The Last Kingdom follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg (or Uhtred Ragnarsson), a warrior born a Saxon but raised a Dane. The series revolves around the conflict between the Saxons and the Danes and the unification of England. As with most historical dramas, viewers wonder whether The Last Kingdom is based on a true story, which events of the series actually happened, and which parts are fiction. Here's what we know.
Is The Last Kingdom Based on a True Story?
The Last Kingdom is an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories, a series with 13 novels that is based on historical events, specifically, the creation of England.
So, both The Last Kingdom series and the book are based on historical events, and some characters are based on real people. And it must be noted that this is historical fiction, so it's a mixture of both fact and fiction.
One thing that happened in real life was that King Alfred suffered from ill health. He also may have had an illegitimate son, Osferth, whom he referred to in his will as his “kinsman”.
Additionally, Lord Aethelred was indeed the leader of Mercia, alongside Lady Aethelflaed, daughter of King Alfred. There's no evidence, however, that Aethelred was really a cruel husband.
People did indeed see Aethelflaed as an inspirational leader, and she became the "Lady of the Mercians" after her husband's death.
University of Winchester Professor Ryan Lavelle told Den of Geek:
“There is a version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written from a Mercian perspective that really plays up Aethelflaed’s achievements, which indicates that there were people looking toward her as an inspirational leader."
Aethelwold, King Alfred's nephew, did stage a revolt, similar to what we saw in The Last Kingdom series, as he had a strong claim to the throne as the son of King Aethelred I of Wessex. However, his revolt ended when he was killed in battle.
The show's protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, is a fictional character, but he's inspired by a real historical figure. The Last Kingdom's Uhtred is loosely based on Uhtred the Bold, who was the ealdorman of Northumbria from 1006 to 1016.
READ MORE: The Last Kingdom: Alexander Dreymon Discusses Uhtred's Fate in Seven Kings Must Die
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
Seven Kings Must Die is a 2-hour film that concludes The Last Kingdom. It is a sequel to the series and takes place after The Last Kingdom Season 5, which ended with Uhtred reclaiming his ancestral home of Bebbanburg and becoming the Lord of Northumbria.
Seven Kings Must Die takes place after the death of King Edward. Aethelstan’s (King Edward’s eldest son) claim to the throne is challenged, with Uhtred once again stepping up for peace in the hopes of forming a united England.
You can watch the trailer for Seven Kings Must Die below:
READ NEXT: Who Dies in The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die?
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