From my blog...

Author Archives: Patricia

Queen Emma and St. Valentine

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Patricia

Despite the painting above of King Cnut wooing Emma of Normandy, this is not a love story. But it IS about Queen Emma and St. Valentine. Emma of Normandy, Queen of England, was long remembered as a generous patron by … Read More →

Posted in History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms Exhibit Catalogue

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Patricia

  I could not make it to London to see the highly acclaimed exhibit at the British Library, ANGLO-SAXON KINGDOMS, so I purchased the catalogue, which arrived yesterday. I have a lot of reading ahead of me over the next … Read More →

Posted in Anglo-Saxons | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Death of Swein Forkbeard

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Patricia

Candlemas, February 2 On this day in 1014 Swein Forkbeard died; although it might actually have been in the early hours of Feb. 3. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, written a decade after Swein’s death reported, confusingly: Swein ended his days on … Read More →

Posted in History | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 10

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Patricia

Woe to thee, O land, when they king is a youth…Ecclesiastes 10:16 In Episode 10 of THE LAST KINGDOM Æthelwold’s argument against the naming of the ætheling Edward as the successor to King Alfred is that Edward is too young … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 9

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Patricia

“To Uhtred, the true lord of Bebbanburg; a man I have never understood but without whom I would not die a king.” King Alfred in THE LAST KINGDOM. THE LAST KINGDOM is a tv drama based on a series of … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 8

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Patricia

BEWARE SPOILERS! “I cannot resist Skade,” Uhtred’s voice intones during the teaser at the opening of Episode 8. “She has invaded my heart and my mind.” Surely I am not the only one who, upon hearing this, sat up abruptly … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 7

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Patricia

It’s interesting to consider the women in this episode—Æthelflaed the Lady of Mercia; Brida the Danish war leader; Ælswith the wife of the Wessex king; and Skade the sorceress—because all of them act with agency. Not Edward’s betrothed, alas. She … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 6

Posted on November 25, 2018 by Patricia

Even before the opening credits, the action of Episode 6 picks up right where it left off in Episode 5. What is at stake here for Uhtred? First, he has to survive the desperate, lopsided battle he’s fighting. Second, he … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 5

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Patricia

Spoilers Ahead. BEWARE! It’s an interesting exercise to try to imagine how long it took for news to go from place to place in the early medieval period. For example, how long did it take for word of the death … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 4

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Patricia

In Episode 4 scriptwriter Stephen Buchard takes all the elements of the plot of THE BURNING LAND and mixes them up to tell essentially the same story but in a way that will hold quite a few surprises for those … Read More →

Posted in The Last Kingdom | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment