Uhtred of Bebbanburg wins a victory against Danish invaders threatening Alfred the Great's kingdom of Wessex. When Uhtred unintentionally kills a Christian priest who insulted his dead wife, Alfred demands heavy reparations of Uhtred. Instead, Uthred breaks his oath to Alfred and sets off Viking, but eventually returns to Mercia because of his oath to Aethelflaed, Alfred's daughter, and ends the (immediate) Danish threat.
This novel, and the series of which it is the fifth part, has been well received. One reviewer remarks "Vivid descriptions of merciless battlefield slaughter, rape, and destruction are artfully related by a masterful storyteller."[1] Another comments on the series and its viewpoint varying from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, saying "Historical novels stand or fall on detail, and Mr Cornwell writes as if he has been to ninth-century Wessex and back."[2] Another again praises Cornwell's eye for historical detail, and "his capacity for pulling off deft reverses are still in place, which helps to keep the narrative turning briskly along."[3]
Plot summary
892–893: Uhtred of Bebbanburg is now the preeminent warlord of Wessex, Alfred the Great's kingdom. Alfred, always in poor health and now fearing he is dying, pressures him to swear an oath to Alfred's son and presumptive heir, Edward. Uhtred is unwilling to do so, as that would interfere with his goal of retaking his family's stronghold at Bebbanburg in Northumbria, stolen from him by his uncle Aelfric after his father's death.
Uhtred is military governor of Lundene (London), sharing power with Bishop Erkenwald, whom he dislikes, but respects. Wessex is threatened by two separate Danish forces who land in Cent (Kent). Uhtred delivers Alfred's bribe to Jarl (Earl) Haesten, who leads the smaller army, to get him to leave, so that he can deal with the more serious threat posed by Jarl Harald Bloodhair. Uhtred objects to the bribe, as he knows that Haesten is completely untrustworthy. While travelling to meet Alfred, Uhtred captures Skade, Harald's woman and a reputed sorceress. Harald arrives, leading Saxon captive women, and threatens to kill all of them if Skade is not returned to him. When he starts butchering his prisoners before Uhtred's eyes, Uhtred releases Skade. Skade curses Uhtred as she and Harald make their escape.
Uhtred devises a plan to lure Harald into a trap. The plan works brilliantly. Uhtred and Alfred's men rout Harald's forces and again take Skade prisoner. Harald is severely wounded, but escapes to Torneie Island (Thorney Island), with a few followers. The island's natural defences and a palisade he builds make it too costly to attack him, but he is trapped there.
Uhtred is devastated by the news that his beloved wife, Gisela, has died in childbirth, along with the newborn child. When Uhtred and Skade return to Lundene, the cleric Godwin denounces Gisela, ranting that Gisela was the devil's whore and has come back from the dead as Skade. Uhtred flies into a rage and strikes him, unintentionally killing him. As punishment, Alfred orders Uhtred to pay a huge fine and swear an oath to Edward. Alfred holds Uhtred's children hostage and places them in the custody of Aethelflaed, his daughter and wife of Aethelred, the ealdorman of Mercia. Furious, Uhtred breaks his oath to Alfred and sails, with Skade, to Dunholm in Northumbria, stronghold of his old friend Ragnar, a Danish leader. Uhtred trusts Aethelflaed to protect his children.
Uhtred needs money to recruit men to attack Bebbanburg. Skade claims that Skirnir, her hated husband and a Frisian pirate, has a great treasure hoard, so Uhtred sails to Frisia. On the voyage, he and Skade become lovers. After he defeats and kills Skirnir, he is disappointed when the hoard fails to match Skade's description. When Skade demands half of it as her share, Uhtred denies it to her. From that point on, Skade becomes his enemy.
Ragnar and two other powerful Northumbrian jarls, Cnut and Sigrid, plot to attack Wessex. During the meeting, an uninvited Haesten arrives and offers to attack Mercia first, to distract Alfred and draw away some of his forces. When Haesten leaves, Skade goes with him. Uhtred's friend, the Welshman Father Pyrlig, arrives. Pyrlig reminds Uhtred that he has given his oath to serve Aethelflaed, and "oaths made in love cannot be broken".
Aethelred, Aethelflaed's husband, wants to divorce her to break free of Alfred's domination of Mercia. He directs Lord Aldhem to rape Aethelflaed, which would give Aethelred the excuse of "adultery" to divorce her. Uhtred kills Aldhem and is reunited with his children and Aethelflaed. He and Aethelflaed then go to Aethelred's council, surprising him before the assembled Mercian lords. Uhtred tries to convince the Mercian lords to adopt his war plan, asking them to bring their men to Lundene. Because Aethelred holds the purse-strings, only Lord Elfwold comes. Uhtred and Aethelflaed become lovers. Uhtred learns that Alfred had advised Aethelflaed to use Uhtred's oath to her to bring him back. Eventually, Steapa, Alfred's retainer and Uhtred's friend, brings an army of twelve hundred of Alfred's best house troops, along with Edward.
With these reinforcements, Uhtred decides to attack Haesten's two forts at Baemfleot (Benfleet), although Haesten is not there. Uhtred encounters and recklessly attacks a larger Danish force. Surrounded, he is saved by Steapa's timely arrival with Alfred's troops. The Danes are routed, and some flee to the weaker fort. The gate is left open for the fleeing Danes, and Uhtred's men get inside and capture the fort. The second fort is much tougher, but Uhtred takes it too, throwing beehives inside to distract the defenders at a key point.
In the hall, Uhtred finds Skade and a hoard of treasure. Harald Bloodhair, crippled and vengeful over Skade's betrayal with Haesten, appears, embraces her, then kills her. He then asks Uhtred to kill him. Uhtred does, then meets with Edward, who says that he does not need Uhtred's oath as long as his sister has it. Uhtred and Aethelflaed then sail away.
Characters
Fictional
Uhtred Ragnarson, the protagonist and narrator, dispossessed Ealdorman of Bebbanburg
Gisela – Uhtred's wife
Stiorra – Uhtred's daughter
Uhtred Uhtredson – Uhtred's son
Osbert – Uhtred's youngest child
Steapa Snotor – A huge, fierce Saxon warrior, captain of Alfred's house troops
Father Willibald – A British priest and friend of Uhtred
Father Pyrlig – A Welsh priest and warrior who is a close friend of Uhtred
Sihtric Kjartanson – Kjartan's illegitimate son, sworn to Uhtred
Father Beocca – Uhtred's friend and teacher
Osferth – Alfred's illegitimate son, now a member of Uhtred's household troops
Ralla – Uthred's shipmaster
Finan (the Agile) – Irish ex-slave, Uhtred's close friend and captain of Uhtred's household troops
Rypere – A Saxon, one of Uhtred's household troops and oath-men
Cerdic – One of Uhtred's household troops and oath-men
Ragnar Ragnarson – Jarl of Dunholm (Durham), blood-brother to Uhtred
Brida – Ragnar's East Anglian wife
Rollo – Oath-man of Ragnar, fought with Uhtred in Frisia
Jarl Harald Bloodhair – Danish earl, initially Skade's lover, enemy of Alfred and Uhtred
Skade – Danish woman, wife of Skirnir, at various times Uhtred's lover and enemy
Offa – A Saxon, formerly a priest, now ostensibly an entertainer with trained dogs, but in reality a purveyor of information
Aelfric of Bebbanburg – Uhtred's uncle, possessor of Bebbanburg, (Bamburgh Castle) Uhtred's hereditary home.
Skirnir – Frisian chieftain and pirate, husband of Skade
Brother Godwin – A blind monk, beholden to Bishop Asser and claimed to speak directly with God
Aelswith – A Mercian princess in her own right, wife of King Alfred, mother of Aethelflaed and Edward
Bishop Asser – Welsh monk, religious advisor to King Alfred, enemy of Uhtred
Aethelflaed – King Alfred's daughter and wife to Athelred
Aethelred – Ealdorman of Mercia, Alfred's son-in-law and Uhtred's cousin
Edward Aethling – Alfred's son and heir apparent to the throne of Wessex
Earl Haesten – A Danish jarl (earl), who previously broke a life-oath to Uhtred who is now a dangerous enemy, seemingly based on a Viking leader of the same name recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Erkenwald – Alfred's civilian ruler of Lunden; Uhtred rules the garrison. Seemingly based on St. Erkenwald, an Anglo-Saxon bishop of London, who lived two centuries prior to the events of this novel.
Constantin – Prince of Alba (Scotland) under King Domnal. Later to become King Constantine II of Alba
Lists
On 31 October 2009, the book was number 5 on the hardback best-seller list of the Evening News (Edinburgh, Scotland)[4]
Reviews
Publishers Weekly finds the action-packed novel to be artfully related by a masterful storyteller.
Slathered in blood and gore, Saxon warlord Uhtred of Bebbanburg hacks his way through the ninth century in the exciting fifth installment to bestseller Cornwell's Saxon Tales series (following Sword Song). This action-packed novel continues the saga of warfare for supremacy in Britain, a brutal period when Saxon and Danish swords, battleaxes, and treachery ruled the day. By now, Alfred the Great is old and feeble, unwilling and unable to repel the Danish invaders. He relies on trusty pagan warlord Uhtred, but Uhtred's temper and an unexpected violent act force Uhtred to break his oath of loyalty to Alfred and flee north with his men, intending to reclaim his ancestral home. En route, they face marauding Danish armies, betrayal, battles for a pirate treasure, and the curse of a vicious Danish witch, only to eventually be manipulated back into fighting for Alfred. Vivid descriptions of merciless battlefield slaughter, rape, and destruction are artfully related by a masterful storyteller. Uhtred is victorious in some battles, but the outcome of others will have to wait for the sequel.[1]
Tom Shippey has strong praise in a detailed review of this novel, praise for the series, for this novel's portrayal of ninth-century Wessex, and for filling a gap in the written records, records written by Alfred's supporters.
We have good historical sources for what happened next, notably an early life of Alfred written by Bishop Asser and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, annals compiled by anonymous scribes across two centuries. But both works were written by Alfred's supporters and intended to burnish his legend. "The Burning Land" opens accordingly with Uhtred as an old man, angrily burning what seems to be a copy of the "Chronicle" for the lies it tells. His own story is the true one, he insists. "The Burning Land" proceeds to tell it.
What Mr Cornwell is doing—it's often a good strategy for a historical novelist—is writing into a gap in our knowledge. The Anglo-Saxons, for instance, thought they'd won a big battle at Farnham in 893, but the "Chronicle" is strangely silent on who was leading them. Why? We know that it wasn't Alfred, who was occupied elsewhere. Was the leader his son-in-law Æthelred, Alfred's candidate for ruler (but not king) of Free Mercia? How did Alfred intend to realize his dream of assimilating Free Mercia, reconquering Danish Mercia, and rolling up the other kingdoms to create, for the first time ever, a political unit called "England"?
. . .
Historical novels stand or fall on detail, and Mr Cornwell writes as if he has been to ninth-century Wessex and back. He gives a graphic sense of what it's like to stand in a defensive shield-wall and how you go about breaking one. Each of his battles poses different tactical questions and gets imaginatively different answers. His accounts of fire and slaughter, and of Viking methods of extorting money, would seem gruesomely exaggerated if they weren't so often based on old legends or confirmed by archaeology.
In Uhtred, Mr Cornwell has given us a great character: quite a nice guy, underneath, but in a permanent bad temper as a result of disastrous, unrealistic and ungrateful higher management. Much has changed since the ninth century, but some things, and some feelings, are timeless.[2]
Curtis Edmonds is pleased with the development of Uhtred, the main character. While wishing Uhtred could stop being used by so many larger forces and instead follow his own desires, Edmonds knows that would be the end of The Saxon Tales, and there are more tales to tell. "It’s hard enough to write one novel, but it’s downright difficult to pen five of them consecutively with the same characters and themes and keep the writing fresh and interesting. 'Difficult' isn't even the word; 'impossible' is more like it. ... This is not to denigrate THE BURNING LAND in any way; it’s superior entertainment (if you like your entertainment blood-stained and brutal). Uhtred is a fully-realized character, capable of great bravery and great foolishness, mixed in with—as he might describe himself—the deviousness of Loki and the thunder of Thor’s hammer in battle. And Cornwell’s eye for period detail and his capacity for pulling off deft reverses are still in place, which helps to keep the narrative turning briskly along."[3]
"The only thing to dislike about THE BURNING LAND is that it didn’t go in the direction that the main character (and at least this part of the readership) wanted it to go. But that means that the issue of who holds Bebbanburg Castle will be resolved in another volume, and given Cornwell’s talents, that will be a book to wait for indeed."[3]
Adaptation
This novel is the basis for the first half of season 3 of The Last Kingdom.
Related Research Articles
Æthelflæd ruled as Lady of the Mercians in the English Midlands from 911 until her death in 918. She was the eldest child of Alfred the Great, king of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and his wife Ealhswith.
The Danelaw was the part of England between the early tenth century and the Norman Conquest under Anglo-Saxon rule in which Danish laws applied. The Danelaw originated in the conquest and occupation of large parts of eastern and northern England by Danish Vikings in the late ninth century. The term applies to the areas in which English kings allowed the Danes to keep their own laws following the tenth-century English conquest in return for the Danish settlers' loyalty to the English crown. "Danelaw" is first recorded in the early 11th century as Dena lage.
The Saxon Stories is a historical novel series written by Bernard Cornwell about the birth of England in the ninth and tenth centuries. The series consists of 13 novels. The protagonist of the series is Uhtred of Bebbanburg, born to a Saxon lord in Northumbria. He is captured as a child and raised by a Danish warlord. Uhtred, despite his inclination otherwise, repeatedly fights and schemes to bring about Alfred the Great's dream of uniting all English speakers in one realm over the course of a long life.
Uhtred of Bamburgh, was ruler of Bamburgh and from 1006 to 1016 the ealdorman of Northumbria. He was the son of Waltheof I, ruler of Bamburgh (Bebbanburg), whose family the Eadwulfingas had ruled the surrounding region for over a century. Uhtred's death by assassination was described in De obsessione Dunelmi and has been interpreted as the beginning of a blood feud. Lest he be confused with Uhtred, the son of Eadwulf I of Bamburgh, he historically has been referred to as Uhtred the Bold.
The Last Kingdom is the first historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2004. This story introduces Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon noble who is kidnapped by Danish Vikings as a young child and is assimilated into their culture, religion and language before a series of events lead him into the service of King Alfred of Wessex and his participation in multiple battles, including the notable Battle of Cynwit before the book's conclusion.
The Pale Horseman is the second historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2005. It is set in 9th century Wessex and Cornwall.
The Lords of the North is the third historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell published in 2006. The story is set in the 9th century Anglo-Saxon kingdoms Wessex and Northumbria. Uhtred wants revenge against his uncle, and falls in love. He fights for both the Danes and for Alfred.
Edward the Elder was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 until his death in 924. He was the elder son of Alfred the Great and his wife Ealhswith. When Edward succeeded to the throne, he had to defeat a challenge from his cousin Æthelwold, who had a strong claim to the throne as the son of Alfred's elder brother and predecessor, Æthelred I.
Sword Song is the fourth historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, published in 2007. Uhtred leads battles against the Danes, as King Alfred strengthens the defences of his kingdom of Wessex.
Events from the 10th century in the Kingdom of England.
Death of Kings, published in 2011, is the sixth novel of Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales series. It continues the story of Saxon warlord Uhtred of Bebbanburg who resists a new Danish invasion of Wessex and Mercia.
The Pagan Lord is the seventh historical novel in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell, first published in 2013. The story is set in the early 10th century in Anglo-Saxon Mercia and Northumbria.
The Empty Throne is the eighth historical novel in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in October 2014. It is set in 10th-century Mercia and Dyfed.
The Last Kingdom is a British historical drama television series created and developed for television by Stephen Butchard, based on The Saxon Stories series of novels by Bernard Cornwell. The series premiered on 10 October 2015 on BBC Two. After co-producing the second series, Netflix acquired the series in 2018. The series concluded on 9 March 2022 after five series for a total of 46 episodes. A feature-length sequel that concluded the series story, titled Seven Kings Must Die, premiered on 14 April 2023 on Netflix.
Warriors of the Storm is the ninth historical novel in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell, first published in October 2015. It is set in 10th-century Mercia, Northumbria and Northern Ireland and continues to follow the fortunes of the fictional Uhtred of Bebbanburg.
The Flame Bearer is the tenth historical novel in The Saxon Stories series, also known as The Last Kingdom series, by Bernard Cornwell, first published in October 2016. It is set in 10th-century England and continues to follow the fortunes of the fictional Uhtred of Bebbanburg. In this novel Uhtred sets out to finally regain his childhood home, Bebbanburg, which is now held by his cousin.
War of the Wolf is the eleventh historical novel in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. It was first published in October 2018.
Sword of Kings is the twelfth historical novel in The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. It was first published in October 2019.
War Lord is the 13th and last novel in the Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell. It was published on 15 October 2020 in the UK.
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die is a 2023 British historical drama film directed by Edward Bazalgette, written by Martha Hillier, and based on The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell. It acts as a sequel and conclusion to The Last Kingdom television series. Series regulars Alexander Dreymon, Harry Gilby, Mark Rowley, Arnas Fedaravicius, Cavan Clerkin, James Northcote, Ross Anderson, Ilona Chevakova, Rod Hallett, Ewan Horrocks and Steffan Rhodri reprise their respective roles. The film was released on 14 April 2023 on Netflix.
↑ "Books: Top Ten Best Sellers". Evening News. Edinburgh, Scotland: Gale Custom Database – Newspapers Web. 31 October 2009. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
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