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Category Archives: Vikings
Cnut the Great, d. 12 November
Cnut the Great, England’s Viking king, died on Wednesday, 12 November, 1035. Cnut’s birth date was not recorded, but it was likely some time in the 990’s, so he was probably in his early to mid-forties when he died at … Read More
The Quest: VIKINGS
On a recent visit to County Wicklow, Ireland, I checked into a B&B just a few miles from where the History Channel’s VIKING series is filming at Lough Tay. I was hoping that I might catch a glimpse of Ragnar … Read More
Posted in Vikings
Tagged Anglo-Saxons, dragon ships, Floki, King Alfred, Lagertha, Lough Tay, Ragnar, Rollo, Set Design, TV Series, Vikings
8 Comments
The Last Kingdom, Episode 8: The Battle of Edington
878 A.D. In the seventh week after Easter King Alfred rode to Ecbryht’s Stone…All those of Somerset came to meet him, and those of Wiltshire and Hampshire…they were glad of his coming. ..He went from that camp…to Edington, and there … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, History, Review, The Last Kingdom, UK, Vikings
Tagged Angl-Saxons, Battle, Book Review, King Alfred, Medieval, Review, TV Series, Uhtred, Vikings
5 Comments
The Last Kingdom, Episode Five: Uhtred vs Ubba
Alternate Title: UHTRED vs UBBA, ODDA 1, ODDA2, ALFRED, LEOFRIC, MILDRITH, OSWALD…oh heck. UHTRED vs EVERYBODY Episode 5 begins with shipwreck and concludes with a very different kind of wreck. In between, our hero Uhtred covers a lot of ground … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, Books, Review, The Last Kingdom, UK, Vikings
Tagged King Alfred, Review, TV Series, Ubba, Uhtred
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The Last Kingdom, Episode 4: The Peace is Over
With Episode Four we have reached the half-way point of this season. A new woman has entered Uhtred’s life. Those of us who have read Cornwell’s novels have learned to not get too attached to Uhtred’s women. They come and … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, History, The Last Kingdom, Vikings
Tagged Anglo-Saxons, history, King Alfred, Tolkien, TV Series, Uhtred
4 Comments
The Last Kingdom, Episode 3: The New King of Wessex
Despite the fact that the main character of Bernard Cornwell’s books is our hero Uhtred, it is Alfred who is the focal character of this episode. Everything and everyone revolves around him, and actor David Dawson does a spectacular job … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, History, Review, The Last Kingdom, UK, Vikings
Tagged Anglo-Saxons, Battle, Bernard Cornwell, King Alfred, Ubba, Uhtred
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The Last Kingdom, Episode 2
At the beginning of this episode of The Last Kingdom, as scenes from the previous episode flash across the television screen and the voice of Uhtred summarizes his early life, he says, “Destiny is all.” This phrase appears in every … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, The Last Kingdom, Vikings
Tagged Angl-Saxons, King Alfred, Ragnar, Review, TV Series, Uhtred, Vikings
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Review: The Ceremony of Innocence, a play written in 1968 by Ronald Ribman
It is Christmas Eve in the year 1013. The king of England, Ethelred, has retired to a cell in a monastery on the Isle of Wight. He is mournful, despairing, and self-exiled from his court and kingdom due to remorse … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, Art, History, Research, Review, Theatre, UK, Vikings
Tagged Aethelred, Anglo-Saxons, Art, Emma of Normandy, history, Medieval, Review
6 Comments
5 May 1010: The Battle of Ringmere
On 5 May in the year 1010, a great battle was fought between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes at a place in East Anglia called Ringmere. In the fall of 2012, as part of the research for my novel The … Read More
Posted in Anglo-Saxons, History, Inspiration, Research, UK, Vikings
Tagged Angl-Saxons, Battle, East Anglia, history, Medieval, Ringmere, The Price of Blood, Vikings
2 Comments
Vikings 3, Episode X: THE DEAD
I cannot possibly write a review of this episode without including spoilers. So, if you do not want to know how Season 3 of The Vikings ends, please leave the room now. Are they gone? Right. In this episode King … Read More