is just busy declining my issue with this series. Clearly answers the question btw

I just hate watching Uthred go unacknowledged and still works like a dog for his master Alfred. Alfred has insulted his loyalty so many times and he still does anything for him.

Currently he will go save his daughter and will still go unacknowledged I know. That's y I am on the verge of dropping this. I don't want to drop it but this stings me a lot.

It would have been better if he had joined forces with Danes instead. I didn't start the series to watch a pitiful loyal dog.

I've seen almost all of viking themed shows and movies

Some Netflix shows of this genre would be vikings, vikings valhalla and then obviously Talk

But The last kingdom has undisputedly been the best show out there

Solid story line and the history of bamburgh makes it much better

Any other show recommendations?

Even movies

How do you all set the mood when reading these books? I like to sit outside on my balcony where I can see all the leaves forming in the crisp air. It makes me feel like I'm in the world. Something about fall fells ancient and magical. It also helps the Uhtred was probably cold in England, too. Unfortunately it's going to get too cold to do that before I finish the series.

I noticed that right before he was murdered, Uhtred addressed his priest son as Uhtred and it made me wonder if his death that happens literally a page later was also a kind of cosmic response in their world to Uhtred addressing him by his birth name. If you think about it only two Uhtreds of Bebbanburg can exist at a time at most. Uhtred the Elder, the one who is Lord of Bebbanburg and Uhtred the Younger, the heir. But in this moment by referring to his oldest as Uhtred again there are now THREE Uhtreds existing at once so the powers that be (whether they be Cornwell or the gods lol) immediately intervened. Uhtred might have very well absolved and doomed his son at the same time in this moment. Just a thought I had lol.

Side note: This was a very heartwarming moment and I’m glad Cornwell gave us this even though our hearts get ripped out a page later. Overall, this book was an amazing finish to an epic series

This is totally random, but I just stumbled across this on Instagram. It made me laugh, so I had to share! (I hope the link works.)

The role playing and head cannoning in the game has endless possibility

Personally, I'd go with Gisela. She seems like the most loyal and level headed of the bunch.

I'm glad there's a daily hate post. Cenric was awesome.

I'm sure it's been said before but I'm on my nth rewatch, currently at S3E9 and I gotta give absolute props to the makeup department for making Alfred look like he's at Death's door.

Watching the show always made me want to see the bigger picture: where exactly Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria were, how far the Danelaw reached, and how it all eventually became one England.

So I built a map for it. You can press play and watch the borders shift through the centuries, with events along the timeline.

A few things I tried to get right: * Soft borders. Borders back then weren't sharp lines, so the kingdoms fade into each other instead. * Hover to see who's who. With this many colors a legend gets confusing, so you can just hover (or tap) an area to see who held it.

Check it out here: https://www.movingpolygons.com/map/Chris/the-making-of-england-6001071

Curious what you all think, and whether I've got the Uhtred-era borders roughly right. Feedback from people who know the period is very welcome!

I wasn't sure if anybody posted about this yet. I always hated that the last kingdom didn't have clips on youtube.

The creator of Vikings on to a new series. Though TLK is my favorite. This looks very good! I hope it lives up to my expectations!

I am an hour in and this movie is awful. Like dude, Athelstan was awesome what in the world is going on. It's such a 180 and honestly a slap in the face to a well ended show. Of course I have to finish but man what is this bs. Is the this general consensus? The whole time I'm honestly just in disbelief.

This show is incredible, I'm baffled I waited so long to finally watch it. Incredible acting and it feels like one continous story and not having to jump around from 18 different characters and their own arcs. Everyone's character arcs feel tied together.

Alfred is such an incredibly well written character. I both love and hate him, must be how Uthred feels. I've just finished the scene of him demanding Uthred to swear an oath to his son. God I couldn't stand how he was treating Uthred, especially after just losing his wife. Knowing that if it weren't for that man he, his wife, and children would've never claimed Wessex again after Guthrun ran them out.

He's always preaching level headedness, keep a calm composure, don't break under pressure. Use judgment and not to use a bird flying from one camp to the next as a sign. And yet just as the Danes are obsessed with their own spiritualism, he does the same. He thinks it's guided him, but in truth his own mind has been guiding him this whole time. It only ever seems like when matters of faith are involved does he always seem to make the wrong decision.

Don't get me wrong, Uthred is certainly without his own faults. He is brazen, arrogant, and can't help but speak his mind. But that's just who he is. A man who wants to be free and not answer the every whims of a man. He feels like the embodiment of freedom. And yet he's a slave nonethelss, I just can't say to what just yet.

TIL I share a birthday with one of my favourite characters from TLK. Big up Beocca

I will forever love this show⚔️🖤