Summary
- The Last Kingdom depicts critical historical events in the formation of the first unified Kingdom of England through the eyes of its fictional protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
- The show includes many key turning points in England's history, such as King Alfred's coronation, the Battle of Edington, and the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum.
- King Edward's conquest of East Anglia and the Battle of Brunanburh were vital moments in history that solidified Wessex's control and led to the eventual creation of the Kingdom of England.
The Last Kingdom focuses on the formation of the first unified Kingdom of England, depicting eight critical historical events along the way. The Last Kingdom is based on Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories novel series, which explores the formation of England through the eyes of its fictional protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Though Uhtred is a fictional character, many of the events he finds himself tangled up in during the series are based on real historical moments.
From the beginning of The Last Kingdom season 1 to the end of The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, the show's sequel movie, Uhtred and the other characters participate in many of the key battles and negotiations that led to the formation of England. While The Last Kingdom does not always follow history in exact , it includes many of the key turning points in a more-or-less accurate fashion. Of all the historical moments depicted in The Last Kingdom, eight of them are particularly critical.
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8 King Alfred's Coronation
The Last Kingdom Season 1, Episode 3
The Last Kingdom season 1, episode 3 depicts the coronation of Alfred as King of Wessex. Alfred is coronated after his brother, King Aethelred, is killed in a battle with the Danes, and Uhtred is present for the event in the show. This is a critical moment in The Last Kingdom, in part because Alfred's fascinating character is one of the reasons The Last Kingdom became a surprise hit for Netflix, and also because Alfred's position as king is what allows Uhtred to gain the power and recognition he achieves in The Last Kingdom.
This was also a crucial moment in history, as Alfred would go on to become one of the most celebrated English kings ever, earning the moniker of King Alfred the Great. He is often credited by historians with laying the foundation for England's formation, and he was the first king to take the title of King of the Anglo-Saxons. It was Alfred's dream to turn all of England into one kingdom, and he instilled that dream in his son and grandson, who would go on to achieve it after Alfred's death.
7 The Battle Of Edington
The Last Kingdom Season 1, Episode 8
The Battle of Edington, also known as the Battle of Ethandun, occurs in the show's season 1 finale, and it's one of the best battles in The Last Kingdom. In the show, it occurs after Uhtred helps Alfred escape the Somerset marshes and helps him gather an army to face Guthrum's massive force. This is also a critical battle in history for two key reasons.
Firstly, it saved Wessex from being conquered by the Danes, which would have left all of England in Danish control. Secondly, it allowed Alfred to reform the English military, which prevented Viking raids from ever reaching their pre-Edington levels. Alfred's military reforms also allowed the English to gather larger and better trained forces to fight off future invasions, and eventually, to retake control of Viking-conqeured lands.
6 The Treaty Of Alfred And Guthrum
The Last Kingdom Season 1, Episode 8
After the battle of Edington in The Last Kingdom season 1 finale, Uhtred describes the basic of the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum. In the show, part of the are an exchange of hostages that includes Uhtred's friend Brida, and his adoptive brother, Ragnar. It also required Earl Guthrum to accept a Christian baptism, which was a key part of the real treaty as well. The real treaty also required Guthrum to move his people out of Wessex into East Anglia, which helped Alfred achieve his famous military reforms and made this one of the most important events in English history.
5 Aethelred Swearing Mercia's Loyalty To Wessex
The Last Kingdom Season 2, Episode 3
In The Last Kingdom season 2, episode 3, Aethelred of Mercia and King Alfred sit down to discuss the of Aethelred's marriage to Alfred's daughter. Part of this marriage pact included Mercia swearing allegiance to Wessex. This is a crucial moment in history because it constitutes the first step in Wessex's control of the other English kingdoms. Mercia is right in the middle of England, and Alfred's ability to control it was one of the most important steps toward creating the first Kingdom of England. While Alfred was not yet the King of Mercia, his overlordship allowed him to take the title of King of the Anglo-Saxons.
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4 King Edward Seizing Direct Control Of Merica After Aethelflaed's Death
The Last Kingdom Season 5, Episode 4
After the death of Aethelflaed in The Last Kingdom season 5, King Edward of Wessex steps into Mercia and slaughters their lords, declaring himself King of Mercia as well as Wessex. This is an important event in history because it continued the expansion of Wessex's power and united the two largest kingdoms in England. It also made Edward powerful enough to take control of East Anglia before his death, leaving Northumbria as the only English kingdom outside the control of Wessex. This paved the way for his son, Aethelstan, to finally unite the four kingdoms.
3 King Edward Conquering East Anglia
The Last Kingdom Season 5, Episode 10
King Edward's conquering of East Anglia occurs off-screen in The Last Kingdom season 5, and though the fighting is not pictured in the show, it's mentioned in the season 5 finale that Edward controls every kingdom besides Northumbria. This was another crucial moment in history because it made East Anglia the third of four English kingdoms to be controlled by Wessex. This ensured that when Edward's son, Aethelstan, was crowned king, only one kingdom remained for him to conquer.
2 King Aethelstan's Coronation
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
King Aethelstan is one of the most revered kings in English history, which makes his coronation as King in The Last Kingdom's sequel movie, Seven Kings Must Die, one of the most important historical moments depicted in the show's continuity. Aethelstan is best-known for being the first King of England, but he's also ed for centralizing the government and making extensive legal reforms. King Aethelstan also played a large role in the politics of continental Europe, which made him the most influential English king of the early Middle Ages.
1 The Battle Of Brunanburh
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
The climactic battle in The Last Kingdom movie Seven Kings Must Die is known to history as the Battle of Brunanburh. This is an epic scene in the movie, and it serves as the culmination of the show's entire plot. After years of Alfred and his descendants fighting to unite England, this battle finally made that dream a reality. This is also the biggest turning point in the real formation of England, and it's commonly cited as the point of origin for the Kingdom of England. While King Aethelstan still had to take official control of Northumbria after this battle, his victory at Brunanburh ensured that it would happen.
