Tag Archives: Aethelred

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Vikings Valhalla 1.2: Enter the Queen

There is a lot to unpack in this second episode of Vikings Valhalla, most of it having to do with what’s happening in England. The thing is, we know a lot about what was happening in England because we have … Read More

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Vikings Valhalla 1.1

The first thing that the audience watching VIKINGS VALHALLA needs to do is to throw away the historical timeline because that is what the script writer, Jeb Stuart, has done. Let me give you some examples: The opening scene takes … Read More

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On the Passing of a Queen

Entry from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 1052: Ymma Ælfgifu, King Edward’s and Harthacnut’s mother, passed away. The very mention of Emma of Normandy’s passing in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is an indication of the significance of her career as queen, queen mother, … Read More

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Æthelred the King

On 23 April 1016, Æthelred, king of England, died in London. He was about 50 years old, and he’d ruled England for 38 years. At his death he’d not yet been given the byname, Unræd, (ill-counseled, a play on the … Read More

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Emma of Normandy: A Life

Emma of Normandy, Dowager Queen of England, died on 6 March, 1052, in Winchester. She was only the second woman to be crowned queen of all England, and the only woman ever to be crowned queen of England twice. For … Read More

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THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 8

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

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THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 5

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

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THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 4

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

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THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode 3

Episode 3 begins at Dunholm, where Uhtred has been reunited with Ragnar and Brida. Along with Uhtred’s companions is an old friend from Season 1, who is a wonderful stand-in for Uhtred’s conscience, pricking him about who he is and … Read More

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THE LAST KINGDOM 3, Episode One

The full ten episodes – yes, 10!! – of the third season of THE LAST KINGDOM are streaming now on Netflix. The season will cover book 5, THE BURNING LAND and book 6, DEATH OF KINGS of Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon … Read More

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