The Last Kingdom

infobox Book |
name = The Last Kingdom
orig title =
translator =


image_caption = Cover to the UK first edition
author = Bernard Cornwell
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = The Saxon Stories
genre = Historical novel
publisher = HarperCollins
release_date = 4 October 2004
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 400 pp (hardback edition) & 384 pp (paperback edition)
isbn = ISBN 0-00-714990-5 (hardback edition) & ISBN 0-06-053280-7 (paperback edition)
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Pale Horseman

"The Last Kingdom" is the first book in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. The series follows the wars between King Alfred the Great and the Danes or Vikings. "The Last Kingdom" focuses on Uhtred's upbringing and early adulthood. The book begins when Uhtred marches with his father to war against the Danes at the age of ten. He links his destiny to the Sceadugenga or "Shadow-Walkers".

Plot summary

866 - 876: Osbert is 10 years old and the second son of Ealdorman Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg in Northumbria. Danes raid Bebbanburg and Ealdorman Uhtred's first son, also called Uhtred, is killed and his body desecrated after he is sent out to scout the raiders. Osbert is now the oldest son of Ealdorman Uhtred and is re-baptised Uhtred. Ealdorman Uhtred seeks to avenge his son's death. He is killed during the failed attack on Eoferwic (York) and Uhtred is captured by Earl Ragnar of the Danes during the battle. Ragnar, intrigued and amused by the boy's attempted attack during the battle, retains him in his household. Uhtred's uncle, Ælfric, takes Bebbanburg and the title of Ealdorman for himself although Uhtred is the rightful heir. Uhtred describes his life among the Danes, moving to the country with Ragnar and his men, working like a slave and fighting with other boys, slaves and Danes alike. Uhtred befriends Ragnar's son Rorik and has many clashes with one boy in particular, Sven, son of Kjartan, a shipmaster in Ragnar's small fleet. One day, Ragnar's daughter, Thyra, is kidnapped by Sven out in the woods, and he tries to convince her to touch him sexually. Uhtred charges Sven from hiding, taking his sword and chopping into his thigh. He then slashes at Sven's side. Uhtred, Rorik, and Thyra make an escape back to Ragnar's hall where they each recount the tale to Ragnar. He is offended and deeply angry. He proceeds to Kjartan, and crushes one of Sven's eyes with the hilt of his sword.

Uhtred then goes Viking across East Anglia, and participates in the conquering of Mercia, East Anglia, and the invasion of Wessex. He is kidnapped by a priest, Beocca, a family friend. He then escapes from Wessex and joins Ragnar again.

Uhtred enjoys life with the Danes but flees after Kjartan kills Ragnar in a hall-burning. Uhtred hopes to escape the assassins of Kjartan by sending out the lie that he died. Uhtred then joins King Alfred in Wessex. There he learns to read and write, and sails with Alfred's fleet of 12 ships against the Danes. Seeking to take command of the fleet, he gains it on the conditionthat he marry the orphaned Wessex girl Mildrith. After doing so, he takes part in a siege against Guthrum, and is among a group of hostages exchanged when the Danes and Saxons agree on peace. Staying with the Danes in the city over winter he meets Ragnar the younger, son of Earl Ragnar, the man who adopted him. When Guthrum breaks the peace and murders the Saxon hostages, Uhtred is saved by Ragnar's son, and tells him of Kjartan's betrayal. He then escapes to find his wife. She was taken by Odda the Younger, another Wessex ealdorman (earl or noble), to the north. There he fights in the battle at Cynuit where Uhtred finds himself fighting against Ubba Lothbrokson's Danes. The book ends with Uhtred fighting in his first shield-wall and killing Ubba.

Characters in "The Last Kingdom"

Fictional

*Uhtred - the Protagonist, narrator, dispossessed Ealdorman of Bebbanburg originally called Osbert"'
*Earl Ragnar the Fearless - Danish warlord who adopts Uhtred
*Ragnar Ragnarsson (Ragnar the Younger) - Ragnar's son, Uhtred's foster brother and close friend
*Rorik Ragnarsson - Ragnar's younger son and Uhtred's childhood friend
*Thyra Ragnarsdottir - Ragnar's daughter kidnapped by Kjartan
*Brida - East Anglian Saxon girl, Uhtred's lover and friend
*Sigrid - Earl Ragnar's wife and mother to Ragnar the Younger, Rorik and Thyra
*Ravn - blind skald and Earl Ragnar's father
*Sven Kjartansson - Uhtred's sworn enemy and Kjartan's son
*Kjartan - Danish shipmaster who destroys Uhtred's future
*Father Beocca - Alfred's priest and Uhtred's family friend
*Mildrith - Uhtred's pious West Saxon wife
*Leofric - Uhtred's friend, warrior and shipmaster
*Odda the Younger - Ealdorman Odda's son and Uhtred's enemy
*Ælfric - Uhtred's uncle and usurper of the throne of Bebbanburg"'
*Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg - Uhtred's father
*Gytha - Uhtred's stepmother

Historical

*King Alfred of Wessex (Alfred the Great) - the King of Wessex
*Guthrum the Unlucky - Danish warlord called the unlucky
*Ubba Lothbroksson - Danish warlord feared by many, older brother to Ivar and Halfdan
*Ivar Lothbroksson (Ivar the Boneless) - Danish warlord feared by many, brother to Ubba and Halfdan
*Halfdan Lothbroksson - Danish warlord and younger brother of Ubba and Ivar
*Ælswith - Alfred's wife who dislikes Uhtred
*Æthelwold - Alfred's nephew and friend of Uhtred
*Ealdorman Odda - Earldorman of Wessex
*"'King Edmund of East Anglia

Release details

*2004, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-714990-5, Pub date 4 October 2004, hardback
*2005, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-714991-3, Pub date 30 May 2005, paperback
*2006, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-721801-X, Pub date 3 October 2005, paperback (mass-market)
*2006, USA, HarperTorch ISBN 0-06-053280-7, Pub date 30 June 2006, paperback (mass-market)