Aethelred appears to be both the perfect match for Aethelflaed and a good ally for Alfred as he strives to extend his influence outside Wessex. Luckily, Aethelflaed has always possessed an ineffable way of defying expectation. He went down as the worst Saxon leader in The Last Kingdom. According to a transcript dating from 1304 in York's archives, in 925 Æthelstan gave a grant of privileges to St Oswald's Priory in Gloucester "according to a pact of paternal piety which formerly he pledged with Æthelred, ealdorman of the people of the Mercians". [5] Thereafter he usually acted with Alfred's permission, but issued some charters in his own name without reference to Alfred, such as at a meeting in Risborough in Buckinghamshire in 884, showing that English Mercia extended quite far south-east towards London. Eadith was Eardwulf's sister, whom he used to manipulate Aethelred, but Mercia's confused king never noticed it. Ceolwulf was described by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as "a foolish king's thegn" who was a puppet of the Vikings, but the historian Ann Williams regards this view as partial and distorted: he was accepted as a true king by the Mercians and by King Alfred. The defeat forced Æthelred to abandon his ambitions in north Wales, but he continued to exercise overlordship over the south-eastern Welsh kingdoms of Glywysing and Gwent. His anger and envy of Uhtred increased when he realized that everyone was praising Uhtred and that Alfred wouldn't allow anyone to harm him. When it came to the true parentage of Aethelflaed of Mercia’s daughter Aelfwynn, The Last Kingdom tore up the history books and introduced some Danish blood into the … The bones were translated to the new Gloucester minster, which was renamed St Oswald's Priory in his honour. If Aethelred had given Aethelflaed a chance to be a partner and friend, he would have achieved his ambition of becoming a true King of Mercia. [4], In 877 the Vikings divided Mercia, taking the eastern part for themselves and leaving Ceolwulf with the west. [39] In 1998 Keynes suggested that Æthelred may have been incapacitated by illness at the end of his life,[40] but in a summary of his career in 2014 Keynes does not mention this, stating that Æthelred and Æthelflæd cooperated with King Edward in campaigns against the Vikings. In 886 Alfred took possession of London, and according to Asser he "restored" the city and "made it habitable again". [1] The Mercians traditionally held overlordship over Wales, and in 853 King Burgred of Mercia obtained the assistance of King Æthelwulf of Wessex in an invasion of Wales in order to reassert their hegemony. https://decider.com/2020/04/28/the-last-kingdom-season-4-ending-explained RELATED: The Last Kingdom: Why Edward Is Bad For The Saxons (& Why He Will Be Their Savior). [27][32] Irish annals called the Three Fragments also suggest that Æthelred was unable to take an active part in government from about 902,[38] although he did attend a meeting in 903 with King Edward, Æthelflæd and Ælfwynn. He is an actor, known for Mr. Nobody (2009), Treasure … The Last Kingdom: Aethelflaed disobeys Aethelred. After Uhtred's failure at Bebbanburg, his attention is drawn to Aethelflaed. 103, 108, Ryan, "Conquest, Reform and the Making of England", p. 298, Lyon, "The Coinage of Edward the Elder", p. 67, Keynes, "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", p. 43, Keynes, "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", pp. He was the worst Mercian in The Last Kingdom, after Aethelred himself, of course. His son, Edward, and his ealdormen, in particular his son-in-law, Æthelred, had won the glory. Egbert briefly conquered Mercia, but it recovered its independence in 830, and thereafter the two kingdoms became allies, which was to be an important factor in English resistance to the Vikings. Aldhelm (The Last Kingdom) Aethelred Lord of Mercia; Post-Season/Series 03; Developing Relationship; Summary. Aethelred being the leader of the kingdom that shared a border with Danes, needed Uhtred more than Alfred and Wessex did. Instead, on the very night of their wedding, Aethelred turned into every woman's nightmare raping her yet she couldn't leave him because she loved Wessex and Mercia more than her own happiness. After the defeat of one Viking leader, Hastein, Alfred became godfather to one of Hastein's two sons and Æthelred to the other. She is the daughter of Alfred and Ælswith. [5] Alfred P. Smyth suggests that the Chronicle's account reflects bias in Alfred's favour, and that Æthelred took charge because he had a greater role in London's recovery than the West Saxon chronicler was willing to admit. [28], In 892, two Viking armies attacked eastern England, and Æthelred took part in the defence. Unity of Mercia and Wessex is the key to achieving a united England out of the four Saxon kingdoms, but Aethelred wasn't interested in England, just his personal gain. She is first recorded as Æthelred's wife in a charter of 887, but Keynes thinks that the marriage may have taken place two or three years earlier,[26] and the historian Maggie Bailey dates it to between 882 and 887, with the most likely political context being the occupation of London in 886. [48], Æthelred's status is unclear, and this is reflected in the varying titles given to him by different historians. Aethelred chose instead to stab him, forcing Aldhelm to switch loyalties. The following year, the Vikings conquered East Anglia. After Alfred helped him secure the border for all those years, Aethelred was stupid enough to leave it unguarded at the word of Haesten. Charles-Edwards suggests that in 881–882 he tried to maintain his dominance in south-east Wales, but Alfred offered his protection to Glywysing and Gwent, and in 882–883 Æthelred accepted that West Saxon power made continued independence impossible. [43], According to William of Malmesbury, King Edward's eldest son, the future King Æthelstan, was sent to be brought up at the court of Æthelred and Æthelflæd after Edward remarried in about 900. The Last Kingdom Winchester, Wessex; Æthelred arrives in Winchester with Lord Ceolwulf to meet with King Alfred to discuss Mercia 's need of more warriors as the Danes are moving in and raiding. Played by Toby Regbo. The same year, Burgred married Æthelwulf's daughter. In 883 they freed Berkeley Abbey from obligations to the king's feorm (payments in kind), and in 887 they confirmed the possession of land and transferred manpower to Pyrton Minster in Oxfordshire. One of the burhs was Worcester, where Æthelred worked with its bishop and used the standing Roman walls in the town's defences. He was an ambitious leader with the wrong motive, always seeking to become greater by exterminating those around him. [7] Æthelred was probably much older than his wife. If Aethelflaed had disclosed the plot to Alfred, the peace between Mercia and Wessex would have ended, which would have meant the end of his rule in Mercia as well. NEXT: The 10 Best British Shows On Netflix, Ranked (According To IMDb), Billy Oduory is an author and editor with a vast experience in creating interesting entertainment reads. Later in the year, a larger Viking force marched from Essex through Mercia to the Welsh border, followed by Æthelred with a joint force of Mercians and West Saxons. Video - "The Last Kingdom" Season 3Music - Sofia Karlberg - Crazy in love In 901 they gave land to Much Wenlock Abbey, and donated a gold chalice weighing thirty mancuses in honour of its former abbess, Saint Mildburgh. [4], Æthelred's descent is unknown, and he does not appear to have been closely related to his immediate predecessors, although his name suggests possible descent from earlier Mercian kings. Why? [22], Anglo-Saxon London, called Lundenwic, was located a mile west of Roman Londinium, but Lundenwic was undefended, and the restoration was carried out inside the walls of the old Roman city, especially an area close to the River Thames now called Queenhithe, but which was then known as Æthelred's Hythe after its Mercian ruler. Eardwulf also preferred to hide his mistakes from Aethelred rather than save Mercia. When he refused to send for men to help undermine Edward's crowning as king, he understood that Mercia was only strong if it allied with a smart leader in Wessex, and Aethelwold wasn't that person. Lists of witnesses to charters show that Æthelred's witan (council) shared bishops and at least two ealdormen with Ceolwulf, but Ceolwulf's thegns all disappeared. In Netflix historical drama The Last Kingdom, “complete shit” doesn’t begin to cover Aethelred. [2], In 865 the Viking Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia, and used it as a starting point for an invasion. •We met a new character in Osferth, Leofric’s nephew, Alfred’s illegitimate son, and a monk who would rather be a warrior: perhaps he can take lessons from Father Pyrlig. The alliance was cemented by the marriage of Æthelred to Alfred's daughter Æthelflæd. The alliance was cemented by the marria… Burgred was joined by King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother, the future King Alfred, for a combined attack on the Vikings, but they refused an engagement and in the end the Mercians bought peace with them. Aethelred didn't even care to crosscheck the source of information before invading Daneland. Q: Talk us through the character of Aethelred? Toby Regbo, Actor: Mr. Nobody. To Aethelred, Eardwulf was Aldhelm's replacement, but eventually, his doom. Finan (The Last Kingdom) Aethelred Lord of Mercia; Aethelwold (d. 902) Alfred the Great (849-899) Aelswith (The Last Kingdom) Osferth (c. 885-934) Edward; Steapa (The Last Kingdom) Sigefrid Thurgilson; Haesten (The Last Kingdom) Hild; Original Characters; Original Female Character(s) A shy, blonde child who recoils at the mere sight of the show’s hero Uhtred, she was raised, most likely by her pious mother Aelswith, to fear the heathen her father King Alfred despised and respected. [54], King Edward's influence over Mercia is unclear, and he may have had less power than his father. It is not known when Æthelred took over following Ceolwulf's death or disappearance, but in the view of Thomas Charles-Edwards, a historian of medieval Wales, Æthelred was almost certainly "Edryd Long-Hair", the leader of a Mercian army which invaded Gwynedd in 881, and was defeated by Rhodri Mawr's sons at the Battle of the Conwy. The show is an adaption of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of historical novels known as "The Saxon Stories." Ceolwulf suddenly dies right there before them. Æthelflæd of Mercia (before, Æthelflæd of Wessex) is a main character in both The Saxon Stories novel series, and The Last Kingdom television series. Aethelred is called to step up to the plate, but a fatal mistake allows Erik and Sigefrid to outwit the Saxons. Æthelred II (Old English: Æþelræd, pronounced [æðelræːd]; c. 966 – 23 April 1016), known as the Unready, was King of the English from 978 to 1013 and again from 1014 until his death. 24–25, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", p. 27, Charles-Edwards, "Alliances, Godfathers", p. 57, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", p. 21, n. 90, Keynes, "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", pp. When his marriage to Aethelflaed failed, he didn't understand the need to stay close to her. No original charter of Edward survives, and S 221, The "Mercian Register" (also known as the "Annals of Æthelflæd") is the name given by historians to entries from 902 to 924 in several versions of the, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", p. 19, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", pp. 171. His epithet does not derive from the modern word "unready", but rather from the Old English unræd meaning "poorly advised"; it is a pun on his name, which means "well advised". Bailey cites "Mercian Register"[b] entries from 902 showing Æthelflæd acting alone or in conjunction with Edward in military operations. Keynes points out that according to Asser, the Welsh king Anarawd submitted to Alfred on the same terms as Æthelred—"Namely that in every respect he would be obedient to the royal will". He had distanced himself from his family and didn't even have an idea of who could succeed him or be matched to Aelfwynn when he died. 20–21, 29, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", p. 22, Keynes, "King Alfred and the Mercians", pp. 43–44, Ryan, "Conquest, Reform and the Making of England", pp. In her opinion, after mistreating her, Aethelred was no better than her brother, which is why she didn't even mourn his death. Aethelred, on the other hand, never grew out of his teenage stupidity as he continued to sleep around with women and failed to plan for the future of the throne. [8][9] Æthelred may have been the man of the same name who attested two Mercian charters in the late 860s,[10] but he is not listed in the two surviving charters of Ceolwulf. Aethelred, on the other hand, treated her as nothing more than another mistress, hurting her feelings without noticing. Æthelflæd died in 918, and their daughter Ælfwynn briefly ruled Mercia until deposed by Edward the Elder, who took the territory under his direct control. Both bishops were, like Æthelred, Mercians and strong allies of King Alfred, who had the right to all tolls from markets along the river bank. Instead, he chose to dismiss the little girl, calling her a Half-Dane as an insult to Aethelflaed. After pushing Aldhelm and Aethelflaed away, his circle of trust was finished leaving him vulnerable to liars. Both Æthelred and Æthelflæd were buried there. Aethelflaed (played by Millie Brady) was a … [59][60][c] However, Keynes also says: This article is about the Lord of the Mercians. Æthelflæd's uncle, Æthelwulf, controlled western and possibly central Mercia, while the south and east were ruled by Æthelfrith, the father of Æthelstan Half-King. 296–298, Stafford, "'The Annals of Æthelflæd', p. 112, Keynes, "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", pp. To protect a sudden elevation. Her loyalties shifting, Aethelflaed makes a dire appeal to Uhtred. The show is an adaption of Bernard Cornwell’s best-selling series of historical novels known as "The Saxon Stories." Despite the fact he is only expected to live for a few days (a fiction: Aethelred died in 911), Eardwulf kills him in his sickbed. [36], Some historians believe that at an unknown time in the decade 899 to 909, Æthelred's health collapsed and Æthelflæd became the effective ruler of Mercia. The Last Kingdom sees Aethelred sustain a fatal head injury at Tettenhall. etelredo the last kingdom. He tormented her with the threat of breaking the peace with  Wessex if she didn't submit to him. [51] Coinage issued in English Mercia in Ceolred's time named him as king, but in Æthelred's time it named the West Saxon king,[52] yet Æthelred issued some charters in his own name, implying royal authority. Over the next two generations Worcester was transformed from an ecclesiastical settlement to a town with a diverse population of craftsmen. "[31], In the last years of the ninth century, three sub-ealdormen ruled Mercia under Æthelred. Keynes takes the West Saxon view, arguing that Alfred created the "kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons", inherited by his son Edward the Elder in 899, and Æthelred ruled Mercia under the king. Aethelred faces humiliation after his blunder in London backs Alfred into a corner. Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians (or Ealdorman Æthelred of Mercia; died 911) became ruler of English Mercia shortly after the death of its last king, Ceolwulf II in 879. Aldhelm's loyalty was always with Mercia and not Aethelred, which is why he found it safer to defend Aethelflaed rather than help Aethelred in his mess. A subreddit for "The Last Kingdom," the BBC/Netflix television show set in medieval England. Welsh kings joined Æthelred to meet the Vikings at the Battle of Buttington, where according to Smyth "these invaders were utterly routed ... in what was the most decisive battle in the war", although Marios Costambeys states that the Vikings eventually cut their way out and retreated back to Essex. 5–6, Heighway, "Gloucester and the new minster of St Oswald", pp. Charles-Edwards comments: When Æthelred made a grant to Berkeley Abbey in 883, he did it with the approval of King Alfred, thus acknowledging Alfred's lordship. [5][29] In 893, Æthelred brought troops from London to join Alfred's son Edward against a Viking army at Thorney in Buckinghamshire, but the Vikings were too strong for a direct attack so they were allowed to leave English territory. However, he died without achieving anything significant despite having lots of opportunities to do it. The East Anglians were forced to buy peace, and the following year the Vikings invaded Northumbria, where they established an obscure Northumbrian man called Egbert as puppet king in 867. Aldhelm's hopes have only ever been for Mercia and for Aethelflaed—to be saved alongside them is something he never permitted himself a belief in. In 892 the Vikings renewed their attacks, and the following year Æthelred led an army of Mercians, West Saxons and Welsh to victory over a Viking army at the Battle of Buttington. [20] Marios Costambeys takes a similar view, arguing that Alfred's decision was probably due to the need to maintain unity among the English who were outside Viking territory. While she was wrong to agree to her brother's plan, she still cared enough about Aethelred not to plan his death. RELATED: The Last Kingdom: 10 Interesting Facts You Didn't Know About Millie Brady (Aethelflaed). [16], After the Battle of Edington in 878, Alfred established a network of fortified settlements, called burhs, in Wessex to protect his people and territory against Viking attacks, and when Æthelred accepted Alfred's lordship the burhs were extended into Mercia. Toby Regbo was born in 1991 in Hammersmith, London, England as Toby Finn Regbo. 30.9k. This is supported by one independent piece of evidence. In 909 a West Saxon and Mercian army raided Viking territory and seized the bones of the Northumbrian king and martyr, St Oswald, from Bardney in Lincolnshire. •I loved Ian Hart’s pause and grin after asking God to strike him dow… When Coewulf named him as the match for Aethelflaed, he was entrusting him with Mercia's future. RELATED: The Last Kingdom: 10 Things That Should Happen In Season 5. Menú. Eardwulf was only interested in the glory of his disgraced family; he didn't care about Aethelred and Mercia. They then moved on to Nottingham in Mercia, where they spent the winter of 867–868. [8] In the view of Ian Walker: "He was a royal ealdorman whose power base lay in the south-west of Mercia in the former kingdom of the Hwicce around Gloucester. [23], After the restoration of London, Alfred received the submission of "all the English people who were not under subjection to the Danes",[25] and the alliance between Wessex and Mercia was cemented by the marriage of Æthelred to Alfred's oldest daughter, Æthelflæd. [27] In King Alfred's will, drawn up in the 880s, Æthelred was left a sword worth 100 mancuses. [5] They had a daughter, Ælfwynn, and according to the twelfth century chronicler, William of Malmesbury, she was their only child. 7. The attempt also served to push Aethelflaed closer to Uhtred, which meant Aethelred had lost her forever. 'The Last Kingdom' Season 4 Review: Uhtred's love for Aethelflaed furthers Alfred's dream of a united England. He started the enmity by insulting Gisela without any provocation. [44], After Æthelred's death in 911, Æthelflæd ruled as "Lady of the Mercians", but she did not inherit the Mercian territories of London and Oxford, which were taken by Edward. Through the course of Season 4, he stands by her bringing her victories and men when she needs them the most [17], London suffered severely from Viking attacks and was several times occupied by Viking armies. He was probably the leader of an unsuccessful Mercian invasion of Wales in 881, and soon afterwards he acknowledged the lordship of King Alfred the Great of Wessex. Uhtred is the bridge between Saxons and Danes with friends on both sides of the divide. 42–43, Keynes, "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", pp. Aethelred never realized just how lucky he was to have him at his side, though. Aelfwynn's paternity is still in question, and Erik the Dane may well be her father, but Aethelred doesn't know that. “The Last Kingdom” Season 4 came to Netflix, bringing fans back to the continuing adventures of the intrepid Uhtred Ragnarson. His ambition and hatred of Edward made him stupid as he sought to prove himself as the deserving king of the united England. [57] To the Welsh and Irish looking east, Mercian rulers still kept all their old regality until Æthelflæd's death in 918, and Nick Higham argues that: "Celtic visions of Æthelred and Æthelflæd as king and queen certainly offer a different, and equally valid, contemporary take on the complex politics of this transition to a new English state."[58]. The show sees Aethelred put in charge of Alfred’s men, leading them to London only to find the city deserted. His chauvinism led him straight into Sigfrid and Erik's trap leading to Aethelflaed's abduction. [a] In 903 they negotiated a settlement over a former monastic estate which the bishops of Worcester had been trying to recover since the 840s, and Bishop Wærferth wrote "we never could get anywhere until Æthelred became lord of the Mercians". Æthelwulf and Alhhelm are not recorded after the turn of the century, and Æthelfrith may have been Æthelflæd's chief lieutenant when Æthelred's health collapsed soon afterwards. The Last Kingdom: 10 Worst Things Aethelred Did. After Æthelred's death, Æthelflæd ruled as Lady of the Mercians until her own death in 918. [4][5] The Vikings went on to attack Wessex, leaving Ceolwulf free to renew Mercian claims of hegemony in Wales. Mercia was the dominant kingdom in southern England in the eighth century, and maintained its position until it suffered a decisive defeat by King Egbert of Wessex at the Battle of Ellendun in 825. He spent the next three years fighting them alongside Alfred's son, the future King Edward the Elder. 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Aethelred turned into an animal against Aethelflaed on their wedding day, which was strange because Aelswith and Alfred had accepted him as a perfect gentleman. TV Shows: Last Kingdom fanfiction archive with over 18 stories. The Last Kingdom (2015– ) Full Cast & Crew. The couple's only child, a daughter called Ælfwynn, then ruled briefly until deposed by her uncle, King Edward. Content from both the books and the TV series are welcome! Soon afterwards, the English captured Hastein's wife and children, but they were returned to him because the sons were godsons of the English leaders. •I was extremely glad Beocca pulled back from making Aethelflaed drink the potion – and also liked the fact it was clear he saw Thrya, remembered how men brutalised her and made his decision. He’s quite scared of the idea of not being able to control his marriage because if he can’t con You can follow him on Twitter @billyoduory, All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. If he looked at Uhtred as a potential ally rather than just another favored Dane, he would have had a great ally to fight for Mercia as Aethelflaed has. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Aethelred was an ambitious leader on The Last Kingdom with the wrong motive, always seeking to become greater by exterminating those around him. Aethelred was an ambitious leader on The Last Kingdom with the wrong motive, always seeking to become greater by … Plotting to kill his own wife after he himself pushed her away was just too evil of him. His rule was confined to the western half, as eastern Mercia was then part of the Viking-ruled Danelaw. It was the worst marriage in The Last Kingdom and the reason why her marriage and Aethelred's reign was ruined. He then handed control to Æthelred. For other uses, see, 9th and 10th-century ruler of Mercia in England. He forced her to come to London in a battle against an enemy he didn't understand. "[11] However, Alex Woolf suggests that he was probably the son of King Burgred of Mercia and Æthelswith, sister of Alfred the Great, although that would mean that Æthelred's marriage was uncanonical, as Rome then forbade marriage between first cousins.[12]. Even with the paternity question, Aethelred should have recognized that Aelfwynn was an innocent child and the only legitimate child he had. He never took the time to understand her and take advantage of her leadership skills learned at Alfred's side. Especially when he died, leaving Mercia in crisis. When things got bad, and Aethelred was on his deathbed, he had no more friends; Not even someone that could listen to his last message. Æthelred's ancestry is unknown. Aethelred proved himself as an unfit leader when he ordered Aldhelm to seduce Aethelflaed so he could divorce her for infidelity. Aethelred was a womanizer, but Aethelflaed was his rightful wife meaning, any heir to Mercia would have to come by her. © Carnival Film & Television Limited 2016 | a division of NBCUniversal International Studios | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy Before his death, Aethelred apologized to Aethelflaed for mistreating her, claiming that he knew how it felt to grow up without love. Also, he doesn’t understand women and the fact that they can be powerful. Lord Aethelred was historically the leader of Mercia between 881 to 911, entering into marriage with King Alfred’s daughter as part of an alliance … A: He’s an ambitious boy-man who hasn’t really developed an emotional maturity. Mercia shared a border with Danes, which is why Coewulf sought an alliance with Wessex in the first place.